Ambition's Kitchen

GRANDMA'S CHOCOLATE CHIP DATE CAKE

2012-02-10T09:54:00.001-07:00

This is a dessert I have fond memories of from my childhood. My sweet grandma Vellys would make it ALL the time! My grandparents were a huge part of my childhood, and every time we'd go on a road trip, we could count on this cake being a snack along the way.

When my grandma passed away, I was given her collection of recipes. It has been fun to thumb through them and see all the tattered hand-written recipes jotted down on anything from a napkin to an envelope. I also came to realize she loved anything with dates, nuts, coconut and chocolate chips, since the majority of her recipes had one or more of these ingredients in them!

As long as it doesn't get overbaked, this cake is super moist and the sugared top gives it a slight crunch when you bite into it. Speaking of the sugared top, now that I am more "sugar-conscious", I realize how much sugar my grandma must have put on top to give it a thick crusty crunch. To make myself less guilty, I scaled it back a bit and it was still good. If you don't use dates or aren't sure if you'll like them in a dessert, trust me, you will. They give the cake sweetness and add moisture without adding too much distinctive flavor.

CHOCOLATE CHIP DATE CAKE

(Printable Recipe)

1 1/2 C. dates, pitted and chopped (best if you use the ones not dusted in flour)

1 1/2 C. boiling water

1 tsp. baking soda

Place above ingredients in a blender. Cover with a towel and hold lid down. Puree until smooth. Let cool.

3/4 C. + 2 Tbsp. sugar

3/4 C. butter, softened

2 eggs, beaten

1 tsp. vanilla

2 C. flour

3/4 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

Topping:

1/2 C. brown sugar or white sugar (I usually use white and do slightly less)

1 pkg. chocolate chips (I usually use milk chocolate and use all but about 1/8 C. of the chips)

1/2 C. chopped nuts, optional

In large bowl, cream sugar, butter and vanilla, then add the eggs. In small bowl, sift together dry ingredients. To sugar mixture, add flour mixture and date mixture alternately until well incorporated. Pour into a greased 9x13 pan. Sprinkle with the toppings. Bake at 350 for 30-35 minutes. Do not overbake. Cool and serve with whip cream.

PIZZA HUMMUS

2012-01-31T18:20:00.001-07:00

With the Super Bowl right around the corner, it seems every food blog out there is featuring appetizers and snack foods. I thought I would stray from the norm and post something completely different...until I came across this hummus recipe. I am a sucker for hummus. It's packed with fiber and protein, so it's filling enough for a light lunch. And there are SOOO many variations, like this sweet version I posted a while back.

This really does taste a lot like pizza! And, I suppose you could add chunks of pepperoni or ham to make it even more pizza-like.

PIZZA HUMMUS

Recipe from Chocolate Covered Katie

(Printable Recipe)

1 (14.5 oz) can White Beans or Garbanzo Beans, rinsed & drained
1/3 C. Nutritional Yeast Flakes (found in health food aisle)*
1 tsp. Dry Basil
1 tsp. Dry Oregano
1/4 tsp. Salt
1 Tbsp. Olive Oil
1/2 C. + 2 Tbsp. Tomato Sauce

Combine all ingredients in a food processor or blender and puree until fairly smooth. Serve at room temperature or chilled with assorted crackers, toasts, and raw veggies. Could also be used as a spread in a wrap or sandwich. Refrigerate any leftovers.

*Note about nutritional yeast: It can be found in the bulk section in the health food aisle and is inexpensive.

Definition: Yellow in color and with a nutty cheesy flavor, nutritional yeast is an inactive yeast that is a favorite amongst many vegans because of its unique flavor and similarity to cheese when added to foods. Sprinkle some on hot popcorn or garlic bread, or add a generous spoonful to a stir fry or pasta sauce. Nutritional yeast is also the only reliable food source of vitamin B12, so if you're vegan, it's a good idea to add some to your food regularly. Nutritional yeast can be found in the bulk foods or supplement section of your health food store. You can look for either nutritional yeast flakes or powder, but be sure you don't get brewer's yeast by mistake, as its quite similar in appearance. In Australia and New Zealand, nutritional yeast is also called "savory yeast" or "savory yeast flakes".

ROASTED RED POTATOES WITH BACON AND CHEESE

2012-01-26T05:00:00.001-07:00

I made these potatoes on a whim tonight and they were a huge hit, especially with the kids! Best of all, they taste a lot worse for you than they are. I have a feeling I'll be making these many times in the future.

ROASTED RED POTATOES WITH BACON AND CHEESE serves 6-8

Recipe from Kraft Food & Family Magazine

(Printable Recipe)

1/2 C. Light Ranch Dressing (I used Atwoods Lite)

1/2 C. 2% Milk Shredded Reduced Fat Cheddar Cheese

1/4 C. Real Bacon Bits

2 lb. small red potatoes, quartered

1 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley

2 tsp. chopped fresh chives

Preheat oven to 350 F. Mix dressing, cheese and bacon bits in large bowl. Add potatoes, toss lightly. Spoon into lightly greased 9x13-inch baking dish; cover with foil. Bake 40 minutes. Remove foil, bake an additional 15 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Sprinkle with parsley and chives.

per 2/3 cup serving calories: 150 fat: 4.5 carb: 23

HEART-HEALTHY NO YOLK EGG SALAD

2012-01-17T14:17:00.001-07:00

As a kid, I loved egg salad sandwiches. I don't make them the traditional way much anymore because of the fat content, but I've come up with a heart-healthy version where I've replaced the "bad fat" in yolks with the "good fat" of avocado. I've also incorporated plain nonfat Greek yogurt to not only decrease the fat and saturated fat, but it boosts the protein content too; making this dish even more filling. It's not quite as luxurious as my childhood favorite, but my waistline and heart will thank me for it!

NO YOLK EGG SALAD serves 4

(Printable Recipe)

5 hard boiled eggs

1/2 stalk green onion

3 mini dill pickles (cucumber or celery may be substituted)

1 medium size piece roasted red pepper

1/2 large avocado

1/4 C. plain nonfat Greek Yogurt

1/4 C. Kraft Mayo with Olive Oil

1 tsp. fresh lemon juice

Garlic Powder

Salt

Pepper

Slice hard boiled eggs in half and discard yolks. Chop egg whites into small pieces put in medium bowl. Chop pickles, red pepper and avocado and put in bowl with egg. In small bowl, mix together remaining ingredients, with garlic powder, salt and pepper quantities to suit your own taste. Dump mayo mixture into egg mixture and gently fold to incorporate. Serve on lettuce leaves, with crackers or on bread. Refrigerate any leftovers. Best if eaten within a day, as avocado will darken.

CHEESEBURGER LETTUCE WRAPS

2012-01-11T17:03:00.001-07:00

Several weeks ago, I had (what I thought was) a novel idea; a cheeseburger salad. I've made taco salad a billion times, so why hasn't this concept ever occurred to me before now? Well, I didn't get around to it as soon as I had hoped, then, what do you know, The Pioneer Woman herself steals (ha, ha) my idea! Now I had to figure out a way to change it up a bit so it didn't look like I copied her right after she posted hers, so here you have it...cheeseburger lettuce wraps!

These were REALLY good. They tasted just like a cheeseburger if you ask me. I think I'll be making these a billion more times in my life!

CHEESEBURGER LETTUCE WRAPS Serves 4-5

slightly adapted from The Pioneer Woman

(Printable Recipe)

1 lb. ground beef or ground turkey

1/4 + C. ketchup (more as needed for consistency)

3 Tbsp. mayo (I used lite mayo with olive oil)

1 tsp. yellow mustard

salt and pepper, to taste

1 head bibb lettuce (a.k.a. boston, butter)

Toppings:

1/2 C. grated sharp cheddar cheese (I used 2%)

3-4 whole dill pickle spears, diced

1/4 small red onion, thinly sliced

2 roma tomatoes, diced

Homemade croutons (recipe follows)

Prepare lettuce by carefully removing each leaf from base of lettuce. Rinse in salad spinner, then place leaves cupped side down onto a clean dry towel to completely dry.

Brown meat in large skillet over medium heat, drain excess grease. Add ketchup, mayo and mustard and mix to combine. Add salt and pepper as desired. Taste and add more ketchup, mayo or mustard if needed. Keep warm.

To make croutons:

Cut 2 whole hamburger buns, english muffins or whatever bread you have on hand, into 1/2" cubes. In small skillet over low heat, melt a few tablespoons butter. Add bread cubes and toss to coat with butter. Increase heat to medium and Cook for approx. 10-12 minutes, until crispy, adding a few more tablespoons butter half way through cooking.

Assemble lettuce wraps by spooning meat mixture down middle and top with pickle, cheese, tomato, onion and croutons. fold edges of lettuce around mixture as you bite in and thoroughly enjoy!!

EASY CHICKEN CURRY

2012-01-06T22:04:00.001-07:00

Curry dishes are still pretty new to me, so I never know what to expect. I am not very brave when it comes to spices and spicy-heat and for some reason I've always had the misconception that Indian food has to be spicy. I've learned that isn't the case. This is the perfect "beginner" Indian dish.

I made this dish mild by using plain old curry powder you find along with the other spices in the grocery store. Nothing special, but it's "safe" for a novice like myself. I also scaled back the other spices, fearing it would be too strong, but now I know to bump them up next time. The kids had no complaints and it was, just as the title states; EASY! I imagine this can also be done in the slow cooker. Just prep the spices and onion on the stove, then throw them in the slow cooker with remaining ingredients and cook on high 3-4 hours or low 6-7 hours.

EASY CHICKEN CURRY 4-6 servings
Adapted from A Nutritionist Eats

(Printable Recipe)

3 Tbsp. canola oil

1 1/2 tsp. each ground corriander & curry powder of choice

2 tsp. garam masala

1 1/2 medium onions, chopped

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 Tbsp. jarred minced ginger

1 C. tomato sauce (I ended up using more to make it "saucier")

1 tsp. tumeric

1 lb. chicken breast (about 3 large)

salt

Heat oil in large heavy bottom pot or dutch oven. Add corriander, curry and garam masala. Stir until fragrant, about 1-2 minutes. Add onions, garlic and ginger to spice mixture and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add tomato sauce and tumeric. Cook for about 3 minutes. Cut chicken into 1" cubes and season with salt. Add to pot. Bring to a boil, cover and simmer for at least 15 minutes or up to 1 hour (I went with 1 hour). Stir occasionally. Lid can be removed to help sauce thicken if needed. Serve with rice or naan if desired.

HEALTHY CREAMY GUACAMOLE DIP

2011-12-31T06:00:00.002-07:00

My family LOOOVES dips. A lot of the time we don't have a formal lunch, and instead just devour a yummy dip with crackers and veggies.

We really enjoy avocado, which is a great source of healthy fat, as long as it is in moderation, which is hard for us. This dip was inspired by one I saw in the Hungry Girl 200 under 200 recipe book. I threw this together just on a whim, and it is delicious! Perfect for New Years!

HEALTHY CREAMY GUACAMOLE DIP

(Printable Recipe)

1/2 block (4 oz) reduced-fat or fat-free cream cheese, softened

1 large ripe avocado, diced

Juice of 1/2 a lime

1/2 Roma tomato, diced

1 whole green onion, thinly sliced

1/2 C. frozen green peas

2 Tbsp. (or to taste) Cilantro, finely chopped

garlic powder, to taste

salt and pepper, to taste

* can add diced jalapeno if desired for a little heat, but I opted not to
*update* I made this again, adding in some lowfat cottage cheese and fat free sour cream with the cream cheese and pulsed it in a food processor to "pump up the volume" and it was excellent!

In small bowl, cook frozen green peas in microwave for 2 minutes, or until really soft. Mash with fork and set aside. In another bowl, combine rest of ingredients, then add mashed peas. Mix well and serve with crackers, baked tortilla chips or veggies.

BLANCHED ALMONDS

2011-12-28T12:35:00.000-07:00

Until a few months ago, I had no idea you could create your own blanched almonds at home. I figured their skin was there to stay unless you had some high-temperature, fancy blancher gadget. At the time, I was purchasing almond milk at the store frequently, and since it's so expensive, I looked up making it at home. That's where I discovered how simple it is to blanch your own almonds. Sure, you can buy them pre-blanched, but I had a huge bulk supply of raw ones in their skin.

There's no "recipe", you just boil the raw almonds at a low boil for 2 or 3 minutes. Drain the water and let them cool until easily handled. With the slightest pressure, they practically jump out of their skin! It's a little time-consuming, but kind of fun; kids love it!

USEFUL HOLIDAY GIFT IDEA

2011-12-20T15:50:00.000-07:00

Here is a last minute, but very useful holiday gift idea. I bought a recipe magazine at Sam's Club that was specific to using ground beef. I get all my beef from my brother in law who raises cows, so I have a large stash in my deep freeze. I just attached a couple pounds to the magazine with a tag saying: "What's for Dinner?" During the holiday's we hear this a lot; so here's the beef to use in your pot! I adapted the idea from one I got here, where there's also the suggestion to attach the tag to a frozen lasagna or other dish. The saying would then change from, so here's the beef to use in your pot!, to, so heat this [lasagna] until it is hot!

I love that it's something different than sweets this time of year, and who wouldn't love free meat? Other than a vegetarian : )

ANOTHER USE FOR YOUR TOASTER

2011-12-15T13:14:00.000-07:00

(Looks like I should have cleaned my toaster before taking the pic!)

I just wanted to quickly post an idea I saw a few weeks ago. I think it was on Pinterest, but I could be wrong. Turn your toaster into a mini toaster oven by placing it on its side. How easy was that to think of doing, yet it would have never occurred to me to try it.

This allows you to toast something other than dry bread. Just make sure it's not too thick or that the cheese or other topping doesn't melt over the edges. Voila!

HEALTHY WHEAT PUMPKIN BREAD WITH BLUEBERRIES & WHITE CHOCOLATE

2011-12-06T17:30:00.001-07:00

My family LOVES pumpkin chocolate chip bread, but the amount of oil and sugar in the traditional recipe just scares me! I like to consider my bread just what it is...bread, not my dessert! With that in mind, I finally tried a recipe that has been hanging out in my "to try" file for a few years now. It's a healthier version, but I made it even better and reduced the refined sugar content even more by using date sugar! Instead of the chocolate chips, I threw in some fresh blueberries (cause I love them in my Blueberry Banana Bread) and some white chocolate chips. It turned out SO good! I took some to my neighbor friend and she called it "the best pumpkin bread she's ever eaten". Maybe she said that just to be nice, but I agree!

Healthy Wheat Pumpkin Bread with Blueberries & White Chocolate Makes 1 Loaf

Recipe adapted from Nov. 2009 Good Housekeeping Magazine

(Printable Recipe)

1/2 C. light brown sugar, UNpacked

1/2 C. date sugar (can be found in health food stores, but can also just use more brown sugar)

1/2 C. scant, Egg Beaters or 2 egg whites

1 C. canned pumpkin puree

1/4 C. unsweetened applesauce

1 Tbsp. canola oil

1/3 C. low-fat or non-fat plain yogurt

1 tsp. vanilla extract

2 Tbsp. ground flax, optional

1 C. soft white wheat flour (can also use regular white wheat flour)

3/4 C. all purpose flour

1 1/2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp. freshly ground nutmeg (pre-ground is fine, but fresh is better!)

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

1 C. fresh blueberries

1 C. white chocolate chips

1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Spray loaf pan* with cooking spray and set aside.

2. In large bowl with wire whisk, combine sugars and egg substitute. Add pumpkin, applesauce, oil and vanilla; stir to combine.

3. In medium bowl, combine remaining ingredients except blueberries & white chocolate chips. Add flour mixture to pumpkin mixture and stir until just combined. Fold in blueberries and white chocolate chips. Do not overmix.

4. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake 45 - 50 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out with just a few moist crumbs. Cool in pan 10 minutes. Invert bread onto wire rack to cool completely.

* I made mine into mini loaves and baked for 33 minutes.

HONEY OAT WHEAT BREAD

2011-11-27T17:02:00.001-07:00

A while back, I was on a mission to make the absolute best wheat bread possible. You know, as good, if not better than what you buy from Great Harvest and such. I tried all kinds of recipes, combinations of flour, techniques, etc. I ended up with a recipe that was more than satisfactory for my family, as posted here. Not too much later, wouldn't you know, my hubby decided to start eating a low-carb diet. BOOO! Sure I could continue making my bread, but the wind got knocked out of my sail pretty fast and my bread making decreased substantially.

Fast forward to today. I got in the bread making mode again, but decided to try a new recipe just for fun. I came across this "5 mitt-rated" recipe on Tasty Kitchen and whipped up a few loaves. YUM! It's a winner, and so easy to make. The method is slightly different than I typically do, but it worked!

Honey Oat Wheat Bread makes 2 loaves

(Printable Recipe)

1 C. boiling water

1 C. old fashioned oats

1 C. milk

1/2 C. canola oil

1/2 C. honey

1 C. wheat flour

1 egg, beaten

1/2 Tbsp. salt

1/2 C. warm water

1/2 Tbsp. sugar

1 1/2 Tbsp. yeast

1 C. all purpose flour

3-4 C. wheat flour

Mix boiling water and oats. Set aside for 15- 20 minutes to cool. Keep the milk next to it for later.
In a mixing bowl, combine the oil, honey, wheat flour, egg, and salt.
Start your proof by mixing the warm water, sugar, and yeast. Use a 2-cup container or bowl, as it will rise a lot!
Combine the milk with the oat mixture ; pour that into the mixer. Pour the proof into the mixer. Add the white flour, then rest of wheat flour, 1 cup at a time.
Knead in the bowl or by hand until smooth but still slightly tacky. Grease bowl and top of dough, then cover and let rise till doubled.
Grease 2 large loaf pans. Beat down risen dough. divide into pans, let rise till dough is a couple of inches or so above the pan. (It will rise even more in the oven!)
Bake at 350ºF for 35 minutes.

CHOCOLATE CHOCOLATE CHIP BUNDT CAKE {NOTHING BUNDT CAKES COPYCAT}

2011-11-15T16:51:00.000-07:00

I had never heard of "Nothing Bundt Cakes" prior to seeing this recipe on Favorite Family Recipes, but now that I've made this copycat recipe, I can't wait to make the 1 1/2 hour drive to pay them a visit and experience their other flavors such as Pecan Praline, Lemon, and White White Chocolate! But in the meantime, I'll happily keep making this.

This cake turned out just as promised. It is a "must try"!

I love the density of this cake. And the cream cheese frosting puts it over the top! Don't skip adding the mini chocolate chips to the cake, they really DO get noticed.

This will for sure be my go-to chocolate bundt cake recipe from now on!

CHOCOLATE CHOCOLATE CHIP BUNDT CAKE {NOTHING BUNDT CAKES' COPYCAT}

1 box Devil's Food Cake Mix

1 small box chocolate fudge instant pudding

1 C. sour cream (full fat)

4 eggs

1/2 C. water

1/2 C. canola oil

1 1/2 C. mini semi-sweet chocolate chips

Mix all ingredients together until well incorporated. Add chocolate chips and stir to distribute. Pour into a bundt cake pan that has been sprayed with cooking spray. Bake in preheated oven at 350 degrees for 45-55 minutes, or until toothpick inserted comes out with just a few moist crumbs attached. Let cool for 20 minutes. Remove from pan. (It was recommended at this point to cover the cake well with plastic wrap and place in fridge overnight before frosting. I did this and it was wonderful, so I can't say how it would have been otherwise)

Cream Cheese Frosting

2 pkgs. 8 oz. each cream cheese, softened

1/2 C. butter, softened

3-5 C. powdered sugar (depending on desired consistency)

2 tsp. vanilla extract

In a medium bowl, beat together cream cheese and butter until smooth. Add vanilla and mix well. Slowly add powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time, until desired consistency has been reached. You want it to stay pretty thick.

Pipe the frosting onto cooled cake. Slice and serve. Cover well and refrigerate any leftovers.

HEALTHY BROWNIE BATTER DIP {A.K.A. DESSERT HUMMUS)

2011-11-07T17:19:00.002-07:00

Within 5 minutes of seeing this recipe on Nourishing Flourishing, I had this dip whipped up! (I swear, I actually had about 1/2 C. of baked sweet potato hanging out in my fridge. It was meant to be!)

I love, love brownie batter! And, for it to actually be healthy AND taste good?

Wow. It really does taste like brownie batter! My kids and I couldn't get enough of it.

Some might be a little turned off when they read "white beans" as an ingredient, but I promise, you would never know they were in there!*

I thought pretzels as the dipper were super good with that little saltiness they lend, but I imagine apples and graham crackers would be delicious too! Now I can't wait to try the other varieties of dessert hummus such as cinnamon raisin cookie, chocolate chip cookie dough...maybe tomorrow. Enough beans for one day :)

HEALTHY BROWNIE BATTER DIP

(Printable Recipe)

1 C. cooked or canned white beans, drained & rinsed

2 Tbsp. cashew butter (I used peanut butter)

2 tsp. vanilla

5 Tbsp. agave or honey (I used a combo of both)

1/4 C. cooked sweet potato or pumpkin puree

1/4 C. cocoa powder

sprinkle of salt

Place all ingredients into a food processor or blender and blend until smooth. Dish it up and serve with your favorite dippers such as pretzel sticks, apples or graham crackers.
* Tastes best at room temperature! You can detect the beans a bit when it's cold.

REFRIGERATOR BRAN MUFFINS {HEART-SMART & HEALTHY!}

2011-10-27T14:45:00.000-06:00

When you hear "bran muffin", a few thoughts come to mind...bland, dry,and old people ;)

These are SO much the opposite...flavorful, moist, and my KIDS ate so many, I was nervous what might come from it!

The nice thing about this recipe is that the batter can be stored in the fridge for up to two weeks, making fresh-from-the-oven muffins realistic for a weekday school morning. Especially when you make mini muffins, such as I did, which cuts the bake time in half.

Other recipes for this kind of muffin typically have a lot of oil and sugar, which to me, negates the benefit of the whole bran concept somewhat.

You can also customize the muffins each time you make them by adding golden raisins, shredded carrot, mini chocolate chips, pineapple, etc.

REFRIGERATOR BRAN MUFFINS makes 2 dozen regular muffins

Recipe adapted from relishmag.com

(Printable Recipe)

2 C. All Bran or Fiber One Bran Cereal

2/3 C. wheat bran

1 1/3 C. boiling water

1 2/3 C. all-purpose flour

1 C. wheat flour

1 Tbsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg

2 C. low-fat buttermilk (I make my own by using skim milk and lemon juice to curdle)

1/2 C. pasteurized egg substitute (such as Egg Beaters)

1/2 C. brown sugar

1/2 C. white sugar (I used a low-glycemic sugar called Whey Low which I LOVE)

1/2 C. date sugar (found in health food stores) or another 1/2 C. white or brown sugar

1/2 C. unsweetened applesauce

1 Tbsp. canola oil

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1. Mix cereal and and wheat bran in a large bowl. Add boiling water, stir well and set aside for 1 hour.

2. Whisk together flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg in a medium bowl.

3. If baking right away, preheat oven to 375 F. and coat muffin tins with cooking spray or liners.

4. Add 1 C. of the buttermilk to the bran mixture; stir well. Add remaining buttermilk, egg substitute, sugars, oil and vanilla, stirring until smooth.

5. Add flour mixture, stir until a thick batter forms.

6. Fill each muffin cup 3/4 full of batter. For regular size muffins, bake 20-25 minutes for mini muffins, bake 10-12 minutes, until puffed and lightly browned.

Per regular muffin: approx. 130 calories, 3.5 grams fat, 2 grams fiber

HOMEMADE CHUNKY APPLESAUCE

2011-10-20T16:28:00.000-06:00

A girl at church last Sunday mentioned that she was given a ton of apples and didn't know what to do with them all, so she'd been drying apples like crazy. I told her she should make homemade applesauce because it's SOOO good!

I hadn't been able to get the thought out of my head, so I finally made some of my own. I had to go buy my apples to make this, but it's worth it. You can make it just the way you like it...sweetened, or natural, cinnamon or plain, chunky or smooth. I typically like unsweetend, plain & chunky. This time I gave in and added some cinnamon & sugar.

On a really good day, if I added some whipped topping and a graham cracker, you could almost convince me it's dessert!

HOMEMADE CHUNKY APPLESAUCE

Recipe from Annie's Eats

(Printable Recipe)

6 lbs. apples, peeled, cored & diced (such as Jonathan, Cortland, Pink Lady)

1 1/2 C. water

6 Tbsp. sugar (more or less, depending on taste)

pinch of salt

3 cinnamon sticks (I just added ground cinnamon to taste)

Place all ingredients in a large dutch oven over medium heat until it reaches a boil. Cover with lid and reduce heat to a simmer. Simmer for about 25-30 minutes, stirring a few times, until apples are soft and broken down. Remove from heat. At this point, you can mash with a potato masher for a chunky consistency, or puree in a food processor until smooth.

SWEET PEANUT CHICKEN MEATBALLS

2011-10-11T12:09:00.000-06:00

I've had chicken with peanut butter sauce before, but this I have to say, is my favorite so far! I am a little embarrassed to admit that I don't think I've ever cooked with ground chicken before. I've meant to, but haven't found it in the fresh meat department, so I always use ground turkey. Then, I found some in the frozen food section. I might be hooked on ground chicken after tasting these. They tuned out so tender and flavorful without too much peanut butter taste. They can easily be used as a unique appetizer too. If you've never had peanut butter with meat, this is the recipe to try!

SWEET PEANUT CHICKEN MEATBALLS

Recipe from Rachael Ray Magazine

1 lb. ground chicken

1/2 C. chopped fresh cilantro (I used slightly less)

1/4 C. dried breadcrumbs

1/4 C. grated onion

2 cloves garlic, grated

1 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. pepper

2 Tbsp. vegetable or canola oil

1/4 C. peanut butter

2 Tbsp. soy sauce

3 Tbsp. sugar

3 Tbsp. sesame oil

chopped peanuts for garnish

Mix chicken, cilantro, breadcrumbs, onion, garlic, salt and pepper; roll into 1- Tablespoon balls. In medium skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add meatballs and cook though, about 6-8 minutes, flipping half way through cooking time. Meanwhile, mix remaining ingredients (except peanuts) and warm in microwave for about 30-60 seconds. Pour sauce over meatballs in skillet and sprinkle peanuts on top. Serve.

CHICKEN TORTILLA SOUP

2011-10-05T05:00:00.003-06:00

As much as I love soup, it's hard for me to admit it's that time of year! To "kick-off" soup season, I made this easy soup for my daughter's school teacher appreciation luncheon that's held during SEP conferences. You'd never believe this soup is made with so few ingredients and is so easy. Besides the chicken, you basically dump a bunch of canned goods into the pot and you're done! The best part is that it doesn't taste canned at all.

You can add whatever toppings you like, but I served it with grated cheese, sour cream, diced avocado, and of course, crushed tortilla chips. This is one of those soups that tastes even better the next day, so it makes a great leftover meal.

CHICKEN TORTILLA SOUP serves 6

(Printable Recipe)

2 cans (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes (I used ones with roasted garlic and olive oil)

2 cans (14.5 oz) reduced sodium chicken broth

1 can no-fat refried beans*

1 can corn, drained*

2 C. cooked chicken, cubed or shredded

for extra flavor, add a few dashes of cumin, chili powder, oregano, salt and pepper
* I doubled the recipe and used 1 can refried beans and 1 can black beans and pureed 1 can of corn in addition to can of whole kernel corn

Toppings:

shredded cheese

sour cream

tortilla chips

diced avocado

Dump all ingredients (not toppings) into a large pot. Stir to break up refried beans. Heat over medium high heat until bubbling. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring often. Serve with desired toppings.

FAST AND EASY SPAGHETTI SQUASH

2011-09-27T05:00:00.002-06:00

Maybe it's the fact that my pantry is overflowing with this stuff from my garden, but I am loving spaghetti squash right now! I've been eating it for lunch or a snack several times a week. I even like it just plain, straight from the fridge. It's a great gluten-free, low calorie, low-carb option. Use it in any recipe that calls for a spaghetti-type noodle. I've used it for a cold "spaghetti" salad, with tomatoes, olives and Italian dressing with parmesan cheese. It's also tasty tossed with pesto and diced chicken, or just a little butter and salt and pepper.

Here is a super fast and easy way to cook the squash to use any way you wish.

COOKED SPAGHETTI SQUASH

(Printable Recipe)

1. Rinse exterior of spaghetti squash

2. With a sharp knife, carefully pierce the squash a few times around the squash (about 9 times)

3. Place the squash in the microwave

4. Cook for about 15 minutes at 70% power -- it's VERY important to reduce the power. Otherwise, you risk your squash exploding! Cooking time will vary depending on the size of squash and wattage of your microwave.

5. The squash should give when pushed, but still a little firm on the exterior.

6. Let set in microwave, with door open for about 5 minutes to cool slightly.

7. Remove squash from microwave and slice in half lengthwise. Careful, as steam will escape.

8. Scrape out seeds with a large spoon and discard.

9. Using a fork, pull strands of squash out by scraping sides WITH the "grain" of the squash strands.

10. Now you've got your "noodles". You want them to have the texture of a real noodle, cooked al dente. If you cook it too long, your "noodles" will become mushy and not give you nice strands.

FRITO SALAD

2011-09-14T20:06:00.002-06:00

This is one of those good stand-by potluck recipes that almost everyone likes and it makes a lot. It's also a great way to use up fresh produce from your garden. Adding the Fritos chips on top at the last minute gives the salad a nice salty crunch. I am not a fan of celery, but I actually don't mind it in this recipe. It's not a dominant flavor, with everything else going on. It uses bottled Catalina dressing, which I didn't have, but I made my own and it turned out even better than store-bought!

FRITO SALAD
(Printable Recipe)

4 green onions, sliced thin

2-3 small green bell peppers, chopped

4 tomatoes, chopped

3 stalks celery, chopped

Place above ingredients in large bowl.

Add:

3 cans red kidney beans, rinsed & drained

1 1/2 C. shredded cheddar or colby jack cheese

1 bottle Catalina Light salad dressing

1 small package Fritos chips

Mix all ingredients; chill. Add 1 package Fritos corn chips just before serving.

LIGHTER CHOCOLATE ZUCCHINI CUPCAKES

2011-09-08T05:00:00.000-06:00

I'm back in the saddle...well, at least I've got one leg up : )

With summer over and the first week of school under my belt, I think I'm ready to tackle blogging again! Posts might be sporadic, and I might not do a Frugal Friday as frequently as before, but I'm excited!

Of course the end of summer means - ZUCCHINI ABUNDANCE for many people! There are zucchini recipes galore this time of year, but this is one I hope you'll give a shot. It's from Cooking Light, so it's a little lighter than a typical chocolate cake, but you could easily fool me into thinking it's not!

CHOCOLATE ZUCCHINI CAKE / CUPCAKES

Recipe from Cooking Light, 2007 makes 1 bundt cake or 16 cupcakes
(Printable Recipe)

Cake:

3/4 C. sugar

1/2 C. brown sugar, packed (I left it unpacked to decrease sugar content a bit)

1/2 C. (4 oz.) block-style fat-free cream cheese (This time around, I used plain, non-fat Greek yogurt)

1/3 C. vegetable or canola oil

2 large eggs

2 large egg whites

1 tsp. vanilla

2 1/2 C. all-purpose flour (I used 2 C. a/p flour & 1/2 C. soft white wheat flour)

1/2 C. unsweetened cocoa

2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

3/4 C. fat-free buttermilk (make your own by using skim milk with a bit of lemon juice or vinegar & let set for a few minutes to curdle)

2 C. finely shredded zucchini

2/3 C. chocolate chips

1/4 C. walnuts, optional (I left these out)

Glaze:

3/4 C. powdered sugar

3 Tbsp. unsweetened cocoa

8 tsp. skim milk

2 Tbsp. chocolate chips

1/2 tsp. vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat a bundt cake pan or cupcake pan with cooking spray.

Place sugars and cream cheese, and oil in large bowl and beat with a mixer on medium speed until well blended. Add eggs and egg whites, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in 1 tsp. vanilla.

Lightly spoon 2 1/2 C. flour into dry measuring cups & level with a knife. Combine the flour and next 5 ingredients (through cinnamon) in a medium bowl, stirring well with a whisk.

Add flour mixture and buttermilk alternately to sugar mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Stir in zucchini, 2/3 C. chocolate chips, and nuts. Pour batter into prepared pan. For bundt cake, bake for 1 hour or until toothpick inserted comes out clean. For cupcakes, bake 18-21 minutes. Cool in pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove from pan. Cool completely on wire rack.

To prepare glaze, combine powdered sugar and cocoa in small bowl and whisk until combined. In 1 C. glass measure, combine milk, chocolate chips and vanilla. Microwave for 45 seconds, or until chocolate melts, stirring after 20 seconds. Combine powdered sugar mixture and chocolate mixture, stirring with a whisk. Drizzle over cooled cake.

16 servings: 1 slice = 281 calories, 9.5 g. fat

TAKING TIME OFF

2011-06-21T21:38:00.000-06:00

For some time now, I've been teetering back and forth with whether or not to continue contributing to my blog. I still LOVE all things related to cooking and food, but have kinda lost my drive to blog about it. It has become more of a chore than the passion it once was for me. So, instead of declaring the end of my blogging adventure, I'm declaring time off. That's a lot safer to say, right? That way, I can continue blogging in a week, a month, or just "fade away".

I have appreciated all the support my blog has received through comments here, as well as by mouth. There are SO many wonderful blogs out there! Blogging has broadened my view of cooking and baking, and has encouraged me to pursue a fun, new hobby; photography! So, I'll send you out on these. They turned out pretty cute for a beginner, if I do say so myself!

My girls, middle and right, with their cousin

"kissing cousins"

My niece

My 3 kids

My niece and nephew

until next time...

FRUGAL FRIDAY - PLAYDOUGH

2011-06-17T05:00:00.001-06:00

Photo by Instructables.com

School's out and the kids are always looking for something to do, and parents are always trying to come up with something for them to do! Good old playdough can keep kids hands busy for a while, but if you're like me, any you might have had on hand is now rock-solid. I'm sure many of you have made your own before, but for those of you who haven't, this is SOOO easy and SOOO cheap, and can be made from stuff you likely always have on hand!

PLAYDOUGH

recipe from here

(Printable Recipe)

Basic ingredient ratios:
2 cups flour
2 cups warm water
1 cup salt
2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
1 Tablespoon cream of tartar (optional for improved elasticity)

food coloring (liquid, powder, or unsweetened drink mix)
scented oils

Mix all of the ingredients together, and stir over low heat. The dough will begin to thicken until it resembles mashed potatoes.

When the dough pulls away from the sides and clumps in the center, as shown below, remove the pan from heat and allow the dough to cool enough to handle.

IMPORTANT NOTE: if your playdough is still sticky, you simply need to cook it longer!
Keep stirring and cooking until the dough is dry and feels like playdough.
Just keep cooking a bit longer and it will work!

Turn the dough out onto a clean counter or silicone mat, and knead vigorously until it becomes silky-smooth. Divide the dough into balls for coloring.

Make a divot in the center of the ball, and drop some food coloring¹ in. Fold the dough over, working the food color through the body of the playdough, trying to keep the raw dye away from your hands and the counter. You could use gloves or plastic wrap at this stage to keep your hands clean- only the concentrated dye will color your skin, so as soon as it's worked in bare hands are fine.

Work the dye through, adding more as necessary to achieve your chosen color.

¹ If you use unsweetened drink mix for color, test on a small ball first- it won't go as far as the "real" food coloring.

(To prevent my hands from becoming stained, I put my dough in a plastic resealable bag, then drop in the coloring. Let all the air out, seal, then massage the coloring through the dough.)

Play with your playdough- I really don't need to help you there. It's entirely edible, if a bit salty, so it's kid-safe.

When you're done, store your playdough in an air-tight container.
- If it begins to dry out, you can knead a bit of water in again to soften the dough back to useability. Once it's dried past a certain point, however, you'll just have to start over; thankfully it's not terribly difficult.
- If it gets soggy, you can re-heat it to drive off the extra water the dough absorbed overnight. This is usually the result of high humidity, but is fixable!

You can also bake it in the oven to make hard dough figures and ornaments, then paint or otherwise decorate the surface.

"SPICY" MARINATED BURGERS

2011-06-14T05:00:00.001-06:00

While searching for a turkey burger recipe, I came across this one, but almost dismissed it because it's title said "spicy", and just saying the word spicy makes my kids tongue burn! But, once I got looking through it, I realized I could adjust the spice level to my family's liking. And I'm glad I did. These turned out so moist and flavorful!

SPICY MARINATED BURGERS makes 5 burgers

Recipe from Tasty Kitchen

(Printable Recipe)

1 1/4 lb. lean ground beef or ground turkey (I used turkey)

1/4 C. water

2 Tbsp. Worcestershire

1 tsp. EACH, BBQ sauce, Chili powder, Cumin (I suggest 1/2 tsp.), Cajun seasoning (I omitted this to cut down on spiciness)

1/2 tsp. EACH black pepper, red pepper flakes

1/4 tsp. EACH tabasco sauce, liquid smoke

Buns & toppings of choice. I used Sandwich Thins, bacon, cheddar cheese, lettuce, and red onion*

* A tip for using raw onion - soak sliced onion in cold water, then pat dry to decrease its "bite".

Combine all ingredients but the ground meat and mix together in a medium sized bowl. Crumble beef over the top of the mixture and then use your hands to thoroughly combine. Cover and refrigerate for at least one hour to "marinate" the meat. Shape into 5 patties, then grill to your liking. Serve on bun with desired toppings.

FRUGAL FRIDAY - PUDDING POPS

2011-06-10T05:00:00.001-06:00

These pudding pops are an easy, tasty treat for the summer days ahead! You can make them any flavor you like, and can use sugar free pudding if you like. It's been MANY years since I've even looked at the price of pudding pops, but I know the average range for frozen treats (other than twin pops) is $3-$5. One box of pudding makes about 9 pops, so for a little over a dollar per batch, the savings will add up fast!

PUDDING POPS makes 9

recipe from Kraftfoods.com

(Printable Recipe)

1 large package instant pudding mix (vanilla is shown above)

3 C. cold milk

9 Oreos, crushed (optional)

3/4 C. thawed whipped topping (such as Cool Whip)

1. Make pudding according to package directions.

2. Fold in crushed Oreos and whipped topping.

3. Spoon into 9 small paper or plastic cups or popsicle molds

4. Insert wooden pop stick or plastic spoon into each for a handle.

5. Freeze until firm, about 5 hours.

**To easily remove from cup, Place bottom of cup in warm water for a few seconds, then press up on bottom of cup.

FRUGAL FRIDAY - CAKE FLOUR

2011-06-03T09:09:00.000-06:00

Have you ever pulled out a recipe to make and it calls for cake flour, but all you had on hand was all-purpose? If you are like me, you just go ahead and make it with all-purpose and figure you won't know what you are missing out on. Well, here's a simple way to make your own cake flour by adding cornstarch. Cake flour will lighten your baked good and make it soft and delicious! Not to mention, save money and a trip to the store.

There's a great step-by-step to make this on Joy The Baker.

HOMEMADE OREOS

2011-06-01T05:00:00.001-06:00

This is an oldie, but SUCH a goodie! I haven't bothered posting this in the past because I'm sure that everyone already has this recipe, or some form of it. But, since it is such a beloved cookie in our home, I finally figured what the heck. There just might be someone out there who has never made these and would appreciate trying them out.

Yes, a boxed cake mix is used, but hey, that's what makes them so easy to make, even if it is 10:00 at night!

HOMEMADE OREOS makes about 2 dozen sandwich cookies

(Printable Recipe)

Cookies:

2 pkgs. Devils Food Cake Mix* (do NOT make according to package)

4 eggs

1 1/2 C. shortening

Blend all ingredients together well. Dough will be very thick and stiff. Roll into balls and place on ungreased baking sheet. Flatten very slightly. Bake @ 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes. Do not overbake! They may appear doughy, but will set up as they cool. Let set on baking sheet a few minutes, then remove to cooling rack. When completely cool, spread the following filling between 2 cookies.

Filling:

8 oz. package cream cheese, softened

1/2 C. margarine or butter, softened

4 C. powdered sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

Blend cream cheese and butter until smooth. Mix in vanilla, then add powdered sugar. Blend until powdered sugar is fully incorporated and mixture is smooth. May need to add slightly more powdered sugar to get the right consistency. You don't want the filling oozing out the sides of cookie, so slightly thicker is better.

*Any flavor cake mix can be used such as strawberry or lemon.

FRUGAL FRIDAY - HOMEMADE LARABARS

2011-05-27T05:00:00.001-06:00

Where has the week gone? I was planning to do two posts this week, but here it is the end of the week and I don't even have time to do my own Frugal Friday post. I've been wanting to do my own post of these bars for quite a while, so now I'm "borrowing" this post. This is a great way to be more frugal if you buy Larabars or similar snack bars. Up front the ingredients can cost a bit, but if you make a few batches, it's well worth it! This comes from The Sister's Cafe, which is an awesome blog that I check daily!

I've made these a few times, and they DO taste just like the ones you buy! I had so much fun coming up with my own version, "Tropical", but also tried the blueberry and chocolate almond as described below.

Homemade Larabars

by MELANIE on FEBRUARY 28, 2011

Have you ever tried a Larabar? They are fruit and nut snack/energy bars that are made from natural ingredients and gluten free. I think they are very tasty,but at $1-$1.50 a bar they are an expensive little snack in my opinion. So, I decided to try making them myself with GREAT results! The main ingredient is dates which can be pricey at the healthy food store, but I found them in a large container at my local Costco for much cheaper. These bars are super healthy and a great source of energy for me and my family. My boys actually love them and think they are a yummy treat. I told them that they are energy bars, so they now request them for a snack before basketball and wrestling practise. For me they are perfect for a mid afternoon ‘pick-me-up” snack. So much better than a cookie or granola bar and much cheaper than the official Larabar.

Here are my favorite Homemade Larabar recipes so far–but the possibilities are endless…

Homemade Larabars
submitted by Melanie
recipe source : Recipes are all over the internet! My recipes were from: the little red house, delightful delicacies, and vegetarlins

Each recipe makes 8-10″ larabar” sized bars, but as you can see from the picture above, I prefer to cut the recipes into 16-20 bars each. You can always have two if needed, but one is usually good for me.

Peanut Butter Snack Bar1 cup chopped dates (it’s cheaper to buy them whole, plus they tend to dry out a bit if they are pre-chopped.)
1 1/2 cup chopped peanuts.
2 TBS unsweetened cocoa powder (optional)
pinch of salt

Place all ingredients in a food processor.
When they come together into a paste, you’re ready.
Line a loaf pan with parchment, and press the mixture into the pan.
Remove paper from pan, and slice into bars

Chocolate Almond Cherry Bars1 cup whole almonds
2 Tablespoons cocoa
1 1/4 cup dates
1 cup dried bing cherries

Chop the almonds in a food processor until you have a mix of chunk sizes. Add cocoa and pulse once. Add dates and cherries and pulse until well combined. Line a loaf pan with wax or parchment paper, press fruit and nut mixture into the pan and press down firmly. Remove from the pan, cut into bars, and wrap individually in plastic wrap or wax paper, tie with string.

store in airtight container inside the refrigerator or freezer.

Mexican Chocolate Snack Bars1 1/4 c chopped dates
1 c toasted almonds
1/2 c toasted walnuts (toast nuts in a pan on medium high heat for a few minutes)
3 TBS unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp cinnamon
pinch of salt

*same directions as above

Blueberry Snack Bar1 cup pitted dates rough chopped
1 cup dried blueberries (or other dried fruit such as cherries, apricots, cranberries)
1 cup nuts such as walnuts or pecans
Zest of 1/2 a lemon (optional depending on type of fruit used)
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

*Same Directions as above

FRUGAL FRIDAY - BROWNIE MIX

2011-05-20T10:45:00.000-06:00

This is another one of those Frugal Friday posts that can be considered frugal, if you typically buy higher quality brownie mixes, or for when brownie mixes are not on sale for 89 cents! The best part about making your own brownie mix is that you know what 's in there. There's not any unnecessary ingredients. You can customize this recipe with add ins such as chocolate chips or nuts, but I prefer to keep it plain until I prepare the mix, then decide if I want to add anything into it.

There is a certain flavor and texture to boxed brownies that you don't quite get with a homemade brownie (some may consider this a good thing, others love the boxed stuff). I was perfectly happy with these brownies!

BROWNIE MIX makes one 8x8 pan (16 brownies)

recipe from here

(Printable Recipe)

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
1 cup flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
3 tablespoons buttermilk powder or nonfat milk powder
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup mini semisweet chocolate chips (optional)
1/4 cup add-ins, such as chopped nuts or dried fruit (optional)

In a medium bowl (or deli container), combine the sugar, flour, cocoa, buttermilk powder, baking powder, salt, and whisk (or shake) to blend. Stir in the chocolate chips and add-ins (if using). Store airtight.

To make fudgy brownies

Brownie Mix (above)
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/3 cup water
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 large egg

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease an 8- or 9-inch square baking pan.
2. Dump the Brownie Mix into a bowl. Add the oil, water, vanilla, and egg, and stir just to blend.
3. Scrape the batter into the pan and spread evenly. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with moist crumbs clinging to it.
Makes 16 brownies

SOFT WRAP BREAD

2011-05-17T21:23:00.003-06:00

I was SOOOO happy with how these wraps turned out! I have tried tortillas in the past with no luck; they turn out either too dry or too thick and stiff, so I was thinking these wraps might give me similar problems. These "wraps" are more like a thick pita bread, not like a tortilla, and I think that's what makes them so much easier to work with. Some tortillas I've tried to make have also turned out thick, but doughy in the middle. Not these; they're light, but have a tiny chew to them.
They do call for potato flour, which may be hard for some to come by, but I just ground up some dried potato "pearls" to make my own. According to the recipe, you can also use potato flakes.
I served them with marinated chicken strips inside, but now I'm excited to try them out with all kinds of goods tucked inside, not to mention using them to sop up soup and sauces! My kids would love them as a warm PB&J sandwich!

SOFT WRAP BREAD makes 8 (8" round)

recipe from Real Mom Kitchen who got it from King Arthur Flour

(Printable Recipe)

3 cups all-purpose-flour (I used 2 C. a/p & 1 C. wheat flour)
1 1/4 cups boiling water
1/4 cup potato flour OR 1/2 cup potato buds or flakes
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
2 tablespoons vegetable or canola oil
1 teaspoon instant yeast

1) To make the bread: Place 2 cups of the flour into a bowl or the bucket of a bread machine. Pour the boiling water over the flour, and stir till smooth. Cover the bowl or bucket and set the mixture aside for 30 minutes.

2) In a separate bowl, whisk together the potato flour (or flakes or buds) and the remaining 1 cup of flour with the salt, oil and yeast.

3) Add this to the cooled flour/water mixture, stir, then knead for several minutes (by hand, mixer or bread machine) to form a soft dough. Note: You can allow the dough to go through the entire kneading cycle(s) in the bread machine, but it’s not necessary; about a 5-minute knead in the machine, once it gets up to full kneading speed, is fine. The dough should form a ball, but will remain somewhat sticky. (It takes a while to work this all in, work the last in by hand if needed) Add additional flour only if necessary; if kneading by hand, keep your hands and work surface lightly oiled.

4) Let the dough rise, covered, for 1 hour.

5) Divide the dough into 8 pieces (each about the size of a handball, around 3 ounces), cover, and let rest for 15 to 30 minutes.

6) Roll each piece into a 7″- to 8″-circle, and dry-fry them (fry without oil) over medium heat for about 1 minute per side, until they’re puffed and flecked with brown spots. Adjust the heat if they seem to be cooking either too quickly, or too slowly; cooking too quickly means they may be raw in the center, while too slowly will dry them out.

7) Transfer the cooked breads to a wire rack, stacking them to keep them soft. (I just stacked mine in a clean kitchen towel). Serve immediately, or cool slightly before storing in a plastic bag.

FRUGAL FRIDAY - COLORED SUGAR

2011-05-13T15:44:00.000-06:00

A little late, but here it is; frugal friday. Maybe I'm cheap, but I've always had a hard time paying for sprinkles and colored sugars for decorating cakes and cookies; they're a rip. Well, this is a real money-saver! Making your own colored sugar couldn't be easier or cheaper! And, you can make it any color of the rainbow. This is something the kids will have fun helping you with too.

COLORED SUGAR

(Printable Recipe)

white sugar

food coloring (liquid or gel*)

plastic sandwich bag

Place desired amount of sugar in a resealable plastic bag. Add 1-3 drops of food coloring. Squeeze out all air, and massage the color into the sugar until no clumps remain.

*Results were slightly better with the gel, as it the liquid made the sugar a little "crispy" and the gel made it a little softer. I don't this really matters; just an observation. The granules stayed separated just as well with both types of coloring.

TACO SALAD ON CORNBREAD WAFFLES

2011-05-11T05:00:00.001-06:00

Taco salad is a good old stand-by for us. Everyone likes it, and we usually have everything on hand to make it. This time however, we were out of tortilla chips and I wasn't about to run to the store to get some in the pouring rain. You can't have taco salad without the "taco" part right? I got brainstorming and wondered how it would taste to put it on top of cornbread waffles? Delicious!! What a fun way to switch up a classic.

TACO SALAD ON CORNBREAD WAFFLES

My taco salad recipe can be found here

Cornbread Waffles:

recipe adapted from here

(Printable Recipe)

1 ½ cups plain cornmeal

½ cup flour
2 ½ teaspoons baking powder
¾ teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons sugar
1 egg
1 ½ cups milk
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Preheat a waffle iron and grease it lightly.

In a medium bowl, combine the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, salt and sugar. In a separate bowl, combine the egg, milk, and butter. Add to the cornmeal mixture, stirring until moistened.

Pour 1/2 cup measures into the waffle iron and cook until crisp. Repeat with remaining batter. Serve warm. Makes 12 servings.

FRUGAL FRIDAY - ALUMINUM-FREE BAKING POWDER

2011-05-06T05:00:00.001-06:00

Photo from Chiot's Run via Flickr

I am learning so much by doing these "Frugal Fridays"! Who knew you can make your own aluminum-free baking powder? (Many probably, but not me!)

It uses just two ingredients, if used immediately, and just three ingredients if stored. Here is where I got the recipe.

ALUMINUM-FREE BAKING POWDER TOTAL COST: PENNIES (IF THAT)

makes 1 Tbsp. baking powder

(Printable Recipe)

1 tsp. baking soda

2 tsp. cream of tartar

1 tsp. corn starch (if storing)

Mix baking soda and cream of tartar together until well combined and use immediately, or, add cornstarch to store for later use.

CHOCOLATE CHIP CAKE WITH BROWN SUGAR FROSTING

2011-05-02T05:00:00.001-06:00

Wow, this is a rich cake! We got a major blood sugar spike from this one. (Probably doesn't help that we had been fasting all day!) And, maybe if we had some portion control that wouldn't have happened! Needless to say, it was good. This is a good time to use the homemade brown sugar from my blog just a few posts ago : ) The frosting is what makes this so rich. If you're not a frosting lover, I would recommend thinning the frosting and using it sparingly.

CHOCOLATE CHIP CAKE WITH BROWN SUGAR FROSTING

recipe from Mormon Country Cooking

(Printable Recipe)

cake:

1/2 C. all-vegetable shortening

1/2 C. sugar

1 C. brown sugar

2 eggs

1 C. evaporated milk

1 tsp. vanilla

2 3/4 C. flour, stirred and measured

1 tsp. soda

1/2 tsp. salt

1 C. chocolate chips

Cream together shortening and sugars. Add eggs; beat well. Add evaporated milk and vanilla alternately with sifted dry ingredients. Stir in chocolate chips. Bake at 375 degrees for 20-25 minutes in two 8-inch layer cake pans that have been lined with parchment paper, then greased. Cool completely and frost as desired with Brown Sugar Frosting.

brown sugar frosting:

1/2 C. butter

1 C. brown sugar, packed

1/4 C. milk

3 C. powdered sugar

1/2 tsp. vanilla

In saucepan melt butter. Add brown sugar; cook over med.-low heat for 2 minutes, stirring. Add milk; continue to cook until mixture comes to a boil (may need to slightly increase heat). Remove from heat. Gradually add powdered sugar. Add vanilla; mix well. Thin, if necessary, with a few drops milk.

FRUGAL FRIDAY - MAPLE PANCAKE SYRUP

2011-04-29T09:08:00.000-06:00

Making your own pancake syrup is a super easy way to save some $, especially if your family loves pancakes and waffles as much as mine! There are a lot of variations of homemade syrup out there, but this recipe from Mel's Kitchen Cafe is one of my favorites. I only made 1/4 of her recipe because it makes a lot more than we would use in the near future. It may seem real runny at first, but don't fret, it will thicken as it cools!

Total Cost (guesstimate): under $ .30

MAPLE PANCAKE SYRUP

makes about 2 1/2 Cups (to make a big batch like Mel does, quadruple this recipe)

(Printable Recipe)

2 C. white sugar

1/4 C. brown sugar

1/8 C. honey

1 C. water

1/2 tsp. maple extract

1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

In a large pot, combine the sugars, honey and water. Bring the mixture to a boil and reduce the heat to low so the mixture gently simmers. Cover the pot and simmer the mixture for 15 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat and let it cool for 10-20 minutes before stirring in the maple and vanilla extracts. Let the syrup cool in the pot for another 20 minutes, or so, stirring occasionally, before filling jars/containers. Once the containers are filled, let them cool to room temperature uncovered.

Store covered in jars or other containers in the refrigerator. It will keep for up to 2 months in the refrigerator. Gently reheat before serving, if desired.

VEGAS TRIP

2011-04-26T05:00:00.001-06:00

My hubby and I just got back from Vegas a few days ago. I can't say much for Vegas itself, but the food...we ate a LOT! We stayed at Aria hotel, which was pretty swanky, but the real "eye candy" was the Jean Pierre Patisserie on the casino floor. Look at these goods, all made of chocolate! Yes, even those huge flowers were made of pure chocolate.

After a few days at the Aria hotel, we switched to THE Hotel at Mandalay Bay, where we found THE BEST Mexican restaurant ever! Border Grill This was not your ordinary Mexican restaurant (at least not from where I live!) It's described as "modern mexican" and is owned by two ladies who were on Bravo's Top Chef Master's. That's what really sold me on trying out their restaurant over others. Now if I can just duplicate those sweet corn tamales, I'll be in heaven, and I'm in luck cause I found their recipe on their website. Yay!

Appetizer Tray: Green Corn Tamale, Beef Brisket Taquito, Plantain Empanada

Chunky Guac, and not too spicy...just the way we like it!

Marlin Tacos (My hubby said they were good. I wouldn't know since I don't like fish :) )

And of course...dessert! Tres Leches Cake with Passion Fruit and Prickly Pear Sauce

Then there was the Aria Buffet where we stuffed ourselves with a late breakfast consisting of cookies, fruit, eggs, pancakes, and a lot of etc, etc., Lemongrass Thai, where I convinced my hubby to order a duck dish that totally upstaged my pork satay big time! And then there was an Italian place that wasn't so great, oh well, can't win them all; especially in Vegas ;)

FRUGAL FRIDAY - BROWN SUGAR

2011-04-22T13:14:00.000-06:00

Have you ever been in the middle of making cookies only to discover you're out of brown sugar? If you're like me, you would panic and run to the store or borrow some from your neighbor. Fret no more. It's SO easy to make your own (as long as you have molasses on hand). This takes a little elbow grease, but turns out beautifully. It works and tastes just like regular brown sugar, but even fresher! Increase the molasses for a darker flavor, or decrease the molasses for a lighter flavor.

BROWN SUGAR

1 C. granulated sugar

1 Tbsp. molasses

Mix in a bowl with a fork or beater until all the molasses is worked into the sugar. Store in an airtight container.

FRUGAL FRIDAY - SWEETENED CONDENSED MILK

2011-04-15T09:44:00.001-06:00

I apologize for the lack of postings, but it's been a crazy week! I went to the store for sweetened condensed milk the other day, and wow, it's not cheap! I think I paid $2.99 or more for a little can. I've seen several recipes online for making your own. Most use powdered milk with a small amount of water, a LOT of sugar, vanilla, and some add butter. Some say to heat the ingredients, some say to mix it up cold, etc. So, I ended up trying it a few different ways. The first method I tried was mixing everything up cold, which left sort of a grainy texture. My next attempt was to dissolve the sugar in the hot water, then add the rest of the ingredients. This worked much better. The consistency is relatively smooth, although I did strain mine through a sieve to get rid of a few lumps. By itself, the taste is slightly different than the canned stuff, but not necessarily in a negative way. I have yet to use it in a dessert, but when I do, I'll post the results! And, if any of you get around to using it before I do, please let me know what you think! Overall, this is a way cheaper route to go, not to mention it will save you a trip to the store

Total cost: about $0.65

Sweetened Condensed Milk

(Printable Recipe)

3/4 C. white sugar

1/2 C. boiling water

1 C. plus 2 Tbsp. powdered instant nonfat milk

1 tsp. vanilla

Stir white sugar into boiling water until dissolved. Whisk in powdered milk and vanilla. Mix until smooth. If needed, pour mixture through sieve into bowl. Chill until ready to use. Equal to one 14 oz. can of sweetened condensed milk.

FRUGAL FRIDAY - BROWN BAG MICROWAVE POPCORN

2011-04-08T14:23:00.000-06:00

We're not a huge popcorn-eating family, but with our newly finished theater room, I think we'll be eating a lot more of it! I couldn't believe that after all these years of buying microwave popcorn, I finally discovered you can pop your own right in a brown lunch bag! Not only does it save money, it's healthier for you too. You can season it before popping by adding some oil, salt and other seasonings, or do as I did and doctor it up to your liking once it's popped.

BROWN BAG MICROWAVE POPCORN

Yields about 6 cups popped

(Printable Recipe)

Place 1/4 C. corn kernels in a brown lunch bag. Fold the top down a few times and secure with tape. Place in microwave on its side with tape facing up. Microwave on high for

1 1/2 - 2 minutes or until there's about 4 seconds between each pop. (Mine took about 1 minute 45 seconds). Let rest in microwave for one minute. Serve as desired.

Total Cost: about $ .15 per bag

BANANA BERRY MUFFINS

2011-04-04T05:00:00.005-06:00

We had such a nice, relaxing morning Sunday, thanks to LDS General Conference, which allowed us to stay home all day. I was going to make my stand-by muffins for breakfast, but at the last minute was "brave" and baked up these instead. I say "brave" because my family gives me a little grief if I try something new and it's not as good as our stand-by. I try not to make muffins that have a lot of oil, sugar or a/p flour in them because then they're more like a cupcake than breakfast! I typically use applesauce or yogurt in place of the oil, so I was skeptical of using cottage cheese in them, but it worked out well.

Banana Berry Muffins
recipe from Eighty Twenty

Printable Recipe

Makes 10 muffins

1 cup whole wheat flour

1/4 cup white flour

1/4 cup rolled oats

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 cup mashed bananas
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup low fat cottage cheese, small curd
1 egg white
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 1/4 cup frozen mixed berries (I used 3/4 C. shredded zucchini & 1/2 C. frozen blueberries)

I also added some ground flax

Preheat oven to 365 degrees. In a large bowl, combine sugar, mashed bananas, cottage cheese, egg white, and vanilla extract. In another bowl, combine flours, oats, baking powder, and baking soda.

Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and stir for ~10-15 strokes, just until dry ingredients are moistened. Fold in 1 cup frozen berries.

Place muffin liners in a muffin tin (regular size) or spray with nonstick spray. Fill each muffin cup 3/4 full with batter. To the top of each muffin, add a couple of remaining frozen berries. Sprinkle the top of each muffin with a dash of sugar. (I didn't do this part)

Bake for ~15-18 minutes, or until toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Allow to cool ~ 5 minutes before serving.

(Approximate) Nutrition Info per 1 muffin: 144 calories, 1 g fat, 4 g protein, 19 g carbohydrates, 4 g fiber

FRUGAL FRIDAY - PRODUCE WASH

2011-04-01T05:00:00.005-06:00

Oh, how I would love to buy all organic produce. There are two main problems with that; 1) It would be too expensive for my budget, 2) There's not a large enough selection in my area. So, my next best option would be to scrub off as much of the residual pesticide that's left on non-organic produce as I could. But as soon as I saw the $5.00+ price tag on the small container of commercial produce wash, I figured I might as well spend my money on organic produce after all. Frustrating!

I looked around the internet and found several sites that suggested putting together your own produce wash with simple ingredients you already have. All you need is a clean spray bottle. (Mine was from the dollar store). Fill it with equal parts water and vinegar and a bit of baking soda. For example: 3 cups water, 3 cups vinegar, 2 Tbsp. baking soda. Be sure to label it so that everyone knows what it is and what it's to be used for. Spray it on the produce, rub a bit, then rinse under running water.

Total cost: about $1.25

OREO CHUNK COOKIES

2011-03-30T15:52:00.000-06:00

This is a fun twist that Picky Palate put on a traditional chocolate chip cookie. You can use your favorite cc cookie recipe or this one. Grab a glass of milk cause you know you can't have an Oreo (in any form) without it!

OREO CHUNK COOKIES

(Printable Recipe)

1 stick softened butter
6 Tablespoons sugar
6 Tablespoons brown sugar
1 egg
½ teaspoon vanilla
1 ¼ Cup flour
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
8 broken pieces Oreo Cookies
1 Cup chocolate chips

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Cream butter, and sugars until well combined. Add egg and vanilla until mixed well.

2. Place flour, baking soda and salt into a large bowl, stir to combine. Slowly add dry ingredients to wet ingredients then stir in oreos and chocolate chips until just combined.

3. With a medium cookie scoop, scoop onto a parchment or silpat lined baking sheet. Bake for 7-9 minutes or until cooked, but still soft. Let cool on baking sheet for 3 minutes before transferring to cooling rack.

HOMEMADE PEANUT BUTTER and FRUGAL FRIDAY

2011-03-25T14:46:00.002-06:00

I'm starting something new...Frugal Friday. It's where I will feature an ingredient or item you can make at home, that otherwise you'd regularly buy at the store.

It's no secret that my family LOVES peanut butter, so of course this would be my first post for Frugal Friday!

With how much peanut butter our household goes through, you'd think I would have tried making my own peanut butter long ago, but no! This was my first attempt!

One disclaimer to this being considered "frugal" is that it's only really considered frugal if you typically purchase higher-quality or natural type peanut butter. It also helps if you buy your peanuts on sale of course.

I am a BIG label-reader, but of all labels, who would have thought you'd have to check dry roasted peanuts? I was shocked to find that some contain MSG! I was all geared up to stock pile the Planters brand because they are currently on sale at Smith's Marketplace for $1.49 for a 16 oz. jar. I ended up buying some of the lightly salted dry roasted peanuts because they did NOT contain MSG, however they still contain corn syrup solids, but oh well, still better than all the other stuff you find in cheap-o peanut butter right?

My food processor is small with a weak motor, so the consistency isn't as smooth as someone might get with a more powerful processor or blender (like the Blendtec I'm dying to get!) But I didn't mind the slight texture.

HOMEMADE PEANUT BUTTER Cost: right around $1.50

Recipe from various Tasty Kitchen posts

2 1/2 -3 cups of peanuts should give you about 2 cups of peanut butter

(Printable Recipe)

1 1/2 C. dry-roasted peanuts

1 tsp. canola oil

honey or sweetener, optional (I used 3 packets of Sun Crystals all-natural sweetener)

Place peanuts in food processor and blend until it starts to form a ball. Add sweetener if using. Stream in the oil and blend until desired consistency. You may need to add more oil. If you want chunky peanut butter, add chopped peanuts at the end and give the processor a few pulses to incorporate.

Refrigerate.

GERMAN PANCAKE

2011-03-19T09:50:00.000-06:00

Oh, German Pancake...so many memories. I remember begging my mom to make this for me all the time when I was young. I used to love watching it "magically" rise while baking in the oven. Because I loved it so much, when I was first married, I couldn't wait to share my love with my hubby who had never experienced one before. Imagine my heart-break when he about gagged! What? But EVERYONE (in my family) loves German Pancake. Fast forward 12 years...I decided in spite of his disgust, I was going to make it for my kids. Well, they loved it! And, my hubby actually tried it and this time didn't mind it. One of my daughter's now asks for "German Shepherd Pancakes"!

German Pancake makes 4 large servings

(Printable Recipe)

3 eggs

1/2 C. flour (I used 1/4 C. wheat, 1/4 C. white)

1/2 C. rich milk (I used 1/4 C. 1%, 1/4 C. almond milk)

1/4 tsp. salt

2 Tbsp. butter

Preheat oven to 400 F. Set 9" clear glass pie dish into hot oven on lowest oven shelf until very hot. Meanwhile, mix eggs, four, milk and salt in small mixer bowl, blender or food processor. Beat until smooth about 2-3 minutes. Remove dish from oven; add butter and rotate dish until butter is melted. Add batter immediately. Bake on lowest oven shelf for 17-20 minutes or until golden. Serve hot with syrup, jam or applesauce.

Note: To serve more people, triple the recipe and bake in a 9"x13" baking pan.

RAINBOW CUPCAKES FOR ST. PATTY'S DAY

2011-03-16T05:00:00.001-06:00

We really don't celebrate St. Patrick's Day too much around here, but when I saw this cute cupcake idea at The Fickle Pickle, I knew it would be perfect for a little neighbor treat. If you go to her blog, you will see that hers are decked out more than mine. I tried to find something to make a "rainbow" like hers, but failed :(

These look fairly ordinary from the outside, but take a look at the inside

How cool is that? This one didn't turn out quite as colorful inside as others; you can hardly see the purple layer on the bottom and the red and orange layers kinda intertwined. My kids thought these were just magical!

Rainbow Cupcakes

makes approx. 18

(Printable Recipe)

1 box white cake mix, prepared according to package

Separate batter equally into 5 bowls and add food coloring to each to make red, orange, yellow, green and purple or blue

In cupcake liners, spoon each color of batter in layers* until liner is 3/4 full.

Bake according to package

* I imagine if you were to swirl the layers, you'd have a tie-dye cupcake!

SOFT WHEAT PRETZEL BITES

2011-03-14T05:00:00.001-06:00

Every time we go to Sam's Club, my kids expect they will get a soft pretzel. IF for some reason they don't get one, I never hear the end of it! I've only made soft pretzels at home once before, but when I saw this recipe for pretzel bites from Two Peas and Their Pod, I thought it would be perfect the kids (ok, adults too!) And, of course, I had to make them a little healthier by using mostly wheat flour. I had made a hot broccoli dip that we ended up dipping these into that was pretty good, but if you want a more traditional cheese dip or other variations of this pretzel, visit their awesome site.

I will warn you, when I added the baking soda to the boiling water, it had a major volcano effect, making a huge mess everywhere! (But maybe you're smarter than I am!)

SOFT WHEAT PRETZEL BITES

(Printable Recipe)

1 1/2 cups warm water
2 tablespoons light brown sugar
1 package active dry yeast
3 ounces unsalted butter, melted
2 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
4 1/2 to 5 cups all-purpose flour
Vegetable oil
3 quarts water
3/4 cup baking soda
1 whole egg, beaten with 1 tablespoon cold water
Coarse sea salt

For the Pretzels: Combine the water, sugar, yeast, and butter in the bowl of a stand mixer and mix with the dough hook until combined. Let sit for 5 minutes.

Add the salt and flour and mix on low speed until combined. Increase the speed to medium and continue kneading until the dough is smooth and begins to pull away from the side of the bowl, about 3 to 4 minutes. If the dough appears too wet, add additional flour, 1 tablespoon at a time. Remove the dough from the bowl, place on a flat surface and knead into a ball with your hands.

Oil a bowl with vegetable oil, add the dough and turn to coat with the oil. Cover with a clean towel or plastic wrap and place in a warm spot until the dough doubles in size, about 1 hour.

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Bring the water to a boil in a small roasting pan over high heat and add the baking soda.

Remove the dough from the bowl and place on a flat surface. Divide the dough into 8 equal pieces, about 4 1/4 to 4 1/2 ounces each. Roll each piece into a long rope measuring 22 inches and shape. Cut the dough into one inch pieces to make the pretzel bites. Boil the pretzel bites in the water solution in batches. We did about 15 bites at a time. Boil for about 30 seconds. Remove with a large slotted spoon. Place pretzel bites on a baking sheet that has been sprayed with cooking spray. Make sure they are not touching. Brush the tops with the egg wash and season liberally with the salt. Place into the oven and bake for 15 to 18 minutes until golden brown.

Remove to a baking rack and let rest 5 minutes before eating.

FRENCH BREAD "STICKS"

2011-03-11T05:00:00.001-07:00

I saw this concept on Food Network a while back, and when I had some leftover French bread in my pantry, this came back to mind. It's basically toasted garlic bread just cut a different way. It's a fun change from the norm! I cut my loaf in quarters lengthwise and brushed all sides with the following mixture:

olive oil

melted butter

garlic powder

ranch seasoning

kosher salt for sprinkling

Place the "sticks' on a sheet pan and place under the broiler for 2-3 minutes. Watch carefully so they don't burn!

Guest Post -- Sweet Basil -- TROPICAL NACHOS

2011-03-08T16:51:00.000-07:00

I am so excited to have Carrian from Sweet Basil as a guest on my blog today! Her recipe sounds amazing! What better way to get a jump start on yummy summer-like dishes could you find? I can't wait to try it for myself. Her blog and mine have a lot of the same "feel" to them, so if you're a fan of my blog, chances are, you'll fall in love with hers too, so check it out!

Hi everyone! I'm so thrilled to get to do a guest post on Ambition's Kitchen! Kelli is so kind to let me pop onto her blog and post one of our faaaaavorite recipes ever. My name is Carrian and I blog over at Sweet Basil. My husband and I met at college in Idaho. We were both personal trainers and we taught classes (abs that rock and pilates). Now we are married with two kids, ages 4 (5 in just a month!!!) and 8 months.
I blog about recipes I've found to be good or have created myself. Sweet Basil is all about getting families back into the kitchen together. I think it's so important to eat together as a family and especially to let the kiddos cook with you at least every now and again. Not to mention it's cheaper, and healthier to eat at home.

Our little one has major sensitivities so I have a really restricted diet right now. I can't have dairy, soy, nut products other than peanut butter (weird that doesn't bother her) chocolate, or spicy foods. A lot of my recipes are dairy free ETC for the time being, or I show you the regular recipe and the adjustments I made to my serving to be dairy free etc.

Make sure you stop by to say hello!

Ok, enough of that!!! This is one of our favorite recipes to make and with Mangoes coming out it's a great time to try it for yourselves!

MMMMMMMM TROPICAL NACHOS!!!!!!!

Tropical Nachos
Recipe By Carrian of Sweet Basil blog

(Printable Recipe)

1 Pkg Wontons, sliced on the diagonal and fried
3 Chicken breasts
1/2 cup plus more for drizzling (or more depending on desired spiciness) Sweet Chile Sauce (found in the Asian Foods Section)
2 Mangoes (very ripe), chopped
1/3 Cup Cilantro, Chopped
1/2 Red Bell Pepper, chopped
1 Avocado, chopped
Monterey Jack Cheese, shredded

Heat the oven to 350 and place three chicken breasts in a baking dish. Cover with the sweet chili sauce and then cover the pan with foil. Bake 25-30 min or until done. Remove from oven and shred.

Meanwhile, toss together the mangoes, avocados, cilantro and red pepper. Set aside.

Turn the oven to 450. Place wontons on a cookie sheet and cover with chicken and cheese. Bake until the cheese is bubbly.

Place the chicken wontons on a plate and cover with mango salsa and drizzle with a little more sweet chili sauce. Enjoy!!!

MAKE AHEAD SCRAMBLED EGGS

2011-03-06T06:00:00.001-07:00

Yesterday my 8 year old daughter got baptized a member of our church; The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (Mormon). It's a special occasion where the whole extended family comes to share the experience. It's also customary for a meal to follow. We like to make any excuse for a get together with a lot of food! Because of the baptism time, I planned a brunch, which is something I've never done before for a large group. I scoured the internet for anything I could make ahead of time, or in the slow cooker so it would be right ready when we were done with the baptism. After viewing several slow cooker egg casseroles, I got nervous thinking, "What if it dries out or doesn't get cooked enough, then what will I do?" So, I decided to take a safer route and went with these YUMMY eggs. That way I could make them the night before and really know how they turned out. Everyone loved them! There wasn't a spoonful left in the pan. Even the men were telling that I needed to be sure to give their wives the recipe!

You know me, I had to make it a little "healthier" (if you can even call it that). In spite of it being a special occasion, I just couldn't convince myself to go full-fat on everything! Believe me; they were plenty delicious with less fat!

To feed 30 people I did 2 1/2 times the recipe (30 eggs)

MAKE-AHEAD SCRAMBLED EGGS

Recipe from here

(Printable Recipe)

12 eggs

1/2 C. heavy cream (I used half and half)

2 Tbsp. butter

1 C. sour cream (I used part low fat and part regular)

1 C. shredded cheddar cheese

1/8 tsp. white pepper

1/4 tsp. salt

Beat eggs with cream in a large bowl. Melt butter in a large skillet over medium to medium-low heat. Pour eggs into skillet and cook, gently stirring frequently, until eggs are scrambled, and just set, but still moist.

Remove pan from heat and stir in sour cream. Spread eggs into a greased 12x7 glass baking pan. Stir in salt and pepper and most of cheese. Sprinkle remaining cheese on top. Cover tightly and refrigerate.

When ready to serve. Heat oven to 350 and warm through, approx. 20-30 minutes or until thermometer registers 140 degrees.

** Since I was heating mine while we were away, I set the oven to 250 and warmed for approx. 75 minutes and they were perfect!**

WARM CHICKEN CURRY DIP

2011-02-28T21:41:00.000-07:00

I've mentioned before that my family loves to come home from church and just snack away. We don't really do a meal until dinner time, so I've been having fun trying different appetizer and snack recipes that I normally wouldn't try very often. We've come to LOVE the Baked Triple Veggie Dip so much that we compare everything else to it now. When I try a new recipe, I cross my fingers and hope I don't hear, "Oh, you should have made the Triple Veggie Dip instead!". I have to admit that I was a little skeptical about the flavor combination of this dip. I knew I would be ok with it, and probably my husband would tolerate it, but really wasn't sure about the kids. Everyone loved it! Unique; yes, but in a good way, so go outside of your "box" and try this. And, if you don't like curry, leave it out, it will still be good with all those other flavors! Let me know what you think!

WARM CHICKEN CURRY DIP

Recipe from H.P. 2nd Ward Cookbook - G. Cook

(Printable Recipe)

1 C. finely chopped cooked chicken (or 1 can of chicken)

1/4 C. sliced green onion

1 (8 oz) package cream cheese, softened (I used reduced fat)

1 C. shredded mozzarella cheese

1 garlic clove, minced (I used 2)

1/2 tsp. curry powder

1/4 tsp. salt

Optional (but I highly recommend):

1/4 C. sweetened flaked coconut

1/4 C. sliced almonds (I used chopped cashews)

1/4 C. apricot jam

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Chop chicken and green onions. Combine chicken, green onions, cream cheese, mozzarella, garlic, curry powder and salt. Mix well and spread into the bottom of an 8" round pan. Bake 18-20 minutes. Combine coconut and almonds. Spread apricot jam over warm dip and then sprinkle with coconut mixture. Serve with apple wedges, crackers, celery sticks or on a baguette.

ROMA MEATLOAF

2011-02-24T03:00:00.001-07:00

I think sometimes meatloaf gets a bad wrap. It's typically what my hubby would call a "grandma" meal. No, he's not being derogatory in any way; believe me, grandma's can cook! He just means old fashioned, same old, same old. But, this recipe, which came out of my ward (church) cookbook from my neighbor and blog follower, Cherie (thanks!) is not quite what you picture when you hear the word "meatloaf". It's fancy enough to feed guests and tastes great. I even chopped up the leftovers, added it to marinara and served over pasta. Two meals in one! Cherie's recipe didn't include spinach, but I thought it would be a nice addition and boost the nutrition value.

Roma Meatloaf

(Printable Recipe)

1 1/2 lb. ground beef (I used part ground turkey, part ground beef)

1 egg

3/4 C. oats

1/2 C. chopped onion

1 small can Italian tomato sauce (I just used a can of Italian style diced tomatoes, slightly drained and pureed. I used the entire 14.5 oz)

1 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. oregano

1/8 tsp. pepper

2 C. Mozzarella, shredded

1 box frozen spinach, defrosted and squeezed dry (optional)

Combine beef, egg, oats, onion, 1/3 C. tomato sauce, salt, oregano, and pepper. Mix well and shape into flat rectangle (as you would the dough for cinnamon rolls) about 10-12" on waxed paper. Sprinkle mozzarella (and spinach if using) evenly over meat mixture. Roll up jelly-roll style and press end of roll to seal. Place in a shallow baking dish or on a foil lined rimmed baking sheet. Bake at 350 F. for 45-60 minutes. Drain off excess fat. Pour on remaining tomato sauce and bake for 10-15 more minutes.

BLUE CHEESY PROSCIUTTO APPETIZER PIZZA

2011-02-21T22:56:00.000-07:00

How could I have forgotten to post these? I don't buy this type of convenience food, but I bought a tube of Pillsbury crescent rolls a while back, thinking I would enter a recipe contest using them. Well, I never followed through, so there they sat in my fridge. What better time to use them up than Superbowl Sunday? I found this recipe last minute and threw it together with what I had on hand. I was a little nervous about the combination of flavors being too unique for the crowd, but I was wrong. They were a hit! Even those who typically don't enjoy blue cheese liked these.

BLUE CHEESY PROSCIUTTO APPETIZER PIZZA makes 12-16

recipe adapted from Pillsbury Bake-off 2008

(Printable Recipe)

1 can Pillsbury refrigerated pizza crust (I used crescent rolls, keeping perforations attached and rolled flat)

1/3 C. cream cheese (I used reduced-fat)

1/4 C. crumbled blue cheese

1 C. shredded mozzarella cheese

4 slices prosciutto cut into thin strips (I just used bacon, but prosciutto would have been great!)

1/3 C. apricot preserves (I used my homemade pear preserves)

Heat oven to 400 F. Lightly spray large cookie sheet with cooking spray. Unroll pizza dough and roll into rectangle. Bake 8-10 minutes or until light golden brown.

In small microwavable bowl, microwave blue cheese and cream cheese uncovered on high about 30 seconds or until melted. Stir until well mixed. Spread mixture over crust. Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese; top with prosciutto.

In small microwavable bowl, microwave preserves uncovered on high about 30 seconds. Stir until smooth; drizzle over pizza.

Bake 8 to 12 minutes longer or until crust is golden brown and preserves in center of pizza start to bubble.

Cut into desired size.

CHICKPEA AND WALNUT BURGER

2011-02-16T20:59:00.000-07:00

* Warning* Do not tease your carnivore husband by telling him you are having "burgers" for dinner tonight! I knew better than to tell my husband we were having a meatless dinner tonight; that scares him to death! He sat down to this tempting burger, waiting for greasy goodness, but was met with...beans??

Don't get me wrong, these were good, but they're no burger "fake-out". Once my hubby got it through his head that these are not made of beef, he was able to say they were good. The fact that my 2 year old son, who doesn't typically eat dinner, ate his and half of his sister's, makes this a keeper in my book.

CHICKPEA AND WALNUT BURGER

recipe from Taste of Home Aug/Sept 2009 Makes 4-5 burgers

(Printable Recipe)

2 eggs

1/2 C. dry bread crumbs

1/2 C. chopped walnuts

1 medium carrot, shredded

1/3 C. crumbled reduced-fat feta cheese

1/4 C. coarsely chopped onion

1/4 C. Greek olives (I used black olives)

4 sprigs fresh parsley, stems removed

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/4 tsp. each salt and pepper

1 can (15 oz) chickpeas or garbanzo beans, rinsed & drained

Buns

Lettuce

Tomato

Sauce of choice (recommended tzatziki sauce, but I used "fry" sauce)

In a food processor, combine first 11 ingredients; cover and pulse until blended, but slightly chunky. Add chickpeas; pulse until chopped. Refrigerate at least 45 minutes.

Shape chickpea mixture by 2/3 cupfuls into patties. Coat fry pan or grill rack with cooking spray. Set heat to medium, cook burgers covered for 4-5 minutes per side. Serve on buns with toppings.

BEEF, SQUASH AND SPINACH SAUTE

2011-02-13T21:49:00.000-07:00

The other morning while jogging on the treadmill and watching The Food Network, I saw this recipe featured and was so excited because I had pretty much everything I needed to make it without going to the store! Yes, even the butternut squash was in my pantry, one of a few remaining from the garden last year. The recipe called for ground sausage, which I rarely use, but I had ground beef ready to go in the fridge.

The combination of flavors was unexpected, which piqued my interest. So, if you are looking for a ground beef recipe that's not so "run of the mill", try this! It makes a lot, so we had it for dinner and lunch a few days later and it was still mighty tasty!

BEEF, SQUASH & SPINACH SAUTE

recipe from Big Daddy's House

(Printable Recipe)

1 cup slivered almonds
1 pound bulk sage sausage (or ground beef seasoned with sage, fennel, etc.)
2 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons minced garlic
1 red onion, sliced in half moons
1 large butternut squash, peeled and diced into 1/2-inch cubes
1/4 cup chicken stock
4 cups baby spinach leaves
1 cup dried cranberries
1 tablespoon chopped parsley leaves (I would reduce this slightly next time)
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon cracked black pepper

In a large deep saute pan over medium-high heat, add the almonds. Toast, tossing frequently, until lightly browned, approximately 1 to 2 minutes. Remove the almonds from the pan and set aside.

In the same pan, add the sausage. Cook, while breaking it up with a wooden spoon, until browned through, about 5 to 6 minutes. Remove the sausage to a paper towel lined plate to drain. Add 2 tablespoons of butter to the pan and let the butter brown for 1 minute. Add the garlic and onion and cook until softened, about 1 to 2 minutes, then add the squash. Cook until the squash begins to color, about 5 to 6 minutes. Stir in the chicken stock and continue cooking until the squash is tender, about 10 to 12 minutes. Add the spinach, cranberries, parsley, salt and pepper and toss to combine. Return the sausage and the almonds to the pan. Toss well and heat through. Transfer the mixture to a serving bowl and serve.

HELLO KITTY CAKE WITH FONDANT

2011-02-09T04:00:00.001-07:00

It's my daughter's 8th birthday today, but we celebrated with family on Sunday. She requested a Hello Kitty cake for the 3rd year in a row, so...I finally gave in. Not that there's anything wrong with Hello Kitty, I just thought it was kinda boring for some reason. After surfing the net for ideas, I ended up enlarging a page from her Hello Kitty coloring book to use as a template. The next component to the cake was fondant...fondant? I've never made or worked with fondant. After viewing a few clips on You Tube, I was convinced I could do it! I was thrilled when it turned out perfect on my first attempt. I was banking on the fact that I'd have to do a few trial batches first, but not so!

I used my tried and true favorite cake recipe for making large birthday cakes; Wacky Cake. All in all, I was pretty happy with how it turned out AND how easy it ended up being. I should have done it 3 years ago!

PEANUT BUTTER AND BANANA STUFFED FRENCH TOAST STICKS

2011-02-05T23:05:00.000-07:00

In case you are unaware by now; MY KIDS LOVE peanut butter! They could eat it 3 times a day and not complain. Some time ago while watching Paula Deen on The Food Network, she made a French Toast similar to this, but she doused it in butter, then rolled it in cinnamon sugar (that's Paula for ya!) I did try her version and it was sure good, but I modified it so my kids weren't on a sugar high by 8:30 am! The kids love the strips that they dip in their own little cup of syrup.

P.B. AND BANANA STUFFED FRENCH TOAST STICKS

(Printable Recipe)

Figure two slices of bread per person

Lay each slice out side by side

On one slice, spread softened reduced fat cream cheese

On it's opposite slice, spread with peanut butter

Slice banana into rounds and place 6 or 7 on top of peanut butter

Sandwich the two slices together

Dredge sandwich in your french toast egg mixture (egg, milk, cinnamon)

Cook on griddle over medium heat until golden brown

Remove from griddle and slice each sandwich into 4 strips

Serve with individual cups of syrup for dipping

5 THINGS I'M LOVING RIGHT NOW.....

2011-02-04T08:50:00.001-07:00

I thought it would be fun to change things up a bit and share with you some of the things that I'm really loving right now! They are definitely worth trying out! (No, I'm not being paid for the "plug", but I wish I was!)

1. LAUGHING COW LIGHT SPREADABLE CHEESE

My family and I absolutely LOVE this stuff! It's unbelievably low in calories (35 per wedge) and is so soft and creamy. We use it to top crackers, apples (YUM), pears, and spread it on a tortilla instead of mayo for a sandwich wrap. There are a few different flavors, but original swiss is the tastiest and most versatile overall in my opinion.

2. MISSION BRAND CARB BALANCE WHOLE WHEAT TORTILLAS

I buy the fajita size whole wheat version of these tortillas. I think they have the best flavor and texture of any low carb wraps or tortillas out there. They only have 80 calories and 4 net carbs each! I'm so excited that Sam's Club has started carrying them because we go through a ton of these, yay!

3. TROPICANA TROP50 JUICES

I would rarely buy juice until I found this. The great thing about this juice is that there's 50% less sugar and calories than comparable juice, and there's no artificial sweetener. It's sweetened with stevia. I've tried all the flavors, orange, pineapple mago, pomegranite blueberry and apple. We still don't drink juice a ton, but I don't feel so bad giving it to my kids now with so much less sugar!

4. SILK PURE ALMOND MILK - LIGHT VANILLA

I've been seeing this publicized a lot more lately, and I'm so glad because people need to know how good it really is! I tried it for the first time about a year ago and now my kids BEG for it. The dark chocolate flavor is really good, but the light vanilla is my favorite. It really does have a silky texture and adds a nice depth of flavor to my "Green Monster" Drinks (spinach smoothies).

5. BESTLIFE BUTTERY SPRAY
This is something I waffle back and forth on, but lately I've been back "on". I usually don't spread butter or margarine on my toast, muffins, potatoes, etc. But, when I want just a little buttery flavor I will spray a little of this on and it does the trick. Sure, it's pretty "fake", but when used sparingly, which is easy because of the spray top, it's a good way to cut out a lot of calories! And, the spray top is nice because you don't end up tearing your bread apart like often happens with butter.

WHAT THINGS ARE YOU LOVING RIGHT NOW??