Buttermilk Biscuits

Test Kitchen Baking Book strikes again! I wasn't sure how to label this recipe... you can have it for breakfast, snack, dinner, and if you're like me, throw a little honey on and call it dessert. However you have it, just make sure you follow the directions... biscuits can be a little finicky.

Ingredients:
3 3/4 c. all-purpose flour
1/2 c. powdered buttermilk (you can substitute 1 1/4 c. buttermilk for milk and powdered buttermilk if you want, but it won't have as much flavor)
2 T. sugar
4 tsp. baking powder
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
3/4 c. unsalted butter, cut into 1/2 inch pieces and chilled
4 tablespoons vegetable shortening, chilled and cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1 1/4 c. whole milk

Directions:
Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 450 degrees.

Pulse the flour, buttermilk powder, sugar, baking powder, salt, and baking soda together in a food processor to combine, about 3 pulses. Scatter the butter and shortening evenly over the top and continue to pulse until the mixture resembles coarse meal, about 15 pulses.

Transfer the flour mixture to a large bowl. Stir in the milk with a rubber spatula until the dough comes together. Turn the dough out onto a well-floured surface. Lightly flour your hands and the dough, and knead the dough gently until uniform, about 30 seconds. Roll the dough into a 10-inch round, about 1 inch thick.

Using a floured 2 1/2 inch biscuit cutter, stamp our 12 biscuits (don't twist the cutter or they'll be lopsided), gently patting the dough scraps back into a uniform, 1-inch-thick piece as needed. Arrange the biscuits upside down on the prepared baking sheet, spaced about 1 1/2 inches apart (you want to bake them upside down to ensure a more even rise).

Bake for 5 minutes. Rotate the pan, reduce the oven temperature to 400 degrees and continue to bake until golden brown, 12-15 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack, let cool for 5 minutes then serve warm.

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White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies

The perfect amount of sweetness and saltiness, these cookies (4 dozen, mind you), were gone in a matter of hours at our friends' house...

From allrecipes.com

Ingredients:
1 c. unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 c. white sugar
2 tsp. vanilla extract
2 eggs
2 1/2 c. all-purpose flour
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
1 pkg. white chocolate chips (10-12 oz)
1 can macadamia nuts (7-9 oz)

Directions:
Cream together butter and sugar. Beat in the vanilla and eggs. Add the dry ingredients and stir until well-incorporated. Stir in the chips and nuts. Drop by spoonful on ungreased baking sheets and bake at 375 degrees for 8 minutes.

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Apple Dumplings

From the kitchen of Jan Evans

All this was lacking was vanilla ice cream... yum!

Ingredients:
2 c. sugar
2 c. water
1/4 tsp. cloves
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 c. butter
2 c. flour
3/4 c. shortening
1/2 c. milk
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. baking powder
about 4 apples, grated
Cinnamon-sugar

Directions:

Mix the sugar, water, cloves, and cinnamon together in a pan and bring to a boil. Boil for 5 minutes. Remove from heat, add the 1/2 cup of butter, and let cool while preparing the rest of the dumplings. Sift together the flour, salt and baking powder. Cut in the shortening and then add the milk. Roll out dough to 1/4" thick rectangle. Cover generously with grated apples, sprinkle with cinnamon-sugar and roll up as for jelly roll and cut into 1" slices. Place in pan (so it looks like cinnamon rolls) and pour the syrup over all. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes or until golden brown.

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Herbed Whole-Wheat Pizza Dough

I make this in the bread machine, but you can also just mix all the ingredients together in a bowl, knead for about 5 minutes, then let it rise until doubled (about 1 1/2 hours).

For 2 lbs of dough, which makes 2 large pizzas:
1 1/3 c. warm water (80-90 degrees)
3 T. olive oil
1 c. bread flour + 2 c. whole wheat flour (I use 3 c. whole-wheat bread flour which you can get at WinCo in the bulk section)
1 T. italian herb seasoning
1 t. salt
1/2 t. garlic powder
1 1/4 t. active dry yeast

Directions:
But all ingredients in the bread machine in the order listed and set it on the dough cycle. When it's complete, separate the
dough into two pieces and shape into a ball. At this point, I wrap one in saran wrap and put in a freezer bag and store in the freezer for a later date. Take the piece you're using and cover with saran wrap and let rest for 10 minutes. Preheat the oven to about 375 if using a metal baking sheet and 450 if using a pizza stone (we prefer the pizza stone). Prep the toppings (our faves are red onions, green peppers, mushrooms, chicken, feta, and sun-dried tomatoes). You'll need about 3 cups of cheese. We use all mozzarella, but you can throw in a little variety if you'd like. My favorite sauce is pesto, but this time we used tomato because it was all we had. Use whatever you'd like.

Roll the pizza dough out flat, make a crust as thick as you want, then add your toppings. Tonight, Mac decided to put the chicken and veggies on before the cheese and it turned out great. Bake in the preheated oven for about 18 minutes.

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Granola Bars

Ingredients:
7 c. old-fashioned rolled oats
1/2 c. olive oil
1/2 t. salt
3/4 c. honey
3/4 c. light brown sugar
1 T. vanilla extract
2 t. ground cinnamon
1 1/2 c. whole almonds, pecans, peanuts or walnuts, chopped coarse (I used almonds and walnuts)
1 c. dried cranberries
1 c. flax seed

Directions:

Adjust oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 375 degrees. Toss the oats, oil, and salt together in a medium bowl. Spread the mixture out over a baking sheet and toast in the oven, stirring often, until pale golden, 20-25 minutes.
Meanwhile, line an 18 x 13" rimmed baking sheet with foil and grease the foil. Cook the honey and sugar together in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring frequently, until the sugar is fully dissolved, about 5 minutes. Off the heat, stir in the vanilla and cinnamon.
Transfer the toasted oat mixture to a large bowl and reduce the oven temperature to 300 degrees. Toss the oat mixture, honey mixture, nuts, cranberries, and flax seed together in a large bowl until well combined. Spread the mixture out over the prepared pan and press into an even layer using a greased spatula. Bake the granola bars until golden, 35-40 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through baking.
Let the granola bars cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then cut into bars. Let the bars cool completely, then remove individual bars from the pan using a spatula. Will store in an air-tight container for up to 2 weeks.

I adapted this from the Test Kitchen Cookbook, yet again...

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Stuffed French Toast

The Test Kitchen Cookbook strikes once again! This brunch is the type of amazing where you want to eat more than one serving, but if you do you'll feel sick, and the idea that you get to eat it again tomorrow is satisfying.

I'm always careful to follow exactly what the Test Kitchen says to do the first round, and then I modify to make it healthier/lighter the following times. You can do what you want.

Ingredients:
6 oz. cream cheese, softened (I used neufachtel cheese, which is just "light cream cheese")
1/4 c. white sugar
1/4 t. cinnamon
pinch ground nutmeg
8 slices high-quality white sandwich bread (no joke, that's what it says... we don't know what "high quality" white bread is, but we went with Oroweat Classic White - next time I'll just use our normal, homemade wheat)
4 Tbs. unsalted butter
1 c. whole milk (used 1%)
1 large egg
2 t. vanilla extract
1/4 t. salt
1/2 c. all-purpose flour (i'll use whole wheat next time)

Directions:
Mix the cream cheese, 2 Tablespoons of the sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg together in a small bowl until smooth. Wrap tightly and refrigerate until chilled, about 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 200 degrees. Arrange the bread on a wire rack set over a baking sheet and bake until slightly dry, about 15 minutes; set aside, leaving the oven on.
Spread the cream cheese mixture evenly over 4 pieces of the bread, leaving a 1/2-inch border at the edges. Lightly press the remaining slices of bread over the top to make 4 sturdy sandwiches.
Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter and whisk it together with the milk, egg, vanilla, salt, and remaining 2 tablespoons sugar in a medium bowl. Slowly whisk in the flour until smooth. Pour the batter into a large shallow dish.
Lay 2 sandwiches in the batter and soak both sides, about 1 minute per side. Meanwhile, melt 1 more tablespoon butter in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat until beginning to brown, swirling to coat the pan.
Remove the bread from the batter, allowing excess batter to drip back into the dish and lay in the hot skillet. Cook until golden brown on both sides,a bout 2 1/2 minutes per side (*Seriously set the timer and let it cook for 2 1/2 minutes; don't bother it. If you set it on medium heat and cook it for that time, it won't burn... patience, young grasshopper!). Transfer the French toast back to the wire rack and keep warm in the oven. Repeat with the remaining sandwiches, butter, and batter. Serve with Grade B maple syrup (or whatever you'd like).

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Big, Beautiful Muffins

If you happen to read my Words Page, you would have seen that I checked out The America's Test Kitchen Family Baking Book from the library yesterday. Then, I sat down to determine exactly which recipes I could manage to make in the 3-week checkout time. The conclusion: I need to buy the book.

This was the first recipe out of the book, and we couldn't agree on a flavor, so I made a half batch of lemon-berry for Mac and the other half mocha-chip for me! We both liked the berry ones best. Add whatever you'd like to the basic batter and they should turn out great! Also, please note that the picture makes them look overcooked, but it's the espresso powder and whole-wheat flour... I NEVER overcook my baked goods. :)

Ingredients:

3 c. flour (I used 2 c. whole wheat + 1 c. all-purpose)
1 c. white sugar
1 T. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 c. plain yogurt (Can use homemade!)
2 large eggs
1 stick unsalted butter, melted and cooled

Directions:
1. Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 375 degrees. Grease a 12-cup muffin tin.
2. Whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl. In a medium bowl, whisk the yogurt and eggs together until smooth. At this point, if you are making two different kinds of muffins, you need to split the dry mixture and yogurt mixture in half because there will be different things you add to the yogurt mixture. If you're making all one kind, continue on...
3. Gently fold the yogurt mixture into the flour mixture with a rubber spatula until just combined, then fold in the melted butter (don't forget to split the butter in half also)
4. Using a greased 1/3 c. measure, portion the batter into each muffin cup. Bake until golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out with just a few crumbs, about 25 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through baking.
5. Let the muffins cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then flip out onto a wire rack and let cool for 10 minutes before serving (or devour immediately as we do).

For Lemon-Berry:
Add 1 teaspoon grated fresh lemon zest to the yogurt mixture (I eye-balled about 1/2 tsp since I split the batch in half). Toss 1 1/2 c. fresh or not-thawed frozen berries with 1 tablespoon flour, then gently fold into the batter (used 3/4 c. of berries and 1/2 tbsp. of flour). Tossing with flour keeps the berries from sinking to the bottom of the muffins.

For Mocha-Chip:
Add 3 tablespoons instant espresso (again, since only 1/2 batch, I used 1 1/2 tablespoons) to the yogurt mixture and fold 1 cup (I only used 1/2 c.) semisweet chocolate chips into the batter.

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Chicken & Dumplings

Thank you, Passionate Homemaking, for the foundation of this recipe! We loved this soupy-style chicken and dumplings recipe. So wholesome and filling... Next time, I think I'll add a little more liquid and some corn.

Ingredients:
2 c. carrots, chopped (about 4)
1/2 onion, chopped
2 potatoes, chopped
2 celery stocks, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
2 c. chicken broth
2-3 c. cubed cooked chicken
1 1/2 tsp garlic salt
1 1/2 tsp thyme
1 tsp basil
1 c. milk
Dumplings:
2 1/4 cups whole wheat flour
1 c. milk
5 Tbsp butter, melted
1 Tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp dried parsley
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper

Directions:
Saute chopped vegetables in coconut oil and spices for approximately 5 minutes. Add water/broth and heat to a boil and then simmer for about 10 minutes. Add cooked chicken and milk in the last 5 minutes. Pour into a 13×9 baking dish. I top it off with a dash of each of the spices again (sage, thyme & garlic powder). Scoop dumplings by rounded tablespoon onto the top. Cook for about 18 minutes at 425 degrees.

Dumplings:
Whisk together the flour, baking powder, parsley, salt, and pepper. Stir in the milk and melted butter until combined.

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Candied Sweet Potatoes

This is a very out of place post; I'll just fore-warn you there. Please note that the unconventional food photo of all my cousins DOES contain the finished dish. It's the one on the hright underneath Kelli's (in the pink) plate. I also made those rolls on the left under Kimo's (beardman) plate, which also contains a little serving of today's dish. Okay, enough with the rambling. Today, we're visiting sweet potatoes. Yup, those orange root things that we only eat around Thanksgiving. A lot of times, some aunt ruins the dish by putting marshmallows on top. Not this one. This sweet potato casserole is perfection. I could eat it every day. Really. Thank you America's Test Kitchen for creating this new craving.

Sweet Potato Ingredients:
8 Tbs. (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch chunks
5 lbs. sweet potatoes (7 medium), peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
1 c. packed light brown sugar
1/2 c. water
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper

Topping Ingredients:
2 c. pecans (I used 1 c. walnuts because I ran out of pecans)
1/2 c. packed light brown sugar
1 egg white, lightly beaten
1/2 tsp. salt
pinch cayenne pepper
pinch cumin

Directions:
1. For the sweet potatoes: melt the butter in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the sweet potatoes, brown sugar, water, salt, and pepper. Bring to a simmer, then cover and reduce the heat to medium-low. Cook, stirring often until the sweet potatoes are tender (a paring knife can be slipped into and out of the center with very little resistance), 45-60 minutes.
2. When the sweet potatoes are tender, remove the lid and bring the sauce to a rapid simmer over medium-high heat. Continue to simmer until the brown sugar mixture has reduced to a glaze, about 8 minutes.
3. For the topping: Meanwhile, mix together all the ingredients for the topping in a medium bowl.
4. Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 450 degrees. Pour the potato mixture into a 9x13" baking dish. Spread the topping over the potatoes. Bake until the pecans are toasted and crisp, 10-15 minutes.

I made it the night before, doing everything except step 4, then baked the next day right before dinner.

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Crockpot Yogurt

There is a sense of great accomplishment in making your own staples, such as yogurt. Keep in mind that this will not have the same consistency as store-bought yogurt. It's a little more soupy. I'm not hardcore enough to eat it plain, so I use it in recipes that call for yogurt, in smoothies, and with things like granola or fruit.

Ingredients:
1/2 gallon whole milk
1/4 c. vanilla yogurt
1 pkg. unflavored gelatin (optional)
1/4 c. honey (optional)

Directions:
Pour milk into a 2 1/2 qt. crockpot and heat on low for 2 1/2 hours. After the time is up, unplug the crockpot and let milk sit for 3 hours. Once it's done sitting, take out 1-2 cups of the milk and add the yogurt and gelatin. Mix well, then whisk back into the crockpot. Wrap the entire crockpot in two bath towels and let "incubate" overnight for 12-15 hours. Stir in the honey and transfer yogurt to glass jars or other desired storage containers.

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Olive-Oil Crackers

Request for crackers recipe! I feel like such a "professional blogger" with all these requests and comments. Thanks, guys!

I've made this recipe 3 times, and added various toppings each time. You can add whatever you want to them, but I found my favorite to be just lightly salted. I got this recipe from 101Cookbooks... love it!

Ingredients:
3 c. whole-wheat flour (or combo of any flour except bread)
1 tsp. sea salt
1/3 c. olive oil
1 c. warm water
various toppings (salt, dried herbs, parmesan cheese, poppy seeds, etc.)

Directions:
Whisk together flour and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer. Add in the olive oil and water and mix with a dough hook on medium speed for 5-7 minutes. Roll the dough into a large ball, then cut into 12 pieces. Brush each piece with olive oil and roll into a ball. Place each ball on a plate, cover with a kitchen towel, and let rest for 30-60 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 450 degrees with a pizza stone in it (if you don't have a pizza stone, which I highly recommend getting one, just use a cookie sheet but don't preheat it). After dough has rested, flatten one ball and roll out into a thin, long strip. Place strip on a floured baking sheet and poke with a fork so they don't rise in the oven. At this point, I like to score the strip with a knife into squares and dust with coarse salt. You can add whatever toppings you want. Then, slide the dough off the baking sheet onto the pizza stone and bake until golden brown (about 6-10 minutes). Repeat until all dough is used, making sure to only bake one strip at a time. Let cool all the way before eating - then they'll be crisp!

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Shrimp Linguine

We like this for dinner last night. We think we would've liked it better had I followed the recipe.

Here's the actual recipe with all my improvs in parenthesis:
Ingredients:
3/4 pound uncooked shell-on medium shrimp (about 20-30), peeled, deveined and tails removed (I used frozen, pre-cooked shrimp that was already peeled and deveined)
3/4 c. coarsely chopped carrots
2 large plum tomatoes, seeded and diced (didn't have any because they're not fresh - used 1 can diced tomatoes, drained)
1/4 c. sliced green onions with tops (used a 1/4 of a red onion)
1/3 c. grated fresh Parmesan cheese
8 oz. uncooked linguine (used whole-wheat spaghetti)
1 tsp. olive oil
2 garlic cloves, pressed
3/4 c. sour cream (used fat-free, only about 1/2 cup)
1/2 c. fat-free evaporated milk (used about 3/4 cup since I didn't have as much sour cream)
1/4 c. snipped fresh basil leaves (used dried)
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper
Additional Parmesan cheese

Directions:
1. Remove tails from shrimp. Cook pasta according to package; drain, return to pot and keep warm. Meanwhile, heat oil in a large skilled - add shrimp, carrots, and garlic. Cook and stir over medium heat 3-4 minutes; remove from skillet and keep warm. Gently heat sour cream and evaporated milk in same skilled over low heat. Stir in Parmesan cheese. Add shrimp mixture, tomatoes, onions, basil, salt, and pepper. Mix gently. Pour over past; toss gently to coat. Serve with additional parmesan cheese.

From Pampered Chef "It's Good for You"

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Baked Chimichangas

We love this dish! From the Quick & Healthy Cookbook, it is again - quick and healthy! I really like to use my homemade yogurt recipe in this, which I'm really surprised I don't have posted on here already... that will be my weekend task - look for it!

Ingredients:
8- 6" flour tortillas (we use whole wheat)
1 1/2 c. cooked and cubed chicken
2 oz. grated low-fat cheese (we use cheddar)
3/4 c. salsa, thick and chunky (best when it's fresh, but your favorite will do!)
Spanish Yogurt Sauce:
1 c. nonfat plain yogurt
1/2 t. dried cilantro
1/4 t. cumin
1 t. dried parsley
1/2 c. salsa

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Mix chicken, cheese, and salsa. In a separate bowl, mix together ingredients for spanish yogurt sauce. Warm tortillas in microwave until pliable. Wet one side of them, and place wet side down on a plate or clean countertop. Spoon filling onto tortillas, and fold over to hold in filling. Spray baking dish with non-stick coating and place filled tortillas on baking dish. Pour sauce on top and bake for 15 minutes. We also like to add some extra cheese!

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Dinner Rolls

Hop on over to The Pioneer Woman
today and check out these incredible pull-apart rolls!

*The only change I make is to replace 1/2 of the flour with whole wheat*

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Pork, Mushroom, Snow-pea Stir Fry

The problem with a genre request is that I don't necessarily make all the recipes at the time that I post them. Thus, the lack of photos. Also, the distinguished excitement for each dish. Don't let that take away from how yummy, easy, and quick these dinners are!

The good thing about a genre request is I suddenly am aware of so many more meals that we can put on the menu for next month! Thanks, Krissa!

And on that note, here's the recipe for this stir-fry. Just FYI - when it comes to stir fries, I tend to chop up a little of this veggie, throw in a little of that meat, and pour on a lot of some sauce and pile it all on top of a hot bowl of rice. However, sometimes it's nice to have a no-fail recipe to follow. This is one of those.

Ingredients:
1 lb. pork tenderloin, trimmed and very thinly sliced crosswise
2 tsp. cornstarch
1 tsp. salt
4 Tbs. olive oil, divided (it calls for vegetable oil, but I always use olive)
1/2 lb. snow peas, strings removed
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 lb. sliced mushrooms
3 Tbs. water
2 Tbs. teriyaki sauce
Steamed Rice

Directions:
Toss pork with cornstarch and salt. Heat 2 Tbs. oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Stir-fry pork until pale golden and almost cooked through, about 4 minutes, then transfer to a plate. Add 1 Tbs. oil to the pan and stir-fry snow peas with garlic until crisp-tender, about 1 minute. Add to pork. Add mushrooms to pan with water and remaining oil and cook, covered, until softened, about 5 minutes. Put the pork and snowpeas back in the pan with the teriyaki sauce and cook until the pork is cooked through, about two more minutes.

Adapted from Gourmet Magazine

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Chicken Chili

From the Quick & Healthy cookbook this chili is, well... quick and healthy! We love it. It's a nice alternative to heavy beef chili when you still want something warm and filling.

1/2 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 medium onion, chopped
2 tsp. chopped garlic
2 cans (15 oz) kidney beans, drained
1 can (16 oz) diced tomatoes
1 can (4 oz) diced green chiles
1/2 c. water
1 Tbl. dried cilantro
2 tsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. cumin

Directions:

Cut chicken in bite-size pieces. Brown in about 1 tbl. olive oil in a sauce pan over medium heat. Add remaining ingredients. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes or until chicken is tender.

Pretty simple. :)

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Easy Chicken Enchiladas

This is from my favorite cookbook: America's Test Kitchen Family Cookbook.
Serves 4-6 or 8 in our house...

Ingredients:
3 c. shredded, cooked chicken (about 1 1/2 pounds)
3 c. sharp cheddar cheese (12 ounces, and regular cheddar works too)
2 1/2 c. enchilada sauce (20 oz. or can make your own - recipe to follow)
1-2 cans (4 oz) chopped green chiles
1/2 c. minced fresh cilantro
Salt and Pepper
12 soft corn tortillas
Lime wedges, sour cream, avocado, lettuce for serving

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Combine chicken, 2 cups of cheese, 1/2 cup of the enchilada sauce, the chiles, and cilantro. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Stack the tortillas on a microwave-safe plate, cover with plastic wrap, and microwave on high until warm and pliable, 40 to 60 seconds.
Spread the warm tortillas out over a clean counter. Place 1/3 cup of chicken mixture evenly down the center of each tortilla. Tightly roll the tortilla around the filling, then lay seam-side down in a 9x13 inch baking dish lightly oiled.
Lightly spray (or brush the enchiladas with vegetable oil/spray. Pour 1 c. remaining sauce over the enchiladas to coat thoroughly. Sprinkle the remaining 1 cup cheese down the center of the enchiladas. Cover the baking dish with foil and bake until the enchiladas are heated through, 20-25 minutes.
Remove the foil and continue to bake until cheese browns, about 5 minutes longer. Serve with remaining sauce and other condiments.

Enchilada sauce:
1 T. vegetable oil
1 onion, minced
1/2 tsp. salt
3 T. chili powder
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 tsp. cumin
2 tsp. sugar
2 cans (8 oz) tomato sauce
1/2 c. water
Pepper

Heat the oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add the onion and salt and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the chili powder, garlic, cumin, and sugar. Cook until fragrant, about 15 seconds. Stir in the tomato sauce and water. Bring to a simmer and cook until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

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Easy Dinners

I had a request (YES, a REAL request!!) to post some easy dinner options. Soooo this is my attempt to comply with that request. The next handful of posts will all be some of our favorite, easy dinners. Also, quite a few of my previous posts fall into the easy dinner category: not-yo-mamas-nachos, Bow tie Pasta and Brussels Sprouts, One-Pot Spaghetti, Slow Cooker Lentils and Chicken, Paprika Chicken, Tomato Mozzarella Casserole, Beef Stroganoff, Pasta Seashell Casserole, and Chicken Curry.

Here are some keys to EASY dinners:

* a 9"x13" pan. Anything that can be made in one is most likely easy... assemble and pop in the oven!
* 1 bowl/pot. If you can mix everything in one container, it's awesome. Less mixing, less clean up.
* Substituable. Okay, I just made up that word... what I mean is if you don't have one of the ingredients, it's pretty easy to just throw in something similar in content, texture, or taste and still have the dish turn out good.
* Cans. Canned vegetables are great. so are frozen ones. try to stay away from too many extra preservatives, but don't underestimate the power of a canned good.

I'm sure there are more, but that's my list for now. And now, please welcome... the easy dinner recipes.

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Dutch Baby Pancakes

I love Chama. And I love her Dutch Baby Pancakes. Eating them without her is just not quite the same, but still dericious!


Ingredients:
3 eggs
3/4 c. milk
3/4 c. flour
1/4 c. butter (I recommend salted, sweet cream butter)
2 tsp. cinnamon
2 tbsp. white sugar
Whipped cream (or whatever other topping you want)

Directions:
Put a 2-3 qt. pan in the oven and preheat to 425 degrees. It's best to put the rack on the lower part of the oven. Using a mixer, beat the eggs on medium speed until blended. Add the milk and beat for about 1 minute. Stir in the flour. In a separate dish, mix together cinnamon and sugar. When the oven is preheated, put the butter in the pan and melt - but don't burn it! Once the butter is melted, pour in the batter. Sprinkle generously with cinnamon-sugar and bake it for a happy 20 minutes or so. Serve with whipped cream (as we did) or cream cheese, jam, fruit, syrup, powdered sugar and lemon slices.... make it your own. :)

Thanks, Chamama!!

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Minestrone Soup with Quinoa

If you look back over all the recipes I've posted, generally every post includes words like "amazing, heaven, delicious, etc., etc." This post is different. Mac loved this soup. I, on the other hand, felt like I was eating something that belonged in a detox diet. But, I also thought that this soup had a lot of potential. Next time, I'll just add more seasoning and that should do it. If you're in the mood for something wholesome and healthy, here ya go!

Ingredients:
2 tbsp. olive oil
2-3 carrots, peeled and diced
1 c. fennel, diced
1 c. red onion, diced
2 large garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 bay leaves
2 tsp. fresh thyme leaves (I didn't have any - i think it would have helped)
1/4 tsp. fennel seeds
1 1/2 c. cooked white kidney beans, drained (1 can)
2 c. plum tomatoes, seeded and diced
1/3 c. uncooked quinoa (a grain. you can find it in a health food store such as Fred Meyer's health section, your local co-op, or trader joes)
Salt and pepper
1 c. fresh spinach, sliced thin
3 tbsp. fresh basil, thinly sliced (also did not have and would have helped)
2 oz. parmigiano reggiano (i used parmesan cheese, pre grated)

Directions:
In a large pot or dutch oven, heat oil over medium heat. Add carrots, fennel, onion, garlic, bay leaves, thyme, and fennel seeds and cook, stirring often, until veggies are tender, about 8 minutes. Add 6 cups of water, beans, tomatoes, and quinoa. Increase heat to high and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer gently until quinoa is tender, about 20 minutes. Remove bay leaves and season with salt and pepper. Stir in spinach and basil just before esrving. Garnish with cheese, if you want.

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Not-Yo-Mamas-Nachos

Yes, this is really what they're called. And, I can't believe I didn't post them the first time we made them about 8 months ago! These nachos are delicious, and in my opinion, a future family staple. They get you the protein and veggies you need in all of about 15 minutes!



INGREDIENTS:
Eight 6-inch corn tortillas
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper
1 onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 1/4-pound bunch broccoli, cut into small florets, stems peeled and thinly sliced
1 15-ounce can cannellini beans, rinsed
12 ounces cheddar cheese, shredded (about 3 cups)
Salsa verde (if desired)
1/4 cup plain low-fat Greek-style yogurt (if desired)
We add one sliced tomato as well...

DIRECTIONS:
Position racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven and preheat to 375°. Line 2 rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper. On a cutting board, brush the tortillas with 2 tablespoons olive oil, then stack and cut into quarters. Arrange on the baking sheets in a single layer; season with salt and pepper. Bake until crisp and golden, 8 to 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook until lightly browned, about 4 minutes. Add the broccoli and 1/3 cup water and cook, stirring, until the water is cooked off and the broccoli is tender, about 4 minutes. Stir in the beans and cook until heated through, 1 to 2 minutes; season with salt and pepper.

Sprinkle 1 cup cheese over each tray of chips; spoon the broccoli mixture on top, sprinkle with the remaining cheese and bake until melted, 1 to 2 minutes. Serve with the salsa and yogurt.


*Thank you Rachael Ray.* :)

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