Cake Mix Cookies

This a great, quick and easy recipe and talk about cheap. I bought a box of cake mix for 89 cents. It makes 24 cookies. These are my kids favorite cookies right now.

Ingredients:

1 box chocolate devils food, strawberry or yellow cake mix
2 eggs
1/2 cup of oil

Preparation:

Mix the ingredients until cake mix is moistened. Roll into balls and then roll balls in granulated sugar or powdered sugar and place on cookie sheet 2 inches apart. Bake at 350 degrees for approximately 12 minutes

*You can also drop them by spoonfuls if you don't want to use the sugar. They come out great this way too.

Broccoli Cheese Squares

This is a new version of a family brunch favorite.  We usually make these with spinach and white flour but I decided to try them with broccoli and whole wheat flour and they came out just as good.  I'll make and post the original version soon.


Ingredients:

3 eggs
1 cup milk
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
4 cups - (16 oz) shredded cheddar/Monterrey jack cheese
1-16 oz package of frozen broccoli florets thawed and cut into small pieces

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Whisk eggs, milk, flour, baking powder, salt together. Add cheese and broccoli and stir until combined completely. Pour into greased 13x9 baking dish. Bake for 40-45 minutes.

Sloppy Joes

This is a recipe I found on my new favorite cooking website http://www.gourmetkoshercooking.com/. The original recipe called for ground beef but I almost always substitute ground turkey or chicken to make it healthier. I also served it with crispy kale and sweet potato fries. I will post those recipes soon as well. Everyone thought it was a hit!

Ingredients :

2 T canola oil

2 lbs. ground turkey

1 onion chopped

2 carrots peeled and chopped

2 stalks celery chopped

1/2 bell pepper chopped

1 T minced garlic

1 C brown sugar

1 T Worcestershire sauce

1/2 tsp black pepper

1/8 tsp ground cloves

Preparation:

Saute turkey, vegetables and garlic in canola oil over medium heat until browned, drain off any fat. Add remaining ingredients and mix well . Bring to a boil and then reduce the heat. Simmer for about 30 minutes and serve over whole wheat hamburger rolls.

Chocolate Torte

This is a Susie Fishbein recipe from one of her Kosher cookbooks (Kosher Palette, Kosher by Design....I can't remember which one)  It's a great parve recipe that comes out excellent everytime you make it.  Karen just made this recently for her ladies brunch that she hosted at her house for her friends.

Ingredients:

10oz bittersweet or semi-sweet choc, chopped
1 cup butter or marg, cut into pieces
5 large eggs
1 1/4 cups sugar
5 TB flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
powdered sugar

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Grease and flour a 10-inch springform pan. Heat chocolate and butter in a double boiler until mixture is melted and smooth. Beat eggs and sugar in medium bowl until sloghtly thickened.  Combine flour and baking powder and stir into egg mixture. Fold chocolate mixture into flour mixture.  Pour into prepared pan. Bake for 20 min then cover with foil.  Bake 30 min or until toothpick inserted in center comes out with moist crumbs. Cool on wire rack; release sides.

Egg Salad

I really only like egg salad that is homemade so I can control the amount of mayo. I like to experiment with different ingredients to add in. This one I made recently for a family brunch and it came out yummy.

Ingredients:

8-10 hard boiled eggs

1/4-1/2 cup of low fat mayonnaise

3-4 celery stalks chopped

1/2 small onion chopped

1 T fresh dill chopped

paprika, garlic powder, salt, pepper to taste

Preparation:

Combine all the ingredients in a bowl together and chill.

Avocado Tomato and Onion Salad

My whole family loves guacamole so I wanted to make a salad with the same flavors. I served it along side my Healthy Taco Lasagna (see below) the other night and it was a big hit. It is a great, simple and refreshing side dish.

Ingredients:

3 plum tomatoes
2 ripe avocados
1 small red onion
lemon juice
salt and pepper

Preparation:

Cut the avocado, tomato, and red onion into bite sized chunks. Toss with fresh lemon juice and season with salt and pepper.

Healthy Taco Lasagna

I am a big fan of the one dish dinner. I hate having a hundred pots and pans to clean. I like fast dinners during the week because I don't have a lot of time to cook since I work late three nights a week. I am constantly on the search a good casserole recipe. Unfortunately, they are always so fattening. I decided to make up a healthier version of a rich recipe and it came out awesome.

Ingredients:

6 whole wheat flour tortillas
1 lb lean ground turkey
1/2 packet of taco seasoning mix
1/4 cup water
1 can of enchilada sauce
2 plum tomatoes chopped
1 cup of frozen corn
1 8oz package of shredded low fat cheese cheese (cheddar or Mexican blend)

Preparation:

Brown turkey meat (drain fat if needed) add 1/2 of the taco seasoning packet and 1/4 cup of water. Add corn and chopped tomatoes. Cook through. In a 9x13 casserole dish pour a thin layer of enchilada sauce on the bottom. Cover sauce layer with two tortillas. Add 1/2 the meat mixture, 1/3 of the cheese and another thin layer of sauce. Top with two more tortillas and repeat. After placing the last two tortillas on top, pour sauce to cover (you might not need the entire rest of the can). Place in 400 degree oven for 20 minutes. Then top with the remaining cheese and bake for an additional 10 minutes.

Stuffed Peppers with Chicken and Orzo

I've never made stuffed pepper before EVER!  Our Mom used to make them when we were growing up but I have no idea what she put in them and I don't remember liking them all that much.  I had these gorgeous colored peppers and I didn't want to make the usual sausage and peppers so I decided to try my own version of the typical stuffed peppers using orzo instead of rice and ground chicken instead of the typical ground beef.  I also wanted to kick up the usual tomato sauce and decided on this version of a sweet and sour sauce so this is what I came up with.  They came out delicious.......this new recipe is a keeper! 

Ingredients:


4 peppers cut in half
1/2 lb  cooked orzo pasta (very aldente)
1 lb ground chicken
1/2 chopped onion
2 cloves of garlic
1 tablespoon of ground ginger
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup water
1-6 oz can of tomato paste
1/2 can (6-8 oz) jellied cranberry sauce
Salt and Pepper to taste
1/4 cup of grated parmesan cheese


Preparation:

Heat oil in a skillet and add onion, garlic, ginger saute for a minute.  Add chicken and cook chicken until cooked through and white in color.  Add tomato paste, water soy sauce and cranberry sauce and stir and cook for about 10 minutes.  Add cooked orzo and stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste.  Stuff pepper halves and top with parmesan cheese.  Bake in a 375 degree oven for 35-45 minutes until parmesan cheese is browned and peppers are soft.

Linked to This Chick Cooks

Healthy Chocolate Chip Zuchinni Bread

My family begs me to make this recipe on a weekly basis.  Sometimes I make it with chocolate chips sometimes with carrots, sometimes with mashed banana etc.  You really can add anything you like to this.  Also it's pretty much guilt free since it's fairly low in sugar, no oil and 2/3 whole wheat flour.  You don't miss any of what I took out....it's scrumptous!

Ingredients:

3 eggs

1 cup unsweetened applesauce

1 1/4 granulated sugar 

2 cups grated zucchini

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 cups whole wheat flour (King Aurthur flour is best)

1 cup all-purpose white flour 

3 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup semi sweet chocolate chips

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F Spray two 8x4 inch loaf pans with non stick spray. In a large bowl, beat eggs until light and frothy. Mix in applesauce and sugar. Stir in zucchini and vanilla. Combine flours, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder, salt and chocolate chips; stir into the egg mixture. Divide batter into prepared pans. Bake for about 1 hour, or until done.

Linked to Julies Eats and Treats Zucchini Blog Hop

Meatball Pizza Biscuits

This is the best picture I'm going to get because my husband decided to eat one when I was in the middle of styling and I walked away for half a second.  He said...."who's eating these??" as he rolled one in the sauce. UGH!

Ingredients:
1 Can(16.3 ounce size) large refrigerated biscuits (I've also used pizza dough)
8 frozen cooked Italian meatballs, thawed, each cut in half
2 sticks (1 oz size) string cheese, each cut into individual pieces
1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1 cup spaghetti sauce, heated

Preparation:

Heat oven to 375 degrees

Separate dough into individual biscuits. Separate each biscuit into 2 layers. Press each biscuit layer to make a 3-inch round. Place 1 meatball half, cut side up, and 1 string cheese piece in center of each dough round. Wrap dough around meatball and cheese, pressing edges to seal. Place seam side down in a single layer in an ungreased 8- or 9-inch round pan. Sprinkle evenly with Parmesan cheese, Italian seasoning and garlic powder.

Bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown and biscuits are no longer doughy in center. Remove from pan.

Serve warm with warm spaghetti sauce for dipping.

Hawaiian Chicken

Everyday Dinners

This is one of those age old recipes that our mother used to make for us all the time when we were growing up. It is super easy and yum!! My kids LOVE this dish. They were so happy when they heard that I was making it. It is great made with a simple side dish like plain rice, orzo, or quinoa (I added some confettied veggies to mine) so that you can pour some Hawaiian chicken sauce right over the top. I kid you not that my daughter had her hands on the plate wiping up all the sauce so she could then proceed to lick her fingers clean. :)

Ingredients:

1 Bottle of BBQ sauce
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 can of pineapple chunks w/ 1/2 cup of the juice
1-2 pounds of chicken pieces

Preparation:

Mix all ingredients together pour over chicken pieces. Bake for 1-1 1/2 hours at 400 degrees basting chicken every 20-30 minutes.

Oreo Truffles

Karen made these and brought them to brunch.  My friend Farah makes very similar ones but dips the oreo truffles in white chocolate and drizzles the top with dark chocolate.  Either way they are sinfully delicious.

Ingredients:

1 16oz package of Oreos

1 8oz package of cream cheese
2 8oz packages semi-sweet chocolate, melted

Preparation:

Crush 9 of the cookies to fine crumbs in a food processor(or ziploc bag); reserve for later.  Crush remaining 36 cookies to fine crumbs; place in a medium bowl.  Add cream cheese and mix until well blended.  Roll cookie mixture into 42 balls about 1 inch in diameter.  Dip balls in chocolate and place on a wax paper covered baking sheet.  Sprinkle with reserved crumbs.  Refrigerate until firm about 1 hour. 

Store covered in refrigerator.

Baked Chicken with Caramelized Onions

I don't know why but I haven't made this dish in several years.  I  think I just forgot about it and it deserves to be remembered.  It's so easy and really delicious.  I am going to add it back into my regular repertoire.  I had a friend over for dinner tonight and she said it was her favorite dish so far that I've made....so with that sort of praise how can I not make it more often?

Ingredients:

1 lb chicken cutlets or chicken tenders
1 cup flavored bread crumbs
2 eggs beaten
2 large onions sliced thinly
2 cups beef broth
1/4 cup vegetable oil + 2 Tbl
2 Tbl butter

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Dip cutlets in beaten egg and then dredge in bread crumbs.  Heat oil in large skillet and fry cutlets until browned on both sides (it's not necessary to cook the chicken through).  Remove cutlets and drain on paper towel and n transfer into a deep casserole dish or dutch oven, set aside.  Clean out skillet and add 2 Tbl of butter and 2 Tbl of vegetable oil and heat over med high heat.  Add sliced onions to skillet and cook stirring often until onions are a dark golden brown and caramelized.  Spoon caramelized onions over chicken cutlets and then pour beef broth over the top of the onions.  Cover and transfer dish to preheated oven and bake for 45 min - 1 hr.  Remove from oven and serve chicken and onions over cous cous spooning extra liquid over the top......the cous cous will soak up the liquid.  Enjoy!

Flourless Peanut Chocolate Chip Cookies

This is a Martha Stewart cookie of the day recipe.  It really couldn't be easier!  You mix everything in one bowl, roll into balls and bake - DONE!  I was actually surprised how good these came out, I've never made cookies without flour.  They are very peanutty, a little soft a little chewy and a little crumbly.....just yummy. 

Ingredients:

1 cup creamy peanut butter
3/4 cup sugar
1 large egg
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup roasted salted peanuts

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, stir together reamy peanut butter, sugar, egg, baking soda, and salt until well combined. Stir in chocolate chips and roasted salted peanuts. With moistened hands, roll dough, about 1 heaping tablespoon at a time, into balls. Place 2 inches apart on two baking sheets. Bake until cookies are golden and puffed, 12 to 14 minutes.  Cool 5 minutes on sheets; transfer cookies to racks to  completely

Another 10 year old kitchen tool bites the dust....

I think I was on to something about kitchen appliances/tools needing to be replaced every 10 years.  I still haven't replaced my food processor, blender or can opener and now look at this.........

My very good and expensive Henkels pairing knife (yes another wedding gift) broke clean in half the other day when I was cutting a stick of frozen butter.  Yep just butter, not a cinder block as you would've thought.  So crazy.  I thought these things had a lifetime guarantee, or is that ginzu knives?

Perhaps it's a sign from the cooking gods that I need to slow down and pace myself? Don't they know I have this blog so I have to keep cooking?

Chocolate Chip Scones

Love a good, easy scone recipe and this is both.  I made these with chocolate chips for my niece Ariel because she's one of the pickier eaters in our family and a fruit scone wasn't going to fly.  I decided to use mini chocolate chips which I think looks nicer and it was much easier to roll out the dough with the smaller chips.  I also made one batch with sprinkled granulated sugar on top and one batch plain.  Both are good, I think it's just a matter of taste.

Ingredients:

2 cup unsifted flour
3 tbsp. sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup buttermilk or milk
1 lg. egg
1 tsp. vanilla
3/4 cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preparation:

Heat oven to 425 degrees. Grease baking sheet. In large bowl combine dry ingredients. Cut in butter with pastry blender until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
In small bowl combine milk, egg and vanilla. Add to dry ingredients along with chocolate chips and mix with fork until mixture clings together and forms a soft dough. Turn dough onto floured surface and knead gently 5-6 times. With lightly floured rolling pin, roll dough into a 7-inch circle. Cut as many as you want into triangle shapes. Sprinkle granulated sugar on top of each scone (optional) Bake for 18-20 minutes until golden brown. Serve warm.

Lemon Rosemary Chex Mix

My daughter Ariel loves chex mix. She decided to go on the chex website to find a new version and this is what she came up with. It was a big hit at our family brunch today.

Ingredients:

1/4 cup butter

1 TBL lemon zest

2 TBL fresh rosemary minced

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon salt

2 cups Corn Chex cereal

2 cups Wheat Chex cereal

2 cups Rice Chex cereal

1 cup raw almonds

1 cup Parmesan-flavored crackers (not fish-shaped)

Preparation:

1. In large microwavable, microwave butter on High about 40 seconds or until melted. Stir in rosemary, lemon zest garlic powder and salt. Add cereals, almonds and crackers; mix well.

2. Microwave on High 5 to 6 minutes, stirring every 2 minutes. Spread on cookie sheet to cool. Store in airtight container.

Spinach Mushroom Quiche

This is a standard Brunch recipe for our family.  It's super easy, it always comes out good and every loves it. 

Ingredients:

6 eggs
1 16 oz package of frozen, chopped spinach
1 package of sliced fresh mushrooms
1 medium onion, chopped
1-2 T. oil
1 frozen deep dish pie crust
1 ½ cups of shredded cheddar cheese
Salt and pepper to taste
Preparation:

Thaw frozen spinach and drain very well. Saute onions and mushrooms in a skillet until lightly brown. Add spinach and warm through. Beat eggs in a large bowl. Combine spinach mixture, beaten eggs, cheese, salt and pepper and pour into frozen pie crust. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour or until set. Cool slightly before serving.

Curried Snack Mix

Our mom is always cutting recipes out of magazines and newspapers. She finds the most interesting ideas for cooking and baking. I just had to try this recipe. I love anything curry. It is soooo addicting. I can eat practically the whole batch in one sitting. Make a batch, wrap it in a cellophane bag with a pretty ribbon and it would make a great hostess gift when visiting a friend or relative. It would also be great to put out at a party or before a meal when entertaining. The great thing about this is that you can add anything you want to the seasoning mix and it will taste great. Use any snacks that you have around the house; cereals, pretzels, crackers, dried fruit, etc.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup dried cherries
1 cup wheat squares cereal
1 cup rice squares cereal
1/2 cup chow mein noodles
1/2 teaspoon curry powder
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon melted margarine

Preparation:

In a bowl combine cherries, cereals, and noodles. Melt margarine in the microwave. Add curry powder, cinnamon, cumin, salt, and brown sugar to the melted margarine. pour over cereal mixture and stir gently to coat. Spread onto a non stick cookie sheet (use a silpat if you have one). Toast in a 300 degree oven for 15-20 minutes, or until fragrant and lightly browned. Let cool completely before putting into a airtight container to store.

Beef Tagine Stew w/ Butternut Squash

Tonight's Dinner 1/14/11


Love a good stew recipe. Especially when it is cold outside and there is snow on the ground. This was a new one for me. It came out fantastic. The kids loved it.

Ingredients:

• 2 teaspoons paprika
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 pound beef stew meat, cubed
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 4 shallots, quartered
• 4 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained
• 1 can of condensed tomato soup. plus one can of water
• 2 cups of cremini mushrooms quartered
• 2 cups small yellow potatoes, halved
• 3 cups (1-inch) cubed peeled butternut squash (about 1 pound)
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Preparation:
1. Combine first 6 ingredients in a medium bowl. Add beef; toss well to coat.
2. Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add beef and shallots; cook 4 minutes or until browned, stirring occasionally. Add garlic; cook 1 minute, stirring frequently. Stir in broth, tomatoes, tomato soup and water; bring to a boil. Cook 5 minutes. Add potatoes and mushrooms; cover, reduce heat, and simmer for one hour. Add squash; cover, and simmer 30 minutes or until squash is tender. Sprinkle with cilantro.

Mom's Meatloaf

Tonight's Dinner 1/13/11

This is the meatloaf we grew up on as kids.  I love this recipe, it's easy and delicious.  It also makes great sandwiches for the next day.

Ingredients:

1 lb of ground beef

1 package of onion soup mix

1 egg

1/2 cup bread crumbs

3/4 cup ketchup

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Mix ground beef, onion soup mix, egg, bread crumbs and 1/2 cup ketchup together until combined (do not over mix).  Form into a loaf and put into a ungreased loaf pan.  Spread remaining 1/4 cup of ketchup on top of meatloaf(optional).  Bake for 45 min - 1 hr.  Let stand for 15 minutes before slicing.

Strawberry Almond Shortbread Thumprint Cookies

These cookies are great.  It's nice to have a cookie option that doesn't require eggs and only has a few ingredients.  You can add any jam you like in the center but I'm partial to strawberry and raspberry with the almond flavor.

Ingredients:

2 sticks butter softened

1 cup confectioners sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon almond extract

2 1/2 cups flour

1/2 cup strawberry jam

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. With a hand mixer combine butter, confectioners sugar, almond extract and salt together until smooth.  Add flour and mix until dough comes together into a ball.  Cover and refrigerate 30 minutes.

Roll dough into even size balls and place on cookie sheet lined with a silpat or parchment paper.  Bake for 10 minutes, remove from oven.  With the back of a teaspoon measuring spoon make indentations in the center of each cookie and fill indentations with jam.  Place back in the oven and bake for an additional 10-15 minutes until the cookies are golden brown on top and bottom.

Let cool on a wire rack.

Chicken Potstickers with Soy Honey Dipping Sauce

Love this recipe.  It's a combination of a few different recipes and always depends on what I have in my kitchen at the moment I want to make them.  I played around until I got this final recipe.  My whole family loves these potstickers.  My sister Karen thought they sounded good and just made them for her family (this is her picture)and they came out exactly like mine.  I like these because they are a combination of pan fried and steamed. They are a little labor intensive but so worth it.  I still have to figure out how to make them without my husband and kids eating them while I'm still making them.  Typically I finally finish cooking and I'm ready to eat and they are all done.

Ingredients:

12 oz of ground chicken
1/4 cup finely chopped mushroom
1 tablespoon finely chopped bamboo shoots
2 tablespoons finely chopped waterchestnuts
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon of ginger
1 teaspoon finely chopped garlic
50 wonton wrappers

Mix together all ingredients until combined. Layout 8 wonton wrappers at a time being careful to keep the rest out of the air (or they will dry up - place a damp paper towel over the top of the package) spoon about 2 teaspoons of chicken mixture into the middle of each wonton wrapper. With your finger tip wet all 4 sides of the wonton wrapper with a little water (keep a small bowl of water infront of you so you can do this quickly) Pull up opposite corners and pinch together and then pull up the other two corners and pinch together to form a little "purse" Repeat until you are done with all 50 wonton wrappers. Keep the finished potstickers on a platter with damp towel over the top so the won't dry out while you are finishing preparing the rest of the potstickers.Heat about 2 tablespoons of veg oil in the bottom of a large skillet. Add the potstickers to the hot oil but do not over crowd, the potstickers should not be touching. Brown the bottoms of the potstickers for about 2-3 minutes and then add about 1/4 cup of water to the pan and cover the pan and allow the potstickers to steam for an additional 3-5 minutes.

Soy Honey Dipping Sauce

1/4 cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons of honey

whisk together and enjoy

Panko Crusted Chicken Tenders

Tonight's Dinner 1/10/11


This was a last minute quick dinner that I made for the kids. I totally didn't feel like cooking but refused to go to eat another night. I made these easy, crispy seasoned chicken tenders and served them with peas and corn and apple sauce.


Ingredients:

1 pound chicken tenders
1 packet of Shake n' Bake seasoning
2 eggs beaten
2 cups panko crumbs

Preparation:

Dampen chicken with water and place in Shake n' Bake bag with seasoning. Coat the chicken with the seasoning and then remove. Add each piece of chicken into egg mixture and then into panko crumbs. Place on a greased baking sheet or a silpat (then you don't need to grease pan) and bake at 350 degrees for approximately 25- 30 minutes or until brown and cooked through.

Pepperoni Pizza Puffs

I've been wandering around different food blogs and jotting down recipes that sound good to try.  I happened upon this great recipe from Cassie Craves so I decided to try these pepperoni pizza puffs today from her blog and they really really easy and so delicious.  Also the you can use this batter and really add any of your favorite fillings to change them up.  I think next time I might try spinach and cheedar cheese....YUM!  I made a slight change to the recipe just to lighten it up a little bit but it still tasted totally delicious.

**Nanci just came over and loved them so now we are trying to come up with a new concoction to use with this batter.  Stay tuned.......

Pizza Puffs

Ingredients:

3/4 cup flour

3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1 tablespoon pizza seasoning
3/4 cup whole milk (I used 3/4 cup of skim milk instead)
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
1 package mini pepperoni rounds (or 1 cup cubed pepperoni)
1/2 cup store-bought pizza sauce


Preparation:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Grease a 24-cup mini-muffin pan. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and pizza seasoning; whisk in the milk and egg. Stir in the mozzarella, parmesan and pepperoni; let stand for 10 minutes. Scoop batter into greased mini-muffin tins and bake for 20 minutes or until they are golden brown.

Variation - Bacon Corn Cheddar Puffs

(omit pizza seasoning, mozzarella cheese and pepperoni)

Add 1 cup of frozen corn, 1 cup of bacon bits (I used immitation bacon bits) and 1 cup of cheddar cheese

Variation - Tri colored pepper and mushroom puffs

Saute red, yellow, green peppers and mushrooms in a litlte olive oil add salt and pepper to taste.  Add 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese and 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese.



Chocolate Bark

I love this recipe. It started when my kids went trick or treating a few years back and came home with ridiculous amounts of Halloween candy. I took all of the Hershey and Crunch bars and melted them in the microwave and threw in whatever snacks I had lying around in the kitchen and made bark out of it. It was a huge hit and my friends and family raved about this candy. Who knew that was all I had to do to make something so yummy. So now I bring this treat to family gatherings and I get requests to bring it to scrapbooking events that Ellen and I host for our friends. The great thing about this treat is that you can use any kind of chocolate you have in your house and you can add anything into it that you want (m&ms, dried fruit, reese's pieces, etc)

Thanks Ellen for taking this amazing picture. I can't believe how professional it looks!!

Ingredients:

1 bag of milk chocolate chips
1 bag of semi sweet chips
1/2 bag of mini marshmallows'
1-2 cups pretzel pieces
1-2 cups chopped almonds

Preparation:

Melt chocolate in the microwave in a microwave safe bowl until melted and smooth (microwave one minute at a time until it is fully melted). Pour in marshmallows, almonds and pretzel pieces and stir to coat. Pour mixture onto a silpat or waxed or parchment paper and refrigerate until set. Break into pieces and serve.

Everyday Thanksgiving

Since we started this blog in January I didn't want to wait another whole year to document Thanksgiving which is many of our favorite holiday.  We all get together the day before Thanksgiving at Susan's house to drink wine, enjoy eachother's company and of course cook.  (IN THAT ORDER).

The wine has been poured so let's get started.........

The Menu

Pomegranite Cosmopolotians

Spiceds Mixed Nuts

Crudite with Hummus

Butternut Squash Soup

Pumpkin Muffins

Goat Cheese & Carmelized Onion Crostini

Turkey and Herbed Gravy

Traditional Stuffing (Mom's Stuffing)

Cornbread & Chestnut Stuffing

Cranberry Strawberry Compote

Cranberry Jello Mold

Roasted Root Vegetables

Cauliflower and Parsnip Puree

Roasted Fingerling Potatoes

Mashe Sweet Potatoes with Mini Marshmallows

String Beans with Almonds

Pecan Pumpkin Pie with Whipped Cream

Chocolate Chip Meringue Bars

Cranberry Pistaschio Biscotti

Mixed Berries with Mango and Figs

Susan

Karen

Nanci

No picture of me.....which was fine by me because I had a very unfortunate hair coloring incident so I would've deleted any pictures of me anyway!

The Table

Kids Table Center Piece

(totally edible)

 

My Sisters

Sausage and Peppers

Tonight's Dinner - 1/5/11
















I Like to make this recipe with turkey sausage and whole wheat pasta. It requires very little oil so it is a yummy low fat meal. If you want you can spray the bottom of the pan with cooking spray and avoid the oil all together. I also like to mix the pasta in with the sausage and peppers before I serve it as you can see in the picture.

Ingredients:

2 lbs sweet Italian turkey sausage

3 large peppers, sliced (red/yellow/green)

1 T crushed garlic

1 large red onion, sliced

1/2 can of tomato paste

1/4-1/2 cup of white wine

olive oil

Preparation:

Coat the bottom of a heavy bottomed pan with olive oil. Over med/high heat, brown sausage on all sides and remove from pan. Pour in a little bit of white wine to deglaze the pan (use wooden spoon to scrap up all the bits). Put in garlic and onions and cook until soft and golden. Then add peppers and cook until soft. Add tomato paste and 1/4 cup white wine. Slice sausage into bite sized pieces and add back into the pan. Cover and cook for approximately 30 minutes. Serve over whole wheat pasta.

Lemon Chicken with Artichokes and Capers

Tonight's Dinner - 1/4/11


This is so delicious and easy to make.  It's one of my husbands favorite dishes (even though it's a newer dish I started to make)  If you don't like artichokes or capers just leave them out.  This recipe makes a big family portion (10-12) so just halve the ingredients to make a smaller amount. Serve over pasta or rice with roasted asparagus.  YUM!

Ingredients:

12 chicken cutlets (thin)
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Garlic powder to taste
All-purpose flour
4 tablespoons butter - divided use
2 tablespoons olive or vegetable oil
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups chicken broth
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley (also known as Italian parsley)
Lemon slices for garnish (optional)
1 can of artichoke hearts drained
1/4 cup of capers drained and rinsed

Preparation:

Season cutlets with salt, pepper and garlic powder. Dredge in flour, shaking off excess.
In large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons butter and oil over medium-high heat until hot. Cook cutlets on each side until golden brown, about 5 minutes or until the juices run clear. Remove from pan; keep warm.
Melt remaining 2 tablespoons butter in same skillet, add 2 tablespoons flour and cook for 1 minute. Stir in chicken broth, stirring up any browned bits from the bottom of skillet. Heat to boiling and cook until thickened, about 2 to 3 minutes.
Remove from heat and stir in lemon juice and parsley. Season with additional salt and pepper, as desired.

Arrange chicken cutlets in a baking dish and add artichoke hearts, capers and lemon slices.  Pour lemon sauce over the top, cover and bake in a 350 degree oven for 25 minutes until heated through.  

What is the shelf life of small appliances??

I ask this question because apparently for my appliances the answer is 10 years!  Last week three of my main appliances that I receved as gifts when I got married just blew up practically all at the same time.  My food processor, my blender and my electric can opener all suffered an untimely (or perhaps timely) death while I was cooking last week.  My blender gave out while pureeing butternut squash soup, my food processor exhausted itself grating cheese for homemade mac and cheese and my can opener literally flew off the handle opening a can of water chestnuts when I was making chicken potstickers one night.  Now what new appliances should I buy to replace those who have passed on?

Bistro Style Pasta Napolitano

Tonight's Dinner 1/3/11

Super easy one pot dinner that tastes sooooo much better than you would think.  Something about having the pasta cook in the sauce makes this dish.  Really yummy, reheats perfectly so great for left overs and your whole family will love it.

*note: you can make this dish with ground turkey and whole wheat pasta and its still totally delicious.

Ingredients:

4-5 T. vegetable oil
2 lbs of ground beef or turkey
1 large onion chopped
16 ounces of pasta (penne, fussili, rigatoni)
1 jar of pasta sauce
2 cups of water
garlic powder
salt
pepper

Preparation:

Saute' onion in vegetable oil, add beef and cook until browned. Stir in pasta, sauce, water, garlic powder, salt & pepper. Cook over low to medium heat for 30-40 minutes until pasta is cooked.

Linked to Julie's Eats and Treats