Raising a Foodie in a Fast Food World

Sweet Yeast Rolls

2010-11-24T16:26:00.004-05:00

These rolls are melt in your mouth delicious, I had to keep guard over them so Little Foodie wouldn't eat them all. I made a batch of these to take to my sisters house for Thanksgiving and I am sure they are going to be a huge hit. The recipe can make up to 5 dozen rolls but I only made about 3 dozen monster size dinner rolls, perfect for filling with Thanksgiving goodness. Enjoy!

1 pkg of active dry yeast
1/2 cup warm water
2 cups milk
1/2 cup sugar
8 cups all purpose flour

2 TBS melted butter
2 whole eggs
2 tsp salt

Directions:
Soften yeast in warm water with a teaspoon of sugar. Heat milk for about 2 minutes in the microwave.

Add the warm milk to the yeast and then add the sugar and enough flour to make medium batter and let stand for about 2 minutes

Add melted butter (which has been cooled), eggs, and salt. Beat well. Add the remainder of the flour. Sprinkle small amount of flour on counter and let dough rest. Meanwhile, clean and dry bowl; grease clean surface of bowl.

Knead dough until smooth and satiny. Put in greased bowl; turn over to grease top. Cover, let rise in warm place until double in bulk.

Punch down. Turn out on floured board. Divide into portions for shaping; let rest 10 minutes. Shape dough into desired forms. Place on greased baking sheets. Let rise until doubled.

Bake at 350 degrees for about 10 minutes.

Pumpkin Donut Muffins

2010-11-20T13:32:00.005-05:00

I will say this one time Pumpkin Donut Muffins are the most delicious thing you will ever eat for breakfast! Now this is not a breakfast food that you would want to eat everyday since it has lots of sugar on the outside but I do believe in everything in moderation. I adapted this recipe from one found on taskykitchen.com. Enjoy!!

1-½ cup All-purpose Flour
1-½ teaspoon Baking Powder
1 teaspoon Pumpkin Pie Spice
½ cups Brown Sugar
1 stick Butter
1 whole Egg
1 cup Canned Pumpkin
1 teaspoon Vanilla
½ cups Milk
½ cups Sugar
1 teaspoon Cinnamon
1 teaspoon Nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon of ground clove
For coating after baking- 1 stick Butter, Melted and cinnamon/sugar
In a mixing bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, cinnamon, sugar and clove, set aside.
In a separate bowl, cream together 1/2 cup brown sugar, butter and egg. Mix in pumpkin and vanilla.
Add flour mixture and milk alternately to the creamed mixture, beating well.
Fill a greased mini muffin pan. Bake at 350F for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown.
While muffins are still hot out of the oven, submerge in melted butter, and then roll in sugar ‘n spice mixture until coated. Serve warm.

Teacher Treats- Pumpkin Bread

2010-11-17T12:22:00.006-05:00

I love making homemade goodies for Little Foodies teachers! Mini pumpkin bread makes the perfect Thanksgiving Treat and if you attach a handmade card filled with thanks it is even better. I adapted this recipe from one found on tastykitchen.com. Enjoy!

2 sticks Butter Or Margarine, Softened
2 cups Brown Sugar
3 whole Eggs
1 teaspoon Vanilla
3 cups All-purpose Flour
1 teaspoon Baking Powder
1 teaspoon Baking Soda
2 teaspoon Cinnamon
1 teaspoons Nutmeg
½ teaspoons Cloves
1 can (15 Oz. Can) Pumpkin (not pie mix)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray two loaf pans or 5 mini loaf pans with non-stick cooking spray.
Cream butter; add sugar and beat well. Add eggs, one at the time, to the creamed mixture. Stir in vanilla. Mix together all of the dry ingredients. Alternately add the dry ingredients and pumpkin puree to the creamed mixture. Pour the mix into the prepared pans, dividing evenly and sprinkle tops with sugar (this gives a nice little crunch). Bake at 350 degrees for an 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of each loaf comes out clean.

For the Love of Mojitos!!!

2010-07-20T07:00:00.001-04:00

There is just something about a mojito, they are so refreshing with the mint and lime! This past week I had a friend over and I made some yummy watermelon mojitos and for dinner one night I made original mojitos, they were both super yummy and easy to make. Is it wrong that I grow mint in my garden just so I can use it to make mojitos? The watermelon mojito recipe was adapted from one found on tastykitchen.com.

Watermelon Mojitos

2 whole Large Handfuls Of Fresh Mint Leave

1 cup Water

1 cup Sugar

3 whole Handfuls Cubed Watermelon

Lime Juice (1 Fl. Oz. Or 3/4 Shot For Each Drink)

Light Rum (3 Fl. Oz. Or 2 Shots For Each Drink)

Crushed Ice

Club Soda

First you are going to make a simple syrup, this is key for any mixed drink that you would add sugar to. Place 8-10 mint leaves in a saucepan with 1 cup of water and 1 cup of sugar. Cook on med/low heat until the sugar is dissolved, let this cool completely before continuing with the recipe. You can make this ahead of time and store it in the fridge.

Place watermelon in a blender and puree until liquefied. If you have texture issues, run this through a sieve to get the remaining fibers out!

To make a single drink: Place 8-10 fresh mint leaves in the bottom of a glass and pour 2 shot glass measures (3 fl oz) of watermelon juice over the mint leaves. Use a muddler or the back of a wooden spoon to crush the mint leaves and watermelon juice together. Add 3/4 of a shot glass measure of lime juice (1 oz.), 2 shots (3 fl. oz.) of light rum and 1 shot glass measure (1.5 oz.) of the cooled simple syrup. Place liquid with crushed ice in a cocktail shaker and give it a good shake. Pour into a glass and fill any extra room in your glass with club soda. Enjoy!

Original Mojitos

Simple Syrup (recipe found above)

Lime Juice

Rum

Club Soda

Ice

To make a single drink get a glass and add as much ice as you like. Take your trusty shot glass and add 2 shots of simple syrup to the glass. Next add 2 shots of lime juice and 2 shots of club soda. Depending on how strong you like your drink add 1 -2 shots of rum. Mix and taste. If you like your drink sweeter add a little more simple syrup or if you like your drink less sweet add another shot of lime juice. Enjoy!!

Finally a break from school!!!

2010-07-19T15:07:00.003-04:00

I finally have a break from school, 5 whole weeks!!! I am hoping to be able to load a bunch of recipes during my break since Little Foodie is a summer camp and then spending some time with her cousins. Keep an eye out for some new recipes soon!!

Blueberry Lemon Coffee Cake

2010-05-27T07:00:00.001-04:00

I always try to keep a bag of blueberries in my freezer, they are perfect for making muffins, quick breads and even coffee cake. I made this for a weekend breakfast and it was super easy and yummy. Little Foodie loved the crunchy topping! Enjoy!!

Cake

1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1 1/2 teaspoons double-acting baking powder
1 cup vanilla yogurt or sour cream
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Zest and juice of one lemon
1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen blue berries

Topping

1/4 cup (1/2 a stick) butter melted
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar

Butter a 9X13 pan. Preheat oven to 350. In a bowl whisk together the flour, the baking powder, and a pinch of salt and in another bowl stir together the sour cream and the baking soda.

In a large bowl cream together the butter and 1 cup of the granulated sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy, add the eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition, and beat in the vanilla and lemon zest. Stir in the flour mixture alternately with the sour cream mixture and stir the batter until it is combined well.

Pour the batter into a buttered 9 X 13 cake pan. Sprinkle blackberries evenly on top.

In a small bowl stir together melted butter, flour and sugar until it is sort of dough like and stuck together. Crumble topping mixture all over cake .

Bake the cake in the middle of a preheated 350°F. oven for 35 to 45 minutes, or until a tester comes out clean. Transfer it to a rack, and let it cool. Serve warm or room temperature

Lemon Sugar Cookies

2010-05-26T07:00:00.001-04:00

This is another great lemon recipe!! I promised Little Foodie and my husband I would make them a sweet treat while they were at school/work. I have been making a lot of chocolate goodies lately so I thought they might enjoy something different and I was right they LOVED these cookies!! They have a nice little crunch on the outside and the middle is soft and chewy. Enjoy!!

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp salt
1 cup butter, room temperature
1 1/2 cups sugar
Zest from 2 lemons
2 large eggs
Juice from 2 lemons
2-3 tbsp sugar, for rolling

Preheat oven to 375F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt.
In a large bowl, cream together butter, sugar, lemon juice and lemon zest until mixture is light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Gradually mix in the flour at low speed, making sure to incorporate all of the flour and scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary. Place remaining 2-3 tbsp sugar in a small bowl
Shape 1-inch balls of dough, roll in the sugar and place on prepared baking sheet.
Bake for 9-11 minutes, until set. Edges should be slightly firm.
Cool cookies on the pan for a minute, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Store in an airtight container.

Makes about 4 dozen

Egg Free Banana Bread

2010-05-25T07:00:00.002-04:00

I don't normally look for egg free recipes, but I only had one egg left and my grocery shopping spree will not happen until this weekend. I had 3 very mushy bananas that were in need of some help. The bread didn't turn out as dark as it would when you add eggs but it is super moist and smells delicious! I am sure Little Foodie will be enjoying a piece as soon as she gets home from school. I adapted this recipe from one found on allrecipes.com. Enjoy!

2/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup margarine or butter
2 cups all-purpose flour or whole wheat flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/3 cup of vanilla or banana yogurt (we love stoneyfields banilla yogurt)
3-4 mashed ripe bananas

In a large bowl, cream sugar and butter. Next add the yogurt and bananas. Combine flour, baking powder and baking soda; add to creamed mixture. Spoon into a greased 9-in. x 5-in. x 3-in. loaf pan. Bake at 350 degrees F for 40-45 minutes or until bread tests done with a toothpick. Cool in pan for 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack.

Meyer Lemon Sorbet

2010-05-24T13:54:00.004-04:00

I love Meyer Lemons they are a nice mix of lemon and orange flavors. I have this weird obsession with purchasing them each time I go to the Whole Foods and then for the next two weeks I look for different ways to use them. Today they were looking a little wrinkly and sad so I needed to figure out how to use 4 lemons fast. I also have a weird obsession with not going to the grocery store to purchase special ingredients in between my regular bi-weekly grocery shopping sprees which means I only make recipes using the ingredients I have on hand. My first thought was to make a lemon ice cream but I had no cream so I went with a lemon sorbet. It tastes like frozen lemon-aid and makes me dream about summer vacation by the pool. Enjoy!

1 cup sugar
1 cup water
1 cup freshly squeezed juice from meyer lemons (about 3-4 lemons)
2 teaspoons fine lemon zest

1 In a small saucepan on medium high heat, make a simple syrup by heating sugar and water until the sugar has completely dissolved. Remove from heat and let cool. Mix in the lemon juice and zest. Chill, either in the refrigerator, or by placing in a metal bowl over an ice bath.

2 Once the mixture has thoroughly chilled, freeze in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's instructions. If you don't have an ice cream maker, you can pour the mixture into a shallow pan and freeze in your freezer until semi-solid. Then take a fork and fluff it up, returning it the the freezer to freeze firm. Then put in a food-processor or blender to process until smooth.

Place sorbet in an airtight container and freeze until ready to serve.

3 Scoop out preferably with a melon-baller. Garnish with mint. Makes 2 1/2 cups.

Whole Wheat Chocolate Chip Muffins

2010-04-23T07:00:00.002-04:00

In our house we prefer hearty muffins and breakfast breads, we only eat cold cereal as a last resort which means I am always on the lookout for new muffin recipes. This recipe is made with whole wheat flour and oat bran so it contains a lot of fiber and the chocolate chips turn it from bland bran to yummy bites of mini muffin goodness!! Little Foodie went nuts over these, she ate them at breakfast and as an after school snack. I adapted this recipe from one found on tastykitchen.com. Enjoy!

¾ cups Oats, Ground In Blender

1 cup Whole Wheat Flour

2 Tablespoons Wheat Bran

½ cups Brown Sugar

¾ teaspoons Baking Soda

½ teaspoons Salt

1 cup Applesauce

2 Tablespoons Melted Butter/Margarine

1 whole Egg

¼ cups Milk

1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract

½ cups Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray a 12-cup muffin pan or mini muffin pan with non-stick spray.

Sift together ground oats, wheat flour, wheat bran, brown sugar, baking soda, and salt.

In a separate bowl, mix together applesauce, oil, egg, milk, and vanilla extract.

Add applesauce mixture to dry ingredients, stirring gently to combine. Fold in 1/2 to 3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips. Avoid over-mixing.

Distribute mixture evenly between cups. Bake in preheated oven for 10 minutes.

Double Chocolate Banana Bread

2010-04-22T07:00:00.001-04:00

I have this crazy obsession with banana bread. I will actually buy 2 bunches of bananas just so I can let one bunch get really ripe so I can make banana bread. This bread is sooooo yummy and super moist because it is made with sour cream. Little Foodie has been enjoying a piece each day when she gets home from school, I think she will eat the whole loaf all by herself. I saved the second loaf in the freezer and I am going to take it to Little Foodie's school for a teacher breakfast during teacher appreciation week. Enjoy!!

1/2 cup of butter

1 1/2 cups white sugar

2 eggs

3 super ripe bananas

1 cup of sour cream

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon salt

3 teaspoons of baking soda

2 1/4 cups of all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons of unsweetened cocoa powder

1 cup of semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Grease 2 loaf pans.

In a large bowl cream butter and sugar. Mix in eggs, mashed bananas , sour cream, vanilla and cinnamon. Mix in salt, baking powder, cocoa powder and flour. Stir in chocolate chips and divide into prepared pans. Bake for 45 minutes or until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Black Bean Soup

2010-04-21T17:15:00.002-04:00

This is not my picture, if you have made black bean soup than you know its pretty unattractive looking and hard to photograph so I am grateful for pictures found on the web! This is a yummy soup that is very filling. We enjoyed big bowls of soup and a side salad and it was the perfect dinner.

4 cans of black beans (no need to drain)

1 large can of diced tomatoes

1 cup of chicken or veggie broth

1/2 cup of salsa

2 tablespoons of cumin

1 tablespoon of garlic powder

few dashes of hot sauce

salt and pepper to taste

Place all ingredients in your crockpot, stir and cook on low for 6 hours or on high for 3 hours. Top with shredded cheese and enjoy!!

Chicken w/ Prunes and Pine Nuts

2010-03-08T11:31:00.003-05:00

Prunes sometime get a bad rap but in reality they are only dried plums and they are very yummy. If you haven't had a prune before it taste sort of like a giant raisin. I have been reading a lot about the Mediterranean diet and I found this yummy recipe at a site devoted to Mediterranean recipes, http://www.mediterranean-food-recipes.com/. Enjoy!

6-8 boneless/skinless chicken thighs

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 clove garlic - peeled

1 stick cinnamon

2 bay leaves

8 fresh oregano leaves (or 1 teaspoon dried oregano leaves)

10 prunes - whole

1 ounce pine nuts - whole

2 cup chicken broth

Salt

Sprinkle salt over the chicken cuts and let them rest for an hour.

Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in a medium-sized casserole pot over medium heat. Add the chicken, garlic, the stick cinnamon, and the bay and oregano leaves. Brown for 5 minutes over medium heat, turn the chicken pieces over, and cook for another 5 minutes.

When the chicken begins to turn golden, pour in the chicken broth, and add the prunes and the pine nuts. Turn down the heat to low, cover and cook for about 30 minutes.

Ranch Dressing/Dip

2010-02-24T07:00:00.001-05:00

I have not purchased salad dressing at the grocery store for at least 3 months! Making my own dressing has been really easy and super tasty if I do say so myself. This dressing is so thick you could use it as a veggie dip or if you want to thin it out just add a little milk or buttermilk. I adapted this recipe from one found on allrecipes.com. Enjoy!

1 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon dried chives
1/2 teaspoon dried parsley
1/2 teaspoon dried dill weed
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper

In a large bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, sour cream, chives, parsley, dill, garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes before serving.

Homemade Granola Bars

2010-02-23T07:00:00.003-05:00

It's been a while since my last post, the blizzard and school have made a mess of my schedule but hopefully I am back on track this week. We are crazy about granola bars at our house, they are yummy and portable but its hard to find healthy bars at a decent price so I found a recipe and made my own. This recipe is super easy to make and you can basically add your favorite dried fruit, nuts, chocolate etc to the recipe. I made a second batch yesterday and they were a huge hit. Enjoy!

3 - cups quick cooking oatmeal
1 - cup unsalted almonds (chopped in the food processor)
1 - cup golden raisins
1 - cup dried cranberries

1- cup of coconut

1/2 cup of mini chocolate chips
2 tsp cinnamon
14 oz can sweetened condensed milk
1/2 - cup butter, melted

Preheat oven to 325. Line a 15x10x1 in baking sheet with

aluminum foiland spray with non stick baking spray. Stir all

the ingredients together ina large bowl. Pour into prepared

pan and spread out the mixture.Press down to make it even.

Bake for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown.Cool 5 minutes

in the pan then cut into bars. Place the bars on a wire rack

and cool completely. Store loosely covered at room temperature.

Fish and Chips

2010-02-05T07:00:00.001-05:00

This is our version of fish and chips (salmon and sweet potatoes) with a side of brussels sprouts. Little Foodie and my hubby are huge fans of tempura dishes, I usually buy the boxed tempura mix at the grocery store but this time I decided to find a recipe for a tempura-like batter. I adapted this easy recipe for beer batter from one found on allrecipes.com. Enjoy!

1 cup all-purpose flour
1 egg, beaten
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 1/2 cups beer

In a small mixing bowl add flour, egg, garlic powder, and black pepper. Stir in 1 cup beer (you can add more than one cup to obtain your desired texture).

Tacos

2010-02-04T07:00:00.001-05:00

I love to try new recipes so I rarely make the same dishes over and over but tacos are a favorite at our house so I make them on a pretty regular basis. The pre-packaged taco seasoning have way too much salt and bad stuff in them so I created my own version of the perfect taco! Enjoy!

Ground Beef

Onion (diced)

Ground Cumin

Black Beans

Salsa

Salt and Pepper

Place the ground beef, sprinkled with a few teaspoons of cumin and onion into a pan and brown, once the meat is brown drain it. Add a can of black beans and half a jar of salsa to the meat, season with salt and pepper. Cook on low heat for 15 minutes and enjoy with your favorite tortillas and toppings!

Eggs in a Basket

2010-02-03T07:00:00.001-05:00

This was one of my favorites when I was a little girl! I made this dish for Little Foodie and my hubby for breakfast and it was a huge hit! It is super easy to make and it is super tasty. Enjoy!

Bread

Butter

Eggs

salt and Pepper

Use a small glass (I used a shot glass) to cut a hole out of the middle of the bread. Butter the bread on both sides and place on a hot griddle. Crack the egg into the hole and season with salt and pepper. Gently flip the bread to cook both sides and you can break the yoke if you don't like a runny yoke.

Baked Potato Soup

2010-02-02T07:00:00.002-05:00

This is soup was soooo yummy and very inexpensive to make. I love to make huge pots of soup so we can enjoy some for dinner and put the rest in the freezer but this soup was so good none of it made it to the freezer. Of course Little Foodie was in love with the soup because it has BACON in it! I adapted this recipe from one found on allrecipes.com. Enjoy!

6 bacon strips, diced
1 small onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon pepper
3 cups chicken broth
4 large baked potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 cup milk
Shredded Cheddar cheese
Sour Cream

In a large saucepan, cook bacon until crisp. Drain, reserving 1 tablespoon drippings. Set bacon aside. Saute onion and garlic in the drippings until tender. Stir in flour, salt, basil and pepper; mix well. Gradually add broth. Bring to boil; boil and stir for 2 minutes. Add the potatoes, milk and some of the bacon; heat through but do not boil. Garnish with the remaining bacon, cheese and sour cream

Snow Cream

2010-02-01T08:31:00.003-05:00

We had a nice little snowstorm over the weekend and Little Foodie and I had a little bit of cabin fever. We worked on a ton of craft projects and we made a batch of snow cream. All you need is fresh clean snow, a little milk, some sugar and vanilla; mix it all together and you have a tasty little treat! Enjoy

Meatloaf

2010-01-24T07:00:00.003-05:00

I LOVE meatloaf!!! When I was a kid and my mom would ask me what I wanted for dinner on my birthday I would say meatloaf, I would still say meatloaf today! My hubby and Little Foodie are not big fans of meatloaf but since I cook most of our meals so that they appeal to their taste, once in a while I like to cook something that is my favorite. This meatloaf was super moist and Little Foodie said it was really yummy! I adapted this recipe from one found on allrecipes.com. Enjoy!

1 pounds ground beef
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup quick-cooking oats
1/8 cup cornmeal
1/2 cup dried bread crumbs
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 tablespoon white sugar
1 egg, beaten
1/2 cup tomato juice
1 dash liquid smoke flavoring
1 tablespoon distilled white vinegar
1/4 cup ketchup
1 tablespoon brown sugar
2 teaspoons prepared mustard
2 dashes liquid smoke flavoring

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
In a large bowl, combine the beef, onion, oatmeal, cornmeal, bread crumbs, salt, sugar, egg, tomato juice,1/8 teaspoon liquid smoke and vinegar. Mix together thoroughly and place mixture into a lightly greased 9x5 inch loaf pan.
In a separate small bowl, combine the ketchup, brown sugar, mustard and 2 drops liquid smoke and mix thoroughly. Spread over the top of the meatloaf.
Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for approximately45 minutes.

Chili in the Crockpot

2010-01-23T07:00:00.002-05:00

I make chili differently each time I make it, I have never really used a recipe, I kind of just pour in the ingredients and let it cook up in the crockpot. Yesterday morning I started a big pot of chili that we would later enjoy with friends while watching football. I decided to finally write down what I put in the chili so I could keep a record of what was added. This is a meat-free version but you could add cooked ground beef if you like. We like to serve our chili over rice and then I set up a toppings bar with sour cream, shredded cheese, diced onions, hot sauce and some type of hot peppers. Enjoy!

1/4 cup brown sugar
3 tablespoons of dry minced onion
2 tablespoons of cumin
1 tablespoon of smoked paprika
2 diced chilies in adobo sauce (comes in a small can, usually found near the taco seasonings)
32 oz of Tomato or Veggie Juice
40 oz can of Kidney Beans (rinsed and drained)
32 oz can of crushed tomatoes
32 oz can of diced tomatoes
small can of black beans (rinsed and drained)
salt and pepper to taste

Place all ingredients into a large crockpot and cook on low for 8 hours or on high for 4 hours. Enjoy!!

Oven Fried Chicken Drumsticks

2010-01-22T07:00:00.003-05:00

Sometimes you just need a little fried chicken, Little Foodies loves the crunchy skin! I HATE frying foods, I detest the smell that it leaves in the house and not to mention the clean up but I enjoy the taste of fried chicken. The solution is oven fried chicken, it still has the crispy coating but a lot less guilt and clean-up. Enjoy!

chicken drumsticks
3 eggs
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup Italian seasoned bread crumbs
salt and pepper to taste
1 teaspoon paprika
cooking spray

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Spray 9 x 13 baking dish with cooking spray.
Place flour in a shallow plate or bowl and season with salt and pepper to taste. Put the bread crumbs and paprika in another shallow plate or bowl and beat the eggs in another bowl.
Dredge the chicken piece by piece in the flour, then the egg, then the bread crumbs, until all pieces are coated. Add the chicken to the dish and spray with cooking spray (the cooking spray will help crisp the chicken). Bake in the preheated oven for 45-50 minutes.

Pound Cake and Lemon Ice Cream

2010-01-21T07:00:00.001-05:00

If your New Year's resolution was to loose weight then you should probably not read this recipe, but if you want to impress dinner guests or you have a lot of self-control then read on. This is the first time I have made pound cake, I thought it would be hard but it was super easy and soooo yummy!!! The original cake recipe called for sprite but we don't usually buy soda, I had a mystery bottle of cherry coke in the pantry so I substituted it for the sprite. I also made some super yummy lemon ice cream that went terrific with the cake. I adapted the cake recipe from on of my favorite blogs, thepioneerwoman.com. Enjoy

Lemon Ice Cream

1 cup of milk
3/4 cup of sugar
2 cups of heavy cream
1 1/2 tsp of lemon extract

Mix all ingredients together and then follow directions that come with your ice cream maker.

Pound Cake

3 sticks Butter
3 cups Sugar
5 whole Eggs
1 teaspoon Butter Flavoring
2 teaspoons Lemon Flavoring
3 cups All-purpose Flour
1 cup of soda

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Cream butter. Add sugar, 1 cup at a time, mixing after each addition. Add eggs, 1 at a time, mixing after each addition. Add butter and lemon extracts and mix well. Add flour, 1 cup at a time, mixing well after each addition. Add soft drink, then mix together until combined. Scrape sides of bowl, then mix briefly.

Pour into a greased Bundt pan and bake for 1 hour to 1 hour 10 minutes, until the cake is no longer jiggly.

Remove cake from oven and invert pan onto a plate until cake drops out.

Cauliflower Au Gratin

2010-01-20T07:00:00.001-05:00

I have had a head of cauliflower in my veggie crisper since Christmas, although I am pretty sure it would have been happy to stay in there a little longer, I needed the room so I created a yummy side dish. It was a big hit at the dinner table! Enjoy!

1 head of cauliflower broken into pieces
1 cup of heavy cream
1 cup of milk (I used fat free milk)
1 log of goat cheese (break into hunks using a fork)
salt and pepper

Preheat the oven to 350 and spray a casserole dish with cooking spray. Place the cauliflower pieces, heavy cream, milk and goat cheese in a large bowl add the salt and pepper and mix. Place the cauliflower mixture into the baking dish and place in oven for 30-40 minutes, cauliflower should be fork tender and sauce should have thickened. Enjoy!

Cranberry Chocolate Almond Bars

2010-01-19T07:00:00.001-05:00

Cranberries aren't just for jellied cranberry sauce, they are perfect in breads and desserts. I adore cranberries, I always have a few bags of cranberries in my freezer. Little Foodie has been enjoying a little square of this dessert each day when she gets home from school, she enjoys it warmed up in the microwave "so the chocolate gets all melty". I adapted this recipe from one found on bakingbites.com. Enjoy!

1 cup all purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup butter, room temperature
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 large egg
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
3/4 cup fresh or frozen cranberries, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup silvered almonds, divided
1/2 cup of chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350F. Lightly grease an 8×8-inch baking pan.
In a small bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt.
In a medium bowl, cream together butter and sugars until light. Beat in egg and vanilla extract. Add flour mixture and mix on low speed until just combined. Mix in chopped cranberries, chocolate chips and slivered almonds. Dough should have a cookie dough-like consistency.
Spread dough into prepared pan using a spatula to push it into the corners. Bake for 25-30 minutes, until top is lightly browned. Cool completely before slicing.

Making your own Salad Dressing

2010-01-18T07:00:00.001-05:00

One of my many resolutions for the New Year is to continue making more of my own foods, including salad dressing. There are so many dressings on the market and you can find a lot of dressings that claim to be healthy but something about making it from scratch makes it not only taste better but it makes me feel better about serving it to my family. I posted this recipe along with a salad recipe in September but this time instead of adding sugar I added honey. Enjoy!

1cup Oil

1/2 cup Apple Cider Vinegar

1/2 cup of honey

3 tablespoons Soy Sauce

mix all ingredients in a shakable container, mix and enjoy!

Cheesy Baked Potatoes

2010-01-17T07:00:00.000-05:00

The portion size on this plate looks huge, well it is huge, it is my hubby's plate. For some reason I always take a pic of my hubby's plate since he usually gets the largest portion and his plate always looks the best. Little Foodie usually has a tiny Little Foodie portion and buy the time I fill my plate I am rushing to the table and the food gets tossed on the plate. Last night was a meat-free night, you could add bacon to the potatoes but don't tell Little Foodie that was an option or I will be in big trouble. Little Foodie loved the cheese sauce, the potato and the kale; she adores kale but broccoli is not her favorite. I adapted this recipe from one found on one of my favorite food blogs, eatathomecooks.com. Enjoy!

baking potatoes (either baked in the oven or in the microwave)
fresh or frozen broccoli and some kale
3 Tbs. butter
3 Tbs. flour
1 1/2 cups warm milk
1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
salt and pepper
1tsp of garlic powder
a dash of Worcestershire sauce

Cut the broccoli into bite site pieces. Place the broccoli and kale in a steamer and steam until broccoli is tender but not mushy.

In a skillet, melt the butter. Whisk in the flour and cook for a minute. Gradually whisk in the warm milk. Let it cook over medium heat until it begins to thicken a bit. Stir in the garlic powder, Worcestershire and cheese, letting it melt into the sauce. Season with salt and pepper.

Split the baked potatoes open. Top with broccoli/kale and cheese sauce.

It's Not Easy Being Green!

2010-01-16T07:00:00.002-05:00

As a family we have some pretty strong beliefs about what it means to be "green" and let me say it can sometimes be hard for other people to understand why we believe in eating organic and trying to live a more self-sustainable life. My hubby and I don't make a point of lecturing other people about buying organic but if asked we will be happy to share our thoughts. We recently had a friend asked us why we buy organic and for each point we made, he had an argument against it but in the end he understood where we were coming from. We are certainly not perfect, depending on our shopping budget there are times when I purchase food items that are not organic but I ALWAYS make sure I only buy organic dairy products and meats no mater what. Little Foodie came home last night and asked if she could PLEASE go to a school spirit night at a local fast food restaurant, she had valid points on why we should go and she even argued that of all the fast food restaurants this one seemed like the safest choice- what is a mother to do. I don't want to make my child feel like she is not allowed to participate in these types of activities but I also don't want her to think that one fast food restaurant is better than another, they all buy their meats from factory farms. That being said I want to be the type of parent that shares my beliefs with my child and also the type of parent who listens to my child and understands their point of view; so tonight we will be showing our school spirit.

Orange Cranberry Bread

2010-01-15T07:00:00.003-05:00

I had two very ripe oranges sitting untouched in the fruit bowl so I found the perfect recipe. This bread smells so yummy when it is baking and as soon as it cools it will be tucked away in the freezer. I adapted this recipe from one found on bakingbites.com. Enjoy!

2 cups all purpose flour
1 cup of sugar
3/4 tsp of baking soda
3/4 tsp of baking powder
1/2 tsp of salt
3/4 cup fresh squeezed orange juice
2 tbsp of orange zest
2 tbsp of canola or veggie oil
1 large egg
1 1/4 cups of fresh or frozen cranberries

Preheat oven to 375 and lightly grease a loaf pan. Mix together the flout, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large mixing bowl. Add in the orange juice, zest, oil and egg and mix until just combined. Stir in the cranberries and spread evenly into the baking pan. Bake for 45-55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool on a rack for 15 minutes. Remove from the pan and cool completely before slicing.

More Banana Bread

2010-01-14T07:00:00.001-05:00

I have some weird addiction to finding new banana bread recipes, I found some great ones that I will make repeatedly but I still have a desire to find even better recipes. This recipe has a layer of brown sugar and nuts in the middle and it taste similar to the sugar coated nuts that are sold at festivals. Little Foodie and my hubby have asked for this every morning for breakfast and I hid one loaf in the freezer. I adapted this recipe form one found on allrecipes.com. Enjoy!

1/2 cup margarine, softened
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1 cups white sugar
2 eggs
4-5 mashed bananas
2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
2 tablespoons brown sugar
3 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Cream the butter or margarine and cream cheese together. Gradually add the white sugar, and continue beating until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in the mashed bananas, vanilla and 1 teaspoon of cinnamon. Add flour, baking powder, and soda; mix until batter is just moist.
In a small bowl, mix together chopped pecans, 2 tablespoons brown sugar, and 2 teaspoons of cinnamon.
Divide 1/2 batter into two greased and floured 8x4 inch loaf pans. Sprinkle pecan mixture over batter in pans, and top with remaining batter.
Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 45 minutes, or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.

Chicken Sandwich w/ Mozzarella & Italian BBQ Sauce

2010-01-13T07:00:00.001-05:00

This is not your ordinary chicken sandwich, the sauce is so yummy! I grilled my chicken on the outdoor grill and I doubled the sauce recipe and used it the next night to make a pasta dinner with the leftover chicken and sauce. I adapted this recipe from one found in the Rachel Ray magazine. Enjoy!

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO), plus more for drizzling
1 onion, finely chopped
2 large cloves garlic, finely chopped or grated
One 14.5-ounce can diced fire-roasted tomatoes (yum!)
1 cup chicken stock
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
Salt and pepper
4 pieces skinless, boneless chicken breast, each halved horizontally into 2 cutlets
12 thin slices smoked mozzarella cheese (1-pound ball)
whole wheat rolls

Preheat a grill pan over medium-high heat. In a medium saucepan, heat the EVOO, 2 turns of the pan, over medium-high heat. Add the onion and garlic; cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes and chicken stock and heat through, about 5 minutes. Stir in the vinegar, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce and lots of pepper. Lower the heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until thickened, 7 to 8 minutes.
Drizzle the chicken with EVOO and season with salt and pepper. Cook on the grill pan, turning once, for 6 minutes. Remove from the pan and layer 1 chicken piece with 2 mozzarella slices, another chicken piece and another mozzarella slice. Repeat 3 more times to make 4 double-decker chicken stacks. Tent with foil for 1 minute to soften the mozzarella cheese.
Place the chicken on the roll and top with the sauce, you can add fresh basil if you have some on hand.

Easy Pot Pie

2010-01-12T07:00:00.002-05:00

When I was in elementary school I LOVED when it was chicken pot pie day, there was something about those tiny tins filled with warm creamy goodness and not to mention the buttery crust, yum! It has been so cold here lately I was in the mood for some comfort food but I didn't want to make my own crust, not that I haven't made a from scratch pot pie but they can be a lot of work. I found and adapted this Campbell's recipe for an easy pot pie and Little Foodie couldn't get enough of it, she said it was so creamy and delicious! I doubled the recipe and baked mine in a 9x13 baking dish. Enjoy!

1 (10.75 ounce) can Campbell's® Condensed Cream of Chicken Soup (Regular or 98% Fat Free)*
1 (9 ounce) package frozen mixed vegetables, thawed
1 cup cubed cooked turkey or chicken
1 cup cubed cooked potatoes
1 refridgerated pie crust
butter flavored cooking spray

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Mix soup, vegetables and turkey and place in a greased 9-inch pie plate.
Place pie crust over the turkey mixture and press into the sides of the pie plate. Spray top of crust with cooking spray. Bake 30 minutes or until golden.

Breakfast Cookies

2010-01-11T09:47:00.002-05:00

Who wouldn't want cookies for breakfast and you won't even feel guilty giving them to your Little Foodie! They are packed with dried fruit and healthy oats and this recipe makes enough to enjoy some now and freeze some for later. I adapted this recipe from one found on allrecipes.com. Enjoy!

1 cups brown sugar
2 1/2 cups rolled oats
4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/4 cup canola oil
1/2 cup prune puree (jar of prune baby food or you can use applesauce)
2 tablespoons water
5 egg whites
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3/4 cup raisins
1/4 cup chopped walnuts
1/3 cup chopped dried apricots

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease cookie sheets or line with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, stir together the brown sugar, oats, flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. Make a well in the center and pour in the canola oil, prune puree, water, egg whites and vanilla. Mix until well blended. Stir in the raisins, walnuts and apricots. Roll into golf ball sized balls. Place cookies 2 inches apart onto the prepared cookie sheets and flatten to 1/2 tall with wet hands. These cookies do not flatten very much while baking.
In the preheated oven, bake 8 minutes for chewy cookies 10 to 12 minutes for dry cookies. Cookies will not get crisp. Remove from cookie sheets to cool on wire racks.

Bacon-and-Kale Soup

2010-01-10T07:00:00.001-05:00

I love to make soup for dinner, it simple and filling, and Little Foodie who was not much of a soup fan is really beginning to enjoy the variety of soups that have been cooking up in our kitchen. Each day in the afternoon Little Foodie will ask me what we are having for dinner, when I told her we were having soup with bacon in it she ran upstairs and got some paper and a pen and promptly made a list titled "why I love bacon"; she is a strange kid but I do love her so! You need to use a good quality thick cut organic bacon for this recipe, it makes all the difference in the flavor of the soup. I adapted this recipe from one found in the Rachel Ray magazine Enjoy!

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO)
1/3 pound smoky bacon (about 6 slices), chopped
1/2 pound red potatoes, cut into small cubes
1 large onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/2 pound kale , stemmed and shredded or chopped
6 cups chicken stock
One 15.5-ounce canned beans ( I used black beans), rinsed
1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
Salt and pepper
Grated parmigiano-reggiano cheese, for serving

In a soup pot, heat the EVOO, 1 turn of the pan, over medium-high heat. Add the bacon and cook until browned, about 5 minutes. Stir in the potatoes, onion and garlic, cover and cook for 5 minutes. Add the kale, cover and cook until wilted, about 5 minutes.
Stir in the chicken stock, beans and nutmeg; season with salt and pepper. Cover and bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Serve in shallow bowls with the cheese on top.

French Breakfast Puffs

2010-01-09T07:00:00.001-05:00

If you are a fan of cinnamon toast than you will LOVE these little puffs of goodness!! Great for a chilly morning with a big cup of coffee or hot tea. Little Foodie enjoyed these so much that she was licking her fingers after eating two! This recipe was adapted from one found on allrecipes.com. Enjoy!

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 cup white sugar
1/3 cup shortening
1 egg
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup white sugar
2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
6 tablespoons margarine, melted

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease 12 muffin cups or line cups with paper muffin liners.
In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, and nutmeg. In a separate bowl, cream together 1/4 cup sugar and shortening. Beat in egg. Stir flour mixture into shortening mixture alternately with milk. Beat well. Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups.
Bake in preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes. While muffins are baking, combine 1/4 cup sugar and 2 tablespoons of cinnamon.
Remove muffins from oven and muffin pan. Immediately, dip the tops of the muffins into the melted margarine, then into the sugar/cinnamon mixture. Repeat with each muffin, until all muffin tops are covered. Serve warm.

Sweet Onion Dip

2010-01-08T07:00:00.003-05:00

This New Year's we decided to stay home were it was warm & cozy! I made a few appetizers so we could have a mini celebration at home. This is a simple yummy dip, much better than any of the store bought dip or stuff from a packet. Next time you have a hankering for some dip to go with your chips or veggies, give this a try. This recipe was adapted from one found on marthastewart.com. Enjoy!

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 Large Vidalia/or any sweet onion , finely chopped
Coarse salt and ground pepper
1 cup reduced-fat sour cream
2 ounces reduced-fat bar cream cheese, room temperature
1 1/2 teaspoons vinegar (white wine or apple cider)
Thick cut potato chips or assorted veggies, for serving

In a large skillet, heat oil over medium. Add onions; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, until golden brown, 12 to 15 minutes. Let cool to room temperature.
In a medium bowl, combine onions, sour cream, cream cheese and vinegar; season with salt and pepper. Chill dip until slightly thickened, about 1 hour; or cover and refrigerate up to 2 days. Serve with chips or veggies.

Chocolate Waffles

2010-01-07T07:00:00.001-05:00

YUMMY!! Enjoy these waffles at your own risk, they are full of chocolaty goodness and may make your Little Foodie run around the house like a crazy child. I adapted this recipe from one found on allrecipes.com. Enjoy!

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup white sugar
3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 cup chocolate chips
1 cup milk
2 eggs
4 tablespoons butter, melted

Preheat waffle iron. In a large mixing bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, salt, sugar and cocoa. Stir in milk, eggs,and butter until mixture is smooth. Mix in chocolate chips :)
Spray preheated waffle iron with non-stick cooking spray. Pour mix onto hot waffle iron. Cook until golden brown. Serve with your favorite REAL maple syrup.

Curried Cauliflower Soup

2010-01-06T07:00:00.001-05:00

I wish this is how my soup looked but alas it was a beautiful pale yellow that did not photograph well but it did taste really yummy! I had two heads of cauliflower that I had planned to roast for Christmas dinner but I made so many other dishes that I passed on cooking the cauliflower. I searched online for cauliflower recipes and I was surprised to find so many cauliflower soup recipes, I found and adapted this recipe from one found on allrecipes.com. Little Foodie is not a huge fan of soups but she really enjoyed this one! Enjoy!

1 head cauliflower, cut into florets
1 onion, cut into chunks
3 cloves garlic, halved
5 cups vegetable or chicken stock
1 (14 ounce) can light coconut milk
1 tablespoon curry paste (you can add more depending on your taste)
1 tablespoon of turmeric
1 teaspoon of nutmeg
curry powder

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Place the cauliflower, onion, and garlic on a baking sheet, sprinkle with curry powder and bake in preheated oven until golden brown, about 30 minutes.
Bring vegetable stock, coconut milk, and curry paste, turmeric and nutmeg to a boil in a large saucepan over high heat. Add the roasted vegetables, then reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes. Carefully puree the soup in a blender until it has reached your desired consistency, serve, and enjoy!

Baked Oatmeal

2010-01-05T07:00:00.001-05:00

I am always on the lookout for breakfast recipes, although Little Foodie will on the very rare occasion eat boxed cereals she much prefers homemade breakfast foods. I always have lots of oats on hand so this was the perfect recipe for a cold winter morning. I adapted the recipe from one found on allrecipes.com. Enjoy!!

3 cups rolled oats
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup milk
2 eggs (if you want to cut the fat use only the egg whites)
1/2 cup melted butter (or you can use applesauce)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup walnuts
1/2 cup shredded coconut

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
In a large bowl, mix together oats, brown sugar, cinnamon, baking powder, and salt. Beat in milk, eggs, melted butter, and vanilla extract. Stir in raisins, walnuts and coconut. Spread into a 9x13 inch baking dish.
Bake in preheated oven for 40 minutes.

Brussels Sprouts with Bacon!

2010-01-04T07:00:00.001-05:00

I love a good Brussels sprouts recipe!! I made this one as a side dish for our Christmas dinner. My thought was that if people heard the word BACON they would ignore the word Brussels sprout and they would be more eager to try it out. I was right, even my sister who HATES Brussels sprouts enjoyed this dish. I adapted this recipe from one found in the Rachel Ray magazine. Enjoy!

3 slices bacon, chopped ( I used organic turkey bacon)
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, 1 turn of the pan
1 shallot or small yellow onion, chopped
1 1/2 pounds Brussels sprouts, trimmed and cut in half
Salt and pepper, to your taste
1 cup chicken broth

Brown bacon in a medium skillet over medium high heat. Remove bacon to a paper towel lined plate. Add extra-virgin olive oil to the pan, 1 turn. Add shallots to the pan and saute 1 to 2 minutes. Add Brussels spouts and coat in oil. Season with salt and pepper. Cook Brussels sprouts 2 to 3 minutes to begin to soften, then add broth. Bring broth to a bubble, cover and reduce heat to medium low. Cook 10 minutes, until tender. Transfer sprouts to a serving dish with a slotted spoon and top with cooked bacon bits.

Eating Organic

2010-01-03T15:31:00.003-05:00

For the past few years our family has made a commitment to try to eat organic. We have strong feelings about the way animals are raised, and in the words of Little Foodie "animals should have a good happy life before we eat them". This year we decided to find a local farm where we could purchase our Christmas turkey, I searched online at http://www.localharvest.org/ and found a farm about an hour from our house at http://www.ourspringfieldfarm.com/. Although the turkey was a little pricey, it was so yummy and when you cook a turkey that is fed a natural diet (not corn) the turkey is much juicer & moist. We had a delicious turkey dinner and we felt good about the life our turkey had before he became our family meal. Make a resolution this year to try to buy more organic, grass fed meats; your family, the animals and the environment will be much happier!

Stuffed Mushrooms- Tiny Stuff for Dinner

2009-12-19T07:00:00.001-05:00

Little Foodie LOVES, LOVES, LOVES anything tiny so appetizers for dinner makes everyone happy! Appetizers are the perfect dinner for kids, I am not talking about frozen mozzarella sticks but any homemade meal made smaller. Tiny pizzas or Tiny homemade turkey burgers, if you have a picky eater try making them a tiny meal tonight. I adapted this recipe from one found on allrecipes.com, enjoy!

12 large fresh mushrooms, stems removed
1 (6 ounce) package chicken flavored dry stuffing mix
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1/2 pound cooked sasuage ( I used organic chicken sausage)
1 cup butter
1 cup chicken or veggie stock
2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
salt and pepper to taste
garlic powder to taste
crushed red pepper to taste

Directions

Arrange mushroom caps on a medium baking sheet, bottoms up.
Prepare chicken flavored dry stuffing mix according to package directions.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. Mix in garlic and stock and cook until garlic is tender, about 5 minutes.
In a medium bowl, mix together prepared dry stuffing mix, cream cheese and cooked sausage. Liberally stuff mushrooms with the mixture. Drizzle with the buttery mixture. Season with salt, pepper, garlic powder and crushed red pepper.
Bake uncovered in the preheated oven 10 to 12 minutes, or until stuffing is lightly browned.

Chocolate Covered Cherries

2009-12-18T10:41:00.004-05:00

If you are easily frustrated in the kitchen then read no further! In the spirit of making more homemade/handmade items this Christmas I decided to make a big batch of chocolate covered cherries (they are my dads FAVORITE), really how hard could it be. The recipe sounded easy so I thought I would give it a try, half way through the batch I was ready to give up but I didn't because I hate to waste ingredients. In the end they turned out really ugly but Little Foodie and my hubby insisted that they taste yummy, I didn't taste them they are my least favorite candy which could be the reason why I was so easily frustrated while making them; I am sure I will try to make them again next year :) I found the recipe on allrecipes.com.

* I sprayed my hands with a little nonstick cooking spray before rolling the cherries into the dough, it helped with the sticky mess that was happening to my hands before I coated them.

60 maraschino cherries with stems
3 tablespoons butter, softened
3 tablespoons corn syrup
2 cups sifted confectioners' sugar
1 pound chocolate confectioners' coating

Drain cherries and set on paper towels to dry.
In a medium bowl, combine butter and corn syrup until smooth. Stir in confectioners' sugar and knead to form a dough. Chill to stiffen if necessary. Wrap each cherry in about 1 teaspoon of dough. Chill until firm.
Melt confectioners' coating in a heavy saucepan over low heat. Dip each cherry in by its stem, and place on waxed paper lined sheets. Chill until completely set. Store in an airtight container in a cool place. Best after 1 or 2 weeks.

Baked Ziti with a Twist

2009-12-17T07:00:00.001-05:00

I had a bunch of kale in my veggie crisper that we picked up at the local farmers market and I need a creative way to use it- I stumbled across this recipe on Foodietots.com. My hubby and I really enjoyed it but Little Foodie just picked at it, she is not a huge fan of pasta. Great dinner for a cold winter night, I made mine meat free but you could add sausage if you like. Enjoy!

1 pound ziti noodles
1 cup organic kale leaves, torn
4-5 cloves garlic
1 small yellow onion
3 organic carrots, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced
2 tablespoon oregano
28 ounces crushed tomatoes
salt & pepper
1 pound whole milk ricotta
1 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella, romano and parmesan cheeses

Instructions: Bring water to boil in a large stock pot.

Heat oil in dutch oven over medium heat. Add sausage and cook until evenly browned. Remove sausage from pan and set aside, covered.

Lower heat to medium low and add garlic and onion. Cook 2-3 minutes until translucent. Add carrots and cook another 2 minutes. Stir in oregano and tomatoes and simmer for 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

While sauce simmers, cook pasta for 6 minutes (or 2/3 of minimum recommended cooking), adding kale for the last minute. Drain.

Stir together pasta, kale, ricotta and 1/2 of the sauce. Pour into 9×13-inch baking pan. Pour remaining sauce over top, then spead shredded cheeses evenly over top. Bake at 400 degrees for 35-40 minutes, until cheese is golden. Makes 10-12 servings. Enjoy!

Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

2009-12-16T07:00:00.001-05:00

Great cookie recipe, super moist and a little bit chewy. I found a lot of cute cookie/candy containers at my local $ store, place a few different kinds of sweet treats inside and you have the prefect holiday gift! I adapted this recipe from one found on allrecipes.com. Enjoy!

1 cup butter, softened
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 cups rolled oats
1 cup raisins
1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
In a large bowl, cream together the butter, butter flavored shortening, brown sugar, white sugar, eggs, and vanilla until smooth. Combine the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, and salt; stir into the sugar mixture. Stir in the oats, raisins and walnuts. Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets.
Bake 8-10 minutes until light and golden. Do not overbake. Let them cool for 2 minutes before removing from cookie sheets to cool completely. Store in airtight container. Make sure you get some, because they don't last long!

Sweet Treats

2009-12-15T10:40:00.003-05:00

This year I am trying to make more homemade and handmade items to give as gifts. This is a super simple recipe that tastes very yummy!! I found this recipe on kraftfoods.com, enjoy!

35 Saltine Crackers

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1 pkg. (8 squares) Semi-Sweet Chocolate, chopped

1 cup chopped Walnuts, toasted or crushed candy canes

HEAT oven to 400ºF.

PLACE crackers in single layer in foil-lined 15x10x1-inch pan.

COOK butter and sugar in saucepan on medium-high heat until butter is melted and mixture is well blended, stirring occasionally. Bring to boil; cook 3 min. without stirring. Spread onto crackers.

BAKE 5 to 7 min. or until topping is golden brown. Immediately sprinkle with chocolate; let stand 5 min. or until chocolate is softened. Spread chocolate over ingredients in pan; sprinkle with nuts. Cool. Break into pieces.

Brussels Sprouts w/Walnuts and Dried Cranberries

2009-12-14T07:00:00.000-05:00

I am a big fan of the Brussels Sprout, they are tiny packages of yummy goodness!!! Little Foodie on the other hand is always a little skeptical when I say I am making yummy Brussels sprouts for dinner, she use to call them stinky baby cabbages :) . On a recent trip to the grocery store Little Foodie spotted the Brussels sprouts still on a giant stalk and said we had to buy them because she had a plan. When we got home with our giant stalk o' Brussels Little Foodie promptly picked all the sprouts off of the stalk and put them in a container and then she took the stalk out back and stood it up in our compost bin, she said it was our family flag, what can I say she is a strange kid sometimes. I found this yummy recipe on the Vegetarian Times website; my hubby and the skeptical Little Foodie loved it and I plan on making it as a side-dish for Christmas dinner. Enjoy!

2 tsp. olive oil
½ cup coarsely chopped walnuts
1½ lb. Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved
2 medium shallots, halved and sliced (¼ cup)
1 clove garlic, minced (1 tsp.)
¼ cup coarsely chopped dried cranberries
1 Tbs. agave syrup
1 Tbs. walnut oil

1. Heat large skillet over medium-high heat. Add walnuts, and toast 3 to 4 minutes, or until fragrant. Transfer to plate, and set aside.

2. Wipe out skillet, and return to heat. Add olive oil, and swirl skillet to coat bottom. Add Brussels sprouts, and cook 5 minutes, or until browned, stirring occasionally. Add shallots and garlic, and cook 1 minute more.

3. Stir in cranberries, agave, and 1 cup water. Partially cover pot, reduce heat to medium, and simmer 5 to 7 minutes, or until most of liquid has evaporated and Brussels sprouts are just tender, but not soft. Transfer to serving bowl. Stir in walnut oil and toasted walnuts, and season with salt and pepper, if desired.

The BEST Banana Bread!!

2009-12-13T07:00:00.000-05:00

This is the BEST banana bread in the entire world, I know this because I have made banana bread a million different ways and this one is AMAZING!!! I wanted to make a yummy breakfast treat to take to class to share with my professor (who is the best!) and the students in the class; I had 4 bananas in my freezer and all I needed was the perfect recipe. I adapted this recipe from one found on allrecipes.com. Enjoy!

1/4 cup cold butter, cut into small pieces
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup quick cooking oats
1 1/4 cups white sugar
1/2 cup butter, softened
2 eggs
4-5 ripe bananas, mashed
1/2 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice (or nutmeg)
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 cup chopped nuts (optional)

Directions

Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease 2 loaf pans, 8 1/2 x 4 1/2 inches.
To make the streusel topping, mix 1/4 cup of cut-up butter, 1/2 cup flour, brown sugar, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, and oats in a bowl until crumbly. Set aside.
Cream the sugar and butter together in a bowl, and stir in the eggs. Add the bananas, milk, and vanilla extract, and stir until the mixture is well blended. Beat in the flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder, cinnamon, and nuts.
Scoop the batter into the prepared loaf pans. Sprinkle the top of each loaf with half the streusel topping.
Bake in the preheated oven for 1 hour and 15 minutes, until the loaves have risen and the topping is browned. Let the banana bread cool in the pans for 5 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack to finish cooling.

Pizza, Pizza, Pizza

2009-12-12T07:00:00.001-05:00

Who doesn't like pizza, it is always a favorite meal at our house. We are not an order in/take-out kind of family so I am always on the lookout for for easy pizza dough recipes. This one was created by Fleischmann's Yeast and it is really easy and super delicious; the crust was crispy on the bottom and soft/chewy in the middle! I used the footnote below for the active dry yeast and I added a little oregano and basil to the mix. Next time you are in the mood for pizza try this recipe instead of picking up the phone and placing a pizza order :) !! Enjoy

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, or as needed
1 envelope Fleischmann's® RapidRise Yeast*
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup very warm water (120 degrees F to 130 degrees F)
2 tablespoons olive or vegetable oil
Cornmeal

Directions

In a large bowl, combine 2 cups flour, undissolved yeast, and salt. Stir very warm water and olive oil into flour mixture. Stir in enough remaining flour to make soft dough. Knead on lightly floured surface until smooth and elastic, about 4 to 6 minutes. Cover; let rest on floured surface 10 minutes.
Lightly oil 1 (14-inch) or 2 (12-inch) round pizza pan(s).** Sprinkle with cornmeal. Shape dough into smooth ball. Divide and roll dough to fit desired pan(s). Top pizza as desired.
Bake at 400 degrees F for 20 to 30 minutes or until done. Baking time depends on size and thickness of crust and selected toppings.

Footnotes

*To use Fleischmann's® Active Dry Yeast: Use 1 package Active Dry Yeast, 1 cup warm water (100 to 110 degrees F) and flour, salt and oil listed above. Place 1/4 cup of the warm water in large warm bowl. Sprinkle with yeast; stir until undissolved. Add remaining water, salt, oil and 2 cups all-purpose flour; stir well. Stir in enough remaining flour to make soft dough.
Knead as directed. Place in greased bowl, turning to grease top. Cover; let rise in warm place until doubled, about 30 to 60 minutes. Punch dough down. Remove dough to lightly floured surface. Shape, top and bake as desired.
**Master Pizza Dough fits the following pans: 1 (15 x 10-inch) baking pan, 1 (13 x 9-inch) baking pan, 1 (14-inch) or 2 (9-inch) deep-dish pan(s). For individual pizzas, shape dough into 6 or 8 (7-inch) rounds and place on 2 greased baking sheets.
Garlic and Herb Pizza Dough: add 2 teaspoons Spice Islands® Sweet Basil, Oregano (leaves), or Rosemary and 1 clove finely minced garlic along with dry ingredients.
Cornmeal Pizza Dough: Replace 1/2 cup all-purpose flour with cornmeal.
Whole Wheat Pizza Dough: Replace 1 cup all-purpose flour with whole wheat flour.

Chicken Soup with Kale and Homemade Egg Noodles

2009-12-11T07:00:00.001-05:00

Little Foodie and I visit our local farmers market often, even in the chilly fall months. At the weekend farmers market we picked up a HUGE bunch of kale (for only $1.50) and 3 turnips. Kale is a wonderful dark leafy green and it holds up well in soup. I used turnips in my recipe but you can omit them and use potatoes. I adapted this recipe from one found on allrecipes.com. Enjoy!

For Egg Noodles
2 1/4 cups sifted all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons of butter
4 eggs
4 egg yolks
For Soup:
1 bunch fresh parsley, chopped
1 bunch kale, torn into small pieces
3 Turnips peeled cut in chunks (or potatoes)
1 small onion sliced
4 sliced carrots
1-2 containers of veggie or chicken stock (as much as your crockpot will hold)
2 tablespoon Italian seasoning
2 tablespoon curry powder
4 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
salt and cracked black pepper to taste

Place all SOUP ingredients into a crockpot and set on low. Soup should cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 4-6 hours.
In a large bowl, beat together butter, flour and salt to form a mealy mixture. Beat in eggs and egg yolks to form a stiff dough. Divide dough into thirds and roll each third out onto a floured surface to 1/8 inch (3 mm) thickness. Let rolled pieces of dough rest on racks for 20 minutes.
Slice the noodle dough into 1/2-inch (1.2 cm) widths. At the end of the soups cooking time drop noodles into the soup a few at a time. Cook until noodles are tender, 5 minutes.

Apple Squares

2009-12-10T07:00:00.001-05:00

I have a huge collection of apple recipes and pull them out in the fall during apple season. This recipe is yummy and makes your house smell great while it is baking! I adapted this recipe from one found on allrecipes.com. Enjoy!

1 cup sifted all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 cup butter or margarine, melted
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup chopped apple
1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts
2 tablespoons white sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9x9 inch pan. Sift together flour, baking powder, salt, and 1/4 teaspoon of cinnamon; set aside.
In a large bowl, mix together melted butter, brown sugar, and 1/2 cup of white sugar with a wooden spoon until smooth. Stir in the egg and vanilla. Blend in the flour mixture until just combined, then stir in the apples and walnuts. Spread the mixture evenly into the prepared pan. In a cup or small bowl, stir together the remaining cinnamon and sugar; sprinkle over the top of the bars.
Bake for 25 to 30 minutes in preheated oven; finished bars should spring back when lightly touched. Cool in the pan, and cut into squares.

Sweet Corn Cake

2009-12-09T07:00:00.002-05:00

My hubby and my dear Little Foodie LOVE Mexican food so we have a make your own taco night a few times a month. One night while making tacos I had a hankering for the corn cake that Mexican restaurants sometimes serve with their meals. My hubby and Little Foodie loved it and now it will be a staple alongside our taco night meals! I adapted this recipe from one found on allrecipes.com. Enjoy!

1/2 cup butter, softened
1/3 cup flour (white or whole wheat)
1/4 cup water
1 1/2 cups frozen whole-kernel corn, thawed
1/4 cup cornmeal
1/3 cup white sugar
2 tablespoons milk
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder

In a medium bowl beat butter until it is creamy. Add the flour and water and beat until well mixed.
Using a food processor, process thawed corn, but leave chunky. Stir into the butter mixture.
In a separate bowl, mix cornmeal, sugar, cream, salt, and baking powder. Add to corn flour mixture and stir to combine. Pour batter into an ungreased 8x8 inch baking pan. Smooth batter and cover with aluminum foil. Place pan into a 9x13 inch baking dish that is filled a third of the way with water.
Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven F (175 degrees C) oven for 50 to 60 minutes. Allow to cool for 10 minutes. Use an ice cream scoop for easy removal from pan.

Stuffed Acorn Squash

2009-12-08T07:00:00.002-05:00

I LOVE fall/winter veggies, cooked squash is so yummy and very good for you!!! You can find all different kinds of squash at your local grocery store and they can all be cooked the same way. First you will need to split the squash open-sharp knife and muscles will be needed for this task-next you will need to scrape all the seeds out just like you would with a pumpkin. Oil the squash up with a little EVOO and add salt and pepper. Cook the squash at 400 degrees, face down for the first 20 minutes and then flip and cook for another 20 minutes. I had a little left-0ver chicken and some stuffing that I mixed together and placed in the squash. Little Foodie is always impressed when I serve food in edible containers. Enjoy!!

I'm Back!!!!

2009-12-07T14:55:00.002-05:00

I can't believe that I haven't posted anything in a month, bad food blogger!! It's not that I haven't been cooking or taking food pics, I have been busy with school. This is my last week, finals week, so hopefully I can post a lot during my month off from school!!! Keep an eye out for some new recipes!

Roasted Pumpkin Pasta

2009-11-04T07:00:00.001-05:00

We have been eating a lot of vegetarian meals lately, Little Foodie prefers to eat meat (all the time) but has been pretty happy with the meat free dishes. This was a very filling meal and I served it with a side salad. I adapted it from a recipe created by Rachel Ray; if you don't want to make your own pesto you can use store bought. Enjoy :)

1 cup flat leaf parsley tops, packed
1 cup baby spinach or farm bundled spinach leaves, packed
1 inch ginger root, grated or minced
1 teaspoon sweet paprika
2 cloves garlic, grated or mashed into past with salt
1/2 cup chopped walnuts, toasted
1 teaspoon lemon zest plus juice of 1/2 lemon, about 2 tablespoons
Salt and pepper
1/3 cup, plus 2 tablespoons EVOO - Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 medium sugar pumpkin or butternut squash, peeled and cubed into 3/4 inch pieces ( you can find pre-cubed squash at Trader Joes)
1 teaspoon sweet paprika
Freshly grated nutmeg
1 pound whole wheat penne or semolina penne rigate
1/2 cup freshly grated parmigiano-reggiano

Preheat oven to 400˚F.

Place parsley, spinach, ginger, garlic, nuts, lemon zest and juice, salt and pepper in food processor and turn processor on. Stream about 1/3 cup EVOO into processor to form a pesto sauce.

Drizzle the pumpkin cubes with 2 tablespoons EVOO and season with salt, pepper, paprika and nutmeg. Roast 15 minutes, turn the cubes over and roast 15 minutes more.

Meanwhile, bring water to boil for pasta, salt it and cook to al dente, according to package directions. Reserve 1 cup of the starchy water just before draining. Drain pasta, return to hot pot, add reserved water and pesto, and toss to coat. Gently mix in the roasted pumpkin cubes and serve topped with lots of cheese and some pumpkin seeds.

Pumpkin Black Bean Soup

2009-11-03T10:48:00.005-05:00

I LOVE pumpkin and once October comes around I try to find as many pumpkin recipes as I can!! I had the yummiest pumpkin soup at the cafeteria at school last week so I needed to find a similar recipe to make at home. I also have an addiction to soup, it is easy to make and it is a one pot meal; I serve it with bread fresh from the oven!! I adapted this recipe from one created by Rachel Ray. Enjoy!

2 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, 1 turn of the pan
1 medium onion, finely chopped
3 cups canned or packaged vegetable stock, found on soup aisle
1 can (14 1/2 ounces) diced tomatoes in juice
1 can (15 ounces) black beans, drained
2 cans (15 ounces) pumpkin puree (found often on the baking aisle)
1 cup heavy cream ( I used low fat milk instead)
1 tablespoon curry powder, 1 palm full
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin, 1/2 palm full
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper, eyeball it in the palm of your hand
Coarse salt
20 blades fresh chives, chopped or snipped, for garnish

Heat a soup pot over medium heat. Add oil. When oil is hot, add onion. Saute onions 5 minutes. Add broth, tomatoes, black beans and pumpkin puree. Stir to combine ingredients and bring soup to a boil. Reduce heat to medium low and stir in cream, curry, cumin, cayenne and salt, to taste. Simmer 5 minutes, adjust seasonings and serve garnished with chopped chives.

Brussels Sprouts

2009-10-20T07:00:00.001-04:00

Don't make that face, I can see you making the same face that Little Foodie makes when she sees that we are having brussels sprouts for dinner. Brussels sprouts are yummy, all they need is a little TLC and they turn into a fabulous side dish!! Now Little Foodie always makes the "yuck face" but once she tries them she is hooked and eats a ton but I am sure she will never admit that she likes brussels sprouts. I think the secret to good brussels sprouts is to cut them in half and cook them in a pan in a little butter and olive oil, add a good bit of salt and pepper and a little smoked paprika and yum they melt in your mouth!! Now stop making the face and go and cook up some brussels sprouts!!!

Potato Corn Chowder

2009-10-19T07:00:00.001-04:00

I have this small obsession with soups, this is fairly new, I wasn't much of a soup eater in the past but now I really enjoy a big bowl of soup for dinner and as a bonus my hubby and Little Foodie enjoy it also. This is a super easy soup to make, I made ours using corn that I had frozen during the summer so it was like a little bite of summer in October!! Enjoy!

2 cups water
2 cups diced peeled potatoes
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup butter or margarine
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 tsp smoked paprika
2 cups milk
1 bag of frozen corn or you can use canned reg or creamed corn

In a large saucepan add the margarine, potatoes, onion, flour and spices. Cook until onions are translucent.
Add the milk, water and corn. Cook on low heat for 40 minutes to an hour. Season as needed.

Hummus

2009-10-14T07:00:00.001-04:00

My hubby and I LOVE hummus, it is the perfect love fat dip to have with pita chips or veggies! Little Foodie on the other hand is not a hummus fan, we still insist that she try it each time we have it for a snack; just like avacados and tomatoes ( she didn't start liking them till this past summer) we are sure she will enjoy hummus one day! This is a great dip to make for snacking or to take to a potluck. I found this recipe at about.com. Enjoy :)

1 16 oz can of chickpeas or garbanzo beans
1/4 cup liquid from can of chickpeas
3-5 tablespoons lemon juice (depending on taste)
1 1/2 tablespoons tahini (found in the international section of the grocery store)
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons olive oil

Drain chickpeas and set aside liquid from can. Combine remaining ingredients in blender or food processor. Add 1/4 cup of liquid from chickpeas. Blend for 3-5 minutes on low until thoroughly mixed and smooth.

Place in serving bowl, and create a shallow well in the center of the hummus.

Add a small amount (1-2 tablespoons) of olive oil in the well. Garnish with parsley (optional).

Serve immediately with fresh, warm or toasted pita bread, or cover and refrigerate.

For a spicier hummus, add a sliced red chile or a dash of cayenne pepper.

Hummus can be refrigerated for up to 3 days and can be kept in the freezer for up to one month. Add a little olive oil if it appears to be too dry.

Chunky Monkey Pancakes

2009-10-13T07:00:00.001-04:00

I love Sunday morning breakfasts, especially lazy Sunday mornings when you don't have to rush to get out and about. I had some bananas that were over-ripe and perfect for cooking/baking with so I searched for breakfast recipes and found a recipe on allrecipes.com that I adapted to fit our needs. The great thing about finding recipes online is that you can search for recipes that use ingredients you already have on hand. So Yummy!!

1 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup skim milk
1/2 cup of applesauce (instead of oil or butter)
2 eggs
2 tablespoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large banana, mashed
2 heaping tablespoons of peanut butter ( I used organic creamy PB)
1/2 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips
cooking spray

Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl. Set bowl aside. In a separate bowl, whisk together the skim milk, applesauce, eggs, sugar, peanut butter and vanilla. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and stir in the wet ingredients, being careful not to over mix the batter. Gently fold in the banana and chocolate chips
Heat a large skillet over medium heat, and coat with cooking spray. Pour 1/4 cupfuls of batter onto the skillet, and cook until bubbles appear on the surface. Flip with a spatula, and cook until browned on the other side.

Homemade Apple Pie

2009-10-12T07:00:00.001-04:00

This pie turned out so YUMMY, it wouldn't win an beauty contests, but it tastes terrific!!! Here is apple recipe #4 (and can you believe I still have apples left!), Homemade Apple Pie. Yummy right out of the oven or chilled in the fridge! I adapted the recipe found on allrecipes.com.

2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup ice water
8 Granny Smith apples - peeled, cored and sliced
1 cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 tablespoons butter

In a large bowl, combine flour and salt. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in water a tablespoon at a time until mixture forms a ball. Divide dough in half and shape into balls. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight. Roll one ball out to fit a 9 inch pie plate. Place bottom crust in pie plate. Roll out top crust and set aside.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C.)
In a large bowl, combine sliced apples, sugar, 1 tablespoon flour and cinnamon. Mix well and pour into pie shell. Dot with remaining 2 tablespoons butter. Cover with top crust, seal edges, and cut away excess dough. Make several small slits in the top to allow steam to escape.
Bake in the preheated oven for 60 minutes, or until golden brown.

Grilled Apples

2009-10-11T07:00:00.005-04:00

I bought some super yummy organic chicken apple sausage and I cooked them on the grill along with a few apples. Here is apple recipe #3, Grilled Apples. Core and slice 3 apples into thick slices, coat the apples with some honey and sprinkle on a little cinnamon. Place on the grill and grill on medium until the apples start to soften and they turn beautifully brown and caramelized!! Enjoy

Potatoes on the Grill

2009-10-11T07:00:00.003-04:00

Little Foodie has a new LOVE, potatoes!! As a toddler she wouldn't eat them but we would continue to have her try them until one day she would eat them with out complaints, they weren't her favorite but she would eat them. Now at six years old she LOVES potatoes, especially oven baked with different herbs. After baking apple bread yesterday I didn't feel like putting anything else in the oven so I decided to use the outdoor grill for dinner. I placed a potato on a piece of heavy foil, sliced the potato and added olive oil, salt, pepper and smoked paprika. I wrapped the potato in the foil and placed it on a hot grill (set on high) for about 30 minutes. After I took the potatoes off of the grill I topped them with a little shredded cheese and Little Foodie was in heaven!! Ah, the joy of carbohydrates!!

Apple Breakfast Bread

2009-10-11T07:00:00.001-04:00

I am continuing to restock my freezer with breakfast treats, so here is apple recipe number 2. We haven't tasted it yet but it looked yummy coming out of the oven and it smelled heavenly!!! I adapted the recipe from one found on allrecipes.com.

1/2 cup butter
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 cup of milk
2 apples - peeled, cored and chopped

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease an 8x4 inch loaf pan.
In a bowl, mix the butter and sugar until smooth and creamy. Beat in the eggs.
In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, vanilla and milk. Mix into the butter mixture until moistened. Fold in the apples. Transfer to the prepared loaf pan.
Bake 1 hour in the preheated oven, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in the pan for 15 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.

Homemade Applesauce

2009-10-10T07:00:00.001-04:00

Little Foodie and I went apple picking over the weekend and came home with over 12lbs of apples. Let the apple cooking begin!!! I decided to start with an easy apple dish, homemade applesauce. Little Foodie LOVES it and she especially liked it warm right off of the stove, and asks me to heat it up each time she eats it. I adapted this recipe from one found on simplyrecipes.com.

3 to 4 lbs of peeled, cored, and quartered apples. (tart cooking apples work best)
Juice of one lemon, about 3-4 Tbsp
3 cinnamon stick
3/4 cup of dark brown sugar
1 cup of water
1/2 teaspoon of salt

1 Put all ingredients into a large pot. Cover. Bring to boil. Lower heat and simmer for 20-30 minutes.

2 Remove from heat. Remove cinnamon sticks . Mash with potato masher.

Ready to serve, either hot or refrigerated. Delicious with vanilla ice cream or vanilla yogurt.

Freezes easily, lasts up to one year in a cold freezer.

Trinidadian Chicken Stew

2009-10-09T07:00:00.001-04:00

Little Foodie and I have a small addiction to the the Food Network and we especially like to watch Giada!! Last week we watched an episode where she made Trinidadian Chicken Stew and Little Foodie said "I need you to make that mommy" as she licked her lips. I made it last night and it was yummy!! The hardest part was getting the brown sugar just right so keep an eye on it during that part of the recipe. We enjoyed our stew over some rice :) I found the recipe on Foodnetwork.com.

1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
2 skinless and boneless chicken breasts, halved
4 small skinless, bone-in chicken thighs
1 tablespoon finely grated fresh ginger
1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more for seasoning
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more for seasoning
4 whole peeled canned tomatoes
2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme leaves
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
3 carrots, peeled and cut into 2-inch pieces
3 medium Yukon gold potatoes (about 1 pound), peeled and cut into 2-inch pieces
1 1/2 cups water

In a heavy bottomed 4-quart saucepan, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the sugar and cook, stirring occasionally, until very dark, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add the chicken pieces, ginger, 1 teaspoon of salt, and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently until the chicken is brown, about 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes and break up with a wooden spoon. Add the thyme, 2 tablespoons of parsley, carrots, potatoes, and hot water. Cover the pan and simmer until the chicken is cooked through and the vegetables are tender, about 40 to 45 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Transfer to serving bowls and garnish with the remaining parsley.

Cranberry Pumpkin Muffins

2009-10-08T07:00:00.000-04:00

I needed to restock my freezer with breakfast treats so I used the canned pumpkin that I had leftover from the pumpkin cookies to make a batch of Cranberry Pumpkin Muffins, they are the perfect morning pick-me-up!!! I adapted the recipe from one found on allrecipes.com.

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
2 cups brown sugar
1 cup canned pumpkin
1/2 cup vegetable oil or you can you applesauce in place of the oil
1 cup fresh or frozen cranberries, chopped (I keep a bag of cranberries in my freezer!)

In a bowl, combine the first four ingredients. In a mixing bowl, beat the eggs and sugar; add the pumpkin and oil and mix well. Stir into the dry ingredients just until moistened. Fold in the cranberries. Fill foil-or paper-lined muffin cups three-fourths full. Bake at 400 degrees F for 18-22 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

2009-10-07T07:00:00.001-04:00

I LOVE anything pumpkin and my love of pumpkin has finally worn off on Little Foodie. Today was a beautiful fall day so we decided it was time to break out the canned pumpkin and make a yummy sweet treat. This recipe was adapted from a recipe found on allrecipes.com.

1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup quick cooking oats
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup apple sauce
3 tablespoons oil
1 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup canned pumpkin puree
1 cup chocolate chips
1/2 cup coconut

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Combine the flour, oats, baking soda, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice and salt; set aside.
In a large bowl, cream together the apple sauce, oil, and brown sugar until smooth. Beat in the egg and vanilla then stir in the pumpkin puree. Gradually stir in the dry ingredients until well blended. Mix in chocolate chips and coconut. Drop by rounded spoonfuls onto greased cookie sheets.
Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.

Everything but the Kitchen Sink!

2009-10-06T07:00:00.003-04:00

If you are looking for a good way to use up leftover veggies and have a healthy budget friendly meal, making a stir-fry is the way to go!! Tonight I used thin sliced boneless pork chops (pork is very inexpensive!) that I cut into thin strips and then I sauteed them in a little sesame oil, with a little soy sauce and fresh minced garlic. Then I went to the fridge and pulled out some leftover green beans, and the leftover peppers and mushrooms from the make your own pizza party. I cooked the meat and veggies together, adding a little fresh ginger and some chicken broth. I cooked some rice in the steamer and I had a healthy quick dinner on the table in less than a 1/2 hour. When Little Foodie found out we were having stir-fry for dinner she was not thrilled but she knows that in our house there is only one meal prepared, no special kid meals, so she ate dinner without any further complaints.

Homemade Soft Pretzels

2009-10-05T07:00:00.001-04:00

Today Little Foodie had the day off from school, so after we went to the movies we came home and made a batch of homemade soft pretzels. Our pretzels did not turn out as beautiful as the one in the picture but they did turn out super yummy, we made some with salt and some with cinnamon/sugar. I put the pretzels in the freezer in individual baggies and they will make the perfect after-school snack! I found this recipe in the Oct. issue of the Everyday with Rachel Ray magazine. Enjoy!!

1 1/2 cups lukewarm water
1 package active dry yeast (2 1/4 teaspoons)
4 1/2 cups flour
2 tablespoons light brown sugar
2 teaspoons table salt
1 large egg, separated
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
2 tablespoons baking soda
Coarse salt, for sprinkling

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 400°. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. In a small bowl, whisk together the water and yeast; let stand for 5 minutes.
Using a standing mixer fitted with a dough hook, combine the flour, brown sugar and table salt. Mix in the egg yolk, butter and yeast mixture on low speed until the dough is smooth and elastic, 5 to 7 minutes. Let the dough rest for 5 minutes.
In a large, shallow baking dish, combine the baking soda with 2 cups warm water. On a work surface, divide the dough into 6 equal pieces. Using your hands, roll out each piece into a rope about 42 inches long; dip in the baking soda mixture for 30 seconds. Using the prepared pans as a work surface, shape each rope into a pretzel.
In a small bowl, beat the egg white with 1 tablespoon water. Brush the pretzels with the egg white mixture. Sprinkle with the coarse salt and bake until deep golden, 12 to 15 minutes.

Roasted Baby Potatoes

2009-10-04T07:00:00.001-04:00

I made these potatoes as a side dish tonight and Little Foodie went crazy for them, she told me over and over how good they were!!! The outside of the potato is crispy and the inside has the texture of mashed potatoes, yum!!! I adapted the recipe from one found on Foodnetwork.com.

1 pound baby red-skinned potatoes, scrubbed
2 tablespoon herbes de Provence, plus extra for garnish
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Put the potatoes into a large bowl. In a small bowl, whisk the herbs, garlic, and oil together until blended, and then pour over the potatoes. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper and toss to coat. Transfer the potatoes to a heavy large baking dish, spacing them evenly apart.

Roast the potatoes until they are tender and golden, turning them occasionally with tongs, about 1 hour. Transfer the roasted potatoes to a decorative platter and drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil and herbes de Provence, if desired. Serve hot or warm.

Apple, Walnut and Blue Cheese Salad

2009-10-03T07:00:00.004-04:00

This is the perfect recipe for a fall potluck, I made it for a family reunion and it was a HUGE hit; it looks better in person, the picture doesn't do it justice . You could add grilled chicken or grilled steak (steak goes perfectly with blue cheese and walnuts) and it would make a great quick dinner.

1 bag of salad greens (I used a bag of organic butter lettuce)
1 block or container of blue cheese
1 bag of walnuts
2 Red Apples, sliced (pick your favorite)

Mix all the ingredients together and enjoy with your favorite dressing!!

Make Your Own Pizza Party

2009-10-02T07:00:00.001-04:00

I was looking for a dinner idea to satisfy the palates of my VERY PICKY nieces, they are fans of very few foods. Then pizza popped into my head, everyone likes pizza, except I was sure that they would not be happy with the toppings so I decided to have everyone make their own mini pizza. I used the recipe below to make the dough and each person was able to press out their dough and add the toppings of their choice. I had a jar of pizza sauce and then small dishes of cut up red peppers, mushrooms, olives, hot peppers, cheese, pepperoni. After the pizza's were made I wrote each persons name on a piece of tinfoil and placed it with their pizza so there were no mix-ups. My oldest niece thought that making her own pizza was the most fun she ever had!!! I am definitely going to try this again!!! I found this recipe at www.greatpartyrecipes.com.

1 package active dry yeast (2 teaspoons)
1 cup warm water (105° to 115°, no more)
3 cups all-purpose or bread flour
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus a little for coating

How to make pizza dough from scratch:

Dissolve the yeast in the warm water. Set aside and follow the instructions below for the method you choose.

By hand: In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar and salt. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour the olive oil and yeast mixture into it. Stir until it begins to form a ball, then turn it out onto a clean, floured surface and knead for about 4 or 5 minutes.

In a mixer: Using a dough hook, combine the flour, sugar and salt. Add the liquid ingredients and mix on low until the dough begins to clump around the dough hook. Remove and knead as above.

In a dough-capable food processor: Use a plastic blade, if possible. Place the flour, sugar and salt in the bowl of the food processor and mix briefly. Add the liquid ingredients slowly and process the mixture low and slow for about 2 or 3 minutes, just until the dough begins to form a ball. Remove and knead as above.

In a bread machine: Set the machine for "dough" and follow the manufacturer's instructions; pick up the pizza dough recipe directions where the bread maker leaves off.
__________________________

Whichever method and pizza dough recipe you've chosen, your pizza dough should be a smooth, elastic ball. Lightly oil the ball and the inside of a large glass bowl. Place the dough in the bowl, cover, and let it rise in a warm place until doubled, about an hour. For better crust, punch down the dough, reshape into a ball and let it rise again. You can refrigerate or freeze the dough at this point.

Divide the dough into 4 equal portions, about 6 ounces each. Roll each portion into a ball, then, working on a lightly floured surface, stretch the dough and work it with your fingers or a rolling pin to form an 8-inch circle. (Let your guests prepare their own.) The outer edge of the circle should be a little thicker than the body, forming a rim. Add toppings.

Transfer to a pizza pan or pizza stone. Bake in a 450° pre-heated oven until the crust is golden brown and the cheese is melted, 8 to 10 minutes for a regular size pizza and 5-6minutes for a mini pizza.

Blueberry French Toast Bake

2009-10-01T07:00:00.001-04:00

I am always on the lookout for new breakfast ideas since Little Foodie is not a fan of breakfast cereal. I found and adapted this recipe from one of my favorite food blogs, eatathomecooks.com. It is super yummy and we had enough for a few days worth of leftovers.

1 loaf French bread, cut in cubes ( I used my homemade bread)
6 eggs
1 3/4 cup milk
2 tsp. sugar
2 tsp. cinnamon
2 tsp. vanilla
a pinch of salt
12 oz. frozen blueberries
1/3 cup brown sugar

Spray a 9×13 pan with cooking spray and place the cubed bread in it. In a bowl, combine the eggs, milk, sugar, cinnamon, vanilla and salt. Pour over the bread. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

Take the baking dish from the fridge and turn the oven to 350 degrees. Add the blueberries and brown sugar on top of the bread, cover with foil. Place on the middle rack and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for an additional 10 minutes. Enjoy!

Mascarpone Chocolate Toffee Bars

2009-09-30T07:00:00.001-04:00

If you need an impressive dessert recipe look no further, Mascarpone Chocolate Toffee Bars are the BEST, and they are so easy to make!! I took them to a party recently and the host of the party told everyone not to eat them because she wanted them all for herself. They were so good that I didn't have time to take a picture of them. This recipe was found on Foodnetwork.com.

Vegetable cooking spray
1 pound refrigerated sugar cookie dough (recommended: Pillsbury)
2 (1.4-ounces) chocolate-toffee candy bars, coarsely chopped, divided (recommended: Skor)
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips (recommended: Ghirardelli)
1 teaspoon vegetable oil
1 cup (8 ounces) mascarpone cheese, at room temperature
1/4 cup sliced almonds, toasted * see Cook's Note

Directions

Position an oven rack in the middle of the oven. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Spray a 7 by 10 3/4-inch nonstick baking pan with vegetable cooking spray. Lay a 6 by 18-inch piece of parchment paper in the pan, allowing the excess paper to overhang the sides. Spray the parchment paper lightly with cooking spray.

In a medium bowl, combine the cookie dough, 1/2 of the chopped chocolate-toffee candy pieces and vanilla extract. Using damp fingers, gently press the dough into the prepared pan. Using the tines of a fork, prick the dough all over. Bake for 12 to 14 minutes until the crust is lightly browned. Cool for 15 minutes.

Place the chocolate chips and vegetable oil in a medium bowl. Place the bowl over a pan of simmering water and stir until the chocolate has melted. Cool the chocolate mixture for 10 minutes. Whisk in the mascarpone cheese until the mixture is smooth. Using a spatula, spread the chocolate mixture over the cooled crust. Sprinkle the remaining chocolate-toffee candy pieces and sliced almonds over the chocolate mixture. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours until the chocolate layer is firm.

Peel off the parchment paper and cut into 1 1/2 by 2-inch bars. Serve at room temperature.

Whole-Wheat Pita Chips with Mascarpone-Chive Dipping Sauce

2009-09-29T07:00:00.002-04:00

I needed a yummy savory dip to take to a party and this was perfect. Little Foodie tested it out when she got home from school and she thought it was "soooo YUMMY"! Sorry I don't have a pick but trust me it is awesome!! This recipe was found on Foodnetwork.com.

4 whole-wheat pita breads, halved
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus extra for seasoning
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus extra for seasoning
4 strips bacon, cooked until crisp, finely chopped
1 cup (8 ounces) mascarpone cheese, at room temperature
3/4 cup sour cream
1/4 cup chopped fresh chives

Directions

Place an oven rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 450 degrees F.

Cut each pita half into 4 wedges. Arrange the pita wedges in a single layer on a baking sheet. Brush with the oil, then sprinkle with the oregano, salt and pepper. Bake for 5 to 8 minutes until crisp and golden.

In a medium bowl, combine the bacon, mascarpone cheese, sour cream, and chives. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Transfer the dip to a serving bowl.

Arrange the pita chips and dip on a platter and serve.

The Most Delicious Green Salad!!

2009-09-28T07:00:00.001-04:00

Last year I went to a b-day party and I had the most wonderful salad, the dressing was perfect and there was a special topping that added a little crunch, so I had to have the recipe. The recipe calls for Ramen Noodles which is something I NEVER buy because the salt content in that little spice package is outrageous but this recipe only uses the crunchy noodles. I added a little grilled chicken to the top and made a meal, and yes it was a real meal according to Little Foodie because it included meat!!

1 stick butter

2 pkgs. Ramen Noddles (crunched up)

1 pkg. sunflower seeds

1 pkg. sliced almonds

1 Cup Oil ( I used canola oil)

1/2 Cup Apple Cider Vinegar

3/4 Cup Sugar

3 Tablespoons Soy Sauce

Lettuce of your choice

Spring onions

Broccoli-finely chopped

Melt butter in skillet. Add Ramen Noddles, Sunflower Seeds and almonds.. Brown over Medium heat carefully! (they burn easily). Drain mixture on paper towel.

Mix Oil, Apple Cider Vinegar, Sugar and Soy Sauce in shakable container.

Toss salad broccoli and spring onions. Add dressing and Ramen Noodle Mixture and toss.

Vegetable Parmesean

2009-09-27T07:00:00.002-04:00

As a family we are always trying to be more eco-concious, so we are attempting to be meat-free on Mondays. Now this is a fairly easy task for my hubby and I but Little Foodie is a different story!! Little Foodie is a meat eater, she says things like " I like to start the day with meat and end the day with meat" and "you mean we are only eating vegetable for dinner, how am I suppose to get full". In my search for hearty meat-free dishes I came across this one for Vegetable Parmesan on Foodnetwork.com. It has fennel bulbs in it and it was very interesting to watch my family open the fridge and see this giant tree like thing sitting on the shelf; it was in the fridge for a few days before Little Foodie said "mom what is that crazy plant growing in the fridge". This was a super yummy and filling dish and I am sure I will make it again :) Enjoy!

Ingredients

Butter, for greasing
Olive oil, for drizzling
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 medium eggplant, cut into 1/4 to 1/2-inch thick slices
2 medium fennel bulbs, trimmed and sliced into 1/4-inch thick pieces
1 red bell pepper, cut into thirds
1 yellow bell pepper, cut into thirds
1 orange bell pepper, cut into thirds
1 (26-ounce) jar marinara sauce
3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1 cup grated Parmesan
1 cup plain bread crumbs

Directions

Put a grill pan over medium-high heat or preheat a gas or charcoal grill. Put an oven rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Butter a 13 by 9-inch glass baking dish.

Drizzle the eggplant slices, fennel slices and peppers with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Grill the vegetables for 3 to 4 minutes each side until softened.

Spoon 3/4 cup of the marinara sauce over the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Arrange the eggplant slices on top. Sprinkle with 1 cup of mozzarella cheese and 1/3 cup Parmesan cheese. Arrange the peppers in a single layer on top. Spoon 3/4 cup of marinara sauce over the peppers. Sprinkle with 1 cup of mozzarella cheese and 1/3 cup Parmesan cheese. Arrange the fennel on top and cover with the remaining sauce. Sprinkle with the remaining cheese. Scatter the bread crumbs over the cheese and drizzle liberally with oil. Bake until the top is golden and forms a crust, about 30 to 35 minutes

Remove from the oven and cool for 10 minutes before serving.

Cook's Note: The vegetables can also be baked in a 375 degrees F oven for 15 to 20 minutes until softened.

CrockPot BBQ Pulled Pork

2009-09-26T14:54:00.006-04:00

I LOVE my CrockPot, I don't use it as often as I use to, but I still LOVE it. I needed a yummy meal with not a lot of work involved so I turned to my favorite CrockPot recipe blog (crockpot365.blogspot.com) and made a deliciously easy dinner. Little Foodie is such a meat eater so she really enjoyed this dish!! The first night we ate it on homemade rolls and the second night we enjoyed it over rice, yummy!!!

4 pounds boneless pork shoulder
1 onion, sliced in rings
2 cups ketchup ( I use organic, regular ketchup has too much sugar)
1/2 cup warm water
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon Tabasco sauce
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

The Directions.

Use a 6 quart crockpot. Trim meat, and place into your crockpot. Add sliced onion. Squeeze in 2 cups of ketchup, and then pour 1/2 cup warm water into the ketchup bottle and shake. Pour the ketchup-y water into your crock. Add vinegar, brown sugar, Worcestershire, Tabasco and salt.
Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours, or until meat shreds easily with a fork.
Serve over rice, or make sandwiches on rolls or sliced bread.

Bread, Bread and More Bread

2009-09-14T07:00:00.001-04:00

This summer I began my mission to make bread instead of buying bread at the store, not only is it healthier it is loads of fun and a good way to get Little Foodie in the kitchen helping while she is practicing her math skills! I have tried several recipes but I was spending a lot of time waiting for dough to rise, only to get a loaf or two of bread until I found the perfect bread recipe!!! This recipe made 3 regular loaves of bread and 18 sandwich size rolls and wait for it......... it only cost me $6 ( and that was using organic flour!!!) You can find the recipe for Depression Era Bread and watch the cool video of Clara (who is 93 years young!) making the bread at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1IEWJmm4Tms&feature=channel. Enjoy!

Chicken Parmasean minus the Parmesan

2009-09-13T07:00:00.002-04:00

While grocery shopping I purchased a few packs of boneless skinless thin cut organic chicken breast on sale, I have learned to shop for items on sale and then plan my menu instead of planning a menu for the week and spending a fortune on groceries. I had all the ingredients at home to make Chicken Parmesan except I had a block of cheese but it wasn't parmesan but being frugal I made the dish anyway and it turned out perfect!!! * The package of chicken contained 6 chicken breasts, I cooked all of them and we had three for dinner and the next night I used the 3 leftover chicken breast to make chicken parm sandwiches on homemade rolls, more food and less work!!!*

Chicken Parm minus the Parm
Thin cut boneless skinless chicken (breast or tenders)
Panko bread crumbs (these are the best!!)
Egg, water
Olive Oil
Cheese (use your favorite easy melting cheese)
Dried basil, salt, pepper, oregano, garlic powder
Pasta ( I used a whole wheat pasta)
Pasta Sauce ( I like the Newman's Own Tomato Basil)

Cook pasta using directions on the box. Heat a few tsp of olive oil in a skillet. Set up a breading station: in one shallow dish mix the egg and a little water, in another shallow dish mix the bread crumbs and a tsp of each: dried basil, salt, pepper, oregano and garlic powder. Dip the chicken into the egg mix first and then coat with the bread crumb mix, cook chicken in skillet until cooked through. Once chicken is cooked completely and has a nice crispy crust spread a little sauce on each piece and add a little cheese to the top, cook on low till cheese is melted. Once the pasta is cooked and drained add sauce to the pasta, top the pasta with the chicken and enjoy!!

Salad and a Sandwich

2009-09-12T07:00:00.001-04:00

Being a very budget conscious momma now a days I am always on the lookout for healthy, inexpensive dinner ideas and if at all possible I am trying to use what we have on hand and only go grocery shopping (using coupons!) every 2-3weeks. This can sometimes be tougher than it sounds! Little Foodie and I love watching shows on the Food Network and I often find great recipes that are inexpensive. I made a salad using mixed organic greens and mandarine oranges (Little Foodie is CRAZY about these), I used a little bit of the juice from the oranges along with some oil and a little bit of vinegar to make a dressing.

Remember I use mostly organic ingredients :)

French Toast Sandwich:
Bread (I used thick sliced homemade bread)
Ham
Cheese (I used swiss)
Strawberry Jam (mine was homemade!)
Eggs
Milk

Break 1-2 eggs and mix them with a few tablespoons of milk in a shallow dish. Make a sandwich using the ham, cheese and strawberry jam. Dip the sandwiches in the egg mixture just like you would for french toast. Cook the sandwiches in a skillet or on a griddle until they are golden brown and the cheese has melted. Enjoy!!!

Getting back on track :)

2009-09-11T10:40:00.002-04:00

Well the third week of school is nearly over and I think I finally have some sort of schedule/routine going on!!! Little Foodie is enjoying school and so am I, so hopefully I will be able to start adding recipes again. Keep an eye out for new recipes soon!!!

Little Foodie Thoughts/Wisdom: My husband and I talk openly to Little Foodie on where food the food we eat comes from and why we choose to eat a mostly organic diet, although I know she hears what we are saying I am not always sure she is listening to what is being said until....... One day this summer we were driving to a splash playground and Little Foodie and a friend were in the backseat, they were talking about all sorts of random things when Little Foodie's friend said look there's Taco Bell!!!! Little Foodie proceeded to tell her friend that Taco Bell is a very bad place to eat because they keep the animals in tiny cages and give them bad stuff before they are turned into food and that we only eat meat that has had a good life with lots of fresh air and places to walk around. Needless to say I was a VERY PROUD momma that day!!!

New England Clam Chowder

2009-08-28T07:00:00.001-04:00

Little Foodie LOVES "Clammer Shell Soup" or as it is traditionally called New England Clam Chowder. As soon as we got to Maine and went out to eat she got a big bowl of it and practically licked the bowl clean. Tonight I made my own chowder soup in celebration of Little Foodie's second day of 1st grade, she was so happy that I made it and she spent the ENTIRE dinner telling me how delicious it was! This recipe was found on about.com.

Ingredients:

5 cups bottled clam juice
1 cup of flour
1 cup onion, finely diced
10 slices of cooked bacon, chopped
2 Tablespoons margarine
8 oz. of cooked clams, chopped
4 medium potatoes, cooked and cut in bite sized chunks
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup light cream
1 teaspoon salt
freshly ground black pepper

Preparation:

Heat the clam juice in a large saucepan on medium heat. In a separate pan, melt margarine and saute the diced onions until they appear translucent. Add bacon and flour to the melted margarine and stir continuously for 5 minutes. Increase heat on clam juice to medium-high, and, with a wire whisk, add flour, margarine and onion mixture to the liquid. Stir constantly, breaking up any lumps that form. Add clams and stir. Add potato chunks, milk, cream and salt, and continue stirring. Decrease heat to medium-low, and allow chowder to simmer for about 20 minutes, stirring frequently to avoid burning or sticking.

Serve clam chowder hot with oyster crackers, adding freshly ground black pepper to taste.

If fresh clams are not available, substitute six ounces of canned clams, including the juice.

Wild Blueberry Ice Cream

2009-08-27T07:00:00.001-04:00

Everywhere you drive in Maine you will see people on the side of the road selling wild Maine blueberries. After we were in Maine for a few days we decided to stop and pick up a container and test them out. The berries were teeny tiny and I had to pick off the little stems and clean them but once I did and we tasted them they had this intense blueberry flavor in this tiny little package. I used some of the berries to make blueberry pancakes, yum! When we got home I used the rest of the blueberries to make Wild Blueberry Ice Cream!! I used the recipe for Vanilla Ice Cream and added the blueberries. It is so yummy, especially when you bite into one of the cold blueberries and it pops in your mouth!!

Summer Vacation- Maine

2009-08-26T07:00:00.001-04:00

Each summer we try to take a vacation in a different area, my hubby and I believe that life is too short to spend our vacation time in the same place each summer. This summer we stayed in a house on the water in Maine about 40 minutes outside of Portland. Although it was a super long drive (12 hours) for Little Foodie and the dog we still had an AMAZING time. Little Foodie got to try lobster for the first time, she wasn't impressed with the cold lobster on the the lobster roll but she absolutely loved the steamed lobster, she ate almost an entire lobster by herself and was licking her fingers as she looked longingly at my hubby's lobster. We also ate at an AMAZING resturaunt called Duck Fat, they had the yummiest sandwiches and the most GLORIOUS fries with special dipping sauces. I love summer vacations!!!

Looking at food in a new way!

2009-08-18T07:00:00.002-04:00

Tonight I had a hankering for a burger not a fast food burger but a good grilled burger the only problem we had no hamburger rolls. I made up some little burger patties using organic lean ground beef, a little bit of bread crumbs, some worcestershire sauce, salt/pepper and then I brushed them with a little bbq sauce. While the burgers cooked I had a brainstorm!! In my freezer I had a few packs of english muffins, my local grocery store had them on sale for a $1 a pack, the little burgers would fit perfectly on an english muffin. I thawed and toasted the english muffins, put out some condiments and cut up some fresh from the garden tomatoes. My hubby was very impressed with the burgers and Little Foodie thought that the tiny burgers were so cute!

Vanilla Ice Cream w/ Chocolate Chip Cookie Chunks

2009-08-17T07:00:00.001-04:00

Sounds YUMMY doesn't it!! My hubby LOVES ice cream, it is his favorite dessert; the problem is that organic ice cream is expensive and rarely on sale. Problem solved, at the beginning of the summer I decided to buy an ice cream maker and even though it was pricey it has been a great investment. In my new effort to use up the ingredients that we have in the house and not waste anything, I made a delicious sweet treat. I adapted the recipe from the recipe that came with my Cuisinart Ice Cream maker.

1 C of milk
3/4 C of sugar
2 C of heavy cream ( you can use use half and half but the heavy cream makes it creamier)
1-2 tsp of vanilla extract (the good stuff!!)
dash of cinnamon
chocolate chip cookies or cookie bar cut in chunks

Keep all of your cold ingredients really cold until you are ready to use them. In a medium bowl, I used a Pampered Chef measuring bowl, combine the milk, sugar, cream, vanilla and cinnamon and mix with a hand mixer until everything is completely mixed together. The instructions that come with the ice cream maker will explain how to use the machine and when to added the mixture. Once the ice cream is formed about 20-25 minutes then you can add the chunks of cookie. Once it is set up enjoy with a little chocolate syrup!!

Dinner Battles

2009-08-16T07:00:00.003-04:00

Even though Little Foodie is a good eater, meaning she will try new things and isn't super picky, we still have DINNER BATTLES! Little Foodie is a SUPER SLOW eater but only at dinner time and this makes my hubby and sometimes me super crazy. Here is what we don't do: we don't tell Little Foodie that she has to eat a certain amount of food or she won't get dessert, dessert is not a reward in our house, sometimes we have dessert after dinner and sometimes we don't; we also don't make Little Foodie stay at the table until her plate is clean. Here is what we do instead: I serve dinner family style most nights so Little Foodie can serve herself and we let Little Foodie decide when she feels full and that is when she is finished eating. It is important for her to learn how her body feels when she is full that will help her have a healthy relationship with food. Here is what we need to work on: figuring out a way to get Little Foodie enjoy her dinner at dinner time and not linger so long after my hubby and I are finished, it's a work in progress!

Zucchini Bread

2009-08-15T07:00:00.001-04:00

Wow I was in quite a baking mood/groove today!! After the muffins were finished I made 2 loaves of zucchini bread to join the muffins in the freezer, this will make the first few weeks of the school year a little less crazy!! This recipe was adapted from one found on allrecipes.com.

INGREDIENTS

3 eggs
1 cup vegetable oil
1 cups white sugar
2 cups grated zucchini
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 cups all-purpose flour
3 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F ( 165 degrees C). Grease and flour two 8x4 inch loaf pans.
In a large bowl, beat eggs until light and frothy. Mix in oil and sugar. Stir in zucchini and vanilla. Combine flour, cinnamon, soda, baking powder, salt ; stir into the egg mixture. Divide batter into prepared pans.
Bake for 40 to 50 minutes, or until done.

Crunchy Banana Muffins

2009-08-14T07:00:00.001-04:00

Now that I am home with Little Foodie and trying really hard to stay within my grocery budget I am getting more creative with my cooking and making sure that we are not wasting any of the food that we purchase. With a few overripe bananas and some leftover homemade granola we now have 24 muffins in the freezer which will be perfect for Little Foodie's breakfast when she heads back to school in a few weeks :) This recipe was adapted from a recipe on allrecipes.com.

INGREDIENTS

3 cups all-purpose flour
1 cups white sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs, lightly beaten
3/4 cup milk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup oil
2 bananas, mashed
1 banana, chopped
2 cup granola

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line 24 muffin cups with paper liners.
In a bowl, mix the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Mix in the eggs, milk, vanilla, and oil. Fold in mashed bananas, chopped banana and granola. Scoop into the prepared muffin cups, an ice cream scoop is perfect for this job.
Bake 20 minutes in the preheated oven, or until a knife inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean.

Quick Pickled Cucumbers with Red Onions

2009-08-13T07:00:00.001-04:00

Our garden has been very slow at producing veggies but we still have lots of fresh veggies from pop and nana's garden. Little Foodie went for a visit to nana and pops over the weekend and came home with a lot of delicious veggies. Little Foodie's favorite way to eat cucumbers is in my quick pickled cucumber salad; although she won't even think of touching the onions because they are "too spicy", she eats a ton of the cucumbers.

- 3-4 Cucumbers
- 1/2 a small red onion
- 1/4 C of cider vinegar
- 1`T of sugar
- salt and pepper to taste

Peel and slice the cucumbers in thin slices. Slice the red onion into very thin slices, you could use any type of onion but I like the way the red onion looks with the green cucumbers. Mix the cucumbers, onions, vinegar, sugar, salt and pepper and let chill in the fridge for a few hours or overnight. Enjoy!

Salsa Chicken

2009-08-12T07:00:00.001-04:00

This is one of my favorite crock-pot recipes, this recipe and tons of other great crock-pot recipe can be found on crockpot365.blogspot.com; if you don't have a crock-pot you should buy one, it is perfect for cooking up a healthy meal on any budget! It gives you a good amount of protein without a lot of meat; I add a few boneless/skinless chicken tenders and an extra can of beans.

--4-5 chicken thighs, or equivalent body parts
--1 can rinsed black beans
--1 cup chunky salsa
--1 cup frozen white corn

The Directions.

Put your chicken in the crockpot. Top with the rinsed black beans, salsa, and corn.

Cover and cook on low for 6-9 hours, or on high for 4-5. Cooking time will vary depending on whether or not your chicken is frozen, and how big the pieces are.

If you decide to use breasts, increase your salsa by 1/2 cup. Breasts are drier than thighs.

Little Foodie and Snacking

2009-08-11T07:00:00.001-04:00

Little Foodie eats pretty well at breakfast each morning and after being in the pool for a few hours she eats like a wolf at lunch time but what we have noticed lately is that Little Foodie is only picking at her dinner. What could the cause be.... snacking before dinner? I am a firm believer in the fact that kids need an afternoon snack, as an adult I know that grumpy, tired feeling that comes on in the late afternoon. Little Foodie usually has a small snack around 3:30pm, some cheese or a little bit of fruit etc. always something healthy but with our more relaxed summer schedule she has been snacking later in the day which is leaving her with not much of an appetite at dinner. Little Foodie and I had a conversation about the problem and we decided that she couldn't have any snacks after 3:30pm. Let's just hope that I can remember to stick to this during our vacation!

Banana Bread

2009-08-10T07:00:00.002-04:00

We always have bananas around at our house but Little Foodie and my hubby will only eat them when there aren't any brown spots on them, which leaves me with a lot of bananas to eat or to use to make muffins or bread. When I don't have the time to bake I place the ripe bananas still in their peels in a plastic freezer baggie and I save them for later use. We ran out of muffins this morning so this afternoon I baked a loaf of banana bread, nothing smells better than banana bread baking in the oven!!

INGREDIENTS

1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup brown sugar + a little more for sprinkling on top
2 eggs
2-3 overripe mashed banana
1 T of vanilla
1 T of cinnamon
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour one 9x5 inch pan.
Cream butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in eggs, vanilla, cinnamon and bananas. Add flour and soda, stirring just until combined.
Pour into prepared pan, sprinkle a little brown sugar on the top and bake at 350 degrees F for about 40 minutes (or till toothpick comes out clean). Remove from pan and let cool. Enjoy!!

Bibimbap

2009-08-09T07:00:00.004-04:00

A little girl is thrilled about what's for dinner--the Korean dish Bee-bim Bop--and she excitedly helps her mother select groceries and prepare the meal before Papa, the baby, and Grandmother gather for a short prayer and, finally, dinner. Park's brief, bouncy, rhyming text, with the refrain, "Hungry hungry hungry / for some BEE-BIM BOP!" perfectly echoes the frenzied speed of shopping and cooking, as well as the gleeful anticipation of a favorite meal, which most kids will recognize. Lee's watercolors extend the flurry of activity, humor, and delight in uncluttered spreads, many from a child's-eye view. Step-by-step descriptions will intrigue children who love learning about the process of putting a meal together.

When I was teaching at preschool one of the children brought in this wonderful book Bee-Bim Bop! and his mother read the book, its a great rhyming book for small children and a recipe for the dish can be found at the end of the book.

After reading the book Hungry Monkey I was inspired to make the Bibimbap for Little Foodie and my hubby. My hubby loved it, he loves anything spicy or that he can make spicy and Little Foodie thought it looked really cool and she loved the egg on top. We will definetly make it again! The only change I made to the original recipe is that instead of the 2T of pear I added 2 under-ripe sliced pears, in part because I wasn't paying enough attention to the recipe and because adding fruit to anything make Little Foodie happy!

Serves 4
For the Marinade

1/4 C of soy sauce
1 1/2 T of sugar
2 T of finely grated Asian pears or Granny Smith Apples
1 scallion, thinly sliced
1 med. clove of garlic, minced
2 T of sesame oil
2 T of sesame seeds
1/2 T black pepper
1 pound of flank steak cut into very thin slices
8 oz of bean sprouts
4 eggs
peanut oil

10 C of hot cooked rice (3 1/2 C of dry rice)
8 oz of kimchi
Sriracha Sauce

1. Combine the soy sauce, sugar, pear, scallions, garlic, sesame seeds, oil and pepper in a bowl. Add the meat and refridgerate for 2 to 24 hours. Put meat and marinade in the skillet and cook until meat is no longer pink.

2. Blanch the bean sprouts in boiling salted water for 2 min.

3. Fry the eggs in peanut oil, over easy with a runny yoke. The hot rice and meat with cook the yoke.

4. Place rice in bowl, top with the meat, kimchi, sprouts and egg. Add hot sauce, mix and enjoy!

A Visit to the Asian Market

2009-08-08T07:00:00.003-04:00

When Little Foodie was a baby up until she turned 4 years old I ran a home daycare 3 days a week so I could be home with her. On our days off I looked for fun free and inexpensive things for us to do, one of our favorite things was visiting the local Asian market. Little Foodie loved and still loves to check out all the different types of fruits and veggies, she would run her hands across the bumpy skin of a bitter melon and she would sniff the fruit. We would pick out something new and different to try at home, sometimes I would have to google the fruit/veggie to get more info so I would know how to peel/eat it. Today we took a trip to the Asian market to pick up ingredients for a special meal I am cooking tonight and of course we had to pick up a few other treats while we were there. On the way home Little Foodie was eating little pieces of dried seaweed and for lunch she was eating squid, she especially liked the legs and she would let them dangle from her mouth as she ate them; if you want to see something really amusing watch a child eat a squid leg. Exposing Little Foodie to new foods is one of my favorite things to do!

Peanut Butter and Chocolate Stuffed French Toast

2009-08-07T07:00:00.001-04:00

I love to watch the Food Network and get inspired by different recipes that are shown. Last week I watched a show that featured a restuaraunt that made Peanut Butter and Banana Stuffed French Toast and I thought I can do that!! I didn't have any bananas so I made mine using peanut butter and chocolate chips but you could really use anything you want.

6 slices of bread ( I used homemade but any thick sliced bread will work)
2 Eggs
1 C of Milk
1 tsp of Vanilla ( the good stuff not the imitation)
1 T of Sugar
1 T of Cinnamon
Peanut Butter
Chocolate Chips
Butter

Heat up a skillet or griddle and add butter to keep the toast from sticking. Use the bread, peanut butter and chocolate chips to make 3 sandwiches. Mix the eggs, milk, vanilla, cinnamon and sugar and dip the sandwiches in the mix making sure to coat each side. Place the sandwiches on the griddle and cook till nice an brown and crunchy on the outside. Top with a little powdered sugar and enjoy with your favorite maple syrup.

Eating Dinner Out with a Little Foodie

2009-08-06T07:00:00.001-04:00

From farm to table Woodberry Kitchen features the seasonal best from local growers and emphasizes organic meats and sustainable agriculture. Our goal is to nourish and delight our guests with cooking grounded in the traditions and ingredients of the Chesapeake region.

As a family we do not eat out often but when we do we make sure we go to a good restaurant that offers real food for kids and not just chicken nuggets. For my birthday we went to the most wonderful restaurant, Woodberry Kitchen! Woodberry Kitchen uses local and organic produce/meats and they have an amazing menu. As a starter we had potato chips and dip but not just any chips/dip we had homemade potato chips with a smoked onion dip, Little Foodie enjoyed the dip so much that she wanted us to ask for the recipe so we could make it at home. We also shared a yummy salad with spinach, peaches, goat cheese and a maple dressing. For dinner Little Foodies had a grilled cheese sandwich made on the most glorious bread and a salad with chunky carrots that she really enjoyed. My hubby had a soft crab sandwich on homemade bread with a pablano chile salsa and fries and I had suckling pig with delicious creamed corn, not the corn from a can but yummy sweet corn with real cream. For dessert we shared homemade chocolate pudding with homemade whipped cream and a piece of flourless chocolate cake with homemade vanilla ice cream. Needless to say we all left very full and very happy!