Roasted Broccoli with Garlic

Posted on October 21, 2014 by Angie

Roasted Garlic

Frozen broccoli. Ugh. Snooze. Boring. Since there’s usually a bag or two in the freezer, it makes for a quick side veggie – in a pinch, but let’s be honest, it’s sad, weak, limp and mushy and you’re only eating it because you know it’s good for you. Fresh broccoli, on the other hand, drizzled with olive oil, topped with lots of minced garlic, roasted and topped with a sprinkle of parmesan cheese? Now, we’re talking!

Ingredients:

  • 1 head of fresh broccoli
  • 4 cloves of garlic, minced
  • olive oil
  • S&P
  • Parmesan cheese

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Rinse, pat dry, and cut broccoli into small florets. Line on a small baking sheet. Drizzle with garlic oil, sprinkle the minced garlic evenly, and add salt and pepper to taste.

Roast for 18-20 minutes. Remove from oven, sprinkle with Parmesan cheese, and serve immediately.

Posted in Sides, Vegetables, Vegetarian | Leave a comment

M&M Cookies

Posted on October 17, 2014 by Angie

M&M Cookies

This is another recipe that has been around for as long as I can remember.

The church sent out an e-mail requesting donated cookies for the volunteers of Judgement House and I am always happy to oblige when it involves baked goods. Chris prefers peanut M&M’s and had asked once about using those in lieu of the chocolate so when I stopped off at the store I bought both. The picture shown above are the peanut ones. Plus, I got a big thumbs up from the hubby.

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup butter, room temperature
  • 2/3 cup sugar
  • 2/3 cup brown sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 tsp. vanilla extract
  • 1 1/4 tsp. baking soda
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • 2 1/3 cups flour
  •  1 1/2 cups quick oats
  • 1 package M&M’s

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cream butter and sugars. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Add baking soda, salt, and flour and mix to combine. Stir in the oats. Add the M&M’s and stir until combined.

Bake 8-10 minutes until golden brown.

*These are great to make during the holidays since M&M’s notoriously offer matching colors to coordinate with whatever holiday is in season!

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Pumpkin Bread

Posted on October 16, 2014 by Angie

pumpkin bread

This is the pumpkin bread I grew up with. I have no idea where mom got the recipe, and chances are, she doesn’t either. The original recipes calls for vegetable oil. Hello, 1980! Through the years, I supplemented with canola oil, and for the first time last night, I used coconut oil and it worked just as well. This is the type of bread that appears only once or twice in the year and it’s usually this time of year. It’s so good that whenever I make it, I always think, I should really make this more often. We all love it. Bri helped me make this last night and first thing this morning, Leah requested it for breakfast. I sliced it and served with scrambled eggs and fresh fruit.

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup refined coconut oil, or canola oil
  • 3 cups sugar
  • 4 eggs
  • 1 can pumpkin
  • 2/3 cup water
  • 3 1/2 cups flour
  • 1/2 tsp. cloves
  • 2 tsp. baking soda
  • 2 tsp. salt
  • 1 tsp. baking powder
  • 1 tsp. nutmeg
  • 1 tsp. allspice
  • 1 tsp. cinnamon

Preparation:

Raise the bottom rack to the next level up. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease or use non-stick spray to prepare 2 loaf pans, set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, cream together the sugar and oil. Add eggs and pumpkin, mixing until thoroughly incorporated. In a medium size bowl, add all the dry ingredients: flour, cloves, baking soda, salt, baking powder, nutmeg, allspice, & cinnamon, whisk together. Alternate the dry ingredients and water into the creamed mixture. Divide batter evenly between the two loaf pans.

Bake for 50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the middle of the loaf comes out clean. Leave in bread pans for 20 minutes to cool before removing and transferring to cooling rack to cool completely.

NOTE: These freeze well and because the recipe yields two loaves, I wrap one in plastic wrap and add to a gallon size bag and place in the freezer. I’ve also made one loaf and used the remaining batter for muffins. If making muffins, line muffin tins with paper liners (I so dislike removing the liner and seeing half of my muffin stuck to the paper so I spray the muffin liners with non-stick spray) and fill 2/3 of the way full. Bake for 17 – 20 minutes, or until toothpick inserted into the middle of the muffin comes out clean.

Posted in Bread/ Muffins, Breakfast, Pumpkin | Leave a comment

Breaded Chicken

Posted on October 15, 2014 by Angie

Breaded chicken

This is what we had for dinner last night; a family favorite and super easy to make. It’s a safe bet that I have all the ingredients on hand.

Ingredients:

  • Breaded chicken ingredients
  • 2 tbsp. dried Parsley flakes
  • 2 eggs, slightly beaten
  • 1/4 cup of water
  • coconut oil, olive oil, or butter
  • 8 boneless/ skinless chicken breasts (antibiotics/ hormone free/ free range chicken)
  • 8 slices of Provolone cheese

Preparation:

In a medium size bowl, combine the entire package of the bread crumbs with one packet of the savory herb with garlic seasoning. Add the parsley and mix together. In a small bowl, beat the eggs and add the water.

Heat an electric skillet to 325 degrees and add oil of choice to coat the pan. Using one chicken breast at a time, submerge completely in egg wash and transfer to bowl with bread crumbs, coating liberally on each side, add to electric skillet & cover.

After about 4 minutes, turn chicken breasts over to brown the other side and cook another 4 minutes. Cut into the largest part of the breast to ensure the chicken has cooked all the way through and there is no pink, continue cooking if needed. When chicken has cooked entirely, reduce heat to warm, add cheese slices (Muenster works well, too) to the top of each breast. Cover until cheese has melted.

Note: If prepared as listed above, you will have little to none bread crumb mixture remaining. If you prefer to make only 4 chicken breasts, prepare the bread crumb mixture as noted and divide in half; store the remaining in an airtight container. This way you’re not contaminating the mixture with the egg wash/ chicken juice if you don’t use it all at once.

*This pairs nicely with just about any side: wild rice, noodles, mac’n’cheese, mashed potatoes, etc. Vegetables: roasted cauliflower, green beans, salad, etc.

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Meatloaf (Halloween Style)

Posted on October 14, 2014 by Angie

MeatloafMeatloaf

This is what happens when Chris sees a picture on Facebook of Halloween themed food. The foot on the right is supposed to be me since I can spread my toes way out. Thanks, honey!

Ingredients:

  • 3 lbs. ground beef
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 6 garlic cloves, chopped
  • 1 small can of tomato sauce
  • 2 cups oatmeal
  • garlic powder, as desired
  • S&P, generous amounts as desired

For the garnishment:

  • 1 small onion
  • Ketchup

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray 2 9×13 pans with non-stick spray.

Mix together above ingredients, divide evenly, and form into Frankenstein feet. Garnish with thick sliced onion as the bone and ketchup as the blood. Cut remaining onions as appropriately sized toe nails.

Bake for 50 – 55 minutes.

Posted in Halloween, Meat | Leave a comment

Bean Burritos

Posted on October 13, 2014 by Angie

Bean Burritos

When I make Mexican food, I usually always make a big pot of beans to go with it. A 2 lb. bag of pinto beans makes enough beans to go with the meal and then there’s enough left over I use them to make bean burritos.

Ingredients:

  • left over cooked pinto beans
  • Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
  • 2 packages of flour tortillas, warmed
  • Plastic Wrap
  • 2 gallon size bags

Preparation:

Using the Ninja, or other food processor, add beans and pulse a few times until the beans are broken down into a refried bean consistency.

Warm the package of tortillas in 30 second intervals. Doing so will create a tortilla that won’t crack and makes for a generally easier assembly.

Place desired amount of beans on a tortilla (anywhere from 1/3 to 1/2 cup) on one end of the tortilla, spreading in as needed. Top with shredded cheese, and roll. Sometimes, I tuck in the sides of the tortillas, sometimes I don’t. Once rolled, wrap in plastic wrap. I generally have several sections of plastic wrap already cut, hanging off the counter, and ready to go.

Put wrapped burritos in a gallon size bag and place in the freezer and use as necessary. These come in handy as a snack or lunch. I was able to make and bag 22 bean burritos.

Bag 'o Burritos

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Mom’s Apple Crisp

Posted on October 13, 2014 by Angie

Apple Crisp

I don’t know about you, but there are some foods that remind me solely of home and growing up. This is one of those. I can’t remember the last time I made this; probably a good ten years or more. Chris prefers just a handful of desserts and is content to rotate among them. It’s possible the first time I made this, it was met with a “meh” response from him so I promptly filed it away. It resurfaced last night because my parents are in town. The girls liked it and my memory didn’t disappoint.

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 cups brown sugar
  • 1 tbsp. cinnamon
  • 2 sticks butter, softened
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 8 – 10 baking apples, peeled, cored and sliced

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Butter bottom and sides of 9×13 glass baking dish. Arrange the apples in the baking dish. It may look as though there’s not enough room and/ or the apples are overflowing, but the apples will decrease in size when baking.

Combine the flour, sugar, cinnamon, butter and salt until crumbly. Add crumble mixture to the top of the apples, distributing evenly. Bake for 40-45 minutes.

Serve warm with vanilla ice cream.

NOTE: Additional options include mixing 1 tbsp. of lemon juice in with the apples to prevent browning. Decrease the cinnamon by a tsp. and replace with nutmeg. Add a tsp. or two of vanilla extract to the crumble mixture for added flavor.

Posted in Desserts | 1 Comment

Homemade Pizza Sauce

Posted on October 8, 2014 by Angie

Homemade Pizza Sauce

I suppose there’s nothing wrong with store bought pizza sauce, although the color of homemade is so much more vibrant, but really why buy it when you can make it at home much cheaper and a whole lot fresher? Plus, even though it’s been a long time since I’ve used store bought, it always seemed like there was so much left over. Yes, I know you can freeze it and use it at a later date, but it always ends up being something that’s a) not labeled and by the time you need the sauce it resembles something like a U.F.O (Unidentified Food Object) or b) pushed back into the deepest, darkest, most frostbitten part of the freezer and otherwise completely forgotten about.

Ingredients:

  • 1 tbsp. olive oil
  • 1 small onion
  • 4-5 garlic cloves
  • 1 4oz. can of tomato sauce
  • 1 small can of tomato paste
  • 1 tsp. dried oregano
  • 1 tsp. dried basil
  • 1 tsp. Italian seasoning
  • 1/2 tsp. Kosher salt

Preparation:

In a small sauce pan, heat oil to medium heat. In the meantime, quarter the onion and place it and the garlic in the Ninja and pulse until chopped. Transfer to heated oil and sauté until soft, about 4 minutes. Add the tomato sauce, tomato paste, seasonings and salt, stir together and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and continue to cook for another 10 minutes.

NOTE: I’ve used canned tomatoes before, but the family says it makes the sauce too watery. The combination of the sauce and paste seem just about right.

Posted in Homemade Spices/ Sauces & Mix, Vegetarian | Leave a comment

Glazed Lemon Zucchini Bread

Posted on October 8, 2014 by Angie

Glazed Lemon Zucchini Bread

This bread is light and refreshing.

Ingredients:

For the bread:

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 tsp. baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 2 eggs, at room temperature
  • 1/2 cup coconut oil, melted and cooled (or use Canola)
  • 2/3 cups sugar
  • 1/2 cup buttermilk
  • Zest of 1 lemon
  • Juice of 1 lemon, or tbsp. lemon juice
  • 1 cup grated zucchini

For the glaze:

  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 2 tbsp. lemon juice

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9×5 loaf pan, set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt.

In a medium bowl, slightly beat the eggs. Add oil and sugar, blend well. Add the lemon zest and juice. Stir in the zucchini and mix until thoroughly combined. Incorporate into the dry ingredients, stirring until just combined.

Pour batter into prepared loaf pan. Bake for 40 minutes or until toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Allow bread to cool in pan for 10 minutes before removing to complete cooling on wire rack. While it’s cooling on the rack, prepare the glaze by mixing the powdered sugar and lemon juice together and then spread over the loaf. Note: I usually place a silicone mat under the cooling rack to catch the glaze that drips down the loaf which makes for easier clean up.

Adapted from: http://nancycreative.com/2012/03/25/lemon-zucchini-loaf-with-lemon-glaze/

Posted in Bread/ Muffins, Breakfast | Leave a comment

Pinto Beans

Posted on October 8, 2014 by Angie

Beans

Easy, flavorful, and diverse.

Whenever I make Mexican food, you can pretty much guarantee these accompany the meal. Later in the week, I puree it (no need to refry) in the Ninja to make bean and cheese burritos which I wrap individually, place in a gallon size bag and add to the freezer so the family can take them out as necessary. Or, if Nachos are on the menu later on, I’ll puree some and spread on tortilla chips and top with desired ingredients.

Ingredients:

  • 1 two lb. bag of pinto beans, sorted and rinsed
  • 3-4 slices of bacon, uncooked and chopped and/ or bacon grease
  • 2-3 tbsp. Tex-Mex seasoning, or as much as desired

Preparation:

Using a crockpot, add in beans, bacon, and desired Tex-Mex seasoning and fill with water. I confess: I don’t measure out the seasoning because this is another instance where I do the *sniff* test. Cover with lid and cook on high all day, 6-8 hours, or until beans are tender, and no longer firm.

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