Cranberry Nut Bread

 This recipe came from my Mom- I have no idea where she got it, but we've had it around for years!

1 beaten egg

2 tbs melted shortening (I usually forget to add this, oops!)

1/2 cup prepared orange juice

2 tbs hot water

 

Add dry ingredients

 

2 cups flour

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1 cup sugar

1/2 tsp baking powder

 

Mix well, then fold in

 

1/2 cup walnuts

1 cup raw cranberries, cut in half (hint: it is easier to slice them if they have been in the freezer for a while)

 

Dough will be thick and kind of sticky.

 

Pour in greased and floured pan (about 2/3 full)

Bake at 325 for about 1 hour, or until toothpick comes out clean

Penguin Party!

We "invited" some penguins to our holiday dinner this year!

(olives, cream cheese, carrot)

Lazy dessert...

This is best filed under things I threw together and didn't turn out half bad... :)

1 small bag frozen raspberries, dumped into a glass baking dish that has been sprayed with oil

1 chocolate cake mix, dumped directly on top of the raspberries

1 stick butter, cut into slices and put on top of the dry cake mix

Bake for about 1/2 an hour. You will see it bubbling slightly on the edges when it is done.

It looks like a big gooey mess, as you can see, but was actually pretty tasty. I let it cool for a little while, but served it while it was still warm. Goes great with vanilla ice cream too. Think cobblerish dump cake?

Grilled Potatoes and Carrots

This is by no means an "original" recipe. I have seen variations of it at bar-b-ques and picnics, so I don't really know where the credit for it's tastiness should fall. It is however incredibly quick- incredibly tasty- and incredibly easy to make.

Potatoes
Baby Carrots
(any other veggies you may like)
Ranch Seasoning Packet (or 2!)

Wash and cut raw potatoes. I used approximately 8 medium-smallish Yukon golds, but any type/size will work. Just clean enough for your family. Boil potatoes for a few minutes to soften them. You don't want them mushy, just slightly cooked through so they will cook quicker on the grill. You can even do this ahead of time and have them in the fridge, ready to go whenever you are. (You don't have to pre-boil them, but they will definitely take longer to grill if you don't.)

Combine carrots and potatoes. Mix in 1 Ranch Dips packet (I used Hidden Valley). Sometimes I even throw in some salt and pepper.

Make a foil pouch and dump veggies on it. Roll up tight and take it to the grill.
Flip it a couple times to make sure it cooks evenly.

End result:

 yum

The Dip That Saved Me

I got a Kitchen-Aid Mixer for Christmas. I haven't used it. My oven has been used once since January. My kids are getting sick of pancakes and my husband misses meat. Yes, I am pregnant and am so nauseous that my once beloved past time of cooking for my family has been thrown aside. There is however one thing that I have been craving. It doesn't smell up the whole house and I could eat it by the bucket-load. This dip has literally become my alternative to pancakes and french toast and cold cereal. If it's weird please don't tell me-I don't think I want to know!

Tomato, diced
Large bunch of fresh cilantro, llightly chopped
1/2 stalk green onion, minced
dash or two of lemon juice
handful of chopped black olives
dash of garlic salt

I could eat this stuff straight from the bowl- but then again, I am pregnant. It is also pretty good on corn chips. Matt (my husband) likes to throw in a handful of grated cheese, which is good, but lately- I like it just the way it is.

Grandma Jean's Applesauce Pie

When my dad was little he didn't like the chunks of apples in an apple pie, so my Grandmother came up with this recipe for Applesauce Pie, which if you ask me is just as good or better, and definitely quicker to prep!

1 48 oz jar of Cinnamon flavored Applesauce
2 cups water
1/2 cup corn starch
1 cup sugar
4 tsp lemon juice
2 prepared pie crusts

Pour entire jar of applesauce in a large pan. (You can use plain applesauce and then add cinnamon if you want.)

Pour water and corn starch into empty applesauce jar and shake until corn starch and water are mixed well. Add to apple sauce. Add sugar and lemon juice.

Bring mixture to a boil. Stirring often so that it doesn't burn to the bottom of the pan. As it boils the mixture will thicken and change color. Let the mixture boil until it can't be stirred down. When the mixture is thick, pour into pie crusts. It will make 2 pies. Bake at 375 until the pie crust is done. Let cool and then refrigerate until ready to eat.

Edible Turkeys!

We made these cute little turkeys for an activity at church tonight.
Thought you all might enjoy them! Follow the link for a list of ingredients...

Turkey Ingredients

5 minute(ish) Taquito "Enchiladas"

For this recipe you'll need:
20-30 frozen taquitos
enchilada sauce*
cheese

Spray your baking dish to prevent it from sticking. Add a little bit of your sauce to the bottom of the pan. Layer your frozen taquitos next. Pour the rest of the sauce over the top. sprinkle cheese on top of the whole thing. Garnish with olives if you like. Bake for 30-45 minutes or until heated through.

I served mine with a side of green salad and some black beans.

*You can use any enchilada sauce you like. I used a sour cream enchilada mixture which consists of a small container of sour cream, a can of cream of chicken and a can of mild green enchilada sauce.  You could also skip the sour cream and go for a plain green sauce or even use a can of red sauce or for that matter "doctored up" salsa.

Pumpkin Spice cookies

EASY EASY EASY!

1 15oz. can pumpkin
1 box spice cake mix

Dump dry cake mix into a bowl. Add canned pumpkin. Mix ingredients until cake mix is fully incorporated into the pumpkin. Drop by spoonful onto ungreased cookie sheet and bake in a 350 degree oven for 8-10 minutes. Cookies will be light and cake-like.
If you are feeling extra nice, throw in a cup of chocolate chips, too!



(The absolute best part of this recipe is the amazing smell that comes form your kitchen! Enjoy!)

I have also seen similar recipes that add an egg into the mixture, but I never bother. I have tried it with the egg, and I really don't think it adds all that much to the overall finished product...

Better Broccoli, Moister Meat

Cooking tip:
To keep chicken moist- Cook chicken to your skillet just long enough to get a nice sear on it, but not cooked completely through. Then add about 1/2 cup- 1cup of chicken broth to the pan and let it finish cooking.  The broth helps keep the meat moist and tender!

Cooking tip:
At the stage where your meat is seared and you are adding in your broth, throw in your cut or frozen veggies. It adds SO MUCH flavor. Broccoli absorbs the flavor of the chicken and really hardly tastes like broccoli anymore. (It's how I've gotten my kids to eat their veggies!)

"Enchilada" Potato Soup, Quick!

This recipe is based off to my Potato Soup, Quick recipe with a few minor changes. Here's this version...

 

1/2 package (24 oz) thawed, unseasoned, frozen hash browns (shredded or cubed is fine)
1/2 cup chopped onion (OPTIONAL if you don't like onion)
butter (about a 1/2 cup, but I don't really measure)

1 can Stokes Pork Green Chile Sauce
1 can chicken broth
1 can cream of chicken soup

1 can black beans, drained and rinsed

1-2 cups frozen corn (you could also used canned...)

1-2 cups cooked, cubed chicken

taco seasoning, to taste
garlic salt, to taste

cheese, to top it off

In a large sauce pan, cook and stir the onion and potatoes in butter then heat until cooked through, roughly about 10 minutes.  Stir in all other ingredients. Simmer for about 20 minutes. Sprinkle some grated cheese on top. (Sometimes I even dollop a spoonful of sour cream on top, too!) We serve it with warm tortillas and corn chips. YUM.

Potato Soup Quick!

I love this recipe because you don't have to spend time washing, peeling and cutting potatoes! Here it is:

1 package (24 oz) thawed, unseasoned, frozen hash browns (shredded or cubed is fine)
1/2 cup chopped onion (OPTIONAL if you don't like onion)
butter (about a 1/2 cup, but I don't really measure)
4 cups milk (whole milk will make it creamier- but use what you've got)
1 can chicken broth
1 can cream of chicken soup
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese (I admit we like it REALLY cheesy, so I usually use more.)
garlic salt, to taste
cooked crumbled bacon (this is OPTIONAL but very very tasty)

In a large sauce pan, cook and stir the onion and potatoes in butter then heat until cooked through, roughly about 10 minutes.  Stir in all other ingredients, except the bacon.  Simmer for about 20 minutes. Sprinkle some more  grated cheese and crumbled bacon on top. YUM.

Stuffed Crescent "Muffins"

 So I will admit I am a huge fan of anything that helps make dinner time quick and easy in our life. I found that Pillsbury is now making unperforated rolls of crescent roll dough. (Available in your refrigerated dough section.) I whipped this together with leftovers from my fridge. This is a pizza-ish version, but I can see myself getting really creative stuffing other things in there too. I already have plans to try out a breakfast version stuffed with fruit. Here's the "recipe":

1. I took a muffin pan and sprayed it with no-stick oil.

2. I then cut out square pieces of the crescent roll dough and lined muffin cups, leaving the corners sticking out the edges. ( I got twelve muffins out of two rolls, but you could probably get more if you cut your dough squares smaller)

3. I then stuffed the dough with a cheese mixture. ( I used a ricotta/mozzarella  mixture similar to what you would use in lasagna)

4. I had some left over cooked hamburger and sausage, so that went in too.

5. We like mushrooms and olives in our house, so a few of those got tossed in.

6. I then gently folded the edges of dough that were sticking up around the edges over, to make a cute little top.

7. Follow baking directions on the crescent roll wrapper, it took mine less than 15 minutes to bake. 

8. I served with leftover spaghetti sauce to dip it in and a salad.

EASY meatballs

In a large bowl combine the following:
1 lb hamburger
1 1/2 cups dry, uncooked StoveTop stuffing
1 large egg (2 if your eggs are small)

Using your hands-mix until all ingredients are incorporated.  Roll into 1 inch balls and put in a pan that has been sprayed with non stick cooking spray. I normally get about 28 meatballs. Bake in a 350 oven for about 20 minutes, flip them over and bake for another 10, or until meatballs are cooked through. They are now ready for your favorite meatball dish.

(We love them with spaghetti and marinara, or we really love a creamy "stroganoff-like" sauce using cream of mushroom soup and sour cream, served over egg noodles or rice!) Happy eating!

PS StoveTop is now sold in a resealable canister as well as in the box, so you can make as much or as little as you want!

Sausage Soup

1. Brown your sausage. I used about three links of the mild italian sausage, cut into bite sized pieces. Cook more or less depending on how many people you're serving. Drain any grease off.

2. While your meat is browning, take a large saucepan and add about a cup of diced carrots, one finely chopped celery stalk, minced onion and one clove diced garlic to the pan. I also add a few tablespoons of chicken broth to keep veggies from sticking. Saute on medium heat until veggies are tender, normally a few minutes.









3. To the veggies add one container chicken broth ( I used the 48 oz one)
Also add in one can tomato sauce (or 1 can pureed diced tomatoes)
and about 1 heaping tablespoon of basil pesto (I like the Classico brand)
Also, if you have it on hand add in the puree of 1 eggplant (for directions on how to make eggplant puree, see my previous post- it's really quick and easy and can be baking while you're preparing this soup if you put it in the oven before you start the meat and veggies...plus it is tasty and adds extra nutrients to the soup!) 
Salt and pepper to taste.

4. Add sausage to the soup mixture and bring to a boil. When boiling add in your favorite "fresh" pasta. The mini ravioli or tortellini from Buitoni work really well. When the noodles are done, they will float to the top. This normally takes about 5 minutes.

5. Your soup should look something like this by now.

6. Serve with your favorite bread or salad and garnish with a little bit of grated Parmesan cheese, if you've got it.

Eat!

My New Favorite Secret Ingredient...

I have been in a food rut. We seem to make the same 10 dishes over and over again and I admit that I have kind of come to dread dinnertime, because nothing really sounds exciting. Then a miracle happened. I went to the grocery store. ALONE. As in I didn't let any of my 4 children join me.
I was amazed at the produce section. I am always in such a rush that I hurry in and grab my staples; lettuce, carrots, potatoes, tomatoes and onions. Then I zip through to the next aisle, because I don't want to be stuck in the store in case my kids decide to start misbehaving. I never really stopped to look at all the variety of stuff in there. Food shopping had become a chore to be rushed through. (But I digress...)
The point is that when I was able to go alone I decided that I would try one new thing that I had never tried before. There in the produce aisle I found it. It was beautiful and completely foreign to me. EGGPLANT. So I  bought it, having no idea how to cook it or what it tasted like. After a little bit of research I found out that it can be pureed and added to sauces. It is AMAZING! It is so easy to do that I have been secretly sneaking eggplant into common every day meals, and my kids are none the wiser. It makes spaghetti sauces richer and soups are thicker, and heartier.
I decided to share my secret with you... Here's my eggplant technique- sneak it in a few dishes and see how you like it.
PS Don't tell my kids- they still don't know what they're eating! :)

 1. Cut your eggplant in 1/2, drizzle with olive oil and lightly salt and pepper them.

 2.Place your eggplant flesh side down on a foil-lined baking sheet. Bake at 375 for 25- 35 minutes. Flesh may be darkened a little, and that's okay.

 3. This is what it looks like when you pull it out of the oven.

 4. Carefully lift you eggplant half  and scrape the contents out of the "shell" into a bowl. It should scrape right out without any difficulty.

 5. It will look like this. The little tiny seeds are completely edible and get pureed so don't worry about them.

 6. Use a hand mixer to puree eggplant.

7. When you are done, it will have the consistency and color of pureed bananas.

8. Your eggplant is now ready to sneak into your favorite sauce or soup.

Other than baking times, the whole process from start to finish takes me about 5 minutes to complete.







FOR YOUR INFO:
Eggplant is supposed to be really good for you and is a low calorie food! Go to
http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=22
for more information about the health benefits of eggplant.

My breadstick secret is out.... :)

Carrie asked me to share my bread-stick recipe that was pictured in a previous photo. Well here it is- my secret is out- I CHEAT! 

I have found these awesome crescent roll "rounds" at my grocery store- and I love them! I have unrolled and stuffed them, cinnamon roll style. (see older posts of mine)   I have seasoned them with garlic salt or spread a light layer of pesto on them for extra flavor. I have even unrolled them, let the kids twist them, and bake them like bread-sticks instead of rounds. (Have I mentioned yet that I love them?) Then I follow the cooking times on the package. I hope you enjoy my secret! 

AMAZING Chicken Salad Sandwich in less than 5 minutes!

 In a bowl, mix together:
1/2 cup mayo or miracle whip
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 green onion stalk, finely sliced
1/2 celery stalk, finely chopped
2 leaves fresh basil, finely cut
1/2 cup grated Italian blend cheese
1 can chicken breast, drained

It will look like this...

Serve on your favorite sandwich bread or roll, I used french bread here.
It is also excellent on lightly toasted bread, too!
EAT.
(serves about 6)

BEEF... with options!

I am always ALL about the quickest, easiest, most versatile meals I can come up with. This recipe is great, because I can change it up pretty easily to make a variety of meals. Let's start with the basics...

1st
Select your beef. In the pictures, I used some thinly sliced skillet steak and cut it into bite size chunks. (I have also used leftover roast or steak, or stew meat.) If meat is uncooked, I take about 5 minutes to brown it before adding it to the crockpot.
2nd
In your favorite crock pot dump in 1 can beef broth, (or enough broth so that everything is touching some of the liquid)
about a cup of clean baby carrots,
some onion, (My kids aren't big onion fans, but we like the flavor, so I leave mine in big chunks so they're easy to pull out.)
the browned or leftover beef, and
chunky cut mushrooms
season with salt, pepper and garlic

(This is what it looks like after steps 1 and 2 are done.)

Steps 1 and 2 normally take about 5-10 minutes to throw together. Simmer on low heat until ready to eat. Mine usually sits all day- everything becomes really soft and tender. When you're ready to eat choose your "thickener". (I have found that if I add my thickener earlier my dish gets really gooey and clumpy... so that is why I wait until about time to serve)
3rd (Thickening options)
OPTION A :Italian "stew"
add 1 small can tomato paste, Italian herbs to taste ( I really like fresh basil!), and serve over your favorite pasta or with polenta. 
OPTION B: Gravied beef and veggies
Remove most of the liquid from the crockpot and use it to make a beef gravy. You can use a gravy packet if you want- substituting the broth for water in the recipes, or you can thicken the liquid by incorporating flour, corn starch or cleargel. ( Cleargel is a great thickener, if you can find it!) Add the gravy back into the crockpot, coating everything. Serve over egg noodles, mashed potatoes, or rice.

(After the broth has been made into gravy and added back into the crock pot before serving.)

(Finished beef with gravy and veggies...)

OPTION C: Stroganoff
Add about a cup of sour cream to the crockpot and incorporate it in. You can also add a can of cream of mushroom soup if you want your sauce to be even creamier and thicker.  Serve over egg noodles or rice.

Chicken Basil Roll -Ups

1 pkg Crescent Rounds (these are new to me- they roll up round like a cinnamon roll, instead of triangular)

Filling:
1 can chunk chicken, drained (you could also use leftover chicken- just shred it)
1 cup ricotta
1-2 tablespoons basil pesto
1/2 cup- 1 cup grated mozzarella

(you could also mince up a mushroom or two and add into it, or even some green onion would be good)

Unroll each roll. Carefully spread a thick layer of filling on each section. Re-roll. Place filled rounds in a glass baking dish that has been sprayed lightly with non-stick spray. They will look like filled cinnamon rolls.
Bake at 350 until crescents are slightly browned, mine took about 20-25 minutes.

The "rolls" are great as is- or you can do what I did and make an accompanying "dip", using minced black olive and finely chopped tomatoes mixed together, seasoned with a dash or two of garlic salt.

Serve with a green salad.

(NOTE: Even my kids liked this one, and that is saying something...)