Eggnog Rice Puding

I realize that there may be a double groan for many of you on this recipe.  "Eggnog?  Gross!!" Then, "rice pudding?  GROSS!!"  But for those of you who like both flavors, this is a really really easy and tasty recipe!  The eggnog already has all the pudding ingredients and flavorings besides the corn starch.  It's as easy as 1, 2, 3.

Ingredients

• 2-1/4 cups eggnog
• 5 teaspoons cornstarch
• 2 cups cooked long grain rice
• 1/2 cup finely chopped red and green candied cherries
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions

• Place 2 cups eggnog in a heavy saucepan. Combine cornstarch and
• remaining eggnog until smooth; add to pan. Bring to a boil, stirring
• constantly; boil for 1-2 minutes. Remove from the heat; stir in
• rice, cherries, vanilla and salt. Spoon into dishes. Chill 2-3
• hours. Yield: 4-6 servings.

Nutritional Facts: 1 serving (1 cup) equals 250 calories, 7 g fat (4 g saturated fat), 56 mg cholesterol, 161 mg sodium, 41 g carbohydrate, trace fiber, 5 g protein.

Winter Fruit Salad with Pomegranate

Possibly my favorite fruit salad ever. No extra frills, just an amazing combination of delicious fruit and their yummy juices.

1 pomegranate
2 oranges
2 grapefruits
2 crisp apples (such as fuji or honeycrisp)
1 ripe yet firm pear
1 tbsp. sugar (I don't usually even do this)

Slice the pomegranate in half, from the crown halfway to the bottom. Use your fingers to break the two halves apart, then squeeze the halves over a large bowl to release the seeds and juices. Don't worry about getting all the seeds out; just get as many as you can easily without pulling out the membrane. Squeeze out as much juice as possible. Remove any bits of membrane from the bowl.

For each orange and grapefruit, slice a little off the top and bottom. Using a serrated knife, go around the fruit and cut off the skin and white pith. Holding the fruit in one hand and working over the fruit bowl, carefully cut the segments out from between the membranes. Be sure to cut only until you reach the middle of the fruit. Squeeze the remaining membrane over the bowl to release all the juice.

Cut the apples and pear into slices and toss with the other fruits. Add the sugar if desired and toss well, then cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Salmon with Couscous Pilaf

Salmon with Couscous Pilaf

·      1 pound carrots (about 6 medium) quartered lengthwise and sliced ¼ inch thick diagonally

·      1 cup couscous (uncooked)

·      ½ slivered almonds

·      ½ cup raisins

·      ¼ cup chopped fresh mint

·      1 tablespoon olive oil

·      coarse salt and ground pepper

·      4 skinless salmon fillets (6 to 8 ounces each) –I leave the skin on and peel it off when it’s cooked.  It gives you all those extra healthy fats

·      lemon wedges for serving

1. Preheat oven to 450 F.  In a 9x13 pan, mix together carrots, couscous, almonds, raisins, mint, oil 1 1/4 cups water, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper.

2. Place salmon fillets on top of couscous mixture; season generously with salt and pepper.  Cover pan with foil; bake until fish is opaque throughout, 30 to 35 minutes.

3. Transfer fish to plates.  Fluff couscous with a fork; serve with fish and lemon wedges.

Roasted Rosemary Sweet Potatoes

Made this as a side for my crock pot rosemary roast chicken. Ridiculously low hassle and yummy. Excluded the parsley and pine nuts.

2 lbs. sweet potatoes, cut into 1 1/2 inch pieces
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 tbsp. fresh rosemary, chopped
2 tbsp. olive oil
1/4 cup pine nuts
2 tbsp. fresh parsley,  chopped
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. fresh ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 375. In roasting pan or large baking dish, combine sweet potatoes, garlic, rosemary and olive oil. Roast for 45 minutes, mixing occasionally.

Just before serving, add pine nuts, parsley, and salt and pepper. Serve warm.

Crock Pot Rosemary Roast Chicken

And yes, this is actually a picture of one of the times that I myself made this! Oh so proud. :)

SO, I recently learned how to roast a whole chicken in the crock pot, and I am now addicted. It is one of my absolute favorite meals to cook for company, because it can be really cheap, is so dang easy and is so beautiful! You can prepare the chicken the night before, you then stick it in the crock pot during the day, put it on warm if it is done a little early, then not really worry about it until just before the company arrives! The less stress I can get away with before company, the better.

One thing that contributes to this being just about the simplest thing every is my beloved crock pot. I found a well rated 6 quart oval programmable crock pot on sale for $35, and I have been oh-so-happy with that purchase! You need a large oval crock pot like this so that there is room for the chicken and a little room for the air to circulate around it. And with the one I have, it even has a temperature probe you can stick into your meat, and then the crock pot will turn to "warm" once it has reached the desired temperature. AMAZING.

Anyway, wanted to add this to the blog in case anyone else wants to try it, or even just so that I can have an online copy easily accessible. I know it looks long, but that's because I add a few variations/notes. Here it goes.

Ingredients:
1 whole chicken (recipe calls for 3.5 lb, I just did a 5 lb one today)
salt and pepper
8 rosemary sprigs
12 garlic cloves
1 tbsp. kosher salt
1/4 cup olive oil
1 lemon, quartered
vegetables, like carrot, celery, or onion (optional. if you have some extras lying around)

Rinse the chicken under cold running water and pat dry, inside and out. Reserve the giblets. Salt and pepper the cavity of the chicken generously. place 6 (or more) garlic cloves, lemon slices, and 3-4 sprigs rosemary in the cavity. Truss the legs together. (I looked up how to do this on YouTube, and it really is pretty easy).

Mince 6 cloves of garlic and mash into a paste with some kosher salt. Finely mince 4 sprigs rosemary and combine with the garlic paste. (You can also just combine all of this in a small food processor. I also sometimes add some pepper and thyme). Combine the rosemary garlic paste with the olive oil in a gallon zip-lock bag. Place the chicken in the bag, and massage the rosemary/garlic/olive oil into the chicken. Refrigerate overnight.

If you have veggies lying around (like carrots, celery or onions), put enough in the bottom of the crock pot that it will sort of lift the chicken off the bottom, so it won't stew in its own juices. These veggies will also add a little flavor to the stock, in case you want to make a gravy or something with it. Put the giblets in the bottom of the crock pot as well, as they will add a richer flavor to the juices. If you don't have veggies to lift the chicken a little, just make a few little balls of aluminum foil and put them in the bottom, and they will do the same trick of lifting the chicken. Place the chicken on top, and cook for about 1/2 hour per pound on high, or about 1 hour per pound on low. (It took about 5.5 hours on low for my 5 lb chicken).

Once it is done, keep on warm in crock pot until just about ready to serve. If you want to have a nice crisp browned roasted outer layer rather than the sort of translucent, soft moist skin from the slow cooker (yes please!), turn your oven to 500. Transfer the chicken to a roasting pan (I use my cast iron pan as shown in the picture), then roast for 8-10 minutes, or until the skin is golden brown. Wait a few minutes, then serve your delicious, crisp on the outside/moist on the inside, beautiful roast chicken!

ALSO, the juices really do make an incredible stock or gravy. If you want to have the gravy as a side, just skim what fat you can get off the top, strain it well, then heat it on the stove and use a little cornstarch to thicken it. Mmm!!

Crock Pot Chicken and Wild Rice Casserole

From my "Crock Pot: Incredibly Easy Recipes" cook book. Good tasty comforting meal.

2 slices bacon, chopped
3 tbsp. olive oil
1 1/2 pounds chicken thighs, trimmed of excess skin
1/2 cup diced onion
1/2 cup diced celery
2 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
3/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1/2 tsp. dried sage
1 cup converted long-grain white rice (we actually just used regular long grain white rice and it worked fine)
1 package (4 oz.) wild rice
6 ounces brown mushrooms, wiped clean and quartered
3 cups hot chicken broth, or enough to cover chicken
salt and black pepper, to taste
2 tbsp. chopped parsley, for garnish

Cook bacon, and transfer to slow cooker. Add olive oil and spread evenly on bottom. Place chicken in slow cooker, skin side down. Add remaining ingredients in order given, except parsley. Cover; cook on low 3-5 hours, or until rice is tender. Uncover and let stand 15 minutes. Add salt and pepper, if desired. Remove Skin before serving, if desired. (I usually shred the chicken off the bone and mix it in, more like a casserole). Garnish with chopped parsley.

Mediterranean Chicken (or Shrimp) Stew

Also from the Great Food Fast cookbook. Trying to put some of my favorites from random cookbooks on here for quick reference so I don't have to take my bulky cookbooks to Boston! Yummy Mediterranean flavor. We liked it best doing half chicken and half shrimp. You can also replace the chickpeas with cannellini beans.

"Creamy polenta provides a wonderful counterpoint to this hearty stew. (See previous post for recipe). To time everything right, brint the water to a boil while the chicken is browning, then add the polenta to the water when beginning step three of the chicken recipe."

Ingredients
1 1/2 pounds chicken, cut into 3/4-inch chunks (or shrimp)
coarse salt and fresh ground pepper
3 tsp. olive oil
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 can (15.5 ounces) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
4 plum tomatoes, cored and cut into 1/2 inch pieces (2 cups)
2 tbsp. chopped pitted kalamata olives (about 5)
1 tsp. white-wine vinegar
1/3 c. chopped fresh parsley
polenta (see previous post), for serving

Season the chicken with 1 tsp. salt and 1/4 tsp. pepper. In a large nonstick skillet, heat 2 tsp. of the oil over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook, turning occasionally, until golden, 3 to 4 minutes.  Transfer to a plate.

Reduce the heat to medium-low; add the remaining tsp. oil to the skillet. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds.  Add the chickpeas and 1 c. water. Bring to a boil; cook until the liquic is reduced by half, about 2 minutes.

Add the tomatoes; cook over medium heat until starting to break down, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the olives, vinegar, and chicken along with any accumulated juices to the pan; toss until warmed through, about 1 minute. Stir in the parsley. Serve over polenta.

Soft Polenta

From my Martha Stewart "Great Food Fast" cookbook. In Romania this went by the name of mămăligă and was a staple side dish like potatoes or pasta, or served for breakfast (like grits). Yummy and satisfying.

Ingredients:
Coarse salt and fresh ground pepper
4 cups water
3/4 cup yellow cornmeal or polenta (not quick cooking)
1/4 cup finely grated cheese (calls for parmegan, asiago or sharp cheddar)
1 tbsp. butter

In a large saucepan, bring 4 cups water, 1 1/2 tsp. salt, and 1/8 tsp. pepper to a boil over high heat.  Whisking constantly, very gradually add cornmeal in a thin stream (so as not to let it clump).

Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer, whisking often, until thickened, 10-15 minutes.  Remove from heat; stir in cheese and butter until smooth. Serve immediately.

Stacked Roasted Vegetable Enchiladas

Bekah got me wanting to try veggie enchiladas. Don't know if these are the ones she used, but man were they delicious! We loved them, and I will definitely be making them again when I have the time. Might use a little less cauliflower next time. I also added summer squash. Great thing about these is you really can vary the veggies quite a bit and it will still be delicious! From http://www.perrysplate.com/2011/03/stacked-roasted-vegetable-enchiladas.html

Ingredients:

1 poblano chile, cut into matchsticks
2 red bell peppers, cut into matchsticks
1/2 head of cauliflower, cut into 1/2-inch chunks
1 small sweet potato, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes (about 1 1/2 cups)
1 medium onion, halved and slivered
1 cup corn kernels, fresh or frozen
3 T heat-safe oil like grapeseed or coconut
1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
2 garlic cloves, minced
salt and black pepper
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
2 cups homemade or store bought salsa/pico de gallo
2 ounces baby spinach leaves (about 2 big handfuls)
9-10 corn tortillas, halved (try making homemade tortillas!)
2 cups shredded cheese (I used a cheddar-Monterey Jack blend)
sour cream and thinly sliced scallions (green onions) for garnish, if desired

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Lightly oil a large shallow roasting pan or rimmed cookie sheet.
Place poblanos, red bell peppers, cauliflower, sweet potato, onion, and corn kernels onto cookie sheet. Drizzle oil and sprinkle the cumin and minced garlic over top. Add a generous pinch or two of salt and black pepper, then use your hands to mix everything together. After everything is coated well, spread the vegetables evenly in the pan. Roast for 30-40 minutes until vegetables are tender and begin to brown in spots. Stir or shake the pan every 10 minutes for even roasting. Remove pan from oven and reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees F.
Prepare an 8x8x2 or 9x9x2-inch square baking pan with nonstick spray. In a small bowl, stir the cilantro into the salsa. Spread 1/4 cup of salsa into the bottom of the baking pan. Add a layer of tortilla pieces, to completely cover the salsa. Top with 1/3 of the vegetables, a handful of spinach, and 1/3 of the cheese. Make a second layer of tortilla, salsa, vegetables, spinach, and cheese. Top with with a layer of tortillas, salsa, vegetables, and cheese. Cover with aluminum foil.
Bake for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and bake another 10 minutes, until cheese is melted and everything is heated through.
Let it sit for 5 minutes and cut into squares. Serve with sour cream and a sprinkle of sliced scallions.
Serves 4-5

adapted from The Roasted Vegetable by Andrea Chesman

Chicken and Wild Rice Soup

This soup won the award for best soup two years in a row from the families at Harvard Business School. :)

1 cup uncooked quick-cooking wild rice
cooking spray
1 cup chopped onion

1/2 cup Chopped celery

1/2 cup chopped carrot
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 cups fat-free, less sodium chicken broth
1 1/2 cups cubed peeled baking potato
3 cups reduced fat milk
1/3 cup all purpose flour
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese, or 10 ounces light processed cheese, cubed (such as Velveeta Light)
2 cups chopped roasted skinless, boneless chicken breasts (about 2 breasts)
1/2 tsp. freshly ground pepper
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 c. chopped fresh parsley (optional)

More seasoning salt to taste 

Cook rice according to package directions, omitting salt and fat.

Heat large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add onion, carrots, celery and garlic; saute 3 minutes. Add broth and potato; bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 5 minutes or until potato is tender.

Combine milk and flour, stirring well with a whisk. Add the milk mixture to the potato mixture; cook 5 minutes or until slightly thick, stirring constantly. Remove from the heat; add cheese, stirring until cheese melts. Stir in rice, chicken, pepper, and salt. Garnish with parsley, if desired.

Spicy Coconut Shrimp with Mango Salsa

Delicious. I actually didn't make the salsa the way they said, I just did a simpler mango avacado salsa (mangos, avacado, little red onion, little jalapeno, lime juice, salt/pepper). From http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/dave-lieberman/spicy-coconut-shrimp-with-spicy-mango-basil-salsa-and-lime-jasmine-rice-recipe/index.html.

Ingredients

Salsa:

• 1 mango, peeled and finely diced
• 3 scallions, sliced
• 5 basil leaves, julienned
• 1 lime, juiced
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Shrimp:

• 2 fresh jalapenos, sliced
• 3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• 1/2--inch piece ginger, peeled and grated
• 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1/2 lime, zested
• 1/4 cup coconut milk
• Small handful basil leaves, torn
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 15 grinds pepper
• 1 pound peeled, deveined shrimp
• Lime Jasmine Rice, recipe follows

Directions

For the salsa: Combine all ingredients together in a mixing bowl. Make up to a day in advance. Keep covered in the refrigerator.

For the shrimp: In a mixing bowl, combine jalapenos, garlic, ginger, brown sugar, soy sauce, lime zest, coconut milk, basil, vegetable oil, salt and pepper. Add the shrimp and marinate for at least 30 minutes and up to 4 hours, refridgerated.

Heat a nonstick skillet over high heat. Use tongs or a fork to remove the shrimp from the marinade and place in an even layer in the pan, reserving the marinade.

Cook the shrimp until well browned on each side, turning once, about 3 to 4 minutes total. Transfer cooked shrimp to a serving plate.

Add reserved marinade to pan, bring to a boil and cook until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes.

Pour over the cooked shrimp and serve with Lime Jasmine Rice and Mango Salsa.

Lime Jasmine Rice:

1 cup jasmine rice
3/4 cup coconut milk
3/4 cup water
Pinch salt
1/2 lime, zested

Put the rice, coconut milk, water, and salt in a saucepan and bring to a simmer. Cover and gently simmer until liquid is absorbed, about 12 to 15 minutes. Fluff with a fork and stir in the lime zest. Serve immediately.

 

I also added cilantro to my rice at the end!

Karla's Double Brownies

Karla's yummy brownies from the beach. :)

3/4 cup melted butter
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
1 1/2 cup flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 cup cocoa
1 1/2 cup chocolate chips

Cream together bnutter and sugar.  Add eggs. Sift flour, baking powder, salt and cocoa. Add to creamed mixture 1 cup chocolate chips. Spread on top another 1/2 cup chocolate chips.  Bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes.

Grandpa Wood's Hot Fudge Sauce

Man, this stuff is to DIE for. Whenever grandpa brings it to an event, people rave about it. Who even needs ice cream with this stuff? :)

2 sq (2 oz) semi-sweet chocolate
½ cup butter
2 cups powdered sugar
¾ cup evaporated milk

Slowly melt the butter and chocolate. Remove; add sugar and milk alternating.  Whip until smooth. Bring to a simmer, and simmer for 10 minutes as thickens.

Asian Slaw with Ginger-Peanut Dressing

From onceuponachef.com

 

Ingredients

For the Dressing

• 1/4 cup honey
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1/4 cup unseasoned rice vinegar
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon Asian sesame oil
• 1 tablespoon peanut butter (I like Skippy Natural No Need to Stir)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon Sriracha sauce (Thai hot sauce - optional)
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
• 1 large garlic clove, minced

For the Slaw

• 4 cups prepared shredded coleslaw
• 2 cups prepared shredded carrots
• 1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced into bite-sized pieces
• 1 cup cooked and shelled edamame
• 2 medium scallions, finely sliced
• 1/2 cup chopped salted peanuts (or you can leave them whole)
• 1/2 cup loosely packed chopped fresh cilantro
• Sometimes I throw in some chicken

Instructions

1. Make the dressing by combining all of the ingredients in a medium bowl. Stir until the peanut butter is dissolved. Set aside.
2. Combine all of the slaw ingredients in a large bowl. Add the dressing and toss well. Let sit at least ten minutes so vegetables have a chance to soak up the dressing. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary (I usually add a bit more salt.) Serve cold.

Zucchini Almond Burritos

zucchini almond burritos

3 cups chopped zucchini
1/3 c chopped onion
3/4 cup chopped red bell pepper
1 cup frozen corn
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup salsa
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
3/4 cup sliced almonds
oregano, cumin and basil to taste
salt and pepper

cheese
sour cream
avocado
tortillas

in a skillet, sautee veggies and spices in oil until nicely softened. add salsa and beans and heat thoroughly. add almonds. fill tortillas with mixture and top with cheese, avocado, etc.

Fruit Pizza

I am a sucker for fruit pizza in the summer. I have only ever made single sugar cookies with frosting and fruit on top because I have been intimidated by the large cookie crust, worrying about it falling apart.  But last night I challenged my limitations ;) and made a full size fruit pizza for our guests.  I got the recipe from the cook book Sherie gave us for Christmas last year "Savoring the Seasons: Our Best Bites."  It is a fantastic recipe.  I love the almond extract and orange rind in the cookie crust and the orange extract in the frosting was a good idea too.

CRUST
1 C real butter (no substitutions!), room temperature
1 C sugar
1 large egg
1 tsp almond extract
3 C all purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
zest of 1 orange

CREAMY TOPPING
1 8 oz package cream cheese, light is fine
1/2 tsp orange extract
1/4 C brown sugar
1 C heavy cream
1/2 C powdered sugar

FRUIT TOPPING
4 C fruit of your choice, washed, cut into small pieces (if necessary), and patted dry
(I used pineapple, strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, and kiwi)
1/4 C dark or semisweet chocolate chips, or more if you want!

1. For the crust: Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.  Add egg and extract and mix to incorporate.

2. Lightly spoon flour into measuring cups, level off with a knife, and add to a separate bowl.  Add baking powder and salt to the bowl and whisk together.

3.  Slowly add flour mixture to butter mixture and stir until completely combined.  Mix in orange zest.

4. Spray a round 14 inch or larger pizza pan with nonstick cooking spray and, using your hands and a rolling pin, spread the dough out to the edges of the pan.  I used my thumbs to create a decorative fluting around the edges of the crust. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least one hour.  I left about 3/4 inch space around the edge of the pan in case the crust grew larger during cooking.  I think it grew a little but I had extra space left.

5.  When ready to bake the crust, preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Bake crust for 18-25 minutes or until golden brown around the edges and cooked in the center.  Allow to cool completely.

6. For the creamy topping: When crust is almost cool, use and electric mixer to combine cream cheese, orange extract, and brown sugar until light and fluffy.  Whip cream and powdered sugar in a separate bowl until medium peaks form.  Fold whipped cream into cream cheese mixture and combine well.  Spread cream cheese mixture over cooled crust.

7. For the fruit topping: Arrange berries and other fruit as desired over the creamy topping.  Place chocolate chips in a small, heavy-duty zip top bag and heat in the microwave 20 seconds at a time, mashing the bag around until the chocolate is completely melted and smooth.  Cut a small corner off the bag and drizzle chocolate over the berries.  Refrigerate pizza until ready to serve and then cut in wedges or squares.

Grilled Pepper Poppers

I know I haven't posted anything in forever, but this recipe is definitely worth sharing!  We had friends over and grilled last night and I decided to try these for an appetizer.  They are so delicious!  This is a Cooking Light recipe, and it came with the suggestion that if jalapenos are too spicy you can substitute with a milder chile.  I even think it would be good with sweet mini peppers.

1/2 C soft goat cheese
1/2 C light or fat-free cream cheese
1/2 C grated fresh parmesan cheese
1/2 C finely chopped seeded tomato
2 Tb thinly sliced green onions
2 Tb chopped fresh sage (I skipped this)
1/2 tsp kosher salt
16 jalapeno peppers, halved lengthwise and seeded
2 Tb chopped fresh cilantro

Prepare grill to medium high heat.

Combine first 7 ingredients in a bowl, stirring well.  Spoon cheese mixture into each pepper half.  Place the pepper halves, cheese side up on a grill rack coated with cooking spray.  Grill about 5 minutes.  Enjoy!

Fruity Steel Cut Oats

Another one of our favorite breakfasts! The original recipe called for 1/4-1/2 cup brown sugar, but I have never needed to put any brown sugar in at all as all the fruit and the 1/3 cup juice sweetens it quite nicely! And same as with the last recipe, if you don't want to take the time to toast the oats
(or don't want to add the butter), just skip the butter/toasting part, start with boiling the water, then add the oats and simmer.

1 tbsp. butter
1/2 cup steel cut oats
1 1/2 cups boiling water
1/3 cup apple juice
1 ripe pear or 1 apple, peeled and cut into chunks
1/8 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 cup craisins (I love doing mostly golden raisins and some craisins)
1/4 cup pecans (optional)

In small sauce pan melt the butter and add the oats. Stir for about 2 minutes to toast. Add the boiling water and reduce heat. Simmer (uncovered) for 25 minutes. Stir in apple juice, apples, and craising/raisins and simmer for additional 10-15 minutes. If oats are desired softness, remove from heat, and allow to sit for a few minutes. Spoon into bowls and top with nuts (if desired).

Steel-Cut Oats with Bananas and Strawberries (or blueberries)

One of Josie's and my favorite breakfasts! I halve this for the two of us, and usually have a little extra.

1 tbsp unsalted butter *
1 cup steel-cut oats
3 cups water
1 cup whole milk (I use my 1%)
3 tbsp brown sugar
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1 ripe banana, sliced
2 cups strawberries (or I think it's even better with blueberries!)

Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat.  Add the oats and toast, while stirring, until they smell nice and nutty, about 3 minutes. Add the water, milk, brown sugar and salt. Turn up the heat, bring to a simmer and cover. Cook for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally to keep the oats from sticking to the bottom of the pan. Remove the lid and stir in the banana. Cover again and cook for 10 more minutes, stirring on occasion, until the oats are soft and creamy. Stir in the berries right before serving.

*Note: if you don't want to add the butter, or if you don't want to have to take the time to toast the oats, just start by boiling the water and milk, then adding the oats, brown sugar and salt, then turning it down to simmer.

Orzo Salad with Spicy Buttermilk Dressing

 

Cookinglight

Ingredients

    1 cup uncooked orzo

1 cup frozen whole-kernel corn, thawed and drained

12 cherry tomatoes, quartered

3 green onions, sliced

1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained

1/4 cup low-fat buttermilk

3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro, divided

3 tablespoons fresh lime juice

2 tablespoons light sour cream

2 tablespoons canola mayonnaise

1 teaspoon chili powder

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper

2 garlic cloves, crushed

1 peeled avocado, cut into 8 wedges

1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

 

Preparation

1. 1. Cook orzo according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain and rinse; drain well. Place orzo, corn, and next 3 ingredients (through beans) in a large bowl; toss.
2. 2. Combine buttermilk, 2 tablespoons cilantro, and next 8 ingredients (through garlic) in a small bowl, stirring well with a whisk. Drizzle over orzo mixture; toss. Top with avocado; garnish with remaining cilantro and parsley.

Peanut Butter S'more Bars

Seriously, one of the best desserts I have ever eaten. :) Thanks, Pinch of Yum, for the recipe and photo.

 I just looked up how "much" crumbs are in six crushed graham crackers.  One site I found said seven crackers is one cup.  The other site said six crackers is one cup....

I first had these at Justin and Jamie's house and was crazy about them! They told me it was Jessica's recipe!  Thanks to all!....

Mom

Ingredients:

• ½ cup butter, softened
• ¼ cup packed brown sugar
• ½ cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1¼ cups flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 6 graham crackers, crushed into fine crumbs
• 2 Giant Hershey’s milk chocolate bars, 7 ounces each
• 1 jar marshmallow cream, 7 ounces
• ½ cup peanut butter

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a square baking dish with parchment paper.
2. Beat the butter and sugar until fluffy. Add the egg and vanilla and mix well. Add the flour, baking powder, and salt. Stir in the graham cracker crumbs.
3. Press ⅔ of the dough into the bottom of the baking dish. Press the chocolate bars on top of the dough. They should make an even layer in an 8×8 pan. Melt the peanut butter for about 30 seconds in the microwave and drizzle it over the chocolate bars.
4. Spread the marshmallow cream over the chocolate and peanut butter.
5. Roll the remaining ⅓ dough onto the chocolate foil wrappers (or some other nonstick surface). When you’ve made an even square, gently peel it off and press it on top of the marshmallow cream.
6. Bake for 20-30 minutes (the original recipe said 30, but mine is done in less than 25) or until golden brown on top. Let cool for best serving results (see notes).

Notes

For  the least amount of gooey mess while serving, let cool 12 hours (author let hers cool overnight). Remove parchment paper and slice with a knife, wiping it down between each slice to remove the lovely mallow fluff.

Party Punch

I don't know the name of this fabulous party punch, so if you have any suggestions, do tell.

2 Liters Sprite
1 can frozen limeade
1 cucumber peeled and thinly sliced

Combine in a punch bowl and enjoy.

Cinnamon Swirl Cake

This is the white cinnamon cake that Melissa brought to Josie's baby blessing luncheon! Only Mom and Bekah would have been lucky enough to know what I'm talking about, but it was mighty tasty!

Ingredients:

Cake

• 1 white cake mix, prepared as directed on box
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• 1 1/2 c. graham cracker crumbs
• 1/2 c. butter, melted
• 1/2 c. brown sugar

Cream Cheese Frosting

• 1 pkg. (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened
• 1/4 c. butter, softened
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1 to 1 1/2 lbs. powdered sugar

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Spray 9x13 inch pan with cooking spray.
• Prepare white cake mix according to package directions.
• In separate bowl, combine cinnamon, graham cracker crumbs, butter and brown sugar. Stir until combined and crumbly.
• Pour half of the cake batter into pan. Sprinkle half of the cinnamon mixture over batter, then run a knife through it to swirl. Repeat using remaining cake batter and cinnamon mixture.
• Bake according to cake package directions.
• Frosting: Beat together cream cheese, butter and vanilla. Slowly add powdered sugar until desired consistency.
• Spread over cooled cake.
• Optional garnish: Reserve a little cinnamon mixture to sprinkle over cake.
• **I love to serve this cake while still slightly warm!