Showing posts with label Tasty Tuesday. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Tasty Tuesday. Show all posts
Tuesday, September 18, 2012
Egg Salad Sandwiches
Egg Salad Sandwiches
Adapted from allrecipes.com
Serves 6
12 eggs, boiled, peeled and chopped
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 1/2 teaspoons barbeque sauce
1 tablespoon mustard
1 dash chipotle pepper
12 slices whole wheat bread
6 oz cheddar cheese
6 pears, sliced
Peel and chop eggs. Mix mayo, barbecue sauce, mustard and chipotle powder in separate bowl. Add eggs and stir to combine. Serve on bread with cheese slices and pears.
Tomato Basil Quiche
I made this recipe for dinner tonight and I can't get enough of it (honestly, that happens every time I make it). It is SO good! It is adapted from a recipe found here.
Tomato Basil Quiche with Whole Wheat Crust
Serves 6
1.5 cups whole-wheat flour
1/2 cup melted butter
1.5 cups milk
5 eggs, beaten
large handful fresh basil, chiffonade (fancy word for chopped in strips)
15 grape tomatoes (I greatly prefer this recipe with sun dried tomatoes, but I don't always have them on hand)
4 oz log chevre, crumbled
salt and pepper to taste
2 bunches asparagus
In a 9-inch pie pan, combine butter and flour and mix with a fork. After mixing well, use your hand to form a ball in the pan and then press into pan. Bring it up on the sides and pinch the top (with your finger or a fork). Evenly spread the cheese, tomatoes, and bail over the crust. Then mix eggs and milk and pour gently over filling. Bake at 375 for 40 minutes or until filling is set. Serve with steamed asparagus spears.
Tomato Basil Quiche with Whole Wheat Crust
Serves 6
1.5 cups whole-wheat flour
1/2 cup melted butter
1.5 cups milk
5 eggs, beaten
large handful fresh basil, chiffonade (fancy word for chopped in strips)
15 grape tomatoes (I greatly prefer this recipe with sun dried tomatoes, but I don't always have them on hand)
4 oz log chevre, crumbled
salt and pepper to taste
2 bunches asparagus
In a 9-inch pie pan, combine butter and flour and mix with a fork. After mixing well, use your hand to form a ball in the pan and then press into pan. Bring it up on the sides and pinch the top (with your finger or a fork). Evenly spread the cheese, tomatoes, and bail over the crust. Then mix eggs and milk and pour gently over filling. Bake at 375 for 40 minutes or until filling is set. Serve with steamed asparagus spears.
Wednesday, September 12, 2012
Granola
I love granola and just about everything I can put granola on. I DON'T love how high in calories it is. I make my own in an effort to limit the calorie intake (and to ease the strain on my wallet from eating so much granola!).
Granola (adapted from 100daysofrealfood.com)
5 1/2 cups rolled oats
1 cup raw almonds
1 cup raw walnuts
1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon grated or ground nutmeg
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup honey
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Mix half of the oats, nuts, coconut, and spices together in a large mixing bowl. Process in the food processor until coarsely ground. Add in the remaining oats. Heat the butter and honey together in a small saucepan over low heat. Once the butter melts stir in the vanilla. Pour the hot liquids over the dry ingredients and stir together with a rubber spatula until evenly coated.
Spread mixture onto prepared pan in one even layer. Bake for 75 minutes, stirring halfway through.
The granola will be soft still, but will become crisp as it cools. Store in air tight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks. Makes approx. 10 cups.
Granola (adapted from 100daysofrealfood.com)
5 1/2 cups rolled oats
1 cup raw almonds
1 cup raw walnuts
1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon grated or ground nutmeg
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup honey
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Preheat the oven to 250 degrees. Cover a rectangular baking sheet with parchment paper (or use a baking stone).
Mix half of the oats, nuts, coconut, and spices together in a large mixing bowl. Process in the food processor until coarsely ground. Add in the remaining oats. Heat the butter and honey together in a small saucepan over low heat. Once the butter melts stir in the vanilla. Pour the hot liquids over the dry ingredients and stir together with a rubber spatula until evenly coated.
Spread mixture onto prepared pan in one even layer. Bake for 75 minutes, stirring halfway through.
The granola will be soft still, but will become crisp as it cools. Store in air tight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks. Makes approx. 10 cups.
Tuesday, September 11, 2012
Tara's Pancake Mix
Growing up in an LDS ward in Utah, there were a lot of Pancake Breakfasts at the church. I mean a LOT. For many years, I had to choke down the nastiness that is Krusteaz pancakes. (ugh I still shudder). Luckily, one of my parent's friends hated them as much as I did and set out to create a large bulk mix that wound up being used at every church breakfast since (that was over a decade ago). I have since modified his recipe to my own personal taste (the original used just plain white flour and sugar) and scaled the recipe from it's original 5 gallon bucket size, to one that fits perfectly in a Tupperware container in my cupboard.
Tara's Pancake Mix (adapted from Jon Buxton's Pickle Barrel Pancakes)
5 c white wheat flour
2 1/2 c red wheat flour
1 c oat flour
1/2 c flaxseed meal
4 T baking powder
Mix all ingredients thoroughly and store in an air tight container in a cool, dark place.
To make pancakes:
to 1 c mix, add:
1 egg
1 T oil
1 c milk
2 1/.2 T honey
makes approx. 12 pancakes and serves 3-4
My kids love to top these with unsweetened applesauce. Sometimes I add a scoop of vanilla protein powder and they are good enough to eat plain. We have added chocolate chips, cocoa powder, fruit, and/or nuts. This is an incredibly adaptable mix.
Tara's Pancake Mix (adapted from Jon Buxton's Pickle Barrel Pancakes)
5 c white wheat flour
2 1/2 c red wheat flour
1 c oat flour
1/2 c flaxseed meal
4 T baking powder
Mix all ingredients thoroughly and store in an air tight container in a cool, dark place.
To make pancakes:
to 1 c mix, add:
1 egg
1 T oil
1 c milk
2 1/.2 T honey
makes approx. 12 pancakes and serves 3-4
My kids love to top these with unsweetened applesauce. Sometimes I add a scoop of vanilla protein powder and they are good enough to eat plain. We have added chocolate chips, cocoa powder, fruit, and/or nuts. This is an incredibly adaptable mix.
Tuesday, September 4, 2012
Homemade Peanut Butter
I have a confession to make: I LOVE Alton Brown. I think he is funny and he has so many great food tips. If you don't know who he is, you should definitely watch this (or at least the first 2:22):
I have yet to have a single AB recipe let me down. The best thing about Alton is that he heavily promotes making everything yourself. And I mean everything! In fact, my mayo recipe is based off of his recipe. Now, I am going to share with you my adaptation of his peanut butter recipe.
I have yet to have a single AB recipe let me down. The best thing about Alton is that he heavily promotes making everything yourself. And I mean everything! In fact, my mayo recipe is based off of his recipe. Now, I am going to share with you my adaptation of his peanut butter recipe.
- 16 ounces shelled and skinned peanuts, raw or roasted
- 1 1/2 teaspoons honey
Place the peanuts into the bowl
of a food processor. Process for 1 minute. Scrape down the sides of the
bowl. Place the lid back on and continue to processuntil the mixture is smooth, 2-4
minutes. Stir in honey. Place the peanut butter in an airtight container and store in
the refrigerator for up to 2 months.
The best part about making your own peanut butter, you can flavor it however you'd like. Plus, you can use this same method to make almond butter.
Homemade Microwave Popcorn
I came across this blog post one day that really opened my eyes to the ickyness that is microwave popcorn. I have never really cared for microwave popcorn (especially that nasty "butter" crap) and really liked using the air popper I had, until my ex made off with it in the divorce (in his defense, it was a present for him). I considered getting a new one, but didn't want to store yet another appliance. Pinterest to the rescue! Now I know that I can just make my kid's obsessive popcorn dreams come true, in the microwave, without a bunch of artificial crap, in a PAPER BAG! Now, you can too!
Go to the grocery store and locate a package of cheap brown lunch bags and a bag of plain ol' kernels:
I have purchased Jolly Time, Great Value and no-name bulk with great success with all of them. You COULD buy name brand (Orville Redenbacher, etc) if you want, but I find that the cheaper generics work just as well. You only need 1/2 c per bag, so this bag will last you for a while!
Here comes the magical part:
Put the 1/2 c popcorn inside the paper bag and fold the top over twice. Don't seal it with anything, it will be just fine on it's own. Now set it UPRIGHT in your microwave and run it for 3 minutes on high.
Ta-da!
Perfectly naked popcorn. Just the way I like it! If your kids insist on butter, just melt a couple of tablespoons and drizzle over the top. Or, if you like it seasoned, try a few of these ideas:
Go to the grocery store and locate a package of cheap brown lunch bags and a bag of plain ol' kernels:
I have purchased Jolly Time, Great Value and no-name bulk with great success with all of them. You COULD buy name brand (Orville Redenbacher, etc) if you want, but I find that the cheaper generics work just as well. You only need 1/2 c per bag, so this bag will last you for a while!
Here comes the magical part:
Put the 1/2 c popcorn inside the paper bag and fold the top over twice. Don't seal it with anything, it will be just fine on it's own. Now set it UPRIGHT in your microwave and run it for 3 minutes on high.
Ta-da!
Perfectly naked popcorn. Just the way I like it! If your kids insist on butter, just melt a couple of tablespoons and drizzle over the top. Or, if you like it seasoned, try a few of these ideas:
- Mexican: Add chili powder, hot sauce, and salt.
- Garlic and Onion: Shake in onion powder and garlic powder — hold the kiss.
- Cheesy: Mix in Parmesan cheese with a little salt.
- Sweet Tooth: A dash of cinnamon, a sprinkle of sugar, and a topper of honey. Now that’s money.
10 Grain Cereal with Orange Slices
This recipe is a SUPER easy hot breakfast that everyone (except Riker, but that is a different story) likes. I buy my cereal in bulk at my local WinCo, but you can also find it in the cereal aisle or baking aisle in smaller bags like this:
Thanks to this techno-age we live in, you can even buy it online in a myriad of places in nearly every quantity.
4 1/2 cups water
1 1/3 cups cereal mix
1/2 cup finely powdered milk (this is optional)
If using milk, whisk with dry cereal in a 2 quart bowl before adding water. This helps prevent clumping. Add water and microwave on high for 12 minutes, stirring every 3-4 minutes. Continue to heat on Medium low another 6 minutes until desired consistency. Top with honey and cinnamon. Serve with orange slices.
Thanks to this techno-age we live in, you can even buy it online in a myriad of places in nearly every quantity.
4 1/2 cups water
1 1/3 cups cereal mix
1/2 cup finely powdered milk (this is optional)
If using milk, whisk with dry cereal in a 2 quart bowl before adding water. This helps prevent clumping. Add water and microwave on high for 12 minutes, stirring every 3-4 minutes. Continue to heat on Medium low another 6 minutes until desired consistency. Top with honey and cinnamon. Serve with orange slices.
Homemade Mayo
When I was in college, I had the opportunity to go to Paris for an exchange program. The first time I ordered a turkey sandwich, I was a little weirded out by this light yellow stuff they were slathering on my precious Parisian bread. I was so worried that it was some weird mayo/mustard mixture (I hate mustard!) but I really wanted my sandwich so I decided I would choke it down anyway. Little did I know that it was actually MAYONNAISE! They made it fresh every morning. None of this pre-packaged, white, flavorless nonsense. I should have known better, being in France and all, but I had no idea that making mayo was that easy!
If you have never made your own mayonnaise, you are seriously missing out. The stuff you get on the shelf just doesn't hold a candle to it.
1 large egg yolk
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp mustard powder
2 tsp lemon juice
1 T white vinegar
1 c olive oil
Place egg and lemon juice into a food processor. Cover,and blend until frothy; keep food processor running. Drizzle in olive oil drop by drop, through the drip hole in the top until smooth and creamy. Refrigerate mayo in a sealed container for up to 1 week.
The best part about making your own mayo (other than the obvious taste difference) is that you can flavor it however you want. My favorite way is to dump some chipotle powder in it and let it sit overnight before using it. It is our favorite stand-by mayo for sandwiches.
Place egg and lemon juice into a food processor. Cover,and blend until frothy; keep food processor running. Drizzle in olive oil drop by drop, through the drip hole in the top until smooth and creamy. Refrigerate mayo in a sealed container for up to 1 week.
The best part about making your own mayo (other than the obvious taste difference) is that you can flavor it however you want. My favorite way is to dump some chipotle powder in it and let it sit overnight before using it. It is our favorite stand-by mayo for sandwiches.
Tuesday, August 28, 2012
Menu Recipes- Homemade Chicken Ranch Snack Wraps
1 T ranch spice mixture
1/2 c sour cream
3 c cooked chicken
6 flat bread wraps
1/2 head lettuce
1 c shredded cheese
6 pears
1 1/2 bunches of celery, washed and cut into sticks
Mix spice mixture and sour cream until well blended. Spread on wraps and top with lettuce, cheese and chicken. Serve with celery sticks and pears
Menu Recipes- Chicken Salad Sandwich
Chicken Salad Sandwich With Homemade Mayo
2 1/2 c cooked, chopped chicken
1 c celery, chopped
1 c red seedless grapes, sliced
1/2 c sliced or slivered almonds
1 T dried parsley
12 slices bread
3 apples, halved
9 carrots, peeled and cut into sticks
Combine mayo, chicken, celery, grapes, almonds and parsley in a large bowl. Serve salad on bread with carrot sticks and half an apple on the side.
Based on recipe I found here
Menu Recipes- Homemade Ranch Dressing
My kids cannot get enough Ranch Dressing. (Seriously, they'd eat it on everything if I let them). The problem is that it is not terribly healthy and is PACKED with preservatives, including MSG and a whole bunch of disodium whatsitcalled. See for yourself:
Luckily, I found a couple of recipes to make it myself at $5 Dollar Dinners and another one at One Good Thing. So much better for my kidlets and easier to control what I feed them. Not to mention that 2 Tablespoons of Ranch has 140 calories and 2 Tablespoons of full-fat sour cream only has 60!! Plus, the fat to calorie ratio drops from 93% to 75% just by using sour cream and spices instead of ranch. Switch to light sour cream and you cut your calories down to 40 (100 calories LESS than regular Ranch and still half of the light ranch) and fat percentage to 63%. You could even switch out the sour cream for mayo for relatively the same calorie content (but the fat percentage of mayo is 100% since it is essentially straight oil).
Anyway, on to the amazing recipe!
Ranch Spice Mix
2 tablespoon dried parsley
1 teaspoon dried dill
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
½ teaspoon dried basil
½ teaspoon pepper
When you are ready to make the dip stir 1 tablespoon of the spice mixture with:
3/4 c cup sour cream
1 c mayo
1 c milk.
Luckily, I found a couple of recipes to make it myself at $5 Dollar Dinners and another one at One Good Thing. So much better for my kidlets and easier to control what I feed them. Not to mention that 2 Tablespoons of Ranch has 140 calories and 2 Tablespoons of full-fat sour cream only has 60!! Plus, the fat to calorie ratio drops from 93% to 75% just by using sour cream and spices instead of ranch. Switch to light sour cream and you cut your calories down to 40 (100 calories LESS than regular Ranch and still half of the light ranch) and fat percentage to 63%. You could even switch out the sour cream for mayo for relatively the same calorie content (but the fat percentage of mayo is 100% since it is essentially straight oil).
Anyway, on to the amazing recipe!
Ranch Spice Mix
2 tablespoon dried parsley
1 teaspoon dried dill
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
½ teaspoon dried basil
½ teaspoon pepper
Mix together the first six ingredients down to the pepper. Store in an airtight container.
When you are ready to make the dip stir 1 tablespoon of the spice mixture with:
3/4 c cup sour cream
1 c mayo
1 c milk.
Tuesday, August 14, 2012
You Are What You Eat
(I'm hoping that means I'm healthy :P)
A couple of weeks ago, I posted this on my Facebook page:
I honestly did it just because I was so proud of myself for coming in under budget AND healthy, but apparently there was quite an interest in how I did it. So, I went through the 2 week menu that I had planned, made some tweaks, and made up a master shopping list that wasn't covered in my notes.
My kids like the vast majority of these recipes, although there are some that one or two people don't necessarily care for. Our rule is you eat what you're given, so they eat it anyway. We are a family of 6: 2 adults and 4 kids, with one being a toddler. Nobody is hungry and we occasionally have leftovers.
A few quick disclaimers:
*My menu starts on Thursday because I go shopping after Cub Scouts on Wednesdays. My display menu on my fridge starts on Sunday. Also, I only go to the grocery store twice a month for groceries, so this is a big list
*I already had several things on hand so that reduced my cost. If you are buying everything on the list (including the pantry items), your up front cost is going to be higher
*You will notice a few "processed" items on the list (ie. jar of spaghetti sauce, pkg of fajita seasoning), but I try to find ones that do not have any artificial ingredients in them. I also make several of my ingredients myself so that I can benefit from the convenience without suffering the horrors of preservatives :D
*As of right now, I am not including recipes (I know, what is the point of having a menu with no recipes?). They are next on my (HUGE) list of things to do, but I wanted to get back to everyone's questions quickly.
So, without further ado:
I promise that I will get the recipes typed up as soon as I can. In the meantime, I welcome any feedback.
A couple of weeks ago, I posted this on my Facebook page:
My kids like the vast majority of these recipes, although there are some that one or two people don't necessarily care for. Our rule is you eat what you're given, so they eat it anyway. We are a family of 6: 2 adults and 4 kids, with one being a toddler. Nobody is hungry and we occasionally have leftovers.
A few quick disclaimers:
*My menu starts on Thursday because I go shopping after Cub Scouts on Wednesdays. My display menu on my fridge starts on Sunday. Also, I only go to the grocery store twice a month for groceries, so this is a big list
*I already had several things on hand so that reduced my cost. If you are buying everything on the list (including the pantry items), your up front cost is going to be higher
*You will notice a few "processed" items on the list (ie. jar of spaghetti sauce, pkg of fajita seasoning), but I try to find ones that do not have any artificial ingredients in them. I also make several of my ingredients myself so that I can benefit from the convenience without suffering the horrors of preservatives :D
*As of right now, I am not including recipes (I know, what is the point of having a menu with no recipes?). They are next on my (HUGE) list of things to do, but I wanted to get back to everyone's questions quickly.
So, without further ado:
I promise that I will get the recipes typed up as soon as I can. In the meantime, I welcome any feedback.
Tuesday, November 1, 2011
Tasty Tuesday- Pumpkin Muffins
Hallelujah it is November! I have been looking toward to this month for weeks now. Mainly because I thought my court stuff would be finished by now (bah ha ha. I should have known better by now), but also because The Weather Channel said that it would finally start looking like it was actually Autumn this month. Guess what? They were right? It is AMAZING! Leaves are falling off the trees like snow over Donner's Pass and the wind today ripped them off and flung them everywhere. Love it!
The absolute best thing about November 1st? Roasting the pumpkins from the night before. Now, you can do this with pumpkins any time of the year, but I do it after Halloween for a couple of reasons. 1) it just seems like such a waste to carve up half a dozen pumpkins and then watch them rot and 2) it is way too much work to gut the pumpkins twice. So, every year, we pick out our pumpkins some time in October and then wait until a day or two before Halloween to carve them. Then, once we finish our designs, we soak them in water overnight. This helps keep them from rotting so quickly. Then, the morning after Halloween, I chop them into quarters and roast them.
Roasting pumpkins is relatively simple. You gut and clean the pumpkin (save those seeds for my yummy roasted seed recipe!). Cut the pumpkin into quarters (I have done it in halves before, but if the pumpkin is too large, it won't cook evenly) and pop them in the oven. I don't use a rack and I put them in cut side up. Cook them at about 350° F until the flesh is soft and scoopable (usually around an hour). Remove them from the oven and let them cool. scoop out the flesh and puree in the blender (some water typically needs to be added, but not too much!). Now you have fresh (or frozen in freezer bags if you wish) pumpkin pureé to use for all sorts of goodies, like my favorite pumpkin muffins:
Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins
By: Barb
Servings: 18
Ingredients:
Filling:
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 tablespoons brown sugar
Streusel:
4 1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
5 tablespoons white sugar
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons chopped pecans
Muffin:
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups white sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 1/3 cups canned pumpkin
1/3 cup olive oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease and flour 18 muffin cups, or use paper liners.
To make the filling: In a medium bowl, beat cream cheese until soft. Add egg, vanilla and brown sugar. Beat until smooth, then set aside.
For the streusel topping: In a medium bowl, mix flour, sugar, cinnamon and pecans. Add butter and cut it in with a fork until crumbly. Set aside.
For the muffin batter: In a large bowl, sift together flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon and salt. Make a well in the center of flour mixture and add eggs, pumpkin, olive oil and vanilla. Beat together until smooth.
Place pumpkin mixture in muffin cups about 1/2 full. Then add one tablespoon of the cream cheese mixture right in the middle of the batter. Try to keep cream cheese from touching the paper cup.
Sprinkle on the streusel topping.
Bake at 375 degrees F (195 degrees C) for 20 to 25 minutes.
The absolute best thing about November 1st? Roasting the pumpkins from the night before. Now, you can do this with pumpkins any time of the year, but I do it after Halloween for a couple of reasons. 1) it just seems like such a waste to carve up half a dozen pumpkins and then watch them rot and 2) it is way too much work to gut the pumpkins twice. So, every year, we pick out our pumpkins some time in October and then wait until a day or two before Halloween to carve them. Then, once we finish our designs, we soak them in water overnight. This helps keep them from rotting so quickly. Then, the morning after Halloween, I chop them into quarters and roast them.
Roasting pumpkins is relatively simple. You gut and clean the pumpkin (save those seeds for my yummy roasted seed recipe!). Cut the pumpkin into quarters (I have done it in halves before, but if the pumpkin is too large, it won't cook evenly) and pop them in the oven. I don't use a rack and I put them in cut side up. Cook them at about 350° F until the flesh is soft and scoopable (usually around an hour). Remove them from the oven and let them cool. scoop out the flesh and puree in the blender (some water typically needs to be added, but not too much!). Now you have fresh (or frozen in freezer bags if you wish) pumpkin pureé to use for all sorts of goodies, like my favorite pumpkin muffins:
Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins
By: Barb
Servings: 18
Ingredients:
Filling:
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 tablespoons brown sugar
Streusel:
4 1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
5 tablespoons white sugar
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons chopped pecans
Muffin:
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups white sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 1/3 cups canned pumpkin
1/3 cup olive oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease and flour 18 muffin cups, or use paper liners.
To make the filling: In a medium bowl, beat cream cheese until soft. Add egg, vanilla and brown sugar. Beat until smooth, then set aside.
For the streusel topping: In a medium bowl, mix flour, sugar, cinnamon and pecans. Add butter and cut it in with a fork until crumbly. Set aside.
For the muffin batter: In a large bowl, sift together flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon and salt. Make a well in the center of flour mixture and add eggs, pumpkin, olive oil and vanilla. Beat together until smooth.
Place pumpkin mixture in muffin cups about 1/2 full. Then add one tablespoon of the cream cheese mixture right in the middle of the batter. Try to keep cream cheese from touching the paper cup.
Sprinkle on the streusel topping.
Bake at 375 degrees F (195 degrees C) for 20 to 25 minutes.
Tuesday, October 4, 2011
Tasty Tuesday- Grilling Fruit
I'm wondering if I should have labeled today Temper Tuesday... I have been really ornery today and I have no idea why (and no, it is not that time of the month...). It hasn't helped that it is the middle of vacation and Yar always tries to test (bad!) her boundaries when it is just the two of us for any period of time. For heaven's sake, I found out that she had wiped boogers all over her bedroom wall! Eww! (as we speak, she is currently scrubbing the porch to help "take care of our house")
Today hasn't been the best for breaking out the cookware and whipping up something amazing, but I couldn't leave the blog hanging AGAIN.
So, I'm breaking out my new found love: Grilled fruit
Why had I never thought to put fruit on the grill?!? It is simply amazing! Riker had a Bobby Flay cook book when we first got married (I think it may have been his ONLY cookbook) and it had a section dedicated solely for fruit. I always breezed past it to get to the meat and potato recipes for dinners.
However, one night I had some nectarines lying around and I wanted to make something sweet, but relatively healthy for the kiddos as a treat. On a whim, I pulled out the book (FYI, I really hate Bobby Flay, but he DOES have some decent recipes). In it, I found a recipe for grilled apricots with yogurt. I figured I would just switch out the fruit. The first time I made it, I didn't want to go through all the trouble of heating up the gigantic grill for 3 nectarines, so I pulled out the Foreman.
Grilling nectarines on the Foreman was a decent idea if you don't have any other option, but cleaning up was a nightmare (I have an older model that doesn't have removable plates). So, the next night, we were grilling hamburgers and I decided to try again. Boy was I surprised!!
The nectarines became nice and soft and had a subtle smoky flavor with a nice carmel from the charred sugar naturally found in fruit. I topped each half with a big dollop of vanilla Greek yogurt, a slight drizzle of orange blossom honey and a sprinkle of walnuts. Sooo yummy!
Luckily, the kids liked it! Now I am all about finding fruits to toss on the grill when Riker gets the urge to light something on fire :)
Try it out, I promise you won't be disappointed!
Today hasn't been the best for breaking out the cookware and whipping up something amazing, but I couldn't leave the blog hanging AGAIN.
So, I'm breaking out my new found love: Grilled fruit
Why had I never thought to put fruit on the grill?!? It is simply amazing! Riker had a Bobby Flay cook book when we first got married (I think it may have been his ONLY cookbook) and it had a section dedicated solely for fruit. I always breezed past it to get to the meat and potato recipes for dinners.
However, one night I had some nectarines lying around and I wanted to make something sweet, but relatively healthy for the kiddos as a treat. On a whim, I pulled out the book (FYI, I really hate Bobby Flay, but he DOES have some decent recipes). In it, I found a recipe for grilled apricots with yogurt. I figured I would just switch out the fruit. The first time I made it, I didn't want to go through all the trouble of heating up the gigantic grill for 3 nectarines, so I pulled out the Foreman.
Grilling nectarines on the Foreman was a decent idea if you don't have any other option, but cleaning up was a nightmare (I have an older model that doesn't have removable plates). So, the next night, we were grilling hamburgers and I decided to try again. Boy was I surprised!!
The nectarines became nice and soft and had a subtle smoky flavor with a nice carmel from the charred sugar naturally found in fruit. I topped each half with a big dollop of vanilla Greek yogurt, a slight drizzle of orange blossom honey and a sprinkle of walnuts. Sooo yummy!
Luckily, the kids liked it! Now I am all about finding fruits to toss on the grill when Riker gets the urge to light something on fire :)
Try it out, I promise you won't be disappointed!
Tuesday, August 2, 2011
Tasty Tuesday - Rhubarb Pie
It's days like today that I really miss my great grandma. Her birthday is just a few days before mine and I think of her often on my birthday (not to mention her birthday would have been yesterday). She died just a few weeks after my 15th birthday from cancer and I took it really hard. She was an amazing woman who I thought could take on anything. She had a strength and determination (some would call it sheer stuborness) in her that I have never been able to match. I have admired her (or the rose colored memory of her) for years, and know that she is watching over me and urging me on as I go through my life and try to live up to the great qualities she had.
So what does my great granma have to do with pie? Well, for my birthday each year, I make a rhubarb pie from her recipe. There are a number of reasons for this. 1) I make a lot of cakes for other people, so I am pretty tired of making cake by the time my birthday rolls around 2) with the sheer number of birthdays, anniversaries, and reunions in my family during August, I am sick of EATING cake and 3) my grandma's birthday is the day before mine, and we are the only people who really like rhubarb in our family, so we make a pie to share. (my grandma was her daughter. I'm not sharing a pie with a dead lady. I'm not THAT crazy...)
This year, I wasn't able to visit with my grandma, so I had to eat my pie by myself (and, yes, I ate the majority of it by myself... so much for losing weight!). It turned out so amazing this year, that I have to admit that it was probably the best pie I have ever made. Therefore I thought I would share it with you so you can have an aweome birthday (or any day) pie!
So what does my great granma have to do with pie? Well, for my birthday each year, I make a rhubarb pie from her recipe. There are a number of reasons for this. 1) I make a lot of cakes for other people, so I am pretty tired of making cake by the time my birthday rolls around 2) with the sheer number of birthdays, anniversaries, and reunions in my family during August, I am sick of EATING cake and 3) my grandma's birthday is the day before mine, and we are the only people who really like rhubarb in our family, so we make a pie to share. (my grandma was her daughter. I'm not sharing a pie with a dead lady. I'm not THAT crazy...)
This year, I wasn't able to visit with my grandma, so I had to eat my pie by myself (and, yes, I ate the majority of it by myself... so much for losing weight!). It turned out so amazing this year, that I have to admit that it was probably the best pie I have ever made. Therefore I thought I would share it with you so you can have an aweome birthday (or any day) pie!
Nonie’s Rhubarb Pie
4 c rhubarb, chopped
1 ½ c sugar (I typically cut this amount in half because I like mine tart)
6 T flour
½ tsp salt
2 T butter
½ tsp orange zest
Double pie crust
Brush pastry w/ butter and chill
Mix sugar, orange zest, flour, salt. Mix in rhubarb.
Put in shell & dot w/ butter
Cover w/ top crust, crimp edges, vent
Bake at 450 F for 10 min
Lower to 350 F, cover edges of crust and bake for 45 min.
Enjoy!
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
Tasty Tuesday- Tofu Cheesecake
Two posts in one day... Guess I'm off to a good start! (really, it's just that everybody is gone, the baby is sleeping, and I am avoiding housework)
Some of you may see the title of today's post and go running for the hills. Trust me, at one time I would have been there with you. However, this is one you may want to sit still for. :)
Last night, Riker and I went out to try a new restaurant. One of our favorite Japanese places, Mikuni's, opened a new location, and since we have been to many of their other locations, we figured we would go try it out. Instead of being our traditional sushi bar with a few amazing appetizers, their new location is more family based and their menu reflects that. Instead of pages of amazing rolls and nigiri, they focused on tapas and traditional Japanese entrees to be shared among a group. There were so many to choose from that we honestly sat there debating our order for nearly 20 minutes! We finally settled on Curried Rice, Salmon Carpaccio, and our regular order of Flaming Shrooms (absolutely amazing if you ask me).
Now, I am not one for curry, so Riker ate most of it, although I was pleasantly surprised by it. I was mildly disappointed with the salmon only because it lacked the WOW factor I have come to expect from Mikuni's. However, the dessert more than made up for it. We ordered a slice of the Tofu Cheesecake (we tend to order something way off in left field every time we go, just to keep things interesting). Now, I am a huge fan of cheesecake, but often tend to be disappointed when I order it at restaurants. They always seem to taste full of preservatives, almost fake. This was different. It came with a scoop of green tea ice cream that melded with the flavor of the cheesecake beautifully, and it was obviously fresh (not shipped in frozen). It had a pleasantly mild earthy taste. It did NOT taste like a plain cheesecake, but more like it was flavored with something. If I had not ordered it, I would have NEVER guessed that it was made out of TOFU! I was so impressed by it that after I got home, I promptly went searching for a recipe to try to make it myself. I have found two that seem promising. I am going to try one this week and see how it turns out (I can't talk myself into making two full cheesecakes in a week). Here's hoping!
Some of you may see the title of today's post and go running for the hills. Trust me, at one time I would have been there with you. However, this is one you may want to sit still for. :)
Last night, Riker and I went out to try a new restaurant. One of our favorite Japanese places, Mikuni's, opened a new location, and since we have been to many of their other locations, we figured we would go try it out. Instead of being our traditional sushi bar with a few amazing appetizers, their new location is more family based and their menu reflects that. Instead of pages of amazing rolls and nigiri, they focused on tapas and traditional Japanese entrees to be shared among a group. There were so many to choose from that we honestly sat there debating our order for nearly 20 minutes! We finally settled on Curried Rice, Salmon Carpaccio, and our regular order of Flaming Shrooms (absolutely amazing if you ask me).
Now, I am not one for curry, so Riker ate most of it, although I was pleasantly surprised by it. I was mildly disappointed with the salmon only because it lacked the WOW factor I have come to expect from Mikuni's. However, the dessert more than made up for it. We ordered a slice of the Tofu Cheesecake (we tend to order something way off in left field every time we go, just to keep things interesting). Now, I am a huge fan of cheesecake, but often tend to be disappointed when I order it at restaurants. They always seem to taste full of preservatives, almost fake. This was different. It came with a scoop of green tea ice cream that melded with the flavor of the cheesecake beautifully, and it was obviously fresh (not shipped in frozen). It had a pleasantly mild earthy taste. It did NOT taste like a plain cheesecake, but more like it was flavored with something. If I had not ordered it, I would have NEVER guessed that it was made out of TOFU! I was so impressed by it that after I got home, I promptly went searching for a recipe to try to make it myself. I have found two that seem promising. I am going to try one this week and see how it turns out (I can't talk myself into making two full cheesecakes in a week). Here's hoping!
Topic Headlines
Okay, here we go...
I am planning on trying to post on a daily basis, although with 4 kids, our busy schedules, and all of the court nonsense we are juggling, that may not always prove to be possible. We shall see how it goes. Thanks to Blogger putting out an app for my phone, it may be a little more reasonable, but who knows.
Since I have just a wide variety of things rolling around in my brain right now, and since this blog is an attempt to maintain my sanity, I figured that I would attempt to organize a few of those things into weekly topics. That way, I can spend some time on each thing that interests me without getting stuck in any one thing for too long. Good idea right? I sure hope so :)
So, my idea for topic headlines is as follows:
Monday- Miscellaneous Monday
As the name suggest, I can post about whatever I want without having to categorize it. That way, if I feel that I should spend more time on a topic this week, I have an extra day. Or if I feel like writing about something totally off topic, I can do that too.
Tuesday- Tasty Tuesday
I LOVE cooking, but don't always have a chance to do something fun every day (yes, my kids eat mac and cheese out of a box on occasion). This will be my chance post about all the fun and tasty things I have tried in the last week (or will try).
Wednesday-Weighty Wednesday
I am trying to get my health on track and need a weekly accountability day (weigh in, update, confession :O, etc). Also an opportunity to share things I have learned and struggle with.
Thursday-The Project (I tried to find a title that started with a T, but this was the best I could come up with)
A week-by-week project of loving an individual on purpose and with a plan (I will explain more on my first Project post)
Friday- Family Friday
I believe that my family is THE most important thing in my life, even if it is not the easiest. I want to be able to share what I have learned about building relationships within my family as I have an interesting family dynamic. Look forward to posts about spouses, ex-spouses, biological children, step children, siblings, parents, in-laws, all kinds of fun things!
Saturday-Scrappy Saturday
I love crafts (almost as much as cooking). I love working with my hands and having the satisfaction of creating something myself (part of the reason I love having babies). This is my day to post about any project I am working on from sewing, knitting and crochet, to scrapbooking and home improvement.
Sunday-Spiritual Sunday
I put Sunday as the last day because I want this day to be a relaxation from the rest of the week of craziness. This is the day I am most looking forward to. Watch for posts regarding my study and learning of the gospel and my testimony of my Savior and how it all fits into my everyday life.
Well, if any of you are reading (and I ever wind up keeping up with this schedule), I hope that you find a topic that interests you. I know that I am looking forward to next year when I can go back and read through my own posts and reminisce about what I've done this year.
So, on to posting!!
I am planning on trying to post on a daily basis, although with 4 kids, our busy schedules, and all of the court nonsense we are juggling, that may not always prove to be possible. We shall see how it goes. Thanks to Blogger putting out an app for my phone, it may be a little more reasonable, but who knows.
Since I have just a wide variety of things rolling around in my brain right now, and since this blog is an attempt to maintain my sanity, I figured that I would attempt to organize a few of those things into weekly topics. That way, I can spend some time on each thing that interests me without getting stuck in any one thing for too long. Good idea right? I sure hope so :)
So, my idea for topic headlines is as follows:
Monday- Miscellaneous Monday
As the name suggest, I can post about whatever I want without having to categorize it. That way, if I feel that I should spend more time on a topic this week, I have an extra day. Or if I feel like writing about something totally off topic, I can do that too.
Tuesday- Tasty Tuesday
I LOVE cooking, but don't always have a chance to do something fun every day (yes, my kids eat mac and cheese out of a box on occasion). This will be my chance post about all the fun and tasty things I have tried in the last week (or will try).
Wednesday-Weighty Wednesday
I am trying to get my health on track and need a weekly accountability day (weigh in, update, confession :O, etc). Also an opportunity to share things I have learned and struggle with.
Thursday-The Project (I tried to find a title that started with a T, but this was the best I could come up with)
A week-by-week project of loving an individual on purpose and with a plan (I will explain more on my first Project post)
Friday- Family Friday
I believe that my family is THE most important thing in my life, even if it is not the easiest. I want to be able to share what I have learned about building relationships within my family as I have an interesting family dynamic. Look forward to posts about spouses, ex-spouses, biological children, step children, siblings, parents, in-laws, all kinds of fun things!
Saturday-Scrappy Saturday
I love crafts (almost as much as cooking). I love working with my hands and having the satisfaction of creating something myself (part of the reason I love having babies). This is my day to post about any project I am working on from sewing, knitting and crochet, to scrapbooking and home improvement.
Sunday-Spiritual Sunday
I put Sunday as the last day because I want this day to be a relaxation from the rest of the week of craziness. This is the day I am most looking forward to. Watch for posts regarding my study and learning of the gospel and my testimony of my Savior and how it all fits into my everyday life.
Well, if any of you are reading (and I ever wind up keeping up with this schedule), I hope that you find a topic that interests you. I know that I am looking forward to next year when I can go back and read through my own posts and reminisce about what I've done this year.
So, on to posting!!
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