Homemade Raspberry "Pop Tarts"

Okay, so I'm a little behind on blogging. Life, and my gallbladder-which I recently had removed, have been getting in the way! But after a slow recovery, I am getting back into the swing of things and have been cooking again!
This past weekend I was feeling a bit ambitious, and decided to try this recipe I found in Bon Appetit magazine for "Pop Tarts".  I thought it sounded like it would be a pain, but it was much easier than I anticipated, and they turned out so great that they are worth the work! They also seemed time consuming, but most of the time spent is the dough chilling in the fridge, and then the freezing before baking. Recipe called for strawberry preserves (preferably homemade organic...I didn't have that much time...) but I had raspberry (Smuckers), and they are just heavenly. Any fruit preserves would work. These are so much better than the crap you buy......!!!

Homemade "Pop Tarts"

2 cups plus 2 Tbs. all purpose flour, plus additional for shaping and rolling
1 tsp. coarse kosher salt
1 tsp. sugar
1 cup (2 sticks) chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
4 Tbs. ice water
12 Tbs strawberry (or any fruit) preserves

Whisk 2 cups plus 2 Tbs. flour, coarse salt, and sugar in large bowl. Add butter. Using fingertips or back of fork, blend in butter until mixture resembles coarse meal. add ice water by the tablespoonfuls, tossing until moist clumps form. gather dough into ball. Divide in half; shape each half into disk. Wrap in plastic. Chill at least 1 hour.

Line 2 large rimmed baking sheets with parchment. Working with 1 disk at a time, roll out dough on floured surface to about 13x11 inches. Trim to 12x10-inch rectangle, then cut into eight 5x3-inch rectangles.

Arrange 4 rectangles, spaced apart, on each sheet. Spoon 1 1/2 tablespoons preserves in row down center of each rectangle. Top preserves with second dough rectangle. Using fingertips, gently press all edges of each tart to seal; press all edges with tines of fork to double-seal. Using toothpick, poke a few holes in center of top dough rectangle. Cover; freeze tarts on sheets at least 2 hours and up to 1 week.

Position 1 rack in top third and 1 rack in bottom third of oven and preheat to 375. Bake frozen tarts uncovered until golden, reversing sheets after 15 minutes, 25 to 30 minutes total (some preserves may leak out). Immediately transfer tarts to rack. Sift powdered sugar light over. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Oatmeal Craisin Cookies

I almost always use the recipe for oatmeal raisin cookies that is provided on the oatmeal box, but I found this recipe and stuck it in my recipe binder. My mom is out here visiting since I recently had surgery and we decided to make these. In the middle of making these, we realized we did not have enough brown sugar, so we improvised, and they turned out awesome!  So I am posting our version of this recipe since they turned out so good!

Oatmeal Craisin Cookies:
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup vegetable shortening
1 1/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 Tbs. molasses
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. cinnamon
3 cups oatmeal
1 cup craisins (or you can use 1/2 craisins, 1/2 raisins)

Preheat oven to 350. Cream butter, shortening, and sugar until well blended. Add the eggs, molasses, and vanilla, and blend well. Blend flour, baking soda, and cinnamon, and add to the creamed mixture and mix well. Add the oats and craisins. Stir until meed well. Drop rounded teaspoons onto ungreased cookie sheets about 2 inches apart. Bake for 10-12 minutes.

Confetti Pancakes

As many of you may already know, my husband recently found out that he passed his test to become a Staff Sgt! We found out first thing in the morning, and had to celebrate! So I made pancakes that I jazzed up with some jimmies, and they were a huge hit with everyone!

Homemade Confetti Pancakes:
1 egg
2 Tbs. vegetable oil or melted butter
3/4-1 cup milk
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup flour
2 Tbs. sugar

1/4-1/2 cup sprinkles aka "jimmies"

Mix dry ingredients in a bowl. Whisk together milk, oil or butter, and egg. Mix both combinations together and stir just until mixed. Stir in sprinkles aka "jimmies"
Preheat your griddle, it is hot enough when you drip a few drops of water on and the quickly "dance" and bubble away. For medium sized pancakes, drop about 1/4 cup of batter onto the griddle.  (For small pancakes, pour about 2 Tbs onto griddle) Cook until cakes are full of bubbles on the top and the undersides are lightly browned. Turn with a spatula and brown the other side. Place on a warm plate in an oven at 200 to keep warm until all are done and ready to serve.
*You can make these with some whole wheat flour.
*For blueberry pancakes, add 1/2 cup blueberries. *For any other fresh fruit, sprinkle a pancake with diced fresh fruit before you flip it.

Slow Cooker "Slop" with Red Potatoes

I know the name doesn't sound too appealing, but this is actually really good! We called it slop since it's not the most visually appealing and it's just a bunch of stuff thrown into the crock pot. This is a little something I came up with this weekend. I had surgery on Monday, so I wanted to prepare things ahead of time that my hubby could just throw into the oven or in the slow cooker and call it done. This recipe can include anything else you like.

1 ring of smoked sausage (I used chicken, since it's less fat) - chopped
1 onion - diced
4 medium carrots - diced into "coins"
1 5 lbs. bag red potatoes - scrubbed well
1/2 box of stock, chicken or veggie
paprika to taste

Saute onion and carrot until it has a nice brown, add sausage and paprika. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Get a good brown on the sausage. Put mixture into slow cooker, put whole potatoes on top, pour half of the box of stock in. Set on low and let go for 8 hours.

Next time I would add a can of drained and rinsed beans, probably cannellini. Celery would be a good "filler" to add as well. Next time I would use "baby" potatoes so it's all bite size, but still not a lot of chopping involved. This is so simple, but smoked sausage is such a big flavor it can't be bad. This recipe could also be cut down if you have a smaller crock pot.
We will be having this a lot this winter!!

Quick Enchiladas

Something you can put together quickly, or prepare the filling a day in advance.

1/2 onion
1 28oz can diced tomatoes (or 1/2 regular and 1/2 fire roasted would be great!), drained
1 10 oz can red enchilada sauce
1 15 oz can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 lbs. veggie crumbles, or ground beef
1/2 lbs. shredded cheddar cheese.
2 tsp. cumin
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. corriander
1/2 tsp chili powder
flour tortillas-about  8

Saute onion until almost tender, and veggie crumbles or ground beef. Cook thoroughly through. Drain off fat if you used real meat. Add beans and tomatoes, and all spices.

Distribute filling evenly between tortillas. Roll and place in a greased 9x13. Pour sauce over top, and top with cheese. Bake at 375 covered with foil, until sauce is bubbly, about 20 mins. Remove foil, and bake 5 more minutes.

Cheater Lasagna Pasta

One of my husbands favorite meals is lasagna, but I don't always have the time to make during the week. I made this pasta in hopes of getting our lasagna fix, without so much preparation time...and it was a great success!

1 lbs. pasta-I used rotini
jarred pasta sauce-I used Newman's Own Marinara
3 Tbs. white wine
red pepper flakes to taste
1 cup ricotta
1 1/2 cup mozzarella
parmesan for topping

-Cook pasta in boiling, salted water. Drain. Put pasta back in pot, over medium heat toss with white wine and red pepper flakes, cook until wine is cooked off. Add enough sauce to coat all pasta, heat through. Stir in ricotta quickly, does not need to be smooth in sauce, some "lumps" are good. Put in an oven safe pot or 9x13, top with mozzarella and parmesan, and put under broiler until cheese is slightly brown and bubbly. Take out, and serve!

Pulled BBQ Chicken Sandwich

Using the leftovers from the previous recipe, "Baked BBQ Chicken", I made these sandwiches. As soon as we were done with dinner, I took the time to pull all the leftover meat from the bones and shred it. I then mixed it with a little extra bbq sauce. The next day I put it on a good sub roll, wrapped in in foil, and stuck it in the oven for 15 mins at 375. When it was heated through, I pulled it out, and topped with thinly sliced red onions and tomato. It was very tasty, and a great way to use leftovers!!

Easy Baked BBQ Chicken

This recipe is easily adjustable for the amount of chicken you want to make.
I used chicken thighs, but drumsticks or breasts would work just as well.
Rub the chicken with a bbq seasoning, I love the "BBQ 3000" from Penzey's. Sprinkle with salt to taste.

Brown chicken, skin side down, in 2 Tbs. oil on medium/medium-high, until brown and crispy. Remove from pan and place in a greased 9x13. Bake at 350, about 20-25 minutes (until internal temp of 165). Last 10 minutes you may want to turn the heat up to 425 if you like you skin a little crispy. Remove from oven, and brush with bbq sauce. Serve with more bbq sauce for dipping.
Great served w/ mashed potatoes, corn on the cob, and salad!

"Fancy" Grilled Cheese

There have been a few requests for some easy recipes that a single person, who doesn't like cooking much, and is sick of Lucky Charms could make... 

So I thought I would post this since it's a single serve thing, and you could use things you probably already have in your fridge. Grilled cheese is easy, and also easy to make interesting. Tonight I made this for my husband and I as a quick, late dinner, and it turned out to be one of the best grilled cheese sandwiches I've ever had. 

On whole wheat organic bread (out sides buttered), I put slices of pepperjack cheese, bacon, slices of fresh tomato, and sharp cheddar cheese. Cooked over medium heat. Served with some leftover guacamole in an attempt to clean out the fridge. (Guacamole made with 4 avocados, juice of 1 lime, cumin, salt, pepper, and a few tablespoons of jarred salsa) 

Easy Taco "Meat"

This is an easy and filling taco "meat". We use veggie crumbles to make it vegetarian, but you could use ground beef/turkey. My husband is a carnivore and he loves this with the veggie crumbles.

1 bag Morning Star Veggie Crumbles - or 1 lbs. ground meat
1 packet taco seasoning
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 can (big or small, whatever you like) diced tomatoes, drained

Put veggie crumbles, beans, and diced tomatoes in skillet, add taco seasoning and follow directions on packet. Heat through. If using meat, cook meat first, then add beans, tomato, and seasoning and follow directions. Serve on tortillas with cheese, refried beans, olives, sour cream, lettuce, salsa, whatever taco toppings you like. This is also great for nachos! We have this in our fridge at all times, and it's nice because there's so much stuff in it, it makes a fast and filling meal.

Greek "Chop" Salad

Having 2 little boys on the go, I love any food that can be made quickly, that is not from a box, and still packs a lot of flavor. This is a favorite of mine, and my husband is learning to love feta. This is not a real recipe, just something I throw together. I call it a "chop" salad because that's all you have to do!

Greek "Chop" Salad
1 cucumber-roughly chopped
2 tomatoes-roughly chopped
a handfull or two of kalamatas (I put those on the side since my hubby is not a fan and prefers black)
feta
fresh spinach
any other greens you like, I often buy an organic mix, romaine is always good though
-toss all together with balsamic vinaigrette (I like Newman's Own, Light) or any other greek vinaigrette
-Good with grilled chicken! I rubbed the breasts with balsamic vinegar, then brushed with olive oil and seasoned with a greek seasoning and grilled. Also good with grilled steak strips.

Sean approved!

-Good the next day in a pita!!!

Fish Tacos

These are great, and easy! Also gluten free.

Fish Tacos:
1 lbs. boneless, skinless tilapia fillets, cut into 2 inch pieces
2 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
coarse salt and ground pepper
1/4 cup sour cream
1 lime, half finely zested and juiced, half cut into wedges
hot sauce, such as Tabasco
12 corn tortillas
1/2 small head red cabbage, thinly sliced
1 cup fresh cilantro
1 small white onion finely chopped

1. Heat broiler, with rack in highest position. Pat fish dry with peper towels and gently coat with oil on a rimmed baking sheet. Season with salt and pepper (I used adobo seasoning). Broil until fish is browned on top and flish is opaque throughout, about 5 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine sour cream,  lime zest and juice, and a few dashes of hot sauce. Season with salt and pepper. Toast corn tortillas over a kitchen burner using tongs or wrap in parchment-lined foild and heat in oven, 5 minutes. Divide fish evenly among tortillas and top with cabbage, cilantro, and onion. Serve with lime sour cream and lime wedges. Serves 4.

Note: I made a "slaw" with the cabbage, cilantro and onion and squeezed fresh lime juice over it all ahead of time. Then at dinner time when the fish was done I could just put the "slaw" on the tortillas with fish and sour cream quickly and still got everything on there!!

Fresh Mushroom Risotto

This is to die for. It's not very complicated, it's just a lot of stirring. For whatever reason, every time I make this a child has to cry or have a full blown tantrum which makes this a little more difficult. Definitely worth the work even if I have to do it with kids screaming the whole time....

Fresh Mushroom Risotto:

the mushrooms:
2 Tbs. butter
1 Tbs. olive oil
1/2 cup finely diced white onion or shallot
12-16 ounces white or portobello mushrooms (or a combo), thinly sliced
1 large garlic clove, finely chopped
salt and fresh milled pepper
1/2 lemon

the rice:
5 1/2 to 6 1/2 cups mushroom stock, or vegetable or chicken-I think it takes more...have extra stock just in case.
2 Tbs. butter
1/2 cup finely diced onion or shallot
1 1/2 cups Arborio rice
1/2 cup dry white wine or Marsala
1/3 to 1/2 cup cream
1/2 cup grated parmesan
1/4 cup chopped parsley (I like italian flat leaf)

Heat the butter and oil in a wide skillet, add the white onion and cook over medium heat for about 5 minutes, stirring frequestly. Add the mushrooms, raise the heat and saute until browned around the edges, about 5 minutes. (I think it takes longer..) Add the garlic, season with salt and pepper, and squeeze lemon juice over all. Turn off heat and set aside.

Have the stock at a simmer. Melt the butter in a wide pot. Add the onion and cook over medium heat to soften, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the rice, stir to coat, and cook for 1 minute. Add the wine and simmer until it's completely absorbed. Add 2 cups stock, cover, and cook at a lively simmer until it's absorbed. Begin adding the stock in 1/2 cup increments (about a ladle full), stirring constantly until each addition is absorbed before adding the next one. About half way through, add the mushrooms. After the last addition, add the cream and stir with more vigor. Taste for salt and pepper. stir in the parmesan and parsley and serve.

Not your traditional Tuna Melt

Recently found this recipe, a little twist on a classic. I used day old french bread that I made. We will be having this again! It was easy, plus you can make the tuna salad part ahead of time, then it just takes minutes to assemble and broil.

"Emeril's Kicked-Up Tuna Melts"

4 cans (5oz each) solid white tuna packed in water, drained.

1/3 cup mayo, plus more for spreading

1/4 finely chopped red onion

4 tsp. capers, rinsed and drained

1 Tbs. fresh lemon juice

1/2 tsp. coarse salt

1 tsp. ground pepper

1/4 tsp. dried oregano

4 slices crusty bread

8 thin slices of tomato

4 slices provolone

1. Heat broiler, with a rack in highest position. In a medium bowl, combine tuna, mayo, onion, capers, lemon juice, salt, pepper, and oregano and stir until thoroughly combined.

2. Arrange bread on a baking sheet and spread a little mayo on each slice. Divide tuna salad evenly among slices, then top each with 2 slices tomato and 1 slice cheese. Broil until cheese is golden brown and bubbling, 3 to 4 minutes.

If your not into the whole tuna melt thing, the salad alone is great too!

Irish Potato Chowder

Irish Potato Chowder:

7 Tbs. butter, divided

7 Tbs. flour

1 cup chopped onion

2/3 cup diced carrots

2/3 cups diced celery

1 tsp. dried basil

1 tsp. dried parsley

1 tsp. freeze dried chives

4 cups vegetable or chicken stock

5 cups peeled, diced potatoes ( about 1 1/4 lbs)

3 cups milk

1/2 cup sour cream

1/8-1/4 tsp. hot pepper sauce

salt and ground white pepper to taste

1. To make, roux, melt 5 1/2 Tbs. butter in a small sauce pan. Stir in flour until well blended. Cook over low heat, stirring often, for 3-5 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.

2. Melt remaining 1 1/2 Tbs. butter in a soup pot; add onions, carrots, celery, basil, parsley, and chives; cook about 10 minutes, until tender.

3. Add stock and potatoes and simmer until potatoes are tender.

4. Stir in milk; return to simmer and whisk in roux until liquid is thickened and smooth. Simmer 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, then add sour cream, hot pepper sauce and season to taste with salt and ground white pepper.

We like to top this with bacon crumbles and shredded cheddar cheese.

Avocado Club Panini

First let me say, sorry it's been awhile. Life has been crazy lately!

Also my camera is broken so I've been taking these photos in "photo booth" so they are not great.

Avocado Club Panini:

avocado-sliced

tomato-sliced

bacon-cooked and drained

Deli Turkey-I used roasted, peppered, use whatever you like

pesto-could use whatever condiment you like

red onion-thinly sliced

good bread

cheese-I used mozzarella, could use pepper jack or whatever you like-sliced

Butter the out sides of the bread, like you would for grilled cheese. On the inside spread pesto. Layer cheese, turkey, avocado, tomato, bacon, red onion, and more cheese. I do not have a panini press so I put it on my grill pan and put another heavy pan on top to press it. I like to put the avocado and tomato in the middle so it doesn't get to warm, and the cheese right on the bread so it gets good and melty.

Homemade Mac & Cheese

This is currently my favorite recipe for homemade mac & cheese. It seems like it calls for a lot of milk, but the sauce really does thicken if you follow the directions.

3 Tbs. unsalted butter

1/4 cup finely chopped onion

1/3 cup all-purpose flour

coarse salt

4 cups whole milk (I use skim and it turns out fine...)

1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper

3/4 lbs. shell pasta (any shape you like, and I use a whole lbs.)

4 cups coarsely grated sharp cheddar (close to a lbs.)

1 tsp. Dijon mustard

1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

1. In a medium saucepan, melt butter over medium heat; add onion and cook until softened, about 4 minutes. Add flour and 1/2 tsp salt; cook, stirring frequently , until mixture is pale golden, has a slightly nutty aroma, and is the texture of cooked oatmeal, about 5 minutes.

2. Whisking constantly, pour in 2 cups milk; add 2 more cups milk and cayenne and whisk until smooth. Cook mixture, stirring constantly along bottom of pan, until boiling, 6 to 7 minutes. Reduce heat to low. Simmer gently, stirring occasionally, until sauce thickens and does not feel grainy when a small amount is rubbed between two fingers, about 10 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, in a large pot of boiling slated water, cook pasta until al dente; drain throughly and return to pot. Remove sauce from heat and let cool 10 minutes. Quickly whisk in cheese, mustard, and Worcestershire. Pour cheese sauce over pasta and stir to coat.

Fried Rice

Fried rice is a favorite in our house. It is one of my favorites because it is an easy way to use leftover rice, which we always have in the fridge. I don't have a real recipe, I just throw in whatever I have.

In a large pan or pot I cook a few eggs in vegetable oil, the way you would do scrambled eggs. Once cooked I take them out of the pan, break them up a bit, and set aside. In that same pot, saute onion and whatever veggies you want to throw in and saute a few minutes, you don't want them to be mush-a little crunch is good. Throw in some chopped garlic and cook a few more minutes. Tonight I used a red bell pepper and shredded carrot. I then add already cooked rice and drizzle a little soy sauce over and literally fry it until heated through and a little golden brown. At the very end I throw the eggs back in. We had fish with the fried rice tonight that I seasoned with "Black and Red Spice" which is red and black pepper. I also put some of Penzey's "Bangkok Blend" in the fried rice. Keep in mind you don't need much oil for this, just enough to keep everything from sticking.

Here are a few ideas of other things you could put in:

-green onion (add at the end)

-tofu

-shrimp

-left over chicken, pork, or steak

-shredded carrot

-water chesnuts

-chopped bell pepper

-peas

-edamame

-snap peas

-broccoli

Shrimp Curry

This is a recipe we tried for the first time tonight, and greatly enjoyed. It was very, very simple. It more of a sweet curry.

1 cup chopped onions

4 tsp. olive oil, divided

1 red bell pepper, cut into strips

1 lbs. uncooked, peeled shrimp

1 Tbs. curry paste

2 Tbs. water

1 cup light coconut milk

1 stp. curry powder

3 cups cooked brown rice

1. In a large skillet, saute the onions on medium in 2 tsp. oil until carmelized, about 8-10 minutes. Meanwhile, in another large skillet, saute pepper strips and remaining oil on medium, about 3 minutes. Add the shrimp, cook for another 2 t 3 minutes, until they are opaque.

2. Puree onions and curry paste with water until almost smooth. Add puree, light coconut milk, and curry powder to the shrimp and peppers. Simmer quickly, just to thicken the sauce. Stir in the rice, cook another minute or two. Serves 4.

I always follow recipe exactly the first time I use it, but on this one there are a few things I would change for next time. I would add more bell pepper, and use a combination of red, orange, and yellow. You can go much lighter on the oil. I would also add a pinch of salt. Snow peas and edamame would be great additions and would add some color (you do eat with your eyes first...). You could add more curry paste if you like it a little hotter.

Banana Bread!

Banana bread is something I grew up with, although I wasn't a big fan until recently! It's so easy, and so tasty. My favorite recipe is my grandma's, but it's a little sweeter than some others.

Grandma's Banana Bread:

3/4 cup sugar

1 egg

1/2 cup butter

1 cup ripe bananas-mashed or pureed

3 Tbs. milk

2 cups flour

1 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. vanilla

1 cup chocolate chips (optional, but recommended!)

1/2 cup walnuts (optional)

Preheat oven to 350.

Blend sugar and butter together until smooth. Add egg and vanilla, mix well.

In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add milk to banana.

Alternate adding the flour mixture and banana mixture to the butter and sugar mixture. Mix well after each addition. Scoop into a greased loaf pan or muffin pan with paper liners (fill about 2/3 way full). Muffins take about 10-12mins and about an hour for the loaf, (but you want to check it after about 45mins give or take). You want it to be slightly golden brown and if you push on the center it should spring back, not stay indented, or of course you can insert a tooth pick-it should come out clean. Cool on a wire rack. Can freeze-to do so wrap in plastic wrap, then in foil.

Tuna Puttanesca

A while back, I had tuna puttanesca for the first time. It wasn't my favorite, but I didn't dislike it. When meal planning for this week, I stumbled across a different recipe for tuna puttanesca and thought I should give it a second try. So tonight we had it, and I must say I really loved it second time around! I'm not sure if I just knew what to expect this time, or if I just prefer this recipe over the other. Either way, it going to made more frequently in this house.

According to epicurious.com:

puttanesca sauce; alla puttanesca

[poot-tah-NEHS-kah]
Generally served with pasta, this sauce is a spicy mélange of tomatoes, onions, capers, black olives, anchovies, oregano and garlic, all cooked together in olive oil. A dish on a menu described as alla puttanesca signals that it's served with this sauce. The name puttanesca is a derivation of puttana , which in Italian means "whore." According to one story, the name purportedly comes from the fact that the intense fragrance of this sauce was like a siren's call to the men who visited such "ladies of pleasure."

Read More http://www.epicurious.com/tools/fooddictionary/entry?id=4146#ixzz0qDUdopxy

Linguine With Tuna Puttanesca:

kosher salt

12 oz linguine

4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

1/4-1/2 tsp red pepper flakes

2 Tbs. capers, drained

1/2 cup roughly chopped kalamata olives (or black olives)

1 28 oz can diced tomatoes, save juice

4 basil leaves, torn, plus more for garnish

1 5 oz. can albacore tuna, packed in olive oil

freshly ground pepper

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the linguine and cook until al dente.

2. Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook, stirring, until slightly toasted, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the capers and olives and fry 2 more minutes. Add just the diced tomatoes, saving the juice. Cook until the tomatoes are slightly dry, about 2 minutes. Add the reserved tomato juice and stir until sauce thickens. Add the tuna, with it oil, breaking it up with a fork, and season with salt.

3. Drain pasta, reserving 1/2 cup of the cooking water, and return it to the pot. Add the sauce and the reserved cooking water and sauce. Season with pepper and garnish with more basil.

Transform Leftover Bake Potatoes

Left over baked potatoes are a great thing to have in the fridge. I always make potato hash or fried potatoes. Just roughly chop up and onion, throw in a pan with some butter, chopped leftover potatoes, and anything else you want to throw in and fry until browned and heated through. Today as a lunch I threw in a chopped bell pepper, garlic, and some of Penzey's Ozark Seasoning. Could add sliced or shredded meat, or would be great alongside eggs.

Enchiladas

These are by far my favorite enchiladas! My mom always made these when I was growing up, and I know they are a favorite to everyone in family. They are easy to do, you can make the sauce ahead of time to store in the fridge for later in the week, that way all you have to do is assemble them! All of the ingredients are fairly cheap, and it is a filling meal that everyone will love!!

Enchiladas:

for sauce:

1 cup chopped onion

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 cup flour

2 cups chicken or vegetable broth

1/2-1 4oz can chopped green chilis ...depending on how mild you want it...I use the whole can

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

1 tsp ground cumin

for filling and topping:

1/8 cup minced onion

1/2 lbs. grated cheddar

1/2 lbs. grated monterey jack

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

1 tsp ground cumin

shredded chicken (I like to season it with a little adobo seasoning and cayenne red pepper)

and/or

refried beans (I use fat free, and I add a pinch of cayenne red pepper to spice them up)

flour tortillas-about 13

For sauce: Saute onion in oil until tender, add garlic, cook 2 minutes. Stir in flour, cook 2 minutes. Add broth, stir until bubbly and thickened. Stir in chilis, salt, pepper, and cumin, set aside. (or store in an air tight container in fridge if using at a later time)

For filling: Combine all ingredients except chicken and/or beans. Reserve one cup of cheese mixture.

Assembly: Spread a little sauce in bottom of a greased 9x13 pan. Lay all tortillas out on table. Evenly distribute chicken and/or beans, then cheese mixture. Roll up and place in pan. Top with remaining sauce. Cover with foil, bake 20-25 minutes at 375, until it looks bubbly. Remove foil, top with reserved cheese, return to oven for 5 minutes, or until melted. You can garnish with olives, green onions, salsa, sour cream. Serve with rice on the side.

Build Your Own Potatoes

Anyone who knows me, knows how much I love potatoes! So it's no wonder that this is one of my favorite meals, and it definitely doesn't hurt that it is so simple. We call it "build your own potato"...and it is just that. I bake potatoes (scrub under under running water until clean, poke holes in it with a fork, rub them with olive oil and sprinkle kosher on them since we love eating the skins in this house, and bake for about an hour give or take at 350). Then I just set up an assembly line of toppings like steamed broccoli, shredded cheese, sour cream, crumbled bacon, and salsa. Everyone takes a potato and puts what they want on it, it's easy, and everyone is happy! You can keep it as simple as you want or you could get much more creative with your toppings. Left over chili makes a great topping for baked potatoes, you could try any "theme", like taco potatoes with salsa, monterey jack, green onions, and olives, or pizza potatoes with mozzarella, italian sausage, and onion. Be creative, a potato is good start to something great!

Another Pesto Favorite...

One of my other favorite things to do with pesto is put it in panini or grilled cheese. Today, in a hurry, I just spread it on the inside of some good bread, and put mozzarella cheese in between the slices, buttered the outer sides of the bread, and cooked it the way you would a grilled cheese. On a day when I don't have two children screaming at me for their lunch, I would do it in a grill pan and use a second pan to press it. I also really like to add fresh tomatoes, sauteed mushrooms or fresh spinach, but again, that is something I would do on a day with no screaming children :) I did still manage to greatly enjoy this one, and my oldest son, Kieran, ate some too.

Everybody Loves Chocolate!

I'm going to keep this one short since I think chocolate kinda speaks for itself....and also because I am trying to shove some delicious brownie into my mouth right now... :)

The one thing I will say is this, buy a high quality, naturally high fat cocoa powder. Words cannot explain the difference it will make in your baking. I, of course, buy mine from Penzey's. Since making the switch I can definitely tell the difference, brownies are so much more dense with a deeper chocolate flavor. And the price isn't much different than the common grocery store brands!

(The BEST) Brownies:

3/4 cup cocoa powder

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1/2 lbs. butter

2 tsp. vanilla

4 eggs, well beaten

2 1/2 cups sugar

1 3/4 cups flour

1/4 tsp salt

*powdered sugar for the top-optional

In a heavy pan, melt butter with cocoa and oil. Let cool completely. Beat eggs, vanilla, and sugar together. Add cooled chocolate mixture. Add flour and salt, mix well. Spread evenly in a foil lined, greased, 9x13 pan. Bake 20-25 minutes at 350.

This one below is a new favorite of mine, I found it in Rachael Ray's magazine, and they are to die for!

Peanut Butter-Stuffed Milk Chocolate Sandwich Cookies:

Makes 8.

2 1/2 cups (15oz) milk chocolate chips

4 Tbs. unsalted butter at room temp.

1/4 cup plus 2 Tbs. flour

1 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

2 eggs, at room temp

1/2 cup sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

1/2 cup creamy peanut butter

3 Tbs. confectioners sugar (powdered sugar)

1. Preheat oven to 350. Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper. In a medium bowl, melt together 2 cups chocolate chips and 2 Tbs. butter on medium power until almost melted, about 1 1/2 minutes; stir just until smooth.

2. In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and 1/4 tsp. salt. Using an electric mixer, beat together the eggs, granulated sugar and vanilla at high speed until thickened and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Mix in the melted chocolate at medium speed; whisk in the flour mixture. Stir the remaining 1/2 cup chocolate chips. Refrigerate the dough until firm enough to scoop, but still soft, 10- 15 minutes

3. Onto each prepared pan, drop 12 rounded tablespoons of dough 2 inches apart. Bake, switching and rotating the pans halfway through baking, until the cookies appear bubbly and still soft, about 15 minutes *(I thought it took less time, about 8 minutes, If I left them in 15 minutes they were crunchy cookies, not soft and chewy)* Let cool completely.

4. In a medium bowl, beat together the remaining 2 Tbs. butter and the peanut butter. Sift in the confectioners' sugar and the remaining 1/4 tsp. salt; beat until fluffy. On the flat side of each of 8 cookies, spread about 1 1/2 tablespoons of the peanut butter mixture; sandwich with the remaining cookies.

Homemade Pizza

I think pizza is pretty much everyones favorite food, or it's at least at the top of your list! But eating out, ordering in, and frozen pizzas can be pricey, and it's not always great quality pizza. The best thing you can do is learn to make your own pizza crust! It's easy to do, and it's not nearly as time consuming as you may think. You make it with ingredients you more than likely have in your house anyways, you can chose your own toppings, you know that they are good quality, and it's always fun for kids to top their own pizza! If you're making your own crust, you can make personal pizzas, you can make shapes, you can make a thicker crust, or a super thin crust. Once you know the recipe you will see how simple it is to tailor it to your liking. I like to make it part whole wheat, and I also like to throw in some oat bran for texture. In our house, our favorite toppings are onion, olives, marinated artichoke hearts and turkey pepperoni. Our favorite sauce is Newman's Own Marinara. The following is a basic recipe that has been used in my family for a long time. However when my grandma makes it, it is very different than my mom's, and mine is different from both of theirs, but they are all great!

Pizza Crust:

about 2 1/2 cups flour (can use some whole wheat flour)

2 1/2 tsp. yeast

1 1/2 tsp. salt

1 cup warm water

2 Tbs. olive oil

Combine 1 cup of the flour with the yeast and salt in a large bowl. Add the water and olive oil and stir until smooth. Gradually add the remaining flour until the dough is workable. Knead it briefly, you can do this right in the bowl. Cover with a towel and let it rise for about 30 minutes. In the meantime you can prep your pizza toppings (chop olives, peppers, onions, etc.) Punch down the dough, roll out onto a lightly floured surface. Work dough until it is the shape of your pizza pan (you can use a cookie sheet or whatever you have). Transfer the dough onto a cornmeal dusted pan. Let rest for about 15 minutes. Bake crust for about 8-10 minutes (depends on the size) in a 425 degree oven. Check it occasionally, it may form bubbles that you can just poke with a fork. Let the crust cool slightly before topping with sauce, cheese, and toppings. Once topped, bake for 15-25 minutes (again depending on size, and how brown you like your crust) until edges are golden brown and cheese is melted.

Pesto

Summer is not summer without pesto! It's wonderful on pasta, veggies, bread, anything!! So this year I am growing a few basil plants since I don't want to go broke trying to buy fresh basil to feed my addiction. I made my first batch this past weekend and it turned out great. The following is my favorite recipe. It is very simply, and full flavored! Since this is a simple recipe, I rarely measure anything since it's easy to eyeball.

You will need:

4 cups of fresh basil

approximately 1/3 cup olive oil (use good quality extra virgin, it's worth it!)

1/3 cup pine nuts (a small handful) - toasted

2-3 garlic cloves

about 1/2 cup parmesan (a good handful)

kosher salt & fresh ground pepper to taste

To toast the pine nuts, just put them in a pan over medium heat for a few minutes, don't let them get more than a golden brown, they are very oily and burn quickly!

Combine basil, pine nuts, garlic, and parmesan in a food processor and let it go until it's become a paste. While the food processor is still going, drizzle in the olive oil a little at a time until it is the consistency you like, you really just want to add moisture and a little flavor, don't over do it. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

To store, keep in an airtight container and you may also want to put plastic wrap over it because it will discolor a bit if exposed to air.

You can also freeze it!! Before freezing drizzle a little olive oil over it so it doesn't discolor. You will be glad you saved some when december rolls around....!!!

My absolute favorite pesto dish is a pasta dish. I saute fresh chopped mushrooms with a little garlic, salt, and pepper. I add cooked noodles (I like a curly shape that holds lots of sauce in them) and heat them through with the mushrooms, add fresh chopped tomatoes, and deglaze the pan with a splash of white wine. I remove it from the heat once the wine has cooked out, and I add some pesto, just enough to coat all the pasta, and serve with some extra parmesan on top. It is so simple, and so tasty!

A Bit on Baby Food...

I figure I should write a little something about this while I'm still doing it...

With both my boys I've made homemade baby food. For a few reasons...it's much, much, much cheaper than buying it in a jar/tub, and most importantly, it tastes SO much better! The shock didn't hit me until I did a home comparison. When you buy a jar of green beans, for example, you will notice the dull, slightly brownish green color, and all I have to say about that is "YUCK!" Besides that the color is less than appealing, you will pay roughly fifty cents for a 4 oz jar. This makes little to no sense to me since you can buy a bag of frozen green beans for less than a dollar, you can spend 10 minutes cooking them yourself, moments pureeing them, and a few more minutes putting them into the proper storage container. And let me add, that when you do that, the color of that baby food is a bright, beautiful green! SO much more appetizing!

My mom gave me the idea to do it with my first son, it was something she had done with us kids. At the time I thought, "I'll give it a shot, if it's too time consuming we can just buy it". However with every new vegetable or fruit I made for my son, I was amazed at how good it looked and smelled, and most importantly, how much he loved it! To this day my sons favorite foods include broccoli, any green vegetable really, carrots, ect. This a boy who will have a tantrum in the grocery store when he sees that I'm buying apples and I won't let him have one in the store. A boy who will eat peas and carrots over crackers in an instant! I truly believe this is because he was exposed to so many foods, ones that children stereotypically don't like, in an appealing manner at such a young age.

My other issue with store bought baby food is the lack of selection. You are pretty limited to apple, pear, banana, carrot, green beans, sweet potatoes, and some combinations of these. Introducing solids is really setting your childs pallet. How can you expect a kid to love spinach if all he's had the last few months is bananas and sweet potatoes??

With my second son, I'm much less paranoid about allergies, and much more adventurous in what I give him. I've also learned that he is more likely to like a food if I have a good reaction to it. I also don't give up easy, just because he spits it out does NOT mean he doesn't like it.

For the baby food I make, I either steam (that way you lose less of the nutrients than if you boil), or simmer them in a small amount of water. The time it takes until it is tender depends on the fruit or veggie, and on the size it is cut. Once it's tender I throw it directly into my food processor and puree until smooth, adding some of the cooking liquid if necessary. After that I spoon the puree into ice cube trays and pop in the freezer until frozen. Once frozen I put the cubes into a ziplock and keep frozen. At meal time I take out a few cubes, put them in a microwave safe bowl and nuke until thawed and warm.

The pictures are of sweet potatoes, carrots, corn, peas, broccoli, blueberries, banana/kiwi and strawberries all in frozen cubes. On the spoons there's broccoli and a apple/raspberry/banana mixture.

A Little Introduction

A little introduction of myself... My name is Tricia and I love food. Cooking, baking, grocery shopping, and eating are some of my favorite activities! I am a mommy of 2 boys, Kieran is almost 2 and 1/2, and Conor is almost 8 months old. Having two little ones makes cooking as often as I like a bit of a challenge sometimes! I am also a military wife of going on 3+ years. I have been blessed with a husband who will eat anything I make and doesn't mind me experimenting in the kitchen! We currently live in a small town where it's hard to find some of the more "unique" ingredients a bit challenging as well. I think any diet that requires you to give up anything delicious is insane. I hope to use this blog as a way to share some of my food experiences with my fellow food-lovers, however this blogging stuff is new to me so bear with me while I figure it out!