Linoleum Dynamite

Baked Oatmeal

noreply@blogger.com (Anna) — Tue, 04 Dec 2012 19:50:00 +0000

2 cups oats
2 TB sugar
1 tsp. baking powder
1 1/2 cups non-fat milk
1 egg
1/2 cup applesauce

Mix all ingredients and bake in a 9x9 pan for 20 minutes at 350 degrees.

26pp total
3pp/serving (if 9 servings)

Stuffed Spinach and Sausage Shells

noreply@blogger.com (Anna) — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 20:38:00 +0000

1 box Jumbo Shells
1 pound ground turkey sausage
6 oz. baby spinach, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 egg
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 jar of 32 oz. tomato-basil sauce
1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded

Cook jumbo shells according to package directions. Drain, reserving 1/3 cup of the pasta cooking water.
Cook ground turkey sausage until no longer pink. Add spinach, onion, garlic, reserved pasta water and continue cooking for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat. Add seasonings, blend well and let cool. Stir in egg and cheese. Pour one cup of the tomato sauce in a 13x9" baking dish. Fill shells with mixture and place in dish. Pour remaining sauce over shells and sprinkle mozzarella cheese over the top. Cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until thoroughly heated.

Four Cheese and Sausage Manicotti

noreply@blogger.com (Anna) — Thu, 02 Jun 2011 18:17:00 +0000

1 package Manicotti
1 lb. Italian sausage (I use turkey)
1 small onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 (14 oz.) cans diced tomatoes
1 (6 oz.) can tomato paste
1 teaspoon basil leaves
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 (15 oz.) container ricotta cheese
2 cups (8 oz.) shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
1 cup (4 oz.) shredded provolone cheese
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 egg

Cook pasta according to package directions. In large skillet, over medium heat, brown sausage. Add onion and garlic, cook and stir until onion is tender. Stir in tomatoes, tomato paste, basil, sugar, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and summer uncovered 15 minutes.

Combine ricotta cheese, 1 cup mozzarella cheese, provolone cheese, Parmesan cheese and egg. Mix well. Stuff pasta.

Spread half of the sauce on bottom of greased 13 x 9" baking dish. Arrange pasta over sauce. Sppon remaining sauce over pasta; cover. Bake 35 minutes in a 350 degree oven. Uncover; top with remaining cup mozzarella cheese. Bake 5 minutes longer. (Add about 5 minutes to baking time if prepared early and refrigerated.)

Creamy Feta-Spinach Dip

noreply@blogger.com (Anna) — Wed, 02 Mar 2011 02:30:00 +0000

Ingredients:

1 cup plain low-fat yogurt
3/4 cup (3 ounces) crumbled feta cheese

1/4 cup (2 ounces) 1/3-less-fat cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup low-fat sour cream

1 garlic clove, crushed

1 1/2 cups finely chopped spinach

1/8 teaspoon black pepper

Spoon yogurt onto several layers of heavy-duty paper towels; spread to 1/2-inch thickness. Cover with additional paper towels, and let stand 5 minutes. Scrape into the bowl of a food processor or blender. Add the cheeses, sour cream, and garlic, and process until smooth, scraping sides of bowl once. Spoon yogurt mixture into a medium bowl, and stir in the spinach and pepper. Cover and chill.

Serving size = 1/4 cup
(2 PP)

Pasta with Spinach and Beans

noreply@blogger.com (Anna) — Fri, 18 Feb 2011 21:30:00 +0000

This is one of those vague recipes that I adapted from a Cooking light recipe. The original called for cavatappi pasta which is great but I use Penne most of the time since it's what I have on hand. It also called for Asiago cheese which I never have and have only used Parmesan. I love the Andouille chicken sausage that is sold at Costco. I add it in this recipe sometimes and it is fantastic. The great thing about this recipe is that it's fast, filling and it's so easy to substitute or swap ingredients. I have used great northern beans as a substitute for cannellini beans but they are rather soft and mushy so I prefer the cannellini beans.

Ingredients

6-8 cups coarsely chopped spinach leaves

8 oz. pasta (cavatappi, spiral, penne)

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

2 garlic cloves, crushed

1 (19-ounce) can cannellini beans (also called white kidney beans), rinsed and drained

1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

Directions

Cook pasta as directed. Place spinach in large bowl. In small bowl combine oil, salt, pepper and garlic. Drain pasta and combine with spinach. Add beans, oil mixture and cheese to pasta and toss.

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl, and toss well. Sprinkle with fresh ground black pepper, if desired.

Spinach and Potato Frittata

noreply@blogger.com (Anna) — Wed, 29 Dec 2010 22:41:00 +0000

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons olive oil
4-6 small potatoes, sliced
1 cup fresh spinach, torn
1/2 cup onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
6 eggs
1/3 cup milk
1/2 cup Cheddar cheese, shredded
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
Heat olive oil in skillet over medium heat. Place potatoes in the skillet, cover, and cook about 10 minutes. Potatoes should be tender but firm. Mix in spinach, onions, garlic and season with salt and pepper. Continue cooking 1-2 minutes, until spinach is wilted.

In a medium bowl, beat eggs and milk. Pour into the skillet over the vegetables. Sprinkle with Cheddar cheese. Reduce heat to low, cover and cook 5-7 minutes. Heat oven to broil. Remove skillet from stove top and place in oven to broil for 7 minutes, or until eggs are firm.

For this recipe, you're going to want a heavy duty pan. If you use a skillet with a plastic handle, you should cover the handle with foil before putting in the oven.

I tend to like more potatoes so I load it up.

Don't worry if your potatoes get a little stuck to the pan. Once the dish is complete, it comes right off with the frittata.

When you pour in the eggs, they will seep in throughout. You don't need to mix much - just enough to spread it all out.

After seven minutes on the stove top, your cheese should be melted but the eggs will still look wet.

After broiling in the oven, it should look something like this.

Meatballs

noreply@blogger.com (Anna) — Wed, 29 Dec 2010 02:37:00 +0000

I feel like I'm not very authentic when it comes to spaghetti and meatballs. The reason being that I don't really have any desire to make my own tomato sauce. But I love these meatballs and don't mind taking time to make them. In most recipes I've switched over to ground turkey or ground chicken but I can't cheat for this recipe. I did it once and will never do it again. Also, this recipe is based on 1 lb. of ground beef. I typically only use half a pound of ground beef when cooking for my family. So, when I make these, I'll freeze half of the meatballs to use later.

Ingredients
1 lb. ground beef
1/4 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped
1 egg
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
2 slices wheat bread
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1/2 tsp.salt
dash of garlic powder
dash of red wine vinegar
1 tsp. basil

In medium bowl mix beef, parsley, egg, garlic and Parmesan cheese. Take the bread and get it wet under running water. Squeeze to get out the water and break up into bowl. Also add black pepper, salt, garlic powder, red wine vinegar and basil. Mix all ingredients together for a few minutes - the mixture should be firm. Roll into 1" meatballs.

Using a non-stick frying pan (there should be no need to add cooking spray if using a non-stick pan), brown the meatballs on medium high heat. Meatballs should be seared to a dark brown. After the meatballs are browned, turn heat down to medium and finish cooking or add them to tomato sauce to finish cooking.

Enchilada Sacue

noreply@blogger.com (Anna) — Thu, 23 Dec 2010 18:08:00 +0000

Once again, this is a recipe from my sister-in-law Tara. It's far better than any canned stuff I've used before. I have to post it here before my copy gets lost.

2 TBS margarine
1/3 c flour
2 (8 oz) cans tomato sauce
2 cups water
2 TBS Chili powder
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. onion powder
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
(Tara says she just seasons to taste, and is not much of a stickler about measuring any of the spices in this.)

In a medium saucepan melt margarine and blend in flour. Add tomato sauce, water and seasonings; mix well with wire whip. Simmer until mixture thickens.

Makes 4 cups

Cream Cheese Chicken (Slow Cooker)

noreply@blogger.com (Anna) — Sun, 05 Dec 2010 16:33:00 +0000

So this is a pretty common recipe but I've tried a couple and this one is my favorite. This actually isn't my favorite meal but my husband and son love it and it's one of their favorites. Plus, it's super easy and the slow cooker can't be beat for ease. The recipe calls for frozen chicken breasts but I have used fresh chicken breasts and just shortened the cooking time. Also, I've included the cooking time from the original recipe but my slow cooker always cooks faster than the recipe calls for by one or two hours. Your slow cooker might also cook this faster so keep that in mind. I often use 1/3 less-fat cream cheese for the sake of my caloric intake and it's worked well.

Ingredients:
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1/2 cup chicken broth
2-3 frozen chicken breasts
1 packet of Italian salad dressing mix
2 cloves minced garlic
1 8 oz. block of cream cheese, cut into chunks
pasta of your choice

Put everything except the cream cheese into the slow cooker. Cook on low for 6 hours, or until the chicken is cooked through and shreds easily. Remove chicken and shred. Return chicken to slow cooker and add the cream cheese. Switch the slow cooker to high and cook for an additional 30 minutes, or until the cream cheese is fully melted. Prepare pasta as directed on package. Serve over pasta.

Chocolate Pepermint Crunch Cookies

noreply@blogger.com (Anna) — Tue, 30 Nov 2010 15:34:00 +0000

I saw that Andes makes peppermint crunch baking chips as I was looking at all the holiday baking goods. Although I had no direct purpose when I bought them, I was determined to use them because they looked so fun and delicious. Here's the recipe I came up with and they turned out just as my little brain had imagined.

Ingredients:
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 cup butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 eggs
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 baking cocoa
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 bag (10 oz.) peppermint crunch baking chips

In large bowl beat sugar and butter on medium speed until creamy. Add vanilla and eggs and beat again until creamy. Stir in flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt. Stir in baking chips. Refrigerate for about 1 hour. Roll into one inch balls and place on cookie sheet. Bake in preheated oven at 325 degrees for 13-16 minutes (check after 13 minutes, do not over back or the cookies will be crispy). Cool on a wire rack.

Chicken Primavera

noreply@blogger.com (Anna) — Mon, 29 Nov 2010 17:00:00 +0000

This is another recipe I adapted from Cooking Light. Originally, it was a vegetarian dish but I added chicken. So, if you don't have chicken, it would still be a great dish. I've made it without the asparagus and green beans when I only had broccoli. Feel free to adapt based on what you have on hand. I tend to like a bit more garlic so if you don't like strong garlic, use only 2 cloves.

Ingredients:
2 cups green beans, trimmed (optional)
2 cups broccoli florets
1/2 cup asparagus (optional)
8-10 ounces uncooked fettuccine
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup chopped onion
2 chicken breasts, cut into small pieces
2-4 minced fresh garlic
1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1/2 cup fresh or frozen green peas
2/3 cup half-and-half
1 teaspoon cornstarch
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup shredded Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese.
chopped fresh basil to taste

Cook green beans in boiling water 1 minute. Add broccoli and asparagus; cook 2 minutes or until vegetables are crisp-tender. Remove vegetables from pan with a slotted spoon; place in large bowl. Return water to a boil. Add pasta; cook 10 minutes or until al dente. Drain and add to vegetable mixture.

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 cup onion, and saute for 2 minutes. Add chicken, garlic and red pepper; saute until chicken no longer pink. Add peas and saute for an additional 1 minute. In a small bowl, combine half-and-half, cornstarch and salt, stirring with a whisk. Reduce heat to medium. Add half-and-half mixture to pan; cook 1 minute or until sauce thickens, stirring constantly. Pour sauce over pasta mixture; toss gently to coat. Sprinkle with basil and cheese. Serve immediately.

Yield 4 servings
(9)

Lemon Chicken Soup

noreply@blogger.com (Anna) — Mon, 29 Nov 2010 16:38:00 +0000

Once upon a time I worked near a Greek restaurant. It served the best lemon soup ever. This easy recipe reminds me of that soup (although I'm not sure anything will ever come close to the original). I adapted this from a recipe I found and is great as a quick meal. I've used fresh chicken and let it cook in the broth. It's also easy to use leftover cooked chicken or from a rotisserie chicken.

Ingredients:
1 tsp olive oil
1 garlic clove, minced
6 cups chicken broth
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup orzo
2 1/2 cups fresh or frozen green beans
3 cups chopped chicken
2 eggs
3-4 Tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice

Directions:
1. Heat oil in large pot over medium heat. Add garlic and cook until light brown, about 1 minute. Add broth, pepper and salt and bring to a boil over high heat. Add orzo and reduce heat to a simmer. Cook until orzo is tender (aprox. 8 minutes).
2. Add green beans and chicken and simmer 2 minutes. Meanwhile, whisk together eggs and 3 tablespoons of the lemon juice in a medium bowl. Warm egg mixture by gently whisking in about 1 cup hot broth in a thin stream.
3. Whisk egg mixture into soup and warm briefly over low heat 2 minutes. Do not boil or eggs will curdle. Adjust seasoning as needed with more lemon juice, salt, or pepper and serve.

4 servings
(8)

Pico de Gallo

noreply@blogger.com (Anna) — Mon, 15 Nov 2010 19:16:00 +0000

My sister-in-law, Tara makes really good Pico de Gallo. She can probably make it in her sleep but this is what she told me to do. I like to add a jalepeno pepper when I'm feeling spicy.

1/2-1 onion, chopped
1/2-1 green bell pepper, chopped
2-5 Roma tomatoes or 1-2 large tomatoes
garlic to taste
salt to taste
cilantro to taste
lime juice to taste

Chop and combine everything.

I've found it best to let it sit for a while in the fridge before serving. If you don't want it as juicy, de-seed the tomatoes.

Pumpkin Pie Play Dough

noreply@blogger.com (Anna) — Mon, 15 Nov 2010 19:12:00 +0000

A friend gave me this recipe for play dough and we love to make it in the fall. She gave us the dry ingredients in a jar with the instructions - such a cute present. Use green colored pasta as stems for the pumpkin play dough. Even though it smells good enough to eat, it's not one of the play dough recipes you can actually eat.

1 cup flour
1/2 cup salt
2 tsp cream of tartar
2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1/2 tsp cinamon
1 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 cup water
Food coloring (orange, or 6 drops red + 15 yellow)

Directions:
1. Combine the dry ingredients in a nonstick saucepan. Add the oil, water and food coloring and whisk until smooth. Stirring constantly with a rubber spatula, cook the mixture over medium heat until it forms a ball, about 3-4 minutes.

2. Turn the dough onto the counter, let it cool slightly, then knead the dough until it has a smooth texture, about 1 minute.

Taco Soup

noreply@blogger.com (Anna) — Sun, 14 Nov 2010 15:16:00 +0000

This soup is one that I make regularly when I'm trying to shed a few pounds. It's low fat, filling and full of fiber. But, it does make a really big batch so it's a good to make for a crowd or to freeze part for later. It's also good with Monterrey Jack cheese or with broken chips sprinkled on to.

1 large onion, chopped
1 package taco seasoning mix
2 cups corn (frozen or canned)
2 cans diced tomatoes
1 can white kidney beans, not drained
1 can black beans, not drained
1 can fat free refried beans
1 can chicken broth
(All cans are approx. 14-16 oz.)

Mix all ingredients together and simmer covered for 1 hour.

Makes 15 cups. May be frozen.
Serving size = 1 cup

Grilled Corn with Sour Cream

noreply@blogger.com (Anna) — Mon, 17 May 2010 13:34:00 +0000

Smear some of this sour cream mixture on your grilled corn. I prefer it to butter and salt. This recipe will cover 4-6 ears of corn. Double it if you're making more corn. I've also used the leftover sour cream mixture instead of plain sour cream in our chicken soft tacos.

Ingredients:
1/4 cup reduced fat sour cream
1/4 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp garlic powder
1/8 tsp freshly ground black pepper
4-6 ears corn
chili powder to taste

1. Grill corn until brown in spots, turning occasionally.
2. Stir together sour cream, cumin, salt, garlic powder and pepper. Coat grilled corn with sour cream mixture and sprinkle with chili powder.

Swedish Meatballs (except with chicken)

noreply@blogger.com (Anna) — Mon, 29 Mar 2010 20:50:00 +0000

This is yet again another Cooking Light recipe that I made some adjustments to and have adopted as a regular in our dinner rotations.

The recipe calls for bread crumbs. Because I use bread crumbs regularly, I keep them in my freezer. Whenever I have a few slices of bread that are almost ready to be thrown out, I'll put it in the food processor and freeze them so I can easily use them later.

The recipe also calls for ground chicken. Although it is pretty easy to pick up a pound of ground chicken from the grocery store, I prefer to put chicken breasts in the food processor. It makes a huge difference. Typically, you can get three breasts in a package which is almost 3 pounds. I'll just grind the entire package, split it, use half and freeze the other half.

If you start heating the water for the noodles after you've put browned all the meatballs, it usually turns out timed perfectly. Well, at least with my stovetop. If you have a better range, it might not work out as accurately :) Okay, enough with my tips. On to the recipe!

Ingredients:
1 cup bread crumbs
1 pound ground chicken breast
3/4 teaspoon salt, divided
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 tablespoons parsley (I use dry although it would probably taste better if you used fresh)
1 large egg white
1 tablespoon canola oil
1-14 oz. can fat free chicken broth
1 1/2 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 cup fat-free sour cream
12-16 oz. wide egg noodles

Directions:
1. Place bread crumbs, chicken, 1/2 teaspoon salt, nutmeg, pepper and egg white in bowl. Stir until combined. Shape into small 1-inch meatballs.
2. Heat oil in large nonstick pan over medium-high heat. Add meatballs. Brown on all sides. Remove meatballs from pan.

3. Reserve a some of the chicken broth in a small bowl. Pour the rest into the pan. Add the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt to pan. Add the flour (for thicker sauce, add more flour) to the reserved chicken broth and stir well. Pour the flour-chicken broth mixture into the pan. Stir with a whisk until well combined. Bring to a boil and cook for a minute or until slightly thickened.

4. Stir in sour cream and return the meatballs to the pan. Reduce heat to meadium-low. Cook for 10 minutes or until meatballs are done and sauce has thickened.

Raspberry Buckle

noreply@blogger.com (Anna) — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 14:27:00 +0000

My only goal when going to pick raspberries this fall with my son was to get enough to make Raspberry Buckle. I've used this same recipe with blueberries and I'm not sure if I could pick a favorite. Using either is divine. I like this desert when it is still hot and I've only made it with fresh raspberries or blueberries (however, you may substitute fresh for frozen). It's more dense than cake - almost like a big, fluffy, soft sugar cookie.

Ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup shortening
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg
1/2 cup milk
2 cups fresh raspberries (or blueberries)
**
1/4 cup flour
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3 tablespoons butter

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 9x9" or 8x8" pan; set aside. In a medium bowl combine the 2 cups flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside.

2. In a medium mixing bowl beat shortening with a mixer on medium speed for 30 seconds. Add the 3/4 cup sugar. Beat on medium-high speed until light and fluffy. Add egg; beat well. Alternately add flour mixture and milk to beaten egg mixture. Beat until smooth after each addition.

3. Spoon batter into prepared pan. Sprinkle with berries. In another bowl, combine the 1/4 cup flour, 1/4 cup sugar, 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon and 3 tablespoons butter. Cut butter into mixture until it is resembles course crumbs. Sprinkle over berries. Bake for 50-60 minutes or until golden.

Tabasco Shrimp

noreply@blogger.com (Anna) — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 12:01:00 +0000

Yet another recipe found from Cooking Light that I love. The original added chili powder and hot sauce to the sour cream but I usually end up skipping that step to simplify. We serve the shrimp wrapped in a fat burrito using fresh cooked tortillas, rice, beans, Monterrey Jack cheese, sour cream and Herdez Salsa Verde (a must have at all times in our pantry). This is another recipe that I use the frozen shrimp from Costco. We also love the uncooked tortillas that you can make fresh before serving - it makes all the difference in a good burrito. But, I sometimes do skip the tortilla and have a burrito bowl when I'm trying to cut out some fat/calories.

For those of you that are a little wary of spicy - this is probably about medium but it's hard for me to rate since I love spicy. In other words, I skip the shrimp and make a plain burrito for my son because it's too hot for him.

Ingredients:
3/4 teaspoons chili powder
3/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon hot smoked paprika
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 pounds large shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

2 teaspoons hot pepper sauce (such as Tabasco)

Combine chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, paprika, and salt in a large bowl. Add shrimp; toss to coat. Let stand 10 minutes.

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic; sauté 30 seconds. Add shrimp mixture; sauté until done. Stir in hot pepper sauce and juice. Remove from heat.

Low-Fat Strawberry-Cinnamon Muffins

noreply@blogger.com (Anna) — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 19:08:00 +0000

I really wanted to make some kind of strawberry muffin. Out of three recipes that I tried, I had a winner again from Cooking Light. In my opinion, these are AMAZING when warm and just okay when cooled but that is the case 90% of the time with muffins. But, that doesn't stop my husband from loving them a day later.

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup vanilla fat-free yogurt
1/4 cup butter, melted
3 tablespoons 1% low-fat milk
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1/4 cup strawberry jam
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Preparation
Preheat oven to 375º.

Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups, and level with a knife. Combine flour and the next 4 ingredients (flour through salt) in a large bowl, stirring well with a whisk. Make a well in center of flour mixture. Combine yogurt, butter, milk, and egg in a bowl, stirring well with a whisk. Add yogurt mixture to flour mixture, stirring just until moist.

Place muffin liners in muffin tin (On my second batch, I used foil liners that had a paper liner too which works better than just paper liners). Spoon 1 tablespoon batter into each liner. Top each with 1 teaspoon jam. Top evenly with the remaining batter. Combine 1 tablespoon sugar and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon; sprinkle over batter. Bake at 375º for 15 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Remove from pan; place on a wire rack.

Caramel-Pecan Rolls

noreply@blogger.com (Anna) — Tue, 05 May 2009 22:46:00 +0000

I searched high and low for the perfect recipe for caramel-pecan rolls. My mom makes these delicious rolls but her habit of not baking or cooking according to a recipe made it a little difficult to follow. I finally ran across the Better Homes and Gardens recipe from the 30's. I made a couple of adjustments to the original and now they have become a regular Sunday night indulgence.

I've tried recipes using frozen dough but making the bread from scratch is so much better. The rolls are best when warm out of the oven.

Ingredients:
4 to 4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 package active dry yeast (or 2 1/4 teaspoons)
1 cup milk (preferably 2% or whole)
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup butter
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
2 tablespoons butter, softened
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Topping:
2/3 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup butter
2 tablespoons light-colored corn syrup
2/3 cup chopped pecans (I've also used walnuts in a pinch)

1. In mixing bowl, combine 2 cups of the flour and yeast; set aside. In saucepan, heat and stir milk, the 1/3 cup sugar, the 1/3 cup butter and salt just until warm (120-130 degrees, I always use a thermometer!). Add to the flour mixture along with eggs. Beat with mixer on low speed for 30 seconds (use paddle attachment if using Kitchenaid stand mixer), scraping bowl as needed. Beat on high speed for 3 minutes.

(At this point, switch to dough hook attachment if using Kitchenaid stand mixer.) Stir in remaining flour. Knead dough until it is smooth and elastic (3-5 minutes). Shape into a ball. Place dough in lightly greased bowl; turn once. Cover and let rise in warm place until double (about 1 hour).

Punch down dough. Turn onto lightly floured surface. Divide in half. Cover and let rest 10 minutes.

In small saucepan heat and stir 2/3 cup packed brown sugar, 1/4 cup butter, and 2 tablespoons light-colored corn syrup until combined. Divide topping between two 9" round baking pans. Sprinkle pecans in pan; set aside.

Roll each dough portion into a 12x8" rectangle. Smear 1 tablespoon of butter per each rectangle portion.

Combine the 1/4 cup sugar and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon; sprinkle over buttered dough. Roll up, jelly-roll style, starting from a long side; seal seam. Cut each into 12 slices. Place in prepared pans. Cover and let rise in a warm place until nearly double (about 30 minutes).

Bake in a preheated 375 degree oven for 20-25 minutes or until golden. While baking, place aluminum foil on a baking sheet. Once rolls are done baking, immediately invert baked rolls from pans.

Lemon Basil Shrimp Pasta

noreply@blogger.com (Anna) — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 19:51:00 +0000

This little gem comes from Cooking Light all the way back in Spring of 2007. I actually find it so easy to make that it's become one of our regulars. The only difference from the original recipe is that I don't use the 3 tablespoons of capers it calls for. Not because I don't like capers, it's just that I don't buy capers often and when I do, I never use them all. Add them back in if you like.

I highly recommend using fresh basil. I didn't use fresh the last time I made this (pictured above) and although it was still good - it's just not nearly as light and yummy. My basil plant pooped out right before Spring came and I have yet to replace it.

I'm also going to put in a plug for the frozen bags of shrimp at Costco. It is the best frozen shrimp I've ever used. It easily thaws by running under water for 5 or so minutes. Since they come with the tail shell on, I pull of the shells while they are under the running water.

If you don't like shrimp, this recipe would also be good with a substitute of chicken.

Ingredients:
8 oz. uncooked spaghetti
1 pound peeled and and deveined large shrimp
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil (or 2 Tb dried basil)
2 tablespoons extravirgin olive oil
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups baby spinach

Bring water to boil in large pot. Add pasta. 3 minutes before pasta is done cooking according to package directions, add shrimp. Cook 3 minutes or until shrimp are done. Drain (do not rinse). Place pasta and shrimp in a large bowl. In a small bowl, mix basil, oil, lemon juice and salt. Add to pasta and shrimp. Place spinach on plate or bowl and top with pasta mixture.

Yield: 4 servings

Chicken and Fresh Vegetable Pasta Salad

noreply@blogger.com (Anna) — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 02:14:00 +0000

This is attempt number 2 at documenting a recipe that is stored in my magic brain. Sorry if it is a little vague but this is another recipe that is great because of the ease of making variations.

Most of my staple recipes are based upon items that in bulk (ahem, Costco). I also typically buy a family pack of chicken and grill several breasts all at once on my George Foreman so that I can use the chicken the next night in a different recipe (such as Artichoke-Chicken Penne, Chicken Tetrazzini or Chicken Enchilada Pie). I simply put a little Season-All on the chicken and grill on my trusty George Foreman.

Also, for this recipe I like to use at least three or four different vegetables. I always use tomatoes and cucumbers. I love sweet peppers - orange, yellow or red. If you don't like sweet peppers, try adding carrots. I'm not a big fan of carrots but they would be a good substitute for the peppers. The amounts I've listed in the recipe can certainly be altered to taste. Use your favorite vegetables so you will really enjoy the salad.

If you do use sweet peppers, I usually only use a quarter of each. I think it is the perfect amount.

Ingredients:
16 oz. Rotini pasta
4 tomatoes, chopped
1 cucumber, peeled and chopped
other vegetables as desired (sweet peppers, carrots, spinach, etc.)
2 chicken breasts
1/2 cup Feta cheese (if you don't like Feta, try Parmesan instead)

Dressing:
3 tablespoons vinegar
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 package of Good Seasons Italian Dressing Mix.

Begin by grilling your chicken. While you are grilling, start your water boiling for the pasta. Begin cutting your vegetables and place in a large bowl. Allow the grilled chicken to cool a bit and then chop. Once the pasta is done, drain and rinse.

Add all ingredients to a large bowl and stir. In a small bowl mix ingredients for dressing. Add dressing to salad and toss.

Artichoke-Chicken Penne

noreply@blogger.com (Anna) — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 12:25:00 +0000

This is my first attempt at writing down a recipe that I just have in my head. It evolved from the desire to something similar to a dish I had at Noodles and Co. Forgive me but I'll have to be a little Rachel Ray on this and give approximate measurements. But the great thing about this recipe is that you can easily make variations. Again, the measurements are approximate because I never measure - I just throw it in.

Ingredients:
1-2 tablespoons olive oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup sun dried tomatoes, chopped
1 1/2 cups artichoke hearts, chopped
2-3 chicken breasts, cooked (grilled or sauteed) and shredded
10 oz. penne pasta, cooked and drained
handful of fresh Spinach, rinsed
2-4 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1/4-1/2 cup feta cheese

In a large skillet, add olive oil and heat over medium-high heat. Add garlic, tomatoes, and artichoke hearts. Cook for one minute.

Add chicken and noodles. Stir and heat through. Add Spinach and cook until spinach is wilted.

Add balsamic vinegar and heat through. Add feta cheese before serving.

Spicy Chicken Cakes with Horseradish Aioli

noreply@blogger.com (Anna) — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 02:20:00 +0000

We dug out an old Cooking Light magazine and found this little gem. The recipe called for bottled minced garlic but I recommend freshly minced garlic. I can't guarantee that there is a difference but in my experience, fresh garlic will make any recipe better than when using the bottled stuff. The recipe also calls for fresh chives but I substituted with green onions since I had them on hand. I have to admit that the highlight of this recipe is the Horseradish Aioli. It's a treat.

I served it with blue cheese mashed potatoes (I'm still on my blue cheese kick) and asparagus. While the potatoes were cooking, I prepared the chicken cakes. Once I had the chicken cakes on, I made the Aioli and asparagus.

Cakes:
2 slices whole wheat bread
1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast (aprox. 2 large chicken breasts)
1/4 cup chopped fresh chives
3 tablespoons low-fat mayonnaise
1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 large egg whites

To prepare cakes, place bread in a food processor to make coarse crumbs. Measure 1 cup and add to a medium bowl. Place chicken in food processor and grind. Add chicken to bowl and remaining ingredients. Mix well. Divide mixture into 8 equal portions, shaping each into 1/2-inch-thick patty. Heat two teaspoons canola oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add patties; cook 7 minutes on each side or until done.

Aioli:
2 tablespoons low-fat mayonnaise
2 teaspoons prepared horseradish
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1/8 teaspoon salt

To prepare aioli, combine ingredients in a small bowl.