Me and Pinterest

Cilanto Lime Pesto Chicken Tacos

2012-10-29T19:19:00.002-07:00

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This recipe is from Joelen over at What's Cooking Chicago

Cilantro Lime Chicken Tacos - Makes enough for 4 tacos
Cooking spray for sauteing
2-3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces (I used 3)
salt and pepper to taste
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 cup cilantro lime pesto (recipe follows)
flour or corn tortilla
preferred taco garnishes (salsa, sour cream, cheese, etc)

1) Season chicken with salt, pepper and garlic powder. (I read ahead on the recipe and noticed the 1 1/2 tsp of Kosher Salt in the pesto, so I did not season the chicken with any extra salt. The extra salt was not missed.)
2) In a skillet sprayed with cooking spray, saute chicken over medium high heat and cooked through.
3) Toss the cooked, seasoned chicken with the pesto. Fill tortillas with chicken and top with preferred garnishes. (I served mine with cheese, tomatoes and hot sauce. My hubby commented that sour cream and a diced onion would have added as well. I agree.)

*To make ahead/freezer meal - Cook chicken as directed above and cool. Place chicken in freezer bag. Prepare Cilantro Lime Pesto as directed below. Place 1/2 cup of pesto in a small storage bag then place inside the freezer bag with the chicken. Freeze. When ready to prepare, defrost and heat chicken. Toss chicken with defrosted pesto. If desired, heat chicken and pesto together before filling tacos.

Cilantro Lime Pesto - Makes 1 cup
1 cup fresh cilantro leaves (do not include stems)
2 1/2 Tbsps extra virgin olive oil
2 Tbsps sliced, toasted almonds
3 Tbsps fresh, chopped garlic
1 1/2 tsps lime juice
1/2 cup shredded Asiago (Parmesan or Romano can be substitued too) (I didn't have any of these cheeses on hand. So, I used some leftover Wild Garlic Havarti. It was very, very good.)
1 1/2 tsps Kosher Salt
1/4 cup chicken broth
1) Using a blender, mix together the cilantro, olive oil, almonds, garlic, lime juice, cheese, salt and chicken broth on low speed for 2 minutes.

Nutritional Information:

4 servings

Amount per serving:

Calories: 416

Fat: 17g

Carbs: 16.6g
Fiber 2.7g

Protein: 46.2g
Weight Watchers Points Plus Value: 10

Thoughts: I LOVE THIS RECIPE!!! This was really flavorful. My Hubby and I both loved it. I have been looking for great and easy recipes to serve over the holidays when I have a houseful of people, and this just made it onto the list. For these reasons, I give this recipe 5 easy pins!

If you just hopped over here from Pinterest, Welcome! Feel free to check out any of the other recipes I have reviewed. And come back for another visit sometime soon. - Lynn

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Cheap Korean Beef

2012-06-11T07:45:00.000-07:00

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This recipe is from Lizzy over at Lizzy Writes. Follow the recipe here (with my additions and improvements in red).
Cheap Korean Beef - Serves 6
1 lb lean ground beef
1/4 - 1/2 cup brown sugar (I like it sweet so I usually do closer to 1/2) (Lynn here - I like things less sweet, so I went with 1/4 cup and it was just perfect!)
1/4 cup soy sauce (I use low-sodium)
1 Tbsp sesame oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp fresh ginger, minced
1/2 - 1 tsp crushed red peppers (I hate to chew on a red pepper flakes. So I went with 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper. Spicy throughout, yet no big pepper chunks lurking about. If your family is not spice-friendly, don't use any or taste as you go.)
salt and pepper
1 bunch green onions, diced
1) Heat a large skillet over medium heat and brown hamburger with garlic in the sesame oil.
2) Drain most of the fat and add brown sugar, soy sauce, ginger, salt and pepper and red peppers.
3) Simmer for a few minutes to blend the flavors. Serve over steamed rice and top with green onions.
Nutritional Information:

6 servings

Amount per serving:

Calories: 265

Fat: 18g

Carbs: 14.2g
Fiber .2g

Protein: 14.2g
Weight Watchers Points Plus Value: 7.5

Thoughts: I LOVE THIS RECIPE!!! This was quick and really flavorful. I don't usually gravitate towards quick and easy, but this really was quick, easy and super yummy. Everyone at the table loved it and wanted it added to our home cooking menu choices. For these reasons, I give this recipe 5 easy pins!
If you just hopped over here from Pinterest, Welcome! Feel free to check out any of the other recipes I have reviewed. And come back for another visit sometime soon. - Lynn
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Cannellini & Ham Soup

2012-05-14T16:32:00.002-07:00

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This recipe is from Christine over at Chow. Follow the recipe here (with my additions and improvements in red).
Cannellini & Ham Soup Serves 8
Ingredients:
1lb dried cannellini beans
3 1/2 quarts (14 cups) water, plus more for soaking the beans
1 meaty smoked ham bone or 2 ham hocks (about 1 pound)
3 fresh thyme springs or 1/2 tsp dried thyme (I used 1 tbsp dried and it could probably have used a little more than that).
2 medium carrots
2 medium celery stalks
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
1 tsp kosher salt, plus more as needed
1 1/2 cups medium-dice, fully cooked smoked ham (about 8 ozs)
Freshly ground black pepper
Instructions:
1) Place the beans in a large bowl and pick through them, removing and discarding any broken beans or stones. Cover them with at least 3 inches of cold water. Allow to soak uncovered and at room temperature at least 8 hours or overnight. Drain in a colander and set aside.
2) Place the measured water and ham bone or hocks in a Dutch oven or large, heavy-bottomed pot and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer uncovered for 1 hour. (I skipped cooking the water and the bone and hock by themselves. I moved on to step number 3 and cooked the bone and hock with the beans.)
3) Add the soaked beans and thyme, stir to combine (leave the bone and hocks in the pot), and return to a simmer, skimming the surface with a spoon as necessary to remove any scum. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the beans are almost completely tender but still a little underdone in the center, about 1 hour (the beans should not be completely cooked because they will cook more later).
4) Meanwhile, peel and cut the carrots into medium dice and place in a medium bowl. Cut the celery and onion into medium dice and add them to the bowl with the carrots. Add the diced vegetables and measured salt to the pot, stir to combine, and bring to a simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the beans and vegetables are tender and the meat is falling off the bone, about 40 minutes more. Turn off the heat.
5) Remove the ham bone or hocks to a cutting board and let sit until cool enough to handle. Remove the meat from the bones and set it aside (discard the skin and bones).
6) Using a potato masher, lightly mash half of the beans and vegetables, leaving the remaining half intact. Stir in the diced and reserved ham. Taste and season with salt and pepper as needed.
Nutritional Information:

8 servings

Amount per serving:

Calories: 127

Fat: 2.9g

Carbs: 16.5g
Fiber 3.5g

Protein: 8.9g
Weight Watchers Points Plus Value: 3
Thoughts: This was good, but it could have been better. Next time I will increase the amount of thyme and add garlic to the recipe. I made this recipe and Creamy Potato & Ham Soup during the same week. My hubby much preferred the Creamy Potato & Ham Soup. So for those reasons, I give this recipe 3 pins.
If you just hopped over here from Pinterest, Welcome! Feel free to check out any of the other recipes I have reviewed. And come back for another visit sometime soon. - Lynn
Who knew the lowly potato saved the world? See the ad below!

Creamy Ham and Potato Soup

2012-05-09T17:10:00.000-07:00

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This recipe is from Christy over at The Girl Who Ate Everything. Follow the recipe here (with my additions and improvements in red).
Creamy Ham and Potato Soup - Serves 6
3 1/2 cups peeled and diced potatoes
1/3 cup diced celery
1/3 cup finely chopped onion
1/2 cup carrot, diced (optional)
1 cup diced cooked ham (I ended up adding 2 cups. One cup seemed a little on the skimpy side.)
3 1/4 cups chicken broth
1/2 tsp salt, or to taste
1 tsp ground white or black pepper, or to taste
5 tbsps butter
5 tbsps all-purpose flour
2 cups milk
Note: I added some carrots that I had and Becky said she adds a can of corn too which would be good.
Note: I thought the soup a little under seasoned. So I added 2 cloves of garlic, minced and 2 tsps of dried basil. My hubby LOVED the soup with the basil.)
Directions:
1) Combine the potatoes, celery, onion, carrot, ham and chicken broth (and garlic) in a stockpot. Bring to a boil, then cook over medium heat until potatoes are tender, about 10 to 15 minutes. Stir in salt and pepper (and basil).
2) In a separate saucepan, melt butter over medium-low heat. Whisk in flour with a fork, and cook, stirring constantly until thick, about 1 minute. Slowly stir in milk so that lumps don't form and until all of the milk has been added. Continue stirring over medium-low heat until thick, 4 to 5 minutes.
3) Stir the milk mixture into the stockpot, and cook soup until heated through.
4) Top with cheddar cheese, chives, and bacon if desired. Serve immediately.
Nutritional Information:

6 servings

Amount per serving:

Calories: 268.7

Fat: 14g

Carbs: 26.6g
Fiber 2.4g

Protein: 9.9g
Weight Watchers Points Plus Value: 7
Thoughts: This is a really good basic ham and potato soup recipe. I added in garlic and basil, and these made for a much more flavorful soup. But, oregano, thyme or even Italian seasoning could be experimented with as well. The only other thing I changed was to double the amount of ham. I just felt that one cup with that amount of liquid was a little on the sparse side. For all of these reasons, I give this soup recipe 4 hearty pins.
If you just hopped over here from Pinterest, Welcome! Feel free to check out any of the other recipes I have reviewed. And come back for another visit sometime soon. - Lynn
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No Bake Energy Bites

2012-05-07T08:37:00.001-07:00

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This recipe is from Ali over at Gimme Some Oven. Follow her recipe here (with my additions and improvements in red):
No-Bake Energy Bites - Makes 20 - 25 (My batch made 20)
Ingredients:
1 cup (dry) oatmeal (I used old-fashioned oats)
1 cup toasted coconut flakes
1/2 cup chocolate chips
1/2 cup peanut butter (I tried almond butter)
1/2 cup ground flaxseed
1/3 cup honey
1 tsp vanilla
1) Stir all ingredients together in a medium bowl until thoroughly mixed. Let chill in the refrigerator for half an hour.
2) Once chilled, roll into balls of whatever size you would like. (Mine were about 1" in diameter.) Store in an airtight container (They are slightly sticky, so I stored them individually-wrapped and then put in an airtight container) and keep refrigerated for up to 1 week.
Ali's Tips: Substitution ideas can abound for just about any of these ingredients! Feel free to substitute in your favorite nut butter (almond (This is what I originally made them with - yummy!), sunflower seed, etc) for the peanut butter. And you could also add in some wheat germ in place of some or all of the flaxseed. I would caution, though, against substituting agave nectar for the honey, as the honey's thickness helps hold things together. Some other fun substitutions for the chocolate chips (or an addition to them) could include: chopped dried fruit, dried berries, chopped nuts, other chips.
Enjoy! (I agree!)
Nutritional Information:
20 Servings
Amount per serving:
Calories 157
Fat 10.2g
Carbs 14.9g
Fiber 1.9g
Protein 3.5 g
Fiber 1.9g
Protein: 3.5g
Weight Watchers Points Plus Values: 4
Thoughts: These should really be called, "Crack No Bake Energy Bites," or "Don't Plan on Eating Just One, Even Though You Know How Many Calories They Are, Because You Know You Are Going to Eat Them All, So Do It and Just Get It Over With." Yeah, they are that good! I will definitely make these again. The next time, however, I will hide them in the refrigerator of a friends house, in the next state over. Therefore, these delightful little bites get 5 healthy pins!
If you just hopped over here from Pinterest, Welcome! Feel free to check out any of the other recipes I have reviewed. And come back for another visit sometime soon. - Lynn
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Guaranteed Crispy Sweet Potato Fries

2012-05-02T08:28:00.000-07:00

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This recipe is from Karen over at The Art of Doing Stuff. Follow her recipe here (with my improvements and additions in red):
Guaranteed Crispy Sweet Potato Fries - Serves 6
Ingredients:
sweet potatoes (Karen doesn't state how many/pounds to use, so I went with 3 medium potatoes, because that's how many she showed in the picture.)
1 or 2 tbsps corn starch
2 tbsps olive oil
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 tsp Sriracha sauce
1/4 tsp Cayenne pepper
Directions:
1) Cut your sweet potatoes until they're medium thickness. Not hugely thick cut and not shoestring.
2) Let potatoes soak in water for an hour - half the day. (not mandatory, but recommended) (I would also add 1 tsp of salt. The water draws out the starch content of the potatoes, but the salt draws out the water content. This is important because you don't want your oven to become a steam bath.)
3) Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
4) Throw cornstarch into a plastic bag.
5) Dump a handful of sweet potatoes into the bag with the cornstarch. Twist the top of the bag so it forms a balloon with some air inside and shake the fries around until they're lightly coated with the cornstarch.
6) Put your coated fries on a non-stick cookie sheet.
7) Drizzle olive oil over the fries.
8) Using your hands, make sure the fries are well coated.
9) Arrange them on the sheet again, so they have space between each fry. The less fries on the pan, the better they'll cook. (I wish Karen could have been a little more exact in this instruction.) Too many shoved together and they'll never get crispy. They'll just steam. Pop the fries into your preheated oven and cook for 15 minutes.
10) Meanwhile you can make the dipping sauce. Mix together the mayonnaise with the Sriracha sauce and Cayenne pepper. You can adjust the proportions to taste.
11) Check the fries after 15 minutes, flip them over (you might have to use a spatula depending on how "non-stick" your pan is) and return to the oven if necessary for another 5 minutes.
Nutritional Information:

6 servings

Amount per serving:

Calories: 212

Fat: 17.9g

Carbs: 12g

Fiber 1.9g

Protein: 1.3g
Weight Watchers Points Plus Value: 6
Thoughts: I'm afraid I can guarantee the guarantee in the title. They were not crispy, tasty, but not crispy. Karen ends this blog post by saying, "Please note: This recipe does have a bit of a learning curve. It may take a few attempts to get your proportions of corn starch and oil correct. It took me several years (seriously?) to figure out how to do this, but with these instructions it shouldn't take you more than a couple of tries - Karen." My feeling is that after years of trial and error, Karen could have come up with a more precise recipe. I was really looking forward to crispy fries, but it just did not happen. I will make this recipe again. And if I do achieve that perfect crisp to my fries, I will update you. For these reasons, this recipe gets 3 hearty pins.
If you just hopped over here from Pinterest, Welcome! Feel free to check out any of the other recipes I have reviewed. And come back for another visit sometime soon. - Lynn
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Homemade Fortune Cookies

2012-04-25T07:23:00.000-07:00

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Hello! It's Lynn's daughter Kelly again. I'm here to guest blog about my most recent Pinterest recipe experience. Go check out more photos from my attempt at making these, or read about my upcoming summer in France on my blog, Rainboots & Beef.
This recipe is from Kelly (good name!) at Just a Taste. Here is her recipe (with my additions and improvements in red):
Homemade Fortune Cookies
Yield: 16 fortune cookies
Ingredients:
2 egg whites
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
½ cup all-purpose flour
½ cup sugar
Handwritten fortunes (optional) I used quotes from my motivational quote board on Pinterest. (Lynn here - good choice Kelly!)
1 cup chocolate chips (optional) Ha. My cookies were so ugly I didn't feel like wasting chocolate on them.
Sprinkles, for garnish (optional) I ate the sprinkles out of the jar while I cooked, if that counts for anything.
Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Line a sheet tray with parchment paper or a Silpat. (I didn't have either. Instead I just greased a regular cookie sheet.)

In a large bowl, whisk together the egg whites, vanilla, cinnamon, flour and sugar. The batter will be very loose. (The batter wasn't exactly lose. It was kind of like glue. I definitely approve of the cinnamon and vanilla in fortune cookies. It made them taste more like sugar cookies than fruit loops, which I think store-bought fortune cookies tend to taste like.)

Using a small spoon, scoop about 1 tablespoon of batter onto the lined cookie sheet. Use the back of the spoon to smooth the batter into a very thin circular layer. (This didn't exactly work for me because the cookie sheet was so greasy and slippery.) Repeat this process with additional batter to form two or three circles of batter on the cookie sheet. (I did three at a time. This is so you can insert fortune, fold, and pinch without the cookies beginning to harden, theoretically.)

Bake the cookies for 5 to 7 minutes, or just until the edges of the cookies begin to brown. (About six minutes seemed to work best for me, but if your cookies were as thin as they are supposed to be...this might be the burning point.)

Remove the cookies from the oven, place the handwritten fortunes in the centers of the cookies, and then use a flat spatula to very carefully release the cookie from the sheet tray. Fold it in half, then pinch the edges inward (as shown above) to create the fortune cookie shape. Continue this process with the remaining cookies, which will harden within 30 seconds of being formed. (This just didn't work. I placed the fortune on the cookie and spatula-ed the cookie off the cookie sheet, but when it came time to fold in half, they just broke, for the most part. The few that didn't break, were way too hot to pinch. About 2 cookies that I made even slightly resembled the shape of a fortune cookie, and none of them had even a slightly similar texture. They were basically folded sugar cookies with paper inside...and the paper was so enmeshed in the batter that you could hardly decipher what the fortune said.)

As an optional garnish, melt the chocolate chips in the microwave in 20-second intervals then dunk the hardened and cooled cookies into the chocolate. Immediately decorate the chocolate-dipped cookies with sprinkles and let harden. (Didn't do this. My cookies were too ugly.)

Nutritional Information:

16 servings

Amount per serving:

Calories: 41

Fat: .1g

Carbs: 9.3g

Fiber .1g

Protein: 1g

Weight Watchers Points Plus Value: 1

I probably wouldn't make these again unless I had a different recipe. I give this recipe 2 pins.

The result:

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Thanks for letting me guest blog and I hope you stop by and check out my blog, Rainboots & Beef, sometime soon!

If you just hopped over here from Pinterest, Welcome! Feel free to check out any of the other recipes I have reviewed. And come back for another visit sometime soon. - Lynn

Teriyaki Chicken

2012-04-23T08:44:00.001-07:00

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This recipe is from Pam over at For the Love of Cooking. See her recipe or follow the recipe here (with my additions and improvements in red):
Teriyaki Chicken - Serves 6
6 boneless skinless chicken thighs, trimmed of fat
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 tbsps brown sugar
2 tbsps chicken stock
2 tbsp rice vinegar
1/2 tsp sesame oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp fresh ginger, finely grated
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
2 tsp sesame seeds
1) Combine the soy sauce, sugar, chicken broth, vinegar, garlic, ginger, sesame oil and red pepper flakes (if you're not fond of chewing on a red pepper flake, go with 1/8 tsp of cayenne pepper or none at all) in a large zip lock bag. Mix until well combined. Add the trimmed chicken thighs to the marinade, seal the bag, and place in the refrigerator for up to 4 hours. (I went with one hour the first time I made this and the flavors came out great. Second time I marinaded for the full 4 hours and the flavors came out even better.)
2) Heat a large skillet over medium heat then coat with cooking spray. Once the pan is hot, add the chicken thighs and cook for 4-5 minutes on each side or until the chicken is cooked through. Sprinkle the chicken with sesame seeds and serve immediately.
(When I followed Pam's instructions to fry the chicken, I never did get that deep, thick glaze that she achieved in the above picture. So, I baked it to see what I could get. Still not the same glazed look. But I do have to say, I preferred the baked chicken over the fried. Baking held the moisture in the chicken and gave the teriyaki flavors more of a chance to develop.)
Enjoy. (I agree!)
Nutritional Information:
6 servings
Amount per serving:
Calories: 109
Fat: 3.1g
Carbs: 7.2g
Fiber .1g
Protein: 14.2g
Weight Watchers Points Plus Value: 3
This really was a very good chicken recipe. We had company the night we enjoyed it and everyone commented on how good it was. So, therefore, with only that one modification of baking instead of frying, I give this recipe 4 glorious pins!
If you just hopped over here from Pinterest, Welcome! Feel free to check out any of the other recipes I have reviewed. And come back for another visit sometime soon. - Lynn

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Chicken, Shrimp and Chorizo Paella

2012-04-19T08:04:00.000-07:00

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This recipe is from Diana and Lisel over at The Jewels of New York. See their recipe or follow the recipe here (with my additions and improvements in red):
Chicken, Shrimp and Chorizo Paella - Serves 6
1 Spanish chorizo sausage, sliced
2 tbsps olive oil
6 chicken thighs
1 medium onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tomato, diced (The authors never state when to add the tomato in. So I added it when the broth and rice went in. This seemed to me to be the correct time.)
1 tbsp flat leaf parsley, chopped
1/4 tsp Spanish paprika
3 1/2 cups low sodium chicken broth (I ended up using 4 cups of broth, because I needed a tad bit more to get the rice completely done.)
1/4 tsp saffron threads, crumbled
1 1/2 cups Arborio or other short grain rice
1 lb large shrimp, peeled and deveined
1/4 cup frozen peas, thawed
1 lemon
salt and pepper to taste
1) Season chicken with salt, pepper and a light dusting of paprika.
2) In a large paella pan (I don't have a Paella pan, but I do have a flat-bottomed wok. So I went with that and it turned out great), heat oil over medium high heat. Saute chorizo until browned and edges curl. Remove and reserve for later use. In the same pan, add chicken and brown skin side down until crispy but not cooked through. Reserve to the side.
3) Over medium heat, saute onions, garlic and parsley until golden and soft (I have found that sauteing onion, garlic and herbs together makes for dark brown, if not burnt garlic and herbs. So, I sauteed the onions by themselves for awhile and then added in the garlic and herbs.) Combine rice and broth (I went with 4 cups) into mixture. (I also added the tomato in at this point.) Bring to a boil. Salt and pepper to taste and add crumbled saffron.
4) Add chicken, chorizo and shrimp and continue to simmer without stirring until the liquid has evaporated and the rice is cooked through, about 15 minutes. Cover with foil to ensure all rice cooks through. (I turned the heat down low for this. Basically you are letting steam finish the rice.) Finish paella by turning up the heat during the last bit of cooking, this gives a nice toasted rice bottom to the dish. (Letting the rice steam for about 10 minutes developed the crusty bottom to the rice.) Let the dish rest for about 5-10 minutes before serving. Stir in peas and garnish with more parsley and lemon wedges.
Nutritional Information:
6 servings
Amount per serving:
Calories: 325.5
Fat: 12.9g
Carbs: 16.9g
Fiber 1.2g
Protein: 33.9g
Weight Watchers Points Plus Value: 8
Thoughts: This was really good. Flavorful, spicy and smelled wonderful while cooking. It reminded me a lot of cooking Gumbo. I served this with a side of broccoli and the dinner was enjoyed by all. This recipe deserved 5 yummy pins!
If you just hopped over here from Pinterest, Welcome! Feel free to check out any of the other recipes I have reviewed. And come back for another visit sometime soon. - Lynn

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Roasted Cabbage Wedges

2012-04-16T08:59:00.000-07:00

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This recipe is from Martha over at marthastewart.com. See her recipe or follow the recipe here (with my additions and improvements in red):
Roasted Cabbage Wedges - Serves about 6
1 tbsp plus 2 more tbsps extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium head green cabbage, cut into 1-inch thick rounds
coarse salt and ground pepper
1 tsp caraway or fennel seeds (I'm not fond of fennel so the first time I made this I used caraway. But then after that, I didn't use any seeds. Just the olive oil, salt and pepper were enough for me.)
1) Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2) Brush a rimmed baking sheet with 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil. Place 1 medium head green, cut into 1-inch-thick rounds, in a single layer on sheet and brush with 2 tbsps oil.
3) Season with coarse salt and ground pepper and sprinkle with 1 tsp of caraway or fennel seeds.
4) Roast until cabbage is tender and edges are golden, 40 to 45 minutes.
Nutritional Information:
6 servings
Amount per serving:
Calories: 97.5
Fat: 7.2g
Carbs: 8.2g
Fiber 3.5g
Protein: 2.2g
Thoughts: This is totally my new favorite roasted vegetable dish. My hubby and I love it. It goes with just about anything. It smells good and is very filling. I wholeheartedly give this recipe 5 happy pins.
If you just hopped over here from Pinterest, Welcome! Feel free to check out any of the other recipes I have reviewed. And come back to visit again sometime soon. - Lynn

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Man-Pleasing Chicken

2012-04-13T09:19:00.000-07:00

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This recipe is from Jenna over at Witty in the City. See her recipe or follow the recipe here (with my additions and improvements in red):
Man-Pleasing Chicken - Serves 6
1/2 cup Dijon mustard
1/4 cup maple syrup
1 tbsp rice wine vinegar
1 1/2 lb package chicken thighs, skin removed (My personal experience says that chicken thighs are the superior cut to use. They are higher in fat and thus suck more flavor into the meat.)
salt and pepper
fresh rosemary
1) Preheat oven to 450 degrees (At first I thought this was a misprint. 450 degrees is pretty high. I was worried that high of a temperature would burn the maple syrup, but it didn't. But I was so worried, I kept opening the oven to check on it. So maybe 450 wasn't really the best temperature for me to cook at. Next time I'm going to go with 350 and not worry so much.)
2) Mix together the Dijon mustard, maple syrup and rice wine vinegar
3) Put chicken in oven-proof baking dish. Pour maple mustard mixture over the chicken, turning the thighs in the mixture so they are fully coated.
4) Put thighs in the oven, and let the bake for 40 minutes or until a meat thermometer reads 165 degrees. Baste the tops of the chicken with more sauce half way through.
5) Let the chicken rest for 5 minutes before serving. Plate the chicken, making sure to spoon some extra sauce over the top. Sprinkle some fresh rosemary on top. (I tried half with rosemary and half with basil, just because I had some in the fridge. Actually, both were great. Probably any fresh herb would be wonderful.)
Nutritional Information:
6 servings
Amount per serving:
Calories: 308
Fat: 3.6g
Carbs: 10.6g
Fiber .7g
Protein: 55.3g
Weight Watchers Points Plus Values: 7
Thoughts: This is, without a doubt, my new favorite way to make chicken. The mustard and maple balance each other out so nicely. If you're worried about a strong mustard taste, don't. The flavors were delightful. Not only was this recipe Man-Pleasing, but the woman was quite pleased as well. I wholeheartedly give this recipe 5 proud pins!
If you just hopped over here from Pinterest, Welcome! Feel free to check out the other recipes I have reviewed. And come back for another visit sometime soon. - Lynn

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Spicy Drunken Shrimp

2012-04-09T09:41:00.000-07:00

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This recipe is from Barbie over at Wishful Chef. See her recipe or follow the recipe here (with my additions and improvements in red):
Spicy Drunken Shrimp - Serves 2
1/2 pound shrimp
1 can of beer
1 shallot, sliced
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 tsp red pepper flakes, or to taste (I went with 1/8 tsp, because I know how hot red pepper flakes can be)
1-2 bay leaves
fresh chipped parsley
salt and pepper, to taste
1) Add shallot, garlic, red pepper flakes and beer in a large saucepan and turn heat on high. Bring to a boil and reduce beer sauce by half, stirring occasionally.
2) Add shrimp and cook until pink, about 3-4 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, if needed. Serve with crusty bread or on top of rice. (I served it over rice)
Thoughts: This was the blandest shrimp recipe I have ever come across. I thought with the different flavors thrown in there we would have a very tasty dish. No such luck. Will never make this again. This dish gets just 1 pin. Save your shrimp for something much more interesting.
If you just hopped over here from Pinterest, Welcome! Feel free to check out any of the other recipes I have reviewed. And come back for another visit sometime soon. - Lynn

Raspberry Lemon Cheesecake

2012-04-06T08:37:00.001-07:00

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This recipe is from Jamie over at My Baking Addiction. See their recipe or follow the recipe here (with my additions and improvements in red):
Raspberry Lemon Cheesecake (No Bake) - Serves 6
Ingredients - Crust
3/4 cup graham cracker crumbs
1 tbsp sugar
3 tbsps unsalted butter, melted
Ingredients - Filling
2/3 cup sugar
Zest of 2 lemons
1 8oz pkg cream cheese, softened
2 tsps fresh lemon juice
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 8oz tub frozen whipped topping, thawed
1 cup fresh raspberries, slightly mashed with a fork (I slightly mashed and actually should have been mashed a bit more. Raspberries that were not mashed enough sunk to the bottom of the dishes while chilling.)
1) In a medium bowl, stir together the graham cracker crumbs and 1 tbsp of sugar and melted butter. Evenly divide the crumbs between your individual serving dishes and press into the bottoms of the dishes to form a crust layer.
2) In a large bowl, mix together the sugar and lemon zest until the sugar becomes moist and fragrant. (This was my favorite part. It smelled so good.) Add cream cheese and beat with an electric mixer until smooth. Add lemon juice and vanilla mixing to combine. Using a rubber spatula, fold in the whipped topping until will blended, then folded in the raspberries.
3) Evenly pipe or spoon the filling into individual serving dishes. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving. If desired, garnish with fresh raspberries and a sprig of fresh mint.
Nutritional Information:
6 servings
Amount per serving:
Calories: 351
Fat: 17.2g
Carbs: 44.6g
Fiber 1.7g
Protein: 6g
Weight Watchers Points Plus Values: 10
Thoughts: I made these little cheesecakes with thawed frozen raspberries because I was very ready for winter to end and spring to begin. That was a perfect idea. They came out very light and fluffy. Nice raspberry taste, followed by the fresh lemon was like heaven. I loved it. Proudly, I give this recipe a bold 5 pins. Enjoy!
If you just hopped over here from Pinterest, Welcome. Feel free to check out any of the other recipes I have reviewed. And come back to visit us again sometime soon. - Lynn

Gluten-Free Black Bean Brownies

2012-04-04T08:59:00.000-07:00

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This recipe is from Calouste over at Food.com. See her recipe or follow the recipe here (with my additions and improvements in red):

I've put the recipe below, but, truly, save yourself the trouble and DON'T MAKE THIS! It tastes nothing like chocolate. It tastes like black bean cake. It is grosser then gross. I couldn't wash my mouth out fast enough. Never again.
Gluten-Free Black Bean Brownies
1 (15 1/2 ounce) can black beans (rinsed and drained)
3 eggs
3 Tbsps oil
4 Tbsps cocoa powder
1 pinch salt
1 tsp vanilla
3/4 cup sugar
1) Mix ingredients together in a blender/food processor until pureed.
2) Pour into a greased 8 x 8 cake pan.
3) Stir in some chocolate chips and nuts, or leave plain. (I left mine plain to see what kind of canvas I was working with.)
4) Bake at 350F for approximately 30 minutes.
5) Let cool completely before cutting.

Nutritional Information:

16 Servings

Amount per serving:

Calories: 102.2

Fat: 3.7g

Carbs: 14.9g

Fiber 2.1g

Protein: 3.2g

Weight Watchers Points Plus Values: 3
Thoughts: Only make this is you really LOVE black beans in cake form, because that is exactly what it tastes like. Since my lowest rating is 1 pin, I will, indeed, give it 1 pin. If I could go lower, I so totally would.
If you just hopped over here from Pinterest, Welcome! Feel free to check out any of the other recipes I have reviewed. And come back for another visit sometime soon. - Lynn

Honey Lime Chicken Enchiladas

2012-04-02T08:31:00.000-07:00

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This recipe is from Jenna V and Jenna R at Just Cook Already. See their recipe or follow the recipe here (with my additions and improvements in red):
Honey Lime Chicken Enchiladas Serves 6
1/3 cup honey
1/4 cup lime juice (about 2 large limes)
2 tsp to 1 tbsp chili powder (I used 1 tbsp, but if you are a spice loving family, increase this to 2-3 tbsps)
2 large cloves of garlic, finely minced or 1/2 tsp garlic powder (I used the garlic powder, but next time will use more than 1/2 tsp)
1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 2 large breasts, cooked and shredded)
12 corn tortillas
2 cups of Mexican cheese blend, shredded (1 small bag usually is 2 cups)
1 14-oz can of green enchilada sauce (mild or medium, to your taste)
1/2 to 3/4 cup of heavy cream (I used 3/4 cup and felt it ended up being a little too creamy)
nonstick cooking spray
1 Tbsp chopped cilantro to garnish
1) Preheat oven to 350F. Place the cooked and shredded chicken in a medium-sized bowl. Set aside.
2) In a small bowl, place the honey, lime juice, chili powder and minced garlic or garlic powder. Whisk together thoroughly to combine. Pour this mixture over the chicken and cover with plastic wrap. Allow to marinate while you prepare the tortillas, 30 minutes or up to 1 hour, in the refrigerator.
3) Heat a large griddle till a drop of water skitters across (about 350F). Spray the surface with non-stick cooking spray or oil it with a little bit of canola oil in between each round of tortillas. Heat tortillas about 20 seconds on each side till warm and flexible and some golden brown spots have appeared. Remove the tortillas from the griddle and keep warm between a couple of paper towels until ready to use.
4) Spray the sides and bottom of a 9 x 13-inch baking dish lightly with cooking spray.
5) In a medium bowl combine the enchilada sauce and the heavy cream. Spread about 1/2 cup of the mixture in the bottom of the oiled baking dish.
6) Add a large spoonful (about 2 tbsps) (Mine ended up being a generous 1/8 of a cup) of the chicken mixture to the center of each tortilla in a line. Cover the chicken with a large tbsp (or big pinch) of cheese, then roll the tortilla up from one side to make a rolled enchilada - it will be more of an over lap on the seam side that rolled tightly. Place the enchilada seam side down in the baking dish starting at one end with the long edge parallel to the longest side of the pan so that you end up with two columns of six enchiladas each.
7) Repeat with the remaining chicken, cheese and tortillas. (There was room in the pan to add about 4 more tortillas. If you don't have any more chicken left, make them cheese enchiladas.) You will use about 1 1/2 cups of the cheese for the filling and set the remainder aside for topping the enchiladas in the pan. Add the remaining marinade mixture to the enchilada sauce and cream mixture, if desired (I didn't have any left over). Pour this mixture over the top of the enchiladas. Sprinkle with the remaining cheese.
8) Bake the enchiladas for 30 to 35 minutes, until the cheese is melted and bubbly and starting to brown on top. Serve with sour cream, black beans, and rice or a green salad for a great meal.
Nutritional Information:
6 servings of 2 enchiladas each
Amount per serving:
Calories: 467
Fat: 26.3g
Carbs: 44.5g
Fiber 3.9g
Protein: 16g
Weight Watchers Points Plus Values: 13
Final Thoughts: If you like a creamy, sweet enchilada, this is the recipe for you. The honey mixed with the corn tortillas made for a very sweet corn taste. That amount of cream mixed with the enchilada sauce made for a generous amount of liquid on top of the enchiladas, even after cooking for 30 minutes. If I were to make these again, I don't know that I will, I would cut the honey in half, cut the cream in half and somehow add in onions. Either a white or yellow onion, sauteed and added into the chicken mixture would be great. This recipe deserves 4 pins, because it really would work well for some other family but mine. However, for my clan I am giving it 2 1/2 pins.
Enjoy!
If you just hopped over here from Pinterest, Welcome! Feel free to check out any of the other recipes I have reviewed. And come back for another visit sometime soon. - Lynn
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Balsamic Roasted Carrots

2012-03-30T10:38:00.001-07:00

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My carrots.

Hello readers of Me and Pinterest! My name is Kelly, I am Lynn's oldest daughter, fellow writer, and fellow food critic! Thanks, Mom, for letting me guest post on your blog!
This recipe was originally posted by Isabelle at Crumb blog. I mentioned this recipe on my blog, Rainboots and Beef, as part of my 25 before 25 list but didn't provide complete directions. Go to the link above or follow the recipe right here (with my additions and improvements in red):
Balsamic Roasted Carrots
Make sure to use tender young carrots for this recipe - the kind sold in a bunch with their green tops still attached (I definitely didn't use "tender young carrots." My carrots were regular "bagged utility carrots." I would never go out of my way to spend five times more money on carrots that will probably taste the same when cooked. But that could be just because I am a poor graduate student saving money for a summer abroad.)- rather than bagged utility carrots. If you can find them, rainbow - coloured heirloom carrots make a particularly pretty presentation. To make up for not having a "particularly pretty presentation," I added some color by throwing some green bell peppers in the mix.
Ingredients:
2 bunches fresh carrots, peeled and trimmed (I had about 8 carrots and two bell peppers in my fridge.)
1 Tbs olive oil
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
5 sprigs fresh thyme (I didn't have any fresh thyme, so I used dried thyme flakes.)
2 Tbs honey
2 Tbs balsamic vinegar (I didn't have any regular balsamic vinegar on hand, but I did have some ultra fancy blackberry balsamic vinegar leftover from my cousin's wedding. The fancy cork top got lodged in the bottle and since I don't have a wine cork opener I had to pry the cork out with fondue skewers. It was not a pretty sight, but I made it work.)
Instructions:
1) Preheat oven to 425F. Line a large baking sheet with aluminum foil.
2) Slice the carrots in half lengthwise. I did this, and also cut each bell pepper in 1/4s. In a large mixing bowl, toss with oil, salt and pepper until evenly coated.
3) Arrange carrots in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet, and scatter thyme sprigs overtop. I just opened the oven and sprinkled thyme flakes right out of the jar. Roast in preheated oven for 15 minutes.
4) In small bowl, whisk together honey and balsamic vinegar. Pour over the carrots, and gently roll them around to coat. Roast for a further 15-20 minutes or until carrots are tender and caramelized. I went a little longer than this, but checked them every few minutes to assess how "tender and caramelized" they were.
Serve immediately. These were amazing straight out of the oven, so I definitely agree with the "serve immediately" instructions. I was eating these alone, and couldn't eat all of them, so I saved some in the fridge for later. Bad idea. These carrot jewels are definitely an eat-right-now experience. So, make a small batch, or don't eat alone. Invite your neighbors over. Call all your friends. Call all your enemies, for that matter. You never know what kind of effect really good carrots will have on people.
Nutritional Information:
8 servings
Amount per serving:
Calories: 77
Fat: 1.9g
Carbs: 15.1g
Fiber 3g
Protein: 1g
Weight Watchers Points Plus Values: 2
So in my estimation these carrots earn a stellar 5 pins! Thanks, Mom for letting me post. If anyone wants to follow me on my adventures in France, follow me here. Enjoy!
If you just hopped over here from Pinterest, Welcome! Feel free to check out any of the other recipes I have reviewed. And come back for another visit sometime soon. - Lynn
Who knew there was an entire cookbook on roasted veggies? See the ad below!

Roasted Mustard Potatoes

2012-03-28T08:01:00.001-07:00

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This recipe is from Reeni over at Cinnamon Spice & Everything Nice. See her recipe or follow the recipe here (with my additions and improvements in red):
Roasted Mustard Potatoes - 5 servings
Ingredients:
3 tbsps extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for greasing pan
1/2 cup whole grain Dijon mustard
2 tbsps butter, melted (I used unsalted butter)
2 tbsps fresh lemon juice
1 tsp lemon zest, grated
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tbsp dried oregano
2 tbsps grated Parmesan cheese
1 tsp sea or kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper (I used kosher salt. For a detailed explanation of the differences, see below.*)
5 cups potatoes, cut into 3/4 inch cubes (At this point in the recipe, I think Reeni should have listed a preference for the kind of potatoes that make the best oven fries. For a detailed explanation of the best potatoes for oven fries, see below.**)
1) Preheat oven to 425F. Lightly grease a large, rimmed baking sheet with olive oil.
2) Reeni never mentions soaking the potatoes, but doing so makes for much crunchier fries because it draws out some of the starch. To do this, cover potatoes with water, add 1 Tbsp sugar, soak for 15-30 minutes.
3) Whisk mustard, olive oil, butter, lemon juice, zest garlic, oregano, parmesan, salt and a few turns or pinches of black pepper. Add cubed potatoes and toss well.
4) Spread out on baking sheet and bake 30-35 minutes until crusty and golden brown.
Nutritional Information:
5 1-cup servings
Amount per serving:
Calories: 255
Fat: 14.2g
Carbs: 28.8g
Fiber 4.1g
Protein: 4.9g
Weight Watchers Points Plus Values: 7
*Salt Differences: from foodnetwork.com: "For the cook's purposes, the main difference between salts is in their texture. Table salt's fine granules dissolve quickly, making it the preferred salt of bakers. Sea salt and kosher salt possess larger, irregular grains that add a delightful crunch and hint of briny flavor when sprinkles on food at the last minute. Generally, savvy cooks prefer kosher salt when cooking, since its coarse texture is easier to take a pinch of when seasoning savory dishes."
**Potatoes for Oven Fries: The best potatoes to use for oven fries are red or gold Yukon potatoes. Russets have too much moisture and all you'll end up with is a steam bath of mush.
I ended up cooking the potatoes for 40 minutes, hoping for that nice caramel color Reeni achieved. Never happened. They also did not have any kind of crunch, which is one of the many joys of eating fries in the first place. The taste of these, however, was awesome! I loved the mustard-lemon combination. I don't think the butter was necessary, since the healthier choice of olive oil is already in the recipe. Next time I make these, and yes there will be a next time, I will soak the potatoes, leave out the butter, double the oregano and garlic. For these reasons, these great potatoes earn 4 shiny pins.
Enjoy!
If you just hopped over here from Pinterest, Welcome! Feel free to check out any of the other recipes I have reviewed. And come back for another visit sometime soon. - Lynn
Who knew the salt could be grey? See the ad below!

Cinnamon Roll Cake

2012-03-26T09:37:00.001-07:00

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This recipe is from Nikki over at Chef in Training. See her recipe or follow the recipe here (with my additions and improvements in red):
Cinnamon Roll Cake - Serves 16
Nikki credits Grin and Bake it for this recipe.
Cake:
3 cups flour
1/4 tsp salt (Next time I am changing this to 1/2 tsp salt.)
1 cup sugar
4 tsps baking powder
1 1/2 cps milk
2 eggs
2 tsps vanilla
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted (Just in case you are not an experienced baker, most baking uses unsalted butter.**)
Topping:
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened (See butter comments below.**)
1 cup brown sugar
2 Tbsps flour
1 tbsp cinnamon
Glaze:
2 cups powdered sugar
5 tbsps milk
1 tsp vanilla
(Read through the instructions completely before beginning. In #2, the sentence about adding the melted butter in last is very important. I learned the hard way.)
1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9 x 13 glass baking pan with cooking spray. Set aside.
2) In an electric or stand mixer add the flour, salt, sugar, baking powder, milk, eggs and vanilla. Once combined well, slowly stir in the melted butter. Pour into the prepared baking pan.
3) For the topping, in a large bowl, mix the 2 sticks of butter, brown sugar, flour and cinnamon together until well combined and creamy. Drop evenly over the batter by the tablespoonfuls and use a knife to marble/swirl through the cake. (Make sure to get the topping swirled all the way to the edges. I thought I accomplished this, but still ended up with a 1/2 inch of just cake with no topping around the edge of the pan.)
4) Bake at 350 for 35-40 minutes or when a toothpick inserted near the center comes out nearly clean. (The words "nearly clean" are important here. The cake develops deep groves into the cake, that make it look just like a cinnamon roll. You don't want to cook for so long that these groves dries out.)
5) For glaze, in a medium bowl, mix the powdered sugar, milk and vanilla together with a whisk. Drizzle evenly over the warm cake. Serve warm or at room temperature.
**Salted or unsalted butter, that is the question. There are many reasons not to use salted butter. A few are: the amount of salted added will vary according to the manufacture, salt in salted butter is used as a preservative and some people believe (myself included) that unsalted butter brings out a true delicate butter flavor in whatever dish you put it in.
All of that said, I still felt that the cake did not have enough salt to balance the large amount of sugar in this recipe. Next time I will continue to use unsalted butter and increase the salt added to 1/2 tsp.
Serving suggestions: Ice cold milk or large mug of coffee!
Nutritional Information:
16 Servings
Amount per serving:
Calories: 417
Fat: 19g
Carbs: 64.7g
Fiber .6g
Protein: 4.1g
Weight Watchers Points Plus Values: 12
Final thoughts: I took this cake to a potluck/meeting and received huge compliments on it. It looked like a cinnamon roll and, more importantly, tasted just like a cinnamon roll. It was just that good. And so for that reason, I give this recipe 5 pins and one OMGosh this is good!
Enjoy! (I agree!)
If you just hopped over here from Pinterest, Welcome! Feel free to check out any of the other recipes I have reviewed. And come back for another visit sometime soon. - Lynn

The Best Broccoli of Your Life

2012-03-21T11:25:00.001-07:00

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This recipe is from Adam over at Amateur Gourmet. See his recipe or follow the recipe here (with my additions and improvements in red):
The Best Broccoli of Your Life - Serves 12
(This recipe is Adam's interpretation of Ina Garten's recipe. He does not quote her title for the recipe, but he alludes to the name of the cookbook: Back to the Basics.)
Ingredients:
4 to 5 lbs of Broccoli, cut into relatively big florets, dried throughly
(At this point in the recipe Adam includes a short paragraph about washing and drying anything you plan on eating...dry them THOROUGHLY. That is, if you wash them. I saw an episode of Julia Child cooking with Jacques Pepin once when Pepin revealed he doesn't wash chicken before putting it in a hot oven: "The heat kills all the germs," he said in his French accent. "If bacteria could survive that oven, it deserves to kill me." By that logic, then, I didn't wash my broccoli; I wanted it to get crispy and brown. If you're nervous, though, just wash and dry it obsessively. I, personally, can't recommend the no wash policy. I once lived in the heart of California's Salad Bowl Capitol of the World, Salinas, California. I lived in an old adobe house surrounded by lettuce, broccoli and strawberry fields. If I had a penny for every time I saw a field worker wash his/her hands after using the porta-potties, I would now be a billionaire. I saw field workers wash their hands about the number of times I saw a polar bear on my porch. A billionaire I am not! I washed the broccoli really well, dried it and then let it air dry for about 30 minutes.)
Ingredients continued...
5 Tbsp Olive Oil
1 1/2 tsps Kosher Salt
1/2 tsp fresh ground Pepper,
4 Garlic Cloves, peeled and sliced
1 Lemon
1 1/2 Tbsp Olive Oil
1/3 cp freshly grated Parmesan Cheese
3 tbsp Pine Nuts
2 tbsps julienned fresh basil
Put the broccoli on a cookie sheet. Toss with olive oil, salt, pepper and garlic. (If I were to do this recipe again, I would not add the garlic. The garlic, cooked at that high of a temperature, became very dark brown and had an overcooked quality to the dish. If I were to do this recipe again, I would either saute the garlic and add after the broccoli has cooked or instead of Kosher salt, sprinkle with garlic salt. Roast in the oven 20 to 25 minutes, until crisp-tender and the tips of some of the florets are browned. (20 minutes for my experiment.) I shook the pan around a bit as it went, but not sure that's necessary. (It wasn't.)
When it's done, take it out of the oven-and here's where it gets really good-zest a lemon over the broccoli, squeeze the lemon juice over the broccoli, add 1 1/2 tbsp more olive oil (I would leave this second flood of olive oil out), 3 tbsps toasted pine nuts (I left those out) and 1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan Cheese. She also has you add 2 tbsps julienned fresh basil, but I left that out too. (I did not leave them out and LOVED the pine nuts, basil and lemon flavors together.)
He concluded the recipe....You won't miss it (the pine nuts and basil): the magic combo of the crispy broccoli, the garlic, the lemon and the cheese will make this the best broccoli of your life.
Serving Suggestions: We had this with Creamy Mashed Potatoes and Garlic Lime Chicken. A great time was had by all.
Nutritional Information:
12 Servings
Amount per serving:
Calories: 150
Fat: 10.3g
Carbs: 11.9g
Fiber 6.2g
Protein: 7.5g
Weight Watchers Points Plus Values: 4
Final Thoughts: I tried this recipe because it promised to be "the best broccoli" of my life. It wasn't. But it also wasn't the worst. Even though the garlic overcooked and the amount of olive oil was excessive, I still plan to make this again. I am full of hope and optimism that the next time it really will be the best broccoli of my life. I will keep you posted. I give this recipe 3 pins.
If you just hopped over here from Pinterest, Welcome! Feel free to check out any of the other recipes I have reviewed. And come back for another visit sometime soon. - Lynn

Creamy Make Ahead Mashed Potatoes

2012-03-19T15:28:00.001-07:00

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This recipe is from Marjory over at dinner mom. See her recipe or follow the recipe here (with my additions and improvements in red):
Creamy Make Ahead Mashed Potatoes
8 cps mashed potatoes (approximately 4lbs)
1/2 cp cream cheese
1 cp sour cream
1 tsp salt
1/3 tsp pepper
1 Tbls fresh parsley or 1 tsp dried
1 tsp onion powder (optional)
6 Tbls butter, sliced into tabs
1) Peel and quarter 4lbs of Yukon gold potatoes.
2) Place potatoes in a large pot and cover with cold water. (Cover the pot with a lid and the potatoes will cook faster.)
3) Bring water to a boil and cook until potatoes are tender, approximately 30 minutes. (Because I put a lid on the pot, my potatoes took 20 minutes to cook.)
4) Drain potatoes and return to the pot or a large bowl.
5) Add remaining ingredients to pot with potatoes in small quantities and mix with beaters. Begin at low speed and switch to medium speed as mixture combines. (Original recipe writer should have had you add all the remaining ingredients, EXCEPT the butter. That gets added in the end.)
6) You're finished with the mixture when it is creamy and smooth.
7) Decision time: eat now or freeze.
8) To eat now, top with the 6 tabs of butter and enjoy.
9) To freeze: Transfer mixture to 9 x 11 baking dish. You can also divide the mixture between smaller baking tins or plastic containers that will go in the freezer.
10) Top with the 6 tabs of butter.
11) Wrap freezer containers with aluminum foil, followed by plastic wrap. (I have never heard of packaging food this way to go into the freezer. I have always wrapped with plastic wrap first and then if it is going to be in there for awhile, I add a layer of foil. I tried searching the internet on which way is truly the best and could not find anything. Any thoughts?)
11) Label and freeze.
When you are ready to use the potatoes, defrost your pan in the refrigerator for approximately 24 hours. Bake, uncovered at 350 degrees for approximately 30 minutes. Stir to mix in the butter. Potatoes should be heated through to a temperature of 145F.
I did not care for these potatoes being warmed up this way. Uncovered these formed a light crust that did not mix in well while stirring in the butter. I preferred warming them in the crock pot, covered. That way the moisture stayed there and no crust developed.
Serving Suggestions: Enjoy with any delicious dinner. I agree. We had steak, these potatoes and broccoli. A delicious dinner was had by all.
Nutritional Information
12 Servings
Amount per serving:
Calories: 233
Fat: 14g
Carbs: 25.6 g
Fiber 2.8 g
Protein: 4.1g
Weight Watchers Points Plus Values: 7
Tips and Suggestions
This recipe is very versatile. Here are some tips to get the most out of your make ahead mashed potatoes recipe:

Freeze potatoes in small containers like large muffin tins or air tight ziplock containers or bags. We recommend using potatoes within 2-3 months of freezing. Longer storage may effect the quality of the dish, but does not pose a safely issue.
Picky eaters may not like to see the green specks of parsley, take this ingredient out for a kid-friendly dish.
A crock-pot is an excellent way to heat and keep potatoes warm for easy entertaining - and it frees up the oven for another use.
Allow about 3/4 cup of mashed potatoes per person. This recipe yields about 9 cups and will feed 12 people. (If you are a family of healthy (meaning big portion) eaters this will feed about 6 people.)
Yukon gold or russet potatoes will work best with this recipe because they absorb less water when cooking. (Totally agree. I used Yukon gold and they really were yummy good.)
Try these potatoes on top of Shepherd's Pie.

Final Thoughts:
These potatoes really did live up to their name of being creamy potatoes. Proportionally balanced with the right amount of potatoes and creamy ingredients. The next time I make them I am going to add 1 tsp of garlic powder, because in my opinion you can never have too much of a good thing. The prep time for these potatoes from pantry to table was 34 minutes.
Final grade: 4 pins
If you just hopped over here from Pinterest, Welcome! Feel free to check out any of the other recipes I have reviewed. And come back for another visit sometime soon. - Lynn

Cranberry Ginger Bars

2012-03-16T06:00:00.000-07:00

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This recipe is from Joanne at eats well with others. See her recipe or follow the recipe here (with my additions and improvements in red):
Cranberry Ginger Bars
Filling:
1 bag fresh or frozen cranberries (2 1/2 cups)
1/3 cups plus 3 tbsp sugar
2 tbsp brown sugar
1 tbsp freshly grated ginger
1 tbsp orange zest
3 tbsp water
1 tsp vanilla extract
Shortbread Crust:
2 cups flour
2 tbsp cornstarch
pinch of salt
1 tsp ground ginger
1 cup butter, softened
1 tsp vanilla
1/3 cup brown sugar
1) Preheat the oven to 350. Grease 8 x 8 baking pan with butter or cooking spray.
2) Place cranberries, sugar, brown sugar, ginger, orange zest, and vanilla in a large pan. Place over medium-high heat and bring to a boil. Boil for five minutes or until reduced and syrup like. Stir once in a while to prevent burning. (At Thanksgiving I make a homemade cranberry sauce. Whole cranberries are easier to eat if they are not whole cranberries anymore. Because of this, while stirring, I smashed the berries down as well.) Take off heat and cool. (I suggest cooling with a lid on the pot. If you don't you will lose precious moisture from the cranberry mix.)
3) Sift together flour, salt, cornstarch, and ginger.
4) Cream the butter with the vanilla and brown sugar. Add in the flour slowly and mix until just incorporated.
5) Press 2/3 of the dough into the prepared pan. (I followed this 2/3 dough instruction and wished I had done 3/4 of the dough, with the remaining 1/4 on top. ) Pour the cranberry filling on top. Crumble the remaining dough over the top. Bake for 30 minutes or until the top begins to brown. Cool on a wire rack. Cut and serve.
Nutrition Facts

9 Servings

Amount per serving:

Calories 391.3g

Total Fat 20.8g

Total Carbs 53.8g

Fiber 2g
Protein 3.2g
Weight Watchers Points Plus Values: 11
Thoughts: If I were to do this recipe over again, I would double the cranberry mixture and cut the shortbread mixture in half. As the recipe is, the cranberry mixture is overwhelmed by the large amount of shortbread dough. For this reason, I give this bar cookie 2 pins.
If you just hopped over here from Pinterest, Welcome! Feel free to check out the other recipes I have reviewed. And come back again to visit sometime soon. - Lynn

The Jelly Bean Prayer

2012-03-15T08:16:00.000-07:00

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This great kids craft for Easter is from Jenn at Mama Jenn's Blog. Go to her link here to find the how-to's and a free printable version of the Jelly Bean Prayer poem. Love it. Looking forward to having little G-babies of my own someday to make this for them. This winner is definitely five pins. Enjoy!
If you just hopped over here from Pinterest, Welcome! Feel free to check out any of the other recipes I have reviewed. And come back for another visit sometime soon. - Lynn

Duchess Potatoes

2012-03-14T19:08:00.000-07:00

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This recipe is from Cynthia Nelson at stabroeknews. See her recipe or follow the recipe here (with my additions and improvements in red):
Duchess Potatoes - Serves 6
2 lbs potatoes
Water
Salt to taste
2 T salted butter
3/4 cp grated cheddar cheese
1/2 tsp ground white pepper
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp water (I ended up needing 2 full tsps of water)
1 T chopped parsley
Nonstick spray
1. Peel potatoes, add to pot, cover and bring to a boil. When the pot comes to a boil add salt to taste. (I don't know what salt to taste means since we were not actually going to drink the potato water. So, I added 1 tsp and called it good.) Cook until fork tender.
2. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
3. Mash potatoes while hot and ensure there are no lumps. (I always mash my potatoes with a hand mixer, fast and easy.) Add butter, white pepper (white pepper makes me cough. A lot. Uncontrollably. For a long time. It is never pretty. So, no white pepper in my dinner. And I didn't miss it.) and cheese to the potatoes while it is still hot. Mix thoroughly and season to taste (salt and pepper).
4. Mix in beaten egg ensuring that it is fully incorporated into the mixture.
5. Lightly spray 6 ramekins with nonstick spray.
6. Snip one bottom-end of the plastic zip bag about 3/4-inch across. (I actually think it's better to fill the bag first and then snip.)
7. Add the potato mixture to the bag and squeeze the top in order to force the mixture through the hole in the bag. (If you don't know how to do this there are many examples on Youtube.)
8. Pipe the potatoes into the ramekins going in a circular motion until the ramekin is filled about 1 inch above the rim. Repeat until all the bowl are filled. Transfer the bowls onto a baking sheet/tray.
9. In a small bowl, add the paprika and 1/2 tsp water and make into a paste. (I need to add 2 tsps of water to make this a workable paste) Using a pastry brush, lightly brush the edges of the potatoes. (My Duchess Potatoes looked nothing like the picture above. That picture is highly stylized. They probably used a Q-Tip to make the swirl of paprika look that good. Mine looked like a chicken had walked all over the top. No, I am not sharing the picture. Too embarrassing.)
10. Sprinkle the top with chopped parsley.
11. Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes or until edges are lightly brown.
Serving Suggestions: My gang ate these potatoes with Lemon Chicken and broccoli.
Nutritional Information:
6 Servings
Amount per serving:
Calories: 218
Fat: 9.5g
Carbs: 26.4g
Fiber 3.3g
Protein: 7.6g
Weight Watchers Points Plus Value: 6 points
Thoughts:
The prep time for this recipe was 34 minutes. It does require many extra steps beyond making plain mashed potatoes, but the presentation really was lovely. Even though mine looked like chicken scratch, I think I was the only one at the table who noticed that fact. Also these potatoes were good the day they were served. Warmed up the next day, not so much. Therefore, I give this recipe four pins.
If you just hopped over here from Pinterest, Welcome! Feel free to check out any of the other recipes I have reviewed. And come back for another visit sometime soon. - Lynn

Lemon Chicken

2012-03-11T14:44:00.001-07:00

via

This recipe is from Anita at feeding my picky eaters. See her recipe or follow the recipe here (with my additions and improvements in red):
Lemon Chicken - Ina Garten Recipe
1/4 cp olive oil
3 Tbs minced garlic (9 cloves)
1/3 cp dry white wine
1 Tbs grated lemon zest (2 lemons) (I got 1 Tbs with 1 lemon)
2 Tbs freshly squeezed lemon juice (I used the entire lemon used to make the zest)
1 1/2 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp minced fresh thyme leaves
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 boneless chicken breasts (6 to 8 ounces each)
1 lemon
1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
2. Warm the olive oil in a small saucepan over medium-low heat, add the garlic, and cook for just 1 minute but don't allow the garlic to turn brown. Turn off the heat, add the white wine, lemon zest, lemon juice, oregano, thyme, and 1 tsp salt and pour into a 9x12-inch baking dish.
3. Pat the chicken breasts dry and place them skin side up over the sauce. Brush the chicken breasts with olive oil (this step is important, skipping this step will lead to very parched chicken) and sprinkle liberally with salt and pepper. Cut the lemon into 8 wedges and tuck it among the pieces of chicken.
4. Bake for 30-40 minutes, depending on the size of the chicken breasts, until the chicken is done and the skin is lightly browned. (For my attempt, cooking time took 33 minutes.) If the chicken isn't browned enough, put it under the broiler for 2 minutes (My chicken was not browned at all. So I cooked under the broiler on high for 2 minutes and watched it like a hawk the entire time.) Cover the pan tightly with aluminum foil and allow to rest for 10 minutes. Sprinkle with salt and serve hot with the pan juices.
Nutrition Facts:
4 Servings
Amount per serving:
Calories 265.1g
Fat 2.9g
Carbs 1.3g
Fiber .1g
Protein 54.6g
Weight Watchers Points Plus Values: 6
Serving Suggestions: My gang ate this chicken with Duchess Potatoes and broccoli.
Final Thoughts: This chicken recipe really did live up to its name of being a nice lemony chicken. The lemon taste had great depth through every bite, not just on the skin and outer edges. The herbs mixed with the lemon made the entire kitchen smell wonderful. And I loved running out to my herb garden to grab a handful of fresh thyme. The next time I make this recipe I am going to also go with fresh oregano along with the fresh thyme. Other than that, I, and all I dined with, loved it. My Prep Time was 16 minutes, from pantry to oven. Based on my grading system, I give this recipe 5 well-deserved Pins.
If you just hopped over here from Pinterest, Welcome! Feel free to check out any of the other recipes I have reviewed. And come back for another visit sometime soon. - Lynn