Friday, April 30, 2010
Turkey Lasagna
2 tsp olive oil
10 oz ground turkey or extra-lean ground beef
1 onion, chopped
1 clove crushed garlic
1 14 oz can diced tomatoes
1 14 oz can crushed tomatoes
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
1 tsp basil
1 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp sugar
12 no-boil whole wheat lasagna noodles
2 cups nonfat cottage cheese
1 10 oz pkg frozen spinach, cooked and drained
1 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
Preheat oven to 350F. In a large nonstick saucepan or dutch oven, heat oil. Add turkey, onion and garlic. Cook until turkey is brown and onion is soft, about 5 minutes.
Stir in tomatoes, parmesan cheese, basil, oregano and sugar. Bring to boil, then reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 5 minutes.
Combine cottage cheese and spinach in a bowl.
Spoon 1/3 of sauce into bottom of 9×13″ baking dish, then top with 3 of the noodles. Spread with half of cottage cheese and spinach mixture, then top with 3 more noodles. Repeat layering once more, ending with sauce. Sprinkle with mozarella on top.
Bake, covered, for 1 hour. Uncover and bake for another 10 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.
I don’t know what it is exactly about this recipe that makes it taste so good. There’s nothing particularly unique about the ingredients, but when combined it makes an especially nice lasagna. It’s low in fat too, but you wouldn’t know it. I often use ground beef instead of ground turkey, just because it’s what I usually have on hand, and it tastes equally yummy. My parents make this a lot and gave me the recipe. I tweaked it a bit and so have they, but the original recipe comes from a weight-watchers cookbook I think. I like that it’s made with the no-boil noodles so it’s fast to put together. Primo makes whole wheat no-boil lasagna noodles, but for some reason they’re hard to find around here. I get them from Safeway but I can’t find them anywhere else. My parents don’t have a Safeway near them, so they stock up on these noodles whene they come to visit me. So if you can’t find whole wheat ones, the regular no-boil noodles will be fine. Give this recipe a try, you won’t be sorry. My whole family really enjoys this one whenever I make it.
Thursday, April 29, 2010
Classy Chicken
1/4 tsp. pepper
3 Tbsp. oil
2 cups broccoli (or asparagus)
1 - 10 oz. can condensed cream of chicken soup
1/2 cup light mayonnaise
1 tsp. curry powder
1 tsp. lemon juice
1/2 - 1 cup grated cheddar cheese
Instructions:
Chop up chicken into bite-sized cubes and sprinkle with pepper. Heat oil in a skillet and cook chicken pieces until opaque (do not overcook). Drain. Steam broccoli until cooked but still crunchy. Arrange broccoli at the bottom of a greased casserole dish. Place chicken on top. Mix together soup, mayonnaise, curry and lemon juice and pour over chicken. Sprinkle with cheddar cheese and bake, uncovered, at 350F for 30-35 minutes. Serve over rice.
I can't believe it's taken me this long to post this recipe. It's one of my favourites. It's so creamy and cheesy, and I love the hint of curry in it. I've done it with asparagus, and a mixture of broccoli and asparagus, and those are both good ways to do this recipe too. Tony likes this meal a lot and so does Bennett. With Cole it's hit and miss. Last time I made it he wasn't that interested but sometimes he'll gobble it up. It depends on his mood I guess.
-Recipe from Best of Bridge (Winners)
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
Quinoa Blueberry Scones
2 tbsp butter, melted
2 tbsp honey
1 cup cooked quinoa
3/4 cup milk
1 3/4 cups whole wheat flour
4 tsp baking powder
3/4 cup blueberries
Mix together butter, honey and quinoa (cooled). Add milk slowly and stir until combined. Fold in blueberries. Mix together flour and baking powder, then add to wet ingredients. If the mixture seems too moist, add a little more flour (it depends how moist your quinoa is). The mixture should form a ball of dough. Roll out to 1" thick and cut in wedges. Bake on a greased and floured sheet at 350°F for 15 to 20 minutes.
These were very moist and tender, and so simple to make if you happen to already have some cooked quinoa hanging around in your fridge. Cooked oatmeal will work for this recipe too. The boys liked them, I think because of the blueberries. They're big blueberry fans! These are super healthy too, with the quinoa and whole wheat flour. Not much butter in them either because they get most of their moisture from the cooked quinoa. Plus, they're low in sugar, with only a little honey and the blueberries for sweetness. If they're not sweet enough for you, try sprinkling sugar on top before baking. I liked them just the way they were though.
-Adapted from Recipezaar 'Cooked Oatmeal Scones'
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
Strawberry Pudding
1/3 cup sugar
2 tbsp cornstarch
2 eggs, slightly beaten
2 cups milk
2 tbsp butter or margarine, softened
2 tsp vanilla
1 cup fresh strawberries, chopped
Mix sugar and cornstarch in a saucepan. Add eggs and slowly stir in milk until combined. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mizture boils and thickens. Boil and continue to stir for 1 minute. Remove from heat and stir in butter, vanilla and strawberries. Allow to cool slightly, then chill in the fridge.
I made this because we ran out of strawberry yogurt. Heaven forbid we run out of yogurt in my house because all three of my guys are totally addicted to the stuff. I didn't feel like going to the store so I thought this pudding might be a good substitute. I was right! They all dug into this and liked it just as much as their beloved yogurt. You can make a chocolate-strawberry pudding too, just add 3 tablespoons of cocoa into the sugar and cornstarch. I haven't tried it yet but I bet it would be yummy. Of course, then I couldn't fool the kids into thinking it was yogurt, but maybe that would mean more pudding for me.
Sunday, April 25, 2010
Chicken and Black Bean Enchiladas
2 large chicken breasts
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp onion powder
2 cups chicken broth
1 cup converted (parboiled) rice
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
2 cups shredded light cheddar cheese
10 8" whole-wheat tortillas
Red Sauce
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 crushed garlic cloves
1 teaspoon onion powder
½ teaspoon dried oregano
2 ½ teaspoons chili powder
½ teaspoon dried basil
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried parsley
¼ cup salsa
1 6 oz can tomato sauce
1 ½ cups water
To make the red sauce, heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic and sauté for 1 minute. Add the onion, chili powder, oregano, basil, ground black pepper, salt, cumin, parsley, tomato sauce and salsa. Mix well and then stir in the water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes.
While it's simmering, make enchilada stuffing. Brown chicken in a large skillet over medium heat. Stir in spices, broth and rice. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 20 minutes or until rice is cooked and liquid absorbed. Put the chicken breasts in a large bowl and shred it with two forks, then place it back with the rice mixture. Add black beans.
Spread rice mixture and a tablespoon of cheese into tortilla. Roll up and place seam side down in two greased 13×9” baking dishes. Repeat until all tortillas are filled. Top enchiladas with red sauce and with the remaining cheese
Place into the oven and bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until heated through and the cheese has melted.
The directions look long but it's really pretty fast and easy to put together. I started making it at 5:00 and dinner was on the table by 6:00. Not too bad and it tasted absolutely incredible! The red sauce was beautiful. I got that part of the recipe from my favourite messageboard, you can check out the post at this link to see what people had to say. That recipe was for beef enchiladas but I like chicken ones better so I adapted it.
The boys didn't mind it. I don't think they loved it but they ate some of it. I couldn't get enough of it though, I thought it was wonderful. Tony was working so he didn't eat it with us but I noticed he took the leftovers to work. I'm not sure what he thought about it but it's all gone now so it must have been ok. I will for sure be making these again, even if it's just for myself. That's the one good thing about being the cook of the family- I get to pick what I like to eat and everyone is at my mercy. Mwahahah!
Saturday, April 24, 2010
Apricot Orange Squares
1 cup chopped dried apricots
3/4 cup unsweetened orange juice
1 1/2 cups quick oats
1/4 cups whole wheat flour
1 tbsp flaxseed meal
1/2 cup sliced almonds
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup unsweetened orange juice
1 1/2 cups shredded apple (leave peels on for more fibre)
In a small saucepan, combine apricots and 3/4 cup of orange juice. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 10-15 minutes. Mash or use an immersion blender until smooth.
While the apricots are simmering, combine oats, flour, flax, almonds, salt. In another bowl combine 1/4 cup juice and apple. Add in oat mixture and stir. Let sit for 10 minutes.
Pour half of oat mixture into a greased square 8" pan. Spread evenly on the bottom of the pan. Spread apricot mixture on top. Top with the remaining oat mixture.
Bake at 375 for 25 minutes.
This is a variation of my Apple Date Bar recipe. I really liked the combination of apricot and orange, they gave the squares so much flavour. Cole, unfortunately, wouldn't try them. Every time he said he was hungry I offered him one, but he refused every time. Bennett ate them and liked them. I packed them in his lunch for daycare several times and they were always completely gone. I ate them as a mid-morning snack with my coffee. I felt good about eating them because they're full of healthy ingredients. Having had gestational diabetes twice, I'm at high risk for developing diabetes and have to watch my sugar intake, so it's wonderful to stumble onto a great-tasting snack with no added sugar like this one. There's nothing in these squares to feel guilty about!
Friday, April 23, 2010
Apple Berry Crisp
3 cups sliced and peeled cooking apples
2 cups mixed berries (I used a frozen mix of blueberries, blackberries and raspberries)
2 tbsp granulated sugar
2 tbsp all-purpose flour
1 cup rolled oats
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/3 cup melted butter or margarine
Place apples and berries in baking dish. Mix together 2 tbsp sugar and 2 tbsp flour. Sprinkle over fruit. For topping, combine in a medium bowl the remaining ingredients. Sprinkle over fruit.
Bake at 375F for 35 minutes or until fruit is tender and topped is golden.
Serve with ice cream (optional).
This is one of my favourite desserts. It's quick and easy, and it's fairly healthy as far as desserts go. We had this for dessert after our roast beef dinner (see previous post) and it went fast. I'm lucky I even managed to get a picture of it! You can change the fruit in this recipe to whatever you prefer or happen to have on hand at the time. I also enjoy just plain apple crisp (omit the 2 tbsp of flour), or rhubarb-strawberry is another favourite of mine.
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
Roast Beef, 3 Ways
Roast Beef and Yorkshire Pudding
Use a 3 lb sirloin tip, round roast, or rump roast (I prefer sirloin tip but this time I used round).
Heat over to 350F. The cooking time is about 25-30 minutes per pound, so this will take around an hour and a half to cook. If the roast is frozen, expect to double the amount of cooking time.
Place roast on rack and sprinkle with seasoning salt and pepper. After a half-hour, add 1/2 cup of water to the bottom of the pan. Check every half-hour to see if the bottom of the pan is getting dry and if so add another 1/2 cup of water.
Once beef is done (meat thermometer should read 150F for medium), take it out and cover with tin foil.
Now start your yorkshire pudding:
Turn oven to 425F. Add 1/2 tsp of vegetable oil to each muffin cup. Place in oven.
In a deep bowl mix:
1 cup of flour
1/2 tsp salt
Add:
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup water
Tip: Make sure the eggs, water and milk are room temperature. My mom says this is the key to great yorkshire pudding! Beat together with an immersion blender or regular blender. Add to muffin cups quickly while oil is still very hot. Bake for 20 minutes. Turn heat down to 300F for 15 minutes more (this step can be skipped if you don't have time. It just makes the pudding drier and lighter).
While yorkshires are cooking, make your gravy:
Move roasting pan to stovetop and add cool water to make a cup of liquid.
Add 4 tablespoons of white flour and whisk until lumps are gone.
Add about 1-1/2 to 2 cups of water (use water from boiled vegetables if you have it).
Turn heat on high. If pan is glass make sure there's a wire grid under it or it will break. Whisk until gravy bubble and thickens. Add in seasoning salt and pepper until to taste.
I love to poke a hole in the top of my yorkshire pudding and pour the gravy in there. Mmmm, gravy.
Roast beef and yorkshire pudding was a typical Sunday dinner in my home growing up. The above recipes are my from my mom, directly from the recipe cards she made for me when I left home so I could continue enjoying this family favourite. I make it on special occasions, or sometimes like this last weekend I just decided to make it because roast beef happened to be on sale. It's a very economical meal, because the leftover roast can be used in lots of other recipes, like the following ones.
Beef Dip
In a saucepan, combine thinly sliced roast beef with the leftover gravy. Thin in out with a half-cup or so of water and add about a teaspoon of onion soup mix. Turn heat on medium until gravy begins to boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer covered for 20 about minutes.
Place meat on hoagie or hamburger buns. Top with cheese and broil in the oven just until cheese melts (a few minutes). Close up the buns and serve with bowls of gravy for dipping.
Wow! This was such a simple meal and amazingly it pleased Cole more than any meal I've made in a long time. He gave me numerous rave reviews, such as "you are the best cooker in the whole world, mommy" and "the is the best food ever." I couldn't believe what I was hearing! I think it helped that I served it with edamame beans, which are always a huge hit with both boys. Bennett kept taking the empty edamame shells and scooping up the gravy with them and then licking them clean. He seemed to like sandwich too, but didn't finish it because he was having too much fun with the beans. Cole ate his entire sandwich! I don't remember the last time he ate everything on his plate at dinner. If you look back on my posts, you'll see that there's a pattern to the foods that Cole likes. They all involve dipping. So if you have a great meal idea that involves dipping your food, please let me know. I need more of these kind of meals!
Beef Stroganoff
1 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, diced
1 clove crushed garlic
1 can condensed mushroom soup
1 can sliced mushrooms
1/2 can milk
1 tsp onion soup mix
1/2 cup frozen peas
1/2 cup sour cream
1-1/2 cups roast beef, diced
Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and garlic, cook until soft. Add mushroom soup, milk, onion soup mix and frozen peas. Bring to a boil then reduce heat to low and simmer covered for 10 minutes. Add sour cream and roast beef. Cook until heated through.
Serve over pasta, rice or mashed potatoes.
Cole refused to try this, but Bennett didn't mind it. I might dice the meat even smaller next time though because he struggled with swallowing it because the chunks were too big and chewy. That's the only problem with the roast being cooked previously, it tends to be a little tough. The sauce was very good though. It was nice and creamy and had a great flavour.
So not bad for one roast, on sale no less! It made three tasty dishes (not to mention leftovers for lunches), making it a great purchase when you're trying to watch that grocery budget.
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
Beef and Spinach Pasta Bake
1 onion, diced
1 clove crushed garlic
1 lb lean ground beef
1 jar (26 oz) of your favourite pasta sauce
1 can condensed mushroom soup
1/4 cup parmesan cheese
1 pkg (10 oz) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
1 pkg (375g) whole wheat rotini noodles
1 1/2 cups shredded mozarella cheese
In a very large skillet or dutch oven on medium heat, cook onion, garlic and beef until meat has browned. Add pasta sauce, soup, parmesan and spinach and cook until heated through. Add cooked rotini noodles and stir until combined. Pour into a greased 9x12" casserole dish. Top with mozarella cheese. Bake at 350F uncovered for 25 minutes.
This was so easy and so yummy! Tony especially liked it, he mentioned several times how good it was. Cole, again, was not that interested, but Bennett ate a lot of it. This recipe makes a large amount, so we had lots left over. That was good, because it was perfect for lunches since it reheats beautifully.
Monday, April 19, 2010
Roasted Chickpeas
1 can of chickpeas
1 tsp olive oil
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp garlic powder
Preheat oven to 425F. Drain and rinse chickpeas. Pat dry and place on a greased baking sheet. Bake for 10 minutes. Shake the pan to move the chickpeas around and place back in the oven for another 10 minutes. Move chickpeas into a metal bowl and toss with olive oil, salt and garlic powder. Return them to the baking sheet and roast for another 5-15 minutes until crispy but not burnt.
These tasted pretty good when they were still hot, otherwise, well, they weren't so hot. That's my opinion anyway. The only one who seemed to care for them once they cooled was Bennett. He stuffed so many in his mouth at once that he couldn't swallow them and had to spit all of them out...into my hand. Then I really didn't find them very appetizing! Sorry, I'm probably grossing you all out, which isn't a smart idea in a food blog post. They are definitely worth a try, and worth experimenting with different spices and flavours. Just try to eat them all when they're still hot. Here's another pretty photo of them in an effort to revive your appetite.
-Recipe adapted from Cheap Healthy Good
Sunday, April 18, 2010
Mexican Yes-I-Can
Tony and I both liked this one a lot. It's like having chili and cornbread all in one, and we both thought that was pretty neat. The boys didn't like it that much. Cole refused to even try it, and Bennett took a few bites but didn't finish. Granted, he's been sick so he wasn't his usual hungry and happy self at the dinner table. He did eat it the next day for lunch, so I don't think there was anything wrong with the meal itself. I'm pretty sure Cole would have liked it too if he gave it a chance but he's funny that way. If he doesn't like the way something looks he won't eat it. I thought this looked rather pretty, but that's just me.
Mexican Yes-I-Can
1 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, diced
1 green pepper, diced
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 can (19 oz) black beans, drained and rinsed
1 can (28 oz) diced tomatoes, drained
1 cup frozen or canned corn
2 tsp chili powder
1 tsp cumin
1 cup vegetable broth
salt and pepper to taste
Cornbread topping:
1 cup cornmeal
1 cup flour
1 tbsp brown sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup buttermilk or soured milk
1 egg
3 tbsp vegetable oil
1 tbsp parmesan cheese
In a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion, garlic and green pepper, then cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Add beans, tomatoes, corn, chili powder, cumin, broth and salt and pepper. Simmer uncovered for 20 minutes.
Preheat oven to 350F. Combine cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt in medium sized bowl. Combine milk, egg and oil separately. Stir wet mixture to the dry, mixing just enough to thoroughly combine.
Pour the tomato mixture into a greased baking dish. Spread cornbread batter evenly over top. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese. Bake for 25-30 minutes, until cornbread is cooked through and golden.
Saturday, April 17, 2010
Light Wheat Rolls
2 (.25 ounce) packages active dry yeast
1 3/4 cups warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
1/2 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup butter, melted and cooled
1 egg, beaten
2 1/4 cups whole wheat flour
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup butter, melted
In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Let stand until creamy, about 10 minutes.
Mix sugar, salt, 1/4 cup melted butter, egg, and whole wheat flour into yeast mixture. Stir in all-purpose flour, 1/2 cup at a time, until dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl. Turn dough out onto a well floured surface, and knead until smooth and elastic, about 8 minutes. Lightly oil a large bowl, place dough in bowl, and turn to coat. Cover with a damp cloth, and let rise in a warm place until doubled in volume, about 1 hour.
Punch down dough, cover, and let rise in warm place until doubled again, about 30 minutes.
Grease 2 dozen muffin cups. Punch down dough, and divide into two equal portions. Roll each into a 6x14 inch rectangle, and cut rectangle into twelve 7x1 inch strips. Roll strips up into spirals, and place into muffin cups. Brush tops with melted butter. Let rise uncovered in a warm place 40 minutes, or until doubled in bulk.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove from oven, and brush again with melted butter.
I halved this recipe, just in case they didn't turn out. Luckily they turned out very well so next time I"ll probably make the whole batch and freeze half of them. To freeze, the recipe says to bake for 8 minutes, remove from the oven, allow to cool, bag, and freeze. Then when ready to use, thaw and finish the baking process.
We had these rolls with chicken and vegetables, and I think the rolls were the clear winner of that meal. Cole only took a few bites of chicken but he ate the entire roll. At least they have some whole wheat in them so they're not completely unhealthy. There were some left over but we polished them off the following day. The boys took some in their lunch and I had one warmed with butter and jam the next morning. It was delicious! I'm tempted to try these with cinnamon and sugar to make a sort of cinnamon bun or brioche. I bet they'd be yummy.
-Recipe from All Recipes
Blueberry Banana Pancakes
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 tbsp tsp baking powder
1 tbsp flaxseed meal
1 cup milk
1/2 tbsp lemon juice
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 cup blueberries
1 cup bananas, mashed or chopped (however you prefer)
In a measuring cup, combine milk and lemon juice and let it sit while you combine flours, baking powder, and flax in a bowl. Add milk/lemon juice, egg, blueberries and bananas to dry ingredients. Let batter sit while you heat the grill. When grill is ready, spray with cooking spray and pour batter to form pancakes. Cook for a few minutes on each side until golden. Serve with maple syrup.
*Tip- for cutting kids' pancakes, use a pizza cutter.
I used to buy a flaxseed pancake mix and add my ingredients to that, but now I just make it from scratch. It's not that much more work and it's a lot cheaper that way. The kids love them just as much too. They love pancake morning. Every morning Cole asks me if it's Saturday yet. This recipe makes about 8 pancakes. If we have any left over (which we often do because Tony doesn't eat breakfast), I freeze them and use them for snacks. All I do is pop them in the toaster for a few minutes. The kids will just eat them with their hands like a big cookie, no syrup needed.
Friday, April 16, 2010
Curried Apple Stuffed Pork Tenderloin and Pilaf
1 pork tenderloin
Stuffing
2 tsp olive oil
1 apple, peeled and diced
1 onion, diced
1 cup of mushrooms, diced
1/4 cup crushed walnuts
1 clove crushed garlic
1 tsp curry powder
dash of salt and pepper
Rub
1 tbsp dijon mustard
1 clove crushed garlic
1/2 tsp sea salt
Pilaf
1 tbsp olive oil
1 cup long grain rice
2 cups chicken or vegetable broth
Heat olive oil in a pan on medium heat. Add apple, onion, mushrooms, walnuts, garlic, curry, salt and pepper and cook until tender.
Cut the pork along the centre and open it up like a book. Place half of the apple mixture along the centre and close it shut with toothpicks or butcher's string.
In a small bowl, combine mustard, garlic and salt. Rub onto pork.
Place on a roasting pan and bake at 375F for 45 minutes or until meat thermometer reads 155F.
While pork is in the oven, prepare the pilaf. Heat oil in saucepan on medium heat, then add rice and cook for 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add broth and the rest of the apple mixture. Heat until boiling, then reduce heat to low and simmer covered for about 20 minutes or according to your rice package directions.
This was pretty tasty and I especially enjoyed the rice. Cole was of a differing opinion. He hated the rice and didn't even want it on the plate with the other food. I told him he didn't have to eat it but that wasn't good enough, it had to be off the plate! He didn't even try it so I guess he just didn't like the way it looked. Gotta love 3-year-olds! He did, however, really like the meat. He tried to steal everyone else's but we wouldn't let him. It was too good to share.
Thursday, April 15, 2010
Soft Oatmeal and Banana Breakfast Cookies
2 cups cooked oatmeal
2 mashed ripe bananas
2 tbsp margarine
1 egg, slightly beaten
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup raisins and/or chopped dry apricots
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tbsp flaxseed meal
1 tsp cinnamon
Mix oatmeal, bananas, margarine, egg and vanilla in a large bowl. Combine remaining ingredients in another bowl, then add to wet ingredients and stir together. Drop spoonfuls onto a greased cookie sheet and bake at 350 for 15 minutes.
I had some oatmeal in the fridge from breakfast the day before and some bananas that were getting overripe, so that's why I came up with this recipe. They turned out very nicely, as long as you don't expect them to taste like a sweet cookie. They're not overly sweet since there's no added sugar (unless you added sugar to the oatmeal, which is fine too) and they're more like a muffin in cookie form. I liked them and the kids seemed to enjoy them too. They both ate quite a few of them for breakfast and I packed them in their lunches as well. It's portable oatmeal, how great is that?
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
Minestrone Soup and Cheese Biscuits
Minestrone Soup
Printable Recipe
2 tsp olive oil
1 onion
2 carrots
2 stalks of celery
2 cloves crushed garlic
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp basil
1/2 tsp salt
1/8 tsp ground pepper
4 cups water
1 vegetable boullion cube
1 can crushed tomatoes
1 can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup pasta shells or macaroni
1 green pepper, diced
In a dutch oven, heat oil on medium heat, add onion and garlic. Stir for 2 minutes. Add celery, carrots, spices, salt and pepper. Stir for 4 minutes. Add water. Turn on high heat and bring to boil. Add boullion cube and pasta. Turn on medium heat after water comes to a boil again. Check in 10 minutes. If pasta is cooked, add the rest of ingredients. Simmer for 15-20 minutes.
Cheese Biscuits
Printable Recipe
1 1/2 cups flour
1 tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tbsp sugar
1/2 cup shredded cheese
1/3 cup shortening or butter
1 egg
1/2 cup milk
Combine flour, baking powder, salt, sugar and cheese. Cut in shortening with a pastry cutter or 2 butter knives. Mix together egg and milk and blend into flour mixture. Knead lightly into a ball, then roll on a floured surface to 3/4" thickness. Cut out biscuits with a 2 1/2" cutter (I use a cup), dipping it into flour for each cut. Lay in an ungreased ban and bake at 375 for 15 minutes until well risen and slightly golden.
I was making this for dinner the other night and we ended up having some relatives over as well. I was a little worried there wouldn't be enough so I made a salad too and there was plenty for everyone. It's a pretty thick and hearty soup, almost like a stew, so it fills you up. The cheese biscuits go really nicely with this soup, and if there are any left over after dinner, the biscuits are extra yummy when topped with strawberry jam. Cole likes to help me make the biscuits, probably even more than he likes eating them. He likes the soup a lot too, actually we all do. Our guests enjoyed it and complimented it too. My niece said it reminded her of burritos (I guess because of the beans?). I'm not sure about that, but it was good soup!
Sunday, April 11, 2010
Strawberry Yogurt Cereal Squares
2 cups corn flakes
3/4 flour
1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 cup butter or margarine
1/4 cup applesauce
1 cup strawberry yogurt (or whatever flavour you prefer)
1 egg slightly beaten
2 tablespoons flour
Preheat oven to 350F. Mix together corn flakes, 3/4 cup flour, sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl.
Cut in butter or margarine and the applesauce until coarse crumbs form. Press 1/2 the mixture firmly into the bottom of a greased 8inch square pan.
Mix yogurt, egg and 2 tablespoons flour in another small bowl. Spread over cereal mixture in pan and then sprinkle the remaining cereal mixture on top
Bake for 30 minutes or until golden brown; cut into bars when cooled.
One morning after breakfast I had an urge to try this recipe. Just as I was pulling them out of the oven, a friend called us over for an impromptu playdate. Luckily, I had something to bring! They were quite nice, and the kids and the adults seemed to enjoy them. They were easy to make and made from ingredients that I usually have on hand, so I can see me making these again.
Recipe adapted from Wholesome Toddler Foods
Friday, April 9, 2010
Flaxseed Pizza Dough
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
2 tbsp flaxseed meal
2 1/4 tsp of quick-rising yeast
1/2 tsp salt
2/3 cup warm water
2 tsp olive oil
2 tsp honey
Combine flours, flax, yeast and salt in a bowl. In a measuring cup, combine water, olive oil and honey. Add to dry ingredients and stir until soft dough forms. Knead dough on a lightly floured surface for 2 minutes. Place in a greased bowl and cover with a dishcloth. Place in the oven with just the light on for 20 minutes until the dough doubles in size. While you're waiting, prepare your pizza toppings. When dough is ready, roll it out on a floured surface, then place on a greased pizza pan. Top with your pizza toppings and bake at 425F for about 15 minutes.
I had a lot of ham left over from Easter, so that meant ham and pineapple pizza time! I love using this pizza dough because it's so simple and fast. All I had was bread-machine yeast, so it probably didn't rise quite as much as it should have, but it still turned out well. At least I thought so anyway. What did the kids think of it? Well, here's Cole's plate after dinner:
....I think that pretty much sums it up.
But don't let my picky 3-year-old stop you from trying this dough, it really was quite good. Really!
-Recipe from Eat, Shrink & Be Merry! Great-tasting Food That Won't Go From Your Lips to Your Hips!
Thursday, April 8, 2010
Cinnamon Raisin English Muffins
1 cup milk
2 tablespoons of honey
1/4 cup butter or margarine
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup warm water
2 1/4 teaspoon dry yeast
1 cup whole wheat flour
4-5 cups all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup raisins
cornmeal
Heat milk in the microwave for 1-2 minutes, until hot enough to melt butter. Add honey, butter, and salt to milk. Let cool to lukewarm. Dissolve yeast in warm water. Let it sit while you mix together whole wheat flour, 2 cups of all-purpose flour, cinnamon, raisins and sugar in a large bowl. Add water/yeast to milk mixture, then pour into the bowl of flour and stir until smooth. Gradually add more flour until soft dough forms. Place dough on a floured surface and knead for about 10 minutes, adding more flour as needed. Place in a greased bowl, turning the dough over to grease the top of it. Cover with a dishcloth and place in the oven with just the pilot light on. Leave it to rise for 1 hour.
Punch it down and divide it in half. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the first half of dough to about 1/2" thickness. Cut out circles (you can use a cup, or a 7 ounce tuna can) and place them on a baking sheet that is heavily sprinkled with cornmeal. Sprinkle tops with cornmeal as well. Do the same with the 2nd half of dough. Cover the muffins with a dishcloth and place in the oven with just the pilot light on again. Leave them to rise until doubled, about 45 minutes to an hour.
Cook muffins on a lightly greased electric frying pan at 300F for about 10 minutes each side, until they are nicely browned. Watch them closely so they don't burn.
If you want to eat them when they're still warm and soft (like I do!), poke a fork all the way around and pull it apart with your fingers.
Once they cool they can be cut easily with a knife.
You can toast them too if you like them crispy. Serve with butter, honey, or jam.
This is a great thing to make on a weekend, then you'll have homemade english muffins to enjoy for breakfast and snacks. This recipe made me about 18 english muffins, so I froze half of them for later. Cole likes them toasted with butter and jam. Bennett likes them plain and untoasted. I like them toasted with butter, and sometimes a little honey on them. I like english muffins from the grocery store, but nothing compares to these homemade ones. They're so soft and moist on the inside and crisp on the outside. I'm hooked!
Spinach and Cheese Stuffed Shells
These aren't hard to do, but if you want to make them even easier you could use smaller shells and just mix everything up together instead of stuffing the shells. I had fun stuffing them though, and my family seemed to like them. The kids weren't in love with them or anything but they ate them. Tony said they were really good. I liked them too, I love any kind of pasta really.
Tuesday, April 6, 2010
Shepherd's Pie
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1 cup frozen peas-and-carrots blend
1 cup frozen or canned corn
2/3 cup reduced-sodium beef broth
2 tablespoons chili sauce
1 1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1/4 teaspoon each salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 1/2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into large chunks
1/2 cup light sour cream
1/2 cup + 2 tbsp freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 tsp onion powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
Chopped fresh parsley for garnish, optional
To make filling, cook beef, onions, and garlic in a large pot or skillet over medium-high heat until meat is no longer pink and onions are tender. Stir in paprika and thyme. Cook 1 more minute. Add peas and carrots and corn. Mix well.
In a medium bowl or measuring cup, whisk together broth, chili sauce, flour and Worcestershire sauce. Add to meat mixture in pot, along with salt and pepper. Reduce heat to medium-low. Let simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes. Mixture will thicken slightly. Remove from heat, cover and keep warm while you prepare potato topping.
To make topping, place potatoes in a large pot and cover with water by 2 inches (salt water if desired). Bring to a boil. Cook until tender, about 12 to 14 minutes. Drain potatoes in a colander. Return to pot. Sprinkle ½ cup Parmesan. Cover with lid and let stand 1 minute for cheese to melt. Add sour cream, salt and onion powder. Mash well using a potato masher or immersion blender to get them nice and smooth.
To assemble casserole, spread meat mixture evenly over the bottom of a 2-quart casserole dish. Top with mashed potatoes. Fluff with fork so small peaks are formed. Sprinkle remaining 2 tbsp Parmesan over potatoes. Bake at 375ºF for 25 minutes, until bubbly around edges and completely heated through. Remove from oven. Sprinkle top with chopped fresh parsley, if desired. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving.
The original recipe called for butternut squash with the potatoes, which is really yummy too but I usually omit them because it adds more work and I don't find it makes a huge difference to the overall taste of the meal. It's still very good with just the potatoes. I love how cheesy and creamy the potatoes are, and the meat and veggies have a great flavour to them. My family loved it too. Cole wasn't too sure at first but after some coaxing he tried it and ate most of it. Bennett and Tony both had huge second helpings. It's a great dish, although it is a little time-consuming. Sometimes when I'm in a rush I use instant mashed potatoes (gasp!) and they work pretty well too.
-Recipe adapted from Food Network
Sunday, April 4, 2010
Deviled Egg Chicks
Saturday, April 3, 2010
Fruit Leather
Thursday, April 1, 2010
Quinoa Coconut Cookies
1/3 cup butter, softened
1/3 cup peanut-butter
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup shredded unsweetened coconut
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 cups cooked and cooled quinoa
1 cup chocolate chips
Beat together butter, peanut butter, eggs, vanilla and sugar until smooth. In another bowl combine flour, coconut, baking powder, and baking soda. Add dry ingredients to peanut butter mixture and mix until smooth. Stir in quinoa and chocolate chips. Drop spoonfuls of cookie dough onto greased cookie sheet. Bake at 375 for 9-11 minutes or until edges are golden. Cool on cookie racks.
I love anything with peanut-butter and chocolate, so I really liked these cookies. So did the rest of the family. They were gone pretty quickly once the boys spotted them. Not only did these taste great but they're extremely nutritious because of the quinoa. It's an interesting ingredient for a cookie, and I thought it worked really well.
-Adapted (significantly!) from Simple Spoonful
My kids like to whine, especially when it comes to the food they eat, but that doesn’t stop me from trying to make tasty and healthy meals for them. Follow along as I share family-friendly recipes and reviews from my picky family members, who I lovingly call “The Whine Critics.” 
