Our Sweet Lemons

Coconut Curry Soup

noreply@blogger.com (KellyAnne) — Mon, 12 Jan 2015 06:59:00 +0000

Our family loves this dish, and it is pretty easy to prepare.

I adapted the recipe from Mel's Kitchen Cafe, because it reminds me of

a Massaman Curry dish I love at the 123 Thai restaurant in NW Washington.

I admit I'm not the biggest fan of curry, but I just love the sweetness of the coconut milk in this recipe!

pic of Massaman Curry from 123 Thai Food's website

Coconut Curry Soup (adapted from Mel's Kitchen Cafe and 123 Thai restaurant)

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 lbs chicken breast (I use 2-3 pieces, cut into bite sized portions)
1 medium yellow onion, chopped into bite sized pieces (I like them on the big side)

1-2 potatoes, chopped into bite sized pieces (again, I like them a little on the big side)

1 1/2 cups of sliced carrots
1 small red bell pepper, chopped (sometimes I leave this out)
4 cups chicken broth
2 14 oz cans unsweetened coconut milk (I like this kind. You can find something like it at your local grocery store)
2 Tbsp brown sugar
1 Tbsp curry powder (I use a mild yellow colored curry powder)
2 Tbsp lime juice
1/2 cup cilantro, chopped (optional-- sometimes I forget it and it's still yummy)

peanuts- maybe 1/2 cup? (optional, but I love to have about 1 peanut per every few bites of soup!)
cooked white rice for serving with (we like jasmine rice lately)

Heat olive oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Add chopped chicken. Season with salt and pepper and cook a few minutes until no longer pink.

Add chopped onions and red peppers and cook a few minutes until slightly softened.

Transfer to a soup pot. Add chopped potatoes and carrots. Stir and cook for a minute or two (they will fully cook as they simmer in the next step).

Add chicken broth, coconut milk, brown sugar, and curry powder. Bring the soup to a simmer and cook, gently, for 10-15 minutes (until vegetables are soft).
Stir in the lime juice, chopped cilantro, and a handful of peanuts before serving. Salt and pepper to taste.

Some of us like to serve this as a soup with rice on the side, and others prefer it as a sauce over the top of rice. You choose!

Chocolate Eclair Cake

noreply@blogger.com (Carolyn ♥) — Wed, 14 May 2014 17:06:00 +0000

If you like Chocolate Eclairs
you will absolutely LOVE ♥ ♥ ♥

Chocolate Eclair Cake

This is the recipe to make

when you want a desert that is elegant and oh so easy.

Ingredients:

1 cup water

1/2 cup butter

1 cup flour

4 large eggs

1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened

1 large box vanilla instant pudding

3 cups milk

2 cups whipping cream for filling

2 cups chocolate pieces.

About 1 cup whipping cream (room temperature) for chocolate sauce

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 400.

Lightly grease a 9″x 13″ glass baking pan.

Éclair Shell:

In a medium saucepan, melt butter in water and bring to a boil. Remove from heat. Stir in flour. Mix in one egg at a time until it is fully incorporated before adding another egg. Do this for all four eggs.

Spread batter into pan, covering the bottom and up the sides of the pan evenly. The sides will slip down at this point if you greased too heavily so be sure to grease lightly.

Bake the shell for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown, checking occasionally. Remove from oven, and let cool completely. It's normal for it to form large bubbles while cooking . Don't pop the bubbles.

Filling:

Whip the cream cheese in a medium bowl. In a separate bowl make vanilla pudding according to package directions. Combine pudding and cream cheese. Be sure pudding is thick before mixing in. When the crust is completely cooled, pour filling in the shell.

Whip the cream until light and fluffy, add a teaspoon or two of powdered sugar to sweeten. Spread whipped cream over the pudding mixture. Refrigerate to cool.

Chocolate Sauce:

Melt chocolate in the microwave stirring often. The chocolate should never get hot.

Add cream gradually, whisking to make it a pourable texture.

Drizzle cake with chocolate sauce when ready to serve.

*Chocolate sauce is only as good as the chocolate you use. Our family's favorite is Guittard brand and we use a mixture of milk chocolate and Semi Sweet. But for a real tasty treat delight... we use Belgium dark chocolate... it is heavenly.

Easy Homemade Reese's

noreply@blogger.com (KellyAnne) — Sat, 08 Mar 2014 20:06:00 +0000

This is a fun treat for when you're craving chocolate but are trying to be somewhat healthy!

Easy Homemade Reese's

recipe adapted from creatingnaturally.com

1/2 cup coconut oil (The flavored kind is good in this recipe. I buy mine at Costco!)

1/2 cup cocoa powder

1/2 cup peanut butter

1/4 cup mild honey

1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

Prepare a muffin pan with 10-12 muffin liners.

Blend all ingredients in a mixer or food processor until well blended (I use my kitchenaid with the wisk attachment).

Pour the liquid fudge into the prepared muffin liners, filling to about 1/2 inch high.

Place the muffin pan in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes (or the freezer for about 10 if you just can't wait!).

Remove the muffin liners from the pan and enjoy! Store in the refrigerator.

I've been wondering if these might be awesome with crunchy peanut butter instead of creamy. If you try it you'll have to let me know what you think!

Oatmeal Cookie Pancakes

noreply@blogger.com (KellyAnne) — Sat, 08 Mar 2014 19:42:00 +0000

This is an amazing recipe. We make these whenever we want a fun breakfast, and serve them with a little drizzle of maple syrup or applesauce on top (you don't need much more sweetness).

But honestly, I really prefer these pancakes as leftovers, after they've cooled down! They are a lot like a cookie. I always make sure we have extra, and the kids love it when I send them to school in their lunches instead of a sandwich. (Pancakes for lunch? How cool is that!?)

Oatmeal Cookie Pancakes

2 really ripe bananas, mashed up (microwave them for 10 seconds or so if you don't have ripe ones)

2 large eggs

1 tsp vanilla extract

3/4 cup applesauce/yogurt/sour cream (I normally do plain applesauce but once I used greek yogurt and it was awesome.)

3/4 cup milk (I like skim.)

1/4 cup melted butter (I like to use coconut oil instead-- melt in the microwave at only 60% power. I've heard that ensures it retains it's healthy properties)

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 cup brown sugar

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 cup old fashioned oats (I like mine blended into a powder first in a food processor or blender)

1 cup flour (sometimes I use part whole wheat flour to make it healthier)

3/4 cup raisins/dried cranberries/chocolate chips (I like raisins best, but dried cranberries are also good. I've never tried chocolate chips in these.)

Be aware that these cook a little strange. They are done on one side when they've started to bubble (and the bubbles pop) around the edges, BUT when you try to flip them, they are a little tricky. You have to be quick at getting the spatula under them, and you might think they aren't done. But once you get them turned over you'll see that they have indeed browned. I've never messed one up so badly that I didn't still want to eat it. :)

Enjoy!

Sweet Lemon Bread

noreply@blogger.com (Carolyn ♥) — Mon, 03 Feb 2014 15:20:00 +0000

This delicious sweet bread is guaranteed to be

LOVE at first bite.

It's an old fashioned recipe from my old recipe box.
No electric appliances needed... just a WHISK and a rubber SPATULA.

It is amazingly good.

Give it a try... then let us know what you think!

Sweet Lemon Bread

1 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp salt
1 cup sugar
1 tsp baking powder
Zest of 1 lemon
1/2 cup milk
2 large eggs, beaten
1/2 cup butter melted
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Lemon Glaze:
Juice of 1 large lemon
1/3 cup sugar

Heat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease the bottom and sides of a 9- by 5-inch loaf pan; dust with flour.

WHISK the flour, salt, sugar, baking powder and lemon peel together in a large bowl; set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs until light and creamy.
Add the milk, lemon juice, vanilla and finally the melted butter, whisking well after each ingredient is added. This will take on an almost pudding texture.

Add this egg mixture to the dry ingredients and stir with a rubber spatula until well blended.
Pour batter into the greased and floured loaf pan.

Bake until golden brown or when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 45 to 50 minutes. (Leave the bread in the pan.)

Lemon Glaze: While the bread is baking, combine lemon juice and sugar in a small saucepan, stir over medium heat until sugar is dissolved. Do not bring to a boil.

After removing the bread from the oven, while still in the pan, use a wooden skewer to poke holes in the hot bread, piercing all the way to the bottom. Slowly drizzle the hot glaze over the bread a little bit at a time, gently basting the top, allowing the glaze to soak in. Repeat several times until the bread is completely covered with glaze.

Let the bread cool in a pan on a wire rack until glaze is set, about 20 minutes, then carefully remove from the pan and allow to cool completely on a rack. IF YOU SKIP THIS STEP and don't allow the bread to completely cool before cutting, THE BREAD WILL BECOME A CRUMBLY MESS. I know, it will be hard to wait, but don't the best things in life require patience?

After the bread has completely cooled, give it a light dusting of powdered sugar to give it a bit of flair.

Up next at Our Sweet Lemons... a Lemon Lover's favorite tool.

Baked Chicken Taquitos

noreply@blogger.com (Kathryn) — Sun, 28 Apr 2013 05:41:00 +0000

Pic from "Mel's Kitchen Cafe"

These are fantastic and easy! Try them and you'll love them, that's all I need to say...

INGREDIENTS:
3 oz cream cheese
1/4 C salsa(I prefer "Herdez")
1 T lime juice
1/2 t cumin
1 t chili powder
1/2 t onion powder
1/4 t garlic powder
3 T chopped cilantro
2 C shredded cooked chicken
1 C grated pepperjack cheese
1/2 C Black Beans(drained and rinsed)
12 Flour Tortillas(Tortilla Land brand is the best!)
cooking spray

Directions:
Heat oven to 425.
Cook your tortillas and set aside.
Spray Baking Sheet with cooking spray.

Heat cream cheese in the microwave for about 20-30 seconds so it’s soft and easy to stir.
Add green salsa, lime juice, cumin, chili powder, onion powder and granulated garlic.
Stir to combine and then add cilantro. Add chicken, black beans, and cheese, and combine well.

Place 2-3 T of chicken mixture down the middle of a tortilla and roll up tightly.
Place seam side down on baking sheet.
Brush olive oil or spray cooking spray on the tops of your rolled tortillas.
Bake 15-20 minutes, until the ends begin to turn golden brown.

Serve with Salsa, Sour Cream, Guacamole. This Dressing is my favorite thing to serve them with.
(Recipe adapted from Our Best Bites and Mel's Kitchen Cafe.)

Garlic Chicken Alfredo

noreply@blogger.com (Kathryn) — Mon, 21 Jan 2013 03:23:00 +0000

This dish has fit into my dinner rotation so many times now that I must share it! Chicken pasta is my favorite, and this Alfredo sauce is delicious. Much better than if you were to just open up a jar, and almost as easy.

INGREDIENTS:
2 tablespoons butter
3 cloves garlic pressed through a garlic press
4 ounces cream cheese softened
1 cup milk(I use 1%)
1 cup grated parmesan cheese
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt(more if needed)
*Makes about 2 cups of Sauce
Additional Ingredients:
1 cup Diced Chicken
1/2 cup frozen peas

DIRECTIONS:
In a skillet, melt butter over medium heat.
Add garlic and cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly.
Add cream cheese, whisk until mixture is smooth(about 2-3 minutes). You should have a smooth, creamy paste.
Add milk gradually, whisking quickly and constantly until incorporated into the sauce.
Stir in Parmesan cheese, pepper and salt. Stir until cheese is melted and the sauce is desired consistency.
Add your chicken and peas if desired.
Serve immediately over cooked pasta.
(recipe adapted from here)

Sometimes I add peas to this dish which makes for a great meal for my toddler, and gets my husband to eat more vegetables as well! Just add about 1/2 cup of frozen peas to the pasta about 2 minutes before you drain it. I usually serve this with KellyAnne's Bread Sticks. If you haven't tried them yet, you really should!

Christmas Cheesball

noreply@blogger.com (Kathryn) — Sat, 22 Dec 2012 00:09:00 +0000

I remember my mom serving a Cheeseball around the Holiday's. I can't recall if she made them herself, but I did always love a good Cheeseball. I was in charge of bringing an appetizer to a party this last week and I thought a Cheeseball would be the perfect thing. Of course I had never made a Cheeseball before, but I found a recipe I thought I could work with and it turned out great! I was glad the recipe made two Cheeseballs, because I had one to share, and one for myself later!

INGREDIENTS:
2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1 cup Colby Jack cheese
3/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoons dried parsley
pinch of pepper
1/2 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tablespoon hot pepper sauce

1/2 cup Pecans(finely chopped)

DIRECTIONS:
Place the softened Cream Cheese in a mixer. With the paddle attachment, combine cream cheese until smooth. Add the Sharp and Colby Jack cheese and mix until just combined. Add the seasonings and sauces to the cheese mixture and mix until thoroughly combined.

Separate mixture into 2 round balls. Roll each ball in the finely chopped Pecans until coated. Cover each Cheeseball in saran wrap and refrigerate until ready to serve. (the hot pepper only gives these a slight kick, so don't be afraid of it. Although it was enough for my 2 year old to declare, this is spicy!)
(Recipe adapted from here)

Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

noreply@blogger.com (KellyAnne) — Tue, 30 Oct 2012 21:29:00 +0000

I really don't enjoy carving pumpkins, but when all the mess is cleaned up, I get a little excited when I remember that I get to roast the pumpkin seeds!

This year I found an article on seriouseats.com about 5 Ways to Spice Up Roasted Pumpkins Seeds. My favorite method is the typical salt and olive oil recipe, although I admit I haven't ventured to try any others!

Salted Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

Adapted from seriouseats.com

about 4 pumpkins worth of pumpkin seeds

about 2 Tbsp olive oil

about 2 tsp sea salt

a little pepper

Scoop out the inside of your pumpkin, and separate seeds from pulp. I rinsed mine, but found out that you shouldn't worry if there's a little pulp left on the seeds when you roast them—it only adds flavor.

Spread seeds in one even layer across a baking sheet sprayed with a little nonstick cooking spray. Pour a little olive oil over the seeds then stir it all around until thoroughly coated. Sprinkle evenly with sea salt.

Bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes, or until the seeds are golden brown. You'll hear them sizzling as they dry out. Stir the seeds often while they're baking, so that they toast evenly.

Cool on a large piece of parchment paper for a few minutes before eating. You will hear them cracking and popping as they cool.

A few things that may have helped my seeds taste better this time:

1. I used two baking sheets to ensure that there was only a thin layer of seeds as they roasted. I think this helped them toast more evenly. Mine only took 20 minutes before they were golden brown.

2. We carved our pumpkins in the evening and I left the seeds out overnight on the baking sheets (with just nonstick cooking spray on it). I didn't roast the seeds until later the next afternoon. Maybe this made them dry out more?
3. In the past I think I've baked the seeds at a lower temperature for a longer amount of time. I think the hotter oven works much better!

Enjoy! Roasted pumpkin seeds are such an easy, tasty snack that you only get to take advantage of about once a year!

Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup

noreply@blogger.com (Kathryn) — Mon, 22 Oct 2012 05:27:00 +0000

This recipe is actually my mother-in-law's. And I'll admit, I didn't even make it. My Husband has become the master chef when it comes to Chicken Noodle Soup. He makes the noodles himself and they are delicious. It takes a bit more time than just opening up your can of soup, but the end results are completely worth it!

Ingredients:
2 eggs
1/3 cup heaving whipping cream, or milk
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups flour(or more)
1/2 cup diced Celery
1/2 cup diced Carrots
1 cup cooked and cut chicken

Recipe:
Combine Eggs, Cream(milk) and 1/2 tsp salt. Mix in 1 1/2 to 2 cups of flour until the dough begins to form a ball.
Roll dough out onto floured surface until it's less than a 1/4 inch thick. Use a pizza cuter to cut noodles into 1/4 inch thick strips. Let rest 15 minutes.
Bring 5 cups of broth and 3 cups of water to a boil. Add Vegetables. Add noodles. Boil 10-15 minutes.

Ladle into bowls and serve with your favorite bread, or crackers.

Black Bean Soup

noreply@blogger.com (KellyAnne) — Thu, 27 Sep 2012 21:11:00 +0000

Our family loves this soup, even the kiddos! I discovered it through one of my favorite food blogs-- Our Best Bites. Below is a picture from their site:

Here is what it looks like before you blend it.

Aren't all the vegetables pretty?

Black Bean Soup

Recipe adapted from Our Best Bites.com

1 Tbsp olive oil

4 large cloves garlic, roughly chopped

2 med carrots, chopped

2 celery stalk, chopped

1 medium onion, chopped

2 cans black beans, rinsed and drained

1 3.5 oz can green chilies

2 cans beef broth (I used 3 1/2 bouillon cubes and 3 1/2 cups water)

1 tsp kosher salt

1/8 tsp black pepper

1/2 tsp chili powder (I use less-- we like it better when it's not spicy)

1/4 tsp cumin

1/2 tsp dry oregano leaves

1 bay leaf

1 lime

chopped cilantro for topping

sour cream for topping

tortilla chips

Chop carrots, celery, onion, garlic.

Place a large stock pot on the stove-top and set to medium-high heat. When pan is warm, add olive oil. Add carrots, celery, onion, and garlic and saute 4-5 minutes.

Stir in the black beans, chilies, and beef broth.

Add the salt, pepper, chili powder, cumin, oregano, and bay leaf.

Simmer uncovered for about 20-25 minutes or until carrots are tender.

Remove from heat. Remove bay leaf from soup.

Blend soup in a blender (I had to do mine in two batches). Place lid on blender, but remove the stopper in the lid and place a paper towel over the hole to let heat escape and avoid splatters. Puree soup until completely smooth or leave chunky if desired.

Squeeze in the juice from one lime and pulse to combine.

I served mine with a dollop of sour cream in the middle, chopped cilantro on top, and lime wedges on the side. We also had chips, salsa, and guacamole, and I even made a few quesadilla wedges. I read that this would also be good over rice, or with grilled cheese sandwiches.

This recipe makes about 8 cups. Can't wait to have it again soon!

Orange Cream Popsicles

noreply@blogger.com (KellyAnne) — Fri, 31 Aug 2012 17:09:00 +0000

I'd like to introduce you to my daughter, Kara.

She's beginning to love cooking and is excited to be a new contributor to Our Sweet Lemons.

She is a great help in the kitchen.

Who wouldn't love someone to whip up a batch of cookies whenever you get the craving?!

Here is Kara's favorite popsicle recipe:

Orange Cream Popsicles

By Kara!!!!!

Just tried this Popsicle recipe today from tasteofhome.com. Really yummy!

Here’s the super duper easy recipe:

Ingredients:

1 cup milk
2 cups vanilla ice cream (Tip: My family likes the home style ice cream from Safeway.)
1 can / *6 ounces orange juice concentrate
12 molds or paper cups (We just got new Popsicle molds from a friend!)

Directions:

You just put it all in a blender and mix it up! Pretty easy, right?

Once it’s nice and smooth, pour about 3/4 cupful into your molds and put it in the freezer. It usually takes a couple of hours to freeze completely.

Hope you like this recipe!

Yum!

*When Kara made these, she used a 12 oz can of orange juice, not realizing that the recipes only calls for a 6 oz can.
They were still delicious!

We found this and many other fun Popsicle recipes through this link:

100+ Homemade Popsicle Recipes.

Skillet Zucchini Supper

noreply@blogger.com (KellyAnne) — Mon, 16 Jul 2012 14:10:00 +0000

Here's a Summer favorite that's quick, easy and so delicious!

Perfect for those busy Summer days and a tasty way to use your zucchini.

INGREDIENTS
Fresh from the Garden Zucchini and Tomatoes
Ground Beef or Ground Pork (or use half beef and half pork, my favorite)
One Yellow Onion
Tuscan Italian Seasoning (Costco)
Cheddar Cheese, grated
Smoked Paprika(Costco)

Cut the zucchini into rounds if small, quarter the rounds if the zucchini is larger.
Cut tomatoes into strips or dice.
Dice onion.

Brown the ground meat. Add salt to taste.
Saute zucchini, onion and Italian seasoning in a bit of olive oil until almost tender.
Add zucchini and onion to the ground meat skillet.

Add fresh tomatoes and Italian Seasoning, gently tossing to warm tomatoes through. This just takes a couple of minutes, don't over cook.

Sprinkle grated cheese lightly over the top. Place the skillett in the oven under the broiler just long enough that the cheese begins to slightly brown. (Leave oven door open.)

Sprinkle lightly with Paprika and serve!

I never measure amounts for this dish. Actually that's how I love to cook but it can be rather challenging to share the recipe. For a pound of ground meat, use about a couple of cups of zucchini and tomatoes, and a couple of tablespoons of Italian seasoning. This will make enough for about 4-6 servings depending on how hungry you are. Pair this dish with some yummy whole grain bread and you have a satisfying supper!

Fresh Strawberry Peach Pie

noreply@blogger.com (KellyAnne) — Wed, 11 Jul 2012 23:10:00 +0000

This recipe came from my husband's grandmother, and it works with any fresh fruit. I've used all peaches (delicious Utah peaches from my parents-in-law's tree), all strawberries (from the Northwest!), and today I've done a strawberry-peach combo.

Cookie Crust:

1 cup flour

3 Tbsp sugar

6 Tbsp butter

Pinch of salt

Combine all. Cut-in the butter to get fine, moist crumbs. Press lightly into bottom and sides of 9 inch pie plate, making bottom slightly thicker than sides. Bake at 450 degrees for 10 minutes or until light golden brown. Cool.

Filling:

3-4 Tbsp Jello (I used Strawberry flavored)

3 Tbsp cornstarch

3/4 cups sugar

1 cup water

Mix jello, sugar, cornstarch. Add water. Cook and stir until boiling and clear and thickened.

Add to *prepared fruit. Pour in cooked pie crust.

*Fresh strawberries and a fresh peach, all sliced into bite size pieces (around 3 cups total)

We have killer local strawberries (that I picked myself!) and they are to-die-for in this pie!!

My pies usually take about 1 hour in the fridge to set well enough to eat (I can't wait much longer than that!). You can serve this pie with vanilla ice cream, whipped cream, or just by itself!

Peanut Butter Popcorn

noreply@blogger.com (Carolyn ♥) — Wed, 25 Apr 2012 14:36:00 +0000

If you like peanut butter,

then you'll ♥ Peanut Butter Popcorn.

This has been a favorite recipe of mine for a bazillion years or more...

and I'm not really a peanut butter fan.

I remember how my kids always loved this for a

Family Home Evening snack.

It's lip smacking, finger licking good.

1/2 cup unpopped popcorn (1/2 cup unpopped popcorn = 3 qts popped)
1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup corn syrup
1 cup sugar
1 cup peanut butter
1 teaspoon vanilla

Pop the corn and remove any unpopped kernels.

Butter sides of a heavy saucepan.

Combine honey, corn syrup and sugar in the saucepan. Bring to boil, stirring continuously.
Boil hard for 2 minutes (no longer) as you stir.
Remove from heat.

Stir in peanut butter and vanilla. Immediately pour over popcorn. Stir to coat well.
Spread out on a clean surface to cool.

At this point you may wish to make popcorn balls by coating your fingers in butter and pressing a handful of popcorn lightly into a ball. A great way to limit the portion, otherwise it will all disappear in minutes.

West African Peanut Stew

noreply@blogger.com (KellyAnne) — Fri, 13 Apr 2012 22:10:00 +0000

You have got to try this!

Recently a friend of mine served this and I have to wonder how I've never heard of it before. If you google it, you'll see that it's not an uncommon recipe! I found that some people add to chicken to it, which sounds good, but I admit I prefer it the way it is. I also noticed that some people find it quite rich and choose to serve it over rice rather than as a soup. I may have to try that sometime too.

West African Peanut Stew

1 large onion (2 cups) diced

1 large red bell pepper, diced

3 medium sweet potatoes (5 cups) peeled and diced

½ Tbsp fresh minced ginger

2 cans diced tomatoes, undrained (I used 1 large 28 oz can)

1/2 cup creamy peanut butter

5 cups broth (I used this)

2 Tbsp brown sugar

½ tsp. red ground pepper (I didn't have this so just used ground black pepper)

¼ cup peanuts

Saute diced onion and bell pepper in large pan for about 3 minutes.

Peel and chop sweet potatoes. Mince fresh ginger. Add these and all ingredients (except peanuts) to a soup pot.

Stir everything together. Cover and bring to a boil.

Reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 40 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Ladle soup into individual bowls-- sprinkling with chopped peanuts. I like to throw a few whole peanuts in the soup pot also.

My husband and I can't get enough of this soup. However, I was surprised to find that my kids didn't love it! I am tempted to try pureeing the ingredients like I do with homemade tomato soups, etc., to see if they would like the flavor if they couldn't see all those chunky, healthy ingredients staring them in the face! Might make it more kid friendly...?

Ragu

noreply@blogger.com (KellyAnne) — Sun, 11 Mar 2012 23:59:00 +0000

I got this recipe back when we were living the student life. Some friends of ours invited us over for dinner and served this amazing pasta! I fell in love with it and my friend Terra was nice enough to share the recipe. She is a fabulous cook and a dear friend. I think of her everytime I make this dish... which is often!

Ingredients:

3 mild Italian sausage links (push out of skins into small chunks)

3 chopped pieces bacon

2 finely chopped carrots

1 finely chopped celery stick

1 small finely chopped onion

2 crushed cloves of garlic

1 14 oz can diced tomatoes

1 small can tomato sauce

1 dried bay leaf

salt

pepper

oregano

parsley

1 lb spaghetti noodles

In a large frying pan cook sausage, bacon, chopped carrots, celery, onion, and garlic over medium high heat until sausage is no longer pink (I like to do the sausage and bacon alone for a few minutes before adding the vegetables).

Stir in diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, and bay leaf. Add salt, pepper, and seasonings to taste.

Cover and cook on low heat, stirring occasionally, for 2-5 hours (I have left it uncovered for about an hour and it has turned out just fine).

Remove bay leaf before serving.

Toss with cooked spaghetti noodles and top with plenty of real shredded parmesan cheese. I think my friend Terra always grated her own-- she always seemed to have a block of Parmesan cheese in her fridge. I used to do that too, but lately I just keep a Costco bag of shredded Parmesan in the freezer and use that!

Apple Pancakes with Caramel Syrup

noreply@blogger.com (Carolyn ♥) — Sat, 03 Mar 2012 22:14:00 +0000

We just call them

Caramel Apple Pancakes.

This is another recipe I've been making for most of my life.

It's my favorite breakfast for a cold Winter's morning,

and especially for a chilly Autumn morn when the apples are crisp and divine.

I must admit that most breakfast meals here
have become fend for yourself because of busy schedules,

but occasionally on weekends,

I gather the family together for something grand...

and this was such a morning.

(Besides, Kathryn has been after me for a while to post this.)

Caramel Apple Pancakes

Apple Pancakes

Mix up your favorite pancake mix. (Raising eight children taught me the need for shortcuts. One of them is to use a great pancake mix. It's especially great when time is at a premium. After you've dolled it up, no one will ever be the wiser.

Add chopped apples. How many apples? It depends on how much batter you make and... how big the apples are. Sorry, I never measure. Use enough :) You'll be able to tell. Also, I like to bite into the taste of the apple in these pancakes... so shredded doesn't do it for me, but be careful not to make the apple pieces too big or the pancakes will cook rather unevenly.

Caramel Topping
In a small saucepan, combine and bring to a boil:

2 cups brown sugar
1 cup whipping cream
1 cup light corn syrup
1 cube of butter

Stir in 2 tsp. vanilla.
Allow to cool slightly if you like a thicker syrup... we can never wait that long.

Pour over a stack of pancakes and then sprinkle with pecans.

And in our family, we always top it off with a dollop of whip cream.
There you go... delicious!
Let us know what you think!

Banana Jumbos

noreply@blogger.com (Carolyn ♥) — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 15:20:00 +0000

A YUMMY alternative to Banana Bread

This is a recipe I've been making since my college days... wow! 40 years!

How time flies.

(My kids still think I'm still in my 20's.)

Back in the day we called these Breakfast Cookies,

because we could grab and go as we ran out the door

and across campus to get to class in time.

And hey... bananas, eggs, wheat... a three star breakfast!

Now days, we make them whenever we have a plethora of ripe bananas ...
and I always double the recipe!
It was then and still is today, a favorite of mine.

♥ ♥ ♥

1 cup softened butter
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 cup mashed ripe banana’s (2-3)
1/2 cup buttermilk*
1 tsp. vanilla
3 cups flour
1 ½ tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. salt
1 cup walnuts

Cream butter, sugar and eggs. Stir in bananas, milk, and vanilla.
Add flour, soda, and salt.
Blend in nuts.
Refrigerate cookie dough about 30 minutes for a plumper cookie.

Heat oven to 375.
Drop 2” apart on greased pan. Bake 10 minutes.
Frost with powdered sugar frosting while still warm. (powdered sugar, milk, softened butter and a little vanilla)

*Emergency substitution: 1 and 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice plus regular milk to make 1/2 cup. Let stand 5 minutes. I must admit, I rarely have buttermilk so most always I use this substitution.

And yes, you can leave out the nuts... but then you're really missing out.

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

noreply@blogger.com (KellyAnne) — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 23:06:00 +0000

I wish I had thought of this myself. Peanut butter cookies with chocolate chips? Brilliant!

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookie

Recipe from theidearoom.net (original PB Cookie recipe from BHG)

Ingredients:

1/2 c butter, softened (1 stick)

1/2 c peanut butter

1/2 c granulated sugar

1/2 c packed brown sugar

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp baking powder

1 egg

1/2 tsp vanilla

1 1/4 c flour

1/2 to 1 Tbsp milk (add this at the very end just to make dough smooth and creamy)

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Combine butter and peanut butter in a large mixing bowl. Add in the granulated sugar and brown sugar, blending well. Mix in the vanilla and the egg. Add baking soda, baking powder, and flour. Add enough milk (from 1/2 Tbsp to 1 Tbsp) to make the dough moist and creamy. Add chocolate chips and mix till just incorporated. If necessary, cover and chill dough about 1 hour or until easy to handle (I've never done this).

Drop by spoonful onto an ungreased cookie sheet and bake for 7 to 9 minutes. I like to take them out of the oven just before you think they are done, then let them settle on the cookie sheet for a few minutes before removing. Makes a few dozen cookies (you may want to double the recipe if you are hoping for lots of cookies! The first time I made these, they were gone way too quickly!)

Kathryn first introduced me to Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies using this other recipe from Mel's Kitchen Cafe. That recipe makes a lot more cookies but the dough is very crumbly and doesn't fit well in my Kitchen Aid mixer. But both are yummy so feel free to decide for yourself!

Pasta with Arugula, White Beans, and Mushrooms!

noreply@blogger.com (KellyAnne) — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 04:42:00 +0000

This is a simple, delicious pasta recipe I found on one of my favorite food blogs, This Week For Dinner. Only I added mushrooms. Because I love them. And I've always used fresh spinach rather than arugula because I have it in my fridge most of the time. Either way, this is a tasty dish!

Pasta with Arugula (or Spinach), White Beans, and Mushrooms!
Original Recipe from Everyday Food: Fresh Flavors Fast
- 12 ounces farfalle (or Campanelle pasta for a fun, different shape)
- 4 Tbsp. butter, cut into pieces
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 pound baby arugula (or spinach)
- 1 can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed

- Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
- 1/2 pound (or more) mushrooms, sliced and sauteed in butter/olive oil and garlic salt
- Freshly grated parmesan cheese to sprinkle on top

Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta until al dente according to package instructions. Reserve 1 cup pasta water for adding back in later; drain pasta.

Melt 1 Tbsp of the butter over medium heat. Add garlic and stir until garlic is fragrant, about 2 minutes. Stir in arugula (or spinach); toss just until wilted.

Add beans, pasta and remaining 3 Tbsp butter; season to taste with salt and pepper. Heat, tossing, until butter is melted and beans and pasta are warmed through, about 1 minute. Add enough reserved pasta water to create a thin sauce to coat pasta.

Saute sliced mushrooms until browned and toss into your pasta. Sprinkle parmesan cheese on top and enjoy!

Eggs Benedict

noreply@blogger.com (KellyAnne) — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 20:38:00 +0000

Our family's Christmas breakfast tradition is Eggs Benedict (although it isn't true Eggs Benedict, as it doesn't use poached eggs or hollandaise sauce). My husband's family has been doing it for years, and we adapted it into our own family when we got married. I don't think my siblings care for it (weirdos who don't like cheese?!) but my kids are big fans. We look forward to it all year long!

Our version is easy:

Toasted English muffin

Slice of ham

Scrambled eggs

Cheese sauce over the top

For the Cheese Sauce:

Melt 4 Tbsp butter in a saucepan.

Add 4 Tbsp flour and stir with a wire whisk until blended over med low heat.

Add 2 cups milk gradually, stirring with a wire whisk.

Add some salt and pepper.

Add 2 cups or so of shredded cheddar cheese, until the taste and consistency suit you.

Slice open and toast English muffins (about 4, so 8 halves).

We use a spiral sliced (already cooked) ham. Pull off the pieces you need and warm them on a frying pan.

Scramble some eggs with salt and pepper in second frying pan.

Assemble your Eggs Benedict:

Toasted English muffin half.
A small spoonful of cheese sauce on your English muffin.
A slice of warmed ham
A portion of scrambled eggs about the size of your English muffin.
Ladle more cheese sauce over the top of everything.

Eat with a knife and fork and enjoy!

We like to drink orange juice along with ours. We start making our Eggs Benedict after everyone starts to get hungry on Christmas morning, after opening stockings and a few presents each. Often we'll have another round of it later in the day when we're hungry again, or the next day for breakfast again. There are 6 of us in my family, and we always have leftovers.

"Costa Vida" Chicken

noreply@blogger.com (Kathryn) — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 14:00:00 +0000

I found this recipe once upon a time for a copy cat Costa Vida

(or maybe it was Cafe Rio) Chicken recipe.

Not really sure how similar it is to the restaurant

because I always get the steak,

but we like it a lot, especially the simplicity of it.

"Costa Vida" Chicken
5 Chicken Breasts(I use frozen breasts)
1 16 oz bottle of Zesty Italian Dressing
1Tbsp Chili Powder
1Tbsp Cumin
3 Garlic Cloves minced

Place Chicken Breasts in Crock pot. Combine wet ingredients and pour over Chicken Breasts. Cook on low 4 hours. Shred Chicken and cook on low for 1 more hour.

Serve on tortillas, nachos, salad, rice, whatever your creative mind can think of. This makes quite a bit, two meals worth at least. I always freeze half of it for another day and still have leftovers, but we are a small family of 2 and a half. ☺

Our favorite way to eat this chicken is on tortillas(Costco uncooked) with sour cream, cheese, Mexican lime rice, black beans, lettuce, and tomatoes.
Enjoy!

S'mores Bars

noreply@blogger.com (Breanne) — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 05:15:00 +0000

I love S'mores made over the campfire
but they are a bit difficult to eat
and I typically save them for camping.

But these S'mores bars are perfect on any day of the year.
In fact, I could eat one everyday of the year
for the rest of my long legged life.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup butter, room temperature
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/3 cups all purpose flour
3/4 cup graham cracker crumbs
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
2 king-sized milk chocolate bars (e.g. Hershey’s)
1 1/2 cups marshmallow creme/fluff (not melted marshmallows)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease an 8-inch square baking pan.
In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar until light. Beat in egg and vanilla. In a small bowl, whisk together flour, graham cracker crumbs, baking powder and salt. Add to butter mixture and mix at a low speed until combined.
Divide dough in half and press half of dough into an even layer on the bottom of the prepared pan. Place chocolate bars over dough. 2 king-sized Hershey’s bars should fit perfectly side by side, but break the chocolate (if necessary) to get it to fit in a single layer no more than 1/4 inch thick. Spread chocolate with marshmallow creme or fluff. Place remaining dough in a single layer on top of the fluff (most easily achieved by flattening the dough into small shingles and laying them together).
Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until lightly browned. Cool completely before cutting into bars.

Makes 16 cookie bars.

After they've cooled you can always reheat them in the microwave for 10 seconds for that fresh from the oven taste! These pair well with a fine glass of ice cold milk.

Orange Glazed Turkey

noreply@blogger.com (Carolyn ♥) — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 12:48:00 +0000

This is how we do Turkey... and it is so-o-o delicious!

Turkey (fresh Foster Farm's from Costco)
Butter, softened
Orange, quartered
Onion, quartered
Fresh Parsley (fresh herbs are always best.)
Fresh Sage
Carrot cut in 2 inch pieces

Remove the neck and giblets from the cavity (a very important step... don't forget!) then pat the turkey dry with a paper towel. Place turkey in a roasting pan. Rub the turkey all over with softened butter. (The turkey loves this massage so be generous.) Be sure to lift the skin slightly and add more butter between the skin and the meat. Rub the turkey with a cut orange squeezing as you rub. Place used orange in the cavity along with quartered onion, fresh parsley, sage, and carrots. You will remove these and discard after roasting the turkey.

Lightly sprinkle the outside of the turkey with salt and pepper and Herbs de Provence if you have it. If not, just wish you did and vow you will find some for next year.

Bake, uncovered, in a 400 ° F. oven for 30 minutes. Reduce temperature to 350° and bake for remaining allotted time for your size turkey.

Brush with glaze during the last 30 minutes of roasting.

Remove turkey from the roasting pan and cover with an aluminum foil tent for 20 - 30 minutes before carving. Use the juices in the pan for gravy. The gravy will have a slight hint of orange and will be the best you've ever tasted.

Orange Glaze

2/3 cup orange juice concentrate
1/4 cup Dijon-style mustard
2 tablespoon butter
4 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup brown sugar

In a small saucepan combine the above ingredients. Cook and stir over medium heat until butter melts. Make this after you get the bird in the oven and set aside until it's time to brush the glaze.

Serve with Orange Rosemary Bread Stuffing
for a delicious flavor combination.