Friday, December 31, 2010

Applesauce

Last fall (2009), we made 21 quarts of applesauce.  This year, I made about 7, but still worth it!


The kitchen becomes a workshop!


First you wash the apples...



 Then you quarter them...


 Put 'em in a big pot

Add a little water and cook 'em til they're soft but not mushy


Get your water-bath canner ready (fill with water and bring to a boil); Start sanitizing those lids too! 

Set up the "Squeeze-O"

Mash the apples through the squeeze-o

See the pretty applesauce come through the filter!


 Ladle the applesauce into a jar using a wide-mouthed funnel and sanitized jars!

Put the lids on, making sure no water is on the rim, and stick 'em in the water-bath

Process 20 minutes with the lid on, and then let them cool!


 Pink Lady apples make pink applesauce. :)

Lasagna

From the ATK Healthy Family Cookbook, this is a modified lasagna with less fat and carbs than traditional lasagna.  As usual, no photo due to the quick consumption by 4 hungry men!

This recipe calls for ground chicken, however I used lean ground beef instead.

Ingredients:
2 c. nonfat ricotta cheese (16 oz)
3 c. shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese (12 oz)
1/2 c. grated parmesan cheese (1 oz)
1 c. chopped fresh basil
1 large egg, lightly beaten
Salt and pepper
1 1/2 t. olive oil
1 onion, minced
6 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 t. dried oregano
1/8 t. red pepper flakes
1 lb. ground chicken
1 (28 oz) can crushed tomatoes
1 (28 oz) can diced tomatoes
16 whole wheat lasagna noodles (Or 12 no-boil lasagna noodles)

Directions:
Mix the ricotta, 2 cups of the mozzarella, the parmesan, 1/2 of the basil, egg, and 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper in a bowl until well-combined.  Cover and refrigerate until needed.
Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven (or pot) over medium heat until shimmering. Add the onion and cook until softened about 5 minutes.  Stir in the garlic, oregano, and red pepper and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
Add the chicken and cook, breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon until no longer pink, about 4 minutes.  Stir in the tomatoes with their juice and bring to a simmer.  Cook, stirring occasionally until the sauce has thickened slightly about 15 minutes.  Off the heat, stir in the remaining basil.  Season with salt and pepper to taste, cover and set aside until needed.
[skip this next step if using no-boil noodles] -->Meanwhile, bring 6 quarts of water to a boil in a large pot.   Stir in the lasagna noodles and 1 T salt and cook, stirring often until almost al dente, but still firm to the bite.  Drain and rinse under cold water until cool, Lay pasta out over clean kitchen towels.
Preheat oven to 375.  Spread 1 1/2 c. of the meat sauce over the bottom of the baking dish.  Place 5 noodles on top of the sauce and spread 1/4 cup of the ricotta mixture evenly down the center of each noodle.  Spoon 1 1/2 cups more of the sauce evenly over the ricotta.  Repeat this layering two more times.
For the final layer, place the remaining 4 noodles on top, spread the remaining 2 cups of sauce over the noodles, and sprinkle with the remaining cup of mozzarella.  Spray some foil with cooking spray and cover the lasagna.
Place the baking dish on a rimmed cookie sheet and bake for 40-45 minutes, until the sauce is bubbling.  Remove the foil and continue to bake until the cheese is melted and beginning to brown, about 20 minutes longer.  Let cool 10-20 minutes before serving.

New Cookbook!

For Christmas I received thew newest Test Kitchen Cookbook!


308964e.jpg
You can expect to see many recipes from this new favorite in 2011!

Monday, December 20, 2010

Mama Leone's Chicken Soup

Mac's co-worker passed along this recipe to us and it is phenomenal!  I had seconds. :)  Next time, I will add more chicken.


Ingredients:
1/2 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 t. salt plus extra for chicken
1/2 t. black pepper plus extra for chicken
1 T. olive oil
4 t. butter
1 medium onion, diced
3 celery stalks, diced
1 T. minced garlic
1/2 t. dried tarragon
1/2 t. dried oregano
2 t. paprika
1/2 c. plus 2 T. all-purpose flour
8 c. chicken broth
1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes with juice
3/4 c. fat-free evaporated milk
2 c. thinly sliced fresh spinach

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Season chicken with salt and pepper to taste and place ona baking sheet.  Bake for 15-20 minutes.  Remove from oven and cool.
When cool enough to handle, dice the meat and set aside.
While the chicken is baking, heat the oil in a large stockpot over medium heat.  Add the butter and melt.  Saute the onions and celery until the onions are translucent, about 6-7 minutes.
Add the garlic, tarragon, oregano, paprika, and remaining 2 teaspoons salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper.  Cook, stirring, for 3 to 4 minutes.
Add the flour and stir until well-combined.  Slowly whisk in the chicken broth and bring to a boil.  Add the tomatoes and cream.  Reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes.  Add the reserved chicken breast and simmer 10 minutes more.  Just before serving, stir in the spinach. 

Sunday, December 19, 2010

Peppermint Bark

These have been my favorite Christmas treat so far.

Ingredients:
20 ounces white chocolate, coarsely chopped, divided
30 peppermint candies, crushed, divided
10 ounces dark chocolate, coarsely chopped
6 T. heavy cream
1 t. peppermint extract

Directions:

Line a 9x13 pan with aluminum foil or parchment paper.   Melt half the white chocolate in the top of a double boiler over just barely simmering water stirring frequently.  Spread the white chocolate in the pan and sprinkle 1/4 of the crushed peppermints evenly over white chocolate. Chill until firm, about 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, melt the dark chocolate, heavy cream and peppermint extract together in the top of a double boiler over just barely simmering water, stirring frequently, until just melted.  Quickly pour the chocolate layer over the chilled white chocolate layer, spread evenly. Chill until firm, about 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, melt the remaining white chocolate in the top of a double boiler over just barely simmering water, stirring frequently, until just melted.  Spread quickly over the chilled bark.  Sprinkle with the remaining peppermint pieces, chill until firm, about 20 minutes.  Cut or break into small pieces to serve.

Homemade Peanut Butter Cups

I thought these were a little on the sweet side, next time I will reduce the amount of sugar and use dark chocolate.

Ingredients:
2 c. milk chocolate chips
2 T. shortening
1/2 c. butter
1/2 c. peanut butter
1 c. powdered sugar
2/3 c. graham cracker crumbs

Directions:
Melt chocolate chips and shortening over low heat in a heavy saucepan.  Stir occasionally until smooth, 3-5 minutes.
Coat 30 mini cupcake liners with about 1 teaspoon of the melted chocolate.  Refrigerate until hardened.
While the liners are chilling, combine butter and peanut butter in a saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally until melted 4-6 minutes.  Stir in the powdered sugar and graham cracker crumbs.  Press about 1/2 tablespoon of the filling into each chocolate cup.  Spoon about 1/2 melted chocolate on top of the filling.  Spread to cover.  Refrigerate until firm and then carefully peel off paper cups.  Store refrigerated.

Pumpkin Bread

From allrecipes.com.  I adapt and use 5 mini-loaf pans and 1 large loaf pan.

Ingredients:
1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin puree
4 eggs
1 c. vegetable oil
2/3 c. water
3 c. white sugar
3 1/2 c. flour (I use 2 cups whole wheat, 1 1/2 regular)
2 t. baking soda
1 1/2 t. salt
1 t. cinnamon
1 t. nutmeg
1/2 t. cloves
1/4 t. ginger

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease and flour loaf pans (3 7x3 inch loaf pans).
In a large bowl, mix together pumpkin puree, eggs, oil, water and sugar until well blended.  In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and ginger.  Stir the dry ingredients into the pumpkin mixture until just blended.  Pour into prepared pans.
Bake for about 50 minutes or until a toothpick comes out of the center clean.  

Gingered Nuts

From a good friend of the Ovenell Family, Debbie Sutherland.

Ingredients:
1 lb. unsalted mixed nuts
3/4 c. minced candied ginger
1/4 t. cayenne pepper
2 t. coarse salt
1/4 t. pepper
2 T. sesame seeds
1/4 c. sugar
1/4 c. water

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In a large bowl, combine all but the sugar and water.  Bring sugar and water to a boil in a small saucepan, and stir occasionally, about 3 minutes.  Pour syrup over nut mixture.  Bake in a single layer on a parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet until nuts are golden brown, about 15-20 minutes.  Cool.

Christmas Treats

Every year around this time, I have a crazy baking frenzy.  This year, my wonderful friends Melissa and Katie joined the bonanza.  This years treats are listed below and recipes are posted following this post:


* Gingered Nuts
* Pumpkin Bread
* Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups
* Chocolate Covered Pretzels
* Peppermint Bark
* Vanilla Bean Sugar Cookies

Gingerbread Mayhem

This is what happens when 5 tired 20-something year-olds attempt to build a gingerbread house with limited decorations...

 The hot tub, bbq, and american flag are the work of Jimmy Neutron Drebin... "ladder" and reese's tornado are from Brett. :)
OH MAN, there goes a wall!
 I think the frosting is just AMAZING...
 Intense work here...
Finished product...


I promised the guys I would post this on the blog, so here you go, boys! 

Merry Christmas, everyone!

Friday, December 3, 2010

Healthy

This is not a recipe.  Just a little disclaimer of my philosophy of nutrition... :)

God created a variety of wonderful foods, all with its each unique purpose and place in human development.  Man added a few crazy edible items to God's list, all of which are not as easy to digest and most which tend to add pounds and discomfort.  The best way to eat is food in it's natural, original form.  This includes fat foods like unsalted butter, olive oil, and avocados.  Our body needs fat, sodium, sugar to survive and work to the best of its ability.  The KEY is to eat a well-balanced and whole-foods diet.  That means EATING protein, complex carbohydrates, vegetables, fruit, and some sweets.  Everything in moderation...

That being said, my recipes will be a compilation of both "healthy" recipes and "treat" recipes.  The one trend amongst them all is whole, natural foods.  I do my best to include recipes that use ingredients that I could either grow given the space/time or make in my own kitchen (again given the time/resources).  In addition, I only use ingredients that I could explain to an 8 year old how it was made or where it came from.  SO, these recipes might not always seem low-fat or low-sugar, but I will try to use such ingredients (for example, butter instead of canola oil... i know, seems silly, but really it's better for you...).

Also, God created us to enjoy things of this earth in moderation.  As long as we're not gluttonous and addicted to "bad-for-you" foods, it's okay to savor a sweet every once in a while.

Alright, disclaimer done!  Just thought I'd share some thoughts...

Healthy Fudge

No picture as I have not made this yet for the season... I've made this recipe for fudge a couple times, and while it is not quite as delicious as my Aunty Pam's fudge that I remember from childhood,  it's a close second.  My grandpa's wife requested that I post some "healthy" dessert recipes, so this is my attempt to start that trend... :) Here you go, Bea!


Recipe courtesy of http://www.passionatehomemaking.com/


Ingredients:

1 cup cocoa powder
1 cup coconut oil, divided (virgin unrefined coconut oil is recommended for its nutritional value), palm oil or butter
3/4 cup honey (raw honey is recommended again for its nutritional value)
Gently melt half of the coconut oil in a small saucepan. Allow too cool slightly. Place the remaining 1/2 cup solid coconut oil in your blender with the cocoa and honey. Carefully add the melted coconut oil and pulse a few times till smooth. Make sure not to over blend or else it can seperate. Line a bread pan with a layer of parchment paper or saran wrap. Carefully pour the fudge into the pan. Place in your refrigerator until solid, about 1 hour. Gently remove from pan and cut into squares. Makes about 12-15 squares. Store in refrigerator till ready to serve.

Wednesday, December 1, 2010

Fruit Cobbler


Now is the time of year when I resist the urge to use ALL of my frozen summer berries at once... Unfortunately, once those holiday get-togethers pick up, my ability to maintain composure fails completely and I succumb to baking one of these delicious cobblers, just so I can have a little taste of summer to share with everyone... You can use pretty much any type of fruit (fresh or frozen) for this cobbler, as I have listed for your enjoyment.  My favorite so far has been the peach!

Ingredients:
1 recipe fruit filling (see below)
1 c. all-purpose flour
1/4 c. plus 2 tsp sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1/3 c. buttermilk
4 T. (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/8 tsp. cinnamon

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  PLace the fruit filling in 9" deep-dish pie plate.  Place the pie plate on a foil-lined, rimmed baking sheet and bake until the fruit begins to release liquid, 20-30 minutes (about 60 min for frozen fruit).
While the fruit is baking, whisk the flour, 1/4 cup of the sugar, the baking powder, soda, and salt together in a large bowl.  In a separate bowl, whisk the buttermilk, melted butter, and vanilla together.  In a third bowl, toss the cinnamon with the remaining 2 teaspoons of sugar.
Once the fruit filling has begun to release liquid, gently stir the buttermilk mixture into the flour mixture with a rubber spatula until the dough is just combined and no dry pockets remain.
Remove the cobbler filling from the oven and stir.  Pinch the biscuit dough into 8 equal pieces and place them on top of the hot filling, spaced 1/2 inch apart.  Sprinkle the dough with the cinnamon sugar.
Return the cobbler to the oven and bake until the filling is bubbling and the biscuits are golden brown on top and cooked through, 15-20 minutes.  Let cool 15 minutes before serving.

Fruit filling varieties:

  • Blackberry (6 cups) plus 1 T. cornstarch (2 T if frozen), 1/3 to 1/2 c. sugar, and 1 tsp. vanilla
  • Blueberry (6 cups) plus 1 T. cornstarch (2 T if frozen), 1/2 to 2/3 c. sugar, and 1/2 t. cinnamon, 2 T lemon juice
  • Peach/Nectarine (4-5 whole fruit), peeled, pitted, and cut into thick slices, plus 2 tsp. cornstarch, 1/3 to 1/2 c. sugar, pinch cloves, 1 t. vanilla extract, and 1 T. brandy
  • Raspberry (6 cups) plus 1 T. cornstarch, 1/2 to 2/3 c. sugar, 1 t. vanilla
  • Strawberry (2 quarts) plus 1 T. cornstarch, 1/3 to 1/2 c. sugar, 1 t. vanilla

If you would like the ratios for apricot, sour cherry, plum, or strawberry rhubarb, let me know!