Meghalicious

Garden Muffins (or Cake)

noreply@blogger.com (Meghan) — Wed, 24 Aug 2011 23:57:00 +0000

Every week I meet with a couple girl friends for "breakfast with the ladies" as my husband likes to call it for some yummy eats and good conversation. A while back Jen made this wonderful fool-proof 'garden cake' that the toddlers loved. Who knew there were carrots and zucchini in it?! Here's the recipe for anyone who wants to adapt their own version. I swapped out some ingredients that I didn't have on hand and subbed in some other ones, so I guarantee it is "VERY flexible" as Jen told me.

Some of my changes...
Since I was only able to harvest one pathetic little zucchini from my garden, I had to use more carrots. I also used half oil and half applesauce and then only added 1/2 c. granular sugar since the applesauce would provide a little sweetness and I didn't want my cake too sweet. Somehow, I ran out of whole wheat flour, so I had to use the good old all-purpose variety. No flax seed in house, so I added wheat germ instead. Also, I didn't add any fun stuff like dried fruit or coconut because I didn't want any picky eaters to shy away. For the topping, I didn't add nuts, but did throw in about 1/4 cup of oats...just because.

Garden Muffins (or Cake) (as given to me by Jen)

1 large zucchini, grated and patted dry
2 large carrots, grated
1 c. canola oil (or you can sub some or all with applesauce)
1/2 c. dark brown sugar
3/4 c. granular sugar
2 large eggs
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

Mix well.

1 3/4 c. whole wheat pastry flour or regular whole wheat flour
1/2 c. oat bran or oats
1/4 c. crushed flax seed
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice (or 1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon, 1/4 tsp. cloves, 1/4 tsp. nutmeg)
1/2 tsp. ground ginger

Mix dry ingredients thoroughly and add to zucchini/carrot mixture.

1 c. raisins (or cranberries, chopped dates, or chopped prunes)
1 c. walnuts or pecans
1/4 c. shredded coconut

Fold in the fruit and nut mixture.

Streusel Topping
1/2 c. flour
1/2 c. packed brown sugar
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
3 T. butter
1/2 c. chopped pecans (opt.)

Cut butter into mixture, until well combined, then set aside.

Spray muffin pan/bundt pan with cooking spray. Spoon batter into muffin cups and fill 3/4 full or pour into a bundt pan. Top with streusel topping. Bake at 350 F, 25-30 minutes for muffins or 1 hour for cake.

Enjoy!

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars

noreply@blogger.com (Meghan) — Mon, 25 Jul 2011 22:53:00 +0000

Peanut Butter + Chocolate = Sweet chewy yumminess.

Need I say more? I didn't think so, well other than thank you to my friend Nicole for sharing this fabulous recipe with me! In a pinch, this recipe is so quick to make and comes out perfect every time.

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars

1/2 c. peanut butter (any style)

1/3 c. butter or margarine (I prefer butter)

1 c. sugar

1/4 c. brown sugar

2 eggs

1/2 t. vanilla extract

1 c. flour

1 t. baking powder

1/4 t. salt

1 pkg. (6 oz) chocolate chips

Cream peanut butter and butter with an electric mixer. Gradually add sugars and beat until fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each egg. Mix in vanilla. In a separate bowl, mix flour, baking powder, and salt. Add to peanut butter mixture and mix well. Stir in chocolate chips. Spread in buttered 9" square pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 to 35 minutes. Cool in pan on cake rack. Makes 16 2 1/4" squares.

Bulgogi (Korean BBQ)

noreply@blogger.com (Meghan) — Mon, 25 Jul 2011 05:41:00 +0000

Growing up, I was fortunate enough to live overseas in Korea for a few years while my father was stationed at Osan air base. Many of my fondest childhood memories are of the experiences while living there, especially the food. Here is a little bit about one of my favorite Korean meals, bulgogi (Korean BBQ beef).

One of the first things you notice when you step foot in Korea is the smell of garlic. It's on everyone's breath and seeping from their pores, literally. It's in everything. Maybe this is why to this day I can't have enough garlic in my foods. I love the stuff! If a recipe calls for one clove, I'll throw in two or three. My husband will remind me when I've gone overboard with the garlic ;) I love that guy.

I remember eating bulgogi at hole in the wall restaurants all over downtown Songtan, which is just outside the gates of Osan AFB. The server would bring out tons of little dishes of 'things'...most of the vegetable variety. I recall most of it being pickled or super spicy so I would just skip this stuff and wait for the main course. The garlicky soy sauce marinated beef would be brought out and cooked on a grill right on your table. Being about 6 years old at the time, I thought it was pretty cool to cook your own food right there in front of you!

Once the meat was cooked, traditionally you're supposed to assemble it on a lettuce leaf with steamed rice, red pepper paste (gochu-jang) and any of the assorted 'things' in those little dishes. Whole garlic cloves were sometimes served and I remember my grandfather snacking on these tasty morsels until my dad asked him what the heck he was doing. He was under the impression they were almonds. Geez, I hope I never lose my taste buds!

Bulgogi (Korean BBQ)

From my mom, Barrie

Ingredients

· 1 lb. beef, not too lean

· 2 T soy sauce

· 1 T sugar

· 1 T sesame oil

· 1 T sesame salt (ground sesame seeds and sea or Kosher salt)

· 1/8 t. black pepper

· 4 med green onions, coarsely chopped

· 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped

· 1 t. fresh ginger, finely chopped or grated

· 2 T water, rice wine or white wine

Directions

Cut beef into thin slices about 2” square x 1/8 “ thick.

Marinate beef in remaining ingredients for up to 1 ½ hours. Grill (especially good over charcoal) and serve with: Red leaf lettuce or kkaennip (sesame leaves) http://www.evergreenseeds.com/korperlarlea.html

Rice, Garlic slices, Namul (assorted marinated veggies), Koch’ujang

Marinated beef bulgogi. I typically use flank steak sliced on a bias.

Bulgogi tastes best grilled, but when I'm feeling lazy I use the broiler.

Oreo Fudge Ice Cream Cake

noreply@blogger.com (Meghan) — Wed, 09 Mar 2011 06:20:00 +0000

Easy and good, that's what I was after for my husband's birthday cake. He loves ice creams cakes, so I thought this one looked really good and would be easy enough to complete during my son's nap. I cannot say enough how easy this cake was to make. Some might say it was a piece of cake ;) All you need are 5 ingredients: 1/2 cup hot fudge topping, 1 (8 oz) tub Cool Whip, 1 (3.9 oz) package of chocolate instant pudding mix, 8 Oreo cookies, and 12 vanilla ice cream sandwiches.

Everyone really enjoyed this cake. When we sliced it, it looked perfect, just like the picture on the Kraft website. It had such a beautiful presentation. (I forgot my camera, so I didn't get any pictures of my sliced cake, but trust me it looked great!)

Although the cake tasted great, I know it could have been better had I grabbed the regular full fat, full sugar ice cream sandwiches that I intended to buy. In a whirlwind trip through Target with a tired kiddo, I grabbed the first box I found, which happened to be 'no sugar added'. This essentially translates into 'no flavor' in my book. Oh well, I'm sure I'll be making this again and will be sure to grab the good stuff! I wonder how this cake would taste made with Klondike bars and Nutella instead of the hot fudge? I just might have to try this out ;)


Fudge & Cool Whip; Add the pudding mix; Add the Oreo's; All mixed up.

Layers 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and the Cool Whip 'frosting'.

For the complete recipe, click here.

Strawberry Pizza

noreply@blogger.com (Meghan) — Mon, 14 Feb 2011 00:17:00 +0000

Fresh, juicy, red strawberries. Finally, they're back in season! Straight out of college, I got my first job in a town in Florida called Plant City. It's claim to fame is being "The Strawberry Capital of the World". I do have to admit, they were phenomenal strawberries. So now, every time I go to the supermarket to buy strawberries I look to see if they're from Plant City. Most of the time they're not since I live in California. When in season, the ones out here in Cali are good too, but there's just something about those Plant City strawberries that made them extra juicy and sweet. If you happen to be in the area, the Florida Strawberry Festival goes on from March 3-13, 2011. The California Strawberry Festival will be held May 21-22, 2011 in Oxnard.

Strawberry pizza, that's what I decided to make for our monthly bunco night. I found the original version of this recipe in my favorite magazine, Cuisine at Home. I highly recommend getting a subscription (and no, I was not paid to say this!). I don't think I've ever been disappointed with any of their recipes. Most of the time they aren't too weird either. Some cooking magazines try to get too fancy and creative and have you running around to all the supermarkets trying to find obscure ingredients. Not Cuisine at Home, they use every day ingredients, for the most part, to create mouthwatering recipes that are never to disappoint.

There were a couple things I changed. For some reason, my shortbread dough was too wet so I had to add an extra 1/3 cup of flour. It was enough extra flour to make it spreadable without making a gooey mess all over my hands. Also, instead of using mascarpone cheese, I used a substitute I found on Judy's Kitchen that consisted of cream cheese, sour cream and heavy cream. It tasted great in the finished strawberry pizza.

I loved this dessert. Next time, I think I'll make only half the amount of shortbread dough so that it is thinner. A few friends and I agreed that we got full on the crust. Regardless, it was still fantastic!

Spread dough out onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.

Spread cream cheese mixture on top of shortbread crust.

Fresh slice strawberries, mmm!

Strawberry Pizza....ready to cut and eat!

Chocolate Pistachio Marble Cake

noreply@blogger.com (Meghan) — Mon, 31 Jan 2011 06:20:00 +0000

Chocolate Pistachio Marble Cake

I don't make cakes very often, but when I decide to make a cake, this recipe is my absolute favorite! My mom used to make it every once in a while when I was growing up.

Sometimes frosting is a good thing, other times (like this) it's so over rated. Just a little sprinkle of powdered sugar is all this cake needs to bring it to absolute perfection.

I love this cake, not only because it is so simple to make, but because it is so moist and practically melts in your mouth. Believe it or not, I used a boxed cake mix. I know, I know it's hard to believe I didn't do things from scratch this time. Therefore, I dedicate this cake to all my readers (all 12 of them, haha....lol) who say they're too busy to bake. :) Although, I did use my homemade chocolate syrup in place of the Hershey's stuff. ;) It worked out beautifully!

Just a few simple ingredients, mix, and pour.

Add the chocolatey goodness, pour, then bake.

Marbled chocolate pistachio cake....yummo!

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To print, left click> file> print. To save file to your computer, right click on image, then "save image as".

Sweet as Sugar Cookies is having a linky party, and I was invited! So, stop by and check out all the other fantastic looking treats! There are so many delicious treats it's hard to decide which one I should make first! Click on the button below to check it out...

Italian Beef Stew

noreply@blogger.com (Meghan) — Tue, 25 Jan 2011 03:00:00 +0000

On occasion, I'll make a hearty beef stew, mainly to try out a new recipe in hopes that I'll finally find my 'go-to' beef stew. To my disappointment, recipe after recipe fails me in the flavor department. I'm not a picky eater by any means, but one thing I despise is bland food that a little salt can't cure! I was just about to give up on ever making another lousy beef stew until I came across this Italian Beef Stew in the latest issue of Cooking Light magazine. It sounded good enough and I happened to have everything on hand, so no need to run to the store. I just love that! Well, sort of....it called for fresh herbs, but I just subbed dried herbs at about 1/3-1/2 the amount the recipe called for.

The recipe said it would take about 40 minutes of hands on time and about 2 hours of cooking....well mine cooked for a total of 3 hours, so it was a good thing I started things early. I felt like little miss Susie homemaker prepping for dinner at 9am, but my proactive stew prepping paid off later in the afternoon when my toddler began to act up because he 1) woke up at 4:14am and 2) wouldn't nap. Oh the joys of toddler-dom! (By the way he finally crashed on the living room floor around 5pm watching Disney's Cars with the back of his eye lids).

The stew cooked and cooked and cooked until the meat got to the desired tenderness (3 hours total). Finally, the moment of truth. Did my days worth of cooking pay off? Yes indeed it did! Both my husband and I thoroughly enjoyed this meal. Since I wasn't expecting the stew to be so good, I didn't get many photos, but all you really care about is the finished product, right?! Delish!

I paired this stew with some homemade Focaccia bread, which didn't take too much time to make since I used a bread maker to do the kneading and rising. It came out just alright, so I won't bother providing the recipe unless someone really wants it. As you might have guessed, it was lacking in flavor even with some great French fleur de sel (hand harvested sea salt) on top :).

Click here for the Italian Beef Stew recipe from the January 2011 issue of Cooking Light.

Next time, I hope to make a slow cooker adaptation of this recipe. If I succeed, I'll post an update.

Egg Casserole

noreply@blogger.com (Meghan) — Sun, 19 Dec 2010 17:52:00 +0000

Our Christmas Egg Casserole.

It is a tradition at my parents house to have this egg casserole on Christmas morning. My mom prepares it the night before so all she has to do is throw it in the oven when everyone wakes up. By 7am, we've emptied out our stockings and cleared out the mountain of presents under the tree and are ready for breakfast.

However, if you take too long opening presents, get too involved with your new toy or gadget, or find yourself on a long phone conversation, you'll miss out since it goes fast at our house. Occasionally, I've had the misfortune of walking into the kitchen to grab a slice to find it's all gone. :(

Yesterday I made a half batch for the hubby and myself, which made plenty for leftovers the next day. This casserole is traditionally made with spicy sausage, however you can use mild sausage instead like I did yesterday. One word of caution, I wouldn't advise using the maple flavored sausage. We did that one year since the store was sold out of the mild and spicy. It made for an interesting tasting casserole.

I hope you will enjoy this easy to prepare breakfast casserole as much as our family does. Merry Christmas!

Brown the sausage, then drain.

Pour the milky egg mixture over the bread and sausage.

Top with cheddar cheese, cover, and refrigerate until you're ready to bake it.

Cooking Tip Accepted!

noreply@blogger.com (Meghan) — Tue, 07 Dec 2010 15:54:00 +0000

My absolutely favorite cooking magazine is Cuisine at Home. Every recipe I've made from their magazine is fantastic. For those of you who know about my famous (within our circle of friends, that is) pulled pork, well, it came from this magazine. I think my mother has gotten quite known for making this pulled pork as well.

Anyway, one part of the magazine that I always look forward to reading is the cooking tips page. Most of the tips are super clever. So, one hot August day, I thought I would submit one of my tips. It turns out they like it and it will be published in a future issue of the magazine! Right now, I can't disclose what the tip is, so you'll have to wait until it's published in the magazine. :)

Frosted Banana Cake

noreply@blogger.com (Meghan) — Sat, 04 Dec 2010 17:13:00 +0000

This is a fantastic banana cake that I had at a playdate about a month ago at Julia's house. Being a family recipe, you know it's special. Julia is quite the chef and everything she makes is delicious and this was cake was no different.

I'm not exactly sure what classifies banana cake as a cake and say banana bread as a bread, but there is definitely a difference. This cake is lighter in texture than a typical dense banana bread, so maybe that's the point of differentiation.

The recipe says to use 2-3 bananas. I used 3 bananas when I made mine and I think it came out wonderfully. I suppose you can just use whatever amount you have on hand. Also, Julia's recipe notes that you may substitute sour milk (1/4 cup reg. milk + 1 tsp vinegar) for the buttermilk in the recipe, but it's not exactly the same as using good ole buttermilk.

Spread the batter in the pan.

Baked and ready for frosting!

All frosted, dig in!

Click to ENLARGE.

To print, left click> file> print. To save file to your computer, right click on image, then "save image as".

Click to ENLARGE.

To print, left click> file> print. To save file to your computer, right click on image, then "save image as".

Enjoy!

No-Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies

noreply@blogger.com (Meghan) — Mon, 22 Nov 2010 16:45:00 +0000

Make cookies and have the kitchen cleaned up in less than 15 minutes! So easy and so delicious :) The best flavor combination ever....chocolate and peanut butter! Who doesn't like that combination? If there isn't any caramel around, I gravitate towards peanut butter chocolate indulgences. Yum!

I'm not sure where this recipe came from, but I've had it in my recipe box forever. Maybe from one of my mom's friends who gave them as a Christmas gift one year? Anyway, these are great to make when I'm craving something sweet and delicious, but don't want to spend a ton of time cooking. All of the ingredients are pantry staples, so I always have them on hand.

Mix butter, cocoa, sugar, and milk. Simmer for a couple minutes.

Turn heat off and add the peanut butter, oats, salt, and vanilla.

Drop cookies onto a cookie sheet or plate lined with waxed paper. Refrigerate.

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To print, left click> file> print. To save file to your computer, right click on image, then "save image as".

Homemade Chocolate Syrup

noreply@blogger.com (Meghan) — Thu, 18 Nov 2010 21:49:00 +0000

Out of necessity I had to find out how to make some homemade chocolate syrup since I was out of Hershey's Syrup. After discovering how easy this recipe is and how good it tastes, I have to say so long to Hershey's Syrup. This homemade stuff from An Oregon Cottage is fantastic! I made some chocolate milk with it and both the little guy and I agree.... mmm-mmm-mmm! I don't think our house is going to miss the Hershey's stuff one bit.

A lot of the recipes I found only used a lousy 3 tablespoons of cocoa, but this recipe loads it up with a whopping 3/4 cup of chocolatey goodness! Now, this is what I call chocolate syrup! I've already tested it with milk, so next I'll have to see how it works out in a cup of hot milk to make hot cocoa, and then also drizzling it on ice cream. Oh and licking it right off the spoon is perfectly acceptable too :)

I probably over cooked the syrup this first try since I noticed that the syrup left over in the pot was quite thick upon cooling. No biggie, I just added a little bit of water to the syrup and it turned out just fine. When I make it next time, I'll use a candy thermometer and time it so I can update this post with exact measurements. The inner scientist in me needs these specifics!

Update: I should have mentioned that I used natural cocoa powder (not Dutch-processed cocoa powder). You could use either depending on the chocolate taste you're looking for. I just used the cocoa powder I had on hand. Natural cocoa imparts an intense chocolate flavor and is more bitter. The alkalizing process increases the pH, which makes for a less bitter and more mild chocolate flavor. Always check your recipe for the correct cocoa powder to use since natural and Dutch-processed have different functionality. :)

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My Etsy Store: Moonberry Rain

noreply@blogger.com (Meghan) — Wed, 17 Nov 2010 21:26:00 +0000

So, a little side gig that I've been working on is setting up shop on Etsy. For now, I'm designing and sewing aprons for the little chefs in the house. I've always been a self proclaimed crafty person and last month I jumped on the opportunity to make an apron for my friends 18 month old daughter. I had so much fun doing it, that I made a couple more and put them up for sale in my new shop Moonberry Rain on Etsy.

For those of you not familiar with Etsy.com, it is the most wonderful place to find handmade items. They have about everything imaginable that one can make. Check it out! It's a great place to find unique gifts for the holidays too. While you're there, visit my store Moonberry Rain. :)

The original apron made for my friends 18 month old.

So bright, colorful and fun!

I am loving ruffles!

I had to make something for the boys too, so I came up with this little bug apron (no ruffles of course).

Sweet Potato Crisp

noreply@blogger.com (Meghan) — Wed, 10 Nov 2010 14:16:00 +0000

It's hard to believe that Thanksgiving is right around the corner and it's time to start thinking about what to make. Every year I make the absolute best sweet potato crisp that was introduced to me by my sister Patty. Here I go again, tooting my own horn! In my defense, I've had people who don't care for sweet potato casserole love it. It's similar to a sweet potato casserole, but it has a yummy crumble crisp topping that makes it simply delicious. It's always my standard Thanksgiving potluck dish and every time I get people demanding for the recipe, so here it is.

Spread the sweet potato mixture in the dish.

Cut the butter into the flour, sugar and oats until it holds together in clumps.

Top sweet potatoes with apples and cranberries. Here I used dried, but I usually use diced fresh cranberries.

Top apples and cranberries with the crisp topping.

Baked to perfection!

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To print, left click> file> print. To save file to your computer, right click on image, then "save image as".

Notes:

- Although this recipe tastes incredible with the full 8 oz of cream cheese, I only use half the amount and it still tastes great.

- Also, if you already have fresh cranberries around for Thanksgiving just use those on top.

- Nuts are optional. :)

Enjoy!

meghan

Soft Sugar Cookies for Decorating

noreply@blogger.com (Meghan) — Mon, 01 Nov 2010 17:20:00 +0000

Decorating cookies is so much more fun when the family gets involved. The hubby and I had some fun on Halloween making and decorating my favorite sugar cookies. The baked cookie part isn't very sweet at all, so that's what makes the decorating part so sweet....pardon the pun. :)

These cookies have a very tender, almost cake-like texture, similar to those yummy Lofthouse cookies found at the store. My husband and I agree these are better because a) They're made with love at home and b) They aren't so sickening sweet....unless you care to heavily apply the frosting and/or Candy Melt coating. Indulge!

I smeared vanilla cake frosting and orange Wilton Candy Melts on the cookies and topped with festive sprinkes.

The hubby got after the artistic decorating.

Ready for transport (the cupcake carrier worked great)!

Click to ENLARGE.

To print, left click> file> print. To save file to your computer, right click on image, then "save image as".

A couple notes:

1) In the recipe withhold 1/4 cup of flour and add it at the end of mixing if needed. You don't want the dough to be too wet, yet you don't want it to be too dry either. Cooling the dough helps it to solidify, so don't stress out too much.

2) Since the sugar content is relatively low compared to some other cookies, these won't brown unless you really over cook them...and by then they'll be very dry. When they're done they should have some spring to them when gently touched in the oven.

Update: I am addicted to these cookies! They are the absolute best and would rival any gourmet bake-shop cookie. Try making them with the whole family for the next holiday event or just because. I guarantee you won't be disappointed!

P.S. The cookies topped with vanilla icing are my favorite :)

Update: Recently I made these cookies for a friend's baby shower. I glazed these cookies with this glaze recipe and added a drop or two of almond and vanilla extract. For the piping I used a typical royal icing. Everyone at the baby shower loved these cookies. I also packaged them up in little baggies for party favors. What was really nice is that unlike using buttercream icing or the stuff from a tub, the glaze and piping harden so they aren't so messy during storage and transport. Click on this link for my favorite vanilla buttercream frosting, it's so much better than the store stuff. I've done it with and without the lemon juice. Both are great. For the cookies, I left out the lemon juice. It also works great on cupcakes :)

Stuffed Acorn Squash

noreply@blogger.com (Meghan) — Fri, 29 Oct 2010 22:39:00 +0000

Here's a great way to use an acorn squash if you've never know what to do with it. This is one of those fall meals I looked forward to having my mom make. Comfort food for me. I whipped this up for lunch today in about 30 minutes. It's simply delicious.

Click to ENLARGE.

To print, left click >file >print. To save file to your computer, right click on image, then "save image as".

Just a side note....In the past I have used good ole Jimmy Dean sausage, but I used Jenny-O sweet Italian turkey sausage this time and I didn't notice too much of a difference. Change is good :)


Cut squash in half, discard seeds, put in a microwave-safe dish with a little bit of water, cover, microwave.

Scoop out the 'meat' of the squash.

Mix the squash, browned sausage/beef, apples, raisins, salt and nutmeg.


Stuff each half of the acorn squash. Top with butter and brown sugar. Cover and microwave.

Fantastic!

Making this today was a good excuse to test out my new camera. I'm still figuring things out since it's a lot more complicated than my point & shoot, but I think I'll get the hang of it ;)

Apple Pizza Tart

noreply@blogger.com (Meghan) — Thu, 28 Oct 2010 18:34:00 +0000

A couple weeks ago we went up to Apple Hill to pick some, well what better than... APPLES along with several other moms and kiddos. It was a busy job trying to find and pick the good apples, keep the kid from eating the fallen rotten apples, and keeping him from slipping and sliding on the damp grass and mud. Next year we'll go picking sooner and select a different place to go picking since this orchard seemed a bit neglected. Regardless, we successfully picked 10.5 pounds of yummy apples for $1/pound!

What to do with all the apples. That is the question. Aaron has put a pretty big dent into our apple supply, but I was able to score some to make a delicious treat from my childhood. My mom used to make, what we called "Apple Pizza". It's nothing like a pizza other than it's shape so you can stop thinking about how gross it would be to have apples on your pizza....well, on second thought a pizza with apples, gouda cheese and some sort of cream sauce might be great. I digress. The origins of this so-called "Apple Pizza" recipe go back to when my mom lived in Okinawa in 1977. She got it from a French woman she met while living there.

To make the apple pizza, you first need to make a homemade pie crust. I know, I hate making pie crusts too, but they're so much better than store bought and in this case the store bought ones won't work. I used the pie crust recipe in my Better Homes & Gardens cookbook with the changes mentioned in the recipe card below.

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To print, left click >file >print. To save file to your computer, right click on image, then "save image as".

Since I don't own a metal pizza pan, I made do with a cookie sheet.

Place the apples on the raw pie crust in a circular fashion.

Add the pudding cream sauce.

All done and ready to consume, mmmmm!

I have never mentioned it before, but if you try one of my recipes and love it, hate it, or have questions about how to make it, simply leave a comment. I'll be sure to promptly respond. :)

Thanks for visiting!

Sweet Potato Chocolate Chip Bread

noreply@blogger.com (Meghan) — Thu, 21 Oct 2010 19:31:00 +0000

My poor neglected baby blog. It's been so neglected this week, but it's not because I don't have anything to publish. I have a bunch of recipes on the back burner, but for some reason I've been swamped this week! Maybe it has to do with the fact that our microwave is on the fritz and I am having to defrost and heat things up the old fashioned way. It takes so much more planning to remember to defrost the chicken in the refrigerator the night before. How did anyone ever live without a microwave?

I bought some sweet potatoes at Costco a couple weeks ago and you know what that means....lots of potatoes! What to do with all these sweet potatoes you might ask? Well, first, bake them (no microwave for these sweet things as it tends to dry them out). To bake, I wash the outside of the sweet potato, then randomly stab it with a fork, individually wrap them in aluminum foil, and bake at 400F for an hour or so depending on size. I learned to always put a cookie sheet on the shelf below the potatoes to catch any sugary drippings. Cleaning the oven is avoided at all costs in my kitchen!

Sweet potatoes are sort of like pumpkin, they're both orange and fall foods....great reasoning, huh?! So, I decided to make sweet potato bread, but much to my amazement, I couldn't find many recipes and of those, they didn't look that great. That's why I created my own version adapted from a pumpkin bread recipe. All my tasters, kids and adults, agreed this recipe is a winner! I hope you enjoy it as much as we do. Best of all, I made it so it's fairly healthy, so there isn't much guilt associated with consuming more than you should :).

This recipe makes 2 loafs (or 1 loaf and 12 muffins).

Click to ENLARGE.

To print, left click >file >print. To save file to your computer, right click on image, then "save image as".

*Note: 15 oz of sweet potatoes is about 2 medium sweet potatoes.

Cookie Bonanza!

noreply@blogger.com (Meghan) — Thu, 14 Oct 2010 21:15:00 +0000

Last week, I got the urge to make a ton of cookies, which seldom happens since I usually end up talking myself out of it so I don't have to eat all the cookies. I found the perfect solution to my dilemma.....pawn them off on unsuspecting friends by "Boo-ing" for Halloween! On a blog, I found about about this friendly neighborly thing where you leave a yummy treat on a couple friends doorsteps with a sign "You've Got Boo'ed". If you want to start the fun, go talented Kinzie's Kreations to get the printout and instructions. I thought it was a cute idea :)

I made two kinds of cookies, M&M ones and shortbread-ish spice. The M&M cookie recipe was adapted from my friend Lauren's chocolate chip cookie recipe. I omitted the chocolate chips and stuck M&M's on top. They were delish! Softy, chewy, almost raw middle with a crispy outer edge. The best of both worlds in my humble opinion.

Click to ENLARGE.

To print, left click >file >print. To save file to your computer, right click on image, then "save image as".


The frozen M&M cookie balls. By the way, these will keep in the freezer for a while, so you have the option of making as many (or few) as you wish.

Although they don't look so pretty and perfect, they ARE fantastic!

To spice things up a bit, I decided to try out a knock-off recipe for those oh so good Biscoff cookies that I look forward to so much when flying Delta. They're so thin and crispy with that wonderful caramelized sugar spice flavor. I found a recipe on another blog that readers thought to be right on for flavor, but admitted the texture was a bit off. Although the cookies tasted great, especially with a cup of coffee, they weren't the Biscoff knock-offs I had hoped for. I'll post the recipe anyway since they were excellent, but next go around I am going to make some changes.

Click to ENLARGE.

To print, left click >file >print. To save file to your computer, right click on image, then "save image as".

The dough....it was thick like dough for a pie crust.

Spice cookies baking. I experimented and baked the last batch an extra 4 minutes (24 min. total) so they'd caramelize more. I thought they were pretty good and gave it a different flavor from the first couple batches.

I put a few cookies in decorative bags, tied on the "You've Been Boo'ed" card and then distributed them to several neighbors. The hubby even took some to some of his co-workers. He loves Halloween, so he was all for the idea of "boo-ing" people at work.

Boo!

Lipton Cheese Steak Sandwiches

noreply@blogger.com (Meghan) — Mon, 11 Oct 2010 20:48:00 +0000

Lately I've been reading a ton of blogs. I can't believe how many talented people out there creating neat stuff! In addition to my love of cooking, I am a lover of crafts. Lately in my spare time, I've been creating some nifty Halloween decorations that I found on some craft blogs.

Obviously, in addition to reading a lot of craft blogs, I check out a bunch of food blogs too. I came across this simple recipe for Lipton Philly-Style Cheese Steak sandwiches the other day from fellow blogger Tidy Mom who periodically posts recipes on Unilever's The Family Dish. I wasn't expecting these to taste like a true Philly cheese steak, but 'wit'* the Lipton Onion Soup mix, it had to be good!

*wit = the term used when ordering a cheese steak in Philadelphia that means "with onions".

Here I am at Pat's in Philadelphia last year eating the real deal. I love how little man is eying my sandwich. Don't worry little guy, you'll get your cheese steak soon!

Lipton Onion Soup mix makes everything taste so good! I mix in into sour cream for a quick onion dip. I also love the recipe on the box for baked onion potatoes. Check it out sometime!

The recipe was simple enough, but I made some changes since I didn't have cube steak on hand. I had never heard of it before, but found out it's the preferred steak for chicken fried steak, which, believe it or not I've never had despite being one of those GRITS (Girls Raised In The South). Anyhoo, I used a piece of top sirloin that I found in the back of the freezer. I sliced it about 1/3" thick and pounded it with a meat hammer until it was as thin as it could be.

I also just left the steak in the pan and added the onion soup mix and water. Mixed. Heated for a couple minutes. Done.

My husband and I loved these sandwiches. The meat was so tender and the onion soup mix gave it a great flavor. I served it with Trader Joe's garlic fries (and yes, wine :) ). They tasted just like the ones served at the San Francisco Giants games. YUM!

Here's the recipes for these tasty sandwiches... (or link to the original recipe if you prefer)

To print, left click >file >print. To save file to your computer, right click on image, then "save image as".

Chicken-Mushroom Quesadillas

noreply@blogger.com (Meghan) — Wed, 06 Oct 2010 16:59:00 +0000

You may have noticed that this blog has had some changes lately.....completely new design that fits my personality a lot better and just this past weekend I started adding recipe cards to all my posts. I still have some recipe cards to make for the older posts, which I hope to finish soon. Leave a comment and let me know what you think. Are the recipe cards easy to use & read? Constructive criticism is much appreciated!

Several years ago my husband came across this Chicken-Mushroom Quesadilla recipe in, I think it was, Men's Health magazine. We love making it since it's so quick and easy, especially if you go the route I did this time. I used pre-cooked frozen grilled chicken and frozen spinach. I much prefer the frozen spinach that comes in a bag rather than the one in a box. I dread thawing out that block of green, then to have to squeeze out all the water. The bag kind is chopped up and there isn't all that extra water. Fresh is best, but not always on hand :)

The chicken-mushroomy-spinach quesadilla filling is all ready to go. I could eat it just like that!

Put some cheese (I used Kraft Mexican 4 Cheese blend) on the tortilla, spread on some filling, then top with more cheese. Top with another tortilla.

Flipping the tortilla without all the innards falling out can be tricky. So, what I do is use the cheese as my 'glue' to hold the thing together before flipping. I press down on the whole quesadilla, focusing on the edges to 'glue' the two pieces of tortilla together as the cheese melts. Then, with a large spatula underneath and my hand on top, I gently & quickly flip it over. Yay, disaster adverted!

If it doesn't work, no biggie, just eat it with a fork ;) It'll still taste the same!

All done, chicken-mushroom quesadilla perfection!

To print, left click >file >print. To save file to your computer, right click on image, then "save image as".

Recipe Link: Easy Chicken-Mushroom Quesadillas

Sandy's Green Smoothie Stuff

noreply@blogger.com (Meghan) — Fri, 01 Oct 2010 04:15:00 +0000

Green smoothie? Gross right? Don't be so quick to judge, it's actually very good.....and healthy! Yep, I said it, good AND healthy! I can't even taste the 'green stuff' (aka. spinach) and neither can the 17 month old picky patron. Usually I'm not one to hide vegetables in the food I give Aaron, but this smoothie is an exception. What a great way to get him to get his recommended dose of leafy greens. Even the hubby tasted it and said it was good, but had too much banana. Better he said 'too much banana' rather than spinach! hehe

Aaron enjoying his green stuff.

So, whether you have picky eating kids or just want another way to get some healthy greens in the ole bod, I can't think of a more tasty way!

This makes enough for 4 servings, so I only make a quarter of it since it won't keep well. I have been informed that a half recipe will fit in a normal size blender.

For Aaron's smoothies I keep it simple:

1/3 cup OJ (more or less)

1/2 banana

1/4 apple

small handful of spinach

3 ice cubes

To print, left click >file >print. To save file to your computer, right click on image, then "save image as".

Optional add ins, use one or more as desired:

1/2 carrot (not too much)
chunk of cucumber w/skin
a piece of cooked sweet potato

2 T of canned pumpkin (freeze remainder in ice cube tray for future use)
4-5 cherry tomatoes or 1 slice of a large one

coconut milk - 2- 4 Tablespoons or grated coconut (fresh would be ideal)

lime or lemon juice- a squirt or two

parsley or cilantro , fresh - a couple sprigs

nutmeg

cinnamon

vanilla, about 1/2 teaspoon

fresh grated ginger

Experiment with other stuff, erring on the cautious side so not to spoil the taste, all measurements are just a suggestion - adjust to your taste.

Bistro Style Burger

noreply@blogger.com (Meghan) — Sat, 25 Sep 2010 14:50:00 +0000

What fantastic burgers we had last night...and they didn't come from some fancy restaurant, but rather my kitchen. Every month when I receive my subscription of Cooking Light magazine, I thumb through it tearing out the recipes of interest such as this one for Mushroom and Provolone Patty Melts. Burgers at our house typically consist of slapping a frozen turkey burger patty on the Foreman Grill and then top it with American cheese. I know, boring, but that's why I shake things up periodically with new and exciting twists on an old simple favorite.

The hubby and I loved these burgers and will definitely make again. Who knew it would be so flavorful and easy to make. I would have to credit the porter beer for the deliciousness of the sauteed mushrooms and onions. That got me thinking that I could probably substitute red wine for the porter to make burgundy burgers like the ones at our favorite local burger bar, Relish Burger. OH SO GOOD!

I followed the recipe exactly other than subbing fresh ciabatta bread for the rye.

Mushroom and Provolone Patty Melts
from Cooking Light Magazine, October 2010

1 pound ground sirloin
cooking spray
1 T. olive oil
1/4 cup thinly sliced yellow onion
1/8 t. salt
1/8 t. black pepper
1 (8-ounce) package sliced crimini mushrooms
1 1/2 t. all-purpose flour
1/4 c. dark beer (such as porter)
8 (1.1-ounces) slices rye bread
4 (3/4-ounce) sliced reduced-fat provolone cheese

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Shape beef into 4 (4-inch) patties. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add patties; cook 4 minutes on each side or until done.

Heat oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion, salt, pepper, and mushrooms; saute 3 minutes. Sprinkle flour over mushrooms; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Stir in beer; cook for 30 seconds or until thick. Remove from heat; keep warm.

When patties are done, remove from large skillet. Wipe pan clean; heat over medium-high heat. Coat 1 side of each bread slice with cooking spray. Place 4 bread slices, coated sides down, in pan. Top each with 1 patty, 1 cheese slice, and 1/4 of mushroom mixture. Top with remaining bread slices; coat with cooking spray. Cook 2 minutes on each side or until browned.

UPDATE: Want a recipe card? Well, here you go!

To print, left click >file >print. To save file to your computer, right click on image, then "save image as".

Quick & Tasty: Penne with Broccoli

noreply@blogger.com (Meghan) — Tue, 21 Sep 2010 03:56:00 +0000

Busy days, I love them! I'm the type that always has to be doing something otherwise I go stir crazy, sort of like my 16 month old son. So, when it came time to think about dinner, Penne with Broccoli was my ticket. This is my go-to recipe for quick, easy & flavorful. It's a solid recipe, but I add some grilled chicken to make it complete.

Thanks Lisa for sharing this recipe with me :)

Penne with Broccoli (from Hertha Verdurmen, San Francisco, California, Sunset, MARCH 2004)

Ingredients

1 1/2 pounds broccoli florets
1/4 cup olive oil
3 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1/2 teaspoon hot chili flakes
About 1/2 teaspoon salt
About 1/4 teaspoon pepper
12 ounces dried penne pasta
1/3 cup grated pecorino romano cheese

Preparation

1. Rinse broccoli and trim and discard stem ends. Coarsely chop tops and stems. In a 5- to 6-quart pan over medium heat, stir olive oil and garlic often until garlic sizzles, then stir in broccoli, chili flakes, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and 1/2 cup water. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until broccoli is very soft and mashes easily with a fork, 20 to 25 minutes. Add 1/4 cup water to pan if broccoli threatens to scorch.
2. Meanwhile, in a 5- to 6-quart pan over high heat, bring 4 quarts water to a boil; add penne and cook until tender to bite, 10 to 12 minutes. Drain and return to pan.
3. Stir broccoli mixture into pasta along with cheese. Add more salt and pepper to taste.

UPDATE: Want a recipe card? Here you go!

To print, left click >file >print. To save file to your computer, right click on image, then "save image as".

Fall means Chili

noreply@blogger.com (Meghan) — Wed, 15 Sep 2010 19:44:00 +0000

Fall, my favorite time of the year in Northern California. It means an end to another drought ridden summer of no rain and not even the sight of a cloud for months. Fall means cool delta breezes, trips up to Apple Hill, the Amador wine country fall crush, and enjoying the outdoors in sub-100 F temperatures. And of course, fall means waking early to watch Florida Gator football...at 9am. Soon, the rain will transform the Sierra Foothills from a scored golden brown to lush green. It's funny that every year it's as if everyone forgets how to drive in the rain, so it's best to stay home the first few rainfalls. Not to mention, who wants to be out in the rain anyway. I'd much rather be home curled up with a good book and eating some homemade chili.

I came across this recipe in 2006 while at our typical Gator football hangout...The Wilson's house. Lisa served up the absolutely best chili for the game. This recipe is remarkably easy to make and it could even be done in the slow cooker. At times that I don't have the Heinz chili sauce on hand, I use a knock-off recipe that is excellent (recipe is listed below).

Serving suggestions:

~with cheddar cheese, sour cream and oyster crackers/cornbread

~Cincinnati Chili: Serve over spaghetti. Top with diced raw onions & grated cheddar cheese

~Texas Chili: Serve over rice.

Elaine/Lisa's Chili

1.5 lbs ground beef

1 1/2 cups chopped onion

3/4 cup chopped green bell pepper

2 T. chili powder

1 clove garlic, minced

1 can tomatoes (diced, whole, seasoned, whatever)

1 (12 oz) botttle Heinz Chili sauce

1/2 t. dried oregano

3 t. sugar

1/2 t. dried basil

1 tomato, diced

1 bay leaf

dash Tabasco sauce

1 can kidney beans

1/4 t. dry mustard

1 t. cumin

salt & pepper to taste

Cook onion & bell pepper in a pan until soft. Add meat, cook. Drain if needed. Add remaining ingredients. Simmer for 30 minutes.

CopyCat Heinz Chili Sauce

1 cup tomato puree

1/3 cup light corn syrup

1/4 cup white vinegar

2 t. onion flakes (or 1 1/2 t. powder)

2 t. sugar

1 t. salt

1 t. lemon juice

1/8 t. garlic powder

Whisk together in a small saucepan. Cook over medium heat. Reduce to a simmer for 30 minutes.

Geo's Cornbread (the good sweet kind)

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup yellow cornmeal

2/3 cup white sugar

1 teaspoon salt

3 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 egg

1 cup milk

1/3 cup vegetable oil

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Spray or lightly grease a 9 inch round cake pan. In a large bowl, combine flour, cornmeal, sugar, salt and baking powder. Stir in egg, milk and vegetable oil until well combined. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake in preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean.

Update 1/25/2011:

After having chili in a sourdough bread bowl at Boudin Bakery, we though we would try to do it at home. Granted we didn't have the real deal Boudin Bakery San Francisco sourdough, our homemade chili in a grocery store sourdough bread bowl tasted great! We toasted the bread bowl, filled it up with chili and topped it with some sharp cheddar cheese. Yum!