Nancy tries to cook....

2011-02-22T17:44:00.000-08:00

Deceptively Delicious Muffins
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 cup old-fashioned oats
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/2 cup skim milk
1/2 cup butternut squash, carrot or sweet potato puree
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup canola oil
1 large egg

Strudel topping:
2/3 cup oats
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
2 Tbsps. soft tub margarine

Mix ingredients and spoon into 12 greased (or paper lined) muffin cups. Top with strudel topping and bake at 400 degrees for 18-20 minutes or until toothpick comes out with a few crumbs.

My notes: My mom had sent me this recipe in an email. She made these for my nieces when she was watching them while my sister was cruising the Caribbean for her 10th anniversary. I try to keep a bunch of healthy muffins frozen for quick breakfasts for Levi. The last batch I did had zucchini in them and he seemed to enjoy them. My mom said that the girls gobbled these up so I decided to try them out. I used some white wheat flour for half the flour and some prune-applesauce. Since I was gonna stick them in the freezer I left off the strudel topping...maybe that's where I went wrong. Apparently Levi wasn't a fan of these. He's repeatedly spit them out...even when I've slathered them in apple butter. I guess I'll be sticking to the zucchini ones in the future!

2011-02-19T18:53:00.000-08:00

Big Beautiful Muffins
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup sugar
1 Tbsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 cups lowfat plain yogurt
2 large eggs
8 Tbsps. (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
Raw sugar

Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 375 degrees. Generously coat a 12-cup muffin tin with vegetable oil spray. Mix the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt together in a large bowl. Whisk the yogurt, and eggs together in a medium bowl. Gently fold the yogurt-egg mixture into the flour mixture with a rubber spatula until just combined. Fold in the melted butter.
Use a large ice cream scoop or measuring cup to divide the batter evenly among the muffin cups. Sprinkle tops with raw sugar. Bake until golden and a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out with just a few crumbs attached, 25 to 30 minutes. Let the muffins cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then flip out onto a wire rack and let cool for 10 minutes before serving.

For blueberry muffins: Fold in 1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries that have been tossed in 1 Tbsp. flour into the finished batter. If using frozen blueberried, rinse them in a strainer until the water runs clear, then drain on paper towels and pat dry before stirring (unfloured) into the batter.

My notes: I got this recipe from America's Test Kitchen Family Cookbook (one of my favorites!). A lot of their muffin and bread recipes use yogurt which make them nice and moist without using a ton of butter or oil. I always have vanilla yogurt in the fridge so I used that and decreased the amount of sugar to 3/4 cup. I also used 1 cup of the white wheat flour...next time I might use 2 cups, sometimes it comes out too dense if you use too much of it. The recipe didn't call for the raw sugar on top, but I thought it was a good addition. It gave them a nice crunch on the top. The muffin cups are very full before baking and make pretty big nuffins (I guess that's how they got the name!). I'm gonna make this my "go-to" muffin recipe from now on!

2011-02-19T18:23:00.000-08:00

Cut-out Sugar Cookies
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1 cup butter or margarine, softened
1 tsp. vanilla
1 egg
2 1/3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. baking soda

Heat oven to 375. In large bowl, beat sugar and butter on low speed or with spoon until light and fluffy. Stir in vanilla extract and egg. Stir in flour and baking soda. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours. Dividen dough in half. Roll each half 1/4 inch on lightly floured surface. Cut into desired seasonal shapes with 2- to 2 1/2-inche coolie cutters. If cookies will not be frosted, sprinkle with sugar. On ungreased cookie sheet, pluace cutouts 2 inches apart. Bake 7 to 8 minutes or until edges are light brown. Immediately remove from cookie sheet to cooling rack. Makes about 4 dozen cookies

Royal Icing
3 Tbsp. meringue powder
4 cups powdered sugar
6 Tbsp. warm water

Beat all ingredients until icing forms peaks (7-10 minutes on low speed with heavy duty mixer). Place in pastry bag or speed on cookies with knife.

My notes: I made these cookies kind of by accident one Christmas. I had forgotten my regular cookie recipe when I went to NY one Christmas and wound up using the one on the back for the flour package and it turns out Seth liked it better! This past Christmas I asked a friend what icing recipe she used for her cookies. She told me that she uses meringue powder in her's...and it turns out it makes a big difference.

2010-09-09T16:37:00.000-07:00

Gnudi

1 cup whole milk ricotta cheese
1 pound frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
1 cup grated Parmesan
2 eggs
2 egg yolks
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
5 Tbsps. all-purpose flour, plus 1 cup for coating
1 jar store bought marinara sauce, heated

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
In a large bowl, mix ricotta, spinach, Parmesan cheese, eggs, and yolks. Stir in nutmeg, salt, pepper, and flour. Form mixture in to small, flattened balls.
Dredge the formed gnudi in flour to coat, tapping off the excess. Slide formed gnudi into the boiling water. Be careful not to overcrowd the pan; work in batches if necessary. Remove the gnudi using a slotted spoon after they float to the top and have cooked for about 4 minutes.
Arrange gnudi on a platter and lightly drizzle with marinara sauce.

My notes: Levi really likes ravioli, but I noticed that he's been spitting out the noodle part after eating the ricotta inside. I rememberd an episode of Everyday Italian. Giada made these things called "nudey", basically a noodle-less ravioli. I figured it was worth a shot. I made a batch this afternoon and frozen them on a cookie sheet. Levi gobbled them up! Something else to add to the mix.

2010-08-30T12:45:00.000-07:00

Chicken and Dumplings
4-5 chicken breasts
3 cans of low-sodium chicken broth
3 packages of chicken flavored Herbox
Pinch of sage
Flour
Salt & pepper, to taste

Dumplings:
2 cups Bisquick
2/3 cups milk

Cook chicken breasts and cool. Shredded chicken into bite size pieces. Place chicken in a medium sized pot with the broth, Herbox and sage. Bring to a boil. Mix about 1/4 cup of flour with water until you have a very thin paste. Add flour mixture to the boiling chicken and stir continually. Simmer for about 10 minutes. If the broth is too thin add more flour. For the dumplings, stir ingredients until soft dough forms. Drop by spoonfuls onto boiling broth; reduce heat. Cook uncovered 10 minutes. Cover and cook 10 minutes.

My notes: This is Seth's mom's recipe. It's one of the first things that I learned how to make for Seth and I make it pretty often! It's good with the dumplings, on bread, over biscuits or with mixed veggies (kind of like a pot pie). I like making it for meals to take to people because they can freeze it if they have too many meals. It's also good because you can make a big pot of it and keep some for yourself. Perfect meal for a cool fall or winter day :-)

2010-08-19T16:53:00.000-07:00

Baked Oatmeal Crusted Tilapia with Lemon Mayonnaise
4 whole Tilapia Fillets (fresh Or Frozen)
2 cups Quick Oats
1/2 cups Bread Crumbs
1/3 cups Grated Parmesan Cheese
1 Tbsp. Fresh Chives, Chopped
2 tsps. Parsley
Salt And Pepper, to taste
4 Tbsps Low-fat Mayonnaise (you may need a little extra if your fillets are bigger)
½ tsp. Grated Lemon Rind
½ tsp. Lemon Juice

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone liner. Defrost/rinse fish and pat dry. Place fish fillets on the baking sheet. In a bowl, mix together oats, bread crumbs, grated Parmesan, chives, parsley, salt and pepper. Mix thoroughly. In a separate bowl, measure out the mayonnaise before adding lemon rind and juice. Stir.
Brush tops of fish with mayonnaise, then top with the dry coating. You may feel the desire to scrimp on the mayo or feel anxious about how the texture will bake. Don’t and don’t be! The mayo melds with the coating of dry materials and thickens, creating a creamy texture. It barely tastes of mayo. Don’t go overboard with the mayo, but don’t underestimate its role in the success of this dish. If you’re not a fan of mayonnaise, I’ve read that sour cream and/or plain-flavored yogurt are excellent substitutions.
Bake for 15-20 minutes or until fish flakes when forked. Serve over the pasta of your choice or with vegetables.

My notes: I didn't use quite as many oats and I added some more bread crumbs. If I made it again I'd probably put the mixture in the food processor to grind up the oats some so they weren't so big. I also put the coating on both sides. Seth said it was good, but if he got it at a restaurant it wouldn't be his "go to" meal. Levi seemed to like it and I thought the oats gave it a healthier twist when it came to coating. The mayo kept the fish moist and the coating on the top got crispy. I think I'll try it again with grinding the oats.

2010-08-11T17:45:00.000-07:00

Whole Wheat and Oatmeal Zucchini Muffins with Cinnamon Streusel
1/3 cup Rolled Oats
1 cup Unbleached All-purpose Flour
1 cup Whole Wheat Flour
1/3 cup Brown Sugar
2 tsps Baking Powder
1/4 tsp Baking Soda
1/2 tsp Salt
1½ tsp Cinnamon
2 cups Packed Grated Zucchini
2/3 cups Buttermilk
2 whole Eggs
1/4 cup Butter, Melted

Streusel:
2 Tbsps Butter, Melted
4 Tbss Brown Sugar
4 Tbsps Rolled Oats
2 Tbsps Unbleached All-purpose Flour
1/2 tsp Cinnamon

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray muffin cups with nonstick cooking spray. Combine streusel ingredients in a small bowl and stir until well mixed. Set aside.
For the muffins: Stir together all dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Fold in the grated zucchini and mix until it is well coated with the dry ingredients.
In a small bowl whisk together the eggs, buttermilk and melted butter. Fold into dry ingredients stirring just until combined. Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups and top with struesel topping. Bake for 18-20 minutes.

My notes: I was looking for a zucchini bread/muffin recipe that didn't have an equal amount of sugar and flour! I also wanted one that had whole wheat flour...basically something more healthy for the Little Man. I didn't have buttermilk so I substituted vanilla yogurt and I also added raisins, since there wasn't a lot of sugar in the recipe. Overall they turned out pretty good. I used the struesel on six of them and left the remaining ones plain. The plain ones came out kind of bland, but Levi seems to like them. I'd make them again.

2010-06-11T08:48:00.000-07:00

Turkey- veggie meatballs
1lb. ground turkey
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 eggs
1/2 tsp. basil
1/2 tsp. oregano
1/2 cup seasoned bread crumbs
1/2 medium zucchini
1/2 carrot
handful baby spinach (cut in ribbons)
1/2 tsp. minced garlic
Shred the zucchini and carrot and place in frying pan with spinach and garlic. Cook until tender and let stand to cool slightly. In a bowl mix remaining ingredients and add vegetables. Form into balls and place on cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for about 12-14 minutes. Cool and place on new cookie sheet and put in freezer. When meatballs are completely frozen transfer to ziploc bag for easy storage.

My notes: A friend had told me that she used to make turkey meatballs for her twins to get them to eat meat. She would put whatever veggies she had on hand into them. I figured I'd give it a shot and see if Levi liked them. Sure enough...he LOVES them! It's nice to have them on hand for a quick meal. I froze some tomato sauce in ice cube trays so I thaw out two meatballs with one or two tomato sauce cubes and well-ah, dinner!

2010-04-21T17:55:00.000-07:00

Brined Pork Loin with Molasses Glaze
Molasses-Mustard Glaze (for pork):
1/4 cup Dijon
2 tablespoons whole-grain mustard
1/4 cup molasses
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Pork:
5 cups water
1 container apple juice concentrate, thawed
1/2 cup kosher salt
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 Spanish onion, peeled and quartered
10 black peppercorns
10 mustard seeds
8 sprigs fresh thyme
2 bay leaves
1 (2 1/2 to 3-pound) boneless pork loin, trimmed of fat
2 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 shallots, finely chopped
For the glaze:
Whisk all the glaze ingredients in a small bowl.

For the pork:
Bring the water, apple juice, salt, sugar, onion, peppercorns, mustard seeds, thyme and bay leaves to a simmer in a large stock pot and cook until the sugar and salt is dissolved. Let cool completely. Submerge the roast in the brine by placing a plate on top, cover with plastic and refrigerate for up to 4 hours.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

Remove the pork from the brine, rinse under cold water and pat dry with paper towels. Heat the oil in a large saute pan over high heat. Season the pork on both sides with salt and pepper and cook on both sides until golden brown, about 8 to 10 minutes total. Transfer the pork to a baking sheet, brush with some of the glaze and finish cooking in the oven until cooked to an internal temperature of 150 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer, about 30 to 40 minutes, brushing with the glaze every 10 minutes. Remove from the oven, let rest loosely tented with foil for 10 minutes.

Slice the rack into chops and place on a large plate. Garnish with parsley sprigs.

My notes: Seth and I aren't big fans of ham so I thought I decided to do a pork loin along with ham for Easter. We make pork quite a bit, but this is the first time that I tried a brine. I think it definitely made a difference and I'll make it again sometime.

2010-04-21T17:38:00.000-07:00

BBQ Pulled Pork
Homemade Barbecue Sauce:
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups finely chopped onions
6 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 1/4 teaspoons sweet paprika
2 teaspoons Essence, recipe follows
2 teaspoons dry mustard
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 (6-ounce) can tomato paste
1 1/2 cups water
3/4 cup cider vinegar
6 tablespoons dark brown sugar

In a medium non-reactive saucepan set over medium-high heat, add the butter and, when melted, add the onions and cook until they are very soft, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic, paprika, Essence, ground mustard, salt, crushed red pepper, black pepper, and cayenne pepper and cook for 2 minutes. Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring frequently, for 2 minutes, or until the tomato paste begins to brown. Add the water, cider vinegar, and dark brown sugar, and stir to combine. Reduce the heat to low and cook until the sauce has thickened and the flavors have come together, about 15 to 20 minutes.
Set aside to cool before using. The sauce may be made up to 1 week in advance and refrigerated in an airtight, non-reactive container.
Yield: about 3 cups sauce

Emeril's ESSENCE Creole Seasoning (also referred to as Bayou Blast):
2 1/2 tablespoons paprika
2 tablespoons salt
2 tablespoons garlic powder
1 tablespoon black pepper
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon dried thyme
Combine all ingredients thoroughly.
Yield: 2/3 cup
Recipe from "New New Orleans Cooking", by Emeril Lagasse and Jessie Tirsch
Published by William and Morrow, 1993.

My notes: I usually buy a pork loin instead of the butt (or shoulder) because it's not quite as grisly. I put the pork in the crock pot and pour apple juice and apple cider vinegar (about 1/4 cup) over the pork, until it's almost covered. I cook it on high for 3 to 4 hours until the pork can be shredded. After shredding the pork I ladle off most of the juice and mix in enough barbecue sauce to coat the meat. Serve on white bread, white hamburger buns or small Portuguese rolls.

2010-04-21T17:32:00.000-07:00

Chicken Artichoke Casserole
2-3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 can artichoke hearts (chopped)
1 package chopped spinach (thawed and squeezed dry)
1/3 cup light mayonnaise
1/3 cup Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup reduced fat mozzarella cheese
1/2 tsp. chopped garlic

Cut chicken into bite size pieces. In a casserole dish mix mayo, Parmesan cheese, spinach, artichoke hearts, garlic and most of the mozzarella cheese. Mix in the chicken pieces. Sprinkle remaining mozzarella cheese on top. Bake at 350 for 30-45 minutes, until chicken is done.

My notes: This is pretty much the same recipe that I use for spinach artichoke dip, but with chicken mixed in. I just winged it and was surprised with how good it turned out. Serve with rice.

2010-01-13T11:25:00.000-08:00

Pizza
Dough:
1 1/2 cups warm water (105F)
4 1/2 cups bread flour
2 Tbsp. olive oil
2 1/2 tsp. granulated sugar
2 1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. yeast
1/2 cup cornmeal

In a large bowl, dissolve sugar and salt in water. Add oil and flour and stir with heavy spoon for 1 minute. Turn out to a lightly floured surface and press into a circle. Sprinkle yeast evenly over dough and knead for 12 minutes. Divide in two.
Roll each portion into a ball. You want a dough ball without visible seams except the bottom. Place dough balls in a bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and allow to proof for 2 hours at room temperature to use the same day, or store in refrigerator to use the next day.
Place dough ball on lightly floured surface, and lightly flour the top. Use fingertips to evenly flatten out the dough ball. Work from the edges to the center press dough into a 12" circle. Place both hands within the shell edge and stretch with fingertips and palms maintaining an even pressure. Or, use a lightly floured rolling pin to stretch to desired shape.
Sprinkle cornmeal or semolina on pizza peel (a wooden paddle with a handle to slide the pizza in the oven) or a cutting board. The cornmeal allows the pizza to slide onto the stone easily.
After topping the pizza, when you are ready to cook it. Shake the peel or cutting board to make sure none of the dough is sticking.
Carefully slide the pizza into the oven.
Bake in a 500 degree oven for 20-25 minutes, until crust is golden.

(Cooking pizzas with this dough should be done on a baking stone. Using a pan will produce a very soft "doughy" crust. The stone in the oven should be preheated to 500F for an hour prior to baking, and should be placed in the middle of the oven.)

Sauce:
1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste
6 ounces warm water
3 Tbsp. grated Parmesan cheese
1 tsp. minced garlic
2 Tbsp. honey
1 tsp. anchovy paste (optional)
3/4 tsp. onion powder
1/4 tsp. dried oregano
1/4 tsp. dried marjoram
1/4 tsp. dried basil
1/8 tsp. Hot Shot
salt to taste

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

My Notes: I always double the recipe for the sauce because we like a lot of sauce on our pizza. Since I got a new mixer I've changed the way I make the dough. I put the flour and yeast in the mixer with the dough hook and let that mix while the salt and sugar dissolve in the water. I keep the mixer going while I pour the liquid ingredients in and let it mix for about 5 minutes or until a ball starts to form, then I knead it. Seth usually tops his pizza with pepperoni (not the pre-sliced stuff, but the stick kind that we slice ourselves). I usually put chicken on mine. We've also done olive, peppers and onions and sausage for friends.

2009-10-27T16:01:00.000-07:00

Pumpkin Apple Spice Muffins
1 2/3 cups All-purpose Flour
1 cup Sugar
1 Tbsp. Pumpkin Pie Spice
1 tsp. Baking Soda
1/4 tsp. Salt
1/4 tsp. Baking Powder
1 cup Pureed Pumpkin
1/2 cup Butter, Melted
2 whole Large Eggs, Lightly Beaten
1 whole Granny Smith Apple, Peeled, Cored, And Finely Chopped
* * * * * *
FOR PUMPKIN SUGAR CRUST:
3 Tbsps Sugar
1 tsp. Pumpkin Pie Spice* (See Tip Below To Make Your Own Spice Blend)

Combine first 6 ingredients in a large bowl. Make a well in the center of the mixture. Combine pumpkin, butter, and eggs in another bowl and add to the dry ingredients, stirring just until moistened. Fold in chopped apple and spoon into greased muffin pans, filling two-thirds full.

Combine 3 tablespoons sugar and 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice; sprinkle evenly over muffins. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Remove from pans immediately, and cool on wire racks.

*My tip: if you don’t have pumpkin pie spice, use the following combination:

1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ginger
1/8 tsp. nutmeg
1/8 tsp. cloves

Mix together and voila! You have the equivalent of 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice.

Notes: Buy new baking powder and don't forget the baking soda! Seth came home and looked at the muffins and wondered why I had put them in the tupperware without baking them. Oops! They came out a little flat. I didn't have pumpkin pie spice so I winged it as far as the spices went...put in more cinnamon and a little ginger and nutmeg (not a huge fan of those). It only made a dozen and a half muffins and they were relatively small. Next time I'd probably double the recipe so the muffins were fuller and maybe sub in a little wheat flour. Overall the flavor was very good. Surprisingly they all went at Bible study :-)

2009-04-02T15:08:00.000-07:00

Broccoli and Cheese Soup
Cooking spray
1 cup chopped onion
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
1 (16-ounce) package broccoli florets
2 1/2 cups 2% reduced-fat milk
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
8 ounces light processed cheese, cubed (such as Velveeta Light)

Heat a large nonstick saucepan coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic; saute 3 minutes or until tender. Add broth and broccoli. Bring broccoli mixture to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium; cook 10 minutes.
Combine milk and flour, stirring with a whisk until well blended. Add milk mixture to broccoli mixture. Cook 5 minutes or until slightly thick, stirring constantly. Stir in pepper. Remove from heat; add cheese, stirring until cheese melts.
Place one-third of the soup in a blender or food processor, and process until smooth. Return pureed soup mixture to pan.
My notes: I didn't have 2% milk so I used 1% instead. I think it came out fine with the 1%. Since I'm not a big fan of chunks of onions I used onion powder instead of actual onions so I would get the flavor, but not the texture. I made it the day before and reheated it. I forgot to get the blender out to puree part of the soup. Even without pureeing I think it came out relatively smooth, plus I kind of liked the extra bits of broccoli. I'd definitely make it again! It would probably be good with some potato cubes added to it.

2009-03-14T05:46:00.000-07:00

Bacon-Wrapped Pork Tenderloin with Maple Mustard Sauce

Sauce:
1 cup real maple syrup
4 tablespoons spicy brown mustard
2 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 1/2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
salt and pepper

pork tenderloin:
1 1/2-2 lbs pork tenderloin
6-8 slices bacon
2 Tbsp. mustard

Sauce: Combine ingredients in medium sauce pan and simmer till thickened (approximately 15-20 minutes.)
Pork Tenderloin: Coat pork with mustard. Place slices of bacon in 9 x 13 dish and lay the pork across them. Wrap the bacon over the tenderloin and tuck the edges underneath. Roast at 350 degrees till internal temp of 170 degrees (approximately 1-1 1/2 hours).

Notes: Seth loves the other maple pork recipe that I make so when I saw this one I thought it was worth a shot. He was very excited to hear what was in the oven when I told him what we were having for dinner. "Pig wrapped in pig? That's genius!", was his reply! I didn't have apple cider vinegar so I used balsamic. I also left the soy sauce out because I thought it might be too salty with the mustard. I added some garlic powder to the sauce as well. After it reduces it became very thick and it was extremely sweet, so we used it as more of a dipping sauce. Wrapping the bacon around the pork made the pork come out tender and the mustard gave it a good flavor. I'd make it again and tweek the sauce a bit.

It's been a while....

2008-08-06T09:45:00.000-07:00

Not sure how many people have been checking this blog...it's been ages since I've updated! Now the our kitchen renovation it's pretty much finished hopefully I'll get around to trying out some new recipes and posting them here. Sorry folks! Stay tuned...

2008-03-17T10:23:00.000-07:00

Crumb Cake
2 cups flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup Crisco shortening
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1 cup milk

Crumbs:
3 cups flour
1 1/2 cups sugar
4 tsp. cinnamon
2 1/2 sticks of butter (at room temp)

Beat sugar and shortening, beat in eggs and vanilla. Mix together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add 1/2 of the flour mixture into the sugar mixture. Then add milk. When mixture is smooth, add remaining flour mixture. Pour into a greased 13x9x2 inch pan.

Crumbs: Cut ingredients with pastry blender to mix, then work mixture with your hands to form the crumbs. Sprinkle over batter. Bake at 350 for 20 -25 minutes (until toothpick comes out clean). Crumbs will not brown. Sprinkle with powdered sugar after the cake is fully cooled.

My notes: This recipe was in a church cookbook of our's growing up. It turns out like the crumb cake you would get from a bakery (TONS of crumbs!). It usually takes a good 10 or 15 minutes longer in the oven to bake completely.

2008-02-12T10:43:00.000-08:00

Easy Tomato Sauce
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 (28-ounce) cans whole tomatoes, drained, tomatoes chopped
3 tsps tomato paste
1 tsp dried oregano
1 bay leaf
Salt and pepper

In a large pot, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 2 minutes longer. Add the remaining ingredients and cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until thickened, about 30 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

My notes: I've been looking for a good tomato sauce recipe. I thought this one looked pretty decent and it had simple ingredients which I liked. At first I tried to break the tomatoes up by hand (like anothe recipe suggested), but got "shot" with seeds and juice so I decided to use a knife after that! After the sauce reduced it was still to chunky for both of our taste so I used the trusty hand blender to puree everything once the sauce had cooled. I'd definitely make it again. I think I might strain is a bit to get rid of some of the seeds, there were an awful lot of them.

2008-01-03T06:08:00.000-08:00

Brined Roast Rack of Pork with Apple Chutney and Sour Mash Sauce
6 cups water
1 container apple juice concentrate, thawed
1/2 cup kosher salt
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 onion, peeled and quartered
10 black peppercorns
10 mustard seeds
8 sprigs fresh thyme
2 bay leaves
1 (3 to 4-pound) center cut rack of pork, Frenched and fat removed (we used a pork loin instead of a rack)
2 Tbsps olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 cups whiskey (recommended: Jack Daniels)
5 cups chicken stock
2 Tbsps cold unsalted butter
Apple-Ginger Chutney, recipe follows

Bring the water, apple juice concentrate, salt, sugar, onion, peppercorns, mustard seeds, thyme and bay leaves to a simmer in a large stock pot and cook until the sugar and salt are dissolved. Let cool completely. Submerge the roast in the brine by placing a plate on top, then cover with plastic and refrigerate for at least 12 hours and up to 24 hours. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Remove the pork from the brine and pat dry with paper towels. Heat the oil in a large saute pan over high heat. Season the pork all over with salt and pepper and cook on both sides until golden brown, about 5 to 6 minutes. Transfer the pork to a baking sheet and finish cooking in the oven until cooked to an internal temperature of 150 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer, about 25 to 30 minutes (ours took about an hour). Remove from the oven and let rest, loosely tented with foil, for 10 minutes.

While the pork is roasting, add the whiskey to the saute pan that the pork was cooked in, scraping the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon, and cook until almost completely reduced. Add the chicken stock, bring to a boil, and cook until reduced to a sauce consistency. Whisk in the butter, season with salt and pepper.

Cut pork into chops, top each chop with some of the Apple-Ginger Chutney, and drizzle a little of the sauce around the pork chop and over the chutney.

Apple-Ginger Chutney:
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 cup orange juice
3 Tbsps light brown sugar
1 Tbsp honey
2 large Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and thinly sliced
3 large Gala apples, peeled, cored and thinly sliced
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp kosher salt
Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the onions and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and ginger and cook for 1 minute. Increase the heat to high, then add the orange juice, brown sugar, and honey and bring to a simmer. Stir in the apples, allspice, and salt and pepper, cover, and cook for 5 minutes. Remove the lid and cook until the apples are soft and the liquid has evaporated, about 15 minutes. Serve with the pork.

My notes: We had the Kuhn Christmas at our house last weekend. I wanted to do something different than turkey (and Seth and I aren't big ham fans). So we went with a pork roast. Seth's best friend, Chris, is a meat cutter and he got us a great deal on a HUGE pork loin (close to 12lbs.). I cut a few chops out of the middle of it because it was too big to fit in the oven! We tried a brine for the first time. They say that pork is a lot leaner now-a-days and a brine helps keep it juicy...which it definitely was. I made some changes to the chutney recipe. It called for onions and garlic, which I left out. I also substituted cinnamon for allspice. I'd definitely do this recipe again.

2007-12-24T07:05:00.000-08:00

Peanut Butter Temptations
1 cup butter
1 cup peanut butter
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 tsps baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 bags (10 oz.) miniature Reese Cups
Cream butter, peanut butter and both kinds of sugar. Beat in egg and vanilla. Sift together flour, baking soda and salt. Blend into creamed mixture to make a dough. Preheat oven to 375. Shape dough into 1/2 inch balls and place in ungreased 1 1/2 inch muffin tins. Bake 8-10 minutes or until lightly browned. Immediately after removing cookies from oven, press a miniature peanut butter cup into the center of each cookie until only the top shows. Let cool 10 minutes before removing from tins.

My notes: This is a double recipe. It helps to get the larger mini muffin tin so you can bake 2 dozen at a time.

No chill Cutout Sugar Cookies
1 cup butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 tsps baking powder
3 cups all-purpose flour
Preheat oven to 375°F. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar with an electric mixer. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Add baking powder and flour one cup at a time, mixing after each addition. Dough will be stiff. Do not chill dough. Divide dough in half. Roll each half about 1/8 inch thick. Dip cutters into flour before each use. Bake cookies on ungreased cookie sheet on middle rack of oven for 8-12 minutes, or until cookies are lightly browned.

My notes: I ice them with powder sugar frosting. Mix some milk in with some confectioners sugar until it reaches the right consistency. This year I used the zip-loc bag technique (poor man's pastry bag!). Just put the icing in the bag, zip it up, cut a small hole in one corner and decorate the cookies. I sprinkled them with colored sugar before the icing dried.

Snickerdoodles
1 cup butter or shortening
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs
2 3/4 cups flour
2 tsps cream of tartar
1 tsp baking soda
2 Tbsps sugar
2 tsps cinnamon
Preheat oven to 400F. Mix together butter and sugar until smooth, then add eggs, cream of tartar, and baking soda. Stir in flour until well mixed. Roll into balls about 1" in diameter and roll in cinnamon and sugar to coat. Place on ungreased cookie sheets and bake 8-10 minutes. Cookies are done when they are just barely browning.

My notes: For some reason these cookies always remind me of Christmas! I use the Pampered Chef small scoop to make the cookies more uniform. It also makes it easier to use parchment paper. Then cookies don't stick to the cookie sheet.

2007-11-06T11:18:00.000-08:00

Roasted Red Pepper Soup
2 Tbsp. olive oil
2 celery stalks, chopped
1 small onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
4 roasted red peppers, chopped
2 cans (14.5 ounces each) reduced sodium chicken broth, plus 1/2 can water
2/3 cup heavy cream
Salt and black pepper
1/4 cup grated Parmesan
Heat oil in medium saucepan over medium heat. Add celery, onion, and garlic, and cook, stirring occasionally, about 8 minutes, until vegetables are softened.
Add roasted peppers and stock. Bring to a boil; lower heat and simmer 5 minutes. Pure soup in batches in a blender or food processor until smooth. Return soup to saucepan; stir in cream. Heat gently. Add salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle with Parmesan before serving.

My notes: Seth likes red pepper soup. I found this recipe on the Atkins website (he's still on it in order to get into "cruise shape") and thought I'd give it a try. I didn't taste it...I don't really like red pepper soup. He said it was kind of runny and lumpy. We put it through a sieve and that got rid of the lumps. In order to thicken it up you'd probably have to add something that's "non-Atkins-friendly" (flour, corn starch, etc). It might help to cook it longer so some of the liquid evaporates. He also said he'd add some red pepper flakes to it to heat it up a bit.

2007-11-02T07:16:00.000-07:00

Chicken-Apple Crunch Salad
2 cups cubed cooked chicken breast
1 cup diced Granny Smith apple
1/2 cup diced celery
1/4 cup raisins
2 Tbsp. chopped green onions
1/3 cup low-fat mayonnaise
1 Tbsp. reduced-fat sour cream
1 tsp. fresh lemon juice
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1/8 tsp. ground cinnamon

Combine first 5 ingredients in a large bowl. Combine mayonnaise and remaining ingredients, stirring well with a whisk. Add mayonnaise mixture to chicken mixture, tossing well to coat.
4 servings (serving size: 1 cup)

CALORIES 207; FAT 4.4g; PROTEIN 22.4g; CHOLESTEROL 61mg; CALCIUM 32mg; SODIUM 402mg; FIBER 1.1g; IRON 1.2mg; CARBOHYDRATE 18.4g

My notes: I made this last year and really liked it. With the apples and cinnamon in it, it reminded me of fall! I left the celery out because I don't like it and I used some onion powder because I didn't have green onions. Instead of raisins I used dried cranberries.

2007-10-25T08:22:00.000-07:00

Ricotta Stuffed Chicken Breast
3 boneless skinless chicken breast
1/2 can artichoke hearts, chopped
1/4 cup chopped frozen spinach (thawed and drained)
1 cup ricotta cheese
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
Garlic & onion powder
Oregano
Salt & Pepper
Parmesan & shredded Italian blend cheese

Mix together all ingredients except for the chicken. Pound out the chicken so it's even. Spoon ricotta mixture into the center of the chicken breast and roll up sides, secure with toothpicks. Place in baking dish and bake for 45 minutes to an hour at 350 degrees (until chicken is done). About five minutes before finished sprinkle with additional cheese and place under the broiler to brown cheese.

My notes: Seth's doing the low-carb thing so I've been trying to find some recipes that are low in carbs and have some kind of health benefit! (some veggies and low-fat cheese) He likes artichokes and cheese so I made up this recipe after looking through some other ones. The measurements are just guess-timates. It actually turned out pretty good. I didn't make any kind of a sauce to go over it, though tomato sauce probably would've been good. Breading the chicken rolls with Italian bread crumbs probably would have added something to it too.

2007-10-18T08:32:00.000-07:00

Pumpkin Apple Streusel Muffins

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/4 cups brown sugar
2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/4 tsp. ginger
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup canned pumpkin puree
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 cups peeled, cored and finely chopped apple

Topping:
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/4 cup raw sugar (granulated)
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
4 teaspoons butter

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease 18 muffin cups or use paper liners. In a large bowl, sift together 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, 1 1/4 cups sugar, spices, baking soda and salt. In a separate bowl, mix together eggs, pumpkin and oil. Add pumpkin mixture to flour mixture; stirring just to moisten. Fold in apples. Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups.
In a small bowl, mix together 2 tablespoons flour, 1/4 cup sugar and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Sprinkle topping evenly over muffin batter. Bake in preheated oven for 35 to 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into a muffin comes out clean.

My notes: I was looking for a pumpkin muffin recipe on Allrecipes and found this one. I looked at the reviewers comments and made some of the changes that they suggested. Next time I'll chop the apples more finely and probably add some more pumpkin to make them a little bit more moist. I'm not sure if they came out dry because they needed more wet stuff or if it's because I just overbaked them! They're a tasty fall treat :-)

2007-10-10T15:50:00.000-07:00

Hoisin, Honey and Ginger Glaze
1/2 cup soy sauce
6 Tbsp. honey
1/4 cup ketchup
2 Tbsp. lemon juice
1 1/2 Tbsp. hoisin sauce
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp. grated ginger

Whisk ingredients together in a small bowl. Begin basting grilled chicken, fish or pork liberally about 5 minutes before they finish cooking, so that the glaze has enough time to adhere to the food, but does not burn.

My notes: I know...it's been a while since I posted a new recipe! I was lazy about cooking new stuff over the summer! We finally put the new grill together and Seth's been trying out some new marinades, glazes and rubs. I tried this one recently on chicken and served some grilled zucchini and red peppers on the side. I was reading through my America's Test Kitchen cookbook (I like it a lot better than the usual Betty Crocker one) and they said that sauces high in sugar should be brushed on the meat about 5 minutes before they're done so that the sugar doesn't burn and become bitter....good to know!

2007-06-12T07:37:00.000-07:00

Chinese Chicken Noodle Salad
2 cups shredded cooked chicken (about 2 chicken breasts)
4 oz. uncooked angel hair pasta
1 cup sliced snow peas
1 cup broccoli florets
1 cup julienned carrots
1/4 cup julienned red bell pepper
1/4 cup sliced green onions
1 medium cucumber (seeded & thinly sliced)
6 Tbsp. Teriyaki Sauce
1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
2 tsp. dark sesame oil
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper

Boil water and cook pasta for 3 minutes (until done). Remove from water and rinse under cool water. Place snow peas, broccoli and carrots in pasta water and cook for 5 minutes (until crisp-tender). In a small bowl combined teriyaki sauce, vinegar, sesame oil, salt, pepper; stir well. Place pasta, chicken and vegetables in serving bowl and toss well with dressing. Serve room chilled or at room temperature.

My notes: My mom got this recipe from Cooking Light years ago. I've tweeked it a bit, added more veggies & doubled the dressing. I usually increase the chicken as well. It's a good thing to make if you have leftovers and tastes good leftover when the dressing has time to really sit with the chicken and veggies.

2007-06-06T08:17:00.000-07:00

Bourbon-Glazed Pork Chops
1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
3 Tbsps Dijon mustard
2 Tbsps soy sauce
2 Tbsps bourbon
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
6 (1-inch-thick) bone-in pork chops

Stir together first 6 ingredients in a shallow dish or large zip-top plastic bag; add pork chops. Cover or seal, and chill 30 minutes, turning once. Remove pork from marinade, reserving marinade. Grill pork, covered with grill lid, over medium-high heat (350° to 400°) about 10 to 12 minutes or until a meat thermometer inserted into thickest portion registers 160°, turning once. Bring reserved marinade to a boil in a small saucepan, and cook, stirring occasionally, 2 minutes. Pour over chops before serving.

My notes: I made the mistake of sauteeing the chops in the marinade....way too sweet! Next time I'll follow the directions and stick them on the grill, cooking the remaining marinade separately. The flavor was good, but just a little overpowering. I also used boneless chops, which might have made a difference.

2007-05-25T07:25:00.000-07:00

Chicken with Pesto
3 Tbsps toasted pine nuts
7 cups packaged spinach leaves, trimmed
1/3 cup (1 1/2 ounces) grated fresh Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
2 Tbsps lemon juice
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 Tbsps water
1 Tbsp olive oil
3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Shaved fresh Parmesan cheese (optional)

Place pine nuts, spinach, and next 6 ingredients (spinach through garlic) in a food processor; process until smooth, scraping sides of processor bowl once. With food processor on, slowly pour water and oil through food chute; process until well-blended. Set aside.

Place chicken in a container with the pesto. Refrigerate for 30 minutes. Put on baking sheet and bake for 20-30 minutes at 350. Sprinkle with parmesan or mozzarella cheese and bake until melted.

My notes: It's been a while, I know! I found this recipe and used the pesto part of it. I don't have a food processor so I used a regular blender to chop the leaves up a bit and then used a hand held blender to finish it off. The time/temperature for the chicken might vary, I just "winged it". I baked it in the toaster oven so I wouldn't heat up the kitchen!

2007-05-03T12:01:00.000-07:00

Amazing Pork Tenderloin in the Slow Cooker
1 (2 pound) pork tenderloin
1 (1 ounce) envelope dry onion soup mix
1 cup water
3/4 cup red wine
3 Tbsp minced garlic
3 Tbsp soy sauce
freshly ground black pepper to taste

Place pork tenderloin in a slow cooker with the contents of the soup packet. Pour water, wine, and soy sauce over the top, turning the pork to coat. Carefully spread garlic over the pork, leaving as much on top of the roast during cooking as possible. Sprinkle with pepper, cover, and cook on low setting for 4 hours. Serve with cooking liquid on the side as au jus.

2007-04-20T08:57:00.001-07:00

Tequila Lime Chicken
1/2 cup gold tequila
1 cup freshly squeezed lime juice (5 to 6 limes)
1/2 cup freshly squeezed orange juice (2 oranges)
1 Tbsp chili powder
1 Tbsp minced fresh jalapeno pepper (1 pepper seeded)
1 Tbsp minced fresh garlic (3 cloves)
2 tsps kosher salt
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
3 whole (6 split) boneless chicken breasts, skin on

Combine the tequila, lime juice, orange juice, chili powder, jalapeno pepper, garlic, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Add the chicken breasts. Refrigerate overnight.
Heat a grill with coals and brush the rack with oil to prevent the chicken from sticking. Remove the chicken breasts from the marinade, sprinkle well with salt and pepper, and grill them skin-side down for about 5 minutes, until nicely browned. Turn the chicken and cook for another 10 minutes, until just cooked through. Remove from the grill to a plate. Cover tightly and allow to rest for 5 minutes. Serve hot or at room temperature.

My notes: Since our grill isn't in working condition at the moment, I used the grill pan and then stuck the chicken in the oven to cook completely through. I also used skinless chicken instead, which might have made the flavor a bit more potent. Thanks Jessie!

2007-04-18T06:47:00.000-07:00

Baked Tilapia With Lots of Spice
1 tsp salt
3/4 tsp paprika
3/4 tsp onion powder
3/4 tsp dry mustard
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp basil
4 (4 oz.) tilapia fillets
1/2 cup Italian breadcrumbs
1/4 cup parmesan cheese
1 egg

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. In a small bowl combine the spices from the salt through basil and set it aside. In a shallow container mix the bread crumbs and parmesan cheese. Measure 4 tsp of the spice mix and sprinkle that all over the 4 fish fillets. Add the remaining spice mix to the bread crumbs, mixing well. Dip the fillet in the egg and dredge the fish in the breadcrumbs, coating well. Shake off any excess breadcrumbs. Place the fish on a foil lined cookie sheet that has been sprayed with non-stick spray. Bake for 6 minutes. Turn over and bake for 4 minutes. Turn over again and bake until flaky, about 4 more minutes. Serve immediately.

My notes: I altered the recipe a little bit from the original. Tartar sauce would make a good addition, neither of us our big fans of it though. Seth said it would be good with some hot sauce. He said the coating reminded him of what he's had on catfish in the past.

2007-03-27T08:24:00.000-07:00

Slow-Roasted Rosemary-and-Garlic Chicken
10 garlic cloves, minced
2 Tbsps chopped fresh rosemary
1 (5- to 6-pound) roasting chicken
5 garlic cloves
4 (3-inch) rosemary sprigs
1/4 cup orange juice
1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar

(You'll need at least at 4-quart slow cooker to cook the whole bird. It also cooks nicely in the larger, oval-shaped cooker.)

Combine minced garlic and chopped rosemary. Remove and discard giblets and neck from chicken. Rinse chicken with cold water; pat dry. Trim excess fat. Starting at neck cavity, loosen skin from breast and drumsticks by inserting fingers, gently pushing between skin and meat. Rub garlic mixture under loosened skin over breast and drumsticks. Place 5 garlic cloves and rosemary sprigs into the body cavity. Place chicken, breast side down, in an electric slow cooker. Cover with lid; cook on high heat for 1 hour. Reduce heat setting to low; cook 7 hours. Remove chicken from slow cooker, reserving drippings. Discard skin from chicken.
Place a zip-top plastic bag inside a 2-cup glass measure. Pour drippings into bag; let stand 10 minutes (fat will rise to the top). Seal bag; carefully snip off 1 bottom corner of bag. Drain drippings into a small saucepan, stopping before fat layer reaches opening; discard fat. Add orange juice and vinegar to saucepan; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer 10 minutes.

Yield: 6 servings (serving size: 3 ounces chicken and 1/3 cup sauce)

CALORIES 175 (33% from fat); FAT 6.4g (sat 1.7g,mono 2.3g,poly 1.5g); PROTEIN 25g; CHOLESTEROL 76mg; CALCIUM 27mg; SODIUM 74mg; FIBER 0.2g; IRON 1.3mg; CARBOHYDRATE 3g

My notes: This recipe needed "something". We couldn't quite figure out what, though. I added salt and some cornstarch/water to the sauce to thicken it up a bit, but there was still something missing. The chicken fell right off the bone when I tried to take it out of the crock pot, very tender. The trick with the drippings was a great way to separate the fat off without using a special gadget or having to wait for it to solidify in the frig. I found a similar recipe here that I think I'd try next time instead, since neither of us are big fans of dark meat.

2007-03-20T06:12:00.000-07:00

Tilapia Parmesan
2 lbs tilapia fillets (orange roughy, cod or red snapper can be substituted)
Lemon juice
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
2 Tbsps butter, room temperature (I used Brummel & Brown)
3 Tbsps mayonnaise (I used the Light stuff)
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp seasoning salt (or Old Bay seasoning)
1/4 tsp dried basil

Preheat oven to 350. Lay fillets in single layer in greased 13-by-9-inch baking dish or jellyroll pan. Brush top with juice. Bake fish in preheated oven 10 to 20 minutes or until fish just starts to flake. In bowl combine cheese, butter, mayonnaise, onions and seasonings. Mix well with fork. Spread with cheese mixture and bake until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Baking time will depend on the thickness of the fish you use. (Watch fish closely so that it does not overcook.)

Note: This fish can also be made in a broiler. Broil 3 to 4 minutes or until almost done. Add cheese and broil another 2 to 3 minutes or until browned.
Makes 4 servings.

My notes: The original recipe is here. I tweeked it a bit. At first I wasn't really sure of fish and cheese together, but it came out quite tasty. I'd definitely try it again.

2007-03-19T07:08:00.000-07:00

Apple Crisp
4 medium Granny Smith apples, peeled & sliced (4 cups)
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup quick-cooking or old-fashioned oats
1/3 cup butter or margarine, softened
3/4 tsp cinnamon
3/4 tsp nutmeg
Cream or Ice cream, if desired

Heat oven to 375ºF. Grease bottom and sides of 8-inch square pan with shortening.
Spread apples in pan. In medium bowl, stir remaining ingredients except cream until well mixed; sprinkle over apples. Bake about 30 minutes or until topping is golden brown and apples are tender when pierced with a fork. Serve warm with cream.

CALORIES 320; FAT 11g (sat. 5g, trans.1g) ; PROTEIN 2g; CHOLESTEROL 25mg; SODIUM 80mg; FIBER 3g; CARBOHYDRATE 52g

2007-03-12T06:23:00.000-07:00

Maple-Garlic Marinated Pork Tenderloin
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon sesame oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
fresh ground black pepper to taste
1 cup maple syrup
1 1/2 pounds pork tenderloin
DIRECTIONS
Combine mustard, sesame oil, garlic, pepper, and maple syrup. Place pork in a shallow dish and coat thoroughly with marinade. Cover, then chill in the refrigerator at least eight hours, or overnight. Preheat grill for medium-low heat.
Remove pork from marinade, and set aside. Transfer remaining marinade to a small saucepan, and cook on the stove over medium-low heat for 5 minutes. Brush grate with oil, and place meat on grate. Grill pork, basting with reserved marinade, for approximately 15 to 25 minutes, or until interior is no longer pink. Avoid using high temperatures as marinade will burn.

CALORIES 307; FAT 7.5g; PROTEIN 23.7g; CHOLESTEROL 75mg; SODIUM 187mg; FIBER 0.1g; CARBOHYDRATE 36.3g

My notes: This has become kind of the "company meal" in our house. Seth really likes it and has asked me to make it a few times when we've had people over (and actually eaten in!). The hours of watching the Food Network paid off and I figured out how to cook this inside, so neither of us have to stand out in the cold by the grill! Just sear the tenderloin in a pan and transfer to a 9 x 13 pan. Cook in the oven at 350 until the meat thermometer reads 135-140 F. Remove from oven and cover with foil; let rest for 10 minutes before slicing.

2007-03-01T05:36:00.000-08:00

Chinese-Style Glazed Chicken Breasts
1/4 cup chicken broth
2 Tbsps hoisin sauce
1 Tbsp apricot preserves or fruit spread
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1/2 tsp salt
1/8 tsp black pepper
1 Tbsp vegetable oil

Combine first 3 ingredients in a small bowl; set aside.
Place each chicken breast half between 2 sheets of heavy-duty plastic wrap; pound to 1/4-inch thickness using a meat mallet or rolling pin. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper. Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken, and sauté for 3 minutes on each side. Remove chicken from pan. Reduce heat; carefully stir in broth mixture. Return chicken to pan; cook 3 minutes or until done, turning to coat.

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 chicken breast half and 1 tablespoon sauce)

CALORIES 186(25% from fat); FAT 5.1g (sat 0.9g,mono 1.3g,poly 2.5g); PROTEIN 26.7g; CHOLESTEROL 66mg; CALCIUM 17mg; SODIUM 526mg; FIBER 0.3g; IRON 0.9mg; CARBOHYDRATE 6.9g

My notes: I had defrosted some chicken and wanted to make something that I already had the ingredients for...so I found this recipe. It was good, but Seth and I both agreed that it needed something else. He suggested some sesame seeds and possibly something to add some heat, maybe some red pepper flakes or some of that mustard they give you with Chinese take out. Next time I make it I'll definitely add some onion or garlic powder. It's needs something to cut the sweetness a bit and make it more savory. I made some roasted asparagus to go with it. I stuck some frozen asparagus on a foil covered cookie sheet. Sprayed the spears with some olive oil spray and sprinkled them with salt, pepper and onion powder, then placed the sheet under the broiler. When they were finished cooking I sprinkled them with some parmesan cheese.

2007-02-23T05:41:00.000-08:00

Chicken Mirabella
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/3 cup pitted prunes, halved
8 small green olives
2 Tbsps capers, with liquid
2 Tbsps olive oil
2 Tbsps red wine vinegar
2 bay leaves
1 Tbsp dried oregano
salt and pepper to taste
1 (3 lbs) whole chicken, skin removed and cut into pieces
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup dry white wine
1 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley, for garnish

In a medium bowl combine the garlic, prunes, olives, capers, olive oil, vinegar, bay leaves, oregano, salt and pepper. Mix well. Spread mixture in the bottom of a 10x15 inch baking dish. Add the chicken pieces, stir and turn to coat. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
When ready to prepare, preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Remove dish from refrigerator. Sprinkle brown sugar on top and pour white wine all around chicken.
Bake in preheated oven for 1 hour, spooning juices over chicken several times as it is baking. Serve on a platter, pouring juices over the top, and garnish with fresh parsley.

My notes: I recently found a recipe for this type of chicken on Denise's friend, Laurel's, blog. I found a different version on Allrecipes and thought I'd give it a shot. Originally I would've been completely turned off to the idea of chicken and prunes, but I had made a recipe a few years back for an exotic pot-luck at Erin & Jermaine's (the first time I had met them actually!) and it came out pretty tasty! I used boneless, skinless chicken breasts instead of the bone-in kind. Next time I might stick everything in the crockpot for the day after it marinates overnight. It's always nice to come home to a house that smells like cookin'!!

2007-02-20T06:36:00.000-08:00

Teriyaki Tuna Steaks
1/4 cup reduced-sodium soy sauce
3 Tbsps brown sugar
3 Tbsps olive or canola oil
2 Tbsps white wine vinegar or cider vinegar
2 Tbsps sherry or chicken broth
2 Tbsps unsweetened pineapple juice
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 tsps ground ginger
4 (6 ounce) tuna steaks

In a bowl, combine the first eight ingredients; mix well. Remove 1/3 cup to a small bowl for basting; cover and refrigerate. Pour remaining marinade into a large resealable plastic bag; add tuna. Seal bag and turn to coat; refrigerate for up to 1 hour.
Coat grill rack with nonstick cooking spray before starting the grill. Drain and discard marinade. Grill tuna, uncovered, over medium heat for 5-6 minutes on each side or until fish flakes easily with a fork, basting frequently with reserved marinade.

CALORIES 338; FAT 9 g (sat 1 g); PROTEIN 52g; CHOLESTEROL 99 mg; SODIUM 484 mg; CARBOHYDRATE 9 g

My notes: This was my first attempt with fish (aside from the breaded frozen kind!). I was very pleased with the way it turned out and would definitely use this recipe again. I didn't have any ginger so I left that out (I guess I could've used the ground stuff I had, but I'm not a big fan of ginger anyway). For grilling I used the new cast iron pan which worked well (I still need to figure out how to clean the thing without soap!). I made some broiled zucchini to go along with it. Stir-fry with some rice would also be a good option.

2007-02-12T05:52:00.000-08:00

Minestrone Soup
3 Tbsps olive oil
1 cup minced white onions (about 1 small onion)
1/2 cup chopped zucchini
1/2 cup frozen cut italian green beans
1/4 cup minced celery (about 1/2 stalk)
4 tsps minced garlic (about 4 cloves)
4 cups vegetable broth (Swanson is good *note: Do not use chicken broth!*)
2 (15 ounce) cans red kidney beans, drained
2 (15 ounce) cans small white beans or great northern beans, drained
1 (14 ounce) can diced tomatoes
1/2 cup carrots, julienned or shredded
2 Tbsps minced fresh parsley
1 1/2 tsps dried oregano
1 1/2 tsps salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1/2 tsp dried basil
1/4 tsp dried thyme
3 cups hot water
4 cups fresh baby spinach
1/2 cup small shell pasta

Heat three tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat in a large soup pot. Saute onion, celery, garlic, green beans, and zucchini in the oil for 5 minutes or until onions begin to turn translucent. Add vegetable broth to pot, plus drained tomatoes, beans, carrot, hot water, and spices. Bring soup to a boil, then reduce heat and allow to simmer for 20 minutes. Add spinach leaves and pasta and cook for an additional 20 minutes or until desired consistency.
Makes about eight 1 1/2 cup servings.

CALORIES 397(16% from fat); FAT 7.2g (sat 1.1g, mono 4.1g, poly 1.5g); PROTEIN 20.7g; CHOLESTEROL 1mg; CALCIUM 169mg; SODIUM 935mg; FIBER 15.2g; IRON 8mg; CARBOHYDRATE 65.3g

My notes: The minestrone soup from the Olive Garden is probably my absolute favorite soup (unfortunately for Seth, he's not a huge fan of O.G....he'd much rather have some "real" Italian food!) So, when I found this recipe I was excited to try it out...and even more excited when it actually tasted VERY similar to the soup at the restaurant! I made half of the recipe just in case it didn't turn out very good. I left the celery out because I don't really like the stuff. I also left the spinach out, by accident, but I'll definitely include it the next time I make it (spinach isn't my favorite, but I know that it's very good for me and try to eat it when I can!). Now Seth doesn't have to suffer through some imitation Italian while I enjoy a couple bowls of yummy minestrone!

2007-02-07T06:38:00.000-08:00

Maple-Mustard Pork Tenderloin With Caramelized Apples
2 (1/2-pound) pork tenderloins
Cooking spray
1/4 cup Dijon mustard
6 tablespoons maple syrup, divided
1 tablespoon chopped fresh or 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
4 medium Granny Smith apples, each peeled and cut into 16 wedges (about 2 1/2 pounds)

Preheat oven to 425°.
Trim fat from pork. Place pork on a broiler pan coated with cooking spray. Combine mustard, 2 tablespoons syrup, rosemary, salt, and pepper in a small bowl; brush over pork. Insert meat thermometer into thickest part of pork. Bake at 425° for 25 minutes or until thermometer registers 160° (slightly pink).

While pork is baking, heat a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Add apples, and saute 5 minutes or until lightly browned. Reduce heat to low, and add 4 tablespoons maple syrup. Simmer 10 minutes or until apples are tender, stirring occasionally. Cut pork crosswise into slices; spoon cooked apples over pork.

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 3 ounces pork and 1/2 cup apples)

CALORIES 301(13% from fat); FAT 4.3g (sat 1.1g,mono 1.8g,poly 0.5g); PROTEIN 24.1g; CHOLESTEROL 74mg; CALCIUM 39mg; SODIUM 351mg; FIBER 4.5g; IRON 2.1mg; CARBOHYDRATE 44.6g

My notes: I didn't have pork tenderloin thawed out so I used pork chops instead. I dipped the chops in the mustard sauce and then cooked them in a grill pan. After they were finished cooking I placed them in the pan with the apples. Also I used a different kind of mustard (had the ground mustard seeds in it) and added some onion powder to give things a little more flavor.

2007-02-03T10:24:00.000-08:00

Banana Bread
2 cups flour
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
3 very ripe, soft, darkly speckled large bananas, mashed well (about 1 1/2 cups)
1/4 cup plain yogurt
2 large eggs, beaten lightly
3/4 stick unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups walnuts, chopped coarse (optional)

Adjust an oven rack to the lower-middle position and heat the oven to 350°F (175°C) degrees. Grease the bottom and sides of a 9 by 5-inch loaf pan; dust with flour, tapping out the excess.
Spread the walnuts on a baking sheet and toast until fragrant, 5 to 10 minutes. Set aside to cool.
Whisk the flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, and walnuts together in a large bowl; set aside.
Mix the mashed bananas, yogurt, eggs, butter, and vanilla with a wooden spoon in a medium bowl. Lightly fold the banana mixture into the dry ingredients with a rubber spatula until just combined and the batter looks thick and chunky. Scrape the batter into the prepared loaf pan.
Bake until the loaf is golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 55 minutes. Cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack. Serve warm or at room temperature. (The bread can be wrapped with plastic wrap and stored at room temperature for up to 3 days.)

My notes: This has become my regular recipe when it comes to banana bread. It's not heavy and greasy like a lot of other recipes I've had in the past. I usually use vanilla yogurt instead of plain (I've even used sour cream in a pinch and it tasted fine). If your bananas are super ripe and almost ready for the trash, but you don't have time to bake, just pop 'em in the freezer! When you do ave the spare time just thaw them out completely before mashing them up.

2007-01-24T06:09:00.000-08:00

Turkey Cutlets With Balsamic-Brown Sugar Sauce

1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 1/2 lbs turkey cutlets
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 cup minced shallots
2/3 cup dry red wine
2/3 cup reduced-sodium fat-free chicken broth
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt

Combine first four ingredients in a shallow dish, stir well. Dredge turkey cutlets in flour mixture.
Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add cutlets and cook 3 minutes on each side or until done. Remove cutlets from pan, set aside, and keep warm. Reduce heat to warm.
Add shallots to pan and saute for 1 minute. Stir in wine and broth, scraping pan to loosen brown bits. Bring to boil, reduce heat and cook 5 minutes.
Add balsamic vinegar, sugar, and 1/4 teaspoon salt; bring to a boil.
Reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes. Return cutlets to the pan to warm through. Serve sauce with cutlets.

CALORIES 322 (175% from fat); FAT 6.2g (sat 1.3g,mono 2.9g,poly 1.1g); PROTEIN 41.3g; CHOLESTEROL 102mg; CALCIUM 42mg; SODIUM 549mg; FIBER 0.4g; IRON 3mg; CARBOHYDRATE 15.8g

My notes: I've made this recipe a few times now using chicken instead of turkey. (I don't like the texture of turkey cutlets). I usually put some onion and garlic powder in the flour mixture and use onion powder instead of the shallots (still haven't found those at the grocery store!). The next time I make it I think I might double the sauce mixture so there's enough to put on top of rice or some other starchy side dish.

2007-01-17T07:53:00.000-08:00

Mean Chef's Pulled Pork
1 whole pork butt
Rub:
1/4 cup black pepper
1/4 cup paprika
1/4 cup turbinado sugar
2 tablespoons salt
2 teaspoons dry mustard
1 teaspoon cayenne

Molasses Barbecue Sauce:
3 cups chicken stock
1 cup dry white wine
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar (we used 1/2 cup)
1/4 cup molasses
1/4 cup chopped plum tomatoes
3 tablespoons shallots, minced
2 tablespoons pitted dates, minced
1 tablespoon garlic, minced

For rub: mix all ingredients in a bowl.
For sauce: Combine in nonreactive saucepan, bring to boil and simmer until it reduces to 1 1/2 cups.
For pork: Rub pork with rub. Place in Plastic bag and refrigerate overnight.
Take out pork and re-rub. Let sit at room temperature for 2 hours.
Roast on rack uncovered in oven at 250-275 degrees until falling apart tender.
It will take 7-8 hours, the internal temperature of the pork when done should be between 195 and 200 degrees.
Pull pork into pieces, toss with sauce. Prepared the rub. Placed on the pork and seared all sides in a pan.

My notes: We put the rub on the pork (about 1/2 of the mixture...enough to generously cover the butt) and seared all the sides in a pan. Then we stuck the pork in the crock pot insert and put it in the frig overnight. In the morning I put the insert into the crock pot, added the sauce and turned on low. Gotta love the crock pot...the house smelled GREAT when I got home! The pork fell away from the bone and shredded easily. Seth ate it over bread with the sauce spooned over it (the sauce was a little too spicy for me).

2007-01-13T07:44:00.000-08:00

Stuffed Chicken Breasts with Artichoke Hearts and Goat Cheese
2 teaspoons olive oil, divided
3/4 cup frozen artichoke hearts, thawed and chopped
1/4 cup minced shallots (about 3)
1/4 cup (1 ounce) crumbled goat or feta cheese
1 teaspoon dried herbes de Provence or thyme, divided
1/4 teaspoon salt, divided
1/4 teaspoon black pepper, divided
4 (4-ounce) skinned, boned chicken breast halves
1 cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons cornstarch
Chopped fresh parsley (optional)
Lemon rind strips (optional)

Heat 1 teaspoon oil in a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add artichokes and shallots; sauté 4 minutes. Remove from pan; cool. Stir in cheese, 1/2 teaspoon herbes de Provence, 1/8 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon pepper.
Cut a horizontal slit through thickest portion of each breast half to form a pocket. Stuff 2 tablespoons artichoke mixture into each pocket.

Heat 1 teaspoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add chicken, and sprinkle with 1/8 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper; sauté 6 minutes on each side or until done. Remove from pan; keep warm. Add 1/2 teaspoon herbes de Provence and broth to pan; bring to a boil. Combine juice and cornstarch; add to broth mixture, stirring with a whisk. Cook 1 minute or until thick. Return chicken to pan; cover and cook 2 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Garnish with parsley and lemon strips, if desired.

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 chicken breast half and 2 tablespoons sauce)

CALORIES 194 (25% from fat); FAT 5.3g (sat 1.8g,mono 2.3g,poly 0.6g); PROTEIN 29.2g; CHOLESTEROL 72mg; CALCIUM 61mg; SODIUM 437mg; FIBER 0.4g; IRON 1.4mg; CARBOHYDRATE 6.2g

My notes: I used dried thyme (I couldn't find the other stuff at the grocery store) and I left out the shallots (couldn't find those either!) and used some onion powder instead. I browned the chicken in the pan and it was getting kind of smoky so I stuck it in the oven for about 30 min. at 325. Instead of using fresh lemon juice, I just used the stuff I had in the frig (plastic lemon shaped thing)...and it tasted fine. I'd definitely make it again!

2007-01-10T05:40:00.000-08:00

Chinese-Barbecued Pork Tenderloin
1 (1-pound) pork tenderloin
2 teaspoons brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon five-spice powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper (I left it out because I didn't have it)
Cooking spray
1 tablespoon hoisin sauce
1 tablespoon orange juice
1/2 teaspoon dark sesame oil

Preheat oven to 400°.
Trim fat from pork. Combine sugar and next 3 ingredients (sugar through pepper). Rub pork with spice mixture.

Place pork on a broiler pan coated with cooking spray; insert a meat thermometer into thickest portion of tenderloin. Bake at 400° for 10 minutes. Combine hoisin, orange juice, and oil in a small bowl; brush over tenderloin. Bake for an additional 15 minutes or until thermometer registers 160° (slightly pink).

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 3 ounces)

CALORIES 165(27% from fat); FAT 5g (sat 1.5g,mono 2.1g,poly 0.9g); PROTEIN 24.7g; CHOLESTEROL 79mg; CALCIUM 14mg; SODIUM 269mg; FIBER 0.2g; IRON 1.5mg; CARBOHYDRATE 3.9g

My notes: This tasted better leftover, when it had time for the flavors to soak in a little bit more. Next time I think I would put the rub on and put it in the sauce overnight.

2006-06-27T10:30:00.000-07:00

Barbecue Apricot Chicken
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes, drained
1/3 cup apricot jam or preserves
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
2 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
3/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 4-pound chicken, cut into pieces

Heat oven to 400° F.

Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Stir in the tomatoes, jam, vinegar, 1 1/2 teaspoons of the salt, and 1/2 teaspoon of the pepper. Simmer until the sauce has thickened slightly, about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, rinse the chicken and pat it dry with paper towels. Arrange the pieces in a 9-by-13-inch baking dish and season with the remaining salt and pepper. Pour the barbecue sauce over the chicken. Roast, spooning the sauce over the chicken once, until the chicken is cooked through, about 1 hour.

Tip: Tired of chicken? Try spooning this tangy, tomatoey barbecue sauce over pork chops, shrimp, or salmon.

Yield: Makes 4 servings

CALORIES 738 (56% from fat); FAT 46g (sat 13g); SUGAR 16g; PROTEIN 53g; CHOLESTEROL 207mg; SODIUM 1398mg; FIBER 2g; CARBOHYDRATE 28g

My notes: We don't really like chunks of tomato, so I try to cut up the tomato as much as possible before making the sauce. Next time I might even try sticking them in the blender beforehand. This was good as leftovers too. It would be easy to make the sauce ahead of time, then put it on the chicken and bake the following day.