Feel Good, Columbus

Moving on up...

2012-01-13T21:06:00.002-05:00

Once again, I've kind of gotten away from this blog. I didn't love that I tied the blog/blog title to Columbus, because it's kind of irrelevant where you live. When I set it up originally, I intended to use it to post deals and events in Columbus. But then I joined the "On the Cheap" network and started Columbus on the Cheap. So I really didn't need a second locally-based blog, and have struggled finding a theme for this one. I mostly started posting recipes with little personal voice, and it just wasn't any fun. So I started a new blog - That's What We Did. It's more personal, less structured, and I feel like I can post about whatever I want. I'll leave this one live so the recipes are still here, but probably won't do a lot of posting on it. SO - I'd love it if the few followers that I do have would follow me over to That's What We Do and subscribe to my posts there!

Gluten-Free Wonder Buns

2011-10-06T23:23:00.000-04:00

Since I've been gluten-free, I've missed having a burger or a sandwich on a bun. Some purchased GF bread products are satisfactory, but nothing more than that - and they crumble. I don't eat a lot of bread products, so I'd have to freeze what I didn't eat and hope it wouldn't be gross when thawed.

WONDER BUNS TO THE RESCUE!

These buns are made individually in the microwave. Seriously. They take less than 5 minutes to mix up and "cook" in 90 seconds. Just use whatever bowl you have that is approximate bun diameter - I've used a small pyrex bowl and an ice cream sized bowl to make (the straighter the sides, the better). I haven't determined how long these will keep, but I have one in the fridge and one in the freezer as testers. So far I've only had one the same day I made it. I took it to a party and plan to take these to restaurants when I want a burger too!

Wonder Buns
adapted from Kitchen Therapy

1 large egg (if you need dairy free, use your normal egg replacer)
1/2 teaspoon molasses
2 tablespoons all-purpose gluten-free flour*
1 tablespoon almond meal (or make your own with almonds in a grinder)
1 tablespoon ground flax seed
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon cocoa powder (mostly for color, so it's optional)
a pinch of salt
sesame seeds, to make it look more appealing

In a small bowl, beat the egg and molasses with a fork, for about a minute.
In another small bowl, add the flour, almond meal, ground flax seed, baking powder, salt, and cocoa powder - stir well to break up any lumps. Add the eggs to the dry ingredients, stir until smooth.
Spray a glass bowl or cup with non-stick spray (or rub a little oil inside) and sprinkle sesame seeds on the bottom and sides. Pour the batter into the cup. Top with more sesame seeds. Microwave for 90 seconds. Remove from bowl after a minute or two and set upside down on a plate or napkin to allow the bottom to "dry" a little (it's still a little steamy and would probably get soggy if left in the bowl). ENJOY!

*the Kitchen Therapy recipe suggests sorghum flour and the comments from others indicate that most any flour would work - you could even make them with non-GF flour if not all family members needed gluten free.

Black-Jack Chicken Quesadillas

2011-08-20T21:54:00.001-04:00

This is a great appetizer or a quick dinner with a spicy/sweet flavor combination.

Black-Jack Chicken Quesadillas

1/3 cup blackberry preserves
1 chipotle from canned chipotles in adobo, pressed in a garlic press or chopped (with seeds removed)
3 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
2 Tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped (or Trader Joe's sells frozen cubes of cilantro- use 3-4)
1 clove garlic, minced
1/8 tsp black pepper
1 cup cooked chicken breast, cut into small chunks or shredded
1/2 cup diced onions
2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese
10 (6 inch) flour or corn tortillas

In a medium saucepan, whisk together blackberry preserves, chipotle in adobo, balsamic vinegar, cilantro, garlic and black pepper. Turn heat to medium and heat just until mixture begins to bubble. Remove from heat. Add chicken to saucepan and toss to coat chicken in berry mixture. Toss onions and cheese together.
If using flour tortillas, spoon 2 tablespoons cheese/onion mixture evenly down center of each tortilla. Spoon chicken and berry mixture over cheese, dividing equally among tortillas. Fold tortillas over to make quesadillas.
If using corn tortillas, spread berry chicken mixture on one corn tortilla and top with 2 tablespoons cheese/onion mixture, leaving room at the edges for the mixture to spread. Top with another corn tortilla and carefully transfer to pan (sometimes it's easier to build the quesadilla in the pan).
Heat a non-stick skillet or griddle to medium and cook quesadillas for 3-4 minutes each time or until cheese is melted and edges are golden brown. Cut each tortilla with a pizza cutter into triangles.

Zesty Seared Salmon

2011-08-19T22:53:00.001-04:00

I like to try to incorporate a seafood dish 2-3 times a month and I usually buy frozen salmon at Trader Joes. This recipe is super simple and could be served alongside almost any side - especially a creamy risotto. Don't overcook or it will be dry and gross. It will keep cooking a little after you remove it from the pan, so you may want to pull it a little early.

Zesty Salmon

1 Tsp. chili powder
1/2 Tsp. cinnamon
1/4 Tsp. salt
1/4 Tsp. black pepper
2 salmon fillets
canola oil
sesame oil

Wash and dry the salmon fillets. In a small bowl mix chili powder, cinnamon, salt and pepper. Sprinkle this mixture on both sides of salmon fillets.
Heat 2 tablespoons of canola oil and 1 teaspoon of sesame oil in a large sauté pan or cast iron skillet. When the oil is very hot, almost smoking; add the salmon. Cook for about 3-4 minutes until fish releases easily from the pan. Don't move around until it releases easily or it will stick to the pan and fall apart. Flip the fish and cook it an additional 2-3 minutes more until barely cooked through. You may need to reduce the cooking time if the fillets are thinner.

Caramelized Onion Pizza with Blue Cheese and Walnuts

2011-08-15T21:43:00.000-04:00

We love grilling pizzas and it is much easier than it seems. Use your preferred pizza dough - we usually use a roll of refrigerated dough or a Trader Joe's dough ball. If making gluten-free pizza, Bob's Red Mill dough mix is really good, though delicate to work with (be patient). If you MUST have meat on your pizza, feel free to add some cooked, shredded chicken. Since this isn't a "saucy" pizza, you may find it more like a flatbread. Either way, it's good.

Grilled Caramelized Onion with Blue Cheese

Pizza dough; use your favorite
2 T. olive oil
2-3 medium onions, halved and thinly sliced
1/4 t. sugar
1/4 t. salt
1/2 T. balsamic vinegar
1/2 t. dried thyme
cornmeal for sprinkling pizza peel or baking sheet
3-4 ounces blue cheese (research gluten-free brands if you are avoiding gluten)
1/4 cup chopped walnuts, optional

Oil grill grates and heat to medium. Heat oil in a medium skillet at medium high heat. Add onions, sugar, salt and cook for about 5 minutes. Reduce heat to medium and cook until deeply brown- about 15 minutes. Stir in vinegar, cook for 1 minute. Remove pan from heat, stir in thyme and pepper and cool the onions. Set all the topping near the grill, as you will add your topping once one side of the pizza is cooked.

While onions are cooking, prepare dough according to directions if using a mix. Sprinkle flour or cornmeal on counter, pizza peel, or baking sheet and roll dough into 2 smaller pizzas, as they are easier to handle than one large pizza. Don't roll too thin or it will be too hard to transport onto the grill. If not already on a peel or baking sheet, transfer dough to one and put pizzas directly on the grill and close the lid. Once the dough is golden brown on that side, carefully flip pizzas and turn heat to low. Working quickly, spoon onion mixture onto the cooked side of the dough, dot the cheese over onions and top with walnuts, if using. Close lid again to allow the cheese to begin to melt. Watch the crust carefully as it will brown quickly. Remove pizzas and let cool a couple of minutes before cutting and serving.

Flourless Peanut Butter Cookies

2011-08-14T12:58:00.000-04:00

These cookies are very simple and very quick to make, but they are still delicious.

Flourless Peanut Butter Cookies

1 cup creamy peanut butter
1 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 egg

Preheat the oven to 350°. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper (I prefer using reusable silpat sheet liners) Cream the peanut butter and sugar in a bowl. Beat in the baking powder and add the egg. Mix until it is all well combined.

Using your hands, roll the dough into small balls (size is your choice, but the smaller cookies stay together better). Roll the balls in some extra white sugar and place on the baking sheet - the cookies will spread, but not too much.

Bake for about 10 minutes. When the cookies are done, they will still be soft, but shouldn't look or feel doughy. You will know the cookies are done when they feel coherent, but still a little soft. Take the tray out of the oven and let the cookies rest for at least five minutes. Carefully transfer them to a cooling rack for 10 minutes or more.

If you want to add something extra, gently press a hershey kiss in the top of each cookie as soon as you pull them out of the oven.

Blueberry Zucchini Bread

2011-08-12T15:52:00.001-04:00

I'm well overdue at posting this - like a year. But I wanted to get it posted since it's zucchini season and everyone has zucchini. Your mom has zucchini.

This is by far, my favorite zucchini bread recipe (or really, any homemade bread). I'm not even sure how it turns out so well since no yeast is used, but it's delicious and moist. This is not gluten-free and it was baked in the oven, but like I said, I didn't actually make it this month (or this year even). I do like to shred and freeze zucchini so I can make stuff with it in the winter (and you can guarantee that I always have b-berries in the freezer). When you thaw frozen, shredded zucchini, you have to kind of squeeze it dry because it gets really watery upon thaw.

Blueberry Zucchini Bread
I got the recipe from this blog, but like my picture way better
2 cups all purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
2 cups grated zucchini (about 3 small zucchinis)
2 eggs
1 cup low-fat Greek yogurt
1 3/4 cups sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup frozen blueberries - I probably used much more than 1 cup

Grease a 9×5 inch loaf pan with baking spray and lightly dust with flour, tapping out any excess flour. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
In a large bowl combine the flours, salt, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and nutmeg.
In another large bowl combine the grated zucchini, eggs, yogurt, vanilla and sugar.
Gently toss the blueberries with 2 teaspoons of the flour mixture. This will help prevent them from sinking to the bottom of the loaf.
Add the flour mixture to the zucchini mixture, stirring until just combined. Fold in the blueberries.
Pour the batter into the pan and bake for 1 hour to 1 hour and 20 minutes, or until the loaf is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Allow the bread to cool in the pan for 20 minutes, then run a butter knife around the edges and turn it out onto a cooling rack. Let the bread cool completely before slicing it.

I have a blueberry problem - this was just one trip

Slow Cooker Baked Beans

2011-08-11T16:11:00.000-04:00

I love baked beans - a lot. I don't like many canned baked beans, but I used to love these: yes, baked beans with chicken. I used to eat half a can and call it dinner. Kind of gross, huh? I'm not sure that they even still make these because I haven't seen them on the shelf in years (trust me, I've looked).

The next time I fell in love (instead of just "like" with baked beans, it was at the Fiery Foods Festival at the North Market this spring. A vendor was selling his BBQ sauce on baked beans and it was intriguing enough to try - Apple Cinnamon Baked Beans? Why not? Ole Ray definitely got this right. He even told us how to make them - buy Bush's Vegetarian Baked Beans, drain the sauce off them (don't rinse, just drain) and add as much of Ole Ray's Apple Cinnamon BBQ Sauce as you like. They sell this at the North Market and other various places for $5/bottle, so it isn't for everyday use.

I wanted to try my hand at making homemade baked beans and I found this recipe on A Year of Slow Cooking, but I made some adaptations. The beans in the linked recipe got a little too dry, so I'd suggest increasing the "sauce" ingredients below and/or adding some bottle bbq sauce at the end (which takes away from the homemade idea, I suppose). But anyway, I loved these and they were so easy and made plenty. I don't know what "we" did with the bacon after cooking - I suppose throw it out? Or you could probably cut it in pieces and stir it in, though I'm not sure how cooked it got and I like my bacon crispy. Lo turned these off when he got home with work and I never asked him what he did with the bacon (he likes bacon a lot, so consumption is likely). These were pretty sweet, so if you don't love very sweet beans, cut down on the brown sugar a little. Actually, if you're totally unsure of how the sauce will turn out, you're better off pre-mixing all of the sauce ingredients (br. sugar, molasses, ketchup, hot sauce, salt, mustard, and pepper) and adding ingredients to taste. Not everyone is going to like the same sauce, so what worked for me may be hated by you. Since we used the original recipe, we had to add some bottled BBQ after cooking - just whatever we had in the fridge at that time. Wow, that was an incredibly long introduction to a very easy recipe - enjoy!

Slow Cooker Baked Beans

serves 8-10
adapted from A Year of Slow Cooking (which is an awesome blog)

3 cans kidney beans, drained and rinsed (or 2 cans kidney, 1 can pinto, like I did)
2 medium onions, chopped finely, or 2 T dried minced onion
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup molasses
1/2 cup ketchup
squirt of sriracha or hot sauce, as much as you prefer or some red pepper flakes, optional
1 1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp dried mustard - I was out so I used a squirt of dijon
1/2 tsp black pepper
A couple of slices of bacon or chicken sausages (I used bacon, but am excited to use chicken sausages next time since I loved the baked beans with chicken)
Drain and rinse beans, and add them to a medium size crockpot (or whatever they will fit in). Add onion and brown sugar. Pour in the molasses, ketchup, and hot sauce, if using. Add spices and stir to combine. Lay slices of uncooked bacon on top of the beans, or slice chicken sausage and lay it over the top. Cover and cook on low for 5-7 hours, or high for about 4.
*If using bottled bbq sauce, check for gluten if you're GF.

Cheese & Spinach Stuffed Portobellos

2011-08-10T21:21:00.000-04:00

I made this in May, so it doesn't count towards my no-oven August challenge. We have finally figured out that we love portobellos!

Cheese & Spinach-Stuffed Portobellos

Adapted from EatingWell: March/April 2009

4 large portobello mushroom caps

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper, divided

1 cup part-skim ricotta cheese

1 cup chopped or torn fresh spinach

1/2 cup finely shredded Parmesan cheese, divided

1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning (I used 21 Seasoning Salute from Trader Joes)

3/4 cup prepared marinara sauce

Preheat oven to 450°F. Coat a rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray.

Place mushroom caps, gill-side up, on the prepared pan. Sprinkle with salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper. Roast until tender, 20 to 25 minutes.

Meanwhile, mash ricotta, spinach, 1/4 cup Parmesan, seasoning and the remaining 1/8 teaspoon pepper in a medium bowl. Place marinara sauce in a small bowl, cover and microwave on High until hot, 30 seconds to 1 1/2 minutes.

When the mushrooms are tender, carefully pour out any liquid accumulated in the caps. Return the caps to the pan gill-side up. Spread 1 tablespoon marinara into each cap; cover the remaining sauce to keep warm. Mound a generous 1/3 cup ricotta filling into each cap and sprinkle with the remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan. Bake until hot, about 10 minutes. Serve with the remaining marinara sauce.

Gluten-Free Raw Samoas

2011-08-10T21:14:00.001-04:00

Gluten-Free Raw Samoas

1 cup dates (I use Sunsweet)

1/4 cup unsweetened shredded coconut

1/8 tsp. pure vanilla extract

less than 1/4 tsp salt

3 T. chocolate chips

Blend all ingredients in your food processor, chopper, or blender. You may need to scrape down the sides a few times or scrape the dough out of the blades to completely mix. If too sticky, add more coconut. Roll into balls and flatten slightly. Drizzle with extra melted chocolate, if desired.

Cider Vinegar Chicken

2011-08-07T20:38:00.001-04:00

This was a nice, simple dinner that I made a couple of months ago. The picture is hard to see - the chicken is at 4 o'clock. I served it with sweet potatoes, chickpea salad, and green beans with red onions.

Cider Vinegar Chicken

2 T. extra-virgin olive oil or canola oil, divided

4 6-oz. boneless, skinless chicken breast halves

salt & pepper

2 medium yellow onions, thinly sliced
1 1/2 t. dried thyme

3 T. honey

3 large garlic cloves, chopped

1/2 c. apple cider vinegar

2 c. chicken stock or broth

Preheat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 T. of the oil. Season the chicken with salt and pepper and add to the hot skillet. Brown the chicken on both sides, 3 minutes per side. If it starts to stick, carefully add a tablespoon or two of water. Remove and reserve the meat, covered with foil. Add the other T. of the oil, the onions, thyme, honey and garlic. Season the onions with salt and pepper and cook, stirring frequently for 7 to 8 minutes. You want the onions to get really brown and caramelized. Again, if the skillet is drying out, add a little more oil or some water while cooking the onions. Once onions are caramelized, add 1/2 cup of the cider vinegar and the stock. Turn up heat to high and bring the liquids up to a simmer. Once at a simmer, return the chicken to the skillet. Cook the chicken in the sauce for about 10 minutes, flipping the chicken over halfway through the cooking time. Serve over mashed potatoes or quinoa.

Swiss Chard and Chickpeas

2011-08-05T20:37:00.006-04:00

Swiss Chard and Chickpeas

Servings: 2 servings

2 tablespoons olive oil

Swiss chard

1/4 cup green garlic (Sub 1/4 c green onions and 1 clove of garlic)

1/2 cup garbanzo beans drained and rinsed

1 teaspoons thyme, crushed with your fingers

1/4 cup feta

1 cup cooked brown rice or quinoa, optional - I precook this and freeze

In a medium skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil and add in the green garlic (or green onions and garlic). Stir in garbanzo beans and let cook until they begin to brown slightly (4-5 minutes.) From there stir in swiss chard, thyme, and remaining tablespoon of olive oil. Let chard cook saute until it cooks down. Remove from heat and toss with brown rice and feta.

Gluten-Free Buffalo Chicken Dip

2011-08-05T13:51:00.000-04:00

Someone in an GF online group asked for a appetizer recipe and I can't believe I've never posted this since I've made it probably 10 times. It's not a GF recipe, but by purchasing the appropriate brands of ingredients, it's easily converted to GF.

Buffalo Chicken Dip

1 8 oz brick of cream cheese - I used the 1/3 less fat version
1/2 cup blue cheese dressing - I used reduced fat Kraft
1/3 to 1/2 cup Franks Red Hot Buffalo Wing Sauce, or to taste
1 1/2 cups preferred shredded cheese, divided (cheddar, monterey jack, whatever)
2 cups cooked, cubed (or shredded) chicken breast (can even used canned if in a pinch)
Bleu cheese, if desired (check for gluten- some brands ARE gf)

I almost always make this in a small crockpot and to be honest, I don't really measure anything. I just dump everything in together (except some reserved cheese) and turn on the crock. After things start to get melty, I stir it up to mix everything. Grab a chip or a clean spoon and taste it - you may want to add more buffalo sauce or dressing. Once it's all melted and mix and you're ready to serve, top it off with the extra cheese. If you're adding bleu cheese, you can either stir it in when mixing, or add it to the top before serving.
Serve with tortilla chips and celery and/or carrots. Even people who don't think they really like bleu cheese like this.

Spinach Cheese Balls

2011-08-05T13:38:00.000-04:00

I made these gluten-free for a 4th of July party this year and they were good - even though I overbaked them slightly. I did mix them up a couple of days ahead and froze until the day of the party. I served these with pizza sauce. As always, if you are making my recipes gluten-free, make sure you purchase the appropriate ingredients!

Spinach Cheese Balls1 box (9 oz) frozen spinach, thawed, squeezed to drain

1 cup Bisquick® mix (gluten free, if desired)
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese (8 oz)
1 egg
2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
1 teaspoon garlic salt
1 cup GF pizza or pasta sauce for dipping, if desired

Heat oven to 400°F. Spray cookie sheet with cooking spray. In large bowl, mix all ingredients, except pasta sauce. Shape mixture into 1-inch balls; place on cookie sheet.2 Bake 10 to 15 minutes or until golden brown. Immediately remove from pan. Serve with pasta sauce.
Do-Ahead:
Cover and freeze unbaked balls up to 1 month. Heat oven to 350ºF. Place frozen balls on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until brown.

Mashed Cheddar Chili Zucchini

2011-08-03T21:10:00.002-04:00

This was a tasty side dish and a great way to use up extra zucchini. The picture is ugly, but it's tasty and easy

Mashed Cheddar Chili Zucchini

1/2 tablespoon canola oil or cooking spray

2-3 medium zucchini, halved lengthwise and sliced

1 medium onion, sliced thin

1 4-ounce can diced green chiles, drained

1/4 teaspoon salt

pepper, to taste

1/2 cup grated extra-sharp Cheddar cheese

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add zucchini and onion; stir to coat. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until very soft and lightly browned, 12 to 15 minutes. Stir in chiles and salt; cook until heated through, 1 minute more.

Mash until chunky. Stir in cheese and serve immediately.

Gluten-Free Creamy Cajun Chicken Pasta

2011-08-02T20:55:00.004-04:00

Creamy Cajun Chicken Pasta

Adapted from EatingWell: November/December 2010

6 servings, about 1 1/2 cups each

Ingredients

8 ounces rice pasta - I used spirals from Trader Joe's

2 slices bacon, chopped (I cut mine with clean scissors)

1 large sweet onion, halved and thinly sliced

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces (or pre-cooked and diced)

1 medium green bell pepper, sliced

3 cloves garlic, minced

4 teaspoons Cajun seasoning

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

1 tablespoon gluten-free flour (I used Bob's Gluten Free All-Purpose)

1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes

Handful of raw spinach

1/3 cup reduced-fat sour cream

Salt and pepper to taste

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cook pasta until just tender, 8 to 10 minutes or according to package directions. Drain.

2. Add bacon pieces to dutch oven or large pan and cook over medium heat for 1-2 minutes to release grease. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until beginning to brown, about 2 minutes. Add chicken, bell pepper, garlic, Cajun seasoning and pepper. Cook stirring, until the onion and bell pepper are beginning to soften, about 4 minutes. (If using pre-cooked chicken, add after veggies have softened)

3. Add flour and stir to coat. Add tomatoes and their juice; bring to a simmer. Cook, stirring often, until the sauce is bubbling and thickened and the chicken is cooked through, about 2 minutes. Stir in raw spinach until it wilts. Remove from the heat. Stir in sour cream.

4. Stir the pasta into the sauce and serve.

August 2011 Kitchen Challenge

2011-08-01T20:51:00.001-04:00

I’m going to challenge myself. My goal is to not turn on the oven during the month of August. We live on the 2^nd floor and our place heats up SO quickly and cools down SO slowly. And it’s been balls hot for weeks. I don’t think I used the oven in July more than 4-5 times, so I don’t suspect this will be that hard of a challenge, but it’s a challenge nonetheless. I’m also making an effort to go gluten-free for a bit, due to some stomach troubles…

Some meals that I have planned for the month, though I know other things will come up and I’ll probably only make half of these! They are either already grill, crockpot, or skillet meals, or I will convert them to such.

Creamy Cajun Chicken Pasta and Zucchini Cheddar Chili Mash

Chipotle-Spiced Steak with Roasted Potatoes & Onions with Lemon Pepper Green Beans
Hot Pepper Garlic Chicken, Lentils with Burnt Onions, and Southwestern Corn and Cranberry Salad
Shrimp Ceviche and Brown Rice and Cranberry Pilaf
Tuna and White Bean Salad
Crockpot White Chicken Chili
Beer Lime Grilled Chicken with Spicy Chipotle Grilled Vegetables
Southwestern Burger with Boston Baked Beans
Brown Bag Burritos
Grain Mustard Spiked Cabbage with Hot and Sweet Sausage and Seasoned Corn with Bacon Recipe
Salmon with Caramelized Cherries with Gluten-free Summer Quinoa Salad and Plank Grilled Potatoes
Slow Cooker General Tso’s Chicken
Greek Egg-Lemon Soup (Avgolemono Soup)
Asian Chicken Salad with Thai Spiced Grilled Potato Wedges with Peanut Butter-Chipotle Dipping Sauce
Burgers with Caramelized Onions and Southwestern Crock Pot Sweet Potato and Corn Medley
Grilled Fish Tacos with Chipotle-Lime Dressing and Honey Baked Lentils
Garlicky Lemon Chicken With Broccolini and Creamy Crock Pot Risotto
Grilled Pizza
Spicy Beef Stew
Peanut Satay & Chilli Chicken with Green Beans and Monterey Beans
Tex-Mex Mac & Cheese
Buffalo Shrimp and Spicy Cheesy Rice
Lime Chicken Soft Tacos and Cilantro Rice
Chili Mac
Chicken Breast with Scallions and Mushrooms and Island Veggies
Thai Chicken Salad Sandwiches
Homemade Black Bean Veggie Burgers and Warm Potato Salad Dijonnaise

Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Teriyaki and Cilantro

2011-05-06T21:35:00.001-04:00

This was a super-simple recipe that I made in March. It was tasty - nothing that blew my mind, but I'd make it again.

Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Teriyaki and Cilantro

6 T (about 1/3 cup) teriyaki sauce (San-J Teriyaki sauce is gluten-free)
3 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into ½-in. chunks
6 T (about 1/3 cup) fresh cilantro
pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 400. Coat a baking sheet with aluminum foil, and then coat that with cooking spray. Whisk teriyaki sauce and cilantro together in a bowl. Add sweet potatoes and stir. Put mixture on baking sheet and cook 35-40 minutes, stirring every few min.

Spiced Lentil Tacos

2011-05-05T06:38:00.002-04:00

I thought it would be appropriate to post a taco recipe for Cinco de Mayo. Lentils are an incredibly adaptive legume that can be added to any dish and take on any flavor. If the thought of totally meatless tacos disturbs you, add a cup or so of cooked lean ground beef or turkey. It'll be just enough meat for you to feel like it's a "real" taco or to trick your family.

Spiced Lentil Tacos
adapted from Self Magazine
Serves 4

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup finely chopped onion
1 clove garlic, chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup dried brown lentils, rinsed
Red pepper flakes, to taste
1 package (2.25 oz) taco seasoning (ortega is gluten-free) or make your own
2 1/2 cups vegetable broth (gluten-free)
1/2 cup fat-free sour cream or greek yogurt
1 chipotle chile in adobo sauce, finely chopped (use half for less heat)
2 teaspoons adobo sauce
8 hard or soft taco shells (use corn for gluten-free)
lettuce
tomato or salsa
sliced peppers, optionals
1/2 cup shredded reduced-fat (2 percent) cheddar

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook onion, garlic and salt until onion begins to soften, 3 to 4 minutes. Add lentils and red pepper flakes. Cook until spices are fragrant and lentils are dry, about 1 minute. Add broth; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer until lentils are tender, 25 to 30 minutes – stir in taco seasoning mix. Mix sour cream, chile and adobo sauce in a bowl. Uncover lentils and cook until mixture thickens, 6 to 8 minutes. Mash with a rubber spatula. Spoon 1/4 cup lentil mixture into each taco shell. Top with 2 heaping tsp sour cream mixture, lettuce, tomato or salsa, peppers, and cheese.

Blueberry-Beef Burgers and Spiced Grilled Sweet Potatoes

2011-05-03T22:09:00.002-04:00

Tonight was burger night - I've got lots of lean, local, grass-fed beef in my freezer from my meat lady, so I try to plan a meal with ground beef once a week or every other week. I also always have blueberries in the freezer, lovingly frozen from last summer for fear that I would run out of blueberries, which may cause the world to end. SO - I thought this recipe looked great AND healthy. We also threw in some Thai seasoning because we like a little spice - add whatever you'd like. The burgers were really good, very moist, with no hint of blueberry flavor (if you were worried about that). I assume the blueberries are to just add moisture and healthy filler. We ate these with a little BBQ sauce and arugula on sandwich thins - we didn't even use cheese, which is quite unusual for us!

Along with the burgers, we made Spiced Grilled Sweet Potatoes, thanks to a surplus of sweet potatoes in my recent market bags. Lo doesn't really like the flavor of sweet potatoes, but if I make them spicy, he'll eat them without complaint. These were great on the grill. He grilled these first and then the burgers, since the burgers take much less time. They had just enough spice to make them savory (and less sweet potato-ey). The grill gave them a nice caramelized outside.

Blueberry-Beef Burgers

Adapted from EatingWell

2 1/2 slices whole-wheat bread, crusts removed, torn into pieces (used 3 sandwich thins)

1/2 cup fresh or frozen and thawed blueberries

1 1/2 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

2 1/2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

1 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce (ran out, so used 1/2 steak sauce, 1/2 soy sauce)

3 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste

Freshly ground pepper, to taste

16 ounces 90%-lean ground beef

1.Place bread in a food processor and pulse into fine crumbs. Transfer to a large bowl. (No need to wash the processor.)

2.Add blueberries, vinegar, mustard, Worcestershire, garlic, salt and pepper to the food processor; process until pureed. Scrape into the bowl with the breadcrumbs. Add ground beef and mix well with a potato masher. Divide the mixture into four to five equal portions; form into 1/2-inch-thick patties, about 4 inches in diameter.

3.Meanwhile, preheat broiler or heat an indoor or outdoor grill to medium-high. If using the broiler, coat a broiler pan with cooking spray. If using a grill, oil the grill rack by rubbing it with an oil-soaked paper towel. Cook patties until browned and no longer pink in the center, 4 to 5 minutes per side. A thermometer inserted in the center should register 160°F, if you need numbers to be sure its done. Serve immediately, with toppings of choice - we used BBQ sauce and arugula.

Spiced Grilled Sweet Potatoes

Serves 8

4 medium sweet potatoes (about 3 pounds), scrubbed well

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon paprika

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon chipotle powder

2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

1/4 cup olive oil

Cover potatoes with cold salted water in a large pot, then bring to a boil. Simmer until slightly resistant when pierced with a sharp small knife, 5 to 7 minutes. Drain well. When cool, slice potatoes lengthwise. The skins may slip off as you cut them - feel free to remove them if you want.

Mix together salt, spices and apple cider vinegar; add oil in a slow stream. Brush this mixture on sweet potatoes.

Grill potatoes on a lightly oiled grill rack over medium heat, until grill marks appear and potatoes are cooked through, about 15 minutes. Serve warm. I dipped mine in a little BBQ since I already had it on the table for the burgers.

Easter Dinner: Hawaiian Burgers, Grilled Carrots, and Braised Fingerlings

2011-04-24T21:17:00.001-04:00

We didn't visit either of our families for Easter this year. Sunday holidays are tough because unless we take Monday off, the traffic is so bad coming back to Columbus that it almost makes the drive a little miserable - especially from NE Ohio. So we have declared Easter "our holiday" for which we stay home and do whatever we want. We went to Dirty Frank's Hot Dog Palace for brunch and had tasty egg scrambles - his with coney sauce and hot dogs, mine with brisket and spicy corn salsa. They also came with crispy brown potato cubes and tortilla chips. He had a Great Lakes brew and then one in which he ordered by asking the server "does the one tap have a mustache on it?" When she said yes, he said "I'll take whatever that is". I have a Orange Whip, which tasted exactly like a creamsicle - it had Orange Pop, Whipped Cream Vodka, and Cream. Awesome.

After napping and watching some tv, we took my bike over to a parking lot to make sure I can still ride (it's been about 20 years since I've ridden a bike)! I didn't wreck, but still see lots of wrecks in my future, just like in my past. When we got back, we made Easter Dinner: Hawaiian Burgers, Grilled Carrots with Carrot Greens Pesto, and Braised Fingerlings in Smoked Paprika Sauce.

Hawaiian Teriyaki Burgers

Makes 4 burgers

1 pound ground sirloin

1/2 cup red onions, finely chopped

1 egg, slightly beaten

1/3 cup Bread Crumbs or Crushed Tortilla Chips (use chips for gluten-free)

1 teaspoon garlic, minced

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

3/4 teaspoon chipotle spice rub (use your favorite)

1 1/2 Tablespoons spicy brown mustard

3 tablespoons Spicy Hawaiian Marinade (from World Market) or Hawaiian Teriyaki Sauce (or choice of sauce)

vegetable oil, for brushing the grill rack

4 hamburger buns or sandwich thins (or nothing if gluten-free)

6 fresh pineapple rings, thinly sliced

3 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped

Preheat a gas grill to medium-high. Combine the sirloin, onion, egg, bread crumbs, garlic, pepper, spice rub, mustard, and sauce in a large bowl. Mix until combined. Divide mixture into 4 equal portions and form patties, slightly larger than bun size.

When grill is ready, brush grill rack with oil. Place patties on rack, cover, and cook, turning once, until done (165‘F), about 7 minutes on each side. Grill pineapple rings after turning burgers, about 2 to 3 minutes on each side. During the last few minutes of cooking, place buns, cut side down, on outer edges of rack to toast lightly.

To assemble burgers, on each roll bottom, place a burger and a grilled pineapple ring. Brush bun tops with sauce, sprinkle with ½ tbsp of cilantro and serve.

Fingerling Potatoes Braised with Pepper and Paprika
Adapted from Fat Free Vegan Kitchen

olive oil spray
½ cup minced red onion
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 ½ teaspoon smoked paprika

1 teaspoon pepper
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 1/2 pounds fingerling potatoes or small red potatoes
2 ½ cups vegetable broth
1/2 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons corn starch

½ cup cold water
1 tablespoon fresh oregano leaves (optional)

Wash the potatoes and cut potatoes in half, except smaller or thin potatoes, which can be left whole.

Spray a pan lightly with olive oil. Over medium-high heat, sauté the red onion for about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another minute. Add the tomato paste, spices, and potatoes and toss to coat. Stir in the vegetable broth, add salt to taste, and cover. Cook on low for about 25 – 30 minutes, until potatoes are tender. Remove the cover and increase the heat. Cook, stirring regularly, until the broth has cooked down to about half. Remove the potatoes to a serving bowl with a slotted spoon. Stir corn starch into the cold water until smooth and add to the sauce. Stir and continue cooking until thickened to desired level. Add the oregano and pour over the potatoes to coat with sauce.

Grilled Carrots with Carrot Greens Pesto(makes 4 servings)

1 bunch carrots with greens attached
1 large clove garlic
about 1/2 cup and 1-2 tablespoons good extra-virgin olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

1/2 cup pine nuts (optional)

1/4 cup parmesean cheese or parm-romano blend

Favorite spices – I used a chipotle blend, to taste

Snip the carrots from the greens leaving about 1/2-1 inch of the stem on the root. Set carrots aside. Remove any long stems and wilted leaves from the leafy greens. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and boil the greens for about 1 minute. Drain for 5 minutes. Coarsely chop the garlic clove and the greens, and transfer to a food processor as well as salt, pepper, the 1/2 cup of olive oil and pine nuts and cheese. Pulse for a few seconds, stopping to scrape down mixture with a spatula as needed, until well blended. Taste for seasoning, adding salt and pepper and other spices, as desired.

Cut carrots lengthwise so that they’re about equal in size and thickness. Drizzle with olive oil just to coat and season with salt and pepper. Grill carrots on a grill heated to medium-high (or cook on cast-ron pan on stovetop). Let cook for 1-2 minutes, or until charred marks form on the underside, and flip. Cook another 2-3 minutes, turning occasionally, until each side is slightly charred and remove from heat. Serve with the pesto.

Mexican Stuffed Portobellos

2011-04-15T20:49:00.002-04:00

In line with my goal of trying to enjoy mushrooms more, I ordered Portobello mushrooms from Grean B.E.A.N. Delivery. I’ve had Portobellos prepared before at restaurants and liked them just fine, but I've never made them. In that produce delivery, I also got zucchini, red onion, cilantro, and green pepper. I found a similar recipe that had more of an Italian-flare, but I knew Lo would prefer a Mexican-style, since he was more wary of mushrooms than I. I also had cooked black beans in the fridge, along with quinoa and cooked ground beef in the freezer that I pulled out and defrosted. Sorry - the picture kind of sucks and isn't that appetizing, but I promise it tastes good!

This recipe is completely customizable – use whatever veggies that you want, change up the grains or beans (or leave them out), and change up the meat (or leave it out). The ingredients look like a lot, but it didn’t take long at all (with Lo chopping and me getting everything together and cooking). All of the chopping could be done ahead of time, and obviously it’s always nice to have the meat and grains cooked. I like cooking extra grains and meat and storing them in the freezer to pull out for quick meals.

Also - note that I had a lot of this mixture leave over that didn’t fit on the mushrooms, but we’ll just use that in another way – or just eat it separately.

Mexican Stuffed Portobellos

3-4 large Portobello mushrooms
1 tsp olive oil
1/2-1 cup of cooked ground beef or shredded chicken (omit for vegetarian)
1/2 cup cooked quinoa or rice
1/2 cup black beans
Fajita or Taco Seasoning Mix, to taste (ortega is gluten-free)
1 zucchini, chopped
1/2 Spanish or red onion, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
1 tbsp fresh minced garlic
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 medium tomato, chopped (or some salsa)
Handful fresh cilantro leaves, chopped
1/2 cup whole-wheat bread crumbs or crushed tortilla chips (I used blue corn tortilla chips for gluten-free)
1/2 cup cheese of your choice – I used muenster because that’s what we had
Sea salt and ground black pepper, to taste
Extra salsa for topping if you’d like

1.Preheat oven to 375°F.

2.Remove stems from mushrooms and set aside. Clean mushroom tops with a paper towel to remove any dirt. Scrape out the gills with a spoon (I don’t know if that is the proper way to do it, but I didn’t know what to do). Set aside.

3.Heat oil in a medium skillet. Chop mushroom stems and add to skillet with zucchini, pepper, onion, garlic and vinegar. Sauté for about 5 to 7 minutes, until onion and zucchini start to soften. Add tomato or salsa, quinoa or rice, black bean, meat (if using), and seasoning mix. If mixture seems dry, add a tablespoon or two of water. Heat through, about 2 minutes. Remove mixture from heat and transfer to a bowl. Stir in cilantro, bread crumbs, and cheese. (If you prefer a drier mixture, simply add more bread crumbs.) Season with salt and black pepper and more taco seasoning or red pepper, if desired.

4.Fill mushroom tops with vegetable mixture and bake for 15 minutes or until mushrooms look tender and cheese is slightly melted. Top with salsa to eat, if desired.

Sautéed Mushrooms with Spinach and Pepper

2011-04-14T08:57:00.005-04:00

I'm on a quest to like mushrooms, and I think I'm part-way there. I don't know that I'll ever love them raw, but cooked with some sort of sauce, I'm becoming a fan. This would be excellent served over quinoa, rice, cooked rye berries, or your grain of choice. I honestly can't remember how I served it, but I think it may have been over shredded pork, just because we had leftover. It was quite tasty - and would be excellent with chicken, of course. Even my husband ate it, and he's less fond of mushrooms than I.

Sautéed Mushrooms with Spinach and Pepper

2 tablespoons butter or olive oil
1/2 red onion, diced
8 ounces crimini mushrooms, sliced ¼ inch thick
Salt and freshly milled pepper
1-2 garlic cloves, slivered
1 bag of baby spinach, washed and dried
1 cup broth (beef, chicken, or veggie)
2 T cornstarch
1/2 cup cold water

Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in a large skillet, add the mushrooms, and cook over high heat until they’ve browned, about 6 minutes. Season with salt and plenty of pepper and dump mushrooms in a bowl.

Return the pan to the heat and add the garlic. Add the spinach and broth, sprinkle with salt, and cook until tender and half of the liquid has evaporated, about 4 minutes. Return the mushrooms to the pan and toss with the spinach. Mix cornstarch and water together and pour into pan. Stir and cook until sauce is at your desired thickness - if it gets too thick, stir in some more broth or water. Taste for salt and check to be sure everything is good and peppery. Serves 2 to 4

Nutella Cupcakes

2011-04-12T22:56:00.002-04:00

I have so many other recipes waiting to post, but I couldn't hold off on this one anymore because I just ate one and they are SO good. I adapted this from a recipe that I found on the internet (but can't find again). The original recipe just had some nutella swirled on top, but the little nugget of Nutella in the middle of my cupcakes is AMAZING. I was waiting for an occasion to make these so that I/we wouldn't "have" to eat them all, and luckily, friends had a cookout over the weekend. Seriously, they are made from a cake mix, so don't make excuses why you can't make these.

Nutella Cupcakes

Devil’s Food Cake Mix
3 eggs
½ cup oil
¼ cup milk
½ cup water
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup sour cream (could sub plain greek yogurt if that's what you have)
24 teaspoons Nutella (1 per cupcake)
Nutella Buttercream:
¾ cup Nutella
¼ cup butter, softened
1 ½ -2 ½ cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
3-4 tablespoons heavy whipping cream

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line 24 muffins tins. In a large bowl, whisk eggs, oil, milk, water and vanilla. Sift in cake mix and stir in sour cream. Fill cupcake liners 1/2 full and then place a teaspoon of Nutella on top of each one. Put another spoonful of batter on top to full the liner 3/4 full (so the Nutella is in the middle).

Bake for 14-18 minutes or until the sides spring back. Remove the cupcakes from the oven and place directly into airtight containers so seal in moisture.

Buttercream: Beat the Nutella and butter until combined. Add vanilla, then alternate between adding powdered sugar and heavy whipping cream. Taste the buttercream until you reach your desired sweetness/thickness. If you are good at piping frosting on cupcakes, you may want to refrigerate this for a bit before piping. I suck at it (mostly I don't have a big enough frosting tip), so I just spread it on. Also, if you like thick frosting, you'll want to double the frosting recipe - I didn't put mine on very thick and still had to leave 4 or so unfrosted.

Swiss Chard and Carrot Gratin

2011-04-04T17:10:00.003-04:00

I have a gratin problem. Ever since we had the cabbage and cheddar gratin, we want it all of the time. I know we'll get sick of it if I keep making it, plus I get all of this other amazing produce from Greener Grocer Market Bag and Grean B.E.A.N. Delivery, that I hate to buy any other produce at the grocery. In my last Market Bag, I got swiss chard. Other than it being a member of the "greens" family, I essentially knew nothing about it. I started looking for recipes and came upon some simple saute preparations...and then...a gratin recipe! I didn't like the sound of the sauce recipe for the gratin (olive oil bechamel), so I decided to stick a recipe that we love (cabbage and cheddar gratin, of course), with a few changes. As always with my recipes, use whatever cheese you want and whatever spices you want.

Swiss Chard and Carrot Gratin

1 cup sharp white cheddar, divided
1 bunch Swiss Chard
1 large carrot, shredded. (I use a veggie peeler to "shred" carrots)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup broth, chicken or vegetable
1/3 cup yellow cornmeal (used GF)
Couple of shakes of dried parsley, dill, thyme, and red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon dijon mustard (I used whole grain)
Salt and ground black pepper to taste

Prepare the swiss chard first; you'll use the stems and greens. Bring a large pot of water to a boil while you stem the chard. Wash the stems thoroughly, trim away the ends and slice crosswise about 1/2 inch thick. When the water in the pot comes to a boil, salt generously and add the chard stalks. Turn the heat down to medium, and boil gently for five to seven minutes until the stalks are just cooked through. Remove from the pot with a skimmer or a slotted spoon, and drain on paper towels or in a strainer. While the stems are boiling, wash the greens in two changes of water, and tear or cut into 2-3 inch pieces. Fill a bowl with ice water. After removing the stems from the pot, bring the water in the pot back to a boil and add the greens. Blanch for one to two minutes until tender, and transfer to the ice water. Allow to cool for a couple of minutes, then drain and squeeze out excess water.
Preheat oven to 375°F. Set aside 1/4 cup of the cheese. Toss remaining ingredients together in a large bowl, along with the chard greens and stems, and transfer to a lightly greased 8 inch baking dish or 2 qt. gratin dish. Cover with foil and bake 45 minutes. Uncover, top with reserved cheese and bake until golden brown, 10 to 15 minutes more.

Yield: Serves four as a side dish.

Warm Potato Toss with Spinach and Feta

2011-04-03T17:07:00.004-04:00

This was a tasty side dish to go with some grilled grub. Neither of us really like typical potato salad, so this was a nice substitute. The bean sprouts were a great addition for a little crunch, though I wouldn't go out of my way to purchase them next time specifically for this. The potatoes, spinach, celery, and red onion came from my Green B.E.A.N. delivery, and the local feta, shallot, and bean sprouts came in my Greener Grocer Market Bag.

Warm Potato Toss with Spinach and Feta

2 pounds red potatoes, scrubbed well and cut into 3/4-inch pieces
2 handfuls of spinach
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
2 tablespoons white wine or red wine vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoons Dijon mustard (I used whole grain dijon)
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
3 ounces crumbled feta cheese (1/2 cup)
1 celery stalk, finely chopped
1 small shallot, finely chopped
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh flat leaf parsley
lots of pepper, to taste
red pepper flakes, if desired
handful of bacon pieces, optional
1/2 cup bean sprouts, optional
1/2 chopped red onion, optional

Cover potatoes with water in a medium saucepan; season with salt, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer until tender, 10 to 12 minutes. Drain, reserving 1 tablespoon cooking liquid. Let potatoes cool for 5 minutes. Cook spinach and bean sprouts (if usin) in small pan or skillet with a bit of oil until wilted.

Whisk together vinegar, mustard, and reserved cooking liquid. Add oil in a slow, steady stream, whisking constantly until emulsified.

Transfer potatoes, spinach, and sprouts to a bowl, and drizzle with vinaigrette. Gently stir in feta cheese, celery, shallot, and parsley. Season with salt and lots of pepper, plus red pepper flakes, if desired.

Grilled Tofu Satay

2011-04-02T16:56:00.004-04:00

We made these for the first grilling day of the season, which sadly, wasn't until April 2, since the weather has sucked - even then it was only about 50 degrees. But that's the great thing about having a covered patio - we technically can grill in any weather...though grills are technically forbidden at our complex now. I got the tofu and green pepper in my Greener Grocer Market Bag, 2 weeks ago, and the onion from my Green B.E.A.N. delivery. I didn't cut the tofu pieces small enough, so the inside of the pieces were a little bland, but I indicated smaller pieces in the recipe below (1 inch). I also should have brushed the tofu and veggies with the peanut sauce before grilling. We liked these, even though he's not a big fan of tofu - the outside was nice and crispy and flavorful.

Grilled Tofu Satay

1 package of extra-firm tofu
1 red or green bell pepper, cut into 1-inch squares
1 red or sweet onion, cut into 1 inch squares or slices
The marinade:
2 tablespoons tamari soy sauce (make sure to use gluten free!)
2 tablespoons Asian sesame oil
Juice of half an orange (or 2T oj)
1 tablespoon brown sugar
Minced garlic or garlic powder
1 teaspoon Curry powder
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

The sauce:
3/4 cup canned coconut milk
1/2 cup natural-style peanut butter, smooth or chunky
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 teaspoons curry powder
1 1/2 teaspoons red pepper flakes or cayenne powder
1 1/2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon lime juice
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 1/2 tablespoons tamari soy sauce (gluten-free)
Dash sirarcha sauce

Combine the marinade ingredients in a large bowl. Drain tofu, wrap in a few paper towels or a clean lint-free dishtowel, place on a plate, and set something heavy on top of the tofu to press the extra water out (I used a cast iron pan). Once pressed, cut tofu in 1 inch pieces. Add the dry tofu and red pepper and onions and toss gently with a rubber spatula to coat evenly. Let marinate 30 minutes or up to 8 hours. Refrigerate if longer than 1 hour.

Spray the grill grates and set to medium. To make the sauce, place all the sauce ingredients in a food processor and blend until smooth. Pour into a serving bowl. Remove about 1/3 cup of the sauce and drizzle it over the tofu. Use the rubber spatula to toss the tofu gently with the sauce. Thread tofu and veggies pieces onto skewers (soak skewers for 10 minutes first, if bamboo). Place on grill and close lid, turning every 5-7 minutes when golden brown with grill marks.

Let the tofu cool to room temperature before serving. Serve alongside a bowl of sauce for dipping.

Cabbage and Cheddar Gratin

2011-04-01T06:55:00.004-04:00

I got a head of green cabbage in my Market Bag and was disappointed because I don't really like cabbage, or at least I never knew what to do with it. I searched around for some ideas that wouldn't involve making it into some sort of "slaw", because neither of us would really eat that. But this - we LOVED. So much. For some reason, we both thought it tasted a little like hashbrowns, which makes no sense at all. We liked it so much that we made another batch 2 days later with the other half of the cabbage. My suggestions is to just double the recipe in the first place - what in the heck are you going to do with a half a head of cabbage anyway?
Seriously, I'm already eagerly awaiting the day I get another head of cabbage in my Market Bag or produce delivery... LOVE.

Cabbage and Cheddar Gratin
adapted from Whole Foods

1 1/4 cups shredded cheddar, divided (or your preferred cheese - freshly shredded is recommended)
3 cups (about 1/2 head) chopped or thinly sliced green cabbage
3/4 cup vegetable or chicken broth (I had chicken open, so I used that)
1/2 cup medium-grind yellow cornmeal (used GF)
3 tablespoons mixed chopped herbs, such as parsley, dill and thyme (or a couple of shakes of these dried herbs)
2 tablespoons dijon mustard (I used whole grain, check for gluten)
Salt and ground black pepper to taste
crushed red pepper, to taste

Preheat oven to 350°F. Set aside 1/4 cup of the cheese. Toss remaining ingredients together in a large bowl and transfer to an 8-inch square baking dish. Cover with foil and bake 45 minutes. Uncover, top with reserved cheese and bake until golden brown, 15 minutes more.

*if you double the recipe, just use a 9x13 dish. Go ahead and double. I ate this for breakfast once!

LOVE.

*UPDATE - I made this in the slow-cooker too and it turned out great. I cooked on high for about 4-5 hours, if on low go 8-9 hours.

Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Dijon and Crispy Topping

2011-03-30T23:14:00.003-04:00

I'm always looking for ways to prepare brussel sprouts without using lots of fatty ingredients - mainly heavy cream, as so many brussel sprout recipes do. While this appears to use quite a bit of oil, most is used to roast the sprouts, so not as much actually ends up in the dish as would appear. I added the balsalmic reduction before topping with the crumbs to give it a little extra flavor- I try to always keep a reduction in the fridge to spruce up recipes that need a little something, something.

Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Dijon and Crispy Topping

1/8 cup plus 1/2 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
1 Tbs. Dijon mustard
1/2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce (Lea & Perrins is GF)
1/4 tsp. kosher salt; more to taste
Freshly ground black pepper
1 lb. Brussels sprouts, ends trimmed, cut through the core into quarters
1/2 Tbs. unsalted butter
1/2 cup coarse fresh breadcrumbs (use GF bread if necessary)
1/4 cup chopped walnuts
balsamic reduction, if desired

Heat the oven to 400°F. Line two rimmed baking sheets with parchment. In a large bowl, whisk 1/8 cup of the olive oil with the mustard, Worcestershire sauce, 1/8 tsp. of the salt, and about 5 grinds of pepper. Add the Brussels sprouts and toss to thoroughly distribute the mustard mixture. Spread the sprouts in an even layer on sheets. Roast until the cores of the sprouts are just barely tender and the leaves are browning and crisping a bit, 20 to 25 minutes. While the sprouts are roasting, make the topping: Line a plate with two layers of paper towel. Heat the remaining 1/2 Tbs. oil with the butter in a medium (10-inch) skillet over medium-high heat. When the butter has stopped foaming, add the breadcrumbs all at once; toss to coat with the fat. Reduce the heat to medium, add the walnuts and the remaining 1/4 tsp. salt, and cook, stirring constantly, until the crumbs are browned and slightly crisp and the nuts are golden, 4 to 6 minutes. Dump the breadcrumb mixture onto the paper towels to drain the excess fat. Transfer the sprouts to a serving bowl and season to taste with salt and pepper if necessary. Drizzle with balsamic reduction, if using. Sprinkle the crumbs over the sprouts just before serving.

Skillet Lasagna alla Vodka

2011-03-10T20:33:00.001-05:00

I had some leftover frozen vodka sauce that I was tired of seeing in the freezer so I pulled it out to use in this recipe. This recipes gives instructions for making the sauce, assuming you don't already have some. The skillet that I used was a 10 inch stainless steel skillet (the cast iron must have been dirty...) and the recipe calls for a 12 inch, so I just made mine a little smaller and used less ingredients - probably cut everything nearly in half because (it's a shallow skillet too). I left the ingredients in the amounts that the original called for since I didn't actually measure things. We really liked this - it would have had a little more flavor if it would have had a bit of ground sausage or beef added in, but it was good for what it was.

Skillet Lasagna alla Vodka

12 oz no-boil lasagna noodles
16 oz. cottage cheese
10 oz frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed
1 t. dried basil
dash of salt
¼ t. black pepper
25 oz. marinara sauce
½ c. vodka
½ c. heavy cream
2 c. mozzarella
Soak noodles in a bowl of hot water for 15 minutes. Mix together cottage cheese, spinach, dried basil, salt, and black pepper. In a saucepan simmer marinara sauce and vodka for 5 minutes. Stir in heavy cream. Spread 3/4 cup of the sauce over the bottom of a 12-inch nonstick skillet. Drain noodles and cut into 2-inch pieces. Arrange a third of the noodles over the sauce. Spoon half of the remaining sauce over the noodles. Top with another third of the noodles and spread the cottage cheese mixture over the top. Sprinkle with 1 cup mozzarella. Top with remaining noodles; spread with remaining sauce. Cover and bring to a simmer; reduce heat to medium and simmer 10 minutes. Sprinkle 1 cup mozzarella over top; cover and simmer 2 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes. Serves 8.

Spicy Stir-Fried Broccoli & Peanuts

2011-03-07T20:33:00.004-05:00

I don't know where I got this recipe, but it's really good. I love spicy peanut butter sauce, so it can't really go wrong. Some sauces seem to end up clumpy, but I didn't have a problem with that this time. If you don't have rice vinegar in your pantry, you should add it. I think the original recipe called for you to add chopped peanuts at the end, but I didn't have them so I left them out.

Spicy Stir-Fried Broccoli 1/3 cup creamy natural peanut butter
1/2 cup water, divided
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce, divided (gluten-free)
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 1/2 pounds broccoli crowns, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
1 large red bell pepper, sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4-1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper, or to taste

Whisk peanut butter, 1/4 cup water, brown sugar, 1 tablespoon soy sauce and vinegar in a medium bowl until smooth. Set aside.
Heat oil in a wok or large skillet over medium heat. Add broccoli and cook, stirring frequently, until beginning to soften and brown in spots, about 6 minutes.
Add the remaining 1/4 cup water and 1 tablespoon soy sauce to the pan along with bell pepper and garlic. Cook, stirring frequently, until the pepper has softened and the liquid has evaporated, 2 to 4 minutes. Remove from the heat; stir in the reserved peanut sauce and season with crushed red pepper. Garnish with peanuts.

Black Bean Brownies

2011-03-05T20:31:00.004-05:00

I made these brownies for Valentine's Day. I wouldn't let my husband come into the kitchen while I was making them so that he wouldn't be biased knowing they are made with beans. He really couldn't tell and actually asked if they had coffee in them - I think next time I'll add some instant coffee to give them more of that taste. They were a slightly odd texture - but good - not quite fudgy, not quite brownie. I highly recommend making them - especially if you have anyone who is gluten-free.

Black Bean Brownies
adapted from Eco Child's Play

1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
3 eggs
3 tablespoons oil
4 tablespoons cocoa powder
1 teaspoon vanilla
3/4 cup sugar
a pinch salt
Handful of M&M's, nuts, or other toppings, if desired

Preheat oven to 350* F. Pour drained beans into a blender, set on puree and blend until smooth. Add in the rest of the ingredients and continue blending until evenly mixed. Pour bean mixture into a greased 8 by 8 pan. Toss any topping that you want to use on top. Bake in oven for 30 minutes, or until toothpick placed in the center comes out clean.

Crock Pot Quinoa Casserole

2011-03-04T20:59:00.003-05:00

Crock Pot Quinoa Casserole
Adapted from A Year of Slow Cooking (which is awesome, by the way)

1 cup quinoa (I prefer red quinoa, but used white this time)
2 cups broth (I used 1 c. beef that was leftover and 1 cup turkey broth)
1/2 T olive oil
1/2 t salt
Dash of freshly ground pepper
1/2 t cinnamon
1/3 cup dried unsweetened cranberries
handful of baby spinach
handful of chopped sun-dried tomatoes
1/2 block feta cheese, crumbled (or goat cheese)

I used the 2.5 quart slow cooker, 4 qt. would probably work better as it got a little crowded to stir. Rinse the quinoa like the instructions say (though I didn't feel like it and it was fine) and put it in the slow cooker. Stir in the oil, broth, salt, pepper, and cinnamon. Add the cranberries and sun-dried tomatoes. Cover and cook on low for 4-6 hours, or on high for 2-4. When the quinoa is done, most of the liquid will be absorbed and the germ will separate from the grain slightly like a little curly tail - try not to overcook it. Fluff the quinoa with a fork, and add the sun-dried tomatoes and feta cheese. Stir gingerly to mix. Add a large handful of baby spinach to the top of the crockpot, and close the lid. Cook on high for about 20 minutes, or until the spinach has wilted. Stir again to distribute the spinach.

My verdict:
This has a great flavor, but I didn't love the texture. I cooked mine for closer over 3 hours on high and that was a little too long and it became a bit mushy. Next time I'd stir in the extras before all of the water is absorbed so it doesn't overcook in the end. I'd probably actually just cook it on the stovetop instead of in the slow cooker - it would only take about 20 minutes on the stove and if I have to watch it more closely in the slow cooker, it doesn't save me any time/effort. I would also use red quinoa - I definitely prefer it to the white as it always seems to end up more firm and nuttier - and I don't seem to overcook it like the regular. The cinnamon flavor was fantastic though - especially with the sweet of the cranberries, the savory of the sun-dried tomatoes, and the salty of the feta.

Coffee-Rubbed Roasted Chicken

2011-03-03T20:23:00.003-05:00

When Whole Foods put organic chickens on sale during one of their Friday One Day Deals, I knew I wanted to ge ta couple. I put one in the freezer and one in the fridge to make this chicken and finally got a chance. Most raw chickens have a little bag of giblets in the cavity and sometimes a neck. You are supposed to remove these and rinse the inside and outside of the chicken. If you ask your husband if there is a bag of parts inside and he says no - he's wrong - there is. You will find it after you/he carves the bird. I don't really know the purpose of these being included - I know people use them for things (gravy?) but it's just a little gross to me.

Coffee-Rubbed Roasted Chicken

Serves 4 to 6
3 tablespoons finely ground coffee beans
3 tablespoons butter, softened
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 tablespoon finely chopped garlic
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 (3- to 4-pound) whole chicken

Preheat oven to 375°F. In a small bowl, stir together coffee, butter, sugar, garlic, pepper and salt. Rinse the inside and outside of the chicken and remove the bag of giblets and/or neck from the cavity (um…it’s easy to forget..). Pat the outside dry-ish with a paper towel. Arrange chicken, breast side up, in a shallow roasting pan and spread rub all over to coat completely. You may have trouble getting it to “spread”, so you might have to kind of pat it on. Just get it to stick as best you can. You can cover and refrigerate up to two days if you want, but you don’t need to.

Roast chicken, basting every 20 minutes or so with pan juices, until skin is deep golden brown and crisp and meat is cooked through, about 1 hour. Set aside to rest 10 minutes before carving.
The coffee rub stuck to the skin during cooking and was SO good – and I usually won’t eat the skin! The meat was tender – use a thermometer if you are worried of over-cooking. The temp always raises about 5-10 degrees after its removed from the oven, so you can take it out a little early. I served this with Roasted Potatoes with Bacon & Cheese, Crockpot Quinoa, and Steamed Broccolini.

Roasted Red Potatoes with Bacon & Cheese

2011-03-02T20:13:00.002-05:00

I made these roasted potatoes to serve with Coffee-Rubbed Roasted Chicken. They turned out tasty, even though I forgot to stir them and they were a little crispier on one side. The chipotle ranch dressing was from Whole Foods - the 365 Brand, so it wasn't expensive. I have this thing...when I see the word chipotle on something I have a really hard time not buying it because I love it so much! Occasionally, I end up with some failures, like the Spectrum Pomegranate Chipotle Salad Dressing for which I paid WAY too much. I love pomegranates and chipotle, but this dressing isn't very good - especially for the cost - I think it was $5+! I typically don't have ranch or chipotle ranch dressing, so in the future I'd probably just toss the potatoes in some oil and sprinkle it with dry ranch seasoning and the rest. Leave out the real bacon bits if you don't have them - they gave it a nice smokey flavor, but it won't make or break the dish - just don't use those crappy dried bacon bits - make sure they are the "real" bacon bits or "real" turkey bacon bits.

Roasted Potatoes with Bacon & Cheese
Makes: 8 servings

1/2 cup chipotle ranch dressing or regular lowfat ranch (check for GF)
1/2 cup shredded cheese
1/4 cup real bacon bits
2 lb. potatoes, quartered (red or white)
Sprinkle of garlic powder
Couple of shakes of chipotle flakes or red pepper flakes

Preheat oven to 350°F. Mix dressing, cheese and bacon bits in large bowl. Add potatoes and seasonings; toss lightly. Dump in a lightly greased 13x9-inch baking dish and cover with foil. Bake for 40 minutes. Remove foil and stir; bake an additional 15 min. or until potatoes are tender.

Hot and Sour Chicken Noodle Soup

2011-02-13T20:06:00.001-05:00

Chicken Noodle Soup may be great food for someone with a cold, but Hot and Sour Chicken Noodle Soup is perfect for everyone - sick or not. And if you are sick, the spice and sour will definitely clear your sinuses and warm you up! Obviously, I came up with this recipe by combining a hot and sour soup with a more traditional chicken noodle soup. Feel free to add more or different veggies if you'd like. If you're adding raw, cut in smaller pieces and add at the beginning - if using frozen veggies, add when you add the chicken, since they'll just need to thaw and heat through. You may also want to add more red pepper flakes to taste (I certainly did). Click here to check out my favorite and easiest way to cook chicken breasts.

Hot and Sour Chicken Noodle Soup Serves 4-6

6 cups chicken broth (or veggie and chicken)
1 cup water
3/4 cup diced carrots
2 T fresh ginger root, minced
4 cloves garlic, crushed
4 teaspoons soy sauce (gluten-free)
1 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
Egg noodles or other thin or small pasta (or GF rice noodles)
1 1/2 cups diced or shredded, cooked chicken breast (approx 2 breasts)
1/2 tablespoon sesame oil
1 can diced or sliced water chestnuts, diced
6 tablespoons red wine vinegar
4 tablespoons cornstarch
1 egg, beaten
2 green onions, chopped
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro (optional)

In a saucepan, combine the chicken broth, water, carrots, ginger, garlic, soy sauce, and hot pepper flakes and heat on medium high.
Place the chicken into a bowl and toss with the sesame oil to coat. In a separate bowl, stir together the cornstarch and vinegar, and set aside.
Once boiling, add the noodles and cook until nearly done.
Add the chicken and water chestnuts. Return to a boil, and then drizzle in the egg while stirring slowly to create long strands of egg. Stir in the vinegar and cornstarch. Simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the broth has thickened slightly, about 2 minutes. Serve garnished with green onions and cilantro.

Oven Braised Fingerling Potatoes In Wine

2011-02-03T08:52:00.002-05:00

Oven Braised Fingerling Potatoes In Wine
1 ½ Pounds fingerling potatoes
1 Teaspoon sea salt
3 Tablespoons dry white wine (I used leftover champagne that I had from a random champagne Saturday)
3 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 Teaspoon herbs de Provence or your choice of herbs - I bought these in France, so it seemed like I should use them

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cut 1 1/2 pounds fingerlings in half lengthwise. In shallow roasting pan, toss spuds with 1 teaspoon sea salt, 3 tablespoons dry white wine and 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil. Scatter with herbs de Provence and toss. Potatoes should be crowded in pan in single layer. Cover and place in middle of oven 20 to 30 minutes or until very tender. Serve immediately.

Roasted Carrots and Turnips

2011-02-01T20:51:00.007-05:00

I got carrots and turnips with my weekly market bag and I've recently discovered that I love turnips, so I was excited to try this recipe. It turned out really well - when these veggies roast, they develop a naturally sweet/caramelized taste, which contrasts nicely with balsamic.

Roasted Carrots and Turnips

6-8 small carrots, peeled and cut into diagonal slices
2 large turnips, peeled, sliced, then cut into diagonal strips slightly larger than carrots
1-2 T olive oil, enough to coat vegetables
2 tsp. plus 1 tsp. balsamic vinegar
couple of sprinkles preferred seasonings (garlic, sage, rosemary) I used 21 Season Salute from Trader Joes
sea salt and fresh ground black pepper to season if desired

Preheat oven to 350 F. Peel carrots and turnips and cut into diagonal pieces, making the turnips slightly larger than the carrots, since turnips cook faster. Put vegetables into ziploc bag, pour in olive oil and 2 tsp. balsamic vinegar, then add seasoning. Seal the bag and squeeze to move the vegetables around until they are well-coated with oil and the vegetables are mixed around.
Spray a roasting pan with oil. Or if you don't want to wash the pan, line it with foil and spray that. Pour veggies out onto pan and spread around so they're in a single layer. Roast 35-45 minutes, until vegetables are softened and starting to brown. Put into serving bowl and toss with remaining 1 tsp. balsamic vinegar*, and season with salt and pepper if desired. Serve immediately.

*I had a balsamic reduction that I'd made previously and I used this as a topping instead of the straight balsamic. I would highly recommend making a reduction for this. To do so...simmer balsamic vinegar until it...well...reduces by about half. When you drag a spoon across the bottom of the pan, it should leave a little path for a second or two. Some people add a little brown sugar while reducing for a little more sweetness.

Outside-In Cheeseburgers

2011-01-31T21:58:00.001-05:00

These burgers were pretty good and the cheese inside is a nice surprise if you don't tell people that it's in there. When my husband bit into the cheese inside, he looked at it like he had no idea what it was and kept eating it. He said he didn't know what it was, but it was good. I always add an egg and uncooked oats to burgers to give them more substance and fiber - the egg also seems to help hold the burgers together. I got 5 good-sized burgers out of this recipe, but may have used closer to 1 1/2 lb (we had divided up a large package of ground beef to freeze without weighing). I served these with roasted Thai peanut potatoes (the recipe wasn't great so I won't probably post) and broccoli with chipotle seasoning and parmesan cheese.

Outside-In Cheeseburgers

1 lb. extra-lean ground beef (I probably used 1 1/4 or 1 1/2 lb.)
1 egg
1/4 cup oats (use GF if needed)
1 clove garlic minced (preferred) or 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. onion powder
1/2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce (Lea Perrins is GF)
red pepper flakes, as much as you like
dash salt, or more to taste
dash black pepper, or more to taste
4 wedges The Laughing Cow cheese, any flavor, room temperature

Your choice of toppings/condiments
In a medium bowl, combine all ingredients except the cheese. Add as much salt and pepper as you like. Knead mixture by hand until combined. Form into a patty and, using your thumb, make a large, hollow indentation in the ball (past the center but not all the way through). Fill the hole with cheese and top with another small amount of meat to seal the cheese inside, making sure no cheese is exposed.
Bring a pan misted with nonstick spray to medium-high heat on the stove. (Use a grill pan if you've got one.) Place patty in the pan, cover, and cook for 4 - 7 minutes per side, depending on how well done you like your burger. Don't press on the patty with your spatula - you'll squeeze out the juices and possibly your cheese. Serve with your favorite toppings and condiments.

New Blog Focus

2011-01-23T17:02:00.001-05:00

For those of you (the very few of you) who are subscribers and were probably surprised to see new posts after well over a year, I've decided to start posting mostly about recipes and healthy living on this website when I have the chance. I'm not always the healthiest person - I do eat snack food, desserts, and drink beer and wine. But overall, I think I do pretty well and can honestly say that I rarely get sick (of course, now I'll probably promptly get sick), probably because I eat a lot of veggies and fruit and usually work out 5 times/week. Also, I don't have kids yet...it seems like once there are kids around, there is no avoiding sickness.

I love cooking and trying new recipes and I'm passionate about the state of health in this country, which totally sucks. One of my biggest pet peeves is when people say the "can't cook". Really, that just means you haven't tried. ANYONE can cook simple recipes. As I always say, it's not rocket science. If you can read/understand measurements, you can cook. No excuses. You don't have to cook every night - most people don't have time for that. I usually cook 3-4 times a week and we eat leftovers, simple things sandwiches or salads, or dine out the rest of the time (we try to only eat out once a week). If you have a day off, you can prepare a meal or two for the upcoming week or to freeze for another day. I like to cook extra amounts of food to freeze use for future meals like cooked, shredded chicken, browned ground beef, rice, quinoa, pancakes, etc.

Fresh Ingredients:
I try to cook with whole foods as much as possible, but I'm definitely not beyond convenience items at times. One of the best things that I've ever done was join CSA's each year. For 3 summers, I participated in Wayward Seed Farm's fruit CSA. This January, I joined Greener Grocer's Weekly Fresh Market Bag program, for which I pick up a bag of produce with grains, cheese, and other locally produced items at Greener Grocer at the North Market. They also offer pickup at the Clintonville-Beechwold Community Resources Center. I get the medium bag and it costs $20/week (payment plans available) and it usually contains 5-7 different types of local or organic foods. They send out a newsletter each week letting you know what you'll receive in your next bag, along with recipes for the included items (which is good, because several of the items I've received are new to me). This weekly market bag gets me excited about cooking and gives me plenty of fresh ingredients to work with.

Other groceries:
I try to grocery shop at Trader Joe's a lot - they have what I need and are less expensive than you may think, plus they tend to carry food without high fructose corn syrup or partially-hydrogenated fats. I often buy meat from House of Meat (gotta love that name) in Anderson's Market on 161 because they have great sales and they wrap the meat in freezer paper (I like to buy extra and freeze it for later and I don't have to worry about freezer burn if it's wrapped in freezer paper). I buy bulk items at Whole Foods like rice, lentils, quinoa, oatmeal, dry beans, certain spices, etc., and store them in containers in my pantry. It's cheaper and I can buy the amounts that I want. I usually run into a Kroger or Giant Eagle once or twice a month when they have good weekly specials on produce, meat, or other grocery items that I like to buy. Once or twice a year, I'll go into an Aldi's and stock up on canned veggies, beans, and certain baking supplies.

If you are still reading this awfully long, not very well focused post, please feel free to comment with links to your favorite recipes or ways that you stay healthy!

Clementine Cake

2011-01-21T23:53:00.005-05:00

I had clementines from my weekly market bag and when I saw this recipe in the newsletter, I knew I had to save the clementines for this.

Clementine Cake
Adapted from Nigella Lawson AND smittenkitchen.

4 to 5 clementines (about 375grams/slightly less than 1 pound) I used 5 without weighing
6 eggs
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons (225 grams) sugar
2 1/3 cups (250 grams) ground almonds or almond meal* (see tip at bottom)
1 heaping teaspoon baking powder
Optional: Powdered sugar for dusting, or for making a glaze
(If you bought whole almonds, grind them with a food processor, chopper, or a clean coffee grinder while the clementines are boiling or before)

Put the clementines in a pot with cold water to cover, bring to the boil, and cook for 2 hours. This will soften and remove the bitterness from the peel. I found that I needed to add more water towards the end because it started to boil away. Drain and when cool (I didn't wait, but don't burn yourself), cut each clementine in half and remove the seeds, some won't have seeds - only 1 of mine did. The clementines will be super-mushy. Finely chop the skins, pith, and fruit in a food processor, blender, or by hand. I used my Cuisinart Hand Stick Blender Chopper- it took 2 batches, each only took about 30 seconds and it's easier to clean than most processors.
Preheat the oven to 375°F. Butter and line the bottom of an 8 or 9-inch springform pan with parchment paper. I didn't have parchment paper, so I greased the sides and bottom well. You could probably also use a regular square or round pan of similar size. It will be a little harder to get out of the pan and won't look as pretty, but if you don't have a springform pan and don't think you'll use one often, don't buy one just for this.
Beat the eggs. Add the sugar, almonds, and baking powder. Mix well, adding the chopped clementines.
Pour the cake mixture into the prepared pan and bake for about 40 minutes. You may need to bake a little longer; check with a skewer or thin knife. I covered mine with foil after 30 minutes so it wouldn't over-brown.
Remove from the oven and leave to cool in the pan on a rack. When the cake is cool, remove from pan (if using springform) and dust with powdered sugar or a glaze if you want it sweeter (but both will soak into cake if you leave it overnight, so you may just want to add it to pieces being served). If you don't use a springform pan, I'm not sure if it can be taken out of the pan whole without breaking. It's super-moist, so it may be delicate because it's a little heavier.

You can make a glaze using milk and powdered sugar or juice and powdered sugar - just stir a small amount of the liquid into the powdered sugar until you get the right consistency. Add more p. sugar if it gets too runny - you'll figure it out.

I will be making this again! I definitely prefer desserts of the chocolate variety, but this is a great change-up and is gluten-free (which means my good friend can eat it!).

*Almond meal is cheap at Trader Joe's - like $2.99 for a lb. I highly recommend using if you don't already have whole almonds to grind.

The next day it was even better - I added some glaze too!

Maque Choux with Chicken and Turkey Kielbasa

2011-01-21T23:06:00.001-05:00

Confession: I have a recipe problem (end confession). I have collected thousands of recipes in word documents over the years. I also like to constantly make new dishes, but can't ever decide what to make. Every once in awhile, I'll write down the names of 20-30 recipes for which I have the ingredients for (I keep a rather well-stocked pantry/freezer) and have my husband pick the next few recipes that I'm going to make. He picked this recipe even though he didn't know what maque choux was (and I barely did). I still didn't know how to pronounce it until about 5 minutes ago when I started writing this post (mock shoe, apparently). We really liked this- it was very flavorful for so few ingredients. I served this with spicy slaw and cheddar corn muffins w/ jalepeno butter.

Maque Choux with Chicken and Turkey Kielbasa

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts (or already cooked, shredded chicken)
salt and ground black pepper
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
6 ounces turkey kielbasa, chopped (the package I used about 12 or 14 oz.)
1 onion, minced (mine was chopped and frozen)
1 red bell pepper, cored and chopped medium (part of a bag of frozen Melange a Trois peppers from Trader Joes)
1 pound frozen corn, thawed (2 cans of corn, drained, would would)
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth (I use Trader Joes chicken boullion sticks that get mixed with hot water)
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme or ¼ teaspoon dried (I used dried)
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley (oops, I forgot this, but didn't have fresh anyway)
Rice or quinoa (I used red quinoa that I had frozen previously)
I also threw a handful of shredded purple cabbage, just because it was there

If using raw chicken, pat chicken dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Heat 1 teaspoon of oil in large Dutch oven over medium-high heat until just smoking. Brown chicken lightly on both sides, about 5 minutes total. Transfer chicken to plate and set aside. Add remaining teaspoon oil to pot and return to medium-high heat until shimmering.
Add kielbasa, onion, bell pepper, and ½ teaspoon salt to pot and cook over medium-high heat until lightly browned, about 8 minutes. While the kielbasa cooks, puree half of corn with broth in blender until smooth. Stir garlic and thyme into pot and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in pureed corn mixture, and add browned chicken with any accumulated juices.
Cover and cook until thickest part of chicken registers 160 degrees on instant-read thermometer, about 10 minutes (unless using already cooked chicken). Remove chicken from pot and stir in remaining whole corn kernels. Increase heat to medium-high and cook until corn is warmed through, about 2 minutes. Meanwhile, shred chicken. Off heat, stir in shredded chicken and parsley. Season with salt and pepper. Serve over rice with hot sauce.

My tips:

Every week or two, I like to cook 1 or 2 lbs. of boneless, skinless chicken in the crockpot (8-9 hours on low, 3-4 on high). Once done, I shred it and use it in recipes, on salads, quesadillas, pizza, or just freeze for the future. I used leftover chicken from earlier in the week for this recipe. Also, Anderson's Market in Columbus has amazing chicken deals about once a month - usually about $1.79/lb. They offer about 10 flavors of fresh, marinated chicken (or plain) and they wrap whole or half breasts in freezer paper. I usually cook one right away and freeze the rest of the packages.
If I need onion for a recipe, I chop one using my Cuisinart Hand Stick Blender Chopper (because even after a knife-skills class, I still suck at chopping onions; and it's messy; and my eyes water). Sometimes I chop a second one since I have the chopper out anyway. Whatever I don't use for that recipe, I throw in a container in the freezer.
Sometimes I mince my garlic using a Chef'n Garlic Zoom. It's not much faster, but it works for when I don't want to pull out a cutting board. I prefer to just have my husband chop the garlic though! He tends to use the Garlic Zoom, so it serves a purpose.
Rice or quinoa: when I need to cook rice or quinoa (I prefer red quinoa), I cook extra and freeze what i don't need. Brown rice and quinoa hold up well in the freezer - either stick in the fridge overnight to thaw or add a splash of water and defrost in the microwave. I used extra quinoa that I had in the freezer. If you've never made quinoa - get some! I buy it in bulk at Whole Foods for a couple of dollars/lb.

Spicy Slaw

2011-01-21T21:50:00.001-05:00

I got this recipe from my Weekly Fresh Market Bag Subscription through Greener Grocer. They got it from Elana's Pantry. I adapted it a little because I didn't have all of the ingredients, as usual. Plus I really feel like recipes are just supposed to be a guideline...
We both liked this much more than we expected. I wouldn't go to buy a head of purple cabbage to make this, but if I ended up with one, I'd use it this way again.

Spicy Slaw

½ head purple cabbage, shredded (from my market bag)
1 bunch cilantro, finely chopped (didn't have, so I used my last cube of frozen cilantro from Trader Joes)
1 carrot, grated (from my market bag)
1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and minced (from my market bag)
1 teaspoon minced ginger
2 limes, juiced (didn't have, I used 2 random packs of "True Lime" powder that I mixed with a little water)
2 tablespoons olive oil
couple pinches of suger, to taste
½ teaspoon sea salt
couple of sprinkles of your other favorite seasonings, if desired

Place the cabbage, cilantro, carrot, jalapeño and ginger in a large bowl. Toss veggies with lime, olive oil, and sugar, then sprinkle with salt.

My tips:

To shred the cabbage, I cut the head in half and then cut each half in half so that it would sit flat. I just sliced it as thin as I could with a knife and it falls into shreds. I only needed half of the cabbage, so I threw some in a Maque Choux that I was making and froze the rest. I've never frozen fresh cabbage before but googled it and it people say it's fine. I'll throw it in a soup at some point.
I always "grate/shred" carrots using a vegetable peeler - I like the thin strips better and it's faster - also easier to clean.
I also "mince" ginger using a peeler - I just shave off little short chunks from the ginger knob that I keep in the freezer.
For the jalepenos, I (well, my husband), chopped them using my Cuisinart Hand Stick Blender Chopper. It's one of my favorite, most useful wedding shower gifts. Tonight I/he blended corn with it for a soup, minced 2 jalepenos, and blended up the clementines for my clementine cake (recipe coming soon). I'd say that's pretty useful. It's runs around $40 on amazon w/free shipping- also available at Bed, Bath, and Beyond for about the same price, and you can probably find a coupon to use.

Creamy Lentils and Brown Rice

2011-01-21T20:27:00.003-05:00

I made these lentils and rice to serve with Cajun Meatloaf and Roasted Veggies...the meatloaf was okay but not awesome. I won't be featuring that recipe. But I would definitely make these again - it would be a great one-dish meal with some shredded chicken or cooked ground beef (or maybe the "just okay" meatloaf crumbled up!).

Creamy Lentils and Brown Rice

5 cups water (or 5 cups chicken broth)
2 tsp chicken bouillon (omit if using broth)
1 cup brown rice
3/4 cup dried lentils
1 cup chopped carrots
1 clove garlic, minced
salt & pepper to taste
1 cup grated cheddar cheese

Place broth in large pot, cover and bring to a gentle simmer. Add rice, lentils, carrots and garlic. Cover and simmer over low heat until liquid is absorbed, about 50 minutes. Add S&P, and stir in cheddar cheese.

Cherry Peanut Butter Balls

2009-12-16T17:46:00.001-05:00

Cherry Peanut Butter Balls
1/2 cup butter (no substitutes), softened
1 cup peanut butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups confectioners' sugar
24 to 26 maraschino cherries with stems
Additional confectioners' sugar
2 cups (12 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips (check for gluten)
1/4 cup shortening

In a small mixing bowl, cream the butter, peanut butter and vanilla; mix well. Gradually beat in confectioners' sugar. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Pat cherries dry with paper towel. Dust hands with additional confectioners' sugar. Wrap each cherry with a rounded tablespoon full of peanut butter mixture; shape into a ball. (Peanut butter mixture may need to be refrigerated occasionally while rolling cherries.) Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. In a microwave, melt chocolate chips and shortening; stir until smooth. Dip peanut butter balls in chocolate; place on waxed paper. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour or until set. Yield: about 2 dozen.

Photo and recipe by Taste of Home

Bavarian Mint Fudge

2009-12-15T17:43:00.001-05:00

Once again, it's that chocolate-mint combination...

Bavarian Mint Fudge
1-1/2 teaspoons plus 1 tablespoon butter, divided
2 cups (12 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips (check for gluten)
1 package (11-1/2 ounces) milk chocolate chips
1 can (14 ounces) sweetened condensed milk
1 teaspoon peppermint extract
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Line an 11-in. x 7-in. pan with foil and grease the foil with 1-1/2 teaspoons butter; set aside.
In a heavy saucepan, melt the chocolate chips and remaining butter over low heat; stir until smooth. Remove from the heat; stir in the milk and extracts until well blended. Spread into prepared pan. Refrigerate until set.
Using the foil, lift fudge out of the pan. Discard the foil; cut fudge into 1-in. squares. Store in the refrigerator. Yield: about 2-1/2 pounds.

62 calories, 3 g fat, 3 mg cholesterol, 13 mg sodium, 8 g carbohydrate, 1 g protein.

Truffles

2009-12-14T17:41:00.001-05:00

Every year I tell myself I'm going to make truffles. Every year, I get lazy and buy them from Trader Joes. This year I hope to do both. Here are 3 recipes that I've found that look good. If you have a good (easy) truffle recipe, please pass it on!

Basic Truffles
12 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1/3 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine chocolate and cream. Cook, stirring, until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth. Remove from heat and whisk in flavoring. Pour into a small dish and refrigerate until set, but not hard, 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Use to fill candies or form balls and roll in toppings.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Truffles
Makes: 3 doz.

1 pkg. (8 squares) BAKER'S Semi-Sweet Chocolate
1/2 cup peanut butter
1 tub (8 oz.) COOL WHIP or COOL WHIP Extra Creamy Whipped Topping, thawed
1/4 cup powdered sugar

MICROWAVE chocolate in large microwaveable bowl on HIGH 2 min. or until chocolate is almost melted, stirring after 1 min. Stir until chocolate is completely melted.
STIR in peanut butter until well blended. Cool to room temperature. Gently stir in whipped topping. Refrigerate 1 hour.
SCOOP peanut butter mixture with melon baller or teaspoon, then shape into 1-inch balls. Roll in sugar. Store in tightly covered container in refrigerator.

Mocha Truffles Recipe

2 packages (12 ounces each) semisweet chocolate chips
1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
3 tablespoons instant coffee granules
2 teaspoons water
1 pound dark chocolate candy coating, coarsely chopped
White candy coating, optional

In a microwave, melt chocolate chips; stir until smooth. Add cream cheese, coffee and water. Chill until firm enough to shape. Shape into 1-in. balls and place on waxed paper-lined baking sheet. Chill for 1-2 hours or until firm.
In a microwave, melt chocolate coating; stir until smooth. Dip balls in chocolate; allow excess to drip off. Place on waxed paper; let stand until set. Melt white coating and drizzle over truffles if desired. Yield: about 5-1/2 dozen.

Editor's Note: Dark, white or milk chocolate confectionery coating is found in the baking section of most grocery stores. It is sometime labeled "almond bark" or "candy coating" and is often sold in bulk packages (1 to 1-1/2 pounds). It is the product used for dipping chocolate. A substitute for 6 ounces chocolate coating would be 1 cup (6 ounces) semisweet, dark or white chocolate chips and 1 tablespoon shortening melted together. Truffles can be frozen for several months before dipping in chocolate. Thaw in the refrigerator before dipping.

73 calories, 5 g fat, 4 mg cholesterol, 11 mg sodium, 8 g carbohydrate, 1 g protein.

Christmas Mint Cookies

2009-12-13T17:38:00.001-05:00

I'm not sure that there could be an easier recipe to put together. But I'm a sucker for chocolate and mint. (speaking of, the Dirty Girl Scout Martini at Chocolate Cafe in Grandview is delicious!)

Christmas Mint Cookies
1/2 lb Melting Chocolate baking chocolate
2-3 drops peppermint extract
1 package Ritz cracker

Melt Chocolate over low heat. Add 2 to 3 small drops of Peppermint extract. Mix. Line a cookies sheet with foil. Dip crackers into chocolate. Cover and lay on cookie sheet make sure they do not touch. Chill until firm.

Caramel Macchiato Thumbprints

2009-12-12T17:36:00.001-05:00

This year will be the first time that I make these, but they sound delicious and easy!

Caramel Macchiato Thumbprints

2 teaspoons instant espresso coffee powder or granules
1 tablespoon hot water
1 pouch (1 lb 1.5 oz) Betty Crocker® sugar cookie mix
1/4 cup Gold Medal® all-purpose flour
1/2 cup butter or margarine, melted
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 egg
18 caramels (from 14-oz bag), unwrapped
2 tablespoons milk
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1 teaspoon shortening

1. Heat oven to 375°F. In large bowl, dissolve coffee powder in hot water. Stir in cookie mix, flour, butter, vanilla and egg until very soft dough forms.
2. Shape dough into 1 1/2-inch balls. On ungreased cookie sheets, place balls 2 inches apart. Using thumb or handle of wooden spoon, make indentation in center of each cookie.
3. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until edges are light golden brown. Cool 2 minutes; remove from cookie sheets to cooling racks.
4. In small microwavable bowl, microwave caramels and milk uncovered on High 1 minute to 1 minute 30 seconds, stirring once, until caramels are melted. Spoon 1/2 teaspoon caramel into indentation in each cookie. Cool 15 minutes.
5. In another small microwavable bowl, microwave chocolate chips and shortening uncovered on High 1 minute to 1 minute 30 seconds or until chips can be stirred smooth. Drizzle chocolate over cookies. Let stand about 30 minutes or until chocolate is set.

Buckeye Delights

2009-12-11T17:32:00.001-05:00

Here's a cookie cup version of Buckeyes - press a red or green M&M on top to make it more festive.

Buckeye Delights
1 pouch (1 lb 1.5 oz) Betty Crocker® sugar cookie mix (or GF Sugar Cookie Mix)
1/3 cup unsweetened baking cocoa
1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
1 egg
Filling:
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/2 cup peanut butter
2 tablespoons butter or margarine, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon salt
Topping:
1/2 cup whipping cream
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons semisweet chocolate chips
1 tablespoon peanut butter

Heat oven to 350°F. Line 36 mini muffin cups with mini foil candy cups (about 1 1/4 inch). In large bowl, stir cookie base ingredients until dough forms. Press about 1 tablespoon dough into each foil cup. Bake 8 to 9 minutes or until puffy and set. Cool completely, about 30 minutes. Remove from pan. In small bowl, mix filling ingredients until well blended. Press about 1 teaspoon mixture on top of each cooled cookie. In 1-quart saucepan, heat whipping cream just to boiling over low heat, stirring occasionally; remove from heat. Stir in 1 cup of the chocolate chips. Refrigerate about 30 minutes or until cooled. Spread about 2 teaspoons chocolate mixture over each cookie cup. Place remaining 2 tablespoons chocolate chips and 1 tablespoon peanut butter in resealable food-storage plastic bag; seal bag. Microwave on High 30 to 60 seconds or until softened; knead to mix. Cut off small tip from one corner of bag. Squeeze bag to drizzle chocolate mixture over each cookie cup. Refrigerate about 30 minutes or until set. Store covered in refrigerator.

Chocolate Pecan Tartlets

2009-12-10T17:29:00.001-05:00

I haven't made this recipe yet, but I intend to this year. I'll update how it goes!

Chocolate and Pecan Tartlets
Self magazine
Makes 24 tartlets

Crust
5 tablespoons butter, softened, plus 1 tbsp melted butter
4 oz light cream cheese
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon confectioners' sugar
Filling
3/4 cup light-brown sugar
1/3 cup mini semisweet chocolate chips
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2/3 cup chopped pecans

For crust:
Mix softened butter and cream cheese in a bowl until smooth. Blend in flour, a bit at a time, confectioners' sugar and 1/8 tsp salt. Form dough into a disk. Cover in plastic wrap; refrigerate at least 3 hours. Heat oven to 325 degrees. Divide dough into 24 balls; press into two 12-cup mini muffin tins, pushing dough up over edges. Refrigerate.
For filling:
Mix brown sugar, chocolate, egg, melted butter, vanilla and remaining 1/8 tsp salt in a bowl until combined. Divide half the pecans among muffin cups; top with brown sugar mixture; sprinkle remaining pecans on top.
To assemble:
Bake 20 minutes or until dough is lightly golden around edges. Let sit 5 minutes. Run tip of knife around cup edges to loosen. Remove when cool enough to handle; transfer to wire racks to cool completely.

112 calories 7 g fat (2.8 g saturated) 11.3 g carbs 0.5 g fiber 1.7 g protein

Saltine Candy

2009-12-09T17:25:00.001-05:00

Healthy, no. Addicting.....heck yes.

Chocolate Toffee Candy (Saltine Candy)

40 saltine crackers (about one sleeve, Do not use unsalted)
1 cup butter (2 sticks)
1 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
11 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cover cookie sheet with a single layer of saltines. Boil butter, sugar, and vanilla for one minute. Pour evenly over saltines. If needed, gently spread to make even. Bake for 7 minutes. While toffee is still hot and bubbly, pour chocolate chips evenly on top of candy. When the chocolate chips begin to melt, gently spread chocolate over toffee. Freeze for one hour. Break into pieces.

One Bowl Chocolate Fudge

2009-12-08T17:23:00.001-05:00

People love fudge - they'll think you spent lots of time on this recipe!

One Bowl Chocolate Fudge

16 ounces semisweet chocolate
1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups chopped walnuts (optional)

Line an 8x8 inch square dish with aluminum foil.
Chop chocolate and place in a large, microwave safe bowl with condensed milk. Microwave on high, stirring once or twice until chocolate is soft, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from oven and stir until completely smooth. Stir in vanilla and walnuts. Spread in prepared pan. Refrigerate 2 hours, until firm. Cut into squares. Serves 48

Calories 98 Protein 1.9g Total Fat 6.2g Carbohydrates 10.3g Fiber 0.9g Cholesterol 3mg

Cream Cheese Mints

2009-12-07T22:03:00.004-05:00

I always make these mints for Christmas. They are similar to a York Peppermint Patty (but not exact). I prefer to leave the mints uncolored and use decorative red and green sugar to roll the dough balls in. Once pressed flat, the white peeks through the red and green and looks very festive. I also like to dip some of the discs halfway in chocolate and let set for a chocolate-mint flavor combination. I usually double this recipe - it makes quite a few, but they are so good and will go quickly.

Cream Cheese Mints

1 3-ounce package cream cheese, softened (1/3 less fat variety works fine)
1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract
3 cups sifted powdered sugar
Few drops desired food coloring
Granulated sugar or decorative sugar
Melted chocolate chips or dipping chocolate, optional

In a small mixing bowl stir together softened cream cheese and peppermint extract. Gradually add powdered sugar, stirring until mixture is smooth. (Knead in the last of the powdered sugar with your hands.) Add food coloring, if desired or leave white; knead until food coloring is evenly distributed. Form cream cheese mixture into 3/4-inch balls. Roll each ball in granulated sugar or decorative sugar; place on waxed paper. Flatten each ball with the bottom of a drinking glass or measuring cup (or flatten with the tines of a fork in a criss-cross pattern). Cover mints with paper towels; let dry overnight. Store in a tightly covered container in the refrigerator or freeze up to 1 month. Makes 48 to 60 pieces.

I like to dip these halfway in melted chocolate and let harden - it's even more like a York.

calories: 33 total fat: 1g saturated fat: 0g cholesterol: 2mg sodium: 5mg carbohydrate: 7g

Peanut Butter Truffle Brownies

2009-11-19T07:02:00.001-05:00

Yum is all I have to say about this Betty Crocker recipe...

Peanut Butter Truffle Brownies

Brownie Base
1 box (1 lb 6.5 oz) Betty Crocker® Original Supreme brownie mix
Water, vegetable oil and eggs called for on brownie mix box
Filling
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
2 cups powdered sugar
2 teaspoons milk
Topping
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1/4 cup butter

1. Heat oven to 350°F. Grease bottom only of 13x9-inch pan with cooking spray or shortening. (For easier cutting, line pan with foil, then grease foil on bottom only of pan.)
2. In medium bowl, stir brownie mix, pouch of chocolate syrup, water, oil and eggs until well blended. Spread in pan. Bake 28 to 30 minutes or until toothpick inserted 2 inches from side of pan comes out almost clean. Cool completely, about 1 hour.
3. In medium bowl, beat filling ingredients with electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Spread mixture evenly over brownie base.
4. In small microwavable bowl, microwave topping ingredients uncovered on High 30 to 60 seconds; stir until smooth. Cool 10 minutes; spread over filling. Refrigerate about 30 minutes or until set. For brownies, cut into 9 rows by 4 rows. Store covered in refrigerator.

Site Info

2009-11-11T22:12:00.001-05:00

I'm switching hosts of this blog, so there may be some interruption of service here and there. Thanks!

Pizza Fondue

2009-11-02T06:22:00.001-05:00

This pizza fondue is great party food served with bread sticks, toasted garlic bread rounds, croackers, or tortilla chips. Feel free to stir in other pizza toppings such as black olives or chopped banana peppers.

Creamy Pizza Fondue

1/2 pound ground beef or ground sausage
1 Small onion -- chopped
1/2 tablespoon melted butter or olive oil
2 cans (10 oz.) pizza sauce (check for gluten)
1 tablespoon Cornstarch
2 teaspoons Dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon Garlic powder
1-2 cups Shredded Cheddar cheese -- (about 10 ounces)
1 cup Shredded mozzarella cheese -- (about 4 ounces)
Cut up pepperoni, if desired (check for gluten)
Chopped mushroom, if desired

In a large frying pan, cook ground beef and onion in butter over medium heat, stirring to break up lumps of meat, until beef is browned and onion is softened, 5 to 7 minutes. In a medium bowl, combine pizza sauce, cornstarch, oregano, and garlic powder. Stir until well mixed. Add to ground beef mixture in pan and cook, stirring occasionally, until mixture thickens and bubbles, 5 to 7 minutes. Reduce heat to low and add cheese, a third at a time, stirring well after each addition. Transfer to a chafing dish, fondue pot, or small crockpot for serving.

Spinach and Spaghetti Squash Quiche

2009-10-30T07:17:00.001-04:00

This is one of my favorite breakfast recipes to make. I like to double the recipe and bake it in a 9x13 glass baking dish, increasing the time by about 15 minutes. I just test the middle with a knife or toothpick to see if it has set up. These instructions say to cook the squash in the microwave...I've done that before and it has worked, but I've also done it and it exploded. twice. So you can bake it in the oven as well...just google for instructions.

Spinach and Spaghetti Squash Quiche
1/2 cup frozen chopped spinach , thawed, drained and squeezed dry
1/2 cup cooked, shredded spaghetti squash
1 beaten egg
3 egg whites
1 (12 fluid ounce) can evaporated skim milk
1/2 cup part-skim-milk mozzarella cheese

salt and pepper, to taste

seasonings of your choice such as italian, garlic, onion, cayenne, hot sauce, etc
1 cooking spray
1/3 cup bread crumbs (use gluten free or omit for GF)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Pierce squash several times with a fork, and place in a microwave-safe dish. Microwave on high for 10 minutes, turn over, and continue cooking 10 minutes more. Squash flesh should be very tender inside. Set aside to cool.

Cut squash in half lengthwise and scoop out seeds. Pull a fork across the flesh--it should easily come out in strands. Place a 1/2 cup of squash strands in a mixing bowl. Stir in egg, egg whites, evaporated milk, mozzarella cheese, spinach, and seasonings until well combined. I used 21 seasoning salute from Trader Joe's, cayenne, garlic, and a dash of sriracha hot sauce for my seasonings

Spray a 9 inch pie place or quiche dish with cooking spray. Spread bread crumbs in the bottom and around the sides to coat. Pour egg mixture into prepared dish. Bake quiche in the preheated oven for 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool for at least 10 minutes before cutting. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Calories: 145 Total Fat: 4.5g Total Carbs: 12.9g Dietary Fiber: 0.7g Protein: 12.8g

Operation Shoebox

2009-10-29T07:05:00.001-04:00

**This is part of a series of posts highlighting ways in which you can donate to community organizations and help others even when your budget doesn't have room for monetary support.

Operation Shoebox has a goal to provide a care package for every soldier, sailor, airman, and marine. There are many ways to support this wonderful program in addition or instead of a monetary donation.

--Items: You may send items or a box of items to be packaged and sent to soldiers overseas. There is a list of items that the troops have requested on the website, though anything is appreciated. I collected items/money within my office of 14 people two years ago near the holiday and we were able to send 2 shoeboxes of items, plus the money to cover postage. We sent hygiene items, magazines, dvd’s, paper/pens, candy, snacks, drink mixes, oatmeal packets, etc. You can send any combination of items. If you get items for free or cheap by playing the drugstore games or shopping sales with coupons, this would be a great way to help others without stretching your budget too far. This is a great “project” for a group of people like co-workers, neighbors, church members, or schools. Click here for more information and for the address to which you can mail your package.

--Letters: If you can’t sent items or donate money, Operation Shoebox would love to include your letters of encouragement with the care packages. Troops have given feedback that the letters of support and pictures or cards from children are important in providing the moral support that they need from back home.

--Sewing: If you can sew, they run a stocking drive towards the holidays. If you’d like to participate, you can contact them to get the pattern of the bag they use.

--Troops for Teachers: This is set up for classrooms to correspond with troops. If you’re interested, please contact us for more information.

They can also use any amount of monetary donation to help cover postage to send these packages overseas to the troops!

Pumpkin Whoopie Pies

2009-10-28T06:49:00.004-04:00

I found this recipe for Pumpkin Whoopie Pies on Serious Eats from the book Baked by Matt Lewis and Renato Poliafito. These aren't quite as sweet as the typical chocolate/icing version that I had when I was younger. The original recipe makes about 24 large whoopie pies or 40 smaller ones, but I cut the recipe in half to make a more reasonable amount. I didn't use the 1 tablespoon ground cloves called for in the original recipe because I don't have them, but I added an extra sprinkle of pumpkin pie spice - it really isn't necessary though, as these already have a great spiced flavor. For the heck of it, I added about a 1/2 cup of mini chocolate chips to the batter after I had already baked 1/2 of them, just to have a pumpkin/chocolate combination - the ones with chocolate chips aren't as smooth and pretty though.

Pumpkin Whoopie Pies

1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour (can use all white flour if desired)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoons cinnamon
1/2 tablespoon ground ginger
dash pumpkin pie spice, if desired
1 cups packed dark-brown sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 1/2 cups chilled pumpkin purée (almost 1 can)
1 large eggs
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup or more mini chocolate chips, if desired

-Preheat oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or use nonstick baking mats, like this one which I highly recommend.
-In a large bowl, whisk the flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, and pumpkin pie spice (if using) together and set aside.
-In a separate bowl, whisk the brown sugar and oil together until combined. Add the pumpkin puree and whisk to combine thoroughly. Add the eggs and vanilla and mix until combined.
-Sprinkle the flour mixture over the pumpkin mixture and mix until completely combined.
-Use a small ice cream scoop or spoon to drop heaping tablespoons of the dough onto prepared baking sheets, about one inch apart. I made most of them slightly bigger than a 50 cent piece so they'd be mini--make them whatever size you'd prefer.
-Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until the cookies are firm but springy on top and a toothpick inserted into the center of the cookie comes out clean. Remove from the oven and let the cookies cool completely on the pan while you make the filling.
-After the filling is made, turn 1/2 of the cookies flat side up and drop a dollop of filling in the middle. Top with the flat side of a cookie of equal size and press down gently to spread the filling to the sides. Place in fridge for 30 minutes before serving. Store is fridge separated by waxed or parchment paper and covered with plastic wrap.

Cream Cheese Filling
1 1/2 cups confectioners sugar
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, softened – ¼ c
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

Sift the confectioners' sugar into a medium bowl and set aside.
In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the butter until it's completely smooth, with no visible lumps. Add the cream cheese and beat until combined. Add the sifted confectioners' sugar (or sift directly into the mixing bowl) and vanilla and beat until smooth. Be careful not to overbeat the filling. (The filling can be made one day ahead. Cover the bowl tightly and put it in the refrigerator. Let the filling soften at room temperature before using.)

Toiletry Donation Drive 2009

2009-10-26T07:13:00.002-04:00

**This is part of a series of posts highlighting ways in which you can donate to community organizations and help others even when your budget doesn't have room for monetary support.

Capital Crossroads SID is holding the Toiletry Donation Drive 2009, through November 6th to help area shelters collect much needed basic supplies before winter begins. All donations are provided directly to Faith Mission, Friends of the Homeless, and the Engagement Center at Maryhaven. The items will be delivered to the shelters the week before Thanksgiving.

In an effort to help area shelters provide the basics, the Downtown SIDs collecting sample/travel-sized toiletries and men and women’s packaged undergarments.

Acceptable items include:
Unopened travel-sized toiletries, such as shampoo, conditioner, bars of soap, toothbrushes, toothpaste, razors, shaving cream, and lotion. Packaged undergarments such as undershirts, socks, and underwear (men and women)

Donation bins are located throughout the downtown at the following locations:
LeVeque Tower, 50 W. Broad St.
Key Bank Building, 88 E. Broad St.
Bricker & Eckler, 100 S. Third St.
Huntington Bank. 17 S. High St.
Huntington Plaza, 37 W. Broad St.
85 Marconi Boulevard
57 E. Main St.
326 S. High St.
22 E. Gay St.
15 E. Gay St.
140 E. Town St.
Capitol Square Office Tower, 65 E. State St.
Lazarus Building – Ohio Department of Insurance, 50 W. Town St.
One Columbus, 10 W. Broad St.
Fifth Third Center, 21 E. State St.
The Columbus Dispatch, 34 S. Third St.
The Motorists Insurance Group, 471 E. Broad St.
Seneca Apartments, 367 E. Broad St.
Midland Building, 250 E. Broad St.
OEA, 225 E. Broad St.
State Auto, 518 E. Broad St.
Downtown SIDs office, 23 N. Fourth St.

Questions regarding the drive can be directed to Kacey Campbell, Promotions Coordinator at (614) 645-5095 or kacampbell@sidservices.com.

Donate Used DVD's

2009-10-24T07:13:00.000-04:00

**This is part of a series of posts highlighting ways in which you can donate to community organizations and help others even when your budget doesn't have much room for monetary support.

Amvets Task Force DVD is collecting new or used DVD’s to provide safe entertainment to the U.S. Armed Forces serving overseas and those who have been injured and are recuperating. Often troops are unable to enjoy outside activity due to the high risk of terrorist activities. Having movies or tv shows to watch during their downtime relieves the boredom of being stuck inside and gives them a chance to relax and feel connected to the world back home.They will distribute kids’ movies to children in the United States who have a parents serving overseas.

Contact your local Amvets to see whether you can drop these off, or you can send them to the address on the website. I ran a drive for this at work and got a huge response from the employees, as most people have movies that they no longer watch and were happy to have these sent to the troops. I was able to drop the DVD's off to the collection address because it is located in Columbus, but you could check the see whether your local Amvets will accept these to send on.

If you have room in your budget, cash donations may also be made to handle the costs associated with collection boxes and mailing. $5.00 will mail a package of 35 DVDs overseas to the servicemen and servicewomen. If you wish to make a donation to help defray the cost of postage, please send to: AMVETS Task Force DVD, 4647 Forbes Blvd., Lanham, MD 20706.

If you know someone serving overseas who would enjoy receiving a package of DVD's, Troops may request to receive DVD's. They need to send their complete military mailing address to thilton@amvets.org.

Grilled Tandoori Fish and Chips

2009-10-20T15:58:00.002-04:00

This healthy grilled fish recipe turned out well -- I used mahi mahi fillets. The grilled "chips" were especially tasty.

Grilled Tandoori Fish and Chips
Adapted from Redbook
Yields: 4 servings

1 c. low-fat plain yogurt
2 t. garlic paste
2 t. grated fresh ginger
2 1/2 t. paprika
1 t. curry powder
1 t. red chili powder
1 t. ground cumin
1/2 t. salt
4 (6-ounce) 3/4-inch-thick tilapia, snapper, or mahimahi fillets
Chips
2 (8-ounce) sweet potatoes or white potatoes, halved lengthwise, cut into 3/4-inch-wide wedges
2 T. unslated butter, melted
1 t. garam masala
1/4 t. coarse sea salt
1/4 t. freshly ground black pepper
Olive oil for brushing

In a large bowl, whisk together yogurt, garlic paste, ginger, paprika, curry powder, chili powder, cumin, and salt. Remove 1/2 cup of the mixture to a bowl and reserve for serving.
Place fillets in a shallow dish and brush with remaining yogurt mixture to coat completely. Cover and refrigerate 1 hour.
Chips: Place potato wedges skin side down on a large microwave-safe plate; cover with vented plastic wrap. Microwave on high 3 1/2 to 4 minutes, or until almost tender; let cool.
Heat an outdoor gas grill, or prepare coals for a charcoal grill for direct grilling over medium-high heat. Mix butter, garam masala, salt, and pepper in a large bowl; add yam wedges and gently toss to coat.
Remove fillets from marinade; wipe off excess marinade. Brush the cooking grates clean and oil the grill rack. Lightly brush fillets with oil. Grill fillets and potatoes (keeping the grill lid closed as much as possible) until fish is opaque and still moist and potatoes are lightly charred, 6 to 8 minutes, carefully turning fillets once when fish releases easily from grill pan, and turning potato wedges as they brown. Serve with remaining yogurt mixture.

Donating Used Eyeglasses

2009-10-19T15:52:00.000-04:00

**This is part of a series of posts highlighting ways in which you can donate to community organizations and help others even when your budget doesn't have room for monetary support.

Can you imagine how difficult life would be if you were unable to see, but couldn’t afford an eye exam or glasses? It costs the Lions Club less than $0.08 to provide a pair of recycled eyeglasses and change someone's life.

You can drop off your old eyewear at Lions-sponsored collection boxes in your community. Typical locations include libraries, schools, community centers, places of worship, coffee shops, optometrist offices and other public locations where communities socialize and get together.

For information specific to locations in your community, contact your local Lions club. You can also package your old eyeglasses and mail them to one of two locations:
--Your nearest Lions Eyeglass Recycling Center

--Lions Clubs International Headquarters
Attention: Receiving Department
300 W. 22nd Street
Oak Brook, IL 60523

Nutty Zucchini Bread

2009-10-18T15:45:00.003-04:00

I just took this zucchini bread out of the oven several minutes ago and it is good! I used shredded zucchini that I had frozen, along with applesauce cubes that I froze in ice cube trays the last time that I opened a jar of applesauce for a recipe. I used half splenda and half sugar. I don't use really use splenda anymore but I just wanted to use up the rest of a box that I had. Do you use a sugar substitue in recipes? Are the recipe results similar?

Nutty Zucchini Bread

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (or 3/4 c. all purpose and 3/4 c. wheat)
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 large eggs
1 1/4 cups SPLENDA(R), Granulated or sugar or similar sweetener
1/3 cup canola oil
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup shredded zucchini
1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Preheat to 350. Spray an 8- x 4-inch loaf pan with cooking spray. Combine flour, baking powder, soda, salt and cinnamon; set aside. Beat eggs and splenda on medium speed with an electric mixer for 5 minutes. Add oil, applesauce and vanilla; beat at medium speed 1 minute. Add flour mixture; beat at low speed just until blended. Stir in zucchini and walnuts. Spoon batter into prepared pan. Bake 40 minutes or until done. Cool in pan on a wire rack 10 minutes; remove from pan and cool on a wire rack. Serves 12.

Calories 160 Protein 4g Fat 10g Fiber 1g Sugar 2g

Meatless Chili

2009-10-15T07:51:00.001-04:00

I made this chili last weekend and I loved it. It has a meaty texture and look to it with the lentils. This is recipe makes a large amount - 16 servings! I don't have a pot big enough or a need for that amount, so I cut it approximately in half. The recipe didn't seem very spicy or unique--just a basic tasting chili, but still good. We like spicy and complex chili flavors, so I doctored it up quite a bit with extra spices.
If you have a favorite chili recipe but want to make it meatless, I suggest using the spices that your recipe recommends. I'm always looking for new chili recipes to try (any type of meat) so if you have a favorite, leave me the recipe or link in the comments!

Low Fat Meatless Chili

1 pound lentils (dry) (I used brown)
8 cups water
40 ounces stewed or crushed tomatoes -- no salt added
60 ounces kidney beans -- dark, light or mixed
1 each chopped onion
1 each bell pepper -- chopped
3 tablespoons chili powder
3 tablespoons cumin powder
1 1/2 tablespoons ground red pepper
3 cups water

Bring water to boil in Dutch oven. Wash lentils and add to water. Cover, cook on high until boiling, then simmer on low heat, covered, for approximately 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Remove lentils from heat, drain and return to Dutch oven. Add stewed tomatoes, undrained kidney beans and chopped vegetables and 2 cups of water. Cover and bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer. Add seasonings, stirring occasionally. Add remaining water, if desired, to dilute consistency. Let simmer for at least 2 hours or cook in a slow cooker on low for the day. Makes 16 10-ounce servings.

Praline-Crowned Brie

2009-10-10T09:31:00.004-04:00

This is one of my favorite appetizers to take to a party/holiday. It goes great with wine. Trader Joe's usually has good prices on brie. Sometimes I just buy the wedge and use that instead of a round of brie - it doesn't look as fancy though. While the white rind is edible, it makes it harder to scoop, so I just carefully scrape most of the rind off of the top with a knife. I've been asked to bring this to gatherings several different times.

Praline-Crowned Brie

1 15-ounce round Brie cheese (I usually buy a wedge from Trader Joe's)
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon pure maple syrup

Place Brie on a pie plate, scrape white rind off top of round or wedge if desired. Cover with nuts. Pat brown sugar over nuts. Drizzle with maple syrup. Bake in a 350 degree F oven for 20 to 25 minutes or till sugar is lightly golden and Brie is warm, but not runny. If desired, garnish with some fresh strawberries. Serve the warm Brie immediately with crackers, french bread rounds, or GF crackers. Makes 10 to 12 servings.

Sweet 'n' Spicy Roasted Corn

2009-10-07T06:36:00.001-04:00

I made this recipe tonight using corn that I had cut off the cob and froze. I just thawed the corn, mixed the butter and seasonings, and just stirred it into the corn. It gave the corn a nice flavor, but wasn't too spicy.

Sweet 'n' Spicy Roasted Corn

6 large ears sweet corn in husks
2 tablespoons butter
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 teaspoon chili powder

Carefully peel back corn husks and remove silk. Rewrap corn in husks and soak corn in cold water for 1 hour. Coat grill rack with cooking spray before starting the grill. Grill corn, covered, over medium heat for 25-30 minutes or until tender, turning occasionally. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan or in the microwave, melt butter. Add the garlic, brown sugar, red pepper flakes and chili powder. Serve with grilled corn.

Calorie 163 Fat: 6 g Cholesterol: 10 mg Sodium: 62 mg Carb: 29 g Fiber: 4 g Protein: 5 g

Donating Used Athletic Shoes

2009-10-01T07:10:00.002-04:00

**This is part of a series of posts highlighting ways in which you can donate to community organizations and help others even when your budget doesn't have room for monetary support.

Nike's Reuse-A-Shoe program collects old, worn-out athletic shoes for recycling, transforming them into Nike Grind, a material used in creating athletic and playground surfaces as well as select Nike products.The best part about this is that Nike accepts ALL brands of athletic shoes (but only athletic shoes). Drop off up to 10 pairs of shoes to any Reuse-A-Shoe collection location, which can be found at Nike retail stores, universities, athletic clubs, special events or at one of the National Recycling Coalition centers across the country. Due to limited capacity of the drop off locations, they can only accept 10 per donation. If you wish to collect more, you need to apply to host a drive. Everyone has old tennis shoes that aren’t good enough to pass on for others to wear, but hate to just throw in the garbage.

Soles 4 Souls collected new or gently used shoes to distribute to those who are in need domestically and internationally. Many Americans, including myself, take for granted owning several (or many) pairs of shoes. However, much of the world’s population cannot afford even one pair of adequate shoes. You can participate by shipping your family’s new or gently worn shoes to one of the warehouse facilities or drop them off at one of the participation locations. There were quite a few near me, so hopefully they are abundant across the country. If you plan to collect more than 10 pair, you can sponsor a shoe drive by volunteering to collect and package shoes from your area. For more information contactinfo@giveshoes.org.

Pumpkin Dip

2009-09-29T09:26:00.002-04:00

This dip is good with nilla wafers, graham crackers, pretzels, and apples. Use gluten free dippers if needed.

Pumpkin Dip

16 ounces canned pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling)
8 ounces 1/3 less fat cream cheese (set it out 10-20 min. to soften)
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
Powdered sugar to taste

In a food processor, mix the pumpkin, cream cheese and pumpkin pie spice until smooth. Add sugar to taste until desired sweetness is reached.

You could probably use a hand mixer or wooden spoon to mix this up as well...it will just be a little more work to get smooth.

Pull Apart Bacon Bread

2009-09-26T08:11:00.001-04:00

Pull-Apart Bacon Bread is a great appetizer or snack. I like to have pizza sauce for dipping, or just spice up some tomato sauce. The small sized can is about the right size, as the bread has plenty of flavor on its own.

Pull-Apart Bacon Bread
12 slices bacon, diced
1 (1 pound) loaf frozen bread dough, thawed
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
1 (1 ounce) package ranch salad dressing mix
Pizza sauce for dipping

In a skillet, cook bacon over medium heat for 5 minutes or until partially cooked; drain on paper towels. Roll out dough to 1/2-in. thickness; brush with 1 tablespoon of oil. Cut into 1-in. pieces; place in a large bowl. Add the bacon, cheese, dressing mix and remaining oil; toss to coat. Arrange pieces in a 9-in. x 5-in. oval on a greased baking sheet, layering as needed. Cover and let rise in a warm place for 30 minutes or until doubled. Bake at 350 degrees F for 15 minutes. Cover with foil; bake 5-10 minutes longer or until golden brown.

Football Brunch

2009-09-17T06:24:00.001-04:00

If you’re having company to watch an early football game, have brunch! Think of it as a “classier” version of kegs and eggs (because I am a classy lady…stop laughing)! Some of these recipes can be prepared the night before and popped in the oven in the morning so you can sleep in (if you're not too excited...I can always sleep in though). You can have the regular snacks available too…it’s after noon, so anything goes. Tell your guests to come hungry so they don’t eat a big breakfast. I was surprised at how well this went over last year when I made brunch for a game---beer and breakfast food go together just fine.

Brunch Ideas:French Toast Strata, recipe below
Breakfast Casserole, recipe below
Breakfast Cookies
Cut up Fruit, with or without fruit dip
Croissants or bagels
Bacon or sausage (everyone loves bacon)
Baked Ham and Cheese Omelet Roll

Snacks:
Honey Chipotle Almonds or Pecans
Spicy Pretzels
Caramel Apple Bars (these are delicious), click link for recipe

Beverages:
Coffee with Kahlua or Baileys
Bloody Mary’s
Mimosas (yay!)
Cherry Hammocks (cherry vodka and pink lemonade with a floating cherry – courtesy of S.T.)
Most importantly, beer…because on football Saturday or Sunday, it’s never too early to starting drinking.

French Toast Strata

1/3 cup SPLENDA or sugar
1 cup egg substitute or equivalent egg whites
2/3 cup skim milk
3/4 teaspoon imitation maple flavor* or 3 T. maple syrup
8 slices cinnamon-raisin bread
2 cups peeled apples, thinly sliced
1/4 cup low fat cream cheese
1 tablespoon SPLENDA or sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray an 8X8-inch square cake pan with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside. Blend together 1/3 cup Splenda, egg substitute, milk and maple flavor in a medium bowl. Tear cinnamon raisin bread into pieces, approx. 1-2 inches each. Add bread and sliced apples into mixing bowl with other ingredients. Toss to coat bread. Pour bread mixture into prepared pan. Cut cream cheese into 8 chunks and place on top of strata. Blend remaining 1 Tbsp. Splenda Granulated and cinnamon together. Sprinkle over strata. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Bake in a preheated 350 degrees F oven 40-50 minutes, or until lightly browned and set. Serve with extra maple syrup.

Breakfast Casserole
6 slices bread, cubed
2 c. shredded cheddar cheese
1 lb. link sausage, fried and cubed, or bacon or ground pork, browned
6 eggs, beaten
2 c. milk
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. dry mustard
Hot sauce, optional

Beat milk and eggs, add salt and mustard (I add hot sauce now too). Butter a deep dish and layer bread, sausage, and cheese, three layers of each. Top with egg mixture. Let set in refrigerator overnight. Bake 1 hour at 350 degrees. Serve with hot sauce.

Donating Cell Phones and Inkjet Cartridges

2009-09-14T05:47:00.000-04:00

Most people have an old cell phone or three in a drawer somewhere. There are plenty of charities and organizations that can benefit from the donation of your cell phone. Ask your friends and family if they have any to donate while you're at it. I’ve run collections at work for Cell Phones for Soldiers, a local battered women’s’ shelter (through Action Ohio), and am currently collecting cell phones and inkjet cartridges to benefit Komen Columbus, which is the local chapter of the Susan G. Komen for the Cure.

Cell Phones for Soldiers collects old cell phones and to provide minutes on prepaid calling cards for U.S. Troops stationed overseas. ReCellular pays Cell Phones for Soldiers for each donated phone—enough to provide an hour of talk time for soldiers so far from their families and friends . There are 40,000 drop off locations around the US and Canada or you can mail them using a postage-paid label from the website (or your own postage). You can also get a donation receipt for tax purposes off of the website and there are instructions on how to erase the data from your phone before you donate.
If you know a soldier overseas who is in need of a calling card, you can request that one be sent to him or her by providing the APO.

Did you know that deactivated but charged cell phones can still call 911? The National Coalition Against Domestic Violence (NCADV) partners with The Wireless Foundation on the CALL TO PROTECT program. Through the collection of deactivated cell and wireless phones, they are able to provide victims of domestic violence with a way to get help in emergency situations. These donated phones truly provide a lifeline to victims and their children. Phones that aren’t distributed for emergency use are sold to help fund agencies that work to end domestic violence.
If you’d prefer to donate to a battered women’s shelter, you could call your local police department to see if they know of a way to donate locally. In Ohio, you can donate yours to Action Ohio http://www.actionohio.org/ through a local dropoff or by requesting a pre-paid label. When I ran a collection drive at work, they even came to pick up the boxes of phones for free.

Do you have a soft spot for animals? Visit a PetSmart store and look for the PetSmart Charities recycling display to pick up a free postage-paid envelope to send your recyclable ink jet cartridges or cell phones. PetSmart Charities will receive a $2-$15 donation for every cartridge or phone recycled through this program. They only accept certain phones and cartridges, so make sure to check the list on the website.
Now you can purchase recycled inkjet and toner cartridges online here through Recycling for Pets. For each purchase (which ship for free), PetSmart Charities will receive between $2-$5.

Sweet & Sour Chicken Wraps

2009-09-13T06:29:00.001-04:00

My sister gave me this recipe and I've made it several times. It's good as an appetizer, but I sometimes make it when we need just a little something to eat instead of a full meal. I'll take a picture next time and post it because it was hard for me to visualize what they'd look like before I made them the first time.

Sweet & Sour Chicken Wraps

1 cup chopped chicken (I've used canned before, drained)
2 T. chopped green onion
1 T. crushed pineapple (can use more, drain it a bit first)
2 T. honey
1 T. soy sauce
2 tsp. mustard
1 can crescent dinner rolls
1 egg, beaten
2 tsp. sesame seeds

Preheat oven to 375. Combine chicken, green onions and pineapple in small bowl, mix well. In another small bowl, combine honey, soy, and mustard; blend well. Pour over chicken mixture; stir to coat. Pull out 1/2 dough and lay out. Press two triangles together in center, then cut in 1/2 to make two squares. Spoon chicken into each square, pull corners together and seal. Brush w/ eggs, sprinkle w/seeds. Place on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 10-15 minutes or golden brown.

Cal 170, Prot 8g, Carbs 16g, Fat 8g

Thanks, Summy

Spicy Pretzels - Tailgate Food!

2009-09-11T05:35:00.002-04:00

If you need something super-quick and super-easy for a tailgate or other party, these pretzels are excellent.

Spicy Pretzels

1/3 cup oil
1/2 teaspoon lemon pepper seasoning
1/2 teaspoon garlic granules
1 (1 ounce) package dry ranch dressing mix
1-1 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (less for tender tongues)
1 (16 ounce) bag pretzels (regular shape or sticks)

Mix everything except pretzels in a large bowl, glass is easier to clean after the oil. Dump pretzels in on top of the sauce (but try not to pour in all of the salt from the bottom of the bag). Stir until well coated and you get the spice mixture off the bottom of the bowl. They are ready to eat right away, but get better if they sit for alittle while to let the flavor absorb. Store in an airtight container.

(2) Breakfast Cookies

2009-09-10T05:57:00.001-04:00

Breakfast cookies can be a decent grab-and-go breakfast for those who are too busy to stop and eat something in the morning. They are also great for a snack at any point in the day. Below are two (very) different breakfast cookies recipes that I've made...one is healthy, while the other is no-so-much (as it contains bacon). I'd love to try other recipes for breakfast cookies if you have one!

Healthy Breakfast Cookies
3 mashed bananas (ripe)
4 oz. applesauce (small plastic lunchbox container)
2 1/2 cups uncooked quick-cooking oats
1/4 cup skim milk
2 egg whites
1/2 cup raisins (or any other dried fruit you want to add)
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tbsp Splenda , sugar or other sweetener.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix all ingredients in a bowl. Let mixture stand for 10 minutes to let the oats become hydrated. Heap the dough by tsp onto a greased cookie sheet. Bake for 15-20 minutes and let cool. Let it sit for ten minutes. Makes about 20.

Breakfast Cookies (with bacon!)

1/2 pound bacon (could use turkey)
1/2 cup butter
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg
1 cup of flour
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
2 cups of multi-grain flakes or corn flakes
1/2 cup raisins

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cook bacon until very crisp, drain well and break into 1/2 inch pieces. Beat together butter and sugar till light and fluffy. Beat in egg. Combine flour and baking soda; stir into butter mixture. Stir in bacon, mult-grain flakes and raisins. Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheet. Space 2 inches apart. Bake for 15-18 minutes. Remove to rack to cool--about 2 minutes, then remove from rack.

Honey-Chipotle Pecans (or Almonds)

2009-09-07T20:45:00.004-04:00

These are quite possibly my favorite way to eat almonds. The problem is, I can’t make these very often because I can’t. stop. eating them when they are around. People LOVE these…I take these to events when I am too busy (lazy) to make something more involved and people tend to like them more than anything else I’d bring (except maybe these, because they involve chocolate, and chocolate usually wins). They are super simple and quick to make, but you’ll want an hour or so to let them cool/dry when they are finished so they don’t stick together.
If you don’t have chipotle powder, get it SOON! World Market sells it with their bagged spices for around $1.00. Buy a reusable glass spice jar in their kitchen section for another dollar and you are all set (I cut the spice name from the spice package and tape it to the jar with clear tape). If you haven’t noticed, many of the recipes that I post have it as an ingredient. I may have an addiction…

Honey-Chipotle Pecans (or Almonds)

2 tablespoons honey
1 1/2 teaspoons dried chipotle powder
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 cups pecan halves (or almonds)
2 tablespoons sugar
3/4 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 325°F. In a skillet or pan, warm honey with chipotle powder and cinnamon over low heat, then add the nuts and stir to coat evenly. Line a baking sheet with waxed paper and spread nuts evenly in a single layer on the sheet. Bake in preheated oven for 10-15 minutes – you should start to be able to smell the nuttiness, but don’t let them burn. Allow to cool slightly (1 minute). While they are in the oven, combine sugar and salt in a mixing bowl large enough to hold and stir the nuts. Add the warm pecans or almonds and toss to coat evenly. Spread out on fresh sheet of waxed paper and let dry completely. Store in an airtight container.

These are a perfect fall/football snack.

Farmer’s Market Stuffed Peppers

2009-09-05T06:14:00.001-04:00

This is my favorite time of year at the farmer’s markets. Red peppers are here. I’m not a huge fan of green peppers, but love the other peppers. Zucchini, squash, and tomatoes are still available, along with corn on the cob. Several varieties of hot peppers are available too. I often find myself with a fridge full of farmer’s market goodies and no exact plan for them. Here’s a plan.
**As with most of the recipes that I post, do what you like. I rarely follow a recipe exactly and there’s no need for you to do so either, which is why I don’t dictate exact measurements or ingredients. And you can also make up words like I do (thick-slice or liquid-y, which I chose to use instead of salsa-y).

Farmer’s Market Stuffed Peppers
Bell Peppers, halved and seeded (I like red)
Can of Black Beans
2 Tomatoes, chopped (or a can, drained)
Corn cut from 2 cobs (or 1 can, drained)
Zucchini or yellow squash, diced (or/and any other veggies you have around)
½ - 1 onion (red, white, whatever)
1 lime
Cooked chicken, diced or shredded (unless vegetarian), seasoned as you prefer (I used mexican)
Cilantro (desired amount)
Preferred seasonings, such as garlic, red pepper, pepper, cumin, chipotle, hot sauce, italian
Salt and pepper
Poblano pepper or other hot pepper, roasted, peeled and diced (optional)
Flavorful cheese of some sort: goat cheese, feta, bleu, smoked gouda

I think these taste better if you grill some of the veggies first, so if that is an option for you, thick-slice the zucchini/squash and onion so that you can grilled them without having them fall through the grate (or you can grill them diced if you have a grill pan). Just cook until they are slightly softened and grill-marked. While you’re at it, grill the chicken if it isn’t already cooked. And if you are using a hot pepper, you can blacken it on the grill and place it in a bowl with saran wrap for 10 minutes…the skin will peel right off—wear gloves and dispose of the seeds). Grill the fresh ears of corn, if you are so inclined. If you aren’t grilling, sauté the onion in a skillet and add the diced zucchini/squash for just two minutes or so---enough to soften slightly.

While those veggies are cooking, cut and dice the tomatoes and remove corn from cobs (or open the cans and drain) and drain and rinse the black beans. Toss all of these into a medium bowl. Squeeze the lime over the veggies, chop the cilantro if using (Trader Joe’s carries containers of small frozen cubes of cilantro—they thaw quickly in whatever you stir them into…only $1.99 or so), and put into the bowl . If the other veggies/chicken are done by this point, dice them if need and mix them in. Stir the rest of the seasoning in. Don’t worry about the amount…just sprinkle and taste and sprinkle again if needed. When the filling is done, stuff the peppers with it. You may have a lot of filling left, depending on the quantity and size of peppers—use it in a salad later (which is what I originally made the filling for), or just eat with a fork.

I grilled mine---I wrapped them in foil (not all the way around…just made a bowl) and put them on the grill for 20-30 minutes until the pepper looked softened. Or cook them in the oven for 30 minutes or so (just until the pepper is to the softness that you prefer). Shortly before they are done, sprinkle the cheese on top and put back on grill or in the oven until the cheese melts. I sprinkled a little more sea salt on top of mine to bring out the flavors of the cheese.

These are basically peppers stuffed with black bean and corn salsa, but less liquid-y than salsa. They have a very summer-like flavor, in contrast to traditional stuffed pepper, which are more late fall/winter fare to me.

Box Tops for Education

2009-09-04T06:26:00.000-04:00

**This is part of a series of posts highlighting ways in which you can donate to community organizations and help others even when your budget doesn't have room for monetary support.

Before you throw away or recycle (hopefully) an empty package, see if there is a "box top for education" logo to be clipped. Save these "boxtops" from participating products to donate to a local school so that they can earn money through Box Tops for Education. Each clipped box top is worth 10 cents. Click on the link to find a local school where you can drop off your box tops if you don’t have any kids in school. I try to give mine to a lady whom I work with for her daughter’s school or take them with me when I visit family for my nieces and nephews schools. Participating products may include snacks, baby and child care items, cereal, beverages, frozen food, snacks, storage items, disposible dinnerware, school items, and more.

There are a couple of other ways to participate in the Box Tops for Education. You can make purchases at your favorite online stores through the Box Tops Marketplace or purchase books from Barnes and Noble.com through the Reading Room. My Class Essentials is a new program in which teachers can register for supplemental educational that they need for their classrooms. Parents (or other supporters) can search for a classroom registry list and either purchase the needed items or donate money to the registry. The school will earn 2% cash back with each registry purchase.

Each school can earn up to $60,000 per year through these Box Tops for Education programs! With school funding constantly being cut, every little bit can help.

Caramel Apple Bars

2009-09-03T17:19:00.001-04:00

If you need a dessert for tailgating, a football party, or for Labor Day, these Caramel Apple Bars are perfect for the start of fall--and apples are abundant at the farmer's markets! I supposed I should mention that they are also DELICIOUS! I made theses several times last year when I had an abundance of tart apples from my Wayward Seed Farm CSA. (still kicking myself for not signing up in time this year...) Anyway, as I said, I used very tart apples but sweeter ones may be fine--they will just be extra-sweet bars. I don't know that I used shortening, because I'm not a big fan. I usually just use butter in place of it in recipes, so I imagine that I did the same for these--I just can't remember for sure.

Caramel Apple Bars

1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
1/4 cup shortening
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups quick-cooking oats
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
4 1/2 cups coarsely chopped peeled tart apples (3 medium)
3 tablespoons Gold Medal® all-purpose flour
1 bag (14 ounces) caramels

Heat oven to 400ºF. Mix brown sugar, butter and shortening in large bowl. Stir in 1 3/4 cups flour, the oats, salt and baking soda. Reserve 2 cups oat mixture; press remaining oat mixture in ungreased rectangular pan, 13x9x2 inches. Toss apples and 3 tablespoons flour; spread over mixture in pan. Heat caramels over low heat, stirring occasionally, until melted; pour evenly over apples. Sprinkle with reserved oat mixture; press lightly. Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until topping is golden brown and apples are tender. For 36 bars, cut into 6 rows by 6 rows while warm. Store covered in refrigerator.

Calories 145; Fat 5 g; Cholesterol 10 mg; Sodium 130 mg; Carb 24 g Fiber 1g; Protein 2g

They aren't terrible for you...if you can limit yourself to just one. Good luck with that.

Sweet Grilled Bananas

2009-09-02T06:04:00.001-04:00

If you are grilling out over the holiday weekend, consider making grilled bananas for dessert. These are very easy and you can make them as healthy (or unhealthy) as you like. Set out the toppings and let everyone customize their own!

Sweet Grilled Bananas

-Bananas
-Topping ideas:
semisweet chocolate or carob chips
chopped strawberries, peaches, or other fruit
granola or graham cracker crumbs
mini marshmallows
chopped walnuts or pecans
caramel
candy bar pieces
peanut butter
nutella
coconut
cool whip or ice cream for just before serving
Obviously, use gluten-free toppings if you can't have gluten

Preheat grill to medium heat. Hold each banana in your hand, curved side up, and halve it lengthwise through the top of the peel without cutting through the bottom side. Arrange each banana on a piece of foil, cradled so it sits up.
Using your fingers, gently pry open each banana, making a space down the center for the toppings. Arrange toppings down the center of each banana.
Fold foil around each banana, leaving the top open, to form a bowl that will protect it from direct heat. Arrange bananas on grill and cook until banana is tender and marshmallows and chocolate are melted and hot (if using), about 10 minutes. Set aside to let cool slightly before serving, topping with cool whip or ice cream, if desired.

When I made these I used chocolate chips, mini marshmallow, and graham cracker crumbs for toppings. I served them with 1 scoop vanilla bean ice cream. They are very sweet, so the ice cream really isn't necessary.

What toppings would you use?

Kroger Community Rewards

2009-09-01T06:22:00.006-04:00

Over the next month or two, I will be highlighting ways that you can support organizations or help others in your community even when you don't have extra money in your budget to make donations. Let me know if you are aware of other such programs!

If you live in Ohio or Michigan* and shop at Kroger, you have an opportunity support a school, church, or non-profit organization in your community every time your Kroger Plus Card is scanned through Kroger Community Rewards. Kroger has designated up to $5,000,000, to be distributed to the participating organizations this year. There doesn't appear to be a "master list" of programs available, but I typed in "colum" (for Columbus) in the search box and a lot of options came up. If you live outside of Columbus, try typing in the first couple of letters of the city in which your Kroger is located to see if any organizations are registered. If you can't find any local programs to support, consider supporting one the Columbus organizations. Within 7-10 days of registering you will see the name of the organization that you selected at the bottom of your receipts. The Kroger Plus Card may only be registered for one organization at a time, but it can be changed whenever you choose. Participants must re-enroll on an annual basis for the organization of their choice. Some of the organizations that I noticed are the Boys and Girls Club of Columbus, Columbus Metropolitain Library Foundation, Columbus Chapter of the Red Cross, The Children's Theatre, The Columbus Zoo, The Columbus AIDS Task Force, along with many others.

If you are the coordinator of an organization which could benefit from this program, click here for more information about signing up.

If you shop at Kroger, please considering registering your Kroger card. It takes very little effort and could really help these organizations in this economy. Let me know if you do in the comments!

*This program is not available in Cincinnati, Dayton, Springfield, or Lambertville

Garlic Lime Chicken

2009-08-28T05:54:00.001-04:00

This chicken recipe is one of the best that I've ever made and I plan to make it often. It was quick to prepare but consider mixing up the spices the night ahead of time if you are going to be rushed for time--you may even want to mix up extra and store it in a jar. It would be great on seafood as well. I served it with sauteed zucchini and grilled corn on the cob.

Garlic Lime Chicken

1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (can be omitted if you are tender-tongued)
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon thyme
1/2 teaspoon dried parsley
6 boneless skinless chicken breasts or about 12 tenderloins
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 teaspoons garlic powder
3 tablespoons lime juice (I just squeezed 2 limes on top and didn't measure)

In a small bowl, mix together all seasonings, except the last measurement of garlic powder and lime juice. Dredge chicken breasts in seasoning mix on both sides. Heat butter and oil in a large skillet over medium heat and sauté chicken until golden brown, about six minutes on each side. Sprinkle with remaining garlic powder and lime juice and cook 5 minutes stirring frequently to coat evenly with the sauce. Serves 6.

320 Calories; 9g Fat; 55g Protein; 2g Carbohydrate

Chili-Spiced Asparagus

2009-08-17T06:04:00.001-04:00

This is a simple, fresh side dish that would compliment many meals. Try it when you are grilling to eliminate the need to use the oven. This is pictured with Grilled Lime and Chipotle Marinated Tuna.

Chili-Spiced Asparagus
Makes 4 servings

1 t. extra-virgin olive oil or canola
2 bunches asparagus, tough ends trimmed, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 tablespoon water
1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder or 1 teaspoon smoked paprika (I used chili powder)
3/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons sherry vinegar or red-wine vinegar (I used red-wine vinegar)

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add asparagus and water; cook, stirring often, 4 to 5 minutes. Add chili powder (or paprika), garlic powder and salt; cook until the asparagus is tender-crisp, about 1 minute. Remove from heat, add vinegar and stir to coat.

Lime and Chipotle Marinated Fish

2009-08-15T06:07:00.001-04:00

Lime and Chipotle Marinated Fish

6, 4-ounce fresh or frozen swordfish or tuna steaks, cut 3/4-inch thick (I used tuna from Trader Joes)
1/2 teaspoon finely shredded lime peel
1/4 cup lime juice
1 T. chipotle chili powder or diced chipotle in adobo sauce
2 teaspoons cooking oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon snipped fresh cilantro
1 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt

Thaw fish, if frozen. For marinade, combine lime peel, lime juice, chipotle, oil, garlic, cilantro, pepper, and salt. Place fish in a plastic bag set into a shallow dish. Pour marinade over fish in bag. Seal bag; turn to coat well. Refrigerate 1 hour, turning bag occasionally.
Remove fish from marinade; discard marinade. Place fish on greased grill rack directly over medium heat. Grill fish on a greased grill rack on medium for 6 to 8 minutes or until fish flakes when tested with a fork, turning once halfway through grilling time.

I served ours with grilled corn on the cob and Chili-Spiced Asparagus (recipe coming soon).

Dewey's Pizza - Grandview

2009-08-14T06:11:00.001-04:00

We finally made it to Dewey’s Pizza in Grandview to try the pizza that we heard so much about. While I definitely won’t say it was bad, it was below what I was expecting. The building looks pretty small from the outside but appears to be rather large when you walk in, mostly due to the high ceiling. There isn’t a lot of seating, but since it was a Tuesday night at about 8:30, we were seated right away in a booth. A waitress came over right away to explain the menu and take drink orders. They have GREAT beer on tap...maybe 6 or 7 selections, but definitely higher quality beer, such as Dogfish Head 60 Minute IPA, seasonals from Bell’s and CBC, and the like. I actually do not remember what I ordered for beer and it isn’t listed on the online menu…it was a heifenwiesen though, and it was VERY good. He had the Stone Pale Ale, which is good if you like Pale Ale…it had a “fall” taste to me, but I have weird beer assessments like that. They also offer a couple of domestic bottles as well as a selection of wine. So far so good.

We ordered a ½ and ½ pizza so we could have some variety. Half was The Green Lantern with red sauce, mozzarella, minced garlic, mushrooms (which we declined), goat cheese, artichokes and pesto, and the other half was Southwest BBQ Chicken with white sauce, smoked cheddar and mozzarella, black bean corn salsa, amish chicken, roasted red peppers, and BBQ sauce.

When the pizza was brought out just a short time later, it appeared to have a thick crust and plenty of toppings. We both tasted the BBQ chicken first and upon picking it up from the pan we realized that we would need to eat it with a fork, as the bottom crust was rather thin and flimsy and drooped downward. The taste was really good though. We both liked the BBQ sauce a lot and wished there was more on it than just a thick drizzle. There was only 1 piece of chicken on my slice, but it may have just been the piece that I picked. The outer crust was very fluffy, but by the time we got to it we realized that it was very airy and had squished down to about a 1/3 of the original size…good flavor still though. Next we tried Green Lantern slices. I thought that there was enough of all of the toppings and that it was a great flavor combination. It wasn’t very saucy, which was probably good for this one because the flavors of the goat cheese and pesto were really able to stand out and the red sauce would have taken away from them if it were thicker. I liked this one a lot, but the crust was the same description as above. He didn’t like the flavors so he ate the BBQ chicken and I ate the Green Lantern.

Service was excellent---several different servers stopped by to check on us, rather than just one, so I’m not sure if that’s customary or just how it happened that night. It was nice though because we wouldn’t have felt like we had to wait around if we needed something---we could have just waved anyone down.

So while the beer, service, and flavors were great, it wasn’t our favorite pizza and didn’t really seem worth the $17.95 for a medium pizza, mostly because the crust wasn’t what we were hoping for. I did love that we could split a pizza down the middle as far as toppings though, because that would be very useful to us. I do recognize that a LOT of people really like this pizza though, so I don’t want to discourage anyone from trying it. As a matter of fact, I think everyone should try it…..pizza is personal and everyone likes different things when it comes to pizza. We both agreed that if someone else invited us to Dewey’s, we’d definitely go back, but we probably wouldn’t suggest it ourselves. I’d have to say I prefer zpizza when comparing the two.
Have you been to Dewey’s yet? What did you try and did you like it? What is your favorite pizza in Columbus---we’d be happy to do some more taste tests!

Dewey's Pizza
1327 W 5th Ave
Columbus, OH 43212
(614) 487-8282

1327 W 5th AveColumbus, OH 43212(614) 487-8282

Nacho Spuds

2009-08-13T06:19:00.001-04:00

I changed this Rachael Ray recipe a bit, but the concept is still the same---I just added some veggies and used salsa instead of tomatoes. I forgot to take a picture. It was very good and (relatively) healthy.
Nacho Spuds
Adapted From Every Day with Rachael Ray

2 large baking potatoes (1 1/2 pounds total), sliced into 1/4-inch-thick rounds
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil – I used spray oil, so less than 2 T.
Salt and pepper
Chopped onion and garlic, if desired (maybe a 1/2 an onion and 2 cloves garlic)
Chopped zucchini or other veggie, if desired
1/2 pound lean ground beef sirloin
One 15-ounce can black or pinto beans, rinsed
2 tablespoons taco seasoning (Ortega is GF)
1-2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese (I used about 1 cup)
1 cup grape tomatoes, quartered lengthwise (I used salsa, which I stirred into the cooked meat)
Sour cream and shredded lettuce, for serving

Position a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat to 450°. On a rimmed baking sheet, toss the potatoes with 2 tablespoons olive oil or spray with cooking oil; season with salt and pepper. Arrange in a single layer and bake until golden, about 20-25 minutes.
Meanwhile, heat a heavy skillet over medium-high heat and spray with cooking spray or drizzle with oil. Cook onions and garlic until softened, if using -- (I also added chopped zucchini at this point, because I had a ½ of zucchini to use). Add ground beef and cook, breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon, until browned, 3 to 4 minutes. Mix in the beans, taco seasoning and 3 tablespoons water. Lower the heat and simmer, stirring, until heated through, about 10 minutes. If it’s starting to get dry, just add a little more water.
Transfer the potatoes an oven-safe dish or pan (9x13 pyrex or a pizza pan). Sprinkle half of the cheddar on top, spoon on the meat mixture, then top with the tomatoes and remaining cheddar. Since I didn’t use actual tomatoes, I just stirred the salsa into the beef mixture before spreading on the potatoes. Place in the oven and turn off the heat. Let stand until the cheese is melted, 2 to 3 minutes. Serve with the sour cream and lettuce.

***The recipe calls for another ½ T. olive oil to cook the meat…I never need extra oil when cooking ground beef – even using 93% lean. I don’t have any problem with it sticking in my cast iron pan. If I’m cooking onions in the pan first, I’ll spray it with cooking spray for those.

Blondies are more fun...

2009-08-11T06:22:00.001-04:00

Not literally, but these blondies are a great substitute for brownies. They taste similar to a chocolate chip cookie, but are softer and have a slightly stronger brown sugar flavor. I made these for a weekend trip and they traveled well. They aren't very thick so they aren't overwhelmingly sweet....like the Poor Man's Caramel Apple that I ate at the fair last Thursday. Take them to a picnic or party instead of brownies and people will be impressed...plus they are super quick to mix up and pretty hard to screw up...

Chocolate Chip Blondies

1-1/2 cups packed brown sugar
1/2 cup butter, melted
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup (6 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips (I used mini chips and didn't measure, so I probably used more than 1 cup).

In a large bowl, combine the brown sugar, butter, eggs and vanilla just until blended. Combine the flour, baking powder and salt; add to brown sugar mixture. Stir in chocolate chips. Spread into a greased 13-in. x 9-in. baking pan. Bake at 350° for 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack. Cut into bars. Yield: 3 dozen.

Calorie: 102 Fat: 4 g Chol: 19 mg Sodium: 72 mg Carb: 16 g Fiber: 0 g Protein: 1 g

Happy Hour- Bodega

2009-08-08T06:37:00.000-04:00

If you like “good beer” I strongly encourage you to go to Bodega for a happy hour.
They have 50 beers on tap, which change throughout the months – all of which are ½ price during Happy Hour from 4 – 8 p.m. Monday-Friday. I believe that bottles are also discounted, but I don’t know the exact discount. As far as food goes, on Mondays they serve $1 grilled cheese, and they have an incredible Brie Plate appetizer. We also split a pizza, which was good, but not crazy-memorable.

I’ve read some reviews complaints that service is terrible and that the place is full of “hipsters”, but when we went, we didn’t have any trouble with service during the 3 hours that we sat there and I don’t really care what other “kind” of people are at a bar, so I didn’t even notice. I take reviews pretty lightly because rarely are they similar to my experience.

Bodega · 1044 N High St · 614-299-9399

Mexican Mash-Up Recipe

2009-08-06T06:20:00.001-04:00

Call this recipe whatever you'd like, because I just made it up. It's a very healthy but filling dish and can be altered as much as you'd like. I didn't get a picture of it, but I don't know how attractive the pic would have been anyway...Enjoy!

Mexican Mash-up

1 lb. chicken breast
1 bag of frozen peppers, sliced or diced (I used Trader Joes Melange a Trois)…could also use fresh
½ - 1 onion, sliced
2 cloves Garlic, chopped
Oil or butter for pan
Mexican seasonings of your choice
Avocado
Salsa as topping (optional)
Serve with corn tortillas, cooked rice, or over lettuce or spinach

Cook and shred chicken breast in your preferred method, seasoning well with whatever mexican spices you prefer. If you don’t have a pre-mixed Mexican spice, consider using some cumin, cayenne, garlic, chili powder…whatever you like. I put my chicken in a crockpot and sprinkled heavily with Fajita Magic and squeezed half a lime on top. After 4-5 hours on high, it was cooked through, shredded, sprinkled with more seasoning to taste, and put in the fridge until dinner the next day. When ready to prepare meal, slice onion into thin-ish slices. Heat oil or butter in pan on low-med and start cooking the onions, stirring every few minutes. Chop the garlic if using fresh and toss in with the onions once the onions start to soften. When the onions start to brown lightly, dump the peppers in to cook. If using frozen peppers there will be a lot of liquid to cook down once they thaw…just keep cooking until the liquid has evaporated and the peppers start to brown. If using fresh, cook until they are tender and beginning to get browned. The browning gives them a grilled flavor, but probably isn’t necessary if you don’t feel like waiting around. While those are cooking, dice the avocado and sprinkle with some Mexican spices (even taco seasoning mix would work). Top the warmed chicken with the onions and peppers and serve in your preferred method. Don’t mix the avocado throughout if you are going to have leftovers because it will turn brown and gross.
Serve on rice, corn, tortillas, or over spinach as a salad…which is my favorite way. With the avocado, you don’t need any type of salad dressing or cheese.

Green Bean Snack

2009-08-05T06:07:00.001-04:00

Green Bean Snack
Since I picked up my first quart of green beans at the Pearl Alley Farmer’s Market a couple of weeks ago, I’ve been “needing” to have crisp, cold green beans as an afternoon snack. These are very simple and I can prepare and package them in advance.

1 qt. green beans
Pepper
Sea salt
Lemon-Pepper Seasoning (I have a grinder of this from Trader Joes that costs $1.99)
Half a lemon

Bring enough water to a boil to cover beans while washing and snapping the stem ends off the beans. Once boiling, add the green beans and watch closely. You want them to remain bright green and crisp, so don’t overcook. After a couple of minutes, I’ll scoop one out and run under cold water and bite it to check to see if it’s “done” enough. This will be based on your preference, but don’t let them get soggy. While beans are boiling, I’ll fill a large enough bowl with ice water, so that when they are done, I can drain the beans and place them in the ice bath so that they stop cooking. Sometimes I need to change the water so that they cool down enough. When cooled, drain and squeeze the lemon over the beans and sprinkle with the desired amount of seasonings. I like mine heavily seasoned.

I divide between 3 containers and take in my lunch to snack on right from the fridge.

The Time Traveler's Wife

2009-08-05T05:44:00.000-04:00

I just finished reading The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger and I absolutely LOVED it (thanks, Ashlee!). I'm not usually a fan of fiction with a slight science fiction or fantasy twist, but it was so well-written and such a good story that it was impossible to not get drawn in. You may have seen previews for the movie, which I believe will be in theatres on August 15th, so you may want to read the book between now and then. Stop by your local library to see if a copy is available. If not, a new copy is only $8.22 through Amazon.com and is eligible for FREE Super Saver Shipping. Click below to buy from Amazon...

Taco Seasoning Mix Recipe

2009-08-04T17:54:00.001-04:00

At some point I came across some recipes for homemade taco seasoning mix. Since I always have all of the spices, it made sense to just make up a batch of my own instead of getting mad and sending Loren to the store every time I needed a packet of taco seasoning. So…I don’t know where this recipe came from, as with many of the recipes that I have, but it is pretty good. You can adjust any of the seasoning amounts if you’re looking for a different flavor. Sometimes I add some chipotle chili powder for a smoky taste and because I’m obsessed with chipotles. Does anyone else make a homemade taco seasoning? If so, please give me the recipes so that I may try your version.

Taco Seasoning1 tablespoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon black pepper

In a small bowl, mix together chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, red pepper flakes, oregano, paprika, cumin, salt and pepper. Store in an airtight container. Use as you would any taco seasoning…you’ll have to estimate the amount that you’d use in place of a packet.

Savory Pancakes and Cast Iron Pans

2009-08-01T06:16:00.001-04:00

I threw together some ingredients last weekend for a breakfast/brunch dish and was really pleased with how easy and good they were. I was going to make regular pancakes, but didn’t have any bacon or sausage links or patties to serve on the side. I did have some browned loose sausage in the freezer that I thought I could throw in with the batter to incorporate the meat into the dish. I really don’t have measurements for any of this, but you can add as little or as much of anything that you’d like

Savory Pancakes

1 batch of pancake mix, mixed accordingly to directions on the box or a homemade recipe
1 cup or so of browned sausage crumbles or crumbled bacon
½ shredded zucchini, if desired (or other veggie)
Savory spices according to your preferences, this is approximately what I used:
Crushed red pepper flakes
Garlic
Basil
Thyme
Onion powder
Oregano
Salt
Pepper

After the batter is mixed, stir in meat and zucchini if using. I didn’t want sausage in all of the pancakes so I cooked a batch before I stirred in the sausage. Shake desired amount of spices that you’d like to use—don’t worry about measuring, just guess. It’s always better to use a little less than more if you aren’t sure. I probably used at least 1/4 of a teaspoon of each of the above spices, some probably more of. Prepare skillet or griddle with nonstick cooking spray, butter, or oil and heat until drops of water sizzle when dripped into pan. Pour batter into skillet and flip after bubbles start to pop on the surface of the pancakes. Remove from heat when both sides are golden brown. Serve with a touch of syrup if you like to mix salty and sweet or possibly even some sort of gravy if you’d prefer your dish to be completely savory.

If you have a cast iron pan, they work great for pancakes. I ordered one of these Lodge Logic Cast Iron Pans (the 12 inch) from Amazon and I will be getting more because I use it for so much and want other sizes. They come preseasoned, so they are easy to care for from the start. These ship free with a $25 purchase from Amazon and are part of the Buy 3, Get the 4th free promotion (they don't have to be the same item...just part of the promotion). They are American-made

8 inch Cast Iron Pan

10 inch Cast Iron Pan

12 inch Cast Iron Pan

Strawberry-Champagne Soup

2009-07-26T06:23:00.001-04:00

Need an excuse to have strawberries and champagne? Try this "soup" for a picnic or party. I made this for a party and it was a hit. If you'd like it to be more chunky, consider adding chopped pieces of fruit or berries....maybe pineapple or blueberries. We drank it out of glasses, poolside.

Strawberry-Champagne Soup

5 cups of halved strawberries
1/4 cup sugar
pinch salt
mint leaves, chopped (optional)
1-2 cups champagne

Toss the strawberries with the sugar and salt. Puree strawberries and refrigerate for 1-2 hours. Add champagne and mint leaves, if desired.

Green Beans with Brown Butter & Pecans

2009-07-23T17:00:00.003-04:00

Grab some green beans at a farmer's market and try this easy recipe. For more, check out the In Season Recipe Swap at Tammy's Recipes. I served these with turkey kielbasa and baked sweet potato fries.

Green Beans with Brown Butter & Pecans

Kosher salt
2 lb. green beans, trimmed
1/4 cup unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1/4 cup finely chopped shallots
1/2 cup chopped toasted pecans
2 Tbs. fresh lemon juice; more to taste
Freshly ground black pepper

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the green beans; cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Drain and reserve. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, melt the butter. Add the shallots and pecans; cook, stirring, until the butter turns a light brown and begins to smell nutty; be careful not to burn it. Add the beans and toss to coat. Cook until the beans are warmed through, about 3 minutes. Add the lemon juice and season with salt and pepper.

Black Bean Asparagus Salad

2009-07-21T06:56:00.002-04:00

This is a great recipe for get-togethers because it can be served at room temp. As with most recipes, adjust the seasonings to your taste...don't worry about screwing it up--cooking should be customized and it's usually difficult to totally ruin a recipe (except with baking...you should measure for baking).

Black Bean Asparagus Salad

1 pound fresh asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 medium sweet red pepper, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 tablespoon finely chopped onion
3 tablespoons olive oil (maybe could use less)
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
1 tablespoon minced fresh cilantro
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
Dash pepper

Place 1/2 in. of water in a large saucepan; add asparagus. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 4-5 minutes or until crisp-tender. Plunge into cold water to stop the cooking process. Drain. In a bowl, combine the asparagus, beans, red pepper and onion. In a small bowl, whisk the oil, vinegar, cilantro, garlic, salt, cumin and pepper. Pour over vegetables and toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving. Yield: 8 servings.

Calories: 100 Fat: 5 g Sodium: 252 mg Carb: 10 g Fiber: 3 g Protein: 3 g

Want more salad recipes? Check out the Ultimate Recipe Swap at Life as Mom.

Chocolate Chipotle Brownies

2009-07-19T07:28:00.001-04:00

These brownies are pretty amazing. If you aren't very familiar with chipotle chili powder, it gives a smoky-spice flavor, which goes great with chocolate and the cinnamon. Most grocery stores probably sell it, but if not, try World Market. I usually get it there in the bagged spice aisle for 99 cents. They also sell glass spice jars with the kitchenware for 99 cents to keep it in.
If you need to make a big pan of brownies, you can probably double the recipe and use a 13x9.

Chocolate Chipotle Brownies
Recipe courtesy Emeril Lagasse, 2004
Serves: about 24 squares

Ingredients
1 teaspoon plus 1 cup butter (2 sticks)
1 tablespoon plus 1 cup all-purpose flour
4 ounces unsweetened chocolate, roughly chopped
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon ground chipotle chile pepper
4 eggs
1 cup chopped Mexican chocolate or semisweet chocolate morsels

Directions
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
Grease and flour an 11 by 7-inch baking pan or dish with 1 teaspoon of the butter and 1 tablespoon of the flour. Heat the remaining butter and the unsweetened chocolate in a saucepan over low heat, stirring constantly, until melted. In a medium bowl, stir together remaining flour, sugar, cinnamon, and ground chipotle. Add sugar mixture to melted chocolate mixture, stirring to combine. Add eggs, mixing until smooth. Stir in chopped chocolate or chocolate morsels.
Pour mixture into the prepared baking pan or dish. Bake until the center is set, 35 to 40 minutes. Cool completely and then cut into small squares. Sprinkle with powdered sugar if desired.

VolleyPark – New Sand Courts/Leagues

2009-07-14T22:27:00.000-04:00

There's a new place to play sand volleyball in Columbus! The VolleyPark at Sequoia is located at 5501 Sandalwood Blvd. Columbus, Ohio 43229 between Worthington and Westerville just 2 minutes off of I-71. VolleyPark features 3 brand new sand courts, an outdoor bar, and large patio. To celebrate completion of the courts, they are having “Open Court” - anyone can stop by and play this week after 5 p.m., and it will be capped off by a Grand Opening celebration on Saturday July 18, 2009.

League sessions begin the week of July 19, so you must be signed up by this Friday, July 17th! Download your application at www.volleypark.com, and bring it in with your payment anytime after 5 p.m. There are all different formats of leagues, from co-ed to non-coed, 2’s, 4’s, and 6’s, and non-competitive to extreme league (for highly competitive players).

www.thevolleypark.com
Cell: 614.668.6594
Email: corey@thevolleypark.com

Bogey Inn Sand Volleyball

2009-07-14T07:11:00.000-04:00

There are still spots open in several different divisions for the Bogey mid-summer session.
Registration closes soon, so enter asap!

Click on link below for league information!
Bogey Sand Volleyball League Information