Erin Mueller sent this to me and said that this is her "go to" recipe when she has guests over. I am sure some of you still have family in town, so enjoy!
Preheat oven to 350 degrees
4 chicken breasts
3 T flour
1 egg
Dried bread crumbs - seasoned
2T olive oil
mix: 2T melted butter, 2T olive oil, 1T lemon juice, 1/2t salt, 1/2t basil, 1/2t oregano, 1/4 t garlic butter
Dredge chicken in fluor, then egg, and then the breadcrumbs
Heat olive oil and brown chicken until coating is golden
Put in baking pan
Pour sauce over top of chicken and bake for 30 minutes
Serve with wild rice.
Tuesday, December 29, 2009
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
Delicious Fudge
Hello all - Here is another easy recipe to cart along to your holiday parties. It is a variation of a Rachael Ray recipe and she makes her fudge into a pretty wreath and adds a few more ingredients. http://www.rachaelray.com/recipe.php?recipe_id=824
This is how I prefer to make it. I think for tomorrow's family party, I am going to put some green and red m&ms on top!
1 12oz package of semi-sweet chocolate chips
9 oz of butterscotch chips
1 14 oz can of sweetened condensed milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
8 oz of the chopped walnuts
Combine the chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, and condensed milk in a pot on low heat on the stove. Keep stirring the mixture slowly until it is melted; make sure to not cook it too fast or else it will burn! Stir in the vanilla and then the chopped walnuts and remove from the heat. Pour fudge into any size container and put in the fridge for at least 2 hours. Cut and serve!
If you want to add the festive red and green m&ms, place them on top of the fudge after you pour it in the container and before you put it in the fridge. I am going to put enough m&ms on top so that each piece of fudge, once cut, has one m&m on top.
This is how I prefer to make it. I think for tomorrow's family party, I am going to put some green and red m&ms on top!
1 12oz package of semi-sweet chocolate chips
9 oz of butterscotch chips
1 14 oz can of sweetened condensed milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
8 oz of the chopped walnuts
Combine the chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, and condensed milk in a pot on low heat on the stove. Keep stirring the mixture slowly until it is melted; make sure to not cook it too fast or else it will burn! Stir in the vanilla and then the chopped walnuts and remove from the heat. Pour fudge into any size container and put in the fridge for at least 2 hours. Cut and serve!
If you want to add the festive red and green m&ms, place them on top of the fudge after you pour it in the container and before you put it in the fridge. I am going to put enough m&ms on top so that each piece of fudge, once cut, has one m&m on top.
Monday, December 21, 2009
Happy Holidays!
Sorry, I've been a little lazy lately with the cooking blog. But, I want to wish you happy holidays and pass on two easy recipes for the holiday season. Make these to take to your holiday parties.
Garbanzo Bean Cake
This is from the lovely, bride-to-be Jennifer Leist. And, it is Gluten Free!
1 1/2 cups of semisett chocolate chips
1 19 oz can of garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
4 eggs
3/4 cups white sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour two 9 inch round cake pans.
Garbanzo Bean Cake
This is from the lovely, bride-to-be Jennifer Leist. And, it is Gluten Free!
1 1/2 cups of semisett chocolate chips
1 19 oz can of garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
4 eggs
3/4 cups white sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour two 9 inch round cake pans.
Place the choclate chips into a microwave-safe bowl. Cook in the microwave for about 2 minutes, stirring every 20 seconds after the first minute until chocolate is melted and smooth. If you have a powerful microwave, reduce the power to 50 percent.
Combine the beans and eggs in the bowl of a food processor. Process until smooth. Add the sugar and the baking powder, pulse to blend. Pur the melted chocolate and blend until smooth, scraping down the corners to make sure that the chocolate is completely blended in. Transfer the batter to the cake pans.
Bake for 40 minutes or until you can stick the fork in and it comes out clean. Cool the cakes on a cooling rack before putting on a serving plate.
YUMMY FROSTING
1/2 cup of butter
4 tablespoons of cocoa powder
4 cups of confectioners sugar
3 tablespoons skim milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
Melt margarine over low heat. Gradually beat in the other ingredients and mix well.
Strawberry and Brie Tarlets
This is from the Christmas-party Queen, Amber Hausenfluck. These are really delicious and so simple!
1 8 oz can of crescent rolls
1/4 cup of strawberry preserves
1/3 cup of chopped walnuts (you can buy them already chopped, to make it super easy!)
1 8 oz Brie cheese, rind removed and cut into 24 chunks
Heat oven to 350 degrees
Unroll dough and cut into 24 squares. Put the squares into two mini-muffin pans.
Spoon 1/2 teaspoon of preserves into each mini muffin cup. Spoon 1/2 teaspoon of nuts into each cup and put a chunk of brie in there as well.
Bake 16 to 19 minutes or until edges are golden brown.
Cook in pan for 5 minutes and then remove from pan.
Garnish each with a slice of fresh strawberry.
Saturday, August 29, 2009
Easy and Delicious pesto
Check out my sister's newest column featuring some delicious and easy pesto. Just pop all the ingredients in the blender, make some pasta, and you are set for a delicious and impressive dinner.
http://www.examiner.com/x-19959-Cincinnati-Italian-Food-Examiner~y2009m8d29-A-recipe-for-rosemary-pesto-with-almonds?cid=examiner-email
http://www.examiner.com/x-19959-Cincinnati-Italian-Food-Examiner~y2009m8d29-A-recipe-for-rosemary-pesto-with-almonds?cid=examiner-email
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
Five Different Dinners with a Rotisserie Chicken
The $5, already-made Rotisserie Chicken from the grocery store is a great option for a quick dinner (we get ours from Kroger or Sam's, but almost everyone carries them). But, if you do it the same way every time, you and your family will get sick of it quickly. I'll warn you, I don't eat dark meat, so these are just suggestions for the light meat.
Here are five different ways you can dress up that rotisserie chicken.
Chicken Tacos (probably 10 minutes TOPS)
corn or flour tortillas
one Rotisserie Chicken
one can of black beans
pico de gallo
sour cream (fat free or regular)
shredded cheese (optional)
avocado (optional)
instant mexican rice
So simple. Take the chicken breasts off the chicken and cut them into strips. Heat up the black beans on the stove and warm the tortillas in the microwave. Pop the rice in the microwave and you are DONE. Compile your tacos with the sour cream, pico, and avocados...Make a salad to get your greens in.
BBQ potato dinner (10 minutes)
potatoes
one rotisserie chicken
bbq sauce
one can of baked beans
butter or spray butter
Clean the potatoes, poke holes in them with a fork, and pop them in the microwave (for small potatoes, I put two in there and let them go for 7 minutes). Once they are done, cut up the chicken breast from the rotisserie chicken, and put on top of the cut potato. Add bbq sauce to taste. Salt and pepper is sometimes needed, too. Make the baked beans on the stove and enjoy!
Chicken and vegetable pasta (25 - 30 minutes)
pasta (I used whole wheat)
one bag of fresh spinach
one chopped onion
one chopped bell pepper (either red, orange or yellow)
mushrooms
one rotisserie chicken
Start boiling the water FIRST. Add seasoning to the water, this the way you will be able to season your pasta. Once the water has boiled, add pasta and cook until soft.
Spray the skillet with cooking spray and put over medium heat. Add chopped onions and cook the onions until you can see through them. Add the bell pepper and mushrooms and cook about another 5 minutes. Once these veggies look good and cooked to you, add the spinach and cook until wilted. Spinach doesn't take very long at all, so add it last. Add salt to taste.
Drain the pasta. Cut the chicken breasts off the chicken and cut into slices. Add the cooked veggies and the chicken strips on top of the pasta and you are done! enjoy!
Traditional chicken dinner (15 minutes)
either asparagus or green beans
cous cous
one rotisserie chicken
Make the cous cous according to the package (this usually takes about 10 minutes). Put the vegetables over a medium high heat skillet and cook until cooked to your preference. Add salt and pepper to the veggies. Once the cous cous and vegetables are done, cut the chicken and make a delicious plate.
Chicken sandwich and sweet potato fries (20 minutes)
sweet potatoes
rotisserie chicken
bread or your favorite bun
ingredients for your favorite salad
Put your oven on broil and cut the sweet potatoes in to thin circles. Put the circles on a greased cookie sheet. Put in the heated oven and watch them until they are a little crispy around the edges.
Make a sandwich from the rotisserie chicken and enjoy with the sweet potato fries and a salad of your choice.
Here are five different ways you can dress up that rotisserie chicken.
Chicken Tacos (probably 10 minutes TOPS)
corn or flour tortillas
one Rotisserie Chicken
one can of black beans
pico de gallo
sour cream (fat free or regular)
shredded cheese (optional)
avocado (optional)
instant mexican rice
So simple. Take the chicken breasts off the chicken and cut them into strips. Heat up the black beans on the stove and warm the tortillas in the microwave. Pop the rice in the microwave and you are DONE. Compile your tacos with the sour cream, pico, and avocados...Make a salad to get your greens in.
BBQ potato dinner (10 minutes)
potatoes
one rotisserie chicken
bbq sauce
one can of baked beans
butter or spray butter
Clean the potatoes, poke holes in them with a fork, and pop them in the microwave (for small potatoes, I put two in there and let them go for 7 minutes). Once they are done, cut up the chicken breast from the rotisserie chicken, and put on top of the cut potato. Add bbq sauce to taste. Salt and pepper is sometimes needed, too. Make the baked beans on the stove and enjoy!
Chicken and vegetable pasta (25 - 30 minutes)
pasta (I used whole wheat)
one bag of fresh spinach
one chopped onion
one chopped bell pepper (either red, orange or yellow)
mushrooms
one rotisserie chicken
Start boiling the water FIRST. Add seasoning to the water, this the way you will be able to season your pasta. Once the water has boiled, add pasta and cook until soft.
Spray the skillet with cooking spray and put over medium heat. Add chopped onions and cook the onions until you can see through them. Add the bell pepper and mushrooms and cook about another 5 minutes. Once these veggies look good and cooked to you, add the spinach and cook until wilted. Spinach doesn't take very long at all, so add it last. Add salt to taste.
Drain the pasta. Cut the chicken breasts off the chicken and cut into slices. Add the cooked veggies and the chicken strips on top of the pasta and you are done! enjoy!
Traditional chicken dinner (15 minutes)
either asparagus or green beans
cous cous
one rotisserie chicken
Make the cous cous according to the package (this usually takes about 10 minutes). Put the vegetables over a medium high heat skillet and cook until cooked to your preference. Add salt and pepper to the veggies. Once the cous cous and vegetables are done, cut the chicken and make a delicious plate.
Chicken sandwich and sweet potato fries (20 minutes)
sweet potatoes
rotisserie chicken
bread or your favorite bun
ingredients for your favorite salad
Put your oven on broil and cut the sweet potatoes in to thin circles. Put the circles on a greased cookie sheet. Put in the heated oven and watch them until they are a little crispy around the edges.
Make a sandwich from the rotisserie chicken and enjoy with the sweet potato fries and a salad of your choice.
Monday, August 17, 2009
Spaghetti with a kick of Mexican flare
Ben made up this meal in his head while he was grocery shopping in the canned vegetable aisle. He saw some mexican stewed tomatoes and thought it sounded good. I just made it tonight, and it was great and easy!
Ground turkey or beef (or your favorite vegetarian option like fake ground meat)
one onion
minced garlic
whole wheat pasta
two cans of stewed tomatoes with Mexican flavoring
grated parmesan cheese
salt and pepper or a hotter seasoning if you prefer, like a cajun seasoning
Make the pasta according to the package. I would start boiling the water FIRST to make sure the pasta and the meat finish at the same time. Start to boil the water even before you start chopping the onions. Add salt to the water so you can season the pasta once it gets in there.
Heat a skillet and start to sautee the minced garlic (I used 1/2 tsp, but if you prefer more garlic, have at it). Add the chopped onion and sautee until the onion is clear. Sprinkle the raw meat with salt and pepper or a hotter cajun seasoning, depending on how hot you want to make it. Cook the ground meat, making it in small, edible bites, in the pan with the garlic and the onions. Once the meat is brown and cooked all the way through, add the two cans of mexican stewed tomatoes. Let it simmer for about 10 minutes. Make sure not to go too long as to cook off all the moisture from the tomatoes.
Put the meat on top of the pasta, sprinkle with parmesan cheese and ENJOY! Pair this with a fabulous salad and you will be good to go.
Dessert, you say? Check out my sister's column about gelato. Don't forget to subscribe so you can receive an email every time a new column is out!
www.examiner.com/x-19959-Cincinnati-Italian-Food-Examiner~y2009m8d17-The-difference-between-gelato-and-ice-cream
Ground turkey or beef (or your favorite vegetarian option like fake ground meat)
one onion
minced garlic
whole wheat pasta
two cans of stewed tomatoes with Mexican flavoring
grated parmesan cheese
salt and pepper or a hotter seasoning if you prefer, like a cajun seasoning
Make the pasta according to the package. I would start boiling the water FIRST to make sure the pasta and the meat finish at the same time. Start to boil the water even before you start chopping the onions. Add salt to the water so you can season the pasta once it gets in there.
Heat a skillet and start to sautee the minced garlic (I used 1/2 tsp, but if you prefer more garlic, have at it). Add the chopped onion and sautee until the onion is clear. Sprinkle the raw meat with salt and pepper or a hotter cajun seasoning, depending on how hot you want to make it. Cook the ground meat, making it in small, edible bites, in the pan with the garlic and the onions. Once the meat is brown and cooked all the way through, add the two cans of mexican stewed tomatoes. Let it simmer for about 10 minutes. Make sure not to go too long as to cook off all the moisture from the tomatoes.
Put the meat on top of the pasta, sprinkle with parmesan cheese and ENJOY! Pair this with a fabulous salad and you will be good to go.
Dessert, you say? Check out my sister's column about gelato. Don't forget to subscribe so you can receive an email every time a new column is out!
www.examiner.com/x-19959-Cincinnati-Italian-Food-Examiner~y2009m8d17-The-difference-between-gelato-and-ice-cream
Thursday, August 13, 2009
All in the Family
Hey guys:
My sister started an Italian cooking column in Cincinnati. You've got to read it. She's a much better writer than me and she absolutely loves everything Italian, so this column should be super fun! Looks like we're even going to get some Italian pronunciation lessons!
Enjoy!
http://www.examiner.com/x-19959-Cincinnati-Italian-Food-Examiner~y2009m8d12-Making-authentic-bruschetta-at-home
My sister started an Italian cooking column in Cincinnati. You've got to read it. She's a much better writer than me and she absolutely loves everything Italian, so this column should be super fun! Looks like we're even going to get some Italian pronunciation lessons!
Enjoy!
http://www.examiner.com/x-19959-Cincinnati-Italian-Food-Examiner~y2009m8d12-Making-authentic-bruschetta-at-home
Thursday, July 23, 2009
The Garbanzo Bean
I love the garbanzo bean. You can buy the beans by the can from any grocery store, and they are super cheap. In addition to the two following recipes, use garbanzo beans on top of your salads. They are fabulous!
Pasta, garbanzo beans, and veggies
I made this up tonight and it was DELICIOUS (yes, I actually made something without a recipe that was good...I am improving). Serves 3-4 depending on how much pasta you make. I actually made it for just me and used half of the amounts listed below.
whole wheat penne pasta
1 can of garbanzo beans
1 onion
1 bag of fresh spinach
1 orange bell pepper
salt
Make the pasta according to the package and drain. Cut the onion and bell pepper and put in a skillet with the spinach (I just used a cooking spray to cut the calories, but you can also use olive oil). Cook the veggies until they are as soft as you like them. Make sure the spinach is good and cooked. Add salt to taste. Drain the garbanzo beans and set aside.
Once done, put the veggies on top of the pasta and then add the drained garbanzo beans. If you're on weight watchers (http://www.weightwatchers.com/), 1/2 cup of garbanzo beans is only one point! Plus, they really fill you up, which is always a plus. Add spray butter or real butter and enjoy!
Red Pepper Hummus
2 large garlic cloves chopped
1 15oz can garbanzo beans (drained)
1/3 c Tahini (sesame seed paste)
1/2 c fresh lemon juice
1/2 c chopped drain roasted red pepper from jar
Blend garlic, add garbanzo beans, tahini, lemon juice and process until smooth - add red peppers. Blend until smooth. Eat with veggies, pita, or crackers.
Pasta, garbanzo beans, and veggies
I made this up tonight and it was DELICIOUS (yes, I actually made something without a recipe that was good...I am improving). Serves 3-4 depending on how much pasta you make. I actually made it for just me and used half of the amounts listed below.
whole wheat penne pasta
1 can of garbanzo beans
1 onion
1 bag of fresh spinach
1 orange bell pepper
salt
Make the pasta according to the package and drain. Cut the onion and bell pepper and put in a skillet with the spinach (I just used a cooking spray to cut the calories, but you can also use olive oil). Cook the veggies until they are as soft as you like them. Make sure the spinach is good and cooked. Add salt to taste. Drain the garbanzo beans and set aside.
Once done, put the veggies on top of the pasta and then add the drained garbanzo beans. If you're on weight watchers (http://www.weightwatchers.com/), 1/2 cup of garbanzo beans is only one point! Plus, they really fill you up, which is always a plus. Add spray butter or real butter and enjoy!
Red Pepper Hummus
2 large garlic cloves chopped
1 15oz can garbanzo beans (drained)
1/3 c Tahini (sesame seed paste)
1/2 c fresh lemon juice
1/2 c chopped drain roasted red pepper from jar
Blend garlic, add garbanzo beans, tahini, lemon juice and process until smooth - add red peppers. Blend until smooth. Eat with veggies, pita, or crackers.
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Easy Dip
Here's a great and easy dip from the lovely Louisa. These ingredients would be great to have around the house and when a few friends come by, pop this in the microwave!
Green Chile-Corn Dip
1 can whole kernel corn, drained
1 small can diced green chiles
1 8oz pkg cream cheese (I use the reduced fat)
1/2 stick margarine or butter
Diced pickeled jalepenos, to taste
Directions: Combine all ingredients in a microwaveable bowl or in a saucepan. Microwave or heat on stove low until all ingredients are melted and combined. Add chopped pickled jalepenos, to taste, if you like it spicy. So good, so cheap, and SO easy! Serve with tortilla chips (I like Baked Scoops) or Fritos. Serves 4 (recipe is easily doubled or tripled).
Green Chile-Corn Dip
1 can whole kernel corn, drained
1 small can diced green chiles
1 8oz pkg cream cheese (I use the reduced fat)
1/2 stick margarine or butter
Diced pickeled jalepenos, to taste
Directions: Combine all ingredients in a microwaveable bowl or in a saucepan. Microwave or heat on stove low until all ingredients are melted and combined. Add chopped pickled jalepenos, to taste, if you like it spicy. So good, so cheap, and SO easy! Serve with tortilla chips (I like Baked Scoops) or Fritos. Serves 4 (recipe is easily doubled or tripled).
Friday, July 10, 2009
Salty and Sweet
Here are two fun, easy ways to make pretzels a little sweet:
Morgan's Treat (courtesy of Morgan Griffin)
regular sized pretzels
hershey's kisses (any kind will work, the hugs are my fave because they look really fancy with their stripes)
candy garnish (m&m's or reeses work well and with m&m's you can cooridnate the colors or holidays or parties i.e. red, white, blue for July 4th)cookie sheet for baking
preheat oven to 350. unwrap the hershey's and place in the center of the pretzel, right on the twist. put in the oven for about 2 minutes - you want the chocolate to be soft but not completely melted. press your candy garnish into the soft chocolate and let cool. i put my trays in the fridge to cool faster
Deer Tracks
small pretzels
rolos
pecans
cookie sheet
Place the unwrapped rolo in the center of the pretzel. Preheat oven to 350 and melt the rolo on the pretzels. Once melted, place the pecan right on that melted rolo
Morgan's Treat (courtesy of Morgan Griffin)
regular sized pretzels
hershey's kisses (any kind will work, the hugs are my fave because they look really fancy with their stripes)
candy garnish (m&m's or reeses work well and with m&m's you can cooridnate the colors or holidays or parties i.e. red, white, blue for July 4th)cookie sheet for baking
preheat oven to 350. unwrap the hershey's and place in the center of the pretzel, right on the twist. put in the oven for about 2 minutes - you want the chocolate to be soft but not completely melted. press your candy garnish into the soft chocolate and let cool. i put my trays in the fridge to cool faster
Deer Tracks
small pretzels
rolos
pecans
cookie sheet
Place the unwrapped rolo in the center of the pretzel. Preheat oven to 350 and melt the rolo on the pretzels. Once melted, place the pecan right on that melted rolo
Saturday, July 4, 2009
Make your popcorn fancier!
Here are a few combinations you can use to really spice up your popcorn and make it extra yummy. Just add the following ingredients on top of popped popcorn. Experiment and create your own combinations!
- salt, pepper, and parmesan cheese
- pepper and white cheddar popcorn salt
- dark chocolate shavings
- tobasco ( I love this on popcorn, but some people don't like their popcorn a little soggy)
- cajun seasonings
- melt butter in a skillet and pour right on top....yumm!
- combine popcorn with vanilla ice cream, caramel, and nuts
- salt, pepper, and parmesan cheese
- pepper and white cheddar popcorn salt
- dark chocolate shavings
- tobasco ( I love this on popcorn, but some people don't like their popcorn a little soggy)
- cajun seasonings
- melt butter in a skillet and pour right on top....yumm!
- combine popcorn with vanilla ice cream, caramel, and nuts
Friday, June 26, 2009
Banana Chips
Good afternoon!
Ben and I always, no matter what, have bananas that we end up throwing away. We eat some, and then one or two get to that point where the texture is softer than we'd like and we end up wasting them. Well, I just found a solution - banana chips! Before your bananas go bad, make some baked banana chips...these should help you not to waste anything.
one cookie sheet
cooking spray
salt
any bananas that you aren't going to eat before they go bad
Slice the bananas in 1/4 inch slices. Place on your sprayed cookie sheet and sprinkle with some salt. Heat your oven to 200 degrees and cook the banana chips for 2 hours. Turn the banana slices over and cook for two more hours. Keep checking on them to make sure they aren't burning. They should be just nice and dried out after you are done. I've read that you can keep your oven open about an inch while doing this too.
Keep in a ziploc bag and enjoy!
Ben and I always, no matter what, have bananas that we end up throwing away. We eat some, and then one or two get to that point where the texture is softer than we'd like and we end up wasting them. Well, I just found a solution - banana chips! Before your bananas go bad, make some baked banana chips...these should help you not to waste anything.
one cookie sheet
cooking spray
salt
any bananas that you aren't going to eat before they go bad
Slice the bananas in 1/4 inch slices. Place on your sprayed cookie sheet and sprinkle with some salt. Heat your oven to 200 degrees and cook the banana chips for 2 hours. Turn the banana slices over and cook for two more hours. Keep checking on them to make sure they aren't burning. They should be just nice and dried out after you are done. I've read that you can keep your oven open about an inch while doing this too.
Keep in a ziploc bag and enjoy!
Friday, June 19, 2009
Forget About 'Em!
Please make these Forgotten Cookies. They are sooo easy, but they have to sit overnight, so be prepared!
2 egg whites
2/3 cup of sugar
Pinch of salt
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup chopped pecans (optional but yummy)
1 6oz pkg chocolate chips
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Beat egg whites until stiff, adding sugar gradually. Beat in salt and vanilla. Fold in pecans and chocolate chips. Drop by teaspoonful on ungreased cookie sheets. Place in oven and TURN OFF THE OVEN! Do not open the door until the oven is cool. The best thing to do is just make these and leave them in the over over night.
Yields 4-6 dozen cookies.
YUM!
2 egg whites
2/3 cup of sugar
Pinch of salt
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup chopped pecans (optional but yummy)
1 6oz pkg chocolate chips
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Beat egg whites until stiff, adding sugar gradually. Beat in salt and vanilla. Fold in pecans and chocolate chips. Drop by teaspoonful on ungreased cookie sheets. Place in oven and TURN OFF THE OVEN! Do not open the door until the oven is cool. The best thing to do is just make these and leave them in the over over night.
Yields 4-6 dozen cookies.
YUM!
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
REAL chicken salad
Ok, guys, this is the real stuff. Not the chicken salad made from canned chicken, although it is an option if you need to cut time.
I am not really going to put a definite list of ingredients on here, because you can make as little or as much as you want and there are so many ingredients that you can throw in or leave out.
The MUST haves are:
skinless boneless chicken breasts
olive oil
salt
pepper
Drizzle olive oil on the chicken breasts and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake in the oven until done (mine always take about an hour).
Take out of the oven and cut up the chicken breasts into bite-sized cubes. Then, add some or all:
mayo
celery (cut into small pieces)
nuts (walnuts and/or pecans are good but make sure they are bite-sized pieces)
grapes (cut in half)
Terragon!!!! (ok, this is a MUST USE)
more salt and pepper if needed
Different people use different ingredients, so be creative! Put on bread or eat by itself.
ENJOY!
I am not really going to put a definite list of ingredients on here, because you can make as little or as much as you want and there are so many ingredients that you can throw in or leave out.
The MUST haves are:
skinless boneless chicken breasts
olive oil
salt
pepper
Drizzle olive oil on the chicken breasts and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake in the oven until done (mine always take about an hour).
Take out of the oven and cut up the chicken breasts into bite-sized cubes. Then, add some or all:
mayo
celery (cut into small pieces)
nuts (walnuts and/or pecans are good but make sure they are bite-sized pieces)
grapes (cut in half)
Terragon!!!! (ok, this is a MUST USE)
more salt and pepper if needed
Different people use different ingredients, so be creative! Put on bread or eat by itself.
ENJOY!
Friday, June 5, 2009
When Life Gives You Lemons...
Ok, sometimes I like to get 7 or 9 lemons to fill this pretty vase that Emily gave me as a wedding gift. The lemons look good and make the house smell fresh for a few days. Then, what do you do with all those extra lemons? I'm not a lemonade lady, so here are some tips:
- Cut the lemons in half, put down the sink and run your disposal. This will take away all the gross smells from what your husband or roommates have shoved down that thing!
- Cut the lemon in half and rub it all over your cutting board. I mean, we chop up onions constantly on that thing....one day it's gonna smell.
- I just saw on Barefoot Contessa (Food Network) that if you add lemon zest to sweets that it really brings out the flavor. So, add some lemon zest to a cake, danish or cookies that you are making.
- Do you ever get weird rings and stains around your tupperware? Well, rubbing lemons on it before you put it in the dishwasher is supposed to help with that.
Hope this helps with not wasting those lovely lemons. Of course, you can always make some yummy lemonade to consume by the pool!
- Cut the lemons in half, put down the sink and run your disposal. This will take away all the gross smells from what your husband or roommates have shoved down that thing!
- Cut the lemon in half and rub it all over your cutting board. I mean, we chop up onions constantly on that thing....one day it's gonna smell.
- I just saw on Barefoot Contessa (Food Network) that if you add lemon zest to sweets that it really brings out the flavor. So, add some lemon zest to a cake, danish or cookies that you are making.
- Do you ever get weird rings and stains around your tupperware? Well, rubbing lemons on it before you put it in the dishwasher is supposed to help with that.
Hope this helps with not wasting those lovely lemons. Of course, you can always make some yummy lemonade to consume by the pool!
Monday, June 1, 2009
Momma Knows Best
Ok, here is a more exciting recipe than my last post of quickies. This is from Mandee Lee, our wonderful mom-to-be. Her husband apparently loves this stuff!
Eggplant Hodge Podge
one medium to large eggplant peeled and diced/cubed
garlic diced - I usually use one or two spoonfuls because we really like garlic
two cans seasoned diced tomatoes (we like the basil seasoning)
one package fresh crimini (baby bella) mushrooms chopped
one small/medium yellow onion chopped
one box cous cous (we use Near East parmesan or pine nut flavors)
one bag of washed baby spinach (optional - I usually forget this ingredient while at the store so it's no biggie if it's not included)
parmesan cheese
olive oil
1. In a large skillet heat olive oil and sautee diced eggplant, onion, mushroom and garlic. The ingredients will cook down a lot so I usually add some, let it cook down some and then continually add as there is more space available in the pan. Sautee until veggies are completely cooked down. Salt and Pepper to taste. 2. In the meantime cook cous cous according to directions on box. 3. Once everything is complete put a large spoonful of cous cous on a plate or in a bowl and top with large spoonful of eggplant mixture. Top with grated parmesan cheese. Enjoy!!
Eggplant Hodge Podge
one medium to large eggplant peeled and diced/cubed
garlic diced - I usually use one or two spoonfuls because we really like garlic
two cans seasoned diced tomatoes (we like the basil seasoning)
one package fresh crimini (baby bella) mushrooms chopped
one small/medium yellow onion chopped
one box cous cous (we use Near East parmesan or pine nut flavors)
one bag of washed baby spinach (optional - I usually forget this ingredient while at the store so it's no biggie if it's not included)
parmesan cheese
olive oil
1. In a large skillet heat olive oil and sautee diced eggplant, onion, mushroom and garlic. The ingredients will cook down a lot so I usually add some, let it cook down some and then continually add as there is more space available in the pan. Sautee until veggies are completely cooked down. Salt and Pepper to taste. 2. In the meantime cook cous cous according to directions on box. 3. Once everything is complete put a large spoonful of cous cous on a plate or in a bowl and top with large spoonful of eggplant mixture. Top with grated parmesan cheese. Enjoy!!
Busy Bee
Ok, sorry I have not posted anything in a while, but I have been studying for a certification test and have really not been cooking anything special due to time constraints. Ben and I have just been eating FAST dinners, so, however easy and boring these may sound, here are some ideas for those busy people who really don't have more than 10 minutes to cook a dinner. Sorry Rachael Ray, but sometimes we don't even have 30 minutes to make a meal!
Roasted chicken already cooked from Sam's - $5.00
We made 5 minute cous cous to go with it and some french green beans (the long skinny ones) and mushrooms that took 10 minutes in the skillet with some Pam and salt and pepper.
Chicken and spinach sausage
These are also from Sam's, and take 7 minutes in the skillet and are 110 calories. Throw some onions in the skillet too and they are yummy...
Soup with whatever you have in the house
Make a big pot of soup on Sundays that you can eat throughout the week. Throw in some chicken broth and whatever vegetables you have in the house. If you put onions in there, you want to sautee them first and get them soft before you throw everything else in there because onions take longer.
Smoked Turkey Barbeque sandwiches
Grab some smoked turkey from the grocery store (we get ours from Sams....are you seeing a trend here?) and add bbq sauce, pickles, and onions...you feel like you are at a barbecue restaurant. Make a quick can of beans as a side.
Like I said, these are super easy and silly, but when you don't have any time to cook, they are good options to feed your tummy.
Roasted chicken already cooked from Sam's - $5.00
We made 5 minute cous cous to go with it and some french green beans (the long skinny ones) and mushrooms that took 10 minutes in the skillet with some Pam and salt and pepper.
Chicken and spinach sausage
These are also from Sam's, and take 7 minutes in the skillet and are 110 calories. Throw some onions in the skillet too and they are yummy...
Soup with whatever you have in the house
Make a big pot of soup on Sundays that you can eat throughout the week. Throw in some chicken broth and whatever vegetables you have in the house. If you put onions in there, you want to sautee them first and get them soft before you throw everything else in there because onions take longer.
Smoked Turkey Barbeque sandwiches
Grab some smoked turkey from the grocery store (we get ours from Sams....are you seeing a trend here?) and add bbq sauce, pickles, and onions...you feel like you are at a barbecue restaurant. Make a quick can of beans as a side.
Like I said, these are super easy and silly, but when you don't have any time to cook, they are good options to feed your tummy.
Friday, May 15, 2009
CAKE BALLS!
These are AMAZING. My mom made them for Mothers' Day (yeah that's right, she cooked for her own day) and my friend Lauren made them for an FRG meeting at Ft. Hood and said all the army wives LOVED them. I haven't tried to make them yet, but I hear they are a little messy, but easy. I think I'm going to try to make them in July for a friend's wedding shower:
- Make a cake (any flavor you want)
- Once you take the cake out of the oven and it is still warm, crumble it up
- Once crumbled, add a container of icing to the cake and stir it up (still, whatever flavor icing you want)
- Once the icing is all mixed up with the crumbled cake, make the cake into small balls (you can use a melon baller or an ice cream scoop) - make them about the size of donut holes
- REFRIGERATE the balls until they are firm
- Once the cake balls are firm, you can do just about anything with them: dip them in chocolate and roll in sprinkles, or dip them in white chocolate and drizzle with brown chocolate, dip in brown chocolate and then roll in coconut....be as creative as you would like. Remember, if you use coconut, you can always use food coloring and make it a different color other than white. If it's for a baby shower, make pink and blue coconut, etc.
BE CREATIVE! I love a good theme party!
- Make a cake (any flavor you want)
- Once you take the cake out of the oven and it is still warm, crumble it up
- Once crumbled, add a container of icing to the cake and stir it up (still, whatever flavor icing you want)
- Once the icing is all mixed up with the crumbled cake, make the cake into small balls (you can use a melon baller or an ice cream scoop) - make them about the size of donut holes
- REFRIGERATE the balls until they are firm
- Once the cake balls are firm, you can do just about anything with them: dip them in chocolate and roll in sprinkles, or dip them in white chocolate and drizzle with brown chocolate, dip in brown chocolate and then roll in coconut....be as creative as you would like. Remember, if you use coconut, you can always use food coloring and make it a different color other than white. If it's for a baby shower, make pink and blue coconut, etc.
BE CREATIVE! I love a good theme party!
Monday, May 11, 2009
GREAT find!
Just wanted to let you guys know about a great find at Sam's Club: the easy peel shrimp.
You can find a big bag of it in the frozen food section. Keep it in your freezer, and if a few friends pop in for a visit, you can defrost some of the shrimp (5-10 minutes, put in a colander under running water) and VOILA! You have immediate shrimp cocktail for your guests!
You can find a big bag of it in the frozen food section. Keep it in your freezer, and if a few friends pop in for a visit, you can defrost some of the shrimp (5-10 minutes, put in a colander under running water) and VOILA! You have immediate shrimp cocktail for your guests!
Friday, May 8, 2009
Potato Cakes
This is from my sister. She shreds her potatoes, but you can also buy them shredded in the grocery store. yuuuuuuuuuuuuuuum
baking potatoes, cut in half
2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp olive oil
salt and pepper
chopped green onions, to garnish, if you want.
Boil the potato halves for about 15 minutes. They shouldn't be cooked all the way. Drain them and put them in the fridge for about 30 minutes so that they're easy to handle. Then coarsely shred them! Melt the butter and 1 tbsp oil in a non-stick skillet and put the shredded potatoes in there, pushing down with a spatula or something.Let them cook for 10 minutes, then put a plate on top of the skillet and flip the potato cake onto the plate. Put the remaining 1 tbsp oil in the skillet and slide the potato thing back into the skillet so it can cook on the other side (cooked side up). Let cook 10 more minutes, slide onto a plate, season, and sprinkle with the green onions!It is so good, like a giant hashbrown. And crispy.
baking potatoes, cut in half
2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp olive oil
salt and pepper
chopped green onions, to garnish, if you want.
Boil the potato halves for about 15 minutes. They shouldn't be cooked all the way. Drain them and put them in the fridge for about 30 minutes so that they're easy to handle. Then coarsely shred them! Melt the butter and 1 tbsp oil in a non-stick skillet and put the shredded potatoes in there, pushing down with a spatula or something.Let them cook for 10 minutes, then put a plate on top of the skillet and flip the potato cake onto the plate. Put the remaining 1 tbsp oil in the skillet and slide the potato thing back into the skillet so it can cook on the other side (cooked side up). Let cook 10 more minutes, slide onto a plate, season, and sprinkle with the green onions!It is so good, like a giant hashbrown. And crispy.
Thursday, April 23, 2009
yummy tomato sauce
Meredith Stencil is our guest contributor for this one. You can also add this sauce over some steamed veggies if you don't want to use pasta.
**Notice there are a lot of ingredients in here that I say to have around the house**
Recipe from a friend from Torino, Italy.Enough sauce for about 10 oz pasta (little less than half the box) Double recipe for more. Serves 3-4
4 tablespoons olive oil
half onion chopped finely
1 carrot, peeled and chopped finely
1 14 oz can of diced tomatoes
1-2 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 beef or chicken bouillon cube
1 red pepper
crumbled or dash of red pepper flakes (optional)
1/2 teaspoon salt (adjust to taste)
handful of chopped fresh herbs or teaspoon of drive ( oregano and rosemary if dried)
1-1 1/2 teaspoon sugar
Heat oil in wide skillet. Add onion, carrot and celery. Cook vegetables until wilted, stirring frequently. Add tomatoes, garlic, bouillon, red pepper, salt, herbs and sugar. Bring to a boil then reduce to low. Simmer on low heat for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
**Notice there are a lot of ingredients in here that I say to have around the house**
Recipe from a friend from Torino, Italy.Enough sauce for about 10 oz pasta (little less than half the box) Double recipe for more. Serves 3-4
4 tablespoons olive oil
half onion chopped finely
1 carrot, peeled and chopped finely
1 14 oz can of diced tomatoes
1-2 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 beef or chicken bouillon cube
1 red pepper
crumbled or dash of red pepper flakes (optional)
1/2 teaspoon salt (adjust to taste)
handful of chopped fresh herbs or teaspoon of drive ( oregano and rosemary if dried)
1-1 1/2 teaspoon sugar
Heat oil in wide skillet. Add onion, carrot and celery. Cook vegetables until wilted, stirring frequently. Add tomatoes, garlic, bouillon, red pepper, salt, herbs and sugar. Bring to a boil then reduce to low. Simmer on low heat for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Monday, April 20, 2009
Got old bread?
Hello everyone! Have you ever fixed hamburgers or hot dogs for your family and have then been left with extra buns that just end up growing mold? Well, here is a great solution that I tried out last night - CROUTONS!
Heat your oven to 375 degrees. Take your hamburger and hot dog buns (or any almost stale bread without mold) and cut it up into squares. Spray some spray butter on the squares, and sprinkle salt, garlic salt, oregano and basil leaves on top. Bake the bread squares in the oven for 15 minutes and then you've got delicious croutons! This is a great way to make sure you aren't wasting any of your food.
Heat your oven to 375 degrees. Take your hamburger and hot dog buns (or any almost stale bread without mold) and cut it up into squares. Spray some spray butter on the squares, and sprinkle salt, garlic salt, oregano and basil leaves on top. Bake the bread squares in the oven for 15 minutes and then you've got delicious croutons! This is a great way to make sure you aren't wasting any of your food.
Friday, April 17, 2009
Brownie Peanut Butter Cups
These easy brownies are courtesy of Melanie Levy, http://www.houstonapartmentinsiders.com/
She got the recipe from http://www.bakeorbreak.com/ and they got it from Nestle. Enjoy!
She got the recipe from http://www.bakeorbreak.com/ and they got it from Nestle. Enjoy!
Thursday, April 16, 2009
A GREAT, cheap ten-minute meal
Ben and I were really lazy tonight and made this quick, cheap meal. It was actually REALLY good.
3 cans of tuna
a few squirts of low fat caesar
a few shakes of dill
one chopped onion
one sliced tomato
a few squirts of dijon
one package of couscous
one can of green peas (I like Lesueur)
- Mix the low fat caesar, dill, dijon and tuna in one bowl; we added a little bit of tobasco, too.
- Sautee the onions in a skillet.
- Once the onions are soft and a little brown, take them out of the skillet and mix them in the bowl with the tuna.
- Make patties with the tuna mixture and put them back in skillet and cook for as long as you want. The patties will totally fall apart, but they are really good!
- Take the tuna patties out of the skillet and put on your plate.
- Slice the tomato and put it on the hot skillet for about one minute. Place on top of the tuna.
- Make the couscous according to the package and serve as a side.
- Make the green peas according to the can and serve as a side.
Sooo yummy and it will cost you less than $10 to feed two people....PERFECT!
If you are like Ben and me, you will have a skinny cow ice cream right after dinner...
3 cans of tuna
a few squirts of low fat caesar
a few shakes of dill
one chopped onion
one sliced tomato
a few squirts of dijon
one package of couscous
one can of green peas (I like Lesueur)
- Mix the low fat caesar, dill, dijon and tuna in one bowl; we added a little bit of tobasco, too.
- Sautee the onions in a skillet.
- Once the onions are soft and a little brown, take them out of the skillet and mix them in the bowl with the tuna.
- Make patties with the tuna mixture and put them back in skillet and cook for as long as you want. The patties will totally fall apart, but they are really good!
- Take the tuna patties out of the skillet and put on your plate.
- Slice the tomato and put it on the hot skillet for about one minute. Place on top of the tuna.
- Make the couscous according to the package and serve as a side.
- Make the green peas according to the can and serve as a side.
Sooo yummy and it will cost you less than $10 to feed two people....PERFECT!
If you are like Ben and me, you will have a skinny cow ice cream right after dinner...
Items I've Found Helpful to Have Around
Have you ever been looking through one of your many cookbooks and realized that every recipe in there requires a million ingredients that you don't have? Here are some things that I've found helpful to have around the house that are used in a lot of recipes that I've come across and that help to have when you are trying to put together a last-minute meal:
Onions
Tomatoes
Peppers (I usually buy whichever color is the cheapest - those things are expensive!)
potatoes (both sweet and regular)
a few random frozen vegetables - your choice
canned peas and canned beans (we like black beans and ranch style beans)
Cream of Mushroom soup (you can get low fat, low sodium)
Cream of Chicken soup (same - it comes in the healthy version)
Buillon cubes and chicken broth (or vegetable broth for you vegetarians like my lovely sister)
Tuna
ground turkey
chicken breasts
rice
whole wheat pasta
cous cous
Onions
Tomatoes
Peppers (I usually buy whichever color is the cheapest - those things are expensive!)
potatoes (both sweet and regular)
a few random frozen vegetables - your choice
canned peas and canned beans (we like black beans and ranch style beans)
Cream of Mushroom soup (you can get low fat, low sodium)
Cream of Chicken soup (same - it comes in the healthy version)
Buillon cubes and chicken broth (or vegetable broth for you vegetarians like my lovely sister)
Tuna
ground turkey
chicken breasts
rice
whole wheat pasta
cous cous
The Easiest, Most Delicious Soup
I make this soup almost every Sunday and my husband LOVES it! We eat it all week long for lunch and a good soup before dinner. It freezes well.
Italian Wedding Soup
Italian Wedding Soup
1/2 cup of olive oil, 2 onions, 8 cloves of minced garlic, 1/2 cup of chopped fresh parsley (I often forget to pick this up at the store so I go without it), 2 10 oz packages of frozen spinach, 3 15 oz cans of cannelini beans, 4 bouillon cubes, 5 cups of water, 2 tsp of oregano, 1 tsp of basil
you can also add grated parmesan cheese on top when serving, but we leave that off
Heat the oil in a large pot. Lightly brown the onions, garlic, and parsley and saute for about five minutes. Add the spinach , beans, water, and boullion cubes, oregano, and basil and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes (I let it simmer for about 30 minutes).
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