Heat Oven to 350

Perfect Soft Sugar Cookies

noreply@blogger.com (Nicole) — Thu, 11 Feb 2016 22:17:00 +0000

So many posts have begun this way lately, but I honestly thought this recipe was already on here. It's my very favorite sugar cookie, and I've made it so many times that I just assumed that I had already shared it. If you are a fan of soft, cakey sugar cookies, my apologies for not sharing it sooner. For me, this is the soft sugar cookie recipe that I searched for years to find. I tried every kind of variation on sugar cookies and even some cake recipes, trying to find the perfect balance of buttery, sweet, soft, and cake-like. Once I tried this recipe, I immediately put six stars on the recipe page (out of a possible 5 stars) and wrote, "May I never use a different sugar cookie recipe again." A little dramatic? Perhaps. But you'll have to taste the cookies yourself to decide how much.

As I've said, these cookies are soft. If you are into the buttery, snap-in-your-mouth sugar cookies, these aren't for you. However, if you love those cakey cookies that are sold in your supermarket loaded with frosting, you've come to the right place. On their own, these cookies aren't overly sweet. In fact, that is one thing I love about them. They are perfect with just a dusting of sugar on top before baking. If you want to load on the frosting, though, these cookies are great for that, too. They are also fairly easy to make, without extra chilling steps or difficult-to-roll dough. They hold shape well when you cut them, and did I mention they were soft and delicious? May I never use a different sugar cookie recipe again.

Perfect Soft Sugar Cookies

By Heat Oven To 350 Published 02/11/2016

Ingredients

3 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar, divided
1 large egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup buttermilk
Frosting (optional)

Instructions

In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
In the bowl of a standing mixer or with an electric mixer, beat together butter and 1/2 cup sugar until fluffy. Add egg and vanilla and beat until incorporated. Add 1/2 of the flour mixture, beat until combined, and then 1/2 of the buttermilk, beating until combined. Repeat once with remaining flour mixture and buttermilk. Place dough on a piece of plastic wrap, flatten into a palm-sized circle and wrap plastic wrap around it. Refrigerate until cold, at least 2 hours. (Dough can stay in the fridge for up to 24 hours)
Heat oven to 350 degrees. On a lightly floured surface, roll dough until 1/4 inch thick. Cut the dough into shapes of your choice and place them on a cookie sheet, spacing them at least 1 inch apart. Sprinkle cookies with remaining 1/4 cup sugar. Bake until cookies are just starting to brown, about 10-12 minutes. (I prefer them to be just barely brown. Check early if you are using a small cookie cutter.) Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. Decorate with frosting if desired.

Yield: 2 dozen cookies
Prep Time: 20 mins. (Plus 2 hours chilling time)

Cook time: 10 mins.
Total time: 1 hrs. 30 mins.
Recipe Source: America's Best Lost Recipes

Cranberry Fruit Bread

noreply@blogger.com (Nicole) — Sat, 19 Dec 2015 14:38:00 +0000

There are about 500 things on my to do list right now. I promised my husband that last year would be the last we'd travel for the holidays but being so far from family is hard and somehow I convinced him to do it again this year. For one final time. :) So, to add to the normal list of things-to-do around this time of year, such as bake treats and buy presents and see Christmas lights and so on, we're also searching the house for travel-sized shampoos, dusting off the luggage and making travel bags to help our preschooler and toddler be entertained during the 7 hour flight journey across the country.

During all this, I'm taking a brief break to post this recipe because I've been wanting to post it for 5 whole years. And for some reason, things always get busy, and I don't post it, and another year goes by with me wishing I had it on here. This is one of my family's favorites that I grew up eating every year and it's really almost sacrilege that it has taken me so long to share it. One, because of it being said classic, and two, because it's the best cranberry bread out there, in my opinion. It's a buttery, rich bread that lets the perfect, bright, sour flavor of the cranberries shine. It's not overly sweet, but there is plenty of sweetness from the bread and the golden raisins to tame the cranberries and just give a wonderful balance of sweet and sour. It is a perfect Christmas time snack, a great bread to give as a gift, or even a wonderful addition to a Christmas brunch. Whatever the reason you find to bake it, make sure that you do. Enjoy, and have a merry Christmas!

Cranberry Fruit Bread

By Heat Oven To 350 Published 12/19/2015

Ingredients

2 cups flour
1 cup white sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 cup butter
1 egg
1 teaspoon orange zest
3/4 cup orange juice
1 1/2 cups golden raisins
1 1/2 cups chopped fresh cranberries

Instructions

Heat oven to 350 degrees and grease a 9x5x3 inch loaf pan. (Or 3 mini loaf pans). In a large bowl, stir together flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and baking soda. Using two butter knives or a pastry blender, cut in butter until mixture is crumbly. Stir in egg, orange zest and orange juice just until mixture is evenly moist. Fold in raisins and cranberries.
Spoon mixture into prepared loaf pans and bake for 1 hour 10 minutes (large loaf pan; 35-40 minutes for mini loaf pans) or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove from pan and cool on a wire rack.

Yield: 1 large loaf (Or 3 small)
Prep Time: 00 hrs. 20 mins.

Cook time: 01 hrs. 10 mins.
Total time: 1 hrs. 30 mins.
Recipe Source: Cranberry Thanksgiving (a children's book)

Cauliflower Tots

noreply@blogger.com (Nicole) — Wed, 04 Nov 2015 15:00:00 +0000

The great Halloween detox has begun around our house. This mostly means I'm so sick of eating candy I'm hiding it on myself. I've eaten way more than either child this year. Blast those 100 Grands! My husband started making costumes for Halloween when Amelia was a baby, and this year the tradition continued. Our girls were Alice in Wonderland and the Cheshire Cat. My husband vastly overestimated how many hours are in a day and I may have spent most of the day before Halloween sewing purple and pink striped leggings and a tunic while my girls ran around the house like wild animals. It's always fun, though, to see them get so excited to dress up.

This is a recipe I've been wanting to post for months, so now is as good a time as any as we try to slowly get the sugar out of our system. We've been craving some "real" food at our house, and these cauliflower tots fit the bill nicely. First of all, my daughters love them. They have no idea that they are made with cauliflower, but they love that they are cheesy and dip nicely into ketchup. Second of all, I love them too. Cauliflower, being the ultimate diguisable vegetable, blends deliciously in these cheesy, crispy, oniony stand-ins for tater tots. I've made these for lunch for the kids maybe five times now, and every time I make them I tell myself I'll just eat leftovers and leave the tots for the girls but I always end up pulling out a plate for myself after stealing three or four off of theirs. They are a fun way to eat cauliflower and a healthier alternative to real tater tots. And a delicious way to get off the junk food train of this past weekend.

Cauliflower Tots

By Heat Oven To 350 Published 11/04/2015

Ingredients

5-6 cups cauliflower florets (about 1 small-medium head)
1/2 cup chopped green onion
1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese
1/2 cup dried breadcrumbs (I've used panko as a substitute but usually have to add about 1/4 cup more of the panko to thicken the mixture enough)
3/4 teaspoon salt
pepper
1 large egg
1 egg white

Instructions

Heat oven to 400 degrees and spray a cookie sheet with cooking spray. (Or use parchment paper or a silpat liner.) Add the cauliflower florets to a microwave safe bowl with 1/4 cup water. Cover and cook for 6-7 minutes or until florets are tender but not mushy. Drain water. (Alternatively, you can steam the florets in a saucepan with a little boiling water on the stovetop.)
Add cooked florets to a food processor and pulse a few times until they are chopped finely. (If you don't have a food processor, chop them by hand.) You should get about 2 cups of cooked, chopped florets.
Add the green onion, cheese, breadcrumbs and salt and pulse a few times until combined. Taste the mixture, add salt and pepper as needed, and then add the egg and egg white. Pulse again to mix.
Using either your hands or a small cookie scoop, divide mixture into 1-2 T portions and place on prepared cookie sheet. (The mixture will be fairly loose. Just pack it together the best you can. The pieces will solidify more while baking.)
Bake tots in oven for 16-18 minutes, or until they are golden brown and fragrant. Remove from oven and serve.

Yield: 4 servings
Prep Time: 20 mins.

Cook time: 18 mins.
Total time: 38 mins.
Recipe Source: adapted from skinnytaste.com

Swirled Yeast Bread

noreply@blogger.com (Nicole) — Thu, 22 Oct 2015 14:00:00 +0000

I've been wanting to post this recipe for years but somehow I could never get a good picture of it before it got eaten. And it deserves a proper pictures, wouldn't you say? I love the pretty swirls of the white and wheat dough. It's fun every time I slice into a new loaf to see how they turned out. While it is not the quickest homemade bread recipe I've made, it is the most impressive. It's a great bread to make to share with a new neighbor or bring to a potluck because it is so pretty, but it also tastes as good as it looks. Hence the lack of photos before now because it gets devoured so quickly. It's the perfect bread to bake up during these cool, autumn days. Enjoy!

Swirled Yeast Bread

By Heat Oven To 350 Published 10/22/2015

Ingredients

Wheat Dough:

2 cup all purpose flour
2 1/2 tablespoons sugar
1 package (1/4 ounce, 2 1/4 teaspoons) active dry yeast
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 cups warm milk
3 tablespoons molasses
2 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 1/4 cups whole wheat flour

White Dough

3 1/4 cup flour
2 1/2 tablespoons sugar
1 package (1/4 ounce, 2 1/4 teaspoons) active dry yeast
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 cups warm milk
2 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil

Instructions

For Wheat Dough: In a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a standing mixer, combine the all purpose flour, sugar, yeast and salt. Add the milk and oil and beat until smooth. Add enough whole wheat flour to make a soft dough (dough will be sticky but will hold together). Knead 7-8 minutes, or until smooth and elastic. Place in a greased bowl and cover with saran wrap. Let rise until doubled, about 1- 1.5 hours.
For White Dough: In a mixing bowl or bowl of a standing mixer (can be the same bowl you used for the first dough) add flour, sugar, yeast and salt. Stir in milk and oil and beat until smooth. And enough of remaining all purpose flour to make a soft dough. Knead 7-8 minutes or until smooth and elastic. Place dough in a greased bowl and cover with saran wrap. Let rise until doubled, about 1-1.5 hours.
Punch down both doughs and divide in half. Roll one half of the wheat dough out on a lightly floured surface until it is about a 12x8 rectangle. Roll out half of the white dough to the same size. Carefully stack the rolled white dough rectangle over the wheat dough. Press all over the dough gently with the palm of your hand to seal the two doughs together. From the shorter end, start rolling the dough up like a jelly roll. When the dough is completely rolled, pinch the seam to seal it, tuck in the ends and place in a greased wide loaf pan. Repeat with the remaining dough to make two loaves total. Cover loosely with saran wrap and let rise until doubled, about 45 min.
Heat oven to 375 degrees. Bake 45-55 minutes, or until browned and cooked through. Cool for 10 minutes in the pans before removing to cool completely on a wire rack.

Yield: 2 large loaves
Prep Time: 20 mins.

Cook time: 55 mins. (plus ~3 hours rising time)
Total time: 75 mins.
Recipe Source: adapted from Taste of Home

Pumpkin Oat Chocolate Chippers

noreply@blogger.com (Nicole) — Thu, 08 Oct 2015 11:30:00 +0000

Pumpkin can be such a divisive food. Every year when Fall rolls around, there are people who cheer its arrival as a sign that everything pumpkin flavored is on its way. Pumpkin cookies, cakes, drinks, candy and whatever else you can imagine floods our stores and our kitchens for months.

This is not always a good thing for some people. Some people, my husband included, think pumpkin is not all that great, and the hype around pumpkin makes it even less appealing. My husband is in the minority at work in this opinion, and more than once he has come home and complained about the obsession people have with pumpkin flavored food.

Know what all that talk about pumpkin makes me want to do?

You guessed it. It makes me want pumpkin flavored treats even more. Just as my husband was finishing up sharing his thoughts on the subject, I had narrowed down my list of 5 potential pumpkin recipes to make to just one, and before he could even groan in response, the kitchen was full of sweet smelling pumpkin oat cookies. Poor guy.

I know there are a many different pumpkin recipes to choose from, and deciding which ones to make each Fall ends up being a task for me. If you are having trouble choosing which pumpkin treat you would like to make this year, let me make it easier on you by telling you that these cookies are the ones you want to make. Soft, moist, just the right touches of spices, a little chew from the oats and the rich, delicious flavor of chocolate chips, these cookies are incredible. There is something about chocolate and pumpkin flavor that I love together. This recipe makes a giant batch and I feel like I could have finished off the entire batch if I were given too much time alone with it. It has quickly become one of my favorite fall cookies, and soon will be yours, too.

Pumpkin Oat Chocolate Chippers

By Heat Oven To 350 Published 10/08/2015

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 cup quick cooking (not instant) oats
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 1/3 cups pack light brown sugar
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/4 cup canned pumpkin puree
1 3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Instructions

Heat oven to 350 degrees. In a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a standing mixer, beat butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar until creamy, scraping down the sides as needed. With the mixer running, stir in the egg, vanilla extract and pumpkin puree.
Add in the flour, oats, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger. Mix until well combined. Stir in the chocolate chips. Let batter rest 5-10 minutes for the oats to hydrate slightly to prevent runny cookies.
Scoop dough into 1 1/2-2 tablespoon sized balls and drop onto cookie sheets, leaving 2 inches between dough balls. Bake 12-14 minutes, or until cookies are puffed and starting to brown. Cool on the baking sheets several minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Yield: 40-48 cookies
Prep Time: 00 hrs. 10 mins.

Cook time: 00 hrs. 45 mins.
Total time: 55 mins.
Recipe Source: Maceys.com

Ratatouille

noreply@blogger.com (Nicole) — Fri, 18 Sep 2015 12:59:00 +0000

I'm on a semi-regular blogging schedule. Which actually means, a very irregular, take-breaks-for-the-summer, blog-when-I-feel-like-it kind of schedule. When I do, however, get my lazy self to actually photograph a dish and type it up, you can bet it has entered into the "winner" section of my recipe collection and I may or may not be posting it simply so I don't have to keep finding the tomato-splattered, marked up recipe card that I wrote the recipe on.

I found this ratatouille recipe this past winter when I was looking for veggie recipes to make for the kids. I made it on a whim because eggplant at the grocery store had been too beautiful to pass up and I can honestly say I was surprised how well it went over with my girls. The three year old loved helping me layer it all together and the then-ten-month old shoved it in her little mouth grinning the whole time. Then I took a bite myself and realized why they both loved it so much. The thin slices of vegetables get soft and sweeter during cooking, and combined with the garlicky tomato sauce surrounding them and the melted, salty Parmesan cheese on top, you have one tasty dish full of a variety of tastes and textures. I love that it is an easy way to get in a lot of vegetables and can be adapted to my family's vegetable tastes.

If you've never cooked much with eggplant this is a great recipe to start with because it doesn't require salting to ensure that it isn't bitter. The ratatouille tastes delicious served over brown rice, couscous or quinoa, and although I have yet to try it, I'm betting it would be awesome scooped onto a nice crusty piece of French bread, too. Another bonus? I take the leftovers and blend them up with some water or chicken broth to a consistency I like, season it with salt and pepper to taste, and use it as a killer terrific pasta sauce. See why it's a "winner" in my recipe book? Grab up some of the year's final fresh garden produce and make some ratatouille with it!

Ratatouille

Note: With all the slicing in this recipe, it is perfect if you have a mandoline slicer. If you don't, just slice the pieces as consistently as you can. Depending on how thickly you slice the pieces you may have to adjust the cooking time. Mine are usually between 1/8 and 1/4 inch thick. Also, make sure you don't skip the Parmesan or the final salting step. Both really help bring out the flavor of the vegetables.

By Heat Oven To 350 Published 09/18/2015

Ingredients

1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 Tablespoons minced garlic
1/4 cup olive oil, divided
3/4 cup water
sat and pepper to taste
1 medium eggplant, thinly sliced
1 zucchini thinly sliced
1 yellow squash, thinly sliced
2 red bell peppers, cored and thinly sliced
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

Instructions

Heat oven to 375 degrees. In a 9x9 or similar sized baking dish, add the tomato paste, onions, garlic, 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1/4 teaspoon salt and the 3/4 cup water. Stir to combine.
Alternate slices of eggplant, zucchini, yellow squash and red bell pepper over the tomato paste mixture and continue to arrange the slices starting at the outer edge of the dish and working toward the middle. Drizzle 3 tablespoons of olive oil over the top of the vegetables and sprinkle generously with kosher salt and ground pepper to taste. Sprinkle the thyme over the top, cover with foil and bake 40-45 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Top with Parmesan cheese, season to taste with salt and serve.

Yield: 4-6 servings
Prep Time: 15 mins.

Cook time: 20 mins.
Total time: 35 mins.
Recipe Source: adapted from allrecipes.com

Peach Chicken Rollups

noreply@blogger.com (Nicole) — Sat, 12 Sep 2015 09:36:00 +0000

I had to post another peach recipe while they were still in season because this recipe couldn't wait until next season rolls around. Its simple, yet amazing combination of flavors has made me crave it ever since I first tried it. I've made it for my family at least three times the last month and I plan on squeezing in one more time before the fresh peaches around here disappear. I'm not sure if it is the delicious sweet/sour pockets of peach flavor in these rollups, or the sweet, caramelized flavor of the onions that is my favorite thing about this dish. Or maybe it's the crispy tortilla shell wrapped around a cheesy chicken filling. It could also be the fact that it is easy and doesn't require the oven - still an important factor right now where I live. Whatever the reason, it's amazing, easy, delicious and worthy of the best peaches that late summer has to offer.

Peach Chicken Rollups

By Heat Oven To 350 Published 09/11/2015

Note: If you don't want to dirty two skillets for this dish, transfer the chicken mixture to a medium bowl before stirring in the cheese and carefully wipe the hot skillet clean before building your rollups and cooking them in it. You could wipe it clean after adding the cheese, too, but it will just be harder. With such a simple list of ingredients, make sure you use the best you can find for each one and don't shorten the onion cooking time. It really does make a difference to have the onions nice and soft for this dish.

Ingredients

2 cups shredded cooked chicken breast (rotisserie chicken works great for this)
1 medium onion, halved and thinly sliced
1 tablespoon oil 1 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 1/2 cups chopped, pitted fresh peaches
1/8 teaspoon chipotle chile powder (optional)
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
6 flour tortillas

Instructions

Heat the 1 tablespoon of oil and butter in a 12 inch skillet over medium low heat. Add onions and salt and cook, stirring frequently, until the onions are soft and starting to caramelize, about 15 minutes.
Add the shredded chicken to the onions along with the peaches and chipotle chile powder. Cook the mixture, stirring occasionally, until warmed, about 5 minutes. remove from heat and stir in cheddar cheese.
Heat another large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add about 1/4 cup of the chicken mixture down the center of a flour tortilla. Fold the sides over the chicken mixture and press lightly to flatten. Place seam side down in skillet to cook, flipping after one side browns. Repeat with remaining tortillas and chicken mixture. Serve immediately.

Yield: 4-6 servings
Prep Time: 10 mins.

Cook time: 25 mins.
Total time: 35 mins.
Recipe Source: Adapted from sugardishme.com

Peaches (Or Strawberries) and Cream

noreply@blogger.com (Nicole) — Sat, 05 Sep 2015 12:16:00 +0000

I know, I know, it's almost like this doesn't need a recipe. Peaches and cream is pretty self explanatory, right? I never thought much of it, and had never even tried it or any other fruit and cream combination until this summer. The town we live in has a strawberry festival every year and one of the big draws is their strawberries and cream. People go nuts over the stuff, but I never bothered to go to any of the events that had it. Being a dutiful mom this summer, though, I decided to bring the girls to the carnival and thought we should see why there was a line waiting for the strawberries and cream stand (one of many) to open. It didn't take more than a bite for me to realize what should have been obvious: cream is delicious on everything and very especially on fruit.

For the rest of the summer, we've had strawberries and cream many times. It is such an easy dessert and makes good use of delicious summer strawberries. When the end of summer came and local peaches started to ripen I switched from strawberries to peaches. I've tweaked the amounts of sugar, cream and other ingredients to make a cream mixture that we like. It's sweet, it's thick, and it has just the right amount of flavor to accentuate the fruit but not overpower it. It's a delicious way to enjoy some of the last fruits of summer.

Peaches (Or Strawberries) and Cream

Note: I've made this with about every variation of cream, milk, half and half and whatever else I had in my fridge. It probably goes without saying, but the heavy cream is the richest and best tasting. That said, plain milk tastes pretty good itself. It doesn't have the luxurious richness of cream, but it makes a yummy snack that you don't have to feel too guilty about.

By Heat Oven To 350 Published 09/05/2015

Ingredients

1 cup (1/2 pint) heavy cream
1/3 cup milk
6 tablespoons sugar
pinch of salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
6-8 peaches

Instructions

In a medium bowl, whisk together heavy cream, milk, sugar, salt and vanilla extract until sugar has dissolved. (This tastes even better when it has a chance to sit in the fridge overnight.)
Slice peaches into bite sized chunks and divide among 6-8 small bowls. Add a scant 1/4 cup of the cream mixture to each bowl and serve.

Yield: 6-8 servings
Prep Time: 00 hrs. 10 mins.

Cook time: None
Total time: 10 mins.
Recipe Source: HeatOvenTo350

Zucchini Pancakes

noreply@blogger.com (Nicole) — Fri, 28 Aug 2015 12:30:00 +0000

Hello! Can I just take a second and apologize for not posting for a while? No, there is no baby announcement or otherwise good reason for the long break. I'm just lazy. And busy with my kiddos. And generally lazy. But I really am sorry to leave you hanging. I know I can get sad when blogs I follow just stop being updated and I spend time wondering what happened and where the authors went and how their kids/spouse/cat are doing so I'm sorry if this happened to you. I doubt my laziness will go away, and word is that the kiddos are going to be around for a while so I don't think I will ever be back to a very regular schedule but I hope to put a recipe on here every once in a while to say hi and share with you.

I've told so many people about this recipe since I tried it for the first time last summer that I overcame my posting laziness to write it up on here. That alone should tell you that it's good. It's simplicity and ease itself and manages to use zucchini in a way that is not sugar filled. (Not that zucchini bread and cake doesn't hold a special place in my heart. And stomach.) The mild flavor of the zucchini tastes so good with the onion and egg in this recipe, and the overall effect is similar in flavor to a hash brown, but pillowy soft. My girls like to eat these with ketchup, but I prefer them plain. However you serve them, they are a great way to eat zucchini and a delicious breakfast or brunch.

Zucchini Pancakes

By Heat Oven To 350 Published 08/28/2015

Ingredients

2 medium zucchini (about 1 pound)
2 tablespoons grated onion
2 large eggs, beaten
6-8 tablespoons flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

Instructions

Using the large holes on a box grater or a food processor, grate the zucchini. (You should have about 3 cups of grated zucchini.) Place between a couple layers of paper towels and press lightly to remove excess moisture. Place the zucchini in a medium bowl and stir in grated onion and eggs. Add 6 tablespoons of the flour, the baking powder, salt and pepper. If the batter seems to thin after stirring everything together, add remaining 2 tablespoons flour.
Heat a large skillet over medium heat and spray with non-stick spray. Drop ~1/4 cup of batter onto the skillet and use the back of a spoon or measuring cup to spread it out until it is even and about 1/4-1/2 inches thick. Cook until browned on each side, about 2-3 minutes per side. (I usually cook one pancake, taste it, and add more salt if necessary.) Repeat with remaining batter. Serve immediately. (Pancakes can be placed in a 300 degree oven for up to 30 minutes to stay warm.)

Yield: 4 servings
Prep Time: 15 mins.

Cook time: 10 mins.
Total time: 25 mins.
Recipe Source: Adapted from Ina Garten's Barefoot Contessa at Home

Apple Pieke

noreply@blogger.com (Nicole) — Tue, 25 Nov 2014 13:28:00 +0000

Easy as a cake and as delicious as a pie, this apple pieke is one of my favorite apple desserts. I've tried many apple pie recipes through the years and though I have some I love, none of them can touch this recipe in terms of apple flavor, especially for the time invested. It is as easy as peeling apples, mixing a topping and letting it bake. Though not one of the most elegant looking desserts, it makes up for its humble looks with a mixture of sweet-tart apples with just the right amount of softness, a hint of cinnamon and a deliciously, buttery sweet topping. I don't think I have to tell you that this is also amazing topped with vanilla ice cream. If you want to add an easy, crowd pleasing apple dessert to your Thanksgiving table, this is the one.

Apple Pieke

By Heat Oven To 350 Published 11/25/2014

Ingredients

3 lbs Granny Smith apples (about 6-8 apples) peeled and sliced (No substitutions on apple variety or the pieke will be too sweet)
2 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
9 tablespoons butter, softened
3 large eggs
1 1/2 cups flour

Instructions

Heat oven to 350 and grease a 9x13 glas baking dish with butter. Add the sliced apples, 1 cup sugar and the cinnamon. Stir to combine and spread evenly across the bottom of the pan. Slice 1 tablespoon of butter into small pieces and dot evenly over the top of the apple mixture.
In a medium bowl using an electric mixer, combine remaining 1 1/2 cups sugar and 8 tablespoons butter until fluffy. Beat in the eggs, one at at time, until mixture is smooth. Beat in the flour just until combined. (The batter will be stiff) Spoon batter evenly over apples and spread so that the apples are covered.
Bake 50 minutes or until top is browned. Cool 15 -20 minutes before serving. Can also be chilled at room temperature or cold.

Yield: 12 servings
Prep Time: 20 mins.

Cook time: 30 mins.
Total time: 50 mins.
Recipe Source: sarahmoulton.com

S'mores Cheesecake

noreply@blogger.com (Nicole) — Wed, 19 Nov 2014 14:30:00 +0000

Please forgive me for not sharing this recipe years ago. I wanted to, I really did, but the problem with a recipe this good is that I always make it to share, and therefore I never get a chance to photograph it before slicing it up. Or after, since there are rarely leftovers. This time, however, I managed to do both, and I'm so excited to finally share it with you. Hopefully you will forgive me for being so selfish with such a delicious recipe.

And delicious it is, friends. So, so delicious. Buttery graham crust. Milk chocolate cheesecake. A fluffy, toasted marshmallow creme on top. It is even more delicious than it sounds. The chocolate cheesecake alone is sheer perfection, and one I've made by itself before because it turns out so well. I have never gotten cracks in it, despite not baking it in a water bath and not even being that careful most of the time knowing that the top will be covered with a fluffy marshmallow layer. True to s'mores form, the cheesecake is a sweet, milk chocolate. Don't expect dark chocolate, although you could do that if you want. For me, the milk chocolate is required for true s'mores flavor. The marshmallow topping is also delicious in its own right, and is just thick, fluffy and sweet enough to stand in for marshmallows. A little roasting under the broiler gives it the delicious toasted flavor that makes a s'more a s'more. No campfire required.

S'mores Cheesecake

By Heat Oven To 350 Published 11/19/2014

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs (from ~9 whole crackers ground fine in a food processor)
3 tablespoons sugar
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
9 ounces milk chocolate bar (not chips) chopped
2 8-ounce packages cream cheese, at room temperature
3/4 cup sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup heavy whipping cream, at room temperature
3 large eggs, at room temperature
1 cup sugar
2 large egg whites
3 tablespoons water
1 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/8 teaspoon salt
12 large marshmallows, cut into quarters with wet kitchen scissors (mini marshmallows have too much cornstarch coating to work well as a sub here)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

For the crust: Make sure oven rack is in the center of the oven and heat oven to 350 degrees. Mix graham crumbs, sugar and melted butter in a medium bowl. Press mixture on the bottom of a 9" diameter springform pan. Bake in preheated oven until crust is starting to brown, about 12 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool to room temperature. Reduced oven temperature to 325 degrees.
For the filling: In a double boiler or a microwave at 50% power, melt chocolate. Cool to lukewarm, stirring occasionally.
In a food processor, combine cream cheese, sugar and salt and process until smooth. With the processor running, add whipping cream and process just until combined. Add eggs, one at a time, with the motor running, stopping to scraped down sides after each addition.
When the last egg has been added and the mixture is processed smooth, pour it into the springform pan over the cooled crust and bake until the cheesecake is slightly puffed and has barely set in the center (It will look shiny in the very middle and jiggle slightly when the pan is gently shaken.) about 55-65 minutes. Remove cake from oven and place on cooling rack. Run a knife around the edge of the cake to loosen it from the sides of the pan. Cool on the counter for an hour, then place in the fridge and chill, uncovered, 8 hours or overnight. The cake can be made up to 2 days ahead.
For the topping: Whisk the sugar, egg whites, 3 tablespoons water, cream of tartar and 1/8 teaspoon salt in a large metal or glass bowl. Place the bowl over a saucepan of boiling water (making sure the water doesn't actually touch the bowl) and whisk constantly until the mixture thickens and is hot to touch. This can take anywhere from about 5 minutes to 15 depending on whether your bowl is metal or glass and how thick it is. The mixture will whiten as it starts to thicken but make sure it is hot to the touch before you move on to the next step.
Remove bowl from heat (leave pan of water simmering on the stove) and stir in marshmallows. Let stand until the marshmallows are starting to soften, about 3 minutes. Place bowl back over simmering water and, using a hand held electric mixer, beat the mixture until stiff peaks form, about 4-8 minutes. (Again, this is variable. Go by visual clues over time.) Beat in vanilla.
Spoon topping onto cheesecake, and spread with an offset spatula. Use spatula to make decorative peaks. Let stand until set, about 15 minutes.
Preheat broiler. Place cheesecake 4+ inches from broiler elements and broil until topping is lightly browned in spots. You must watch this closely because it will not take long to go from lightly browned to burnt. Chill cake until cold.

Yield: 8-10 servings
Prep Time: 35 mins.

Cook time: 9 hrs. 20 mins. Includes 8 hours chilling time
Total time: 9 hrs. 55 mins.
Recipe Source: adapted slightly from Bon Appetit

Sausage Stuffed Acorn Squash

noreply@blogger.com (Nicole) — Thu, 13 Nov 2014 14:16:00 +0000

When I first moved to Minnesota I kept the Vermont plates on my car for a little while since I was a student and didn't consider myself "permanent" there. One thing I noticed with the out of state plates was that nearly every time I was doing something with my car - filling the tank, getting a car wash, getting the oil changed - someone would ask me about the winters in Vermont. They always wanted to know how bad they were. I thought it was weird for a while until I realized that they were asking because they wanted to know how Vermont winters stacked up against Minnesota winters. They were honestly curious. And after a few years living there, I started to realize why. You see, when you get a foot of snow at the beginning of November, like some parts of Minnesota got this week, or when it is -30 below and your car won't start, or when you know what it feels like to have your eyelashes freeze together, you start to take sick pride in just how horrible the winters are. You have to tell yourself that you are surviving the worst winters possible so that you don't get depressed about the fact that you've been bundling up to go outside for months and you are still months away from wearing sandals. Other places may have tough winters, but you are surviving the toughest.

In honor of all the first snowfalls that fell across parts of the country this week, I'm posting this very wintery comfort food dish. I love squash and sausage, so trying this recipe out I was fairly certain I would like it, but I was surprised at how well the two went together. The roasted acorn squash has a sweet, mellow flavor that balances the salty, spicy sausage really well. The sour cream and cheese mixed in give the filling a delicious creaminess that is rich without being over-the-top decadent. Celery adds crunch and mushrooms add flavor to a very simple stuffing that is easy to put together. I streamlined the recipe a little bit and started the squash cooking in the microwave while the filling was being cooked so that the overall baking time was an hour less. This recipe can also be lightened up a bit by using turkey sausage and low fat sour cream and it is still rich, delicious and filling. This is the kind of meal that makes you look forward to cold nights and staying in and watching the snow fall. Even in the middle of November.

Sausage Stuffed Acorn Squash

By Heat Oven To 350 Published 11/14/2014

Ingredients

2 acorn squash, halved and seeded
1 pound ground sausage
1 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup chopped mushrooms
1/4 cup chopped onion
1 egg, beaten
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese

Instructions

Place squash cut side down on a microwave safe plate and add 2 tablespoons of water to the plate. Microwave 5-6 minutes or until squash is starting to get tender.
While squash is cooking, heat a large skillet over medium heat. Cook and stir the sausage until browned, about 5-7 minutes. Drain fat and discard. Add celery, mushrooms and onion. Cook and stir until celery is softened, 5-10 minutes. Remove skillet from heat.
Beat egg in a large bowl and stir in sour cream and Parmesan cheese. Stir the cheese mixture into the sausage mixture. Divide among the cooked acorn squash halves and place, upright, in a 9x13 baking dish. Bake in oven until the filling is heated through, about 20 minutes.

Yield: 4 servings
Prep Time: 10 mins.

Cook time: 40 mins.
Total time: 50 mins.
Recipe Source: adapted slightly from allrecipes.com

Cranberry Oatmeal Bars

noreply@blogger.com (Nicole) — Tue, 04 Nov 2014 17:12:00 +0000

Happy Election Day! I love Election Day partly because I just love the feeling I get after I finish voting. It makes me feel so proud to live in this country and for the right we have to vote. The good feeling makes it worth the hassle of going to polling place and waiting in a line, even the three hour wait I had a couple years ago. And the possibly horrible experience waiting for me this year when I bring a toddler and a seven month old along. Still worth it! If you've voted, you probably know what I'm talking about.

The good feeling from voting is usually reward enough, but in case you want to reward yourself further, here are some cranberry oatmeal bars you should make, like, today. Or as soon as possible. They are super easy, super tasty, and perfect for this time of year. They are sweet and tart and perfectly soft, yet chewy. This is one of only a handful of treats I've made that my husband has eaten repeated servings of. The whole pan disappeared much faster than is healthy for our family but the gluttony certainly tasted good. This is a perfect recipe for a fall potluck or sweet treat on a chilly fall night.

Cranberry Oatmeal Bars

By Heat Oven To 350 Published 10/28/2014

Ingredients

3/4 cup butter, melted (1 1/2 sticks)
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup white sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup flour
2 cups old fashioned oats (not the instant or quick cooking kind)
1 cup dried cranberries

Instructions

Heat oven to 350 and spray an 8x8 pan with non-stick cooking spray. In a large bowl, combine the butter, sugars, egg, vanilla and cinnamon. Stir in remaining ingredients and stir until just combined. (Mixture will be thick)
Spread batter in prepared pan and bake 25-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Cool bars in the pan before cutting into squares and serving.

Yield: 16 servings
Prep Time: 10 mins.

Cook time: 35 mins.
Total time: 45 mins.
Recipe Source: adapted slightly from www.penzeys.com

Potatoes O'Brien

noreply@blogger.com (Nicole) — Mon, 27 Oct 2014 13:43:00 +0000

This is my favorite potato dish. More than mashed or smashed or scalloped or baked or any other way to make potatoes, this simple little hash is my first choice. It is a mixture of perfectly tender, but not mushy, potatoes, sweet and soft bell peppers, delicious onions and just enough Worcestershire sauce to make you wonder what that great seasoning is over it all. It may seem like a lot of chopping at first, but I promise that is the hardest part of making it. And there is no peeling required, which is good because peeling potatoes ranks at the bottom of my list of cooking tasks I like to do. The hash works great as a breakfast or lunch dish, but equally well as a dinner or side dish. Try it once and you'll be looking for excuses to make it again and again and again.

Potatoes O'Brien

By Heat Oven To 350 Published 10/27/2014

Ingredients

2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 1/2 pounds red potatoes chopped in 1/2 inch pieces (No substitutions here. Other potato varieties will break down and get mushy during cooking in this recipe)
1 onion, chopped
2 bell peppers, your color choice, chopped in 1/2 inch pieces
1/2 cup low sodium chicken broth
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
salt and pepper
4 green onions, sliced thin

Instructions

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add potatoes, onion and peppers and toss to coat with the oil.
Stir in the broth, Worcestershire sauce and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt. Cover the skillet and let cook, stirring occasionally, until potatoes are tender, about 15 minutes.
Remove the lid from the skillet and cook, stirring occasionally, until the liquid has evaporated and potatoes are starting to brown, 12-15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste and top with green onions before serving.

Yield: 4 servings
Prep Time:10 mins.

Cook time: 35 mins.
Total time: 45 mins.
Recipe Source: Cook's Country

Sweet and Sour Joes with Sesame Ginger Slaw

noreply@blogger.com (Nicole) — Mon, 20 Oct 2014 20:35:00 +0000

There are so many reasons why I love these sweet and sour sloppy joes. First of all, I'm a fan of sloppy joes in general. Saucy meat on a freshly cut bun? Delicious. Second of all, the sweet in this recipe comes from maple syrup. As any good former Vermonter, I love maple syrup in just about everything. It has the most amazing, distinct sweet flavor. (I'm talking about real maple syrup here, not the Aunt Jemima stuff.) Thirdly, the sesame ginger slaw that goes on top of these joes is heavenly all by itself, but especially good with the sweet, tangy, spicy meat sauce. It's a happy combination of flavors that make this Asian take on sloppy joes as delicious as the original. Despite the long list of ingredients, the joes and the slaw are quick to put together and easy as well, making this a weeknight meal that you'll come back to again and again.

Sweet and Sour Joes with Sesame Ginger Slaw

By Heat Oven To 350 Published 10/20/2014

Ingredients

For the Sweet and Sour Joes:

1.5 pounds ground beef or turkey
1 onion, chopped
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1/2 cup maple syrup (or agave)
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1 16 oz jar salsa (mild, medium or hot based on your taste)
6 hamburger buns

For the Sesame Ginger Slaw:

1 package coleslaw mix (16 oz) or 1/2 head of cabbage, shredded
1 cup shredded carrot
1 green onion, chopped
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
2 teaspoons honey
1 tablespoon fresh ginger, minced
1 tablespoon lemon juice

Instructions

In a large skillet, brown ground beef or turkey and chopped garlic over medium heat until the meat is no longer pink. Add garlic and cook and stir an additional minute.
Stir in the maple syrup, vinegar and salsa. Lower the heat to low and cook, uncovered, for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
While meat is simmering, make the slaw. Combine the coleslaw mix, carrots, green onion, cilantro and sesame seeds in a large bowl. In a small bowl, stir together sesame oil, olive oil, soy sauce, vinegar, honey, ginger and lemon juice. Add dressing ingredients to coleslaw mix and stir to mix. Let stand 10 minutes. Taste and add more soy sauce or salt to taste if needed.
When meat has finished simmering, serve over hamburger buns. Top with sesame ginger slaw.

Yield: 6 servings
Prep Time: 25 mins.

Cook time: 35 mins.
Total time: 60 mins.

Recipe Source: Sweet and sour joes adapted from the Vermont Maple Cookbook; Sesame Ginger slaw adapted from seasonwithspice.com

Thursday Thoughts - Tongue Tie

noreply@blogger.com (Nicole) — Thu, 16 Oct 2014 15:21:00 +0000

Let's talk, guys. Let's talk about tongue tie. A little weird for a food blog, but hopefully not too weird. I'm going to share some of my experience with my daughter and tongue tie just because I'm hoping it might help out some other mom reading this, and partially to explain my very long absence from posting. So let's talk, guys, in five thoughts.

1. Tongue tie isn't just forgetting your words when you are flustered. It's a real condition, officially called ankyloglossia. It is when there is an unusually short or thick membrane under the tongue that restricts its movement. There are varying degrees of severity, but basically it affects how far a tongue can stick out or up. I don't have the space, pictures or knowledge to fully explain the condition here and I don't even want to pretend to be an expert, so I will direct you to http://www.tonguetie.net if you want to find more info on the condition.

2. Tongue tie runs in families. I had tongue tie. And lo and behold, my second daughter was born with it. And chances are, she got her mommy and daddy's nearsightedness, too, poor thing. Ahhh, genetics. Let's hope she forgives me one day for not being Giselle Bundchen.

3. Tongue tie can really mess with breastfeeding. Nursing requires a baby to use their tongue to get milk from mama, and with a restricted tongue it either means they can't get much milk or they often have a tight, not deep latch that is painful for mama. Because of this, it used to be a fairly routine procedure to clip the thick membrane under the tongue right after birth if a baby was born with tongue tie. When bottle feeding became more common than breastfeeding, this practice stopped, since a restricted tongue doesn't cause as many problems with bottle feeding. Today, the general feeling is that leaving things alone unless they are causing problems with nursing is the best practice.

4. Problem is, tongue tie can affect more than just nursing. This is where my story comes in. Clara nursed great. I knew she was tongue tied since she had been diagnosed at the hospital, but things went great feeding-wise. She gained weight like a champ. She was and is a chubby, big baby, with kissable cheeks and lovely fat rolls on her legs. So obviously she is getting the nutrition she needs. Months 1-4ish were fairly normal as far as babies go. Clara has a very happy disposition, so I didn't really notice that much that she also was fairly gassy as far as babies go. (For those that haven't had kids - gassy means fussy a lot of the time. Trapped gas is painful, and very much so for a baby who is just getting used to their little body and how everything works.) Fast forward to about 4 months old and Clara starts to get fussier. The gas problems become more evident and as she consolidates her sleep patterns it becomes more obvious that gas is making it so she can't sleep at times. Or wakes her up from sleep. She starts to protest sleep when she is gassy. This is most of the day and several times at night. Clara also starts to be clingy and only wants to be with mom because most of the time, she feels pretty miserable. All these observations have been made in retrospect because sometimes when you are in the thick of things, its hard to figure out what is going on. I tried every baby gas relief product out there, but nothing worked. By six months Clara was waking up at least once a night, often twice, screaming in pain for an hour or so and naps were 30 minute cat naps when she got so exhausted during the day that she couldn't keep her eyes open anymore. She wanted to be held most of the day and seemed scared of going to other people.

It was when we tried to start solids that I started to suspect that tongue tie might be causing some of these problems. I knew my first daughter had been unusually easy to spoon feed, so I thought the fact that Clara seemed to drool food all over her face and couldn't swallow food down was just normal baby behavior. Then I started watching her try to eat more closely and realized that she couldn't physically swallow the baby food. Her tongue couldn't touch the roof of her mouth so to get any food down she would slurp it. This also introduced more air into her system, which meant more gas. And more pain and fussiness. I stopped the solids, toughed it out with a baby that was now waking up to eat at night as well as waking up with gas pains.

Out of desperation, I decided to look up tongue tie to see if it could be affecting Clara's eating and it was like a light went on. For one, I found out that it can affect more than just the ability of a baby to latch and get milk. It can affect how they swallow and a lot of times, a tied baby will swallow more air when they are nursing. Swallowed air = more gassy. I think for Clara this showed up more when she was older because she was eating faster.

Fast forward to Clara's 6 month check up. Thank goodness for good pediatricians. For one, my pediatrician listens to me. At that point I was tired beyond tired and utterly overwhelmed. Earlier that week I had a meltdown on the phone just trying to have a normal conversation with someone from church. I went through our problems with him and he listened. I laid out why I thought it might be related to tongue tie. He listened. Now, let me say that my pediatrician in general is the type that wants to leave things alone. He would rather not revise (clip) a tie tongue unless necessary. But he listened to me and when I said I wanted it done, he agreed to do it. I'm grateful that he didn't get on a high horse on principal and tell me I was imagining things.

Within two weeks, Clara was a different baby. Within a few days she figured out how to use her newly freed tongue to swallow baby food. She loves, loves, loves eating solid food. It's like she can't imagine where this wonderful stuff has been all her life. (Yep, she probably inherited that from me as well.) She stopped getting up at night to eat. The gas pains also gradually went away. We started probiotics under the advice of our pediatrician, and that helped, and as she learned to use her tongue better she stopped swallowing as much air while she was nursing. She stopped getting up at night with gas pains, and let me tell you, sleeping through the night feels. so. good. She also started taking naps during the day, real 1-2 hour naps and not the sad 30 minute cat naps she took when she wasn't feeling well. She's no longer super clingy and lets other people hold her and play with her. She is happy beyond happy and smiles at everyone around her. In fact, I just noticed the other day that she has her first tooth. I had no idea she was even teething. She wasn't fussy and never even woke up at night. It's like life is amazing without gas pain, and I have to agree with her.

5. I'm in favor of getting tongue ties revised. This is probably no surprise after reading the experience I had with Clara. It made a world of difference for us. For the record for those of you who are thinking it is a little barbaric, revising a tongue tie means cutting the membrane under the tongue. Usually there are very few nerves or veins so it isn't that painful for the baby or even that traumatic. Clara cried as much getting her shots as she did after her revision, which was about three minutes. She smiled at the nurse on our way out. Tongue tie revision is not cutting a tongue. It's freeing an overly restricted tongue so it can work like it is supposed to. If you are a mom who thinks their baby has a tongue tie, get it checked out! And if your doctor doesn't listen to you, find someone who will. Pediatric dentists and ENTs can revise tongue ties, too.

If you want to know more about tongue tie, here are some excellent resources:

Diagnosing tongue tie in babies: http://www.drghaheri.com/blog/2014/2/15/how-to-examine-a-baby-for-tongue-tie-or-lip-tie

General advice from moms who have been there, seen everything, as well as a list of preferred providers that are experienced in diagnosing and revising tongue tie: https://www.facebook.com/groups/tonguetiebabies/ (Closed group, just ask to join.)

So that's it for my tongue tie post. I'll be back tomorrow with a regular food post. Sorry for such a long post on a non-food subject, but I'm hoping someone can benefit from this information and my experiences. And I hope you all can forgive me for such a long break from posting. We were in survival mode for quite a while so blogging was put on the back burner.

Zucchini, Black Bean and Rice Skillet

noreply@blogger.com (Nicole) — Thu, 10 Jul 2014 14:00:00 +0000

This recipe says "summer" to me. It uses zucchini and bell pepper, it is fast and easy, it is cooked on the stovetop and not baked, it is light and healthy. . . it's a perfect summer dish. I love the Southwestern flair it has, and I love that it uses leftover brown (or regular) rice. I always love finding new, different ways to use zucchini and this one is the winner of the season. The zucchini is wonderfully crisp-tender in it and its flavor isn't completely masked by the other ingredients. If you have an abundance of fresh tomatoes in your garden, this dish is even better using diced fresh tomatoes instead of the canned tomatoes. Cook up a batch, eat out on the patio, and taste summer.

Zucchini, Black Bean and Rice Skillet

By Heat Oven To 350 Published 07/10/2014

Ingredients

1 tablespoon canola oil
2 cups quartered lengthwise, sliced zucchini
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 can (15 oz) black beans, drained and rinsed
1 can (14.5 oz) fire roasted diced tomatoes with garlic, undrained
1/4 cup water
2 cups cooked brown rice
1/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
Salt and pepper

Instructions

Heat oil in a large, ovenproof skillet over medium heat. Add zucchini, bell pepper, onion and a pinch of salt and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. Stir in garlic and red pepper flakes and cook and stir an additional minute.
Add black beans, undrained tomatoes, water and cooked rice to the skillet. Cook, stirring occasionally, until heated through, about 2-3 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Remove skillet from heat and sprinkle cheese on top. Broil 2-3 minutes or until cheese has melted. Serve.

Yield: 4 servings
Prep Time: 15 min
Cook time: 15 min

Recipe Source: adapted from readyseteat.com

Salsa Salad

noreply@blogger.com (Nicole) — Thu, 26 Jun 2014 13:07:00 +0000

I don't know what it is about summer, but all my will to cook goes out the window. All that sun just makes me lazy. And it's only June! Hopefully my family won't starve before September rolls around.

Luckily there are recipes like this. So easy that I can make it while simultaneously giving tummy time encouragement to the 3 month old and with the "help" of a two year old hanging over my shoulder. So fast because there is no cooking required. So so so tasty. It's no wonder I've made it three times this month. And will probably make it a fourth if I can get to the store for more cilantro and tomatoes. It is the perfect recipe for my lazy summer self. It was even born from laziness - why scoop up salsa with a chip if you can mix the chips in and eat it with a fork? It's a hearty, filling salad full of bright veggies and beans. Take out the chips and it is even good for you. (But I don't suggest taking out the chips, because they add crunch and deliciousness. And because you only live once, okay?) If you use diced tomatoes, the only chopping required is for the cilantro, though I do prefer the taste of the salad with the fresh tomatoes if I have the time. If you need a quick lunch or dinner, or a great potluck salad to share, this salad is perfect.

Salsa Salad

By Heat Oven To 350 Published 06/26/2014

Ingredients

2 lbs fresh tomatoes, diced (or 2 14.5 oz cans diced tomatoes)
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups frozen corn, thawed
2 (15 oz) cans black beans, drained and rinsed
1 bunch fresh cilantro, chopped (about 2/3 cup)
1 (4 oz) can sliced black olives, drained
1-2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
1/8 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 large bag tortilla chips, crushed, or 2 bags tortilla strips
Salt to taste

Instructions

In colander, toss the tomatoes (if using fresh) with 1/2 teaspoon salt. Place over a bowl or in a sink and let drain for 15-30 minutes. (If using canned tomatoes, drain thoroughly and proceed to the next step)
In a large bowl, combine drained tomatoes, corn, black beans, cilantro, black olives, cumin, garlic powder, onion powder and red pepper flakes. Stir to combine. Season with salt to taste. (Can be made ahead and refrigerated at this point)
Stir in crushed tortilla chips and serve immediately.

Yield: 8 servings
Prep Time: 10 mins.

Cook time: None
Total time: 10 mins.
Recipe Source: HeatOvenTo350

Mediterranean Chicken

noreply@blogger.com (Nicole) — Fri, 06 Jun 2014 09:04:00 +0000

Flying alone with a two month old across the country this past weekend has increased my faith in humanity. I have never run across such helpful, nice people when flying as I did this past weekend. People offered to lift my bags, guide me to my gate and watch my bags for me. They smiled at Clara, offered me their place in line and asked if I needed any food or water. Every step of the way I met the nicest, sweetest people and I am grateful to all of them for making my trip so easy. Clara, for her part, was a great travel partner. She thoroughly enjoyed the unlimited mom time without a toddler trying to poke her eyes out, and I got to see family and pay my respects to a wonderful man and grandfather.

Lovely as the weekend was, it was so nice to come back and be home again with my toddler. She was so excited she threw tantrums and napped short for me. Motherhood is the best, isn't it? Since motherhood for me also includes making dinner, I made sure to add some meals to the meal plan for the week that were personal favorites, and this chicken was one. Easy and full of great Mediterranean flavor, this is the type of weeknight meal I love. The basil gives it a happy, fresh flavor, even though most of the ingredients are things I just have stocked in my pantry or fridge. I love how the kalamata olives lend saltiness to the meal. This is one of those times when they are such a star in the meal that regular black olives are just no substitute. I also love serving this over the plain couscous because it gives it such a great texture. You could easily substitute quinoa or some brown rice if you wanted. If you want a fast, easy, healthy meal with unique flavor, this is the one.

Mediterranean Chicken

By Heat Oven To 350 Published 06/06/2014

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breast cut into 1 inch chunks
1 onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 cans (14.5 oz each) diced tomatoes, undrained
1/2 cup low sodium chicken broth
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
1/2 cup kalamata olives
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
salt and pepper
Cooked couscous

Instructions

Heat the oil in a large non-stick skillet. Add chicken and cook, stirring frequently, until all sides are browned but the chicken pieces aren't completely cooked through, about 4-6 minutes. Remove the chicken to a bowl.
Add the chopped onion to the now-empty skillet and cook until the onion is starting to soften, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook and stir 30 seconds. Add undrained tomatoes and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and add chicken broth, vinegar, sugar and thyme. Simmer for 10 minutes.
Add chicken back to the skillet, cover and cook until chicken has cooked through, about 5 minutes. Chop kalamata olives finely, then add to the skillet with the parsley and fresh basil. Cook 1 minute, season with salt and pepper and serve over cooked couscous.

Yield: 6 servings
Prep Time: 15 min
Cook time:25 min

Recipe source: adapted from allrecipes.com

Mango Chicken Avocado Salad

noreply@blogger.com (Nicole) — Tue, 27 May 2014 13:45:00 +0000

Mango and avocado make one of my favorite flavor combinations. There is something tropical and refreshing about it. With spring greens and chicken in a salad that refreshing flavor becomes an entire meal. A happy, tropical vacation meal. Especially when add on the simple tangy/sweet/spicy lime dressing. This salad says "summer" and "relaxing by the pool"and all kinds of wonderfully sunny things. It is light, healthy, and filling, and easy to make and it makes a perfect lunch or light dinner. Throw it together, eat it outside on the porch, and enjoy that summer is here.

Mango Chicken Avocado Salad

By Heat Oven To 350 Published 05/27/2014

Ingredients

2 tablespoons brown sugar
1/4 cup water
1/3 cup lime juice
3/4 teaspoon chili garlic sauce
4 cups shredded, cooked chicken
2 medium mangos, peeled, seeded and diced
2 medium avocados, pitted and diced
1 (10 ounce) package spring lettuce mix

Instructions

In a microwave safe bowl, combine brown sugar and water and microwave 1 minute. Stir until sugar is dissolved (microwaving more if necessary) and stir in lime juice and garlic sauce. (If you can make the dressing a day or at least a couple hours ahead of time it is even better.)
In a large bowl, gently toss together the chicken, mango and avocado. Add 2 tablespoons of the lime dressing and mix.
Divide the lettuce among four plates, then top with chicken mixture. Pour dressing to taste over each plate and serve.

Yield: 4 servings
Prep Time:10 mins.

Cook time:2 mins.
Total time: 12 mins.
Recipe Source: Adapted from allrecipes.com

Grilled Sweet and Sour Chicken with Spinach

noreply@blogger.com (Nicole) — Thu, 22 May 2014 13:33:00 +0000

My brother is the grill master in the family, and when he recommends a recipe I usually try it out as soon as I can because I know it is going to be good. The only problem is that he is one of those crazy people that grills year round, even in tough Vermont winters, so when he recommended this recipe to me it was January. As in, snowy, cold, wet and definitely not grilling season in my book. Now that the weather is warm again and the grill has been dusted off, this recipe has become a favorite in our house. It is easy, has simple ingredients, and tastes wonderful. The chicken thighs are marinated in a simple marinade that gives them a delicious sweet and sour flavor after grilling. The marinade is saved and cooked with spinach until the spinach wilts, giving the spinach the same great taste. Chicken thighs are great on the grill because they don't dry out as quickly as chicken breasts so even someone without great grilling skills could make these turn out great. They also happen to go on sale where I live fairly often, making this a cheap recipe, too. I almost didn't try the spinach cooked in the leftover marinade because I wasn't sure I would like it, but my brother specifically recommended it and I am glad he did. It is so fast and easy, but really tastes great and is delicious with the chicken. I love recipes with a built-in healthy side dish. Kick off your grilling season with this delicious chicken dish and you will be happy you did.

Grilled Sweet and Sour Chicken with Spinach

By Heat Oven To 350 Published 05/22/2014

Ingredients

1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
2 tablespoons canola oil
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon hot chili-garlic sauce
4-6 boneless chicken thighs (about 1 1/2 pounds)
4 large handfuls baby spinach leaves, about 11 ounces total
1 plum tomato, seeded and chopped

Instructions

Combine rice vinegar, canola oil, granulated sugar, soy sauce and chili-garlic sauce in a medium bowl. Pour marinade into a ziploc bag and add chicken thighs. Close the bag and refrigerate 1-2 hours, turning occasionally.
Remove thighs from ziploc bag and save marinade. Grill thighs over direct high heat, turning every 3-4 minutes, until cooked through, about 10 minutes.
While thighs are grilling, pour reserved marinade into a large skillet and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Let boil for 1-2 minutes, then add spinach and tomato. Cook until spinach is wilted, about 3-4 minutes.
Serve grilled thighs over warm wilted spinach.

Yield: 4 servings
Prep Time: 15 min
Cook time: 10 min (plus 1-2 hours marinating time)

Recipe Source: Weber's Real Grilling by Jamie Purviance

Apple Pie Quinoa Salad

noreply@blogger.com (Nicole) — Tue, 20 May 2014 13:27:00 +0000

I love apple pie. The tart apples, the hint of cinnamon and nutmeg, the sweet juices that come out when you cut a slice . . . is there a more homey dessert? I'm also a big fan of repurposing leftover ingredients and finding healthier ways to enjoy my favorite food flavors. That's where this apple pie quinoa salad comes in. It uses leftover quinoa. It has the same cinnamon goodness, the same deliciously sweet-tart juices and the best part? It is fast and easy. You can enjoy apple pie flavor in less than ten minutes. I originally made up this salad as a snack for my daughter and put it together during a nap time one day. After sampling a few (maybe more than just a few) bites I decided I should really also see how it tasted cold (in the name of research) and put the rest in the fridge. After discovering that it tasted great cold, I thought I should really see how good it tasted the next day. And after learning that it tasted great the next day, there wasn't much left so I just polished that whole thing off. My daughter had to wait until the next batch (which I doubled) to finally try it. Sometimes being the mom has its perks. Whether you want to share it or not, this is a great fruit salad with apple pie flavor and a healthy amount of protein and vitamins to boot. We are big quinoa fans at our house so this is perfect for us, but if you like another grain or have something different leftover you could sub it in for the quinoa.

Apple Pie Quinoa Salad

By Heat Oven To 350 Published 05/20/2014

Ingredients

1 pound Granny Smith apples (about two large; you can use other types of apples but may need to adjust cooking times and ingredients slightly since other varieties soften faster and release more liquid during cooking)
2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
pinch salt
1 1/2 cups cooked quinoa
2 tablespoons sweetened dried cranberries
lemon juice (optional)

Instructions

Peel and core apples and cut into thin slices. Place in a microwave safe bowl and toss with the sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger.
Microwave apple mixture for two minutes, stir and microwave an additional 2-4 minutes or until apples are starting to soften and release juices.
Pour off juices into a bowl or mug and reserve. Stir in quinoa and cranberries and add juices back until the salad is desired sweetness and consistency. Add lemon juice if desired and serve.

Yield: 4 servings
Prep Time: 05 mins.

Cook time: 05 mins.
Total time: 10 mins.
Recipe Source: Heat Oven To 350

Spinach Chicken Tortilla Bake

noreply@blogger.com (Nicole) — Fri, 16 May 2014 09:36:00 +0000

A few weeks into my new life as a stay at home mom I came to a sad realization. I had honestly thought that because I was home more and not working that the house would be soooo clean. You see, instead of just having evenings and weekends to do household chores, I'd have all day! Right? Except I didn't quite realize that being home all day also meant making messes all day. Especially with a toddler who takes baby feeding times as a opportunity to get into everything she can. It was a sad moment when I realized that keeping the house clean would be just as hard or harder than before.

It was a similar realization when it came to making dinner. I still need fast dinner recipes with minimal prep because even though I'm not starting dinner after I get home at five, I'm still running around the kitchen like a mad woman getting everything prepped when it comes to dinner time because I'm fitting meal prep in between feedings, book reading and putting bandaids on various invisible ouchies.

This tortilla bake is the latest favorite for fast dinners. The prep time is minimal, especially if you started with already shredded, cooked chicken. I'm a fan of the little hands on time, but also of the ricotta and spinach layers. The ricotta gives the tortilla bake a creaminess that reminds me of lasagna, but with a twist. The spinach, although it seems like a lot when you are putting the layers together, cooks down to nice, soft layers that add an earthy (in a good way) taste to the chicken, cheese and tortillas. I'm not much of a fan of raw spinach, but cooked spinach is my friend. The whole dish gets a slight tanginess from the salsa verde that I love. If you aren't a fan of salsa verde you could substitute regular salsa but the taste will be completely different and lose its uniqueness. You can control how spicy this dish is with the salsa verde you choose and the ratio of pepperjack cheese to monterey jack. You can also make this a little healthier by subbing in whole wheat tortillas for all or part of the tortillas in the recipe. It's such a versatile, delicious dish you will almost forget that you put it together while talking on the phone, nursing a baby, and playing stuffed animal soccer with your toddler.

Chicken Spinach Tortilla Bake

By Heat Oven To 350 Published 05/16/2014

Ingredients

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts
Salt and pepper
1 1/2 cups salsa verde
3/4 cup ricotta cheese
8 large flour tortillas, ripped into large pieces
3 large handfuls baby spinach
1 cup shredded pepper jack cheese
1 cup shredded monterey jack cheese
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed

Instructions

Heat oven to 450 degrees. Place a large skillet over medium-high heat and heat olive oil until shimmering. Slice chicken breasts in half and season with salt and pepper. Add chicken breasts to skillet and cook, turning once, until cooked through. Let cool slightly and shred.
In a medium bowl, whisk together salsa verde and ricotta.
Add just enough of the salsa verde mixture to cover the bottom of a 8 or 9 inch springform pan. Top with 1/4 of the torn tortillas, then 1/3 of the chicken, black beans, spinach, a heaping 1/2 cup of the salsa verde mixture and 1/3 of the cheeses. Repeat layers, ending with a final layer of tortillas and cheese on top.
Cover springform pan with foil and bake 15 minutes. Remove foil and bake another 10-15 minutes or until cheese has browned. Remove from oven and let stand for 10 minutes before separating the springform pan and cutting into slices.

Yield: 4-6 servings
Prep Time: 15 min
Cook time: 25 min
Recipe Source: adapted from Rachael Ray

Wild Rice Salad

noreply@blogger.com (Nicole) — Tue, 13 May 2014 10:55:00 +0000

I love love wild rice, but even if I were on the fence about it, this salad would make me a believer. It. is. so. good. The nutty flavor of the wild rice and edamame, the sweet dried cranberries and carrots, the green onions, the tangy/sweet sesame dressing - it is all so good together. The combination of textures is great too, from the slightly chewy texture of the wild rice to the crunch of the carrots and sesame seeds. If you've never cooked wild rice before, this would be a great way to try it out since this salad does a wonderful job highlighting its best characteristics. And unlike many other wild rice recipes, this one is healthy to boot. I am always looking for great salads that I can bring to summer potlucks, and I'm already calling this one is the winner of the summer. Until the next potluck, I'm making this for myself and hogging all of it, enjoying it as my lunch or as a side at dinner and loving every bite.

Wild Rice and Edamame Salad

By Heat Oven To 350 Published 05/12/2014

Ingredients

1/2 cup blanched slivered almonds
2 tablespoons sesame seeds
4 cups cooked wild rice
3 medium green onions, thinly sliced
2 cups shelled cooked edamame (thawed if frozen)
2 medium carrots, peeled and diced small
1/2 cup dried cranberries
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
2 teaspoons honey
kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

Place a medium skillet over medium heat and add almonds. Cook, stirring frequently, until almonds are lightly browned, about 6-7 minutes. Add almonds to a bowl to cool and return skillet to the stove. Add sesame seeds and cook and stir until lightly browned, about 2 minutes. Add toasted sesame seeds to bowl with the almonds.
Add cooked rice, edamame, carrots and cranberries to the bowl with the almonds and sesame seeds. Toss to combine.
In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, sesame oil, vinegar, honey and a couple generous pinches kosher salt and black pepper. Add more salt to taste, then pour over wild rice mixture and toss to combine. Season to taste with additional salt and vinegar if necessary.
Cover bowl and chill salad at least one hour before serving.

Yield: 6-8 servings
Prep Time: 25 min
Cook time: 1 hour (chilling time)

Recipe Source: Chow.com

Edamame Hummus

noreply@blogger.com (Nicole) — Fri, 09 May 2014 11:35:00 +0000

Mother's Day is this coming Sunday, and to celebrate I'm posting kid friendly recipes all week. I may be alone in this, but sometimes I have trouble figuring out different healthy(ish) options to serve my toddler, especially easy lunch recipes, and my idea of celebrating mothers is to have five new easy recipe options. Happy Mother's Day!

I know this might be a stretch calling this a kid friendly food for some kids, but my daughter loves it so much I decided to include it in this week's roundup of kid friendly lunches/snacks. My daughter loves dips, and hummus is a favorite. She likes the hummus so much that by the end of the meal she has given up on the carrots or pitas that I've given her to scoop it up and has resorted to using her fingers and eating the hummus plain. I should probably mention at this point that my daughter is a weirdo.

Anyway, I thought I'd make a dip that was a little healthier since she was eating it as a meal, and this edamame hummus is what I came up with. I should state that yes, I know that without chickpeas hummus technically isn't hummus, especially since this recipe doesn't use tahini, but it is much easier to call it hummus than "Pureed Edamame with Middle Eastern Flavors". I decided to use edamame as the base of the dip instead of chickpeas because of the higher protein content and increased vitamins in edamame, but chickpeas are also a healthy choice that you could use in this recipe if you prefer. I also didn't use tahini in this hummus because I wanted a more mild flavor. To get back a little of the sesame flavor it adds, though, I used some sesame oil in the place of half the olive oil. The edamame hummus is as easy to make as throwing ingredients in a food processor and turning it on, and it makes a snack or lunch that I am just as happy to eat as my daughter. And given that some days I only have time to make myself a peanut butter sandwich for lunch while I'm making one for my daughter, that is a very good thing.

Edamame Hummus

By Heat Oven To 350 Published 05/09/2014

Ingredients

1 cup shelled edamame (thawed if frozen)
1/2 tablespoon sesame oil
1/2 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 tablespoon ground cumin
1/2 tablespoon lemon juice
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon table salt plus more to taste
1/3 cup water

Instructions

Add all ingredients except water to a food processor and process, scraping down the sides as needed, until edamame are coarsely chopped.
Add water, 1 tablespoon at a time, processing after each addition, until the edamame mixture forms a smooth paste of the desired thickness. Add salt to taste. (I usually add about 1/8 teaspoon or so)
Refrigerate 30 min and serve.

Yield: 3/4 cups
Prep Time: 7 mins.

Cook time: None
Total time: 7 mins.
Recipe Source: HeatOvenTo350