Category: MISC

Healthy Meals ~ Side Dish

Do you need a great lowfat side dish to pair with a juicy piece of grilled chicken or fish? This Vegetable Bake is both tasty and low in fat.

Ingredients
• vegetable cooking spray
• 2 potatoes, cubed
• 1 carrot, sliced
• 2 onions, sliced
• 1 green bell pepper, chopped
• 1/3 cup fat free Italian-style dressing
• 1/8 teaspoon garlic salt
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon onion salt

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 9 x 13 inch baking pan with cooking spray.
2. In prepared pan, combine potatoes, carrots, onions and bell pepper.
3. In a small bowl combine Italian dressing, garlic salt, cayenne pepper and onion salt. Pour over vegetables.
4. Bake, covered, for 15 minutes. Uncover, stir and bake for 10 minutes more.

Tip: Leave the skins on your potatoes to save time and get extra nutrients.

Serves 6, 98 calories per serving, only .2 grams of fat, and no cholesterol. Enjoy!

Photo Credit

QUICK & EASY CHICKEN CHILI and CHEDDAR CHEESE BISCUITS

QUICK & EASY CHICKEN CHILI
3 skinless, boneless chicken breasts, frozen
2 cups homemade chicken broth, frozen
1 can cream of potato soup
1 jar dried beef, chopped
1 Williams chili mix package
1 can chopped green chilies
  • Place frozen chicken breasts on the bottom.
  • Pour green chilies over chicken pieces.
  • Top with cream of potato soup.
  • Top with frozen broth.
  • Sprinkle chili seasoning mix on top of chicken broth.
  • Top with beef pieces.
  • Slow cook on high for 2 hours. Reduce to low for 6 hours. Or cook on low 10 hours.
As the slow cooker heats up, the broth will melt absorbing the chili seasoning mix which will then be absorbed by the potato soup and by the end of the day you have a huge bowl of wonderful yummy goodness perfect for a crisp fall evening. Serve with cheddar cheese biscuits.

Hubby likes the biscuits a bit more done and the rest of us like them a little lighter! Either way they are really yummy.

CHEDDAR CHEESE BISCUITS
2 1/2 cups Bisquick
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
2 teaspoons celery seeds
1 egg, room temperature
1 cup milk 
  • Combine Bisquick and seeds and mix well.
  • Add cheese and mix again. 
  • Whisk egg and milk together. 
  • Gradually add egg mixture to Bisquick mixture and mix until well blended. 
  • Drop by spoonfuls onto a well greased cookie sheet or use a mini-muffin pan.
  • Bake at 375 degrees for 20 minutes.

Tuesdays with Dorie ~ CARAMEL PUMPKIN PIE

Janell of Mortensen Family Memoirs picked Caramel Pumpkin Pie on pages 322 and 323. We were having a family dinner and I needed 2 pies so I made this weeks and next – talk about killing 2 birds with 1 stone.  There was nothing of either pie left!  They were both so yummy!

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READY, SET, START YOUR OVENS!

The (3rd Annual) NEED TO KNEAD has moved to OUR KRAZY KITCHEN.
We all have some favorite family bread recipes tucked away.
I know that at certain times I have the NEED TO KNEAD, primarily during the holidays or from October through April, those long cold months of winter. The rest of the time my Bread Machine Rules.
I thought we could all come together and share our daily bread recipes.
And I mean all breads! White, wheat, banana, braided, etc…  whatever you’re in the mood to share.
Ironically National bread month is November at the beginning of our holiday baking crunch.

Just post your recipes anytime until November 15, 2010, go over and link up at OUR KRAZY KITCHEN so that we can all visit you. You can even link to recipes you have previously posted. Add this button to your participating posts and link to this blog. Your blog can be in any language, but a translator on your site will help any who don’t speak the same language.

Bread History According to National Bread Month:

..”It was only after the Pilgrims came to America that baking bread in private homes became the norm. Our ancient forbearers baked bread in communal ovens. These ovens were built on the out skirts of villages, near water due to the extreme fire hazards of the early brick ovens. Later in Europe, after the Romans taught the indigenous peoples about bread making, bread was still baked in large ovens. Except these ovens were not communal ovens they were owned, as was the mill, by the local lord. This made families dependant on the lord for their daily bread. By the Middle Ages baking guilds controlled who and how bread were baked and sold. These organizations limited the number of bakers and bakeries in each village and that meant even impoverished peasants had to purchase bread.
When the first colonists came to North America they demanded the right to be in control of their daily bread. Households at last could bake bread at home. Even commoners were in control of their daily bread….”

Resource LinkCelebrate National Bread Month with crusty water rolls: recipe

Bread is one of the oldest prepared foods, dating back to the Neolithic era. The first breads produced were probably cooked versions of a grain-paste, made from ground cereal grains and water, and may have been developed by accidental cooking or deliberate experimentation with water and grain flour. Descendants of these early breads are still commonly made from various grains worldwide, including the Mexican tortilla, Indian chapatis, rotis and naans, Scottish oatcake, North American johnnycake, Middle Eastern Pita bread (Kmaj in Arabic and Pitot in Hebrew) and Ethiopian injera. The basic flat breads of this type also formed a staple in the diet of many early civilizations with the Sumerians eating a type of barley flat cake, and the 12th century BC Egyptians being able to purchase a flat bread called ta from stalls in the village streets. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bread

Have you heard about the Need to Knead Bread Roundup?  The need to knead bread round-up is almost here. I thought maybe it was time to share with you some food for thought (Pun intended) with a few great resource sites for baking.
 General Tips to remember:
  • Baking in a high place, a dry place or in a place that can have sudden changes in barometric pressure. All these factors can alter how yeast breads knead, rise and bake.
  • To determine if your yeast is still active, dissolve 1 tsp. sugar in 1/2 cup lukewarm water in a see-through measuring cup. Sprinkle 1 tbsp. yeast slowly over the water. Stir and let stand for 10 minutes. At the end of this time, the yeast should have foamed up to reach the 1 cup mark. Yeast that does not reach this mark in 10 minutes will not produce a good loaf and should be discarded.
  • Water can replace milk. The texture will change a little, but the bread will still be very tasty and good to eat.
  • White sugar, brown sugar, honey and molasses can be interchanged equally in bread dough. The sugar in bread dough supplies the tiny yeast plants with instant food and gets them off to a fast start. Artificial sweeteners are not recommended for yeast breads because they cannot be used by the yeast as natural sweeteners can.
  • Fats can be replaced with applesauce or prune puree. The texture of the bread will be more dense. A general rule of thumb is to substitute 1 1/2 tablespoons of applesauce/prune puree for every 3 tablespoons of fat.
  • Salt is added to yeast breads not only for flavor but also to keep the yeast fermentation in the bread dough under control. Too little salt will allow the yeast to push the dough so high that it may even collapse. Too much salt will keep the dough from rising enough.
In preparation for the upcoming National Bread Month in November and for our driving desires and “NEED TO KNEAD” as well as the upcoming Holidays let’s all join in together on October 31st, 2010 to November 15, 2010 and round-up all of our delicious bread recipes to look back on when we need to bake fantastic bread. I know many of mine were handed down by my grandma.
~ We are looking for all sorts of breads: quick breads, savory breads, sweet ones, yeast breads, no-knead breads, 5-minute breads, vintage or gluten-free breads, etc, etc, etc!

~ Help us promote this bread roundup by putting the above banner in your sidebars and posting about the 3rd Annual Need to Kneed Roundup on your own blogs.

~ We would love it if you would join us, and we would love it if you would help us spread the word by putting this button in your sidebars or even writing a short post about the roundup. Post your links from October 31, 2010 to November 15, 2010 for all your bread recipes.

~ Have fun blog hopping through the bread recipes, make new friends, find new family-favorite recipes, comment, enjoy the process of community-building.

Save Room for Dessert…Fudgy Chocolate Bundt Cake

Last Tuesday, we celebrated Ann’s birthday, one of my terrifically awesome staff members.  Rather than a potluck luncheon, Ann chose to order poboys from one of our local restaurants.  Her cake of choice was chocolate, and this was my contribution.  I baked the cake on Monday evening, late on Monday evening, actually, with the help of Andrew.  I should know by now, that any activity after 4 pm which involves both baking and a 5 year old needs sharp attention, something I am quite short of at 7:30 pm.  So, the cake was baked sans water & coffee.  I remembered this about 10 minutes after the cake was in the oven.  One of those, “Oh he$l!” expressions escaped my lips, and then I just shrugged.  If it turned out a disaster, I would simply bake another, in the morning.  Luckily, the cake was fine, although it’s texture was that of a brownie.  Not a bad thing, mind you, and everyone said it was “really good.”  So, there you go, if you’re feeling adventurous, leave out the liquid, or follow the cake recipe as written, which is the way I’ve made it for years, and I’ll guarantee your chocolate happiness!  Whatever you decide, don’t forego the frosting, as it is the pièce de résistance.

Don’t forget to enter my giveaway to win a copy of Steff Deschene’s award-winning book, The Ice Cream Theory. Leave a comment and tell me your favorite ice cream flavor! So, earlier today, I had a craving for an ice cream soda made with vanilla ice cream and orange soda, what’s your favorite today? Click here to enter and tell me!


Fudgy Chocolate Bundt Cake Printable recipe
2 cups flour
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 oz unsweetened chocolate squares
1/2 cup Dutch processed cocoa
2 sticks unsalted butter
8 oz Greek yogurt
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup brewed coffee, room temp
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Butter a Bundt pan, then dust with cocoa as you would with flour; set aside.
Melt butter and chocolate squares together in microwave in 30 second intervals, stirring after each 30 seconds, until chocolate is smooth; stir in cocoa and set aside.
In a measuring cup, measure in 1/2 cup water and then add coffee until 3/4 mark is reached; set aside.
Pour chocolate mixture into a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer.
To the chocolate mixture, add granulated and brown sugar, cocoa, yogurt, vanilla, eggs and water/coffee mixture.
Beat together until well-mixed.
In a small bowl, whisk flour, soda and salt; add flour mixture to the chocolate mixture, mixing until thoroughly combined.
Pour batter into prepared Bundt pan.
Bake 40-45 minutes at 350 degrees.
Allow cake to cool for 20 minutes before inverting onto a plate.
Let cake cool completely before frosting the cake.


Hershey’s “Perfectly Chocolate” Chocolate Frosting
1 stick unsalted butter
2/3 cup HERSHEY’S Cocoa
3 cups powdered sugar
1/3 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/8 tsp salt (my addition)
Melt butter. Stir in cocoa and salt. Alternately add powdered sugar and milk, beating to spreading consistency. Add small amount additional milk, if needed. Stir in vanilla.

IT’S TIME FOR SOME FOOTBALL FOOD!

We’re HUGE football fans!  Well, it’s that time of year again! Football season is already several weeks old (where does the time go?) and that means it’s time for tailgating again at the games, serious football food and game day buffets.  Bring over your best appetizers and your biggest appetite and oh don’t forget the Brewskis to go with it all.  I like mine really cold please with a side of lime!
Tailgating Time will be posted every Sunday at noon and open all week for you to add your football favorites. We’ll play each and every week until Superbowl Sunday. I can’t wait to see what you’ll be bringing!
It’s Tailgating Time!
HOSTED BY:
Martha at Seaside Simplicity 
Tamy at 3 sides of Crazy 
Lyndsey at Tiny Skillet

Would you like to be a host of Tailgating Time too? 
Leave me a comment here with your email or with Martha over at Seaside Simplicity so we can send you the code and add you to the host list – more exposure, more links, more football food!

WEEKLY MENU

Menu Plan Monday hosted by Laura at I’m an Organizing Junkie

 DATE BREAKFAST LUNCH DINNER
Monday 10/18 CEREAL SANDWICHES Recipe Experiment Night
Tuesday 10/19 TOAST LEFTOVERS Chicken Enchiladas Suiza
and
Refried Beans
Wednesday 10/20 YOGURT SOUP Orange Honey Chicken
Thursday 10/21 FRUIT CHEESE & FRUIT Tuna Noodle Bake
Friday 10/22 OATMEAL C.O.R.N. Chicken Fried Chicken
with mashed potatoes and
Peppered Gravy
Saturday 10/23 Blueberry Crumb Cake leftovers Roast Chicken w/ Lemon Herb Sauce
and
Maple Glazed Carrots
Sunday 10/24 Huevos con Yummy Deviled Eggs Carnitas ~ Traditional Style
with the leftover
Refried Beans

Missing the Lazy, Crazy days of summer… already

I don’t know about you, but I already miss summer and the taste of salads.  I’m usually at home already threatened with snow, but this year I’m helping out family way south of home and have the luxury of still getting some great vegetables and making some of our favorite salads and homemade dressings.

1 large wedge romaine lettuce, torn into bite size pieces
2 Roma tomatoes, sliced
1 small avocado, sliced
2 kiwis, skinned and sliced
1 small red onion, chopped
1 orange peeled, segmented and halved again

1/3 cup peanut oil
1/3 cup olive oil
6 tablespoons champagne vinegar
Juice of 1 lemon
Juice of 1 lime
6 tablespoons sugar
salt & pepper to taste

  • Whisk together peanut oil, olive oil, champagne vinegar, lemon juice, lime juice, sugar, salt & pepper. Chill for several hours.
  • Prepare veggies and toss well.
  • Drizzle salad all over and toss again.
  • Enjoy!
  • This makes enough dressing for 3 large salads.

SLEEP TIGHT, DON’T LET THE BED BUGS BITE!

I received this in an email recently and I know that where we are right now, it is all over the news that there is a big problem.  So, this seemed liked a good thing to share and it seems like a bit of common sense too! I always wash everything, always have, but now I’ll just do it immediately to help alleviate any POTENTIAL problem from even occurring.  Now while I don’t know about the validity of the actual mode of transportation that the bugs are hitch hiking on to come in to America, I have checked and the process of killing the bugs is valid.  Bed bugs are truly the ultimate hitchhiker, so it just makes sense to be on the cautious side.
THE EMAIL:
A bit of information that you might like to know about.  We have friends here in our community and one of their sons is an entomologist (insect expert), and has been telling them that there is an epidemic of bed bugs now occurring in America.  Recently I have heard on the news that several stores in NYC have had to close due to bed bug problems, as well as a complete mall in New Jersey. 
 
He says that since much of our clothing, sheets, towels, etc. now comes from companies outside of America, (sad but true), even the most expensive stores sell foreign clothing from China, Indonesia, etc.  The bed bugs are coming in on the clothing as these countries do not consider them a problem.  He recommends that if you buy any new clothing, even underwear and socks, sheets, towels, etc. that you bring them into the house and put them in your clothes dryer for at least 20 minutes.  The heat will kill them and their eggs.  DO NOT PURCHASE CLOTHES AND HANG THEM IN THE CLOSET FIRST.  It does not matter what the price range is of the clothing, or if the outfit comes from the most expensive store known in the U.S.  They still get shipments from these countries and the bugs can come in a box of scarves or anything else for that matter.  That is the reason why so many stores, many of them clothing stores have had to shut down in NYC and other places.   All you need is to bring one item into the house that has bugs or eggs and you will go to hell and back trying to get rid of them.  He travels all over the country as an advisor to many of these stores, as prevention and after they have the problem.

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12 WEEKS OF CHRISTMAS COOKIE CLUB – WEEK #3 ~ PEANUT BUTTER FUDGE DROPS

PEANUT BUTTER FUDGE DROPS

2/3 cup Hot water
10 ounces Land of Lakes cocoa mix
2 cups JIF creamy peanut butter
1/2 cup light corn syrup
3 cups C&H powdered sugar, divided 2cups + 1 cup
2 cups crushed vanilla wafers
2 cups crushed ginger snaps
72 Hershey Kisses (I like the cherry cordials)

  • Whisk together the hot water and cocoa mix until smooth.
  • Add peanut butter and corn syrup. Blend until smooth.
  • Add 2 cups powdered sugar and stir until well blended.
  • Stir in cookie crumbs until well blended.
  • Spray wax paper with PURE (these will be sticky so don’t forget this step).
  • Drop heaping teaspoonfuls of dough onto the wax paper.
  • Place the remaining 1 cup of powdered sugar in a shallow bowl.
  • Roll each piece of dough into a ball and dredge in powdered sugar.
  • Press your thumb into the center and fill with a Hershey’s kiss.

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