Finding Joy in My Kitchen

Friday Favorite Finds #159

noreply@blogger.com (SnoWhite) — Fri, 17 May 2013 04:04:00 PDT

Today is the last day of the semester. It’s always bitter sweet. I love seeing how far my students have come in a semester and celebrating their learning. Saying ta ta for now, and off to summer… now that is a wonderful feeling. We just have the final exam on Monday to finish (and the subsequent grading that follows), and then summer!

This week, my finds are all over the place. You can never tell what you might find.

{Note: All images are from the original blogger; please pin the source!}

Rhubarb Sorbet – My friend Sara shared this delicious sorbet recipe as part of Ingredient Spotlight. Can’t wait for summer to try this out! Pin it here.

No-Knead Honey Oat Bread – This recipe from Sally sounds so interesting! I have a wheat oatmeal quick bread recipe, but this one looks amazing, especially with the crust. Yum-o. Get the recipe here. Pin the recipe here.

Green Tea Cookies – We love green tea around here and I find the idea of a less sweet cookie amazing. Can’t wait to try this recipe from Sugarcrafter. Get the recipe here. Pin the recipe here.

If you were featured, feel free to grab the button below!

What did you find this week?

Please link up to a post containing your list of recipes to try -- do not link up individual recipes, or recipes that you’ve already made, your links will be deleted. Be sure to leave a link back here to Finding Joy in My Kitchen.

Food Allergy Awareness Week

noreply@blogger.com (SnoWhite) — Thu, 16 May 2013 04:01:00 PDT

There I was, standing in the bread aisle. I could not believe it. Every single loaf of healthy looking bread had the same dreaded words:

This product contains or may contain nuts.

I was 600+ miles away from home and hit head on with the reality of my food allergy. Eating will never be the same.

Nearly in tears, I called my mom and asked her to send me her homemade bread recipe. It was either that, or “Wonderbread”.

Although I confronted the realities of my food allergy head on in 2005, I’ve had food allergies since I was 5 years old.

A little taste of a Brazil Nut at Christmas time led to my throat itching and swelling, and a diagnosis of a nut allergy.

When I was little, managing my food allergy was easy, as nuts were relatively easy to avoid. Now, however, nuts are in just about everything.

Although I don’t talk about allergies often here on the blog, they are a real part of every moment of my life.

Having a food allergy impacts the way you think about food. Since so much of our culture revolves around food, having a food allergy impacts you at least three times every day, often in ways you might not even expect.

So, what are we allergic to?

SnoWhite:

All tree nuts (e.g., Brazil nuts, cashews, walnuts, almonds, etc)
Seeds – sesame
Most raw fruits & vegetables

I have Oral Allergy Syndrome where my body thinks that the raw fruits and veggies I consume are actually pollen molecules that I am allergic to (like Birch or Maple pollen). As a result, my body reacts to these raw fruits.

Frog Prince:

Pumpkin
Strawberries

In addition, my MIL has celiac disease, which requires here to avoid gluten and dairy.

Needless to say, we are no strangers to food allergies.

Seeing as this week is Food Allergy Awareness Week, I wanted to share my story with you and remind you of a nut-allergy series Lynn (from Lynn’s Kitchen Adventures) and I did a few years ago and share my three tips for friends with food allergies.

Three Tips for Supporting Someone with a Food Allergy

Respect the food-allergic person’s boundaries. Food-allergic folks have clear boundaries that allow them to feel comfortable with food; these boundaries change over time, but they are well-thought out and intentional.
Please don’t take offense if we are not comfortable eating what you prepare, even if you go out of your way to prepare allergy-friendly food. See #1 above. If you are interested in cooking for a food-allergic friend, take a look at my tips.
Please understand the severity. One of the biggest challenges food-allergic folks face is a misunderstanding about the severity of the allergy. This is understandable with all the vocabulary – allergy, intolerance, sensitivity, etc. For an allergy, though, all it takes is one molecule to trigger an anaphylactic reaction. This could be a result of cross-contamination, a real concern for those with food allergies.

Do you have a food allergy? Know someone with an allergy? I’d love to hear about your experiences with food allergies.

Ingredient Spotlight: Rhubarb

noreply@blogger.com (SnoWhite) — Wed, 15 May 2013 04:02:00 PDT

This week’s ingredient spotlight features one of my favorite spring veggies: rhubarb! In case you are not familiar with rhubarb it is a vegetable and grows like a weed.

Rhubarb has toxic leaves, so be sure not to eat them, but the stalks are fantastic to eat (when cooked; raw they are quite bitter).

If you’re up for a more natural version of a sour patch kid, eat a stalk dipped in sugar :) Watch out – your mouth will pucker!

Rhubarb Facts:

High in fiber
Great source of Vitamins C & K
High in magnesium

If you are unfamiliar with cooking rhubarb, check out this post on how to select, prep and cook rhubarb.

I grew up eating rhubarb in many desserts and jams/jellies, as my mom and grandmothers have rhubarb patches. Here are some of our favorite ways to eat our veggies:

Rhubarb Breakfast Bars

Blueberry Rhubarb Cinnamon Rolls.

Raspberry Rhubarb Preserve

Blueberry Rhubarb Crisp

Rhubarb Gingersnap Cheesecake

Grandma’s Rhubarb Meringue

Rhubarb Dessert

Rhubarb Cake

What are your favorite ways to enjoy rhubarb? Have you ever cooked with it?

Fajita Pie with Tortilla Crust

noreply@blogger.com (SnoWhite) — Tue, 14 May 2013 04:20:00 PDT

For those of you long-time readers of Finding Joy in My Kitchen, this fajita pie recipe likely comes as a surprise. We don’t eat a lot of Mexican-type foods here as Frog Prince is not a big fan of cilantro, salsa or black beans.

But, all that aside, Frog Prince enjoyed this dinner quite a bit.

In fact, he said I could make it again, even with the black beans!

Even better - this dinner was so simple to put together and it was in the oven in less than 10 minutes!

I need more go-to dinners like this one for nights that just don’t work out as planned. Having this one on the list is a nice change from our traditional rice cooker mac and cheese, or quick spaghetti.

Hope you find this dinner quick and enjoyable too.

Fajita Pie with Tortilla Crust – Adapted from My Biscuits are Burning

Ingredients

1 (10-inch) burrito sized tortilla; or 2-3 fajita sized tortillas
1 medium bell pepper, orange, red or yellow
1/2 medium green bell pepper
1 T minced onion
1 medium tomato
1/2 C black beans
1/2 tsp. paprika
1/4 tsp. chili powder
4 oz. cheddar cheese
2 eggs
3/4 C white whole wheat flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1 C milk
salt & pepper, to taste
1/4 C finely chopped spinach

Directions

Begin by lining the bottom of a lightly-greased 9-inch pie plate with your tortilla(s). If you have smaller sized tortillas, just use 2-3, torn in half to fill the bottom of the pie plate and slightly up the sides.

Finely chop 1 medium bell pepper (colored), 1/2 medium green bell pepper, and 1 medium tomato.

Toss with 1 T minced onion and some pepper.

Add in 2 oz of cheddar cheese, shredded. Stir well.

Spread the mixture on the bottom of the tortilla-covered pie plate.

Arrange black beans over the top.

Sprinkle with paprika and chili powder.

In the same bowl, mix together 3/4 C white whole wheat flour with 1 tsp. baking powder. Stir well. Then, add in 1 C milk and 2 eggs. Whisk well until blended. Add salt and pepper, a few dashes of each.

Add in finely chopped spinach.

Carefully pour the milk mixture over the veggies in the pie plate.

Top with remaining 2 oz of cheddar cheese, shredded.

Bake at 450 for 25-27 minutes until center is set and cheese is browned.

Allow the tortilla pie to sit for 5 minutes before serving.

Serve with salsa, if desired.

Enjoy!

Happy Birthday Frog Prince + Cherry Cake

noreply@blogger.com (SnoWhite) — Mon, 13 May 2013 08:35:00 PDT

Today is my dear Frog Prince’s birthday, and I couldn’t be more thankful for him.

This amazing man is such a gift to me – not to mention he does dishes and can cook!

We’ve celebrated his last 8 birthday’s together, and if there’s one thing I’ve learned it is this: Frog Prince loves cherries.

In fact, for all but 2 birthdays, we’ve made cherry cake. And, if you are curious, those two birthdays have consisted of a Copy-Cat Carvel Ice Cream Cake.

We’ve made a simple Cherry Cake (which we made most often in the early years when I still used boxed cake mixes):

But, his favorite is this Cherry Coffee Cake.

On his birthday, I wanted to share his favorite cake with you, because I’m sure if you like cherries, you’ll enjoy this one too.

Happy Birthday, Frog Prince! You are the best.

Menu Plan–May 12

noreply@blogger.com (SnoWhite) — Sun, 12 May 2013 14:55:57 PDT

Happy Mother’s Day! We had a wonderful day – church, nice walk in the sunshine and BBQ dinner celebrating my mom.

The photo above is our recipe highlight from last week: Chicken Parmesan Sliders. I’ll post that recipe soon.

We enjoyed our fluffy applesauce pancakes last weekend too; haven’t had that recipe in a long time, and I had forgotten how fluffy these cakes actually are.

This week is Frog Prince’s birthday, Frog Prince’s final exam (he’s giving, not taking), and my last week of classes. We are ready: bring on summer!

Sunday
Leftover Whole Wheat Waffles with Berry Sauce
BBQ and Sweet Potato Fries

Monday – Frog Prince’s Birthday
Berry Crumble
White Cheddar Mac & Cheese, roasted veggies {birthday special!}
Dessert: Copy-Cat Carvel Ice Cream Cake

Tuesday
Berry Baked Oatmeal
Garlic Balsamic Crusted Chicken with Wild Rice & Pepper Salad

Wednesday
Leftover Berry Baked Oatmeal
Chicken & Veggie Wraps, Kale Chips

Thursday
Apple, Carrot & Zucchini Muffins
Potato & Smoked Sausage Hash {new}

Friday {Last day of the semester!}
Granola and blueberries
Leftovers

Saturday
TBD
Broccoli and Mushroom Grilled Cheese Sandwiches {new}

In case you missed it, last week new recipes included:

Most Viewed: Lazy Sunday Casserole

Most Shared: Creamy Cauliflower Zucchini Rice (pictured right, above)

Most Pinned: (tie) Blueberry Cream Cheese Stuffed French Toast, Lightened-Up Macaroni Salad, Overnight Cinnamon Sugar Coffee Cake

Find more great menus at OrgJunkie’s Menu Plan Monday!

Friday Favorite Finds #158

noreply@blogger.com (SnoWhite) — Fri, 10 May 2013 04:16:00 PDT

Thanks for joining us today. We have one week left of school and I think I speak for all of us, we are ready for the end. With that in mind, my finds reflect my excitement for summer.

{Note: All images are from the original blogger; please pin the source!}

Fresh Asparagus and Tomato Pizza – Lynn posted this amazing looking pizza which has me craving fresh veggies. Get the recipe here. Pin the recipe here.

Strawberry Rhubarb Frozen Yogurt – The little shoots of rhubarb coming up in my garden makes me excited for this dessert. I love rhubarb and yogurt together, so this seems like an amazing cool treat. Get the recipe here. Pin the recipe here.

Spinach Patties – From one of our Friday Favorites participants these spinach burgers look delicious. Get the recipe here, and pin the recipe here.

If you were featured, feel free to grab the button below!

What did you find this week?

Honey Mustard Chicken Tenders

noreply@blogger.com (SnoWhite) — Thu, 09 May 2013 05:09:02 PDT

These fun chicken tenders pack a powerful flavor.

They are refreshing and perfect for this time of year; bringing a hint of summer during spring!

Honey Mustard Chicken Tenders – Adapted from Good Life Eats

Ingredients

6-8 chicken tenders
1 tsp. minced onion
4 T spicy brown mustard
5 T honey
salt and pepper

Directions

In a large skillet, cook chicken tenders (use olive oil if you typically do when cooking in your sauté pan) over medium heat for 1-2 minutes.

Season with minced onion, salt and pepper and continue cooking for another 3-4 minutes. Then, flip the tenders over.

Meanwhile, mix together 4 T spicy brown mustard and 5 T honey.

Mix well.

When the tenders have cooked 5 minutes on the second side, reduce the heat to medium-low.

Pour in the honey mustard sauce and simmer the chicken tenders for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Check that the tenders have reached 180 degrees, then serve with excess honey mustard sauce.

Serve warm, perhaps alongside creamy cauliflower & zucchini rice!

Enjoy!

Ingredient Spotlight: Leafy Greens

noreply@blogger.com (SnoWhite) — Wed, 08 May 2013 04:05:00 PDT

Welcome to all of you joining us for Ingredient Spotlight this week! Today’s feature ingredient – Leafy Greens.

I can’t tell you how much we love spinach and kale. Spinach is our go-to green. We add it to almost every dish we make. We keep it stocked in our freezer at all times (did you know you can easily freeze fresh spinach?!), and I love knowing you can toss it in casseroles, pizza, soup and more without changing the flavor!

Facts about Spinach

1 C spinach packs 36% of your iron needs for 1 day
1 C spinach contains roughly 245 grams of calcium

Facts about Kale

1 C Kale contains 200% of your daily vitamin C needs
Kale comes from the same botanical family as broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts and mustard! In fact, all these come from the same species.
Kale’s health benefits are enhanced when cooked

How do we enjoy these leafy greens?

Kale Chips. A great alternative to potato chips. Make a big batch for movie night!

Mushroom & Kale Stroganoff.

Spinach Squares.

Creamy Spinach Dip

Make-Ahead Spinach & Pasta Bake.

How about you? What recipes do you have for kale and spinach or other leafy greens? Link them up below!

Sweet Potato & Kale Chicken Patties

noreply@blogger.com (SnoWhite) — Tue, 07 May 2013 04:16:01 PDT

I think we’ve found a new summer favorite. These Sweet Potato Chicken Patties with Kale are fantastic.

They are filling enough on their own, but great on a whole wheat bun too. The first time we made them I followed the directions pretty closely, but the second time I decided to shred the sweet potato and loved the results.

We also used shredded canned chicken rather than raw ground chicken to make the prep easier. We do this for our zucchini burgers, and it worked really well here. It also decreased the prep time to about 20 minutes, rather than 4 hours.

Sweet Potato & Kale Chicken Patties – Adapted from Multiply Delicious

Ingredients

1 can (12 oz) chicken
1 small sweet potato
2 1/2 C torn kale leaves
1 T minced onion
1 tsp. minced garlic
salt & pepper
1 egg
1 T spicy brown mustard
Pinch of paprika
2 T white whole wheat flour
Olive oil

Directions

Begin by shredding 1 small (peeled) sweet potato. We cooked ours in the microwave for 1 minute before to make the potato easier to shred. Add the shredded sweet potato to a skillet. Add in torn kale.

Sauté with a little olive oil, and season with salt, pepper, 1 T minced onion and 1 tsp. minced garlic. Cook for 5-6 minutes until sweet potatoes are tender and kale is semi-wilted.

Meanwhile, mix together 1 can shredded chicken (drained and rinsed), with 1 egg and 2 T white whole wheat flour.

Add in the kale and spinach mixture, a pinch of paprika and 1 T spicy brown mustard.

Using a patty maker, or your hands, press the kale mixture into patties. Ours made about five 3-4inch patties.

Return to a lightly greased pan and cook on medium-low for 5 minutes. Then, flip.

Cook for another 5 minutes. Then, plate and serve warm.

Enjoy!

Creamy Cauliflower Zucchini Rice

noreply@blogger.com (SnoWhite) — Mon, 06 May 2013 04:09:00 PDT

This creamy rice makes a fantastic side dish.

Brown rice. Creamy garlic cauliflower. Shredded zucchini. Parmesan cheese.

I can guarantee you’ll enjoy this one!

Creamy Cauliflower Zucchini Rice – Inspired by Lindsay at Pinch of Yum

Ingredients

2 C brown rice, uncooked
4 C chicken broth
1 tsp. minced onion
1 medium zucchini
16 oz. fresh or frozen cauliflower
1 tsp. minced garlic
splash of milk
1/2 T butter
1/4 C Parmesan cheese, plus additional for garnish
salt and pepper

Directions

Begin by combining 4 C chicken broth with 2 C brown rice in the base of your rice cooker. Add in 1 tsp. minced onion. Place the cauliflower in the steamer basket. Cook the rice while steaming the veggies simultaneously, for about 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, shred the zucchini.

When the cauliflower is tender, transfer it to your blender. I used our immersion blender, and pureed the cauliflower in two batches.

Puree until smooth, adding a splash or two of milk, as needed. Then, season with salt and pepper.

In a large saucepan, melt 1/2 T butter. Add in minced garlic and sauté until the garlic smells amazing.

Add in the zucchini, and sauté for 3-4 minutes until the zucchini is softened.

Add the pureed cauliflower to the zucchini garlic mixture.

Then, stir in the cooked rice.

Add in some milk to achieve your desired creaminess. Then stir in 1/4 C Parmesan cheese.

Garnish with extra Parmesan cheese.

Serve warm.

Enjoy!

Menu Plan–May 5

noreply@blogger.com (SnoWhite) — Sun, 05 May 2013 13:50:00 PDT

Just two weeks left in the semester, and it’s finally starting to feel a bit like spring. We even have little rhubarb shoots and chives making an appearance in our garden. Yippee!

Last week, I had the chance to make one of our family favorites for my parents – this Lazy Sunday Casserole. It was a hit.

We also brought back an old favorite – Philly Cheesesteak Melts. I made the beef in the crockpot and the melts were easy to put together when I got home from work.

But, the best meal of the week went to a new Sweet Potato & Kale Chicken Patty. My sister and I made them last Saturday, and then I made them again on Monday night!

This week I have a lot more new recipes on our menu. Sometimes it’s just fun to try new things.

Sunday
Fluffy Applesauce Pancakes with Maple Apple Sauté
Grilled Vegetable Salad {new}

To do: Cook wild and brown rice

Monday
Berry Smoothies, Granola
Mushroom & Wild Rice Casserole {new}

To do: Thaw chicken, make baked oatmeal

Tuesday
Zucchini Bread Baked Oatmeal
Chicken Parmesan Meatball Subs {new} with Broccoli Sauté {new}

To do: Make dessert for Bible study

Wednesday
Leftover Baked Oatmeal
Leftovers
Bible Study: Chocolate Chip Muffins {new}, or Chocolate Oatmeal Cake {new}

To do: Soak lentils

Thursday
Berry Smoothies, Granola
Garlic, Tomato & Lentil Salad {new}

To do: Thaw hamburger buns, dice peppers

Friday
Breakfast Burritos {new}
Grilled Turkey Burgers with Carrot Fries {new}

Saturday
Yogurt Waffles {new}, berries
Grilled Pizza

Find more great menus at OrgJunkie’s Menu Plan Monday!

Weekly Recap

noreply@blogger.com (SnoWhite) — Sat, 04 May 2013 08:38:00 PDT

This week I had two new recipes for you:

Cheesy Lentil Bake. This dinner was incredible and super easy to prepare. We’ll be making it again soon.

Blackberry Oat Muffins. We loved the blackberry and oat combination – these muffins are nice enough to serve to guests, but easy enough to make for a regular Saturday morning.

I also shared with you tips on how our family finds good recipes, and provided a summer schedule for the Ingredient Spotlight.

Most Viewed: Parmesan Chicken Bake

Most Shared: Rhubarb Breakfast Bars

Most Pinned: Easy 40-Minute Whole Wheat Hamburger Buns

Friday Favorite Finds #157

noreply@blogger.com (SnoWhite) — Fri, 03 May 2013 04:12:00 PDT

It’s FRIDAY!!! Who’s ready for a weekend? I certainly am. Frog Prince was traveling last weekend, so I feel like it’s been a good two weeks since my last weekend. Can’t wait.

I found some really yummy-looking recipes this week that I am really excited to share with you:

{Note: All images are from the original blogger; please pin the source!}

Best Cake – Cherry Chocolate. This recipe from Zoe Bakes looks down right incredible. Rich chocolate base smothered in fresh whipped cream and drizzled with a sweet cherry sauce. Amazing. Get the recipe here. Pin the recipe here.

Best Grilling Recipe - Stuffed Zucchini. Stuffed with bacon, mushrooms, onions and cheese, this recipe from Queen Bee looks amazing. Get the recipe here. Pin it here!

Fun Way to Use Kale – Kale & Mushroom Pizza. I do love kale, and I’m thinking this recipe would be amazing for grilled pizza over the summer. Agreed? Get the recipe from Good Cheap Eats here. Pin the recipe here.

Best Use of Lentils – Lentil Tacos. What a great idea! I love lentils and earlier this week on our Facebook page we asked for ideas about how to use lentils. These tacos were a new-to-me idea from Tiffany at Eat at Home. Get the recipe here. Pin it here!

New Twist on a Favorite – Whole Wheat Cinnamon Raisin English Muffins. Jessica at A Kitchen Addiction keeps coming up with great recipes. This one would be a hit for breakfast, so I think I’ll make a double batch for the freezer while I’m at it! Get the recipe here. Pin the recipe here.

If you were featured, feel free to grab the button below!

What did you find this week?

Cheesy Lentil Bake

noreply@blogger.com (SnoWhite) — Thu, 02 May 2013 04:32:00 PDT

Would you believe it if I told you this cheesy lentil bake is one of my new favorite recipes?

My husband liked it too, and after having leftovers declared, “This was better than the spaghetti” (a dish he loves)!

I’ve had this recipe on my to-try pile for a long while, and honestly, I’m bummed I didn’t try it sooner.

The original recipe just used lentils, cheese and bacon. We swapped ham for bacon, added mushrooms and bell peppers and reduced the amount of cheese.

We loved it!

Cheesy Lentil Bake – Adapted from Rebekah’s Family, Food & Fun

Ingredients

8 oz. dried lentils, soaked
2 C chicken broth
4 oz. mushrooms, finely chopped
1 medium orange bell pepper, chopped
1 T minced onion
1/2 C diced, cooked ham
6 oz. cheddar cheese, shredded
Pepper, to taste

Directions

Sauté mushrooms and bell pepper for 5 minutes until liquid from mushrooms has evaporated.

Add in 1 T minced onion and ham.

Pour in chicken broth and soaked lentils. Simmer for 5-7 minutes, covered.

Season with pepper. Simmer, uncovered until liquid is evaporated.

Remove from the heat and stir in about 3 oz. of the cheddar cheese.

Pour into a lightly greased 2-quart casserole dish. Top with remaining cheese.

Bake at 400 for 10-15 minutes until cheese is melted and lightly browned.

Enjoy!

Ingredient Spotlight: PB & J

noreply@blogger.com (SnoWhite) — Wed, 01 May 2013 04:35:00 PDT

This week’s Ingredient Spotlight is a special one – it’s Tiffany’s last time hosting.

Tiffany has been hosting Ingredient Spotlight for years, and while I am super sad to see her go, I am blessed to have had the change to co-host with her this year.

What does this mean for Ingredient Spotlight? Well, I’m going to keep hosting it weekly, and I do hope you’ll keep coming back and sharing your recipes.

Participation is simple, just link up a recipe that includes the ingredient(s) included in the spotlight! The summer schedule is below:

Ingredient Spotlight Schedule for May, June & July:

May
8th – Leafy Greens (e.g., Kale, Spinach, Swiss Chard, etc)
15th – Rhubarb
22nd – Brats or Hotdogs
29th – Strawberry & a fruit of your choice!

June
5th – Asparagus
12th – Blueberries
19th – Mushrooms
26th – Cream Cheese & Fruit

July
3rd – Balsamic Vinegar
10th – Bell Peppers
17th – Green Beans
24th – Zucchini/Summer Squash
31st – Basil & Pasta

This week, we’re sending Tiffany out with a peanut butter & jelly spotlight. Stop over to her place and link up your recipes. Don’t have any using PB&J? Then stop by to find some new recipes.

3 Tips for Finding a Good Recipe

noreply@blogger.com (SnoWhite) — Tue, 30 Apr 2013 06:36:28 PDT

Cookbooks galore.

Internet recipe sites.

Food blogs.

Pinterest.

Sometimes it can be overwhelming to find a good recipe.

Here are my Top 3 Tips for Finding a Good Recipe:

Look for ingredients your family enjoys.
Look for ingredients you regularly cook with, but perhaps are used in a different way.
Look for strong reviews or comments of people who have actually made the recipe with success.

When I look at recipes online, I go by these three item all the time. If there are recipes that use ingredients we don’t regularly have on hand, or ingredients that we don’t like, that’s not going to be a recipe for us.

I might initially find a recipe that looks appealing based on a photo, but if the comments only consist of “oh, that looks great!” – and the ingredient list doesn’t match up to what we would typically cook with, I am hesitant to give it a try.

What about you, how do you find a good recipe?

Blackberry Oat Muffins {SRC}

noreply@blogger.com (SnoWhite) — Sun, 28 Apr 2013 21:00:01 PDT

These Blackberry Oat Muffins are extra special, and pretty enough to serve to guests!

I found them over on Emily’s blog – Life on Food – my assignment for this month’s Secret Recipe Club.

Emily has lived in 4 states – ranging from the corn fields of the mid-west to the hot south, and now resides in the north east. And, she has some amazing looking recipe on her blog: Texas Roadhouse Dinner Rolls, Sweet Potato Hash with Brussels Sprouts & Bacon, Carrot Cake Pancakes, and Crockpot Herbed Garlic Chicken (which uses my favorite spices!).

I ended up choosing these blackberry oat muffins, and we really enjoyed them.

In true Finding Joy in My Kitchen fashion, we made some healthy substitutions:

Used whole wheat flour rather than all purpose
Reduced the sugar by 1/2 C.
Used applesauce in place of Greek yogurt.
Reduced the amount of butter.

The result was a delicious muffin.

Blackberry Oat Muffins – Adapted from Emily @ Life on Food

Ingredients

2 C whole wheat flour
3/4 C Old Fashioned Oats
1/2 C brown sugar
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
pinch of salt
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1 C unsweetened applesauce
1/2 C milk
2 T butter, melted
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla extract
6 oz. fresh blackberries

Directions

In a large bowl mix together 2 C whole wheat flour with 3/4 C oats. Add in a pinch of salt, 1/2 C brown sugar, 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder, 1/2 tsp. baking soda, and 1/2 tsp. of cinnamon. Stir well.

Add in 1 C unsweetened applesauce, 1 egg, 1 tsp. vanilla extract.

Stir in 2 T melted butter and then up to 1/2 C milk, until you have a thick, but batter-like batter.

Chop up your blackberries into coarse pieces. I sliced each berry into 2-3 sections.

Toss those berries into the batter.

Carefully fold the berries in until just combined.

Scoop into muffin tins that have been lightly greased. They will fill about 12 regular muffin tins, or 6 jumbo muffins.

If desired, sprinkle the top with coarse sugar.

Bake at 350 for 20-23 minutes until lightly browned and a toothpick inserted into the center of the muffin comes out clean.

Cool for 2-3 minutes in the pan. Then, remove the muffins and allow them to cool on a cooling rack.

Serve slightly warm, or at room temperature.

Enjoy!

Menu Plan–April 28

noreply@blogger.com (SnoWhite) — Sun, 28 Apr 2013 13:55:00 PDT

We finally have hit spring – I think. No more snow in the forecast, and we officially grilled Friday night for the first time this season.

Last week’s menu was filled with new recipes: Chicken Fajitas, Cheesy Bacon Lentils, Creamy Cauliflower Rice and Sweet Potato Kale Chicken Patties.

We had one new recipe (stuffed shells) that we didn’t get around to making, and had quick spaghetti instead.

Our new favorite recipe goes to the Cheesy Bacon Lentils. Yum-o.

Coming in second place – Cauliflower Rice.

This week, we’re going back to some simpler meals – but trying one newbie too.

Sunday
Berry Baked Oatmeal
Lazy Sunday Casserole, green veggies

To do: Nothing!

Monday
Granola
Sweet Potato & Black Bean Wraps, steamed broccoli

To do: Make rice or sweet potato puree

Tuesday
Granola with blueberries
Zucchini, Carrot & Black Bean Rice, or Healthy Mac & Cheese

To do: Thaw beef strips

Wednesday

Whole Wheat Waffles, berry sauce
Philly Cheesesteak Melts, steamed veggies

To do: Thaw chicken

Thursday
Granola and yogurt with berry sauce
Crockpot Baked Potatoes, Island Chicken

To do: Soak lentils

Friday
Veggie Scramble
Lentil Joe’s {new}, homemade whole wheat buns

Saturday
TBD
Grilling, Mediterranean Veggie Packets {new}, and Potato Packets

Find more great menus at OrgJunkie’s Menu Plan Monday!

Weekly Recap

noreply@blogger.com (SnoWhite) — Sat, 27 Apr 2013 07:53:00 PDT

In case you missed it – this week we shared recipes for:

DIY Hamburger Helper – Italian Style. An easy skillet dish filled with Italian sausage, veggies and of course, topped with cheese! Get the recipe here.

Kitchen Tip – Keeping Homemade Bread Soft. Without preservatives, the shelf-life of homemade bread is very short. We’ve found a secret though, to keeping it fresh!

Ingredient Spotlight – Bacon & Potatoes! Some delicious links were shared this week, including Bacon Ranch Potato Salad, Cheesy Potato Popper Wraps, & Cheddar Bacon Potatoes. Check out the rest of the recipes here.

Vegetables with Alfredo Sauce. A simple meal, but extremely flavorful. Love that the Alfredo is made from beans! No kidding. Go check out that recipe here.

Weekly Stats

Most Viewed: Caramel Apple Cheesecake Crumble Bars
Most Pinned: Sweet Potato Corn Bread
Most Shared: Parmesan Chicken Bake
Most Liked: Keeping Homemade Bread Fresh

Friday Favorite Finds #156

noreply@blogger.com (SnoWhite) — Fri, 26 Apr 2013 04:30:00 PDT

Spring might finally be here… we had 4 more inches of snow on Monday, but since then the sun has been shining & temps are rising! I have a whole bunch of delicious eats to share with you today --

{Note: All images are from the original blogger; please pin the source!}

Homemade Twix Bars – My blogging friend Lara made these amazing looking dessert bars with chocolate & caramel. I can’t wait to try these out for Bible study in the coming weeks! Get the recipe here. Pin the recipe here.

Black Bean Veggie Wraps – After having dessert first (see bars above), these wraps look like an incredible way to enjoy lunch. I found them on the Sweet Happy Life blog, and I am so glad that I did. They are stuffed with zucchini, butternut squash and black beans… yum! Get the recipe here. Pin the recipe here.

Banana Split Bars – I love the idea of a banana split, but, I have allergies to raw bananas. Anyone else? Darn oral allergy syndrome. But, these bars overcome that limitation because the bananas are cooked into a delicious bar and have all the goodness of a banana split, including chocolate & cherries (although, I’ll have to leave out the nuts)! Get the recipe here. Pin the recipe here.

Homemade Frozen Pizza. The bloggers at Love and Olive Oil posted a brilliant idea – make your own frozen pizza. I love this because we all know there are “those nights” where a frozen pizza would come in handy. I’ll feel much better about tossing one of these homemade pizzas into the oven! Get the recipe here. Pin the recipe here.

If you were featured, feel free to grab the button below!

What did you find this week?

Vegetables with Alfredo Sauce

noreply@blogger.com (SnoWhite) — Thu, 25 Apr 2013 04:12:00 PDT

Looking for a way to increase your vegetable consumption? How about veggies smothered in Alfredo sauce?

Arguably, this might minimize the health benefits of the vegetables, right?

Not with this Alfredo sauce.

The base: Great White Northern (or Cannellini) Beans.

Seriously.

Give it a try.

Vegetables with Alfredo Sauce – Adapted from Finding Joy in My Kitchen

Ingredients

2 C whole wheat penne pasta
1 (14 oz) can Great White Northern or Cannellini Beans, drained
3 medium bell peppers, red, orange or yellow, diced
8 oz. mushrooms, sliced
6 stalks of asparagus, cut into 1-inch pieces
2-3 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 C milk
1/4 C Parmesan cheese
salt & pepper, to taste

Directions

Begin by boiling the pasta according to package directions. Drain and set aside.

Meanwhile, sauté the bell peppers, mushrooms, asparagus and garlic in a skillet until crisp tender – about 10 minutes. If you normally need to use some olive oil to sauté, do that here.

Using a blender, puree your rinsed white beans, adding up to 1/4 C milk to help create a smooth sauce. Season with salt and pepper.

Pour the sauce over the cooked and drained pasta. Add 1/4 C Parmesan cheese and season with salt and pepper.

Stir well until the sauce covers all the pasta.

Pour the veggies into the pasta mixture and stir to combine.

Serve warm, topped with additional Parmesan cheese, if desired.

You could easily add cooked, diced chicken or Italian sausage to this dinner!

Ingredient Spotlight: Potatoes & Bacon

noreply@blogger.com (SnoWhite) — Wed, 24 Apr 2013 04:02:00 PDT

Thanks for joining us again for the Ingredient Spotlight! Are you enjoying this feature? Tiffany and I love seeing all the amazing recipes you share. Recipe inspiration is always welcome here.

After a delicious quinoa week last week, we are on to a double feature this time: Potatoes & Bacon.

Here are our favorite recipes using potatoes & bacon:

Baked Potato Dip with Potato Dippers. A cream-cheesy sauce stuffed with spinach, bacon, broccoli and peppers, served atop a crunch homemade potato chip!

Zuppa Tuscana Soup. A knock-off of Olive Garden’s version, this creamy soup combines bacon and potato with spinach and Italian sausage in a delicious soup that even freezes well.

Baked Potato Pizza. Use leftover mashed potatoes as the “sauce” on this pizza and top it with your favorite potato toppings – including bacon!

Chicken Cheddar & Potatoes. A simple skillet dish with fantastic flavor – brought about by the one and only, bacon.

I’m sure you have lots of ways to pair up bacon & potatoes – so bring on the recipes! I can’t wait to see them.

Kitchen Tip: Keeping Homemade Bread Fresh

noreply@blogger.com (SnoWhite) — Tue, 23 Apr 2013 09:45:00 PDT

Homemade bread is the best, isn’t it?

There is nothing better than pulling a loaf from the oven – the aroma overwhelmingly delicious.

Like this Wheat Buttermilk Bread.
Or, this Wheat, Oat & Honey Loaf.

But, if you don’t eat the entire loaf in one day, the bread just isn’t the same two days later.

Without all the dough conditioners and preservatives, homemade bread has a very sort shelf life, especially when it comes to texture.

Since we have not purchased bread in more than 5 years, we’ve tried just about everything to keep bread fresh: storing it cut-side down on a plate, in the microwave, in a bag, in Tupperware… you name it, we’ve tried it.

Keeping Bread Fresh

Here’s what we’ve discovered: the freezer is your best friend.

Freezing your bread preserves the texture of your bread and keeps it incredibly moist for weeks.

Here’s what we do:

1) Bake bread, enjoy it fresh on day one.

2) Slice the entire loaf.

3) Place slices into a freezer-safe plastic bag.

4) Freeze. You can keep your bread in the freezer for a few months.

5) Simply remove slices as you need them.

6) Thaw on a plate and use as you need.

What do you do to keep homemade bread fresh?

DIY Hamburger Helper – Italian Style

noreply@blogger.com (SnoWhite) — Mon, 22 Apr 2013 13:47:00 PDT

So, this isn’t exactly a hamburger helper – but it has a similar approach being made in the skillet.

In fact, I’d argue it’s better. Real ingredients make a huge difference.

You’ll find Italian sausage (we used turkey sausage), whole wheat pasta, spinach, tomatoes and mushrooms in this one, along with onion, garlic and parsley!

DIY Hamburger Helper – Italian Style

Ingredients

12 oz. whole wheat pasta (we used penne)
1/2 lb. ground Italian sausage
1 can diced tomatoes, undrained
8 oz. mushrooms, sliced
1 T mined onion
1 tsp. minced garlic
1 tsp. parsley
1 tsp. oregano or basil, your choice (or, do some of both!)
1 can (14 oz) tomato sauce
1 C spinach (fresh or frozen)
1-2 T milk
1/4 C Mozzarella cheese

Directions

Begin by browning the Italian sausage in a large skillet. Drain. Then, return the sausage to the skillet and add in 1 can diced tomatoes (undrained), 8 oz. sliced mushrooms, 1 T minced onion, 1 tsp. minced garlic, 1 tsp. parsley, and 1 tsp. mix of basil and oregano.

Add in 1 can of tomato sauce and bring the skillet mixture to a low, slow simmer. Simmer until the sauce thickens slightly – about 10 minutes. Meanwhile, bring your pasta to a boil and cook according to package directions. Drain.

When sauce has thickened, add in 1 C spinach. This can be fresh or frozen, but should be torn or chopped. Add in 1-2 T milk at this point too. Stir.

Add in cooked pasta. Stir well.

Sprinkle the top with 1/4 C shredded mozzarella cheese. Allow the cheese to melt.

Serve warm.