Chocolate Pudding Cake (Slow Cooker)

1 c (5oz) all-purpose flour
1 c (7oz) sugar
1/2 c (1.5oz) Dutch-processed coca
2 t baking powder
1/4 t salt
1/2 c whole milk
4 T unsalted butter, melted
1 large egg yolk
2 t vanilla extract
1/2 c (3oz) semisweet chocolate chips
1 c boiling water

1. Line slow cooker with aluminum foil collar and spray with vegetable oil spray.

2. Whisk flour, 1/2 cup sugar, 1/4 cup cocoa, baking powder, and salt together in large bowl. In separate bowl, whisk together milk, melted butter, egg yolk, and vanilla. Add milk mixture to flour mixture, stirring until just combined. Fold in chocolate chips (batter will be stiff). Scrape butter into prepared slow cooker and spread to edges.

3. Mix remaining 1/2 c sugar with remaining 1/4 c cocoa, then sprinkle over batter. Slowly pour boiling water on top. Do not stir. Cover and cook until top of cake looks cracked, sauce is bubbling, and toothpick inserted into cakey area comes out with moist crumbs attached, about 1.5 hours on high.

4. Remove foil collar and let sit for 10 minutes before serving.

Cherry Cobbler (Slow Cooker)

Since I was a kid eating Mrs. Smith's cherry pies at Christmas time, I love a good cherry pie. So here's a yummy slow cooker cherry cobbler recipe from America's Test Kitchen magazine.

Cherry Filling
4 (15oz) cans sweet cherries in syrup, drained
1/4 c (1.75oz) sugar
1/4 c dry red wine
1T instant tapioca
1/4 t almond extract

Biscuits
1 c (5oz) all-purpose flour
1/4 c (1.75oz)
2 t sugar
2 t baking powder
1/4 t baking soda
1/4 t salt
1/3 c buttermilk
4 T unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1/2 t vanilla extract
1/8 t ground cinnamon

1. For the cherry filling: combine all ingredients in slow cooker. Cover and cook until cherries are soft, about 4 hours on low.

2. For the biscuits: adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 400 degrees. Line baking sheet with parchment paper.

3. Whisk flour, 1/4 c sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in large bowl. In separate bowl, whisk buttermilk, melted butter, and vanilla together. Gently stir buttermilk mixture into flour mixture until dough is just combined.

4. Divide dough into 6 equal pieces, round gently into biscuits, and space them 1.5 inches apart on prepared baking sheet. In small bowl, mix remaining 2 teaspoons sugar with cinnamon and sprinkle on top of biscuits. Bake until biscuits are golden and cooked through, 15-20 minutes. (Biscuits can be made 4 to 6 hours ahead.)

5. Spoon cherry filling into individual serving bowls and top each with biscuit. Serve.

Chicken Noodle Soup

Rotisserie chicken is so great for so many things - chicken salad, chicken enchiladas, chicken noodle soup. And this is a Cooks Country recipe that is so easy. We love it on weeknights in the winter. 

3 T butter

1 onion, chopped

1 celery rib, sliced thin

2 carrots, peeled and sliced into thin rounds

2 t minced fresh thyme

salt and pepper

8 c low-sodium chicken broth (prefer Swanson's Organic Broth)

4 oz egg noodles (prefer Light and Fluffy)

1 rotisserie chicken, skin discarded, meat shredded into bite-sized pieces (about 3 cups)

1 c frozen peas

INSTRUCTIONS

• 1. Melt butter in Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Cook onion, celery, carrots, thyme, and 1/2 teaspoon salt until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Stir in broth and simmer, covered, until vegetables are softened, 10 to 15 minutes.
• 2. Add noodles to pot and simmer, uncovered, until tender, about 5 minutes. Off heat, stir in chicken and peas until heated through, about 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Serve.

Chicken Enchiladas

We love these enchiladas! So easy and they taste so fresh. Great go-to recipe when feeding a crew.

2 (10-oz) cans green enchilada sauce
1 1/4 cups chopped fresh cilantro leaves
1 rotisserie chicken, skin discards, meat shredded into bite-size pieces (about 3 cups)
2 1/2 cups shredded Mexican cheese (or mild cheddard cheese)
Salt and pepper
12 6-inch corn tortillas (we like to get the sprouted corn tortillas in the freezer section of the organic area)

• 1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 400 degrees. Grease 13- by 9-inch baking dish. Puree enchilada sauce and 1 cup cilantro in blender. Combine 1 cup enchilada sauce mixture, chicken, and 1½ cups cheese in large bowl and toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper.

2. Wrap tortillas in clean kitchen towel and microwave until pliable, 30 to 90 seconds. Top each tortilla with ¼ cup chicken mixture and roll tightly. Arrange, seam-side down, in prepared baking dish. Spray lightly with cooking spray, then top with additional 1 cup enchilada sauce mixture and remaining cheese. Bake until cheese is melted and enchiladas are heated through, 15 to 20 minutes. Sprinkle with remaining cilantro. Serve, passing remaining sauce at table.

Delicious Tomato Soup, Plain or Fancy

Updated: 1/9/16

We love this tomato soup recipe but with so much butter, I wondered if I could do it vegan but make it taste just as good. I think I've succeeded and it wasn't all that hard. Here's a vegan version of a favorite:

2 T olive oil
1/2 t dill
1/2 t thyme
1/2 t basil
3 T tomato paste
1 lg onion thinly sliced
3 cans diced tomatoes

1 can lite coconut milk
4 c vegetable broth
1/2 t stevia
1 t salt
1/4 t white pepper

Saute spices and onion in oil for a few minutes, then add the tomatoes. Let it simmer for 10 minutes for all the flavors to meld. Off the heat blend either in a blender or with an immersion blender the soup with the coconut milk, stevia and white pepper. Let steep for a few minutes. Serve.


Another fabulous recipe from Nana! I normally don't care much for tomato soup, but I couldn't help scarfing down this stuff as fast as it came available.

On the other side of the recipe card is a quote by one of the modern-day prophets of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, David O. McKay:

FAMILIES
The problems of these difficult times cannot better be solved in any other place, by any other agency, by any other means, than by love and righteousness, precept and example, and devotion to duty in the home.

1 c butter
2 T olive oil
1/2 t dill
1/2 t thyme
1/2 t basil
3 T tomato paste
1/4 c flour

1 lg onion, sliced thinly
8 medium tomatoes, peeled and cut in chunks OR 43 canned plum tomatoes, drained
3 3/4 c chicken broth or stock

1 t sugar
1 t salt (to taste)
1/4 t white pepper

1 c cream, whipped
1 c freshly grated parmesan cheese

Saute onion and herbs in oil and butter. Add tomatoes and paste, simmer 10 minutes, stir. Blend flour and 1/2 c stock. Add to tomato mix with remaining stock and bring to just below boil; reduce heat and simmer 25 minutes, stirring frequently. Add salt, sugar, pepper. Puree soup. Reheat slowly. Serve with yogurt, croutons and snipped fresh dill; may be served chilled.

For a fancier version: whip cream stiff; fold in 1 c parmesan. Put bowls of soup under broiler with dollop of cream and parmesan mixture and add parmesan sprinkled on top. Broil 30-60 seconds WATCH CAREFULLY.

A heary version: cut frozen puff pastry (which has been thawed) into rounds the size of single-serving bowls. Place soup in bowl, pastry on top, bake 15 minutes at 400.

Oatmeal Buttermilk Pancakes

My favorite mother-in-law, affectionately "Nana" far and wide, made these amazing pancakes for us this morning. This is my quick intro. Love you Nana!

Let batter stand to thicken, about two hours. Cover and refrigerate.

2 c oats
1/4 c flax seed, golden, milled
1/2 c all-purpose flour
3 T sugar
1 t baking soda
1 t baking powder
1/2 t salt

2.5 c 1% buttermilk
2 large egg whites
2 T Egg Beaters 99% egg substitute (or just use the yolks from the eggs)
2 T unsalted butter, melted
1 t vanilla extract
pecans

Combine first 7 ingredients in large bowl.

Whisk buttermilk, eggs, butter & vanilla in bowl. Add to dry ingredients. Whisk until blended.

Let batter stand to thicken, about two hours. Cover and refrigerate.

Working in batches, ladle onto hot skillet in 1/4 cupfuls

Top with warm maple syrup, berries, and toasted pecans

Ranch Dip

I had no idea ranch dip was so simple to make and so much better than the store-bought stuff. Try it and you'll make this all the time.

In a large bowl, whisk the following:
- 1 c mayonnaise
- 1/2 c sour cream
- 1/2 t dried chives
- 1/2 t dried parsley
- 1/2 t dried dill week
- 1/4 t garlic powder
- 1/4 t onion powder
- 1/8 t salt
- 1/8 t ground black pepper

Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

adapted from allrecipes.com

Juicing

Like thousands of other people, we watched Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead and have since become juice converts. We did a juice fast for two weeks and it was amazing how it changed us. We felt great, we were never hungry, our skin glowed, we slept amazing, and woke up energized. It was a hard commitment to make, but seeing how good we felt is what kept us going.

Now going into the holidays and the cold winter days that bring on colds, I'm back to thinking of juicing and getting more veggies into our bodies. It's early today and my sweet P has waken up yet, so I'm going to jot down some juice recipes and links I found this morning.

P.s. we're here in Salt Lake for another week so I thought I'd throw together my own quick five-day plan to get us through this week (and my scant supply of kitchenware). These are very fruit-heavy at the beginning of the week, based off of a strategy from a 30-day plan from the Williams-Sonoma site. Sounds like a good way to convince a toddler of juicing.

Now: adapted plan from Williams-Sonoma
Whenever: solid recipes from Raw Foods Diet
After Thanksgiving: 15-day food-juice reboot plan from Reboot your Life


Mucus Buster
- 1/2 pineapple
- 2 plums
- 2 grapefruit

Detox
- 5 carrots
- 4 celery
- 1 small cucumber
- 1 beet
- 1 apple
- 1/2 lemon


Day 1
- 1/2 pineapple
- 1 c. strawberries
- 1 pear
- 30 mint leaves

Day 2
- 2 c blueberries
- 2 kiwi
- 16 strawberries
- 2 c mint leaves

Day 3
- 1 small orange
- 1/8 pineapple
- 2 carrots
- 1/2 lemon

Day 4
- 1/4 pineapple
- 6 kale
- 2 c. spinach
- 1/2 cucumber

Day 5
- 6 kale
- 2 c spinach
- 1/2 cucumber
- 4 celery
- 2 apple
- 1 piece ginger
- 1/2 lemon

Day 6
- 1 pear
- 1 apple
- 1 beet
- 1 carrot
- 1.5 c chard

Whole grain pizza crust

From my friend, Mo, who made good pizza crust, amidst chaos with 4 kids. Must work.

1.5 c warm water
1.5 T honey or sugar
.5 T dough enhancer (Bosch store)
3/4 c cooked crack grain (kamut, oat groat, wheat, whole millet, whole quinoa) - nutritional option
1.5 c flour (high gluten preferred)
1 T yeast

Mix well. It'll be a little runny. Let it sit and sponge for 10-15 minutes. Then pulse to release air.

Add:
2 T olive oil
2 c flour (to separate sponge from salt)

On top of flour add:
1 t salt

Mix/knead. Add flour a little at a time while mixer is kneading until the dough pulls away and cleans sides and bottom of mixing bowl.

Then knead 10-15 minutes.

Form into a ball (should weigh about 2 lbs). Oil top of ball if you want, let it relax 5-10 minutes. Roll out to desired size and thickness. Place it on a piece of parchment paper. Oil top if you want. Let it rise a bit. Put toppings on. Bake at 450-500 on oven stone for 5-9 minutes.

Lemon Butter Sauce for Salmon

If you like lemony stuff (especially for fish) I could drink this stuff. We had this with salmon cooked on the bbq, orzo pasta with sundried tomatoes, steamed broccoli, and salad with poppyseed dressing. Mmmmm.

1 c dry white wine
3 lemons, peeled and quartered
2 T lemon zest
2 T minced garlic
1 T minced shallots
1 t salt
3 turns freshly ground black pepper
dash Worcestershire sauce
dash hot pepper sauce (optional)
1/2 c heavy cream
1/2 lb (2 sticks) unsalted butter cut up, at room temperature
1 T finely chopped fresh parsley

1. Heat a skillet or frying pan over high heat. Add wine, lemons, garlic and shallots and cook for 3 minutes.
2. Break up and mash the softened lemons in the pan with a wooden spoon or a wire whisk.
3. Add the salt, pepper, Worcestershire and hot sauce if using, and stire until the mixture is a little syrupy (about 4 minutes).
4. Add the lemon zest.
5. Stir in the cream and cook for 1 minute at high heat.
6. Reduce the heat to low and add butter, a few tablespoons at a time, while continuing to stir the mixture.
7. Remove the pan from the heat and turn off the range. Keep stirring the sauce to blend in the butter until it is completely melted.
8. Strain the sauce into a bowl; press down on the mixture to extract all the liquid.
9. Stir in the parsley, and serve the sauce warm.

Mango and Black Bean Quinoa Salad

Last night, we came home around dinnertime from a trip, so I wanted to throw something together pretty quick. A little quinoa with extra fruits and vegetables and a vinaigrette put together a pretty filling, vegetarian dish. The leftovers were pretty good too!

*Note: The recipe calls for cooked quinoa. I used about 3/4 cup dry quinoa and cooked it in chicken broth to get the 2 cups cooked (I measured out the two cups cooked and had a bit leftover in the pot).

*Serves 4-6

3/4 c. dry quinoa, rinsed, and cooked in either vegetable or chicken broth. I actually had neither, I so I cooked it in half/half water/pineapple juice to give it some flavor. once cooked, have ready at room temperature or chill it
1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 medium mango, peeled and diced
4 green onions, white and green parts thinly sliced
1 cucumber, peeled, quartered, cut into smaller chunks
1 avocado, cut into small chunks
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

4 tablespoon red wine vinegar
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1-2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 teaspoon sugar (as needed)
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper


Place the cooked quinoa in a large bowl. Add mango, cucumber, green onion, black beans, and cilantro.
In a small bowl combine vinegar, olive oil, and lime juice. Whisk until the dressing is smooth and pour on top of salad. Toss to combine and add salt and pepper (add more to taste if desired). Chill the salad for at least one hour before serving.

Mango Avocado Shrimp Salad

The other night for dinner, we made this shrimp salad. It was fresh, filling, so simple to make and really good. The secret was purchasing shrimp already cooked. I grabbed some tequila-lime shrimp for a little extra flavor from the Whole Foods meat department, and the whole meal went together in a few minutes.

Luckily we had some last-minute company to share it with, and although I'd normally pull together a more traditional meal for company, this actually worked out great. A nice evening walk after dinner to the ice cream shop and some great conversation pulled off a great night. Definitely making this again. And so, up it goes on my blog of favorite recipes.

Ingredients

3 tablespoons fresh lime juice

2 tablespoons grapeseed or vegetable oil

1 tablespoon sugar 

2 large firm-ripe mangoes (2 lbs. total)

2 medium firm-ripe avocados (1 lb. total)

2/3 cup each thinly sliced green onion and chopped cilantro 

1 tablespoon minced fresh hot red or green chile (or 1/2 tsp. dried red chile flakes) (I omitted this)

1 pound (70 to 110 per lb.) peeled cooked shrimp

Preparation

1. In a large bowl, whisk together lime juice, oil, and sugar until sugar dissolves.
2. Dice mangoes and avocados into 3/4-in. cubes; add to bowl. Add green onion, cilantro, chile, and shrimp. Mix gently. Serve or cover and chill for up to 1 hour.

adapted from: myrecipes.com

Roast Chicken Salad with Fresh Peaches

This is a perfect summer meal. We loved it and it's making it into my eat again and eat often stash.

• 2 1/2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 1 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 1/2 tablespoons minced shallots
• 2 1/2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
• 2 1/2 teaspoons maple syrup
• 3/4 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 cups shredded skinless, boneless rotisserie chicken breast
• 2 cups sliced peeled peaches 
• 1/2 cup vertically sliced red onion
• 1/4 cup chopped pecans, toasted
• 1 (5-ounce) package gourmet salad greens 
• 2 tablespoons crumbled goat cheese

Preparation

1. 1. Combine first 8 ingredients; stir with a whisk.
2. 2. Combine chicken and remaining ingredients except cheese in a large bowl. Add vinegar mixture; toss gently. Sprinkle with cheese.

adapted from Cooking Light

Curried Chicken Salad

Every year, J's family gathers at this perfect cabin built more than 50 years ago on a lake in Utah. For a week, we eat, swim, lounge, talk, play, sleep, relax, and eat some more. When Jared's tall and svelte little sister, Bubba, made this recipe, I loved it. Then she reminded me that I'd given her the recipe a few weeks earlier. I'd love to take credit, but I cannot. I just happen to love Cook's Country. And that's where the recipe that we all chowed down came from. Here it is. I'm making it for this week in lunchtime sandwiches. Enjoy!

Ingredients

• 2/3 cup mayonnaise
• 1 tablespoon lime juice
• 1 1/2 tablespoons curry powder (a good curry powder is at www.penzeys.com)
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
• 3 cups shredded cooked chicken
• 1 large rib celery, chopped fine
• 1/2 medium onion, chopped fine
• 1 cup fresh or canned diced pineapple
• 1/2 cup currants
• 1/2 cup pistachios, toasted and chopped
• Table salt
• optional: cut grapes (husband likes these)

Instructions

Mix mayonnaise, lime juice, curry powder, cumin, and coriander in bowl until combined. Toss chicken, celery, onion, pineapple, currants, and pistachios together in bowl. Add mayonnaise mixture and toss until coated. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve or cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days.

Salsa Verde and Creamy Tomatillo sauce

I'm going to give frozen chicken enchiladas a try and these are my two recipes to choose from for salsa verde.

Salsa Verde

Kosher salt
1 lb. tomatillos (about 15 medium), husked and rinsed
3 jalapeños, stemmed and halved lengthwise (seeded, if you like)
1 large yellow onion, half cut into 4 wedges, half chopped
1/3 cup roughly chopped fresh cilantro

Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil. Add the tomatillos, jalapeños, and onion wedges; cover and simmer until tender, about 10 minutes. Drain well and transfer to a blender along with 1/3 cup of the cilantro. Purée until just slightly chunky and season to taste with salt.



Creamy Tomatillo Sauce
 

1 lb. fresh tomatillos, husks and stems removed, rinsed
2 or 3 fresh serrano chiles, cored and seeded, or 1 canned chipotle pepper, seeded
4 slices white onion, each 1/4 inch thick
3 cloves garlic
2 Tbs. chopped fresh cilantro
2 Tbs. vegetable oil
3 cups chicken broth
3/4 cup crème fraîche or heavy cream
3/4 tsp. salt; more to taste

---

Position a rack as close to the broiler as possible and heat the broiler. Arrange the tomatillos, fresh chiles (if using), onion slices, and garlic in a small, shallow baking pan. Broil, turning to ensure even cooking, until the tomatillos are soft and slightly blackened, about 10 minutes. Transfer the broiled ingredients to a blender and add the cilantro (if you’re using a canned chipotle, add it now, too). Blend until smooth.
Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the tomatillo mixture and cook, stirring, for 2 to 3 minutes. Add 2 cups of the broth and simmer until the sauce is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 20 minutes. Taste the sauce. It should be a little tart, but it shouldn’t make your mouth pucker. If it’s too tart, add more broth and simmer until the sauce thickens again. Remove from the heat and whisk in the crème fraîche or heavy cream and the salt. Let cool slightly before making the enchiladas.

Make Ahead Tips

The sauce can be made ahead and refrigerated for up to 2 days or frozen for up to a month.

Primavera Couscous Salad

I haven't tried this yet and when I do, I'll update the intro. But it looks really good, healthy, and fast. So before I throw out this little leaf of magazine that I tore out of a doctor's office copy, I'm throwing it on my blog.

1/4 c olive oil
1 (6oz) box pearled couscous
2 c low-sodium vegetable broth
1 (15oz) can lentils or chickpeas, rinsed, drained
1/2 c diced red onion
1 t kosher salt
1 t ground pepper
1 each large zucchini and yellow summer squash, halved down the middle and sliced
1 pint mixed cherry tomatoes, halved
1 c shredded carrots
Grated zest and juice of 1 lemon (1 t zest, 3 T juice)
2 bunch watercress
1 (4oz) log fresh goat cheese, coarsely crumbled
1/2 c coarsely chopped salted pistachios

1. Heat 1 T of oil in saucepan over medium head; add couscous and stir. Cook until couscous becomes lightly browned, 2 to 3 minutes. Slowly add broth, stir, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and simmer, uncovered, until couscous is tender and msot of the broth has evaported, 8 to 10 minutes. Removed from heat and drain in a colander. Transfer couscous to a large bowl and stir in lentils, red onion, and 1/2 t each of salt and pepper.
2. Heat 1 T of oil in nonstick skillet over high heat. Add zucchini and squash and saute 3 minutes, until crisp-tender. Add to couscous along with tomaties, carrots, lemon zest and juice, and remaining 2 T of oil. Gently toss to dress.
3. Arrange watercress on plates and top with couscous mixture. Sprinkle with goat cheese and pistachios.

Sweet and Sour Chicken with Pineapple and Red Onion

This made it onto the site because I'm making it again! This is so delicious and I'm making it for company tonight. Originally from Cooks Illustrated, through Mel's Kitchen, and onto my favorite recipe list.

Ingredients:

• ¾ pound boneless, skinless, chicken breast, cut into uniform pieces
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
• 2 to 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 medium red onion, peeled and cut into thin strips
• 1 20-ounce can pineapple tidbits or 2 cups fresh pineapple cut into wedges (I used canned pineapple)
• 3 medium scallions, green parts cut into ¼-inch lengths and white parts minced
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger (I omitted this since I didn’t have on hand and it still tasted great)
• 1 recipe sweet and sour stir-fry sauce (see below)

Directions:

1. Toss the chicken with the soy sauce and vinegar in a medium bowl; set aside for 15 minutes, tossing once or twice.
2. Heat a 12- or 14-inch skillet over high heat for 3 to 4 minutes (the pan should be so hot you can hold an outstretched hand 1 inch over the pan for only 3 seconds.) Add 1 tablespoon oil and swirl it so the oil evenly coats the bottom of the pan. Heat the oil until it just starts to shimmer and smoke. Check the heat with your hand as before.
3. Drain the chicken and add it to the pan. Stir-fry until seared and about three-quarters cooked, 2 ½ to 3 minutes. Scrape the cooked chicken and all of the liquid into a bowl. Cover and keep warm.
4. Let the pan come back up to temperature, 1 to 2 minutes. When it is hot, drizzle in 2 teaspoons oil. When the oil just starts to smoke, add the onions and stir-fry until just tender-crisp, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the pineapple and cook 1 minute. Add the scallion greens and cook 15 to 30 seconds.
5. Clear the center of the pan and add the white parts of the scallions, garlic, and ginger. Drizzle with ½ teaspoon oil. Mash into the pan with the back of a spatula. Cook until fragrant but not colored, about 10 seconds. Remove the pan from heat and stir the scallions, garlic, and ginger into the vegetables for 20 seconds.
6. Return the pan to the heat and add the cooked chicken. Stir in the sauce and stir-fry until the ingredients are well coated with sauce and sizzling hot, about 1 minute. Serve immediately with rice.

Sweet and Sour Stir Fry Sauce**You can make it saucier by one and halving it

• 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 1 ½ tablespoons tomato sauce
• 1 ½ tablespoon pineapple or orange juice (I reserved the pineapple juice from the can of tidbits before I drained it completely)
• ¼ teaspoon salt
  

  Combine all the ingredients in a small bowl and set aside.

  
  

  
  

  Recipe Source: adapted from Cook’s Illustrated Complete Book of Poultry

Waffles

We had waffles this morning and I needed a healthy(ish) recipe. I found a couple I wanted to try. The first recipe we made this morning. I'll update later on the second recipe when I make it.

Recipe #1: Simple Wheat Waffles

yield: 6 servings

time: 40 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 cup whole-wheat flour
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 cups nonfat buttermilk, (or 1T lemon juice or vinegar to 1c milk)
• 1 large egg, separated
• 1 tablespoon canola oil (I use grapeseed - healthier)
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract, (optional)
• 2 large egg whites
• 2 tablespoons sugar

Preparation

1. Stir whole-wheat flour, all-purpose flour, baking powder, salt and baking soda in a large bowl. Whisk buttermilk, the egg yolk, oil and vanilla (if using) in a separate bowl. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir with a wooden spoon just until moistened.
2. Beat the 3 egg whites in a grease-free mixing bowl with an electric mixer until soft peaks form. Add sugar and continue beating until stiff and glossy. Whisk one-quarter of the beaten egg whites into the batter. Fold in the remaining beaten egg whites with a rubber spatula.
3. Preheat a waffle iron. Brush the surface lightly with oil. Fill the waffle iron two-thirds full of batter. Cook until the waffles are crisp and golden, 5 to 6 minutes. Repeat with the remaining batter, brushing the surface with oil before cooking each batch.

(adapted from http://www.eatingwell.com/)


Recipe #2: Whole Grain Waffles

yield: 6 servings

Ingredients

• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1 3/4 cups skim milk
• 1/4 cup canola oil (I use grapeseed)
• 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
• 1/2 cup flax seed meal
• 1/4 cup wheat germ
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 4 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions

1. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, oil, applesauce, and vanilla. Beat in whole wheat pastry flour, flax seed meal, wheat germ, all-purpose flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt until batter is smooth.
2. Preheat a waffle iron, and coat with cooking spray. Pour batter into waffle iron in batches, and cook until crisp and golden brown.

Vegetable Lasagna

I'm not gonna lie. Two things happened that were miracles: 1) I made vegetarian lasagna that wasn't soggy, 2) a meat-loving high school teen devoured it. Enough said? Enough said.

And that's why even though it'll take you 3 hours, you'll want to make this. You should. For the betterment of all that is good and tasty. Of course, I didn't design this recipe. No, far from it. It's an America's Test Kitchen recipe, and if they come make me take this recipe off (because of my whopping eight followers - thank you, btw), then so be it. Until then, come. Partake. Enjoy.

I'm not kidding - just a plea. Please make this and make this according to everything they say to do. We loved it so much. It was so fresh and tasty. Jared said this is even better than any meat lasagna he's ever had - except for Carol Jenkins. She makes really, really, really good lasagna.

Serves 8 to 10

We prefer the lasagna made with our favorite wholemilk, block-style mozzarella from Sorrento, but Kraft part-skim preshredded mozzarella is also fine. Our preferred brands of crushed tomato are Tuttorosso and Muir Glen.

Ingredients

No-Cook Tomato Sauce

• 1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes (I used Muir Glen in the organic section)
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves , minced
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

No-Cook Cream Sauce

• 4 ounces Parmesan cheese, grated (2 cups) (don't scrimp - buy a block of Parm and shred it your Cuisinart or your handy hand-shredder)
• 1 cup whole-milkcottage cheese
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 teaspoon cornstarch
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper

Vegetable Filling

• 1 1/2 pounds eggplant, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes (about 7 cups)
•   Kosher salt and ground black pepper
• 1 pound zucchini, cut into 1/2-inch pieces (about 4 cups)
• 1 pound yellow squash, cut into 1/2-inch pieces (about 4 cups)
• 5 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoonextra virgin olive oil
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme
• 12 ounces baby spinach(about 12 cups)

• 12 no-boil lasagna noodles
• 1/2 cup minced pittedkalamata olives
• 12 ounces low-moisture whole-milk mozzarella cheese, shredded (about 3 cups)
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil

Instructions

• 1. FOR THE TOMATO SAUCE: Whisk all ingredients together in bowl; set aside.
• 2. FOR THE CREAM SAUCE: Whisk all ingredients together in bowl; set aside.
• 3. FOR THE FILLING: Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 375 degrees. Toss eggplant with 1 teaspoon salt in large bowl. Line surface of large plate with double layer of coffee filters and lightly spray with vegetable oil spray. Spread eggplant in even layer over filters. Wipe out and reserve now-empty bowl. Microwave eggplant, uncovered, until dry to touch and slightly shriveled, about 10 minutes, tossing once halfway through to ensure that eggplant cooks evenly. Let cool slightly. Return eggplant to bowl and toss with zucchini and squash.
• 4. Combine 1 tablespoon oil, garlic, and thyme in small bowl. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add half eggplant mixture, ¼ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper; cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are lightly browned, about 7 minutes. Push vegetables to sides of skillet; add half of garlic mixture to clearing and cook, mashing with spatula, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir to combine garlic mixture with vegetables and transfer to medium bowl. Repeat with remaining eggplant mixture, 2 tablespoons oil, and remaining garlic mixture.
• 5. Return skillet to medium-high heat, add remaining teaspoon oil, and heat until shimmering. Add spinach and cook, stirring frequently, until wilted, about 3 minutes. Transfer spinach to paper towel–lined plate and drain 2 minutes. Stir into eggplant mixture.
• 6. TO ASSEMBLE: Spray 13 by 9-inch baking dish with vegetable oil spray. Spread 1 cup tomato sauce in bottom of baking dish; shingle 4 noodles on top of sauce. Spread half of vegetable mixture over noodles, followed by half of olives, half of cream sauce, and 1 cup of mozzarella. Repeat layering with 4 noodles, 1 cup tomato sauce, remaining vegetables, remaining olives, remaining cream sauce, and 1 cup mozzarella. Place remaining 4 noodles on top layer of cheese. Spread remaining 1 cup tomato sauce over noodles and sprinkle with remaining 1 cup mozzarella. Lightly spray large sheet of aluminum foil with vegetable oil spray and cover lasagna. Bake until -bubbling, about 35 minutes. Cool on wire rack 25 minutes. Cut into pieces, sprinkle with basil, and serve.

Sauteed Kale

What happend was I had kale in my fridge that needed to be cooked, I ran out of time for dinner, and sauteed kale was all we ate instead. And then the next day I woke up energized! Like, not groggy, not sore, not confused as to who I was and how I got to be this middle-aged, worn out, wrinkled, mommie. I sprang out of bed an hour early, came downstairs, and be the time the family woke up, I had an hour of work under my belt and breakfast ready. I was so - for once - on top of it. 

I guess that's the advantage of kale over sugar for a night-time snack.

And that's how I came to post this recipe a few weeks later. Because I can't believe that miracle morning and I think I should retry it and see if it happens again.

Here's a few tips that you probably already know. Kale is a pretty rough, cruciferous vegetable and when eaten raw, it can feel like it goes down like a wet log. But, if you either massage it with oil (that's right, I said to massage the kale - be good to your kale and it will be good to you), that works, or sauteeing it both softens it and brings out all the nutrients for your body to digest better.

Here is a simple and healthy way to prepare kale:

Ingredients:
1 bunch of kale, washed and chopped into bite-size pieces
1 yellow onion, sliced
1-2 cloves of garlic, minced or finely chopped
2-3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
Juice of 1/4 lemon
1/2 cup of vegetable broth or water
Sea salt and pepper, to taste (optional)

Directions:
Warm olive oil over medium heat in a large pot or pan. Add onions and cook for 3-5 minutes or until slightly translucent. Be sure to stir the onions around once in a while so that they don't burn.

Add garlic and kale and mix them together with onions. Allow garlic, kale and onions to cook for one minute, then add vegetable broth and cover pot or pan for 4-6 minutes. Check kale from time to time starting at the 4 minute mark for tenderness.

Once kale is tender, add sea salt and just a few drops of lemon juice. Give it one last stir and serve.
Be sure to taste as you add lemon juice. Adding too much can turn the whole dish sour.
We enjoy this dish with avocado and a bowl of brown rice or quinoa.

Got this recipe from a random site. It was good and filling and if I were really feeling sassy and healthy, I'd even pair it with the Miracle Broth on this site too. Crazy, right?

Southwest Stuffed Bell Peppers

This recipe is just too easy to whip up - especially when you thought it was a good idea to buy that bag of bell peppers at Costco, used one, and never use the rest. Do this recipe. We love it around our home.

I have it here on my chintzy blog, but check ou Our Best Bites and their write-up for all the pictures and stuff.

Southwest Stuffed Bell Peppers
Slightly adapted from America’s Test Kitchen

4 very large or 6 medium sweet peppers (red, yellow, or orange)
1 Tbs salt
1/2 C white rice (or  brown if you want to take the time to cook it), quinoa also works
2 Tbs olive oil
1 onion, diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 – 1 jalapeno, minced (or you could sub a small 3oz can of mild green chilies)
1 14oz can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup frozen corn kernels
2 green onions, sliced
1/2-1 tsp chipotle chili powder (you can start with 1/2 and add more to taste)
1 tsp kosher salt, plus more to taste
1/4 black pepper, plus more to taste
1 14.5 ounce can diced tomatoes, preferably fire roasted
1 1/4 C jack or pepperjack cheese, divided
3-4 Tbs chopped fresh cilantro
tortilla chips, just a handful and more for serving if desired.

Preheat oven to 350.  Prepare peppers by washing, slicing tops off, and removing insides.  Bring 4 quarts of water to a boil and add 1 tablespoon salt.   Boil whole peppers for about 3-4 minutes, until they begin to soften.  Remove from water with tongs and place on paper towels to drain.

Add rice to boiling water and cook until tender, about 13 minutes.  Drain thoroughly.

Heat oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat.  Add onions, garlic, and jalapeno (or chilies) and cook until softened, about 5 minutes.  Add corn, beans, green onions, chipotle chili powder, kosher salt, and pepper. Stir until corn and beans are heated through, about 5 minutes.  Place peppers in a baking dish. 

Remove skillet from heat and add rice, tomatoes, 1 cup cheese, and cilantro.  Stir to combine well and give it a taste.  Add additional salt, pepper, and chipotle powder to your liking.  Then evenly divide mixture between peppers.

Top peppers with remaining 1/4 cup cheese (or more if you can fit it on there :) and crushed tortilla chips.

Bake at 350 for about 30 minutes.

Herb Roasted Potatoes

I love these roasted potatoes. They are so good. And if I use a recipe more than once, I have to put it on my blog so I can remember where it is.

INGREDIENTS:
¼ cup olive oil
1 ½ tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 teaspoons garlic powder (Goya brand is gluten-free, others may be also so check the label!)
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon dried rosemary
1 teaspoon dried marjoram
¼ teaspoon dried oregano
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
2 1/2 to 3 pounds red potatoes, scrubbed and cut into ½-inch cubes (do not peel!)

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 400°F. Combine all ingredients except potatoes in large bowl or ziploc bag. Stir (or shake the bag) to blend well. Add the cut potatoes to the seasoning mixture and toss to coat. Transfer the potatoes to a large rimmed baking sheet, spreading out in a single layer. Bake until the potatoes are browned and tender, about 40 minutes, flipping the potatoes with a spatula halfway through cooking.

Recipe Source: adapted from The Sister’s Cafe and Mel's Kitchen

Beef and Broccoli

We had this last night and it was so tasty - like out of a fine restaurant tasty! Even delicious cold the next day. I don't cook too many things a second time, but this is one we will have over and over. It has great taste but is not spicy at all. My two-year-old ate up the juice mixed with rice, broccoli, and mushrooms. This recipe differs slightly from Mel's with the addition of mushrooms and a few other variations, but if you don't like mushrooms, leave them out and enjoy it just the same. We just happen to love mushrooms at our house.

(Adapted from http://www.melskitchenscafe.com/)

*Serves 4-5
INGREDIENTS:
Sauce:
1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
2 tablespoons low-sodium chicken broth
5 tablespoons oyster sauce (I used 4T fish sauce)
2 tablespoons light brown sugar
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
2 teaspoons cornstarch

Beef and Broccoli:
3 tablespoons soy sauce (I use Amino Acids)
1 1/2 pounds flank steak, cut into 2-inch-wide strips with the grain, then sliced across the grain into 1/8-inch-thick slices
6 medium cloves garlic, pressed through garlic press or minced (about 2 tablespoons)
1-inch piece fresh ginger, minced (about 1 tablespoon)
1 teaspoon peanut oil or vegetable oil, plus extra for cooking
1 1/4 pounds broccoli, cut into bite-sized pieces
8oz baby portabella mushrooms sliced
1/3 cup water
3 medium scallions, sliced 1/2-inch thick on diagonal, optional

DIRECTIONS:
In a medium bowl, combine beef and soy sauce. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 10 minutes or up to 1 hour. Meanwhile, whisk the sauce ingredients together in a liquid measure or small bowl. In another small bowl, combine garlic, ginger, and 1 teaspoon peanut oil. Set aside.

Heat 1-2 teaspoons peanut oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until hot and rippling. Add half of beef to skillet and break up clumps; cook, without stirring, for 1 minute, then stir and cook until beef is browned around edges and cooked through, about 1-2 minutes. Don’t overcook the meat – cook until just barely cooked through so the meat stays tender. Transfer beef to a medium bowl and cover with a lid and tin foil. Heat another 1-2 teaspoons peanut oil in the skillet and repeat with remaining beef.

Add 1 tablespoon peanut oil to now-empty skillet; heat until rippling and hot. Add broccoli and cook 30 seconds; add water, cover pan, and lower heat to medium. Steam broccoli until tender-crisp, about 2 minutes. Pour on top of cooked beef and recover with foil to keep warm.

Add the mushrooms. Cook on medium until soft (7-8 minutes). As they soften they create their own juice, but if you don't think it's going fast enough, add a few tablespoons of water so they don't stick to the pan.

Push the mushrooms to the sides of the skillet and add the garlic/ginger mixture. Cook, mashing the mixture with a spoon, until fragrant, about 15-30 seconds. Stir the mixture into the mushrooms. Add the beef/broccoli mixture back to skillet and toss to combine.

Whisk the sauce to recombine and add to the skillet. Cook, stirring constantly, until sauce is thickened and evenly distributed, about 1-2 minutes. Transfer to a serving platter, sprinkle with scallions, and serve – or be like me and serve (we served it with jasmine rice) it straight out of the skillet!

Jen's Cream of Broccoli Soup

Snow. Like a foot of it. In March. Of course it would decide to snow after weeks of fantastic weather. So, it feels like broccoli soup Monday. This is a recipe that I had at my friend, Meredith's house, and it was delicious.

1 T butter
1 T olive oil
1 chopped onion
3 pieces chopped celery
3-5 medium-sized potatoes (cooked, peeled, and pushed through potato ricer)
9 c chicken stock
3 lbs broccoli
5 T butter
1/2 c flour
1 c whole milk (or half and half or cream)
1/2 c plain yogurt
2 oz cheese
1/2 t sugar
10-30 leaves fresh basil
1/2 t sage
1/2 t poultry seasoning


Saute butter, olive oil, onion, and celery together in a good-sized pan (because you’ll add more later) until very soft.  Then put in food processor and pulse til more mushy.

Meanwhile, cook 3-5 medium sized potatoes. 

In a big pot, boil chicken stock with broccoli.  Cook until broccoli starts to break down into mush.  Try to keep several broccoli heads a bit bigger.  Let sit there as you’re making soup.  (Don’t pour out the stock you cook the broccoli in.)

Make a roux by melting 5 tbl butter with ½ cup flour (I use whole-wheat).  Once melted and combined, gradually add in milk (or cream).  Gradually add in yogurt and cream cheese.  Add in potatoes, sugar, basil, sage, and poultry seasonings. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Gradually add in mushed broccoli and stock from boiled broccoli until just a little runnier than desired consistency.  It will thicken a bit as it sits.  Serve pretty quickly after getting it where you want it.  These ratios will serve about 10, depending on how much they like this kind of soup.

Vegan Banana-Pecan Pancakes

I love to cook these pancakes when we have dying bananas. Sometimes I sit and for a week watch my bananas brown to the point of perfect inclusion. These are just good and again, from my friend's blog, Green Fed.

Adapted from: Green Fed

1 1/2 cups almond milk plus 1 tsp vinegar (or lemon juice).  Let this sit for 5 minutes.
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour (I use a power flour recipe mix of equal parts barley, brown rice, amaranth, spelt, kamut, and whole-wheat flour from Tosca Reno)
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 ground cinnamon
1 1/4 cups very well-mashed bananas
1 Tbsp grapeseed oil (or canola or applesauce)
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cups pecans, chopped

Sift together dry ingredients.  In separate bowl, mix the wet ingredients together until pretty smooth.  Pour wet ingredients into dry mixture and mix but don’t over-mix.  Fold in pecans and chocolate chips.

Pour 1/4 cup or batter per pancake onto lightly greased griddle (my griddle is usually set at 300 degrees for pancakes) or pan, and cook until bubbles appear.  Flip, and cook another 2-3 minutes until the undersides are a golden brown.

Serve with sliced bananas and pure maple syrup.  YUM!!!

Chili

I'm sure to some, chili is as easy to make as a bowl of cereal. I, however, am a child less gifted in creativity and fairly good at following instruction, so I look for a recipe. Here's a good recipe - easy to make and - for our family - it's bland enough that our two-year old loves it. But sometimes I feed him spicy stuff.

Adapted from: Mel's Kitchen Cafe

INGREDIENTS:
1 pound ground beef or turkey
1 medium yellow or white onion, chopped
1 yellow or red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
2 cloves of garlic, finely minced or pressed through a garlic press
2 (14.5-ounce) cans diced tomatoes
2 (16-ounce) cans tomato sauce
1 (15-ounce) can red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon brown sugar

DIRECTIONS:
In a large pot, brown the meat with the onion and garlic over medium heat, until cooked through, breaking up the ground turkey into pieces as it cooks. Drain off extra grease. Add the chopped bell pepper and cook 1-2 minutes until slightly tender. Add the rinsed and drained beans. Stir. Add the remaining ingredients and spices. Stir well. Increase the heat to medium-high and bring the chili to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 15 minutes (or upwards of an hour if you have more time), stirring occasionally and making sure the chili isn’t sticking to the bottom of the pot.

Serve with sour cream, shredded cheese and tortilla chips, if desired.

Pineapple Cashew Quinoa

So this is from my friend, Angela's, blog: Green Fed. They were vegan before she got pregnant and the little pea started calling for cheeseburgers. At least that's what I think. And though we haven't caught up lately, I'm thinking pregnancy is creating a break from her awesome vegan blog. So, I'll carry on for her in spirit. Though we aren't vegan, I love to cook vegetarian meals. And this is one dish that Jared actually loves (and the little P-man too). You could probably add chicken, but I like keeping it vegetarian.

Hint: If you haven't cooked with quinoa, I hear the magic number for washing it is seven times but I don't know if that's true (maybe that's for shuffling a card deck?). Needless to say, the outside of quinoa contains the residue used to make soap, so you want to wash it thoroughly. I use a fine-mesh collander and a large bowl to swish and rinse, swish and rinse, several times. It takes a few minutes, so I'll do several cups at a time and then freeze the rest. It still cooks perfectly.

Every time I cook this, I wonder why I didn't double it.

Adapted from: Green Fed

Ingredients:
Quinoa:
1 cup quinoa, well rinsed and drained
1 cup pineapple juice (I just use the juice from the canned pineapple and add water to make up the full cup)
1 cup cold water
1/4 teaspoon soy sauce (I use Bragg’s Liquid Aminos)
Stir-fry:
4 ounces cashews, raw and unsalted
3 tablespoons peanut oil (or any high-heat oil will do)
2 scallions, sliced thinly (I sometimes use 1/2 of a regular onion)
1 hot red chile, sliced into very thin rounds (I don’t use this and it's still really good)
1/2 inch piece ginger, peeled and minced
1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced
1 cup frozen green peas
1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, rolled and sliced in thin shreds
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh mint
10 ounces fresh pineapple, cut into bite sized chunks (I’ve used canned pineapple and it tastes just as good)
3 tablespoons soy sauce
3 tablespoons vegetable stock
Lime wedges for garnish

Instructions:
For the quinoa: Combine the quinoa, juice, water and soy sauce in a medium sized pot. Cover, place over high heat, and bring to a boil. Stir a few times, lower the heat to medium-low, cover, and cook for 12 – 14 minutes until all the liquid has been absorbed and the quinoa appears plumped and slightly translucent. Uncover, fluff and let cool.

For the stir-fry: Use a large frypan or wok. Have all your ingredients pre-chopped and in reach. Place the cashews in the dry pan and heat over low heat, stirring them, until lightly toasted (4 to 5 minutes).
Remove the cashews from the pan, raise the heat to medium and add the peanut oil, scallions and garlic, when the garlic starts to sizzle, add the sliced chili and ginger.
Stir-fry for about 2 minutes, then add the bell pepper and peas. Stir-fry for another 3 to 4 minutes, until the bell pepper is softened and the peas are bright green.
Add the basil and mint, and stir for another minute before adding the pineapple and quinoa.
Combine the soy sauce, vegetable stock and miri. Pour over the quinoa mixture. Stir until the mixture is coated. Continue to stir-fry for 10 minutes (it helps to use two spoons/spatulas to scoop the quinoa around).

Serve with lime wedges.

Granola

It's like those honey granola bars, but again, all natural. It feels great to make something without all the preservatives and additives. We love this granola. It's simple but you can dress it up any way you want it.

Adapted from http://www.food.com/

3 cups old fashioned oats
1 cup chopped walnuts
1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
¾ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
½-¾ cup pure maple syrup
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
3 tablespoons grapeseed oil (or safflower or canola)

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 325 degrees.
2. Combine oats, walnuts, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt together in a large bowl.
3. In a separate bowl,mix maple syrup, vanilla, and oil.
4. Pour syrup mixture over oat mixture and combine until all ingredients are well incorporated.
5. Spread mixture onto parchment paper lined baking sheet and bake 15 minutes.
6. Stir and return to the oven 10 minutes longer (to make it crunchier, cook 15 minutes).
7. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely.
8. Granola may be stored up to 2 weeks in an airtight container.

Taco Meat

Why even buy the seasoning packet, when it's so easy to do it yourself and you don't have any weird seasoning additives either? Exactly, and that's why I find myself on Ellis Eats grabbing this great taco recipe. Thanks again, Nakita!

Serves 4

2 tablespoons canola oil
3/4 cup chopped onion
1 pound ground beef
1 to 3 garlic cloves
1 tablespoon chili powder
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce

In a large skillet over medium heat, add the oil and chopped onion. Cook, stirring often, until the onion is softened, about 4-5 minutes. Add the ground beef and cook, breaking up the meat into smaller chunks, until it is cooked through.

Stir in the garlic, chili powder, cumin, salt, and pepper. Cook for a minute and then add the tomato sauce. Turn the heat to low, cover with a lid, and simmer the meat mixture for at least 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Best Apple Crisp

This is my absolute favorite apple crisp recipe. We make it at our college roommate reunions each year and then I make it all the time because it's pure deliciousness. I thought I'd already posted it on here, but can't find it. So here it is. It will win you friends and fame.

Ingredients

5 pounds McIntosh, Fuji, or whatever type of apple you like (about 6 apples)

Grated zest of 1 orange

Grated zest of 1 lemon

2 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice

2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

1/2 cup granulated sugar

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground nutmeg

For the topping:

1 1/2 cups flour

3/4 cup granulated sugar

3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1 cup oatmeal

1/2 pound cold unsalted butter, diced

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a 9 by 14 by 2-inch baking dish. 

Peel, core, and cut the apples into large wedges. Combine the apples with the zests, juices, sugar, and spices. Pour into the dish.


To make the topping, combine the flour, sugars, salt, oatmeal, and cold butter in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on low speed until the mixture is crumbly and the butter is the size of peas. Scatter evenly over the apples.


Place the crisp on a sheet pan and bake for 1 hour until the top is brown and the apples are bubbly. Serve warm.

(Adapted slightly from Ina Garten and Jenn Rockwood)

Menu Planning: January 2012

This blog is more like a food journal for me. Because of its definition, I also post my menus, so I don't feel remorse for deleting old menus on my computer. I just put them here. So the following is our menu for a couple weeks in January. Inevitably, a trip takes a place, a night out instead of in, or sheer laziness makes sure that this menu is carried out perfectly, but you get the idea.

A couple of tips that have worked for our house:
1. Economy. For anything freezable, I make twice as much and freeze it.
2. Diversity. We plan our meals roughly around the world. I mean, one night is Asian, the next Mexican, Italian, and so forth. On top of that, I try to get in one night of red meat, one night of fish, one night of vegetables, one night of chicken/pork - but I don't like chicken right now. I don't know why. I'm just sick of it. But sometimes it still has to be cooked.
3. Greenity (that's a word right?). Each week, I try to do at least two to three meals vegetarian. A night of just vegetables is good for everyone and my pocketbook.

Here's my plan:

Sunday Monday Tuesday b: eggs, green smoothie l: on your own d: turkey chili, salad, cornbread with honey butter b: crepes with berries and bananas l: sweet potatoe fries d: porch lettuce wraps from here   b: pancakes with blueberries l: pizza d: chicken cacciatore Wednesday Thursday Friday & Saturday b: green smoothies, oatmeal l: cauliflower popcorn, pbj d: spice-rubbed pork chops, potatoes, green beans, applesauce dessert: apple cobbler   b: eggs, smoothie l: leftovers d: broccoli soup (freeze half) date night and leftovers

So no fish this week right? Okay, let's try it this next week then...

Sunday	Monday	Tuesday
b: eggs, green smoothie l: on your own d: slow cooker fajitas	b: pancakes, fruit l: tuna salad d: broccoli soup from freezer, fresh salad, bread	b: green smoothie, oatmeal l: roasted vegetables with hummus d: spice-rubbed salmon with spinach
Wednesday	Thursday	Friday & Saturday
b: oatmeal and fruit l: tuna sandwich d: bean burritos from here	b: green smoothie, egg l: roasted vegetables d: beef stir--fry	date night & leftovers