Mom's Cooking Club

Caramel Corn........Week #7 of the 12 Weeks of Christmas Cookies

2011-11-13T18:02:00.001-06:00

I'm a little late this week getting my post up for The 12 Weeks of Christmas Cookies. But here it is. Not a cookie but a sweet snack worthy for any Christmas tray or Christmas food gift.

I just love, love, love caramel corn. Much of my childhood was growing up in Ocean City, MD and one of my favorite childhood memories is eating Fisher's Popcorn from the boardwalk. Making your own caramel popcorn at home is easy. Your family and friends would love to get a container of this classic favorite. I guarantee they will ask for more.

Caramel Corn

Recipe slightly adapted from Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook

Ingredients

7 to 8 cups popped popcorn

3/4 cup packed brown sugar

6 tablespoons butter

3 tablespoons light-colored corn syrup

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon vanilla

Directions

1. Put popped popcorn into a 17x12x2 inch baking pan. (such as a large rimmed cookie sheet)

2. To make caramel mixture, in a medium saucepan combine brown sugar, butter and corn syrup. Cook and stir over medium heat until mixture boils. Continue boiling at a moderate, steady rate, without stirring, for 5 minutes more.

3. Remove saucepan from heat. Stir in baking soda and vanilla. Pour caramel mixture over popcorn; stir gently to coat. Bake in a 300 degree oven for 15 minutes. Stir mixture and bake 5 minutes more. Remove from oven and allow to cool. Store tightly covered for 1 week.

Make a foodie gift: package your popcorn in a Christmas themed box or container. They may just return it for a refill.

The blog hop is below. For more great cookie and treat ideas, check out the individual links below.

My husband decided to sneak a few pieces as I was trying to take my photos. He has a huge sweet tooth and is really benefiting from all my baking.

Enjoy!

Mom's Cooking Club Lesson: I used about 1 and a half bags of popped microwave popcorn. Use any type of popcorn you like to make.

Chocolate Chip Macadamia Nut Cookie Bars.......Week 6 of the 12 Weeks of Christmas Cookies

2011-11-04T15:18:00.000-05:00

It has been such a busy crazy time for me. I'm sure many of you can relate. But I still had time to bake something this week. It needed to be quick and it needed to be easy. But it still had to be a yummy dessert. You will find it in these Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars. The addition of Macadamia nuts elevates it to something extra special and extra delicious.

Chocolate Chip Macadamia Nut Cookie Bars

Recipe by Ghirardelli

Yield: 16 bars

Ingredients

12 ounces Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips

1 cup butter, softened (2 sticks)

1 1/2 cups brown sugar, packed

2 teaspoons vanilla

2 large eggs

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup macadamia nuts, coarsely chopped

Directions

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. In a large bowl, beat butter with brown sugar at medium speed until light and fluffy. Add vanilla and eggs. Add eggs one at a time, mixing on low speed until combined. Combine flour, baking powder and salt in a small bowl. Gradually add to egg mixture while mixing on low speed. Fold in chocolate chips and macadamia nuts. Spread batter evenly into a 13" x 9" pan. (I suggest spraying lightly with cooking spray)

Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool completely in pan on wire rack. Cut into squares.

(Click here to print recipe from Ghirardelli website)

It's Week 6 of the 12 Weeks of Christmas Cookies. Halfway there. For more ideas, see what other bloggers are baking up with the blog hop below.

Enjoy!

Mom's Cooking Club Lesson: When you want to bake homemade cookies but pressed for time, try making cookie bars. One pan and less work with all the delicious flavor of freshly baked cookies.

Lemon Icebox Cookies........Week 5 of The 12 Weeks of Christmas Cookies

2011-10-27T06:00:00.000-05:00

After my rich and decadent holiday dessert last week, I wanted to make something a little lighter this week. I'm not sure if you can call a butter cookie "lighter" but it sounds good to me.

Ice Box Cookies (aka Refrigerator Cookies) are basically shortbread cookies that are usually rolled into logs, refrigerated and then sliced and baked. This dough made 3 logs. I sliced and baked 2 of them 1 day and then used the 3rd one the next day. This dough can be frozen for up to 2 months which is perfect to make ahead of time. You can then thaw out the dough and bake it around the holidays.

These cookies were not "pucker your lips" with lemon flavor. They had a hint of lemon and were on the crunchy side. Very good butter cookie that went perfect with a cup of hot tea.

Make sure to check out the blog hop below for more cookie and treat ideas.

Lemon Icebox Cookies

Recipe by Southern Living

Ingredients

1 cup butter, softened

1 cup granulated sugar

1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon grated lemon rind

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

Preparation

Beat butter and sugars at medium speed with an electric mixer until fluffy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Add grated lemon rind and lemon juice, beating until blended.

Combine flour, baking soda and salt. Gradually add to butter mixture and beat just until blended.

Divide dough into 3 equal portions. Roll each portion to a 12 inch log and wrap in wax paper. Place in refrigerator and chill 8 hours.

Cut each log into 1/2 inch slices (about 28 slices) and place on lightly greased baking sheets.

Bake at 350 degrees for 12-14 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Remove to wire racks to cool. Store cookies in an airtight container.

Note: I made the cookie dough in the morning and placed the dough logs in the refrigerator. Later that day, I sliced and baked the cookies. Fresh cookies for an evening treat.

(Click here to print recipe from Myrecipes.com)

What surprise hides inside?

Lemon Icebox Cookies!!!

Mom's Cooking Club Lesson: Part of the fun of giving cookies and holiday treats is the packaging. I got these cute Holiday Take Out containers at Michaels last year. Your local craft store will have so many ideas. Make it festive, make it fun!

Honey Chicken Stir Fry

2011-10-24T21:33:00.000-05:00

There is nothing more satisfying than making Stir Fry dishes at home. Don't get me wrong, I love Chinese take out but when you can make delicious dishes like this at home, skip the take out and serve your family a healthier, tasty meal.

Chicken is a regular staple in my house. But, I'm always wanting to try different chicken recipes. Different flavors and cooking methods is what keeps things fresh and interesting. Honey Garlic Chicken is one of my family's favorite Chinese take out meals. I found this Honey Chicken Stir Fry recipe on the food website Tasty Kitchen. We all really enjoyed this dish. I increased the recipe to 6 servings for the 4 of us and there was just enough left over for my husband to take for lunch the next day.

***There are so many recipe resources and places for inspiration. For more chicken recipe ideas, check out Reader's Digest chicken recipe section.***

Honey Chicken Stir Fry

Recipe by HowSweetEats on Tasty Kitchen

Servings: 6

Ingredients

4 large egg whites

2/3 cup cornstarch or flour (I used cornstarch)

3/8 cup olive oil (I used about 1/3 cup total)

1 1/2 - 2 cups broccoli florets

1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced

1 1/2 cups sugar snap peas (snow peas can be substituted)

1/8 cup soy sauce (I used 1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce)

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 1/2 - 2 lbs thin sliced, boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1/2 cup honey

salt and pepper

Preparation

Prepare and slice vegetables. Place 4 egg whites in a small bowl and beat lightly. In another small bowl or plate, add cornstarch. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add 1 tablespoon olive oil. Add vegetables to skillet and season lightly with salt and pepper. Saute vegetables for about 5 minutes until softened. Add soy sauce and garlic to veggies and stir until coated, about 1 minute. Remove veggies from skillet and set aside.

Cut chicken into 1-inch pieces, season with salt and pepper. Heat the same skillet over medium-high heat and add olive oil to coat pan. Dip chicken pieces in egg whites and then lightly dredge in cornstarch. Add chicken to the skillet in batches and let brown 2-3 minutes, then flip and brown other side. When chicken is cooked, remove to plate and continue in batches until all the chicken is cooked. Add some more olive oil to pan with each batch.

Once all the chicken is cooked place the chicken and the vegetables back in skillet. Add honey and mix thoroughly to combine. Taste and season with salt, pepper, additional honey or soy sauce, if needed. Serve with rice. (I used Jasmine Rice)

(Click here to print original recipe). You can change the serving size to your needs.

Disclosure: This is a compensated post from Reader's Digest to highlight their chicken recipe site and to share their link with my readers. All writings are my own thoughts and opinions.

Saute some healthy vegetables...broccoli, red pepper and sugar snap peas

Enjoy!

Mom's Cooking Club Lesson: This dish has a couple of steps to it but you can make it easier on yourself. Cut your vegetables, measure your liquids and have your chicken cut up and coated before you begin the cooking process. I try to have everything in the order I'm going to use them. Stir frying is a pretty quick cooking method so prepping ahead is always a good idea.

Snickers Brownies.......Week 4 of the 12 Weeks of Christmas Cookies

2011-10-20T06:00:00.000-05:00

Ever since I made these Peanut Butter Cup Brownie Bites, I've been obsessed with adding candy to my baked goods. I was going to make Snickers Cookies (yes there is such a thing), but due to time constraints, I needed to do something that would be be quicker. So, I googled Snickers Brownies and found this recipe by My Baking Addiction.

How do I describe these? Decadent. Rich. Chocolaty. Fudgy.

Was it a good idea to add Snickers Bars to brownies?

Oh YES!

I know this is a little different for a Christmas treat but I don't think anyone would mind if these showed up on your cookie platter this year.

Snickers Brownies

yield | 12 brownies

Ingredients

4 ounces unsweetened chocolate; coarsely chopped
3/4 cup butter, unsalted
1 ½ cups white sugar
3 eggs; lightly beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup all-purpose flour
12 Fun Size Snickers Candy Bars; cut into fourths (I used 10 Snickers)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line an 8×8 inch baking pan with foil and spray with nonstick cooking spray.
2. Microwave chocolate and butter in large bowl at medium (50% power) for 3-4 minutes or until butter is melted.
3. Whisk until chocolate is melted. Stir in sugar. Add in eggs, extract and salt. Gradually add in flour and stir until just combined.
4. Spread ½ the batter into prepared pan. Add an even layer of Snickers and cover with remaining ½ of brownie batter. Bake for 30-35 minutes; do not over bake.
5. Remove to cooling rack. Cool completely before cutting.

Click here to print recipe from My Baking Addiction

The hidden special ingredient in these brownies. All I can say is WOW!

Lining the pan with foil makes it easy to lift out of the baking pan and cut into squares.

It's Week 4 and I'm working my way through the 12 Weeks of Christmas Cookies. See the blog hop below for more shared holiday treats.

Enjoy!

Mom's Cooking Club Lesson: Snickers candy bars have been around a long time. They were introduced by Mars, Incorporated in 1930. A candy bar that stays around for 81 years has to be pretty special. Roasted peanuts, nougat, caramel and milk chocolate.....Snickers!

Molasses Cookies......Week #3......12 Weeks of Christmas Cookies

2011-10-13T06:00:00.000-05:00

Molasses Cookies!!!! These are a wonderful Christmas cookie. But they are the ultimate Fall cookie. This spice cookie uses cinnamon, ginger, cloves, molasses and dark brown sugar. What a perfect flavor combination. The smells that will fill your kitchen will put you in a happy mood. They are chewy with a light sugar coating. I really can't stop thinking about these cookies. A great idea for your Christmas cookie platter but an even better idea is to make them now for your Fall baking.

Molasses Cookies

Recipe by Joy of Baking

Yield: about 3 dozen cookies

Ingredients

2 cups all purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature

1 cup dark brown sugar

2 tablespoons vegetable or canola oil

1/3 cup unsulphured molasses (I used Grandma's Original Molasses)

1 large egg

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/2 cup granulated white sugar (for garnish)

Directions

1. In a large bowl, sift or whisk the flour, baking soda, salt and spices.

2. Beat the butter and brown sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. (about 2-3 minutes)

3. Add the oil, molasses, egg and vanilla extract and beat until mixed.

4. Beat in the flour mixture until well incorporated. Cover and chill the batter until firm. (about 2 hours or overnight)

5. After the dough has chilled, preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line baking sheet(s) with parchment paper.

6. Place 1/2 cup white sugar in a small bowl. Add more sugar if needed. Roll chilled dough into 1 inch balls. Then roll the balls of dough into the sugar, coating them all around. Place on the baking sheet about 2 inches apart. With the bottom of a glass, flatten the cookies slightly.

7. Bake for about 9-10 minutes or until the tops of the cookies have crinkles and will look a little underdone. Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack. Store in an airtight container for up to a week.

(Print recipe here)

These cookies are so addicting. I bet you just can't eat one.

More cookie recipes are below in the blog hop. Keep checking back as additional people join. You will have plenty of ideas and recipes for your Holiday baking this season.

Enjoy!

Mom's Cooking Club Lesson: What is molasses? It's the dark, sweet, syrupy byproduct that you get with the extraction of sugars from sugarcane, sugar beets and grapes. It is created when the juices from these products are processed. There is sulphured and unsulphured molasses. Sulphured molasses has been treated with sulfur dioxide as a preservative. Unsulphured molasses, which is used in these cookies, has a lighter, cleaner sugar flavor.

Peanut Butter Cup Brownie Bites.....Week 2 of the 12 Weeks of Christmas Cookies

2011-10-06T06:00:00.000-05:00

Is it a brownie? Is it candy? It's a combination. Candy inside a brownie bite. Oh my! This is some serious goodness. It's Week 2 of the 12 Weeks of Christmas Cookies. This week I decided to make brownies instead of cookies. There's plenty of room for a variety of goodies on your holiday cookie tray.

Reese's Peanut Butter Cups are one of my favorite candies. One of my favorite desserts are brownies. Put the 2 together and I'm pretty much in heaven. These are super easy to make and fun too!

Peanut Butter Cup Brownie Bites

Recipe by Savory Sweet Life

Yield: Approx. 40 Brownie Bites

Ingredients

3/4 cup butter, melted
3/4 cup white sugar
3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 eggs
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
40 miniature Reese's Peanut Butter Cups, unwrapped

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray mini cupcake pan(s) with non stick spray. In a medium bowl, mix melted butter, sugars and vanilla. Beat in eggs one at a time. Add flour, cocoa and salt. Mix until combined. Fill each cupcake section with batter, slightly more than halfway. Do not overfill. Place a peanut butter cup in each cupcake hole, pressing it down until it is almost level with the batter. Bake in preheated oven for 15-18 minutes or until done. Cool the brownie bites for 5 minutes before removing from the cupcake tin.

Note: Thanks to Alice from the blog Savory Sweet Life for this recipe.

(Go here to print recipe)

My daughter, Marissa, unwrapped all the candy for me and placed then in the batter. What a great recipe for your kids to help make.

See the blog hop link below for some more wonderful cookie/treat recipes from other bloggers.

Enjoy!

Mom's Cooking Club Lesson: I had a hard time getting out some of the brownie bites. Some broke as I tried to remove them. I may have overfilled the muffin cups. Next time I will use mini muffin liners. I think that will solve the problem. But no worries....we enjoyed eating the warm broken ones. They didn't go to waste.

Peanut Butter Caramel Corn

2011-10-05T06:00:00.000-05:00

Welcome to October....can you believe it? This is one of my favorite months. The weather is getting cooler, there's a briskness in the air, cooking my favorite fall foods like soups and stews, fall baking, getting ready for the upcoming holidays. The first one is Halloween. We always decorate our front yard for Halloween. I love sitting on my front porch and giving out candy to all the kids.

Do you like to have adult Halloween parties? Here is a Halloween inspired menu from the Cooking Light Virtual Supper Club. This month's theme focuses on Halloween....the spooky, orange or black.

I made this "Devilishly Devine Peanut Butter Caramel Corn" which is in the October issue of Cooking Light Magazine. Making caramel corn is so easy and so addicting to eat. This one is a little different with the peanut butter and almonds but definitely a yummy treat. A great little party snack.

Click here for the original recipe on Myrecipes.com

Peanut Butter Caramel Corn

Slightly adapted from Cooking Light

Ingredients

Cooking Spray

2 tablespoons canola oil

2 regular-size bags of microwave popcorn, popped

1/2 cup sliced almonds

2/3 cup packed light brown sugar

2/3 cup light-colored corn syrup

2 1/2 tablespoons butter

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup creamy peanut butter

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 250 degrees.

2. Spray a jelly-roll pan with cooking spray (better idea would be to use parchment paper and spray the paper with cooking spray)

3. Microwave popcorn according to package instructions.

4. Place popped popcorn in large bowl or pot. Add almonds.

5. Combine sugar, syrup, butter and salt in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil. Cook 3 minutes, stirring occassionally. Remove from heat. Add peanut butter and vanilla. Stir until smooth.
6. Spread popcorn with almonds on a large baking sheet. Drizzle peanut butter mixture over popcorn and toss well.
7. Bake at 250 degrees for 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes. Cool before breaking apart and placing in sealed container.

Note: Everytime you stir the popcorn, more pieces will be coated and the caramel will get harder.

(Print here for recipe)

The rest of our Spooky Halloween Cooking Light Virtual Supper Club menu is below. Click on their links for more recipe details.

Mary Ann (Meet Me in the Kitchen) - Sweet Potato and Black Bean Empanadas

Sandi (Whistlestop Cafe Cooking) - Devilish Eggs (Deviled Eggs w/Smoked Salmon and Herbs)

Val (More Than Burnt Toast) - Roasted Squash Soup with Turkey Croquettes

Jerry (Jerry's Thoughts, Musings, and Rants) - Dracula's Revenge (Baked Penne with Sausage and Garlic)

Roz (La Bella Vita) - Chocolate Spiderweb Cookies

This popcorn keeps well in a plastic container. Great for opening up and grabbing a handful. And another. And another.

Enjoy!

Mom's Cooking Club Lesson: I did not use parchment paper on my baking sheet. I sprayed it with cooking spray. My popcorn did stick some when finished baking. I just used a spatula to get most of the popcorn off the pan. If I would have used parchment paper, I'm sure it would not have stuck as much on the pan. The lesson.....use parchment paper.

The Countdown Begins.....12 Weeks of Christmas Cookies 2011

2011-09-29T06:00:00.000-05:00

Did I say Christmas Cookies? 12 Weeks of Christmas Cookies? I know what you are thinking.....how can I be thinking of Christmas when we are just barely out of summer. Well, this time of year flies by and before you know it, the holidays will be here.

Last year I participated in the 12 weeks of Christmas Cookies hosted by April from Abby Sweets. This year I am participating again and it will be hosted by Brenda from Meal Planning Magic. I hope to share a cookie or treat every week, depending on my schedule. There will be a blog hop at the end of my post so you can see what others have made. What a great way to share recipes and hopefully will inspire you to bake some sweet treats for the holiday season.

My first recipe is the classic chocolate chip cookie. Every holiday cookie plate has to have chocolate chip cookies. My go to recipe has always been Nestle Toll House Cookies. But, I'm always game to try different chocolate chip cookie recipes. This cookie comes from Tate's Bake Shop Cookbook. It's a thin cookie. Crusty on the edges but also buttery and chewy. A really good chocolate chip cookie to share with family and friends. But then again, have you ever had a chocolate chip cookie you didn't like. Give this one a try. I think you'll see them disappear.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

Recipe by Tate's Bake Shop Cookbook

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup unsalted butter, softened (original recipe calls for salted butter)

3/4 cup sugar

3/4 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar

1 teaspoon water

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 large eggs

2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease cookie sheet(s) or line with Silpat.

In a large bowl, stir together the flour, baking soda and salt.

In another large bowl, cream the butter and sugars. Add the water and vanilla. Mix the ingredients until they are just combined. Add the eggs and mix them lightly. Stir in the flour mixture. Fold in the chocolate chips. Be careful not to overmix the dough.

Drop the cookies 2 inches apart onto the cookie sheet(s) using two tablespoons or a cookie scoop.

Bake for 12 minutes or until the edges and centers are brown. Remove the cookies a wire rack to cool.

(Print recipe here)

Come back every Thursday for a new Cookie/Treat/Sweet recipe. Let the countdown begin!

Enjoy!

Mom's Cooking Club Lesson: If you do not have a Silpat, you must butter your cookie pan or your cookies will stick. I had to butter my pans generously so these thin cookies wouldn't stick and fall apart as I took them off to cool.

Grilled Chicken and Steak Fajitas......Featuring TortillaLand Tortillas

2011-09-25T15:33:00.000-05:00

Have you ever heard or tried TortillaLand Flour Tortillas? If not, I highly recommend that you see if your area sells them. These are very different tortillas. They are refrigerated and you make them fresh. One of the TortillaLand's slogans is, "So Fresh They Haven't Even Been Made Yet".

I was contacted to sample TortillaLand Flour Tortillas. They asked if I would focus on a Back to School recipe. My daughters started High School about a month ago. We are extremely busy between work and school schedules. I'm always looking for family friendly recipes that everyone will like.

My daughters love tacos but I wanted to do something a little more interesting so I made Chicken and Steak Fajitas. The great thing about Fajitas is that everyone can pick their favorite meat and toppings. These were a huge hit. The rub I used on the chicken and steak had wonderful flavor. My daughters made their own Tortillas in a skillet since it only takes about 60 seconds. The Tortillas taste so fresh. We loved them!

Check out TortillaLand's website for their store locator.
http://www.tortillaland.com/where-to-buy/

Stay up to date on Facebook (facebook.com/TortillaLand) and Twitter (@TortillaLand)

Go to http://www.tortillaland.com/ for recipe ideas, store locator and to enter their current giveaway where you could win 3 iPads!!!

Disclosure: Representatives for TortillaLand Tortillas provided me samples and information but all thoughts and opinions are my own. My entire family really like these tortillas. Thank you TortillaLand!

Grilled Chicken and Steak Fajitas

Recipe by Jamie at Mom's Cooking Club

Recipe for Rub by How to Grill, Steven Raichlen

Ingredients

1 1/2 lbs beef sirloin steak

1 - 1 1/2 lbs boneless chicken breasts

1 tablespoon chili powder

1 teaspoon ground coriander

1 teaspoon coarse salt

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon onion powder

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

2 limes

1 red bell pepper

1 green bell pepper

1/2 yellow onion

Topping ideas: salsa, sour cream, diced avocado, shredded cheddar cheese. (Colby and Monterey Jack cheese are also good choices)

Directions

1. Place the sirloin steak in a glass or nonreactive baking dish. Place the chicken in a separate glass dish. Combine the chili powder, coriander, salt, cumin, garlic and onion powders, and black pepper in a small bowl. Mix well. Rub this spice blend over the steak and chicken breasts. Let stand for 10 minutes. Squeeze the limes over the beef and chicken. Marinate in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to 1 hour, covered.

2. Cut bell peppers into strips. Cut onion in slices. Saute in skillet with a little olive oil until onions get tender and peppers get a little charred in spots. Place in a serving dish.

3. Grill steak until desired doneness and chicken until cooked through. Let rest a few minutes. Cut steak and chicken in strips and place on serving platter(s).

4. Cook TortillaLand Flour Tortillas or warm other packaged tortillas.

5. Place steak, chicken or both in center of tortillas. Top with pepper and onion mixture. Add favorite extra toppings as desired. Fold up, eat and enjoy!

TortillaLand Flour Tortillas have just 5 simple ingredients: Wheat Flour, Water, Canola Oil, Salt and Sugar.

TortillaLand Flour Tortillas take about 60 seconds to cook. They will puff up as they cook and get lightly golden.

Sauteed Green Peppers, Red Peppers and Onions

The Fajita Spread.....Grilled Chicken and Steak, Peppers and Onions, Salsa, Shredded Cheese, Sour Cream, Avocado. Serve with freshly made TortillaLand Flour Tortillas for a family friendly meal.

Enjoy!

Mom's Cooking Club Lesson: Does your grocery store carry TortillaLand Flour Tortillas? If not, then take this Store Manager Product Request Form to your local store.

See attached link: http://www.tortillaland.com/deliver?id=17

My grocery store, Publix, does not carry TortillaLand Tortillas so I'm planning on taking this request form to my store manager.

Ham and Swiss Egg Sandwiches......Let's Have Breakfast for Dinner!

2011-09-07T06:00:00.006-05:00

Who loves Breakfast? I do. Who loves Breakfast for Dinner? I do. So, for this month's Cooking Light Virtual Club, I chose the theme of Breakfast foods for dinner. There's just something fun about breakfast at dinnertime. It can be savory, salty, sweet or a combination of all these flavors. Breakfast foods are usually quick to prepare which makes it perfect for those busy nights.

I love eating eggs, prepared anyway and anytime. This ham and swiss egg sandwich appealed to me because I usually eat eggs in between toast or a biscuit. Sometimes, I'll sneak some bacon or a sausage patty in my egg sandwiches. This is a healthier version. It was super good. Easy over egg, sauteed ham slice and swiss cheese....yummy!

Click here for recipe on Myrecipes.com

Ham and Swiss Egg Sandwiches

Recipe by Cooking Light

Ingredients

Cooking spray (or butter)

4 ounces thinly sliced lower-sodium deli ham

4 large eggs

4 English muffins, split and toasted (I used Honey Wheat)

4 (1-ounce) slices Emmentaler or Swiss cheese

Preparation

1. Preheat broiler to high.

2. Heat a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Coat the pan with cooking spray. Add ham to pan; sauté 2 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove from pan. Recoat pan with cooking spray. Crack eggs into pan. Cover and cook for 4 minutes or until desired degree of doneness. (I made my eggs over easy and I used butter in the pan instead of cooking spray) Remove from heat.

3. Place 4 toasted muffin halves, cut sides up, on a baking sheet. Top each half with 1 cheese slice. Broil for 2 minutes or until cheese melts. Divide ham among cheese-topped muffin halves; top each with 1 egg and 1 muffin half.

Note: I put a small amount of butter on the toasted English Muffins. Also, the cheese melted much quicker than 2 minutes so check your oven when you melt the cheese.

I hope you enjoy the rest of the breakfast menu from the other members of the Cooking Light Virtual Supper group.

Mary Ann from Meet Me in the Kitchen made a Fig-Swirl Coffeecake.

Val from More than Burnt Toast made Blueberry and Maple-Pecan Granola Parfaits.

Roz from La Bella Vita brought Hash Brown Casserole with Bacon, Onions and Cheese.

Sandi from Whistlestop Cafe Cooking brought a Grits Souffle.

Jerry from Jerry's Thoughts, Musings and Rants made Breakfast Cookies.

Enjoy!

Mom's Cooking Club Lesson: Take your favorite Breakfast dishes and have them for dinner every so often. Your family will be all smiles when you announce, "It's Breakfast for Dinner night!"

Publix Gift Card Giveaway.......My Favorite Grocery Store!

2011-08-18T07:00:00.003-05:00

This Giveaway is now closed.

Congratulations to Sara!....Comment #5.

Thanks to everyone that entered!

I am so happy to be able to share this Publix Gift Card Giveaway with you today. Publix is my grocery store. It's where I shop every week. I love my local Publix and I was ecstatic when they finally came to Pensacola, FL a few years ago.

From 8/18/11 - 8/23/11, Publix has a promotion called Great Deals on Great Meals. This event is exclusively at Publix where you can save on some of your favorite food products from General Mills, Unilever and Campbell's. You can also pick up some recipe ideas that your family can enjoy.

Go to GreatDealsOnGreatMeals.com for recipe ideas and to download up to $12.00 in coupons. The coupons are good thru 9/4/2011. Coupons are also available at your Publix store. Some of the General Mills products I bought were: Honey Nut Cheerios, Nature Valley Granola Bars, Swanson Broth/Stock and Green Giant Valley Fresh Steamers.

General Mills through MyBlogSpark was generous to provide me with a $25.00 Publix Gift Card so I could purchase some of my favorite products during the Great Deals on Great Meals event.

They also offered me another $25.00 Publix Gift Card to giveaway to one of my readers. Who couldn't use some free money to spend at the grocery store?

To enter: Please leave me a comment telling me what product you would buy from the Great Deals on Great Meals campaign. Go to this link, http://bit.ly/PublixGDGMSummer to see what General Mills products are featured.

Giveaway ends on Tuesday, August 23rd, 2011, at 11pm Central Time.

I will pick a winner using Random.org and will announce the winner next week.

Giveaway open to U.S. residents only.

If you do not have a blog, you can still enter. Just leave an email address in your comment.

Disclosure: The Publix gift card, information and giveaway have been provided by General Mills through MyBlogSpark. But, all of my opinions are my own. I do shop at Publix every week and it is my favorite grocery store.

Mom's Cooking Club Lesson: Publix is located in 5 states - Florida, Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina and Tennessee. If you have a Publix in your town, please enter this gift card giveaway. If you don't have a Publix in your state but you have a friend or relative that does, you can still enter and win it for them. A $25.00 gift card would make a great gift. Good luck!

Grilled Tomato and Mozzarella Naan Pizza

2011-08-14T21:40:00.008-05:00

Naan Bread. Pesto. Tomatoes. Fresh Mozzarella Cheese. A Grill.

One fantastic meal!

I got the inspiration for this dish from my sister-in-law, Aggie, who made these Grilled Veggie Naan Pizzas with Pesto Sauce.

I made mine with fresh mozzarella, tomato slices and pesto. We loved the slightly charred and crunchy crust that you get when grilling the Naan Bread. An easy weeknight meal or cut into pieces for an appetizer.

Give these "different" pizzas a try.....I know you will enjoy them!

Grilled Tomato and Mozzarella Naan Pizza

Recipe adapted from Aggie's Kitchen

Ingredients

4 Naan Flatbreads (found in deli section or speciality breads)

8 tablespoons pesto, homemade or store bought (I used Classico brand)

2 large tomatoes, sliced

Fresh Mozzarella, sliced (from deli or speciality cheese section)

olive oil

Preparation

Preheat grill to medium heat. Brush one side of Naan Bread with olive oil. Place side with olive oil down on grill rack. Grill for a few minutes until bread starts to get light grill marks and is slightly crisp. Take off grill, place on baking sheet(s) and set aside.

Spread 2 tablespoons pesto on each of the non-grilled sides of the bread. Top with mozzarella cheese and tomato slices. Close grill and cook for about 5 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Remove from grill and cut into slices.

Enjoy!

Mom's Cooking Club Lesson: Personalize these individual pizzas with your favorite toppings. Mushrooms, Bell Peppers and Pepperoni are some other

toppings I want to try. If you're not a fan of pesto, use some tomato or pizza sauce.

Spinach-Pasta Salad

2011-08-03T06:00:00.004-05:00

Here's a quick and light side dish to make for your next picnic or outdoor gathering. Healthy baby spinach, mini bow-tie pasta, red onion and a tasty vinaigrette are all the ingredients you need.

My monthly "meet-up" with the Cooking Light Virtual Supper Club is a menu for a Summerfest Beach Party or a summer picnic. These Cooking Light recipes would be perfect to celebrate the season of summer.

Click here for the Spinach-Pasta Salad recipe on Myrecipes.com

Spinach-Pasta Salad
Recipe by Cooking Light

Ingredients
1/2 cup mini farfalle (bow-tie pasta)

1 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon white wine vinegar

1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/8 teaspoon salt

2 garlic cloves, minced

3 cups baby spinach

1/4 cup chopped red onion

Preparation
1. Cook mini farfalle according to package directions. Drain. Rinse with cold water; drain.

2. Combine olive oil and next 5 ingredients in a large bowl, stirring well with a whisk. Add garlic vinaigrette, spinach, and onion to pasta.

What else is on on the Summer Beach Party menu? See the other recipes below and check out the details from the rest of the group.

Jerry (Jerry's Thoughts, Musings and Rants) brought the appetizer - Grilled Pepper Poppers
Roz (La Bella Vita) came with a salad - Panzannella with Tomato, Bacon and Basil Salad
Val (More than Burnt Toast) provided the main dish - Oven Fried Chicken
Sandi (Whistlestop Cafe Cooking) did a side dish - Orange Flavored Couscous
Mary Ann (Meet Me in the Kitchen) brought the dessert - Lemonade Layer Cake

Hope everyone is having a wonderful summer!

Enjoy!

Mom's Cooking Club Lesson: Dress the salad just before serving to keep the spinach fresh and from getting wilted. And if you are not a fan of red onion, leave it out. It will still be a flavorful side dish.

Grilled Lemon Chicken Breasts

2011-07-31T09:00:00.001-05:00

The lonely boneless chicken breast. But so much possibility. Pairing lemon with chicken is one such possibility. Add some herbs and you have elevated the simple chicken breast into something so flavorful. This is the perfect summer time meal. Pair it with a salad or some veggies for a light and healthy dinner that everyone will enjoy. (my family did!)

Grilled Lemon Chicken Breasts

Recipe by Jamie, Mom's Cooking Club

Serves 4

Ingredients

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

2 garlic cloves, minced or put through a garlic press

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

lemon juice from 1 lemon

lemon zest from 1 lemon

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

Directions

1. Place chicken breasts in a plastic storage bag or between 2 pieces of saran wrap or wax paper. Using a meat mallet, pound to an even thickness but not too thin.

2. Mix the remaining ingredients in a small bowl and place in a large storage or freezer bag. Add chicken breasts and seal the bag. Rub and massage marinade to evenly coat the chicken breasts. Place the chicken in the refrigerator and let it marinade for at least 2 hours or up to 12 hours.

3. Preheat grill to high. Spray grill grates with cooking spray or rub with vegetable/canola oil. Lower grill to medium heat. Place chicken breasts on grill, close lid and cook for about 5 minutes per side. Cook time will depend on thickness of chicken.

Enjoy!

Mom's Cooking Club Lesson: I like to put my chicken breasts in a storage bag or between saran wrap and pound them to an even thickness. Not real thin for this type of cooking but just enough where they have a more uniform thickness. When I do this, I find that the chicken breasts cook more evenly as well as staying tender and moist.

Frozen Chocolate, Caramel & Toffee Ice Cream Sandwich Dessert

2011-07-17T15:34:00.000-05:00

First, a disclaimer: If you are watching your intake of desserts or on a diet, then please look away. But if you are not, then please stay.

This is an amazing and decadent dessert that I made for 4th of July. I saw this recipe a few years ago on Recipe Girl's site and have been holding on to it for the perfect family gathering. This was super easy to put together and there are only a few ingredients. My 15 year old nephew, Andy, helped me and we had so much fun together. This feeds a large crowd but I guarantee there won't be any left over.

Note: All the pictures on this post were taken by my sister-in-law, Aggie. (Aggie's Kitchen) Thank you so much Aggie for the awesome photos and for a wonderful time visiting.

Frozen Chocolate, Caramel & Toffee Ice Cream Sandwich Dessert

Recipe slightly adapted from Recipe Girl

Ingredients

1 deep dish rectangular throw away foil pan (9 x 13)

24 ice cream sandwiches (I bought 2 boxes of 12)

2 - 8 oz. tubs of Cool Whip

Jar of caramel sauce

Jar of chocolate sauce

Bag of Heath bits

2-3 King Size Hershey Bars, chopped (original recipe uses 4 bars of Heath or Skor candy bars)

Directions

1. Spray foil pan with cooking spray. Unwrap and layer 12 ice cream sandwiches side by side in bottom of pan. If you have any open spaces on the sides, cut the ice cream sandwiches to fit and fill in the gaps.

2. Spread one tub of Cool Whip over the 1st layer of ice cream sandwiches. Drizzle the caramel and chocolate sauces over the Cool Whip. Sprinkle with toffee bits. Cover the pan with tin foil and freeze for one hour.

3. Layer 2nd layer of 12 ice cream sandwiches on top of the toffee bits. Spread 2nd tub of Cool Whip. Drizzle the caramel and chocolate sauces over the Cool Whip. Sprinkle the top with more toffee bits and chopped Hershey Bars. (or just the Heath/Skor candy bars if you have those) Cover again with tin foil and freeze for several hours until firm.

4. When ready to serve, cut into squares. Indulge!

First layer ready for for the freezer.

Putting together the 2nd layer.

Chocolate drizzle

Ready to be eaten!

Aggie and Jamie (me)

Exciting news: My sister-in-law, Aggie, is now a daily contributor to
Family Kitchen on Babble.com. Check out her recipes and all other food-related items. Aggie is such an inspiration to me and I'm lucky to call her family!

Enjoy!

Mom's Cooking Club Lesson: This dessert is very large but keeps well in the freezer. (in case by some chance you have any leftover) I highly recommend you make this for your next family get together, neighborhood potluck or holiday celebration.

Summer Peach and Tomato Salad

2011-07-07T22:30:00.001-05:00

Summer is in full swing. There are certain foods that remind me of summer. All the fruit and vegetables that are in season right now makes me very happy. This month, the Cooking Light Virtual Supper Club, is coming together for an alfresco menu of "It Sounds Like Summer". Food that you can enjoy eating outdoors and that just shout, "It's Summer"!

I made a light and refreshing salad with peaches and tomatoes. It sounds like a strange combination but the flavors work great together. The bites of sweet peaches mixed with the balsamic vinaigrette are so good in this salad. Give this combination a try. I think you'll love it.

Click here to print the recipe on Myrecipes.com.

Summer Peach and Tomato Salad

Recipe from Cooking Light

Yield - 4 servings

Ingredients

1/4 cup thinly vertically sliced red onion
1/2 pound ripe peaches, pitted and cut into wedges
1/4 pound heirloom beefsteak tomatoes, cut into thick wedges
1/4 pound heirloom cherry or pear tomatoes, halved
1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon honey
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup (1 ounce) crumbled feta cheese
2 tablespoons small basil leaves or torn basil

Note: Use whatever tomatoes you have available. I used regular vine tomatoes. I also used a peach balsamic vinegar instead of sherry vinegar.

Preparation

1. Combine first 4 ingredients in a large bowl.
2. Combine vinegar, olive oil, honey, salt, and pepper in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk. Drizzle vinegar mixture over peach mixture; toss well to coat. Sprinkle with cheese and basil.

So, what else is on the Alfresco menu from the other Cooking Light Virtual Supper Club bloggers? Check out each link to see what everyone else made for this summer meal.

Jerry from Jerry's Thoughts, Musings and Rants - Grilled Pizza with Prosciutto, Arugula and Lemon

Mary Ann from Meet Me in the Kitchen - Summer Lemon-Vegetable Risotto

Val from More than Burnt Toast - Poached Salmon with Creamy Herb Sauce

Roz from La Bella Vita - Chocolate-Amaretti Peaches

Sandi from Whistlestop Cafe Cooking - Peach Ice Cream

Enjoy!

Mom's Cooking Club Lesson: The vinaigrette is really good in this salad. It had a sweetness to it that really went well with all the ingredients. I used a peach balsamic vinegar instead of the sherry vinegar in the recipe. There are many different types of vinegars that you can try in this recipe to add some variety to the vinaigrette and flavor of the salad.

It's Friday!......Pizza Night!

2011-07-01T06:00:00.132-05:00

When Friday rolls around, I usually don't feel like cooking. A mom's got to have a break once in a while, don't you agree? After a long week, nothing beats a pizza. Pepperoni is our family favorite. Unfortunately, where I live, we don't have many good pizza places nearby. So, what do I do when the Friday night pizza craving hits.....I make my own.

I found this pizza recipe on the back of a Hunt's tomato sauce can years and years ago. The pizza dough is spread out on a cookie sheet instead of making it round. The hardest part is working with the dough to get it stretched out. But, be patient and keep rolling it out and pulling the sides of the dough and it will stretch to fit the cookie sheet.

This recipe is a simple and quick way to have your pizza night....whatever day of the week that may be.

Friday Night Pizza

aka Party Pizza by Hunt's

Ingredients

1 package (10 oz) refrigerated pizza dough (I used pizza dough from my grocery store bakery dept or you can use the one that comes in a can.)

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 teaspoons minced garlic

1 can (10 3/4 oz) Tomato Puree

1 teaspoon Italian seasoning

2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese (I shred my own and use a generous amount to cover the sauce and dough)

Directions

Roll and stretch out dough to form a rectangle and press on a greased cookie sheet. Use the size that fits your amount of dough, 15 x 11 or 17 x 11 cookie sheet sizes work well. Bake in a preheated 400 degree oven for 8 minutes.

Combine oil and garlic. Brush on crust. Blend puree and seasoning. Spread evenly over crust. Sprinkle cheese over sauce and add favorite toppings, if desired.

Bake 10-12 minutes or until cheese is bubbling. Cut in squares.

Note: Sometimes we add red pepper flakes and/or parmesan cheese to our slices.

Enjoy!

Mom's Cooking Club Lesson: Create your own favorite pizza with toppings of your choice. Saute some green peppers, onions and mushrooms for a few minutes to soften them a little before adding as your topping and have a veggie pizza. Or cook up some pork or turkey sausage and use that as a pizza topping. The options are endless. Enjoy your Friday nights!

Grilled Thyme Potatoes

2011-05-31T06:00:00.001-05:00

It's time to get out of the kitchen and enjoy the outdoors. Summertime is here! Grilling time is here! (even though I grill all year round) The Cooking Light Virtual Supper Club has gotten together again. This month's theme is barbecuing and getting out of the kitchen to cook.

I made a very simple side dish. Thyme potatoes. What I love about this recipe is that you make individual foil packets with red potatoes, olive oil, thyme, salt and pepper. Everyone has their own potato package. The potatoes got so tender and creamy. A perfect side dish to go along with your grilled meats or other vegetables.

Note: This recipe makes one serving. I cut up enough potatoes to make 4 servings and increased the other ingredients as well. I divided the potato mixture evenly among 4 foil square packets.

Click here for recipe on Myrecipes.com

Thyme Potatoes

Recipe By Cooking Light

Serving: 1 cup

Ingredients
1/2 pound small red potatoes, quartered

1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil
1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Preparation

Prepare grill.
Combine all ingredients, tossing to coat. Cut 2 (12-inch) sheets of aluminum foil. Arrange potato mixture in a single layer on 1 sheet of foil. Place remaining sheet of foil over potato mixture; seal edges. Place foil packet on grill rack. Grill 8 minutes or until potatoes are tender.

What did the rest of the group cook outside the kitchen? Check out the links below for some other great Cooking Light grilling and outdoor recipes.

Val from More Than Burnt Toast made an appetizer - Barbecued Chicken Sliders with Pickled Onions

Roz from La Bella Vita also made an appetizer - Grilled Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms

Jerry from Jerry's Thoughts, Musings and Rants brought a salad - Grilled Vegetable Salad with Creamy Blue Cheese

Jamie (that's me) brought a side dish - Thyme Potatoes

Sandi from Whistlestop Cafe Cooking made the main dish - Scallops Grilled on Rosemary

Mary Ann from Meet Me in the Kitchen made the dessert - Blueberry Cheesecake Ice Cream

Enjoy some time getting out of the kitchen this summer. These Cooking Light recipes are a great inspiration to get started.

Enjoy!

Mom's Cooking Club Lesson: I used petite red potatoes and quartered them to make even pieces. If you buy the red potatoes that are larger, I would cut them more to make smaller pieces. This will help them cook quicker. Also, keep an eye on the potatoes and check them for doneness at the suggested cook time. If not done, cook a few minutes more. If you cook them too long, which I did, you may end up with some burned potatoes. (we ate the ones that were not burnt which were very good)

Peanut Butter and Jelly Bars

2011-05-15T16:26:00.000-05:00

Peanut Butter. My favorite. Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwiches. My favorite childhood sandwich. Peanut Butter and Jelly Bars. My new favorite dessert bar.

I absolutely love the combination of this peanut butter cookie bar with a layer of jelly filling and crunchy peanuts on top. Adults and kids will love them. Try these. But be warned. They will not last long.

I first saw this recipe on Jerry's blog, Jerry's Thoughts, Musings and Rants. I then saw it soon after in my March 2011 issue of Bon Appetit.

Peanut Butter and Jelly Bars

Recipe by Bon Appetit, March 2011

Serving: 16 bars

Ingredients

Nonstick vegetable oil spray
1 1/2 cups unbleached all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 cup smooth peanut butter
3/4 cup (packed) golden brown sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup grape jelly or other jelly or jam
2/3 cup coarsely chopped salted dry-roasted peanuts

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 8x8x2-inch metal baking pan with heavy-duty foil, leaving 2-inch overhang around edges and pressing firmly into corners and up sides of pan. Coat foil with nonstick spray. Whisk flour, baking powder, and 1/4 teaspoon salt in small bowl. Using electric mixer, beat peanut butter, sugar, and butter in large bowl until smooth. Add egg and vanilla; beat on low speed until smooth. Add flour mixture; beat on low speed just to blend. Transfer half of dough to prepared pan (about scant 1 1/2 cups). Place remaining dough in freezer for 10 minutes. Using fingertips, press dough evenly onto bottom of pan. Spread jelly over in even layer. Remove dough from freezer; using fingertips, break into grape-size pieces and scatter over jelly layer. Sprinkle chopped nuts over.
Bake bars until top is golden brown, about 30 minutes. Cool bars completely in pan on rack.
Using foil overhang as aid, lift bars from pan. Gently peel foil from edges. Cut into 16 squares. DO AHEAD Can be made 3 days ahead. Store airtight at room temperature.

Enjoy!

Mom's Cooking Club Lesson: Change the flavor by using different jellies and jams like strawberry, raspberry or blackberry.

Balsamic Strawberry Topping

2011-05-04T06:00:00.001-05:00

Spring is a Berrylicious Season! This is the theme for May's Cooking Light Virtual Supper Club. Myself and 5 other bloggers "meet" every month to share a Cooking Light menu. Virtually, of course, since we live in different parts of the U.S. and Canada. This month's theme focuses on berries. Berries can be used in many different ways. You will find berries used in a drink, appetizer, salad, main dish and dessert this month.

I wanted to make this Blueberry Crisp a la Mode but blueberries aren't in season and are very expensive in my grocery store. I guess this will have to wait for summer. Strawberries are in season right now and reasonably priced. So, I chose to make this Balsamic Strawberry Topping. Four simple ingredients and very quick to make. The sweet and tart strawberries went perfect with some frozen vanilla yogurt. I'll be using this strawberry topping in my greek vanilla yogurt as well. YUMMY!!!

Click here for recipe on Myrecipes.com

Balsamic Strawberry Topping
Recipe by Cooking Light

Ingredients
2 tablespoons light brown sugar

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg

3 cups sliced strawberries

Preparation
Combine the first 3 ingredients in a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium-low heat; cook 2 minutes or until slightly thickened. Stir in sliced strawberries, and remove from heat. Let stand 5 minutes.

Serve over low-fat vanilla frozen yogurt or ice-cream.

For more Berry recipes, check out the rest of the Cooking Light Virtual Supper Club menu below:

Jerry (Jerry's Thoughts, Musings and Rants) - Raspberry Daiquiris
Mary Ann - Meet Me in the Kitchen) - Strawberry-Avocado Salsa
Val (More Than Burnt Toast) - Mesclun with Berries and Sweet Spiced Almonds
Sandi - (Whistlestop Cafe Cooking) - Raspberry Asparagus Medley
Roz (La Bella Vita) - Pork Medallions with Spicy Pomegranate-Blueberry Reduction
Jamie (me) - Balsamic Strawberry Topping

Enjoy!

Mom's Cooking Club Lesson: The pluses of strawberries:
Low in Saturated Fat, Cholesterol and Sodium. Also a good source of Folate and Potassium, and a very good source of Dietary Fiber, Vitamin C and Manganese.

http://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/fruits-and-fruit-juices/2064/2

Zucchini, Red Pepper and Feta Frittata

2011-04-17T20:39:00.000-05:00

A delicious and easy egg dish that I made today for Sunday breakfast. This frittata would be perfect for Easter breakfast or brunch, Mother's Day or even a light dinner. Enjoy this frittata full of zucchini, red pepper, feta cheese (also has parmesan in it too!) anytime of year.

Click here for printable recipe on Babble.com

Zucchini, Red Pepper and Feta Frittata

Recipe by The Naptime Chef on Babble.com

Ingredients

6 eggs

¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

4 tablespoons olive oil

¾ cup zucchini, roughly chopped

¾ cup red pepper, seeded and roughly chopped

salt and pepper

1/2 cup feta, crumbled

Directions

1. Turn on the broiler.

2. Add the eggs to a large mixing bowl and beat them with a fork until they are broken up. Then add half of the parmesan cheese and 2 tablespoons of the olive oil.

3. Heat the remaining olive oil (2 tablespoons) in an oven proof pan over medium heat. Add the zucchini and peppers and stir them until they are cooked through and wilted.

4. Pour the eggs into the pan with the cooked zucchini and peppers. Add a few pinches of salt and pepper. Cook the eggs on the stove top for one more minute. Scatter the remaining parmesan cheese and the feta on top and place in oven. Broil it for about 1 minute. Shake the pan to make sure the eggs are set. If not, broil for one minute more. Remove from the oven, cut in wedges and serve.

Enjoy!

Mom's Cooking Club Lesson: A frittata starts on the stove top and then is finished in the oven. Make sure to use an ovenproof skillet that can handle broil temperatures.

Grilled Ginger-Lime Shrimp: Local Foods for The Cooking Light Virtual Supper Club

2011-04-06T06:00:00.003-05:00

It's time to share another Cooking Light recipe with The Cooking Light Virtual Supper Club. This month the theme is 100 Miles of Flavor. Each of us had to find a food ingredient that is locally made or grown within 100 miles of where we live. At first, I couldn't think of any locally grown food within 100 miles of where I live, which is Pensacola, FL. I kept thinking of Georgia corn or Alabama peaches. But those food items aren't in season right now. Then I had one of those "duh" moments. Pensacola lies on the Gulf of Mexico. Local seafood. Right here in my own "backyard".

We eat seafood once or twice a week. We love seafood and are very lucky that we have a fantastic seafood market here (Joe Patti's Seafood) that gets a variety of fresh seafood from the Gulf of Mexico as well all over the world. I chose shrimp as my local ingredient. There is nothing like Gulf Shrimp. When the BP Oil Spill hit this region last summer, it was devastating. I could go on and on about the oil spill and what it did to our waters, sea life, beaches, economy and our lifestyle here and to our nearby cities but I won't get into that discussion now. I'm happy to see that our beaches and waters are coming back and I'm starting to see Gulf of Mexico shrimp back at Joe Patti's. They are also still getting shrimp from the East Coast as well as other safe areas.

If you like grilled shrimp, you will love this recipe. You marinate the shrimp for 30 minutes in a mixture of cilantro, ginger, lime juice, garlic, jalepeno pepper and a few other ingredients. Place them on skewers and grill for 5 minutes or so until done. The shrimp had a wonderful flavor to it. It was a great way to showcase my local food - Gulf of Mexico Shrimp!

Click here for the printable recipe on Myrecipes.com

Grilled Ginger-Lime Shrimp

Recipe by Cooking Light

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 2 skewers)

Ingredients

1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves
1/4 cup thinly sliced green onions
2 tablespoons chopped peeled fresh ginger
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon canola oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon dark sesame oil
4 garlic cloves, chopped
1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and chopped
1 1/2 pounds large shrimp, peeled and deveined (about 32 shrimp)
Cooking spray

Preparation

1. Combine the first 9 ingredients in a food processor, and process until coarsely chopped.

2. Combine cilantro mixture and shrimp in a large zip-top plastic bag; seal and shake well. Refrigerate 30 minutes.

3. Prepare grill.

4. Remove shrimp from bag; discard marinade. Thread 4 shrimp on each of 8 (8-inch) skewers. Place shrimp skewers on a grill rack coated with cooking spray; grill 5 minutes or until done, turning once.

What other local foods were brought to the dinner table this month?

Check out the links and menu below.

Jamie (me) - Grilled Ginger-Lime Shrimp

Mary Ann (Meet Me in the Kitchen) - Mixed Greens with Blueberry Vinaigrette

Sandi (Whistlestop Cafe Cooking) - Peas and Orzo with Pesto

Jerry (Jerry's Thoughts, Musings and Rants) - Beef Tenderloin with Mushroom-Red Wine Sauce

Roz (La Bella Vita) - Risotto with Porcini Mushrooms and Marscapone Cheese

Val (More Than Burnt Toast) - Fallen Chocolate Cake with Cherry Red Wine Sauce

Enjoy!

Mom's Cooking Club Lesson: When using wooden skewers to grill your seafood, meats and vegetables, don't forget to soak them in water for at least 30 minutes. This will prevent them from burning and catching on fire.

Giveaway - $10 Gift Card and Old El Paso Prize Pack

2011-04-03T21:58:00.004-05:00

This giveaway is now closed. Congratulations to comment #8, Karin, picked by Random.org. Thanks for everyone that entered.

I'm back with a fun giveaway! It's been a month since my last blog post. Where does the time go? There have been some changes in my life the past several months that have limited my time and shifted my priorities. After being laid off from my part-time job in October (company closed), starting a full-time job in November, keeping on top of my 2 daughter's sports and activities, as well as keeping up with house and home, has left me with little time to focus on my blog.

One thing I haven't stop doing is cooking and sharing meals with my family. My husband, myself and my 2 daughters sit down for dinner together every night. One way to keep my weeknights easier is to make quick but delicious meals. Such easy family meals are Taco Nights. "Old El Paso offers a variety of seasonings, sides, sauces, and meal kits as simple solutions for a night of catching up with the family over a delicious taco dinner."

"To satisfy your Mexican style cravings, the Old El Paso^® line up of products includes chilies, dinner kits, dips and sides, enchilada sauce, refried beans, seasoning mixes, shells, taco sauce and salsa. The Old El Paso taco seasoning mix selection includes flavors like Burrito, Cheesy Taco, Chili, Fajita, Taco, Mild Taco and even a seasoning with 40% less sodium."

Visit Old El Paso website for news, tips recipes and more.

Also, to keep your family laughing at the dinner table, have some fun with El TacodorTM, the world´s only Family Taco Night Game. With El Tacodor, your family can share a special night at home by challenging one another to quick fire trivia, wordplay and pantomime. Visit www.ElTacodor.com today to download instructions, a score card, and a challenge sheet for even more fun on Family Taco Night!

For giveaway specifics, keep reading......

The Old El Paso "Family Taco Night" prize pack includes:

Packet of original Old El Paso Taco Seasoning, a Cactus Chip & Dip Serving dish, a set of 3 Fiesta Chili Pepper serving dishes and a $10 gift card to purchase your taco fixings. What a fun way to share taco night with your family!

To enter, please leave a comment telling me your favorite taco fixings. Simple as that.

Comments must be received by Friday, April 8th, 2011. I will pick a winner through Random.org. Winner will be announced by Sunday, April 10th, 2011.

Note of Disclosure: Old El Paso through MyBlogSpark provided me with the information and a prize pack. They are also generously offering a prize pack to one of my readers.

Mom's Cooking Club Lesson: No matter how busy life gets, try to keep your family dinner routine going. It's a great time to connect, stay in touch, laugh, make lasting memories and enjoy some delicious food together.

Mixed Lettuce, Pear and Goat Cheese Salad with Citrus Dressing....."Notes of Citrus" with the Cooking Light Virtual Supper Club

2011-03-02T06:00:00.107-06:00

March is here. Winter is leaving and Spring is coming. Well, at least in some parts of the country like where I live in Northwest Florida. I chose the theme this month for the Cooking Light Virtual Supper Club.....Notes of Citrus. Myself and five other bloggers come together every month for a "virtual supper" focusing on Cooking Light recipes.

I made a salad this month with a citrus dressing using orange juice and lemon juice. It was light and refreshing. The pears and goat cheese were a perfect combination along with the citrus dressing. I really like making different salads. I use bottle dressings and make my own. But, there is nothing like the freshness and flavor of homemade vinaigrette and salad dressings.

So, as Spring comes near, enjoy these recipes focusing on Citrus.

Click here for a printable version of the salad recipe on Myrecipes.com (recipe also below)

How did the rest of the group use citrus in their recipes? Check out the links below for more delicious ways to use citrus in Cooking Light recipes.

Val from More Than Burnt Toast started off the meal with a Beverage - Blood Orange Sangria

Mary Ann from Meet Me in the Kitchen made the appetizer - Lime-Spiked Black Bean Dip

Sandi from Whistlestop Cafe Cooking handled the main dish - Lemon Sage Chicken

Jerry from Jerry's Thoughts, Musings and Rants provided the side dish - Braised Fennel with Orange

Roz from La Bella Vita ended the meal with a dessert - Nathan's Lemon Cake

Mixed Lettuce, Pear and Goat Cheese Salad with Citrus Dressing

Recipe by Cooking Light, October 2010

Yield: 8 servings

Ingredients

Dressing:

1 tablespoon finely chopped shallots
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/4 cup fresh orange juice
4 teaspoons fresh Meyer lemon juice (I used a regular lemon and added a pinch of sugar)
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil

Salad:

2 tablespoons fresh orange juice
2 firm ripe Bosc pears, cored and thinly sliced (any pear in season can be used)
6 cups mixed baby lettuces
1 head Boston or butter lettuce, torn (about 2 cups)
3/4 cup (3 ounces) crumbled goat cheese

Preparation

1. To prepare dressing, combine shallots and mustard in a medium bowl, stirring with a whisk. Stir in 1/4 cup orange juice and next 3 ingredients (through pepper). Gradually add oil, stirring constantly with a whisk.

2. To prepare salad, combine 2 tablespoons orange juice and pears, tossing to coat. Combine lettuces in a large bowl. Drizzle with dressing; toss gently to coat. Arrange about 1 cup lettuce mixture on each of 8 salad plates. Top each serving with about 1/4 cup pear and 1 1/2 tablespoons cheese.

Enjoy!

Mom's Cooking Club Lesson: Are you in a rut with your salad dressing? Make salads more exciting by trying different ones. Making your own homemade salad dressing or vinaigrette is really very simple. There are so many recipes on-line and in cookbooks. When creating your own salad dressings, it not only tastes good but you know exactly what ingredients are going into your dressing.....and that's a bonus for me.