Everyday Sister's Sharing Sundays #10

This week theme for Sharing Sundays is not a type of food but a COLOR........................................RED!  We thought it would be fun to see how many recipes everyone could come up with that were RED.  So you can post any recipes that contain red items like Strawberries, Marinara Sauce, Red Peppers, Tomatoes, Raspberries, etc.  Maybe we can take the next several weeks and try to do all the colors of the rainbow?
Our Rules:
1.  Please become a follower of our blog.
2.  Please share a link back to your actual recipe post, not to your main blog page.
3.  Please link back to our blog so others can join in the fun.
4.  Leave us a comment about what recipe you are linking up.
5. Have fun!

Now let's see the featured MEXICAN recipes from last week

Chicken Tequito Enchiladas by Cooking with K


Chicken Quesadillas by The Kitchen Cookie


Fire Roasted Tomato and Chicken Tortilla Soup
by Cook Lisa Cook

Chili Con Queso by Jam Hands

Margarita Cake Ball Truffles by The Kitchen is my Playground

Frozen Pina Colada Pie by Carolynn's Recipe Box

Banana Almond Oatmeal Cookies

Banana recipe #4!  This is a really good one.  These cookies are totally delicous and easy to make.  They are very soft and cake like.  I was able to get them crispier by putting them in the toaster oven and toasting them for a few minutes after they completely cooled.  They were really yummy like that.  I also used slivered almonds instead of sliced almonds in the batter because that is what I had on hand but I think it would be better with the sliced almonds that way you don't get a big chunk of almond when you bite into the cookie.  I will definitely be making these again.

Ingredients:

2 over-ripe bananas
1/2 cup blanched almonds
1 stick butter (4 ounces), room temperature
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 cup unbleached, all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt

1 cup of quick cook oatmeal
1/2 cup sliced almonds (I used slivered because that's what I had)

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 375º.  In a food processor, pulse the blanched almonds with 1/2 cup sugar until almonds are finely ground.  Cream butter with remaining 1/4 cup sugar.  Then add the ground almonds.  Whip until thoroughly mixed.  Beat in eggs, then add mashed bananas.  Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.  Mix the dry ingredients into the batter.  When the flour has been completely incorporated, stir in the oatmeal and sliced almonds.

Using two tablespoons, drop the batter onto parchment lined baking sheets about 2 inches apart.  Bake for 6 to 8 minutes.  Remove from the oven and cool on wire racks.

Linked to Sweets for Saturday
Linked to Melt in your Mouth Monday

Chicken, Cheddar and Heirloom Tomato Calzone

A quick and easy hot lunch using ingredients that I typically have on hand. 

Ingredients:

Pizza dough

1/2 lb of sliced chicken breast

1 cup sliced heirloom tomatoes

1/4 lb of sliced cheddar cheese

olive oil

Italian seasoning

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 375 F.  Roll out pizza dough into a rectangle on a greased cookie sheet.  Brush a little olive oil on the dough.   Sprinkle the top of dough with about 1 teaspoon of italian seasoning.  Starting at the bottom of dough (closest to you) put a single layer of sliced chicken breast.  Then above that in the middle of the dough add a layer of tomatoes.  Lastly on the top portion of the dough add a single layer of sliced cheddar cheese.  Starting back at the bottom of the dough roll the dough upward folding in all the ingredients.  Once the dough is completely rolled up place is seam side down on the greased cookie sheet.  Brush the top of the dough roll up with olive oil and sprinkle the top with 1/2 teaspoon (give or take) of italian seasoning.  Bake at 375 for about 18-20 minutes until the dough is browned all over.  Remove from oven, let stand for about 5 minutes before slicing and serving.

Pretty Tomatoes!

Banana Chocolate Cupcakes with Vanilla Marshmallow Cream Cheese Frosting

If you can believe I STILL have a lot of very ripe bananas in my freezer to use.  So this is recipe #3.  This is a delicous chocolate banana cupcake recipe.  The frosting is very sweet and although I think it goes well with the cupcake next time I think I'll try a peanut butter frosting which I think would taste even better! 

Ingredients:

CUPCAKES:
1 cup sugar
1 cup flour
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 large egg
1/2 cup mashed ripe bananas (about 1 med sized banana)
1/2 cup warm water
1/4 cup milk
1/4 cup vegetable oil
3/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

FROSTING
3 tablespoons butter, softened
1/4 cup cream cheese, softened (I used fat free)
1/2 jar of marshmallow creme (Fluff)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 package (8 oz) powdered sugar
1 tablespoon of milk (for stiffer frosting leave the milk out)

Preparation:

CUPCAKES:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and line 12 regular-sized muffin cups with paper liners or spray each cup with non stick vegetable spray. In a large bowl whisk together the sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.  In another large bow; whisk together egg, mashed banana, water, milk, oil and vanilla extract.  Add the wet ingredieints to the dry ingredients and stir, or whisk until combined. (The batter will be pretty thin).  Pour the batter into the muffin cups, about 3/4 full, and bake for about 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of cupcake comes out clean.  Remove from oven and let cool on a wire rack.

FROSTING:
Combine all ingredients and beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth.  Refergerate for 30 minutes and beat again before frosting cooled cupcakes.

Linked to This Chick Cooks
Linked to Sweets for Saturday

Salmon and Tomatoes en Papillote

I was looking for a new salmon recipe that would be "quick and easy" and I came across this recipe on a great blog that I visit, A Spoonful of Thyme.  This is a Dorie Greenspan recipe that also can be found on Dorie's blog, In the Kitchen and on the Road with Dorie  It's such a delicious recipe and so super easy to prepare, not to mention that it's light and healthy too.  I only made slight changes (omitting the thyme and adding chives in it's place, also I used black pepper instead of white)

Ingredients:

2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil (more to taste)
5-6 grape tomatoes, halved
About 6 basil leaves
One 5-ounce filet of salmon (skinless or not)
1/4 lemon
1/2 spring onion or 1 scallion (optional), finely sliced \
1 teaspoon chopped chives
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preparation:

Center a rack in the oven, preheat the oven to 475 degrees F and have a baking sheet at hand.  Cut a piece of foil that is large enough for you to lay out the ingredients, lift up the edges of the foil and seal the packet with an inch or two of air space above the fish.

Working in the center of the piece of foil, make a bed of basil leaves, keeping 1 leaf aside.  Sprinkle the leaves with a little salt and pepper, put the salmon over the leaves and season it with salt and pepper too.  (If the salmon has skin, lay it skin-side against the basil.)  Put the tomatoes on one side of the salmon and grate the lemon's zest over everything.  If you're using the spring onion or scallion, scatter the pieces over the fish and tomatoes.  Give the salmon a squirt of lemon juice, then cut two thin slices from the lemon and put them on top of the fish.  Top with one or two basil leaves and sprinkle with the chopped chives; moisten with olive oil.

Seal the packet, making sure it's airtight and that there's puff space between the fish and the top of its cocoon.  Put the packet on the baking sheet, slide the set-up into the oven and bake for 10 minutes, if you like your fish pink and slightly jiggly in the center (great for salmon); bake 2 minutes longer if you want your fish better done.

*You can either put the packet on a dinner plate and open it at the table, or  open the packet in the kitchen and arrange the ingredients on a plate.  If you plate the fish, you might want to finish the dish with a little minced basil or some snipped chives.

Everyday Sisters Sharing Sundays #9

This week theme for Sharing Sundays is MEXICAN!  We just recently cooked a Mexcican meal and would love some new recipes to try....especially desserts!  Please feel free to link up as many Mexican recipes as you would like both savory and sweet and anything inbetween.

Our Rules:
1.  Please become a follower of our blog.
2.  Please share a link back to your actual recipe post, not to your main blog page.
3.  Please link back to our blog so others can join in the fun.
4.  Leave us a comment about what recipe you are linking up.
5. Have fun!

Now let's see the featured CUPCAKE recipes from last week

Best Vanilla Cupcakes and Best Coffee Buttercream
by The Kitchen is My Playground


Pink Lemonade Cupcakes by Amy's Cooking Adventure



Mocha Tiramasu Cupcakes by U Try It


4th of July Cupcakes by Meg's Everyday Indulgence


Cookies and Cream Cupcakes by A Spoonful of Thyme

Heirloom Tomato and Avocado Salad

I really love tomoatoes but I especially love heirloom tomoatoes.  I think they are so pretty and I love how they all have a different level of acidity and flavor. This is a super light summer salad that is a perfect side dish for a quick dinner.  We served this along grilled hamburgers so dinner was ready in about 20 minutes from start to finish.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 - 2 cups heirloom cherry tomoatoes sliced in half

1 avocado cubed

1 tablespoon seasoned rice wine vinegar

1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil

1 tablespoon soy sauce

6 basil leaves chiffonade 

Preparation:

Place tomoatoes and avocado in a bowl.  Mix vinegar, oil and soy sauce in a small bowl and pour over tomoatoes and avocado.  Sprinke with chiffonade of basil and toss to coat.

Linked to This Chick Cooks

Linked to Cast Party Wednesday

Linked to Melt in your Mouth Monday

Ginger Cookies

Sunday morning, around 9:00 am I was watching TV with Carly and Ina Garten was making ginger cookies which is Carly's favorite. Carly jumped out of my bed and begged me to bake cookies with her immediately. My family was getting together later that day to say goodbye to Susan's daughter Ariel who is leaving for her first year at Cornell this week. So, I thought it would be a nice treat to bring to her house, especially since the recipe is Pareve and they keep a kosher home. So we printed out the recipe and got started. I didn't have crystallized ginger and also thought that the amount of clove that she used was a little excessive so I tweaked Ina's recipe ever so slightly. These cookies came out fantastic!!!! It was a fun and different breakfast. It made 3 1/2 dozen so plenty to bring to Susan's house later.


Ingredients:

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup dark brown sugar, lightly packed
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/3 cup molasses
1 extra-large egg, at room temperature
Granulated sugar, for rolling the cookies

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 sheet pans with parchment paper or a silpat.

In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, ginger, and salt and then combine the mixture with your hands. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the brown sugar, oil, and molasses on medium speed for 5 minutes. Turn the mixer to low speed, add the egg, and beat for 1 minute. Scrape the bowl with a rubber spatula and beat for 1 more minute. With the mixer still on low, slowly add the dry ingredients to the bowl and mix on medium speed for 2 minutes.

Scoop the dough with 2 spoons or a small ice cream scoop. With your hands, roll each cookie into a 1-1 1/2 inch ball and then roll in granulated sugar. Flatten them lightly with your fingers. and place them on the sheet pans. Bake for exactly 11 minutes. The cookies will be crackled on the top and soft inside. Let the cookies cool on the sheets for 1 to 2 minutes, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely.

Mango Salsa

This is a great fresh salsa recipe that goes great with any grilled fish recipe.  Susan served it with grilled halibut on fish tacos. 

Ingredients:

2 mangos, cubed
1/2 small red onion, finely chopped
1 teaspoon cilantro, chopped
Juice from 1 lime
1/2 jalapeno, finely chopped

Preparation:

Combine all ingredients and refrigerate for at least 1 hour to meld flavors.

Vanilla Flan (Non-Dairy)

This is an absolutely delicious recipe that is non-dairy.  Susan made this for a Mexican meal we had at her house and since she keeps kosher we weren't able to serve any desserts made with dairy.  We were all amazed at how beautiful and delicious this flan was.  I told her there is no reason to ever make a dairy flan when this one is perfect!!

Ingredients:

1 1/4 cups sugar, divided
1/2 vanilla bean, split lengthwise and scraped (reserve seeds)
2 1/2 cups plain soy milk (parve)
1/2 cup non-dairy whipping cream (parve)
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
4 large whole eggs plus 1 yolk

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.  Place and 8-inch souffle dish in the oven to warm.  Place 3/4 cup of the sugar in a heavy saucepan on med heat.  When the sugar starts to melt, stir occasionally until the sugar becomes an amber caramel color and starts to thicken.  Remove from the stove.  Use oven mitts to remove the souffle dish from the oven and pour in the caramel, using oven mitts to hold the dish and tilt so the caramel coats the bottom and the sides.  Set aside.

Place the vanilla seeds and bean in a medium saucepan.  Add the soy milk, whipping cream, and vanilla extract and set over medium heat.  When the mixture is hot, but not yet boiling, remove from the heat.

Place the eggs and yolk and remaining 1/2 cup sugar in a bowl and beat with an electric mixer on med-high speed or whisk for 2 minutes until thick.  Slowly strain the hot soy milk and cream mixture into the eggs while whisking.  Discard the vanilla bean.  Pour this mixture into the souffle dish on tip of the caramel.

Place the souffle dish in a larger roasting pan and then add enough boiling water to reach 2 inches up the sides of the souffle dish.

Bake for 1 hour.  Carefully remove the souffle dish from the hot water and let cool to room temperature. Cover the souffle dish with plastic and place in the refrigerator until chilled, 8 hours or overnight.

To serve, run a knife along the sides of the dish, place a serving plate that has a rim on top (like a glass pie plate) on top of the dish, and then turn the flan onto the serving dish along with the caramel.  Cut into wedges and serve and serve with the caramel sauce.

Linked to This Chick Cooks
Linked to What's Cooking Wednesday
Lined to The Kings Court IV - What's Cooking Wednesday
Linked to Cast Party Wednesday
Linked to Sweets for Saturday

Everyday Sisters Sharing Sundays #8

This week theme for Sharing Sundays is CUPCAKES!   You can be so creative with cupcakes so let's see your best  recipes!

Our Rules:
1.  Please become a follower of our blog.
2.  Please share a link back to your actual recipe post, not to your main blog page.
3.  Please link back to our blog so others can join in the fun.
4.  Leave us a comment about what recipe you are linking up.
5. Have fun!

Now let's see the featured SANDWICH recipes from last week.

SIT Sandwich by Jam Hands

The Old Hippie by Simple Fair Fairly Simple


Grilled Chèvre & Fig Panini by Cook Lisa Cook


French Fry Sandwich by Girlichef


Sloppy Joes by Megs Everyday Indulgence


Now lets see all those delicious CUPCAKE recipes!

Healthy Cheeseburger Mac

I got this recipe from Hungry Girl. It's definitely a smart way to make mac n cheese and very easy. I couldn't find plain cauliflower in cheese sauce so I used a broccoli cauliflower combination. I ate a huge bowl of it which I guess missed the point of eating healthy but, whatever!! LOL

Ingredients:
1 1/4 cups uncooked elbow macaroni (high fiber is best)
10 oz. raw lean ground turkey
2 tbsp. ketchup
1/2 cup finely chopped onion (about 1/2 medium onion)
24 oz. (about 6 cups) frozen cauliflower and low-fat cheese sauce (like the kind by Green Giant)
3 wedges The Laughing Cow Light Creamy Swiss cheese
salt and black pepper to taste

Preparation:

In a large pot, prepare pasta very al dente, cooking for about half of the time indicated on the package. Drain well and set aside. In a bowl, combine turkey, ketchup, onion, salt and pepper. Mix well. Add frozen cauliflower and cheese sauce and gently mix. Transfer mixture to a crock pot.

Add cooked pasta to the crock pot and gently stir. Cover and cook on high for 3 - 4 hours or on low for 7 - 8 hours, until the turkey is fully cooked.

Add cheese wedges and stir until evenly distributed.

MAKES 8 SERVINGS

Spinach Croquettes

Our Mom used to make these all the time growing up and now we make them for our kids.  A good way to get your kids to eat their veggies. These are crispy and delicious!  My kids love them.

Ingredients:

1 bag of frozen chopped spinach thawed and drained well
2 eggs
1/3 cup bread crumbs
salt and pepper

Preparation:

Mix spinach with eggs, bread crumbs, salt and pepper.  Heat vegetable oil in a large frying pan over med/hi heat. Form spinach mixture into patties and fry in hot oil for a few minutes on each side until golden brown.  Drain on paper towel and sprinkle with a little kosher salt.  Serve hot.

Linked to Raising 4 Princessess

Cream Cheese Fruit Pie

I wanted to find a quick and easy dessert to bring to a friend's block party and a friend of mine suggested this.  It was super easy to make, pretty and it set up very quickly which was great since I made it last minute.

Ingredients:

1 8 oz tub Fat Free cream cheese, softened

1 tub light cool whip

1/2 cup sugar

1 low fat graham cracker crust

strawberries sliced

kiwi sliced in half moons

blueberries

raspberries

Preparation:

With a hand mixer beat together softened cream cheese and sugar until completely combined.  Fold in cool whip to cream cheese mixture and spread evenly into prepared pie crust.  Place in refrigerator to set for at last 30 minutes before you add fruit.  Add fruit in any decorative way you would like and place back in refrigerator for another 3-4 hours(overnight would be best) before slicing a serving.  

Linked to Sweets for Saturday

Sesame Noodles

You know how I love quick and easy recipes that travel well.....here is another one. 

Ingredients:

1 lb thin spaghetti
4 tablespoons soy sauce
3 tablespoons sugar
3 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
1 bunch scallions, chopped
1/2 cup edamame, cooked and shelled
1 Tablespoon white sesame seeds (optional)
1 Tablespoon black sesame seeds (optional)

Preparation:

Cook spaghetti according to package directions, drain and set aside.  Combine, soy sauce, sugar and sesame oil in a large bowl and whisk until completely combined.  Add hot pasta into soy sauce mixture and toss until coated evenly.  Add in scallions, edamame and sesame seeds, Toss.  Refrigerate to allow flavors to meld together.  Serve, cold or room temperature (I prefer room temperature)

Linked to Totally Tasty Tuesdays

Everyday Sister's Sharing Sundays #7

This week theme for Sharing Sundays is SANDWICHES!   I just found out that August is National Sandwich Month! A sandwich is anything served between 2 slices of ........well.....anything...... so your options are endless.  You can link up both savory and sweet sandwiches of any kind.  BE CREATIVE!  So let's see your best SANDWICH recipes!

Our Rules:
1.  Please become a follower of our blog.
2.  Please share a link back to your actual recipe post, not to your main blog page.
3.  Please link back to our blog so others can join in the fun.
4.  Leave us a comment about what recipe you are linking up.
5. Have fun!

Now let's see the featured CITRUS recipes from last week.

Pink Lemonade Bars by Piece, Love, Cooking


Key Lime Pie Milkshakes by Crumbs and Chaos


Strawberry Lemonade Floats by
Sugar & Spice and All Things Iced


Lemon Glazed Party Cake by Concetta's Cafe


Zucchini Lemon Cookies by Cook Lisa Cook


Now let's see all those yummy Sandwiches!!

Banana Cream Pie

This is banana recipe #2.  I decided to make "my" version of a banana cream pie using the ingredients I had in my kitchen.  It came out delicious and it's very easy to make and of course is another way to use up those overripe bananas in my freezer.

Ingredients:

2 ripe bananas, sliced
2 overripe bananas, mashed
1 box of fat free/sugar free vanilla pudding mix
1/3 cup of fat free cream cheese, softened
2 cups of light cool whip
1 low fat graham cracker pie crust

Preparation:

In prepared graham cracker pie crust arange slices from one banana in one layer on the bottom of crust.  Next, mix together mashed banana and vanilla pudding powder until combined.  With hand mixer beat cream cheese into mashed banana mixture and beat until smooth.  Fold in 1 cup of cool whip into mashed banana mixture until combined and pour into pie crust.  Take slices from 2nd banana and arrange in one layer ontop of banana cream mixture.  Lastly, take additional cup of cool whip and spread evenly on top of sliced bananas.  Refrigerate pie for at least 4 hours before slicing and serving.

Linked to Sweets for Saturday

Banana Crumb Snack Cake

This is the first recipe I made trying to use up all the overripe bananas I have in my freezer.  This recipe was suggested by Julie of Julie's Eats and Treats and as soon as I saw the recipe I knew I wanted to make this first.  It looked so delicious and it really is.  YUM, YUM YUM!

 Ingredients

2/3 C. Slivered Almonds
1/4 C. Packed Brown Sugar
2/3 C. Butter, softened
1 1/2 C. Sugar (I think you can definitely cut at least 1/2-3/4 cup a sugar out...it's very sweet)
2 Eggs
3/4 tsp Almond Extract
3 C. All-Purpose Flour
2 tsp Baking Soda
1/4 tsp Baking Powder
2 C. Mashed Ripe Bananas (3-4 Bananas)
1 C. (8 oz) Sour Cream (I used Fat Free sour cream)
1 C. Vanilla or White Chips (I used Ghiradelli white chocolate chips)

1. In a small bowl, combine almonds and brown sugar; set aside.

2. In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in extract.

3. Combine flour, baking soda and baking powder; add to the creamed mixture alternately with bananas and sour cream. Fold in white chocolate or vanilla chips.

4. Spread into a greased 13x9x2 in baking pan. Sprinkle with reserved almond mixture.

5. Bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack. (mine took almost an hour to cook in the middle so you definitely have to start checking the center of the cake with a toothpick after 38-40 min, then bake in additional 5 minute increments until the center of the cake is baked through)

Linked to Sweet Treats Thursday

Shrimp Salad Rolls by Sharon

My friend Sharon is back with another delicious recipe.  Her family came over my house for a pot luck BBQ/Lunch and she brought this a one of her dishes to share.  It was so delcious so I asked her to send me the recipe so I could blog it and share it with everyone!

Ingredients:

1 pound of large shrimp
salt, pepper, olive oil
1 cup of mayo
1 stalk of celery - finely chopped
1 small red onion - finely chopped
1 T. of capers
1 T. of chopped dill
1 T. of Dijon Mustard
1 T. of honey or sugar
Salt, pepper to taste
1 package of potato rolls

Preparation:

Season shrimp with salt, pepper and a drizzle of olive oil.  Roast shrimp on a cookie sheet in the oven at 350 F for 6-8 minutes just until pink and firm.  Let shrimp cool until warm. Chop the shrimp to a nice chunky consistency.  Mix mayo, celery, onion, capers, dill, mustard, honey, salt and pepper to make the sauce.  Add the sauce to the warm shrimp.  Refrigerate or serve at room temperature.  Spoon mixture over potato rolls.