What's Cookin???

Crepes

noreply@blogger.com (amber) — Wed, 07 Sep 2011 03:00:00 +0000

My son wanted to have crepes for his birthday breakfast, so we whipped up a batch this morning! This is our go to crepe recipe. Its from the "Favorites" cookbook. So easy and delicious! I don't have a crepe pan, but I just use a small (8 inch) saute pan and it works great! We filled ours with homemade strawberry/kiwi jam and topped with powdered sugar! We have also done it with bananas and chocolate sauce, strawberries and powdered sugar, with some fresh orange juice squeezed on top...so good!

Crepes:

1/2 c. cold water

1/2 c. cold milk

4 eggs

1/4 t. salt

2 t. sugar

1 c. flour

2 T. butter, melted

Put liquids, eggs, salt, and sugar into blender, blend until mixed. Add flour and melted butter and mix at top speed for one minute. Cover and refridgerate until ready to use. Heat pan over moderate heat, for each crepe, lightly grease pan with oil or butter (Butter is Better!) Pour 1/4 c. batter into pan and swirl around to cover pan and so batter spreads evenly. Turn when lightly browned and cook on other side. Stack crepes between paper towels to keep warm. Serve with toppings of choice, roll up and enjoy!

Mini Quiche

noreply@blogger.com (amber) — Wed, 07 Sep 2011 02:51:00 +0000

This last weekend, I had to make brunch for around 80 women for a church gathering. I was scared to death! I had never cooked for this many people at a time before! I also was struggling with something that I could make ahead, freeze, and reheat the day of, without losing taste or quality. The solution: QUICHE! I tried out a couple different recipes until I found the one that I liked the best, and then the next problem presented itself: serving portions. I tried a couple different ways, but the final product was muffin tins! It worked wonderfully!! The fun thing about this quiche is you can change up the cheese and veggies to make it your own. Enjoy!

Mini Quiche

8 beaten eggs

3/4 c. cottage cheese

1 1/2 c. mozzarella

2 c. fresh spinach, chipped into small pieces

1 c. diced ham

1 tomato, diced

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Mix all ingredients in a mixing bowl with a whisk. Using a 1/4 c measuring cup pour 1/4 c portions into WELL GREASED muffin tins. (I thought about using cupcake liners next time for easier clean-up...). Cook for around 35 minutes, or until center is set and top is lightly golden brown. slide a knife around edges to loosen and scoop out with a spoon! enjoy!

Chicken, Mushroom and Roasted red pepper Orzo pasta

noreply@blogger.com (amber) — Fri, 02 Sep 2011 04:40:00 +0000

As I said before, we have been on an Orzo pasta kick lately. I love one pot meals and you can pretty much add any veggies you want to customize the taste. My family gobbled this down and next time I will double to recipe for leftovers!!!

2 T olive oil
1 yellow onion, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 tsp dried thyme
8 oz button mushrooms, sliced
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite sized pieces
salt, pepper, and garlic salt to taste
1/2 lb of orzo, cooked per instruction
1 can chicken broth
1 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped
1 roasted red pepper, diced (can use canned, or roast your own)

Cook the orzo in water along with the can of chicken broth, per instructions.

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add chopped onion, mushrooms, and thyme; sauté for 5 minutes or until the onion is tender. Add the chicken, sea salt, garlic salt, and freshly cracked pepper, to taste then sauté 7-8 minutes or until chicken is golden brown and cooked through; add the minced garlic and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute. Remove skillet from the heat then add the cooked orzo, roasted red pepper, parmesan and parsley to the chicken mixture and toss. Taste and re-season with salt and pepper if needed. .

Best Taco Meat Recipe - Period.

noreply@blogger.com (amber) — Fri, 02 Sep 2011 04:27:00 +0000

Taco Meat

Seasoning Mix:
1 1/2 Tbsp. chili powder
1 Tbsp. ground cumin
2 tsp. cornstarch
1 tsp. kosher salt
1 1/2 tsp. smoked paprika
1 tsp. ground coriander
Mix the above ingredients in a bowl and set aside.

2 lbs ground beef
1 onion, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
salt and pepper to taste
garlic salt to taste
1 c beef broth
Cook ground beef in a large saute pan and cook until all the pink is gone, season with salt, pepper and garlic salt. Add the seasoning mix and beef broth and cook for about 5-7 minutes or until the mixture has thickened. Remove from heat and serve in the taco shells with desired toppings.
We like to use flour tortilla shells, cooked until some golden brown spots appear in a little vegetable oil.
Toppings could include:
chopped tomatoes
grated cheese
chopped lettuce
olives
green onions
salsa
sour cream
cilantro

Coconut Cream Cake with Whipped Cream Frosting

noreply@blogger.com (amber) — Mon, 22 Aug 2011 03:18:00 +0000

This cake is SCRUMPTIOUS! So moist and coconutty..... I almost ate the whole thing myself!

(recipe adapted from allrecipes.com)

1 package white cake mix

1 t coconut extract
1 14 oz can cream of coconut - NOT COCONUT MILK!
1 14 oz can sweetened condensed milk
1 package frozen whipped topping, thawed (I whipped my own cream and sweetened it with powdered sugar and vanilla extract).
1 (8 ounce) package flaked coconut

Prepare and bake white cake mix according to package directions adding in coconut extract before baking. Remove cake from oven. While still hot, using a utility fork, poke holes all over the top of the cake.
Mix cream of coconut and sweetened condensed milk together. Pour over the top of the still hot cake. Let cake cool completely then frost with the whipped topping and top with the flaked coconut. Keep cake refrigerated.

Beef Enchiladas with Homemade Red Sauce

noreply@blogger.com (amber) — Mon, 22 Aug 2011 03:15:00 +0000

As I have said before...I love mexican food! I always make extra to freeze or have for leftovers the next day. I usually make chicken enchiladas, but decided to brave the beef ones today. This recipe came from one of my most favorite web sites: http://www.fortheloveofcooking-recipes.blogspot.com/ . She never disappoints and I love to play around with her recipes

Shredded Beef Enchiladas with Homemade Enchilada Sauce:

Recipe adapted slightly from For the Love of Cooking.net
2 tbsp canola oil (divided)
2 lb lean chuck roast (I get mine from Costo...they are the best and shred the best when cooked this way!
1 sweet yellow onion, to taste
1 1/2 tbsp chili powder (plus some to season roast)
1 1/2 tsp cumin (plus some to season roast)
1 tsp coriander (plus some to season roast)
1/2 tsp dried oregano (plus some to season roast)
1/2 tsp honey
Sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste (plus some to season roast)
3 cloves of garlic, minced
2 cups of beef broth
2 15 oz cans of diced tomatoes

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.

Heat 1 tablespoon of canola oil in a large Dutch oven over medium high heat. Sprinkle a bit of chili powder, cumin, coriander, oregano, sea salt, and freshly cracked pepper on both sides of the roast. Once the pan is hot, add the roast and sear for about 3 minutes on each side. Remove from the pan and set in crock pot preheated to low.
Heat the remaining tablespoon of canola oil in the Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until tender, about 5-6 minutes, make sure you scrape up the browned bits off the bottom of the pan. Add the minced garlic, chile powder, cumin, coriander, oregano, and honey then stir constantly for 1 minute. Add beef broth and diced tomatoes. Season with sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste and add the honey then cover with a lid and simmer for 15 minutes.
After the sauce has simmered for 15 minutes, add to the meat in the crock pot and cover. Cook on low for 6-7 hours or on high for 3-4 hours. When meat is tender and will shred with a fork, remove from corckpot. take the remaining sauce and blend the sauce with a blender until smooth.(BE CAREFUL, IT IS HOT! and you don't want hot liquid squirting out of your blender onto your face!!) Taste and re-season if neeeded.
Shred meat with forks.
If the sauce is too thick, add a bit more beef broth and stir to combine (I added about 1/2 cup).

Other Ingredients:
Corn tortillas
Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
Cilantro, chopped
Sour cream

Wet a dishcloth or several paper towels and ring out. Place the corn tortillas inside and cook them in the microwave for 60-90 seconds until soft and pliable. Coat a 9x13 baking dish with cooking spray then pour some enchilada sauce over the bottom. I used about 1/4 cup of sauce and spread it around. Take a corn tortilla and spoon shredded beef along the center, sprinkly some of the monterey jack cheest over top and then roll and place into the pan. Repeat until finished. Add the rest of the enchilada sauce over the enchiladas. Top with cheese then cover with tinfoil and place into the oven.
Bake for 25 minutes then remove the tinfoil and continue to bake for 5 more minutes or until the cheese is melted. Remove from the oven and sprinkle the top with green onions. Serve with sour cream. Enjoy.

Elote - aka "Mexican Corn on the Cob"

noreply@blogger.com (amber) — Mon, 22 Aug 2011 02:56:00 +0000

I love to try new side dishes to spice things up a little...especially if they are easy! When I saw this recipe in "Our Best Bites" cookbook, I knew I had to try it! We love mexican food at our house and usually just pair it with rice - BORING! So here is our new favorite side dish! It was soooo good! The kids all wanted seconds! Try it with Beef enchiladas with homemade enchilada sauce ( to be seen in the next post). You will want it over and over and over again!!!

Mexican-style Corn on the Cob

adapted slighly from: Our Best Bites Cookbook

6 ears fresh corn on the cob

1 1/2 C shredded cojita cheese (which i found easily in my grocery stores specialty cheese section).

4 1/2 T mayonnaise

3 T. sour cream

1 1/2 t lime zest

1 1/2 t fresh lime juice

3/4 t. chili powder

1/2 tsp franks red hot sauce

Pinch of salt

Husk corn and cook in your desired way. We rubbed ours with butter, covered with salt and pepper and rolled up in heby duty tin foil to grill on the grill on medium heat. It took about 15 minutes, turning the corns every 3-5 minutes.

Mix the mayonnaise, sour cream, lime zest, lime juice, chili powder, and franks red hot all together.

Grate the cotija cheese on a large plate that you can roll the corn in.

When the corns are done, unwrap, rub on the mayo mixture and then roll in the cheese.

Words. Can't. Describe. The. Deliciousness.

Homemade Jam! (the easy way....)

noreply@blogger.com (amber) — Sat, 20 Aug 2011 02:10:00 +0000

I have to admit....I love homemade jam and all things canned. BUT....I HATE the time it takes to make these things and the mess, mess mess it leaves behind. I like to keep things relatively simple. I work, I have 4 kids, blah, blah, blah. Seldom do I have a full day to dedicate to canning. Sooooooo, when my friend Lyndsay introduced me to this instant jam, I was instantly hooked. So easy, so delicious! NO COOKING required!!! The problem is keeping it around for very long!! Strawberry is my favorite. Lyndsay puts kiwi's in her strawberry jam. (OH MY GOODNESS!) Strawberry Jam will never be the same. I made a batch with blueberries mixed in. I am going to do strawberry and peach together next. I may even do some raspberry. I can't stop. Try some!

Homemade Jam

4 cups fruit of your choice, cleaned and pureed in the blender (Best combo's so far: 3 1/2 c strawberries and 3 kiwis; 3 c. strawberries and 1 c blueberries)

1 1/2 c sugar

1 package INSTANT fruit pectin (I used the "Ball" brand).

Blend fruit and sugar in blender until combined. Add pectin slowly while blender is mixing and let mix for about 2 minutes. Pour into containers of choice. (I used gladware disposable tupperware). Let set for about 30 minutes and then refrigerate or freeze.

Tangy Pulled Pork

noreply@blogger.com (amber) — Tue, 16 Aug 2011 05:04:00 +0000

This is a very super easy, super yummy go to dinner idea! Especially if your having friends over!!

Tangy Pulled Pork

1 pork tenderloin

1 C ketchup

3 T brown sugar

3 T apple cider vinegar

2 T worcestershire sauce

1 T dijon mustard

1/4 tsp pepper

Cut the tenderloin in half and place in a crock pot. combine all the ingredients together and pour over port. Cook on low for 4-5 hours. Shred and serve on kaiser rolls, with melted parmesan cheese! (they would also be good with your favorite tangy cole slaw over the top!!! yum yum!

Mediterranean Lemon Chicken Thighs

noreply@blogger.com (amber) — Tue, 16 Aug 2011 04:52:00 +0000

The best thing to go with the Meditteranean Orzo pasta are these Mediterranean Chicken thighs. Lemony, easy, and delicious! Again, I am a chicken thigh convert. TRY THEM! They turn out juicier and more flavorful and they are cheaper!!! Give them a chance!!

Meditteranean Lemon \Chicken Thighs
http://www.fortheloveofcooking.net/

5 boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed of any fat
5 T olive oil
Juice and zest of one lemon
1T red wine vinegar
2 cloves of garlic
1 tsp dried oregano
sea salt and freshly cracked pepper to taste
Combine all ingredients together in a zip lock bag. Let the chicken marinate in the bag in the fridge for about 2 hours.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Hea tthe olive oil olive in a large OVEN PROOF skillet over meduim high heat. Coat the chicken with olive oil . Once the skillet is hot, lay the chicken thighs smooth side down in the pan and cook until golden brown. Turn chicken over and place pan in preheated oven. cook for 8 minutes or until cooked through. Let the meat rest for a couple minutes. while the meat rests pour the marinade into the skillet and cook over high heat unitl it boils rapidly, about 1-2 minutes. Place the chicken on a serving plate and pour the boiled marinade on top. Sprinkle with oregano, parsley and a squeeze of lemon. yum yum!

Meditteranean Orzo Salad with Roasted Veggies

noreply@blogger.com (amber) — Tue, 16 Aug 2011 04:40:00 +0000

We have been on an orzo kick at our house for the last couple weeks! The kids and hubby have just been gobbling it up! I love that you can add whatever veggies and spices you want to just change it up a little bit! This one has a meditteranean flair to it that we ADORED! I will be making this again and again!!!

Meditteranean Orzo Salad with Roasted Veggies
adapted slightly from http://www.fortheloveofcooking.net/

Vinaigrette:
1/4 c olive oil
2 T red wine vinegar
1 T dijon mustard
1 clove garlic, minced
dash of dried oregano
salt and pepper to taste
Combine in blender and mix well.

1 T olive oil
1 zucchini cut into spears
1 yellow squash cut into spears
1/2 red onion sliced into rings
1 yellow, red , and green pepper, sliced
salt and pepper to taste
garlic salt and dried oregano to taste
1 C orzo, cooked per package instructions
1 1/2 T fresh parsley, chopped
3 T crumbled feta cheese
handful of kalamata olived, sliced
Prehead oven to 450 degrees. prepare a sheet pan with olive oil and place all veggies on pan. season with salt, pepper, oregano and garlic salt to taste. place in oven and cook for 10-15 minutes until veggies are soft and roasted. Cut the veggies into bite sized pieces and add to cooked and drained orzo. Add the fresh parsley and feta cheese. Drizzle on the vinaigrette and then toss to coat. (you may not need all the vinaigrette). Taste and reseason if needed. serve immediately!

Garlic Knots

noreply@blogger.com (amber) — Mon, 15 Aug 2011 06:18:00 +0000

How cute is the name of these breads of deliciousness? Littly knotty pieces of dough all tucked around each other and then dipped in butter garlic yumminess. Need I say more?

Garlic Knots
from http://www.joythebaker.com/
1 package active dry yeast (2 1/2 tsp)
1 C warm water
1 C whole wheat flour
1 1/2 C all purpose flour
2 T olive oil
1 tsp sea salt
2 tsp sugar

For the garlic mixture:
4-6 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
2 T melted butter
2 T olive oil
1/4 C chopped parsley
1/2 tsp sea salt

In a small bowl, dissolve yeast and sugar with warm water. Let sit for 5 minutes until yeast is frothy.
In a large bowl, whisk together flours and salt. Create a small well in the center of the flour mix. Pour in the yeasty mix and add oil. With a fork, mix the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. It the dough is too sticky, add more all purpose flour. Dough should be slightly sticky but not stick to your hands too much. KNeaad dough onto a lightly floured surface for about 5 minutes. Place dough in a large greased bowl, flip the dough over to coat the dough. cover with plastic wrap and clean kitchen towell and leave to rest in a draft free place for about an hour. or until dough is doubled in size.
Roll out dough on a lightly floured surface. Roll into a 10x10 square.Use a pizza cutter to cut 10 one inch strips. Tie a knot in the center of the dough, and then wrap the ends under and around the know. Just make sure the dough is all tucked into itself. Cover with clean kitchen towell and let rest for about 30 minutes. Place racks in center and upper 1/3 of the oven and preheat to 400 degrees. line two baking sheets with parchment paper. place dough knots on prepared sheet and back ro 15-18 minutes until golden brown.
While bread bakes, in a large bowl whisk together minced garlic, butter, olive oil and parsley and salt. When rolls come out of the oven, immediatly toss them in the garlic butter mixture. Toss until coated. Serve rolls warm.

Peach Cobbler a Fun Way!

noreply@blogger.com (amber) — Mon, 15 Aug 2011 05:10:00 +0000

We love peaches this time of year! So juicy and delicious! My kids love them with cream and sugar in the morning for breakfast! When I saw this recipe, I knew it would be an immediate hit for our family! 1. its easy
2. it uses fresh peaches 3. you can put ice cream over the top. Please! Does summer livin get any better than that? I tripled the recipe because I am cooking for 6 (not 2) and it turned out wonderfully!

Peach Cobbler Joy the Bakers way!
adapted slightly from http://www.joythebaker.com/
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
3 tablespoons old-fashioned oats
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
pinch of salt
1 tablespoon shredded coconut
1 tablespoon walnuts, chopped
2 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cubed

Place a rack in the center of the oven, and preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Slice a peach in half and remove the pit. With a small spoon, scoop out the the dark red pit center, creating just a bit more room for the crumble topping.

In a small bowl, whisk together flour, brown sugar, oats, salt, coconut, and almonds. Add butter and, with your fingers, work the butter into the dry ingredients. Quickly break up the butter until it is well combined. Some of the butter bits will be the size of oat flakes, others will be the size of small peas.

Place peach halves, cut side up, in a small, oven-safe dish. Top each peach half with a generous portion of crumble topping. Heap it on!

Bake for 20 minutes, until topping is golden brown. Remove from the oven and serve warm with vanilla ice cream or cold milk. Peaches are best served warm from the oven.

Brownies with Caramel and Chocolate Sauce (aka Over the Top Brownies)

noreply@blogger.com (amber) — Mon, 15 Aug 2011 04:58:00 +0000

I love brownies. I love chocolate. I love caramel. So why not put them all together? Luckily over at Mybakingaddiction.com, she loves the same things and came up with this delicious recipe!!! I love how the caramel and chocolate are just oozing down over the top! Looking at that picture makes me happy. It made my stomach happy too, (a couple of times... hee hee).

Over The Top Brownies
slightly adapted from mybakingaddiction.com
1 cup butter, melted
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
4 eggs
1 1/2 cups flour
1 cup Hershey’s Special Dark cocoa powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup milk chocolate (chunks, disks, chips or mini chips)

Topping
1/4 cup melted semi-sweet chocolate
18 Kraft Caramels
2 tablespoons heavy cream
chopped/crushed nuts (optional)

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 F
Prepare a 9×13 baking dish as follows: lightly spray the insides with cooking spray then with the dish horizontally in front of you lay in one sheet of aluminum foil across the length (left-to-right) leaving enough overhang on the sides so that you can use the excess foil as handles and on top of that lay in one sheet of aluminum foil across the width (top-to-bottom). Spray the foil with cooking spray. You want to be sure the insides of the pan are completely covered and you have foil “handles” which you’ll use to lift the slab of brownies from the pan after baking
In a large bowl, combine the melted butter, both sugars and the vanilla extract in a large bowl. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition until the liquid mixture is completely blended.
In a separate bowl, sift the flour, cocoa powder, and salt. Gradually add this into the liquid mixture until it is fully incorporated. Add in the chocolate pieces (chunks, disks, chips or mini chips) and stir to combine. It will resemble fudge frosting at this point… and it will taste delicious!! Spread evenly into the prepared baking dish.
Bake about 40-45 minutes until a few moist crumbs cling to a toothpick inserted in the center. Don’t bake to the point of the toothpick coming out clean or the brownies will be dry. Remove the baking dish from the oven and cool on wire rack for 10 minutes… then… using the foil handles remove the brownie slab from the dish and cool completely on wire rack.
Put the caramels in a microwave-safe bowl and add the heavy cream. Microwave in 30-second increments, stirring well after each time until the caramels begin to melt and stir to incorporate the cream. Do not over-cook this!
After the brownies have cooled a bit but are not yet at room temperature, pour the melted caramel/cream mixture over the top and let it set up for a little while. Then drizzle on the melted chocolate and top with crushed nuts. (we didn't use nuts and my kids liked it a little better).We like to serve them warm and gooey with a big glass of milk!!!

Toasted Orzo with Peas and Parmesan

noreply@blogger.com (amber) — Mon, 15 Aug 2011 04:24:00 +0000

This is one of our new favorite side dishes! My family loved it so much, I had to make it twice in one week! SOOOOO good, and so fresh and summer tasting!!! I served this with lemon chicken!!! This would also be good as a lunch salad with some lemon chicken or shrimp mixed in!!

Toasted Orzo with Peas and Parmesan
adapted slightly from Keeping Up Cookbook (keepingupcookbook.com)
2 T. Butter
1/2 C. finely diced onion
3/4 t. salt
3/4 t. garlic salt
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/3 C. orzo
2 1/2 C. chicken broth
1 1/2 C. frozen peas, thawed
1 C. grated parmesan cheese
1 lemon, cut into thin wedges

Melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add onion and salts. Cook until onion is softened. Stir in garlic and cook until fragrant. Stir in the orzo and cook, stirring frequently, until most of the grains are golden, about 5 minutes. DONT SKIP THIS STEP! Toasting the orzo gives it an amazing nutty flavor that makes the whole dish! Carefully stir in the broth, and reduce the heat to medium low. Simmer uncovered, stirring occasionally, until all the liquid has been absorbed and the orzo is tender, 15-20 minutes. (Keep heat low or liquid will boil off too quickly). If the orzo is cooked and liquid remains, increase heat until evaporated.
Off the heat stir in the peas and parmesan. Let stand until the peas are warmed thorugh, about 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve with lemon wedges. (I drizzled a little lemon juice over the entire dish first and then covered with lemon wedges.

Tortellini Spinach bake with Creamy Lemon Sauce

noreply@blogger.com (amber) — Wed, 08 Jun 2011 20:37:00 +0000

I heart pasta dishes! So filling, so easy, and so versatile! I found this recipe on Our Best Bites, which is one of my favorite food blogs to follow! It looked divine and so I vowed to make it! I changed mine up just a little and we all just loved it! I served it with the Homemade Rosemary Bread that I love to make! (you can find the recipe for the bread, by clicking on the label bread over in the tool bar on the side of this blog).

Tortellini Spinach Bake with Creamy Lemon Sauce

recipe adapted slightly from Our Best Bites

12 oz bag frozen cheese tortellini

1/2 lb bacon

2 cloves garlic, finely minced

2 T flour

2 C. milk

1 tsp salt\
1/2 tsp garlic salt

1 tsp black pepper

2 tsp dried basil

1/4 tsp red pepper flakes

1 medium lemon

2 c loosely packed spinach, roughly chopped

1 c. grated mozzarella cheese, divided

1 c. grated parmesan cheese, divided

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Fill a large stockpot with water and bring to a boil, add torellini and cook according to package directions. Cook bacon until crisp. Remove bacon from pan and reserve 2 T of the bacon drippings in the pan. Cook garlic in the bacon drippings over medium high heat until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add flour to pan and whisk for about 1 minute. Slowly add milk and whisk until smooth. Add salt, pepper, garlic salt, red pepper flakes and bring sauce to a simmer.

While sauce is heating, zest and juice lemon. Add 2 tsp zest and 2 T lemon juice to sauce, and stir until thickened, about 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat.
Drain tortellini and place back in pot. Add spinach, 1/2 c mozzarella cheese, bacon, and 1/2 c parmesan cheese. Add sauce and gently stir to incorporate. place pasta in a 9/13 casserole dish and cover with the remaining parmesan and mozzarella cheeses. *I also added a 2 cups of shredded rotisserie chicken to make this a full meal*
Cover for foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove foil and bake for an additional 5 minutes, until cheese is melted and bubbly. Remove from oven and cool for 10 minutes before serving.

Happy Memorial Day! (Hamburgers, potato salad)

noreply@blogger.com (amber) — Fri, 03 Jun 2011 04:54:00 +0000

So, I realized that I haven't ever posted a hamburger recipe and I had to remedy that! We love, love, love the summertime and grilling! Its the quickest, easiest way to do dinner in the summer and for some reason it never gets old! My husband could eat a good burger every night if I would let him! So I thought I would share our classic favorite hamburger recipe (if you can call it a recipe...) and also my favorite potato salad recipe. My grandma is the best potato salad maker in the world! We could always count on a bowl of yummy potato salad to grace the table at any BBQ! I tried to recreate her recipe as best as I could, and I also added in a few tastes of my own! Notice in the picture that i took it while the food was on paper plates...I did that on purpose! It's summer, low maintenence, and paper plate kind of food! Just keeping it real!

The Classic Hamburger - Lamb Style

1 lb. ground beef

1 onion

2-3 T butter, melted

1 T Olive Oil

salt, pepper, garlic salt, and Montreal Steak seasoning to taste

Worcestershire sauce

a couple slices of bacon, cooked

1 tomato, sliced

shredded lettuce

Colby Jack cheese, sliced

Your favorite BBQ sauce

Hamburger buns

Cut onion in half. Use one half for the caramelized onions: cut it into thin slices and set aside. (See below for the recipe on how to make caramelized onions). Dice the other half of the onion. Mix the minced onion into the ground beef with a fork. (don't over mix!), season the ground beef with salt, pepper, garlic salt, Montreal seasoning, and a couple shakes of worcestershire sauce. Form into patties and grill until desired amount of doneness. We like to add a slice of cheese to the burger when it is about done so it melts right on top of the burger. Brush some melted butter on the inside of each hamburger bun and throw on the grill until a little golden brown color appears....They cook fast, so don't burn! Assemble your burger to your liking with whatever toppings you love! Here is mine: Bun, hamburger with melted cheese, caramelized onions, a couple slices of bacon, tomato, lettuce, BBQ sauce, bun. Now you can make your burger however you would like, that's one of the beaties of burgers, HOWEVER, I would strongly reccomend not leaving out the caramelized onions, they get SO sweet and wonderful and just make the burger. Just a suggestion.

How to make Caramelized Onions:

Melt butter and olive oil in a medium sized saute pan over medium heat. Add onions and season with salt, pepper, and garlic salt. Then sprinkle a little sugar over the top - like maybe a teaspoon or so. (this gives the onions a slightly sweet taste which is divine!) Saute slowly over medium heat. (you want to cook them slowly, so keep the heat at medium!). Cook, stirring frequently until onions are soft and golden brown. It takes a good 10-15 minutes to get the color you need. Then when the are about done, sprinkle a couple shakes of worcestershire sauce into the pan and stir around. I can eat them straight out of the pan just like this! (I'm weird, i know!)

My Favorite Homemade Potato Salad

About 3 lbs red potatoes

1/2 lb bacon, cooked, cooled and crumbled

1 1/2 c. mayo

2 T. milk

2 T. apple cider vinegar

1 tsp yellow mustard

3-4 green onions sliced

3 celery stalks sliced

4 eggs, boiled, peeled and sliced

salt, pepper, and garlic salt to taste

1-2 dill pickles diced

Bring a large stock pot of water to boil and add potatoes. Cook until fork tender, about 15 minutes. Set aside to cool. Cut the rest of the veggies and prepare the dressing by adding mayo, mustard, milk and apple cider vinegar to a bowl and wisking together. Salt, pepper, and garlic salt to taste. Take cooled potatoes, and cut into 1 inch cubes, leaving skin on. Add to a bowl with celery, green onions, bacon, pickles, and sliced boiled eggs. Pour dressing over the top and stir gently to just combine. Place in the fridge for at least an hour before serving.

*you can also add bleu cheese crumbles OR grated colby jack cheese for extra flavor!*

Serve all this deliciouness with your hamburger, sliced watermelon, and corn on the cob for the perfect BBQ!

Whats your favorite BBQ food??? Yay for summer!

Oreos....

noreply@blogger.com (amber) — Wed, 09 Feb 2011 22:33:00 +0000

So....Just thought I would share some love....I aDoRe oreos, they are a regular staple snack here at the Lamb house! So when I saw these I HAD to try them. And you know what? They are divine! I have to hide them from myself so I don't consume them all by myself!!! Kids love them with a glass of milk!

Chicken Tortilla Soup

noreply@blogger.com (amber) — Sat, 05 Feb 2011 06:43:00 +0000

Everyone needs a good chicken tortilla soup recipe. Most recipes are so similar that only a few ingredients change here and there this is one that I always come back to. We had it for dinner tonight and it was delicious and satisfying in this chilly weather!! The kids like it too because they can put in all the little toppings they want!

Chicken Tortilla Soup:

adapted slightly from Our best bites.

1 rotisserie chicken, meat removed, skins, and fat, and bones discarded.

season chicken with garlic salt, pepper, cumin, and chile powder to taste

1 large onion, chopped

6 cloves garlic, minced

4 cans chicken broth

1 (15 oz) can of diced tomatoes

1 jalepeno pepper, diced, and seeds removed. (wash your hands really well after doing this, before you accidentally scratch and itch on your eye and scream out because the hot oils are already burning your retina...)

1/4 c fresh lime juice

salt and pepper to taste

1. Head some olive oil in a large stockpot and cook the onions over medium heat until softened. add garlic and jalepeno pepper and cook for a couple more minutes. Add chicken broth and tomatoes and bring to a boil. Add chicken and simmer for 15-20 minutes.While soup is simmering prepare your toppings:

We like:

Avacados, cubed

sour cream

grated cheese

olives

cilantro

crushed up Fritos, or Torrilla chips

Right before serving add the lime juice to the soup, layer up those toppings and have a fiesta in your mouth!!

CrAvE

noreply@blogger.com (amber) — Sat, 05 Feb 2011 05:54:00 +0000

This is my new favorite Burger place of all times. Say hello to my little friend: The Texan. Go there now and eat one. You won't be dissappointed......Its called Crave....
And crave it you will.....

p.s. It's in Castle Rock, by the movie theatre. Go now.

Olive Garden Salad

noreply@blogger.com (amber) — Sat, 05 Feb 2011 05:50:00 +0000

This salad is made by the dressing. The dressing is AMAZING! You could really pair it with any kind of salad that you would like, but this is what we usually go with. Everytime I make this, people rant and rave and have to have the recipe!
Dressing:
1/2 c. mayonnaise
1/3 c. white vinegar
1 t. vegetable oil
2 T. corn syrup
2 T. parmesan cheese
2 T. romano cheese
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 t. italian seasoning
1/2 t. parsley flakes (or fresh)
1 T. lemon juice
Mix together in blender until combined. Serve over salad made of Dole American blend salad mix, olives, tomatoes, sliced red onions, and homemade croutons.
Homemade croutons:
cubed up bread, cooked in a sauce pan over medium heat in melted butter, garlic salt, and parm cheese until crispy and light brown.

BLT pasta

noreply@blogger.com (amber) — Wed, 02 Feb 2011 06:24:00 +0000

This was a fun change up on a BLT sandwich which is a family favorite in our house!

BLT Pasta

from cookscountry.com

2 T. butter

2 slices hearty white sandwich bread, cubed

1 lb bacon, cooked and crumbled, reserving 2 T fat

1 onion, chopped fine

1 clove garlic, minced

1 lb orecchiette pasta

salt and pepper

1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved

1 (5oz) bag baby arugula

1 c grated parmesan cheese

Cook pasta according to package directions, drain and reserve 1 1/2 c cooking liquid. Melt butter in a nonstick skillet over medium heat and cook bread cubes until browned, stirring frequently. Remove to a bowl. Cook onions and garlic in reserved bacon fat until soft, adding salt and pepper to taste. Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl adding reserved pasta water to desired consistency. Top with cooked bread cubes and serve.

Best Banana Bread recipe

noreply@blogger.com (amber) — Fri, 08 Oct 2010 05:53:00 +0000

This bread is from my friend Kristi, who in my opinion makes the best banana bread. I crave it all the time, and luckily she brings me some from time to time!!! I make it all the time but we eat it too fast to get a good pictures. But I had to post it and sharte the love becuase it is soooooo good and moist!!! (picture to be coming soon!)

Banana Bread
1 c. sugar
1/4 c butter, softened
3 mashed, ripened bananas
1/4 c milk
1/4 c sour cream
2 large egg whites
2 c flour
1 t baking soda
1/2 t salt

Cooking spray
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Combine sugar, butter until fluffy. Add milk, sour cream, egg whites and beat well. Stir in bananas. Combine dry ingredients and add slowly to banana mixture until combined. Pour into bread pans coated with cooking spray and bake for about 45-50 minutes, unless it is a large loaf pan then bake for about 1 hour and 10 minutes. Be careful not to over cook or it will dry out. I usually cover mine loosely with foil for the last 20 minutes of baking time to make sure the top doesn't get to brown and dry. The ultimate comfort food!

Coconut Banana Bread with Lime Glaze

noreply@blogger.com (amber) — Fri, 08 Oct 2010 03:44:00 +0000

Oh my gosh this bread is good! I love banana bread, I love coconut, and I love lime...The combination is TO DIE FOR! I almost ate the whole loaf myself! This is my all time favorite banana brea now. Nothing else compares!

Coconut Banana Bread with Lime Glaze

adapted from Our Best Bites

2 c. flour

3/4 t. baking soda

1/2 t. salt

1 c. sugar

1/4 c butter, softened

2 large eggs

1 1/2 c mashed ripe bananas (about 4 bananas)

1/4 c sour cream or plain yogurt

3 T apple juice

1 t. vanilla extract

1/2 c. shredded coconut

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Wisk flour, baking soda, and salt together and set aside. In a large mixing bowl, beat butter and sugar until blended. Add eggs and beat to combine. Add banana, sour cream, apple juice, and vanilla. Beat until just blended. Add flour mixture and beat at a low speed until just combined. Stir in 1/2 c. coconut. Pour batter into 9x5 loaf pan that has been greased and floured. Sprinkle an additional 2 T shredded coconut over the top of the loaf. Bake for about 1 hour or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. ( I cover mine loosely with aluminum foil about 40 minutes into the baking time so the top doesn't get too brown or hardened. When done remove from oven and let cool on a cooling rack for about 10 minutes.

For the glaze:

wisk 1/2 c. powdered sugar with 1 1/2 T. fresh lime juice. Drizzle over the top, wipe the drool from your face and DIG IN!!!!This makes my mouth water everytime that i am thinking about it!!!

Berry-infused Waffles!!

noreply@blogger.com (amber) — Wed, 09 Jun 2010 03:18:00 +0000

Berry Sour Cream Waffles adapted from A Feast For The Eyes
1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
1 Tablespoon sugar
1 Tablespoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
1 cup milk
½ cup sour cream
3 large eggs
1 ½ cups of fresh or frozen berries, optional (I used raspberries and blueberries)
Maple syrup or jam, for serving ( We used blueberry syrup and it was SOOO good! We also added sliced bananas over the top, which was the perfect topping!
Heat a waffle iron according to manufacturer’s directions. Lightly oil the grids.
Meanwhile whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl to combine and make a well in the center.
If adding berries, add about ¼ cup of the flour to the blueberries and gently mix—this will help prevent the blueberries from sinking to the bottom of the batter.
Whisk the melted butter, milk, sour cream, and eggs in a medium bowl until well combined and pour into the well. Whisk just until smooth; do not over mix. Gently fold the berries into the batter.
Spoon about ¼ cup of the batter into the center of each quadrant of the waffle iron and close the iron. Cook until the waffle is golden brown, 3 to 4 minutes.
Serve the waffles hot, with butter and syrup.