Jersey Girl Cooks

Carnation: It's the Cooking Milk!

2009-11-10T19:38:00.000-08:00

The One2One Network is working with Carnation Evaporated Milk to let cooks around the country know that evaporated milk isn't just for baking. They came to me to see if I would like to get involved and help with this campaign. They asked if I could feature two recipes on my blog, one from Carnation's recipe booklet and another that I created myself. The nice people at One2One Network and Carnation Evaporated Milk also sent me a recipe booklet, some free cans of milk and a gift card to cover the cost of groceries for the recipes.

The minute I heard the name Carnation, I couldn't refuse the offer. I love cooking with Carnation evaporated milk! Evaporated milk is simply milk in which some of the water is removed. It is rich, creamy and the perfect substitute for half and half or light cream. I use it often to lighten up my recipes. I also keep a few cans in the pantry to use in my coffee.

It was not hard to pick out the recipes I would make. First, I went with The Party Perfect Mini Quiches from the recipe booklet and then I chose Mushroom Cheddar Quiche which I make often. I used the non fat Carnation milk in both and believe me, the fat was not missed. Both dishes had a custard texture without the added calories of cream.

If you would like the recipe for Party Perfect Mini Quiches, click here. They really are perfect for a party! I also like to make some in advance, keep them in the fridge and heat them up for a quick nutritious breakfast.

Lucky for me, real men eat quiche in my house. I make this Mushroom Cheddar Quiche for dinner all the time. It is another easy meal to make in advance and then heat up right before dinner. In this one, I used a whole wheat crust to make it even more nutritious.

The winter is a great time to stock up on Carnation Evaporated Milk. I will be making plenty of creamy soups with it. For more interesting recipes, click here. They have both sweet and savory recipes which any cook will enjoy making!

Cheddar Mushroom Quiche

1 TBS olive oil
3 green onions, chopped
8 ounces mushrooms, sliced
3 large eggs, beaten
1 can (12 oz) Carnation fat free evaporated milk
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp Dijon mustard
1/8 tsp black pepper
4 oz low fat sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
9 inch pie crust

Preheat over to 375 degrees. In a large fry pan, heat oil on medium heat and saute onions and mushrooms for 10 minutes or until wilted. In a small bowl, mix together eggs, milk, salt, mustard and pepper. Mix the egg mixture with the mushrooms. Sprinkle the cheese on the bottom of the pie crust. Pour the egg mixture over the cheese. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until top is golden and puffy. Cool before serving.

Marsala Mushroom Beef Tenderloin

2009-11-09T17:41:00.000-08:00

First, I want to announce the El Tacodor winner. Congrats to Dawn from Vanilla Sugar who has won the dinner prize pack! Dawn, please email me your address and My Blogspark/ Old El Paso will ship out your prize.

Now for some good stuff. I just loved making this dinner! It was quick and easy, lower in calories and tasted like something you would get at a restaurant. What else is there to a good dinner? I served it with some roasted potatoes and a green salad. And now I am getting all kinds of favors done from the husband. Hubby, please clean the garage. Hubby, can you empty the dishwasher while I am making tenderloin? Hubby, do you mind scrubbing the toilets while I cook dinner? Okay, I am exaggerating a little but he really was impressed with this dinner.

The great thing is that this dinner was not expensive at all. I bought a whole beef tenderloin from the grocery store when it was on sale for $4.99 per pound. I had the butcher trim it for me and cut it into individual steaks and roasts. I am set for a while. Or at least for my next honeydo list!

Marsala Mushroom Tenderloin

4 (6 ounce) beef tenderloin steaks, cut about 1 1/2 inch thick
1 TBS steak seasoning
10 ounces sliced mushrooms
1 TBS flour
1 TBS butter
1 TBS olive oil
1/2 cup Marsala wine
1/2 cup low sodium beef broth
1 TBS soy sauce ( I used lower sodium)
2 TBS fresh chopped parsley
salt and pepper to taste

Rub the steaks with the seasoning and sprinkle the mushrooms with the flour. Set aside. In a large frying pan, melt the butter and add the oil to the pan. Bring to medium high heat and sear the steaks for 3 to 5 minutes on each side, depending on how rare you like them cooked. Remove steaks from the pan and keep warm. Add mushrooms, reduce heat to medium and saute for 3 to 4 minutes. Add the wine, beef broth and soy sauce to the pan. Stir well and cook until mushrooms are tender ans sauce is slightly reduced. Add the parsley and place the steaks back in the pan to warm and pour the sauce over them. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Makes 4 servings.

My BlogSpark and El Tacodor Game Night Giveaway!

2009-11-05T11:31:00.000-08:00

Is Taco night a part of your dinner rotation? We just had taco night and it was loads of fun! It is easy to now schedule game night and taco night all in one evening. All you need are Old El Paso® taco fixings and a FREE game-ready El Tacodor Pack which includes instructions, a scorecard and a challenge sheet which you can download at http://www.eltacodor.com/.

My family and I were lucky to receive a whole dinner prize pack from My Blogspark and Old El Paso. The kids enjoyed the tacos and the game. And here are the two kiddos chowing down on tilapia tacos.

You can win a prize pack too! I will be giving away one prize pack courtesy of My BlogSpark and Old EL Paso. This includes information and a link to the El Tacodor game, as well as (2) two coupons to purchase Old El Paso dinner kits and a $10 gift card to purchase any additional meal needs (i.e. meat, cheese, lettuce, etc).

And if that wasn’t exciting enough – you can also enter the Old El Paso El Tacodor Sweepstakes for a chance to win $5,000 just for having fun with your family. Other prizes include monthly giveaways of $300 cash cards, and weekly giveaways of gift certificates for Old El Paso products for the next five months. When you visit El Tacodor you will also find a link to coupons, a calendar to schedule your next taco night, topping choice chart and more!

So what do you need to do to win? Just leave a comment by Sunday 11/ 8 on what your family's favorite type of tacos are. We especially like fish tacos. Even my picky son ate the talapia tacos I made the other night! Make sure you leave me an email address if you do not own a blog. Unfortunately, this can only be mailed to a US address. Good luck everyone! I will be picking a winner on Sunday night and posting it then.

New Winner and Moorestown Iron Cupcake rundown!

2009-11-01T16:33:00.000-08:00

I have not heard from the movie ticket winner and have no email to get in touch with her so unfortunately I have to pick a new winner. The new winner is Barbara Bakes! Congrats Barbara! Please email me your address so I can get your prize packet out.

Now let me tell you about my experience as a cupcake contest judge. Last week I was lucky enough to be a judge in the Iron Cupcake Challenge of Moorestown, NJ. The contest happened to be at the Pop Shop which happens to be my kids favorite place to eat. So lucky me and lucky them!

Kati Angelini is the brainchild behind this fun event. She knows how to organize an event and has her own cupcake business. Here is Kati and her husband dressed for the event.

There were 15 contestants which meant I had to try 15 cupcakes. It was not an easy feat but I was able to get through it. And here are the winning cupcakes:

All of the cupcakes were great and it was hard deciding on a winner. If you live in or near southern NJ, think about entering next time. The next cupcake challenge will be on November 29th at Swanky Bubbles in Cherry Hill, NJ and you can get the details here. Now enjoy looking at these beautiful morsels!

We have a winner and check out some cakes!

2009-10-25T19:31:00.000-07:00

First, I want to announce the winner of the movie prize pack. It is Mom2Be and was picked through random.org. Congrats and please email me your address so I can get your prize mailed out.

Second, let me tell you about the sweet sugary day I had. Last night, my daughter and I made a fondant cake for a 10 year birthday celebration at her middle school today. The fondant figure you see on the cake is her principal. I see a very strong resemblance. This was the first time, I ever tried using fondant and it was so much fun that I will be trying it again. Look at some of the other beautiful cakes that families made. Aren't they great? The school even had some special judges from Carlos Bakery . I tried some cake but kept it to a minimum as I finished my day as a cupcake judge for a local Iron Cupcake event. It was so much fun and I will do a post with pictures later on this week. Now I am all sugared out!

My BlogSpark / General Mills Movie Moment Giveaway!

2009-10-22T10:05:00.000-07:00

Starting in November, you can receive a free movie ticket when you purchase two specially marked packages of General Mills’ Cereals. After purchasing two cereals, visit generalmills.com/moviecash to enter the code found inside each box of cereal and print your free movie certificate good for admission to any movie.

Participating brands include select sizes of: Honey Nut Cheerios, Cinnamon Toast Crunch, Lucky Charms, Trix and Reese’s Peanut Butter Puffs.

To find a participating theater near you, log onto http://emoviecash.com/dis_locator/

I also have some good news. If you would like to win a “Movie Moment” prize pack that includes 4 e-movie cash certificates ($12 each) and one (1) free coupon for a General Mills cereal, all you have to do is leave me a comment telling me what your favorite movie is. The nice folks at MyBlogSpark and General Mills sent me a "movie moment" pack and we are going to see Where the Wild Things Are this weekend. I will randomly pick one person to also win a prize pack.

Please include your email address if you do not own a blog so I can contact you if you win. You have until Sunday 10/25 to leave a comment as I will be picking a random winner on Sunday night. Sorry but this prize can only be sent to a US address. Good luck everyone!

Margarita Pizza with Ricotta and Prosciutto

2009-10-15T20:26:00.000-07:00

This is going to be a quick post as I am packing to go on a girls weekend. Have you ever made your own pizza? If not, you have to try it. I happened to be browsing through some of my food pictures and found these pizza ones. Now I am hungry. I couldn't resist posting them so here you go. And the great thing is you can put on any topping you like. Below is what I used. No measuring necessary! Just throw it on until it looks good!

Happy weekend! See you all next week when I will have some great giveaways!

Margarita Pizza with Ricotta and Prosciutto

1 (16 ounce) pizza dough (you can buy it or use homemade)

cornmeal for the dough

marinara sauce

fresh mozzarella

ricotta cheese

Prosciutto ham, chopped

fresh chopped basil

kosher salt and crushed red pepper

Preheat pizza stone in oven to 450 degrees. Dust with cornmeal. Toss the dough into a pie shape. Dust pizza peel with corn meal and place dough on top. Cover with desired toppings and bake for 10 to 15 minutes or until golden and crispy.

Marinated Cranberry Beans

2009-10-11T16:12:00.000-07:00

The lazy blogger has returned! I did not mean to go this long without a post but I guess it just happened. But in the meantime I have been attending to another blog for the new job that I have. Take a peek here if you're into fashion. I also want to thank all my wonderful blog readers for ranking my cheese platter. I received third place and won an Ile de France cheese basket. What foodie doesn't want cheese?

Last week, we went to the Collingswood Farmers Market and I found these beautiful looking beans. Pretty! These creamy, slightly nutty beans are great many ways but I decided to make them in a salad. They can be served hot, cold or at room temperature. Once they are cooked, they look similar to a pinto bean. These beans were a great farmers market find. Have you ever had them?

Marinated Cranberry Beans

1 bag of cranberry beans, shelled

1 cloved minced garlic

2 TBS fresh chopped basil

3 TBS chopped pimentos

1 few TBS olive oil

1 to 2 TBS balsamic vinegar

salt and pepper to taste

Cook the shelled beans in a inch or two of salted water. Simmer for about 15 minutes or until beans are tender. Mix together drained beans, garlic, basil and pimentos. Add olive oil, vinegar, salt and pper to personal taste. Refrigerate overnight and serve at room temperature.

Ain't Too Proud To Beg!

2009-09-28T17:19:00.000-07:00

Readers, I need your help! I am in the Ile de France prettiest cheese platter contest and I am falling behind. If you could just click on this LINK, click on the stars and rank my platter I'd be forever grateful to you. You don't have to sign up or log in to vote. There is one vote per computer only. If I don't get enough votes, I might resort to using my video cam and singing a little cheese chant. You probably don't want to watch that. Thank you for your support!

My family and I went apple picking last week and here is a picture of the kiddos in the orchards. Now, what apple desserts should I make. Any suggestions?

Lovely Zucchini Blossoms

2009-09-28T09:30:00.000-07:00

I was at the farmers market this past weekend and picked up some beautiful zucchini flowers. They are probably the last of the summer so I thought I should get some while I can. I love them stuffed with cheese, batter dipped and sauteed but that is a lot of work. I wanted something easier and quicker to make. So I decided on a zucchini blossom and goat cheese omelette. The flowers make the omelette look beautiful and the goat cheese made everything taste delicious. Even the manly husband didn't mind eating a few flowers!

I didn't make this omelette the traditional way. I actually flipped it over before I stuffed it with goat cheese so that you could see the beautiful blossoms on the outside of the omelette. This would be perfect for a summer brunch.

Zucchini Blossom and Goat Cheese Omelette
3 large eggs
2 TBS milk
salt and pepper to taste
6 zucchini flowers, stems and center removed
1 ounce of goat cheese

Heat a six inch omelette pan on mediium heat and spray with cooking spray. Beat the eggs and milk together and add salt and pepper to your liking. Pour half the mixture in the pan. Split the flowers down the middle and lay 3 on the omelette. Cook until almost set. Flip the omelette over and spread half the cheese on top. Fold the omelette in half and keep warm. Do the same with the remaining ingredients. Makes two omelettes.

Figs, Figs and More Figs!

2009-09-22T16:54:00.000-07:00

One of my neighbors happened to give me two great big bags of figs. Yes, lucky me! They were ripe and right off the tree so I couldn't resist to just eat about five right away. Take a look at these beautiful fruits.

I then decided to make a nice salad with romaine lettuce, sliced figs, crumbled blue cheese and a cranberry vinagrette dressing. I cheated and used Trader Joe's brand but it was a fabulous salad.

Then it was time for dessert. I went with a pear and fig galette. It sounds so complicated but was so easy to make. I just rolled out some pie crust, layed down the filling , tucked the sides over, brushed the dough with egg wash and baked. Here is is half way through the process.

When I say I rolled pie crust, I literally rolled it right out of the Pillsbury box. Sad to admit, but I can't make pie crust. I am sure I have mentioned this cooking weakness before. If anyone would like to give me some pie crust making tips, I will gladly take them. Or you can come to my house and give me pie lessons. I will gladly repay you by making you dinner.

Or I can give you a fig tip. Did you know you can freeze figs? As long as they are not bruised, place them on a cookie sheet in the freezer. Once they are frozen, store them in plastic freezer bags. Defrost them and they will be ripe and ready to eat. Enjoy!

Pear and Fig Galette

1 premade pie crust (or home made crust)
2 pears, cored and thinly sliced
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
8 to 10 figs, sliced
1 egg, beaten
2 TBS turbinado sugar (you can substitute regular sugar if necessary)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cover a large cookie sheet with parchment paper. Lay the pie crust on the cookie sheet in a large circle. Mix together the pears, sugar and cinnamon. Spread the pears in the middle of the crust leaving a 2 inch border. Top the pears with the figs. Sprinkle the figs with the Turbinado sugar. Fold the sides of the crust over and brush the dough with the egg wash. Bake the galette for 30 to 40 minutes or until crust is golden and fruit is cooked. Cool slightly before serving.

Roasted Veggie Hoagie/ Sub/ Hero/Grinder

2009-09-18T06:34:00.000-07:00

I love roasted veggies. They are the type of thing you can make once and then use through out the week for different recipes. This past week, I had a roasted veggie omelet, a roasted veggie wrap and my favorite which was this hot roasted veggie hoagie. That's what I call a sandwich that is stuffed and is on a nice Italian roll but you might call it something different. If you can recall, I did a post on different names you can call a sandwich depending on the area you live. What do you call your sandwich?

I roast whatever veggies I have on hand and like to throw in some herbs and spices to make them more flavorful. This time, I had an array of vegetables from the local farmers market and used yellow squash, mushrooms, red peppers and eggplant. Don't forget the garlic! The husband is usually not happy to see this beautiful tray of colors calling my name from the oven. He would much rather open the oven door to see a juicy prime rib roast or some gooey fat chocolate chip cookies. So I can pretty much hog the whole pan to myself.

I had a multitude of cheeses in the fridge so it was a hard decision to decide what kind to put on my hoagie. Yes, if life should be so tough. But I went with Asiago and loved the sharp taste with the sweet carmelized veggies. I am sure any cheese such as Brie, goat cheese, swiss cheese or mozzarella would work. And speaking of cheese I have a little favor to ask of you.

A while back I had posted a picture of a cheese plate I had entered in the Ile de France prettiest platter contest. I was wondering if you could click here and rank my platter if you choose to do so. It is much appreciated and I thank you lots! There is also a link on my side bar. Hope everyone has a great weekend!

Roasted Veggie Hoagie

1 medium eggplant, skinned and chopped in 2 inch pieces
1 medium yellow squash, sliced
10 ounces button mushrooms
1 large red pepper, cored and cut into 2 inch pieces
3 cloves crushed garlic
1 tsp dried Italian seasoning
handful fresh basil, chopped
2 TBS olive oil
salt and red pepper to taste
3 to 4 hoagie rolls or nice size pieces of Italian bread (I used multi grain)
cheese to your liking (I used Asiago...about a half cup shredded for each hoagie)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a large bowl mix all the veggies, garlic, Italian seasoning, basil and drizzle with the olive oil. Mix together well and add salt and red pepper according to your taste. Roast the veggies for 40 to 50 minutes or until they are soft and browned. Split the rolls and fill them with the veggie mixture. Top with cheese and put them back in the oven for a few minutes or until cheese is melted.

Garden State Italian Turkey Chili

2009-09-15T18:33:00.000-07:00

I am so sad that the summer has come to an end. Not only our beach days are over and our swim club is closed, but all the wonderful fruits and vegetables will be disappearing from the farmers market. BOO HOO! One of my favorite parts of summer is all the fresh produce our garden state brings.

I love meals that can be made and reheated at the drop of a dime. With our crazy schedule, some nights dinner time is different for everyone in the house. So chili is a great meal to have in the fridge and I can also make it in big batches to be frozen. Today, as I was looking through the produce draw, I came across a few leftover items from the garden and farmers market. And before I knew it, this Jersey Girl Italian Turkey Chili was born. Leftover tomatoes, squash, fresh basil and eggplant all went in the pot. Some white wine, tomato sauce, fresh basil and garbanzo beans completed the chili to make more than a delicious meal. Even the husband, who is by no means a veggie man, liked it. I made a big batch so now dinner is already ready for another night this week.

I finally got around to using Twitter so if you would like to follow me, click here. It's a really neat thing!

Jersey Girl Italian Turkey Chili

1 TBS olive oil

1 lb lean ground turkey

1 small eggplant, skinned and chopped

1 medium sized yellow or green squash, chopped

3 medium sized tomatoes, chopped

3 cloves crushed garlic

1/2 cup white wine

1 (15 oz) can garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained

1 (15 oz) can tomato sauce

1 TBS sugar

1 tsp onion powder

1 tsp dried Italian seasoning

handful fresh basil, chopped

salt and crushed red pepper to taste

In a dutch oven, heat oil on medium high and brown ground turkey. Add eggplant, squash, tomatoes, and garlic to pan. Reduce heat to medium and stir. Add white wine, beans, sauce sugar, onion powder and italian seasoning. Combine well, cover and simmer for 30 minutes. Add basil, salt and pepper to taste and cook for another 30 minutes or until all vegetables are tender.

Polish Festival and Country Fair

2009-09-13T15:43:00.000-07:00

Every year in September, we look forward to the Little Servant Sisters Polish Festival and Country Fair in Cherry Hill, NJ. Today was a beautiful day where the kids had a great time playing spin the wheel games, looking through the white elephant tables and listening to the Polish polka music.

Of course my favorite was sampling all the Italian and Polish food. I felt like I should try a little of everything. Here is some of the goodies we ate:

Lasagna with meatballs and sausage.

Hand made pierogis. I also bought a dozen to take home. It will make a good night's dinner.

Stuffed cabbage with some good old fashioned root beer in the back ground.

And this unbelievable apple cake that is OH, SO GOOD! I just had a piece and it is filled with apples and so moist. I actually weighed it because I was curious after thinking it felt so heavy. It was FIVE POUNDS, I kid you not!

So if you are ever in south jersey, make a trip to this wonderful festival. It is always held the weekend after Labor day. Until next year.............

Summer's End

2009-09-07T16:56:00.000-07:00

This picture reminds me that the summer has sadly come to an end. The book bags are packed with supplies and the kids are fast asleep dreaming about the first day of school tomorrow. We had a great week at the shore and now it's back to reality. But first let's bring back some of the summer memories.

I am starting a new job on Wednesday and I am looking forward to the fall season. We will be busy with my son's soccer games and cub scout activities. My daughter is starting middle school and that brings on a whole new set of activities. Of course there is plenty of football to watch and I hope to be doing some fall comfort food cooking which includes soups, chili and apple crisp.

Today kicked off Rutgers football and I made a cheese platter to celebrate. I felt like this depicted the end of summer with grapes, figs, apples and flowers. Rutgers didn't fare too well however we finished the platter. I am also entering my picture in the Ile de France prettiest cheese platter picture contest. Happy Fall everyone!

Meeting The Cake Boss!

2009-09-03T20:39:00.000-07:00

Sorry for being a posting slacker. I am on vacation at the Jersey shore and have had limited computer time. This is a good thing as we have been having fun on the beach, crabbing, fishing and going to the zoo. And of course we all have had our share of good food.

Last week, before our vacation, I decided to take my kids on a foodie field trip. We were visiting my mom and brother in north Jersey so we also went to Carlo's Bakery in Hoboken. This is home of The Cake Boss, Buddy Valastro. My kids were thrilled and we were able to meet Buddy who was very nice. Take a peek.............

I did bring home some goodies so the husband was very happy and I made some new friends in my neighborhood. The pastries were the best and I have no complaints about the cupcakes or cookies either. I do have a complaint that someone must've snuck into my house and shrunk my jeans or I just ate too many pastries. Oh well, diet next week! That must mean that you will see some low fat recipes loaded with fruits and veggies. Have a great holiday weekend!

Curried Turkey Salad

2009-08-26T19:07:00.000-07:00

Oh, this turkey salad is good! Last week I was cleaning out my freezer and roasted an 8 pound turkey breast. I followed my blogging friend, Stacey's instructions. It came out so good...moist and full of flavor from the herbs. Even my husband, who really isn't a white meat lover, liked it. He declared it the best turkey breast he's ever had. Take a peek of it coming out of the oven.

After having 2 dinners of roast turkey, there was still a considerable amount left. And then I came upon this post in Baking with Dynamite. A light bulb went off. Thank you Adam! He used chicken, I used turkey and I was out of sour cream so I added a few spoons of light mayo. I don't like my salads to be drowned but used just enough to moisten the turkey. I served it on a bed of romaine and my lunch was complete.

Save Your Joints Curry Chicken Salad by Dr Adam

3-4 cooked chicken breasts, pulled or chopped into small pieces (I used turkey)

1 1/2 cups grapes, quartered or chopped finely

1/4 cup sliced almonds

1 carrot, chopped finely

1 medium onion, sliced and chopped finely

3/4 cup low fat sour cream (I used a couple of TBS light mayo)

1 Tbs curry powder, or to taste

1 tsp lemon juice

Salt and Pepper to taste

The steps to this recipe are so easy it doesn't need to really be laid out. In a large bowl, place the chicken, grapes, almonds, carrot and onion. Add the sour cream, and mix well, until all the solids are covered over. Add the curry powder, lemon juice, and salt and pepper. Mix until well combined, and place in the fridge for the flavors to meld a little. This dish works great, and can be eaten for busy people over the next few days. I like to portion it and "grab and go" on the way to work.

Pineapple Zucchini Sheet Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

2009-08-24T06:13:00.000-07:00

In my blog reading this past week, I kept coming across this delicious zucchini sheet cake. The original recipe is posted on Tasty Kitchen. After the fourth time of drooling over it, I decided to make it. This cake is great for a party or crowd as it makes a large cake. And it is surprisingly low in fat compared to most other sheet cakes. It uses low fat cream cheese for the frosting and only 3 tablespoons of oil in the cake. Don't get me wrong. After eating three pieces, I won't call it diet food. But if you only have a small piece, it can be a sensible dessert. I substituted half carrots and half zucchini and it was delicious. The leftovers went to my husbands work this morning.

Pineapple Zucchini Sheet Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

1 cup All-purpose Flour
1/2 Cup Whole Wheat Pastry Flour (can Use All White Flour If You Don't Have This)
1-¼ cup Granulated Sugar
1/2 Cup Sweetened Flaked Coconut
2 teaspoons Baking Soda
1 teaspoon Salt
2 teaspoons Ground Cinnamon
Freshly Grated Nutmeg, To Taste (1/4 To 1/2 Tsp?), Optional
1 Pinch Ginger (about 1/16 Tsp Or So), Optional
3 Tablespoons Canola Oil
2 whole Large Eggs
1 Teaspoon Vanilla
2 Cups Grated (unpeeled) Zucchini (*see Note)
1 (20 Oz.) Can Crushed Pineapple In Juice, Drained (reserve In Case You Need It For The Cake Batter Or The Frosting)

FROSTING
2 Tablespoons Butter, Softened
8 Ounces Low-fat Cream Cheese, Softened (can Use Full-fat Cream Cheese)
2 Cups Powdered Sugar, Approx.
2 Teaspoons Vanilla Extract
Splash Of Milk Or Pineapple Juice, If Necessary
Chopped Walnuts Or Pecans (optional)
Preparation Instructions
Preheat oven to 350°.

To prepare cake, lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour, sugar, coconut, baking soda, salt, and spices in a large bowl; stir well with a whisk.
Combine oil, eggs, and vanilla; stir well. Stir egg mixture, grated zucchini, and pineapple into flour mixture. Batter will be stiff and dry but keep folding it and it will all come together. If it still seems too dry, just add a little splash of the pineapple juice.
Spoon batter into a 13 x 9-inch baking pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350° for about 33-35 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out with moist crumbs and cake is pulling away from sides of pan. Cool completely on a wire rack.
To prepare frosting, combine butter and cream cheese in a large bowl. Beat with a mixer at medium speed until smooth. Beat in powdered sugar and vanilla just until smooth. Add a splash of milk or pineapple juice if necessary. Spread frosting over top of cake. You can garnish with chopped pecans or walnuts, if desired.
NOTES : If your zucchini are huge, scrape the seeds out of the center before you shred it so it’s not too watery. Also, I spread it all out on layers of paper towel to drain it and dry it off a bit. Then I measure out 2 cups. Not sure if this is critical though. Nuts can also be added to the cake batter if desired. This recipe makes a very generous amount of frosting.
And this recipe can be turned into a Carrot Cake just by substituting shredded carrots for the zucchini.

Book winners and a snack for reading!

2009-08-22T12:11:00.001-07:00

First I thought I'd post the random book winners and then I am going to give you a recipe for a healthy snack that is perfect for reading or watching TV. Can you guess what it is by looking at the picture? Drum roll please....................

Allie from Finding Inspirations In Food and Julie from The Sporadic Cook will be getting signed copies of the book, Loco: A Funny Crime Mystery. Congratulations ladies! For anyone else that would like to buy this great summer read, click here.

Now for the healthy snack. I saw these Roasted Chickpeas on a few blogs and I was dying to try them. They did not disappoint. My daughter and husband loved them also. They are perfect for munching while reading as they are not messy and require only one hand to eat. Just don't get any chili powder on your book. Do make sure the chick peas are dry so they crisp up and flavor them with any type of oil or seasoning you like. Here is what they look like before they go in the oven. They probably taste pretty good before they are roasted too.

Chili Roasted Chickpeas

1 (15 oz) can of chickpeas, rinsed and drained

1 TBS olive oil (or any flavored oil you'd like, ex. garlic oil, chili oil, etc.)

1/2 TBS chili powder (or other seasoning such as barbecue, curry powder, etc.)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Make sure chickpeas are dried on paper towels after drained. Mix chickpeas with oil and chili powder. Place on baking sheet in a single layer and bake for 30 to 40 minutes or until chickpeas are crisp but not burnt. Cool before serving.

Fun Book Giveaway!

2009-08-17T08:43:00.000-07:00

Today's post has nothing to do with food. But I do have a fun book to giveaway! Loco: A Funny Crime Mystery is a great summer read which will entertain you from front to back cover. I have read it twice and it really cracked me up. Two lucky winners will receive the book signed by the author, Bonnie Geller. The story is about a big haired transplanted Jersey Girl, which of course, hits home for me.

Brash, bold, funny, and almost fearless, transplanted Jersey girl Stacey Lokowitz, a.k.a. Loco, exposes a deadly insurance fraud ring in Los Angeles in 1983. Armed only with her determination and imagination, Loco ignores her insurance company boss' orders to leave well enough alone. As this amateur sleuth puts the pieces of the puzzle together, she survives a burglary, freeway attack, near drowning in the Pacific Ocean, and constant threats from the ring's ominous enforcer, Ricky Torres. Having moved to L.A. with the dream of one day landing a staff writing job on a sitcom, Loco, perhaps foolishly, gets caught up in the excitement and danger of her job. She is blinded by her senses of justice and integrity. Her adventures will have you laughing but you also will be turning the pages in suspense.

So who would like to have a signed copy of this book? All you have to do is leave me a comment on what type of books you like to read. You have until Friday night, 8/21 to leave a comment. Please make sure you leave an email address if you do not own a blog. Sorry but you must have a US mailing address to participate. You can also purchase the book by clicking here. Good luck!

Chasing Down Mr Softee and a yummy pie!

2009-08-13T12:11:00.000-07:00

Today's post is all about desserts. Throughout most of my life, I have been more of a real food person rather than a dessert or baked goods type of gal. But as I get older I have noticed that I have more of a sweet tooth. I love ice cream and dream of Italian pastries, strawberry shortcake and a good key lime pie. The sugar craving especially hits me after I've been on a treadmill or have swam laps. Luckily in NJ we have MR SOFTEE. And he even makes stops at our swim club. So after I swim my laps, I feel like I deserve some ice cream!

Chasing down the ice cream man was one of my fond childhood memories. If you live in my state you know what I mean. You can hear the twinkling music of the ice cream truck about a half mile away. My kids hear the sweet melody and want to immediately take off and run around the block to find that man with the double cones. You get a good amount of exercise running through the neighborhood and jumping up and down when the truck is in sight. The nice thing is that the ice cream is really good and fairly inexpensive compared to other ice cream stands around here. Just look at this joy.

Another decadent dessert I recently discovered is Triple Coconut Cream Pie. I happened to be watching The Best Thing I Ever Ate on The Food Network and saw this pie. It is made at Ritz Seafood which is a few miles from my house. Once I saw the fresh toasted coconut, white chocolate shavings and cream filling, I HAD to have a piece. My wonderful husband surprised me with a pie for my birthday last week. It was so good and definitely something that you would save for special occasions. Take a look at this pie and try not to salivate.

So what's your favorite dessert? Do you have an ice cream truck that visits your neighborhood?

Banana Cinnamon Waffles

2009-08-10T07:52:00.000-07:00

I have been meaning to post this great waffle recipe which I adapted from Cooking Light. My son loves waffles and was begging me to make some. Of course he wants the white flour kind filled with chocolate chips and overloaded with syrup. Not exactly a healthy breakfast. So I went with a low fat banana waffle enriched with flax seed and whole wheat flour.

When my son saw me making these, he just pouted away. Both my kids are much happier when there is no whole wheat flour in sight. But once he tasted these, four waffles immediately disappeared from the plate. They were crispy on the outside and the banana made them sweet and extremely moist on the inside. I made a batch to stick in the freezer and they froze really well.

And how about the cute heart shape? I have had this heart waffle maker for 15 years now and it is still going strong. How many ways can you pile heart waffles? Enjoy your day!

Banana Cinnamon Waffles (Adapted from Cooking Light)

1 cup all-purpose flour

3/4 cup whole wheat flour

1/4 cup ground flax seed

2 tablespoons sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 cups low fat buttermilk

3 tablespoons butter, melted

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

1 large ripe banana, mashed

Cooking spray

Lightly spoon flours into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flours, flax seed, and next 4 ingredients (through salt) in a medium bowl, stirring with a whisk. Combine buttermilk, butter, and eggs, stirring with a whisk; add milk mixture to flour mixture, stirring until blended. Fold in mashed banana. Preheat a waffle iron. Coat iron with cooking spray. Spoon about 1/4 cup batter per 4-inch waffle onto hot waffle iron, spreading batter to edges. Cook 3 to 4 minutes or until steaming stops; repeat procedure with remaining batter.

Blog It Forward to Fight Hunger...I NEED YOUR HELP!

2009-08-06T06:06:00.000-07:00

I am excited to be part of ShopRite and General Mills Blog it Forward to Fight Hunger Program and today I will need your help. As you might already know, hunger is one of the problems our country is facing. We don't see it as much as some other nations do but it is still here. More than 36 million people go to bed hungry every night and 12 million are children. This is a sad fact to hear especially when I know that I am never in need of food. The bright side is that we have many organizations as well as individuals that are trying to combat this problem.

In 1999, ShopRite began its ShopRite Partners in Caring Program. Today, the ShopRite Partners In Caring program supports 23 regional food banks and more than 1,400 charitable agencies with food or meal components. More than $20 million has been donated since 1999 in the fight against hunger.

Companies that have joined ShopRite in the fight against hunger are marked in stores with the ShopRite Partners In Caring shelf label. Every time you choose one of these companies' products, you support the brand that also helps fight hunger.

Each of the 217 ShopRite stores in the six states that ShopRite serves (New York, New Jersey, Delaware, Pennsylvania, Connecticut and Maryland) selects qualified local organizations to benefit from the program. These local food charities use their designated funds to acquire supplies at a food bank.

So please help me with this great cause. What can you do? First, please leave a comment. General Mills and ShopRite will be donating one box of cereal for each of the first 30 comments that I receive. Imagine how many people will be able to eat breakfast! If there is a ShopRite in your neck of the woods, you can shop there and support the brands that help fight hunger. You can also donate a dollar or two when you check out or you can take food to your local food bank. Hunger is a terrible thing. Let's pray that someday, no one will go hungry.

Low Country Boil

2009-08-03T05:55:00.000-07:00

Over the weekend, we had some neighbors over for a low country boil. For those down south, I am sure you are very familiar with this. If you live in NJ, you might not have heard of it before. I first saw a low country boil on my friend Aggie's blog, Aggie's kitchen and have wanted to make it ever since. She always has great recipes and this was no exception. A low country boil is shrimp, sausage, potatoes and corn all cooked in a big pot, spiced with some Old Bay seasoning. I like to provide a little variety so I used two kinds of shrimp, a few different kinds of sausage and two different colored potatoes. The sausage really flavors the cooking water especially since we had smoked turkey kielbasi, brats and chorizo. I also added a bottle of beer to the pot. After everything was cooked, it all went in a big disposable pan for easy clean up. This recipe is really great for a crowd!

The other hit of the night was this. Notice how it is empty.

When I decided to make a low country boil I asked some of my foodie friends for a drink that would work well with the meal. Shannon, who is a food crazy southern girl, gave me the suggestion of Firefly sweet tea vodka and lemonade. We couldn't have had a better drink. If you like sweet tea and lemonade, I urge you to try some of this. I mixed two parts lemonade to one part vodka and you couldn't even taste the alcohol. It is my new drink of the summer. Have a great week everyone!

Low Country Boil (Adapted from Paula Deen's recipe)

12 ounces beer

1/4 cup Old Bay seasoning

1/4 lb sausage per person (I used brats, turkey kielbasi and chorizo), cut into 1 inch pieces

2 small potatoes per person (I used red and white)

1 ear of corn per person, cut in thirds

1/4 to 1/2 lb shrimp per person (I used frozen)

Fill a very large pot with water, beer and Old Bay. Add sausage and cook for 20 minutes on medium high heat. Add potatoes and cook for another 15 minutes. Add corn and cook for 8 more minutes. Finally add shrimp and cook for 3 to 5 minutes or until shrimp turn pink. Serve with cocktail and tartar sauce. This can be divided into more than one pot if your pot is not big enough.

Tangy Blueberry Almond Broccoli Slaw

2009-07-30T09:51:00.000-07:00

Who has the best blueberries? We do! NJ , of course. Yes, I am a little partial because I love to get fresh pints straight from the farms. The season is not very long so I eat as many as I can and then freeze some. The nutritional value is great and blueberries are just bursting with antioxidants.

We've had plenty of blueberry desserts so now I wanted to try a salad. This blueberry slaw combination is awesome. I love the texture of the crunchy slaw, ripe blueberries and chunky almonds. At first, the cheddar cheese might sound a bit weird but trust me and throw some in the bowl. The saltiness of the cheese blends well with the salad. Make this at your next potluck picnic or barbecue and it will be the topic of conversation.

I am entering this recipe in The Bloggers Blueberry Recipe Contest. It is sponsored by the Blueberry Council and there are some great cash prizes. Check out the website and hurry if you want to enter as the contest ends today.

Tangy Blueberry Almond Broccoli Slaw

4 TBS light mayonnaise
4 TBS seasoned rice vinegar
2 TBS sugar
1 (12 oz) bag of broccoli slaw
3/4 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1/4 cup finely chopped red onion
1/2 cup toasted slivered almonds
1/2 cup raisins
1 cup blueberries
salt and pepper to taste

In a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, vinegar and sugar. In a larger bowl, mix together the slaw mix, cheese, onion, almonds, raisins and blueberries. Add salt and pepper to taste. Refrigerate for a few hours to allow flavors to blend. Makes 6 servings.