Mango Quinoa Salad

I have really been enjoying the mango-red pepper-black bean-lime taste lately, so I thought I'd add to the abundance of recipes like this already on the blog. This is more of a summery dish, but since at least one of us lives in a place with eternally cheap prices on mangoes and peppers, I thought I'd post it anyway. For the rest of us who will have to wait until these summer fruits and vegetables get back to a reasonable price, this salad is worth the wait! The zing of the pepper, the nuttiness of the quinoa, and the fruityness of the mango makes this salad a big winner. 

Original recipe from Our Best Bites

Salad:

2 cups cooked quinoa

1 can of black beans (rinsed)

1 mango, diced

1 red pepper, diced

6 sliced green onions

1 handful chopped cilantro

Dressing:

4 T red wine or apple cider vinegar

3 T olive oil

2 T fresh lime juice

salt and pepper to taste

Toss the salad ingredients together and then pour the dressing over and mix in. This recipe tastes best chilled--give it a couple of hours so the flavor of the dressing can soak in.

Cream Cheese & Ragu Pasta Pie

I took this picture ages ago and it has taken me far too long to post this recipe...all because I can't think of a sufficient name for it! Annie calls it "Mom's Goulash," because that her mom would make a similar dish and call it "Goulash." But since this really isn't goulash at all, I wanted a name more fitting that would do it justice! This is one amazing pasta dish. It's one of our favorites--Wesley can't get enough of it. I just made a couple of pans of it this weekend and stuck one in the freezer to use after Baby arrives (it's a great freezer meal option!). So if any of you have suggestions for a name that would better describe this pasta, please share...I'll gladly change it!

Recipe adapted from Annie's Eats

3 cups pasta sauce (I like to use this, but you can use whatever is your favorite)

12 oz. penne pasta (I use whole wheat)

4 oz. cream cheese, softened

1 cup sour cream (I use Daisy light)

1 egg

1 bunch green onions, chopped

4 oz. mozzarella cheese

Cook pasta according to package directions. Mix cream cheese, sour cream, egg, and green onions. Spread a very thin layer of pasta sauce on the bottom of a 9x13 pan. Top with half of the pasta. Spread half of the cream cheese mixture over the pasta and top with half of the remaining sauce. Repeat layers. Sprinkle cheese on top. Bake uncovered at 375 for 25-30 minutes.

Nutella Caramel Layer Cake

This is the cake I made for Father's Day. I tweaked a few things from the original recipe to make it more affordable, but in the end I doubt there was a highly noticeable difference. It was absolutely delicious! I thought for sure the cookies around the edge would get soggy in our Houston humidity and with the frosting and caramel inside, but they stayed crisp for days. It's a great cake for beginners because the cookies around the edge help keep everything together so if your layers aren't perfect they won't slide around, and the rosettes on top are so easy and also cover any flaws underneath. As a long-time Nutella lover, this cake scored big points in my book!

Recipe adapted from Rebecca's Sweet Escapes

I used my standard chocolate cake recipe for the layers:

Cake:

Mix together:

2 c. sugar

2 c. flour

1 1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

Bring to a boil:

2 sticks butter

4 Tbsp. cocoa

1 cup water

Pour over the flour mixture and add:

2 eggs

1 c. buttermilk

1 tsp. vanilla

Mix well and pour batter into two 8-inch round pans lined on the bottom with parchment paper, greased on the sides. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.

Caramel Filling:

1 pkg. Kraft caramels

1/4 c. evaporated milk

Melt together in microwave, stirring every 30 seconds, until smooth. Set aside to cool slightly before using.

Nutella Frosting:

2 sticks butter, softened

2 c. Nutella (I used the Kroger brand substitute--it's almost identical in taste and much cheaper!)

5 c. powdered sugar

2 tsp. vanilla

pinch salt

evaporated milk

Combine all ingredients and whip until creamy. Add in evaporated milk until it is a good frosting consistency.

To Assemble:

Place one cake on a plate and pipe a wide border around the edge of the top to hold the caramel in. The border should be about an inch thick and about 1/2 inch tall. Refrigerate for at least 20 minutes to allow frosting to harden, which will create a more sure wall to hold in the caramel. Pour/spread caramel on top of your cake, within the border you created. (If the caramel has cooled down a little bit so it is barely spreadable, it will stay in place better). Place second cake on top and cover entire cake with a thin layer of frosting. Pipe a thin border around the bottom of the cake and insert pirouette cookies (cut to size) around border, pressing into the cake (I used 3 tins of pirouline cookies from Dollar Tree--still wonderful, and again, much cheaper!). Secure with another border of frosting around the bottom when cookies are in place. To create rosettes on top, use a large star tip and pipe spirals all over the surface of the cake.

Homemade No-Bake Granola Bars

These granola bars are delicious! I love the texture of them, and they don't crumble apart like others I've tried. It's so easy to whip up a batch or two and divide them into little ziploc bags to keep in the pantry for easy snacks.

Recipe adapted from Money Saving Mom

2 1/2 c. crisp rice cereal (I use organic chocolate rice crispies, but regular will work too)

1 3/4 c. quick oats

1/4 c. wheat germ, wheat bran, or ground flaxseed

1/2 c. additional mix-in ingredients optional (chopped nuts, raisins, coconut, other dried fruit, etc.)

1/2 c. honey

1/2 c. brown sugar

1/4 tsp. salt

2/3 c. peanut butter

1 tsp. vanilla

1/4 c. mini chocolate chips

Combine first 4 dry ingredients in a bowl. In a saucepan, mix the honey, brown sugar, and salt. Over medium-low heat, stir until the mixture comes to a complete boil for 30-60 seconds. Remove from the heat and stir in the peanut butter and vanilla until smooth. Pour over the dry ingredients and mix well. Press into a 9x13 pan and let cool for 5-10 minutes before pressing mini chocolate chips into the top. Let cool before cutting into bars.

They also freeze well!

Raw Fruit Pie

This pie is so delicious--and the best part is that you can feel great eating it because there are no added sugars! My friend made this a few months ago and I LOVED it. But unfortunately I didn't get any pictures. So I'm posting this so that Kaitlyn can make it and post a picture. :)

[Picture here]

Crust:

Add 2:1 ratio of walnuts and dates in food processor, and a dash of salt if you desire. (If the crust isn't sticky enough add a few more dates.) Press the crust into a pie pan (a tart pan with a removable bottom works best).

Filling:

Add 1:1 ratio of frozen (semi thawed) banana and chunks of mango. Use ripe fruit if possible (it tastes better). Pour into pie pan; freeze. Let it sit out for several minutes to thaw a little before eating.

This is great with mango and banana but would also be great with lots of fruits (I'm thinking blueberries and mango--yum! Or raspberries and blueberries--you could layer it for a cute 4th of July look).

Have fun with it! And let us know what combinations you try!

Zucchini Salad/Salsa with Corn and Cilantro

The other day my friend invited me over for dinner (she made fish tacos--so delicious!) and asked me to bring something with zucchini. I was a little nervous about this dish because the only thing I ever really make with zucchini is zucchini bread, but this was really good. It can be eaten as a salad or as a salsa dip with chips or crackers, and tastes better warm. (I tried it cold a couple of days later and the zucchini was kind of slimy.)

Original recipe here

1 tsp olive oil

3 1/2 cups cubed zucchini (about a pound)

1 cup frozen corn

1 Tbsp chopped fresh cilantro

2 tsp fresh lime juice

salt and pepper to taste

Cook zucchini and corn in oil until the zucchini is crisp-tender (it is better a little on the crispy side--otherwise it gets a little soggy). Remove from heat and stir in cilantro, lime juice, and salt and pepper.

Watermelon Feta Salad with Mint

My friend made this salad for my going away/already gone party in Columbus, and it was delicious! It is so light and refreshing and has so many different surprising flavors (I would never think to pair feta cheese and watermelon, but it works!). This is a great summer dish.

Original recipe here

1 7-8 lb. seedless watermelon

1/4 cup olive oil

Juice from 2 limes

3/4 tsp salt

1 cup chopped mint leaves

1 1/2 cups crumbled feta cheese

Chop watermelon into 1-inch cubes. Drain the excess juice. 

Whisk together olive oil, lime juice, salt, and pepper to create the dressing. Pour dressing and mint over the watermelon and toss gently. Mix the crumbled feta cheese in to the salad.

This is best if served within an hour of preparing.

Pudding on the Rice

Remember Pudding on the Rice? That eclectic little place just off I-15 on University Parkway in Orem? They had the most incredible concoctions available that they called rice pudding, but really were unlike any other rice pudding I had tried! Their amazingly creamy, cold, almost-like-ice-cream desserts in a huge variety of flavors were so fun! 

I'm sad to say that a few years ago the owners moved to Portland, which meant the restaurant did as well. (Not that I could have taken advantage of it anyway, seeing as how Houston isn't exactly close to Orem...) But I was excited to find a recipe online from Studio 5 that the owner herself submitted. Then I found another recipe, quite a bit different, that also seemed to be from the owner. So I tried them both to see which was the rice pudding I remembered. The first seemed far more fluffy than I had experienced in the past, and the second wasn't what I remembered at all. So I tweaked the first recipe just a tiny bit (I used only half of the cream it called for) and then, in my opinion, it was perfect. Below is my adaptation.

4 cups whole milk
2 cups cooked white rice
2 cups granulated sugar
1 tsp. salt
1 egg
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1 tsp. vanilla

In a large sauce pan, mix together milk, rice, sugar, and salt. In a seperate bowl crack the egg and let sit at room temperature. Stir mixture in saucepan slowly with a flat wooden spoon at medium heat for 45-60 minutes until the mixture has evenly thickened (I didn't stir continually).

Take pan off heat. Take the room temperature egg and whisk it thoroughly, adding a tablespoon at a time of the hot pudding to tempur the eggs. When you have added equal amounts of pudding to the eggs, slowly incorporate the eggs back into the pudding. Return the pudding to medium heat and slowly stir as you bring the pudding back to a boil.

Take pudding off heat, put in a seperate bowl, cover with saran wrap, and cool in refrigerator for 6-24 hours.

After pudding has cooled, whip 1 cup of heavy whipping cream with 1 tsp. vanilla. Gently fold whipped cream into the pudding until it is fully enveloped. Keep pudding refrigerated for up to 1 week.



Additional Flavor Ideas
Chocolate Peanut Butter Rice Pudding (pictured)--mix melted chocolate chips into pudding before adding whipped cream. Stir in peanut butter chips, and fold in whipped cream.

Raspberry Rice Pudding--Add frozen raspberries and mix into the pudding before folding in whipped cream.

Lemon Poppyseed Rice Pudding--Stir in lemon curd and poppyseeds before folding in whipped cream.

Strawberries 'n Cream Rice Pudding (pictured)--Stir in strawberry jam before folding in whipped cream.

Cookies 'n Cream Rice Pudding--Stir in Oreo crumbs before folding in whipped cream.

Traditional Cinnamon Rice Pudding (pictured)--Stir in cinnamon before folding in whipped cream.



Our favorite that we've tried is the chocolate peanut butter. I also loved the lemon poppyseed and just the plain ol' vanilla mixture. I'd love to hear your flavor ideas as well! Jessica (the owner) says you can put pretty much anything in that you might find in ice cream, as long as it won't break down the dairy ingredients.

Asparagus Salad

This "salad" is really not a salad but it sounds better than "asparagus with feta cheese." It's super easy to make and pretty delicious. I found asparagus on sale the other day and bought it on a whim, even though I rarely cook with this vegetable. I looked up some recipes online and, since I also happened to have feta cheese, I went with this one. It was a good choice.

Original recipe here

Asparagus
Olive oil
Salt
Pepper
Feta Cheese

Chop the asparagus stems in half; mix them in with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Bake at 500 single-layer on a pan for 8-12 minutes (it took mine about 15) until they are soft when poked with a fork.

Remove from oven and sprinkle on feta cheese.

Vegetables

Uncle Steve's wife, MaRee is a great cook and had these wonderful veggie recipes that she shared with me. I have tried them all and thought that they were all better than any other way I have had these vegetables. Sorry I didn't take any pictures.


Carrots

6 or 8 large carrots
2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons lite butter
1 tablespoon orange juice concentrate
sprinkle of cinnamon

Cut carrots into round pieces and cook until tender.  Drain off all water.
Add honey, lite butter, orange juice, stir until carrots are coated, sprinkle
with cinnamon. 



Fabulous Vegetable

1 package frozen yellow wax beans  or 1 can. ( I have only been able to find canned)
1 package cut green beans frozen, (I use fresh if available )
2 cups of small carrot strips about the size of a bean.
2 onions slivered in long thin slivers 
1/2 pound fresh mushrooms washed and sliced
1 cube butter ( has to be butter)  I have cut this down to half it works but not as
flavorful 
1 tsp accent
1/2 tsp garlic salt
1/4 tsp marjoram
Simmer frozen beans and carrots in 1/2 cube of butter in a small amount of water about 1/4 cup water for 10 to 15 min.  Saute onions an mushrooms in 1/2 cube of butter until slightly cooked 5 to 10 min.  Then add seasoning, add mixtures together without draining don't over cook. serves 8-10   can double recipe.


Green beans with Cherry Tomatoes

1 1/2 pounds green beans trimmed and cut into 2 inch pieces
1 1/2 cups water
1/4 cup butter
 1 tablespoon sugar
 3/4 teaspoon garlic salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh basil  ( I have used dried, but fresh is best )
2 cups cherry tomato halves

Directions
Place beans and water in a large saucepan. Cover, and bring to a boil
Set heat to low, and simmer until tender, about 10 minutes.  Drain off water, and set aside.
Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat, stir in sugar, garlic salt, pepper and basil,
Add tomatoes, and cook stirring gently just until soft.  Pour the tomato mixture over then toss gently to blend.  I use frozen beans when fresh beans are not available. It will  take longer for them to cook, so cook until tender.  Most of the time I don't add the tomatoes, it is optional and tastes good either way.


Cauliflower

1  medium sized cauliflower
1  8 oz sour cream  ( can use more if you like)
3/4 cup grated cheese
1/2 tsp garlic salt
1/2 tsp seasoning salt
Place cauliflower in bowl covered with plastic wrap.  Cook in  microwave about 10 min.  When tender, sprinkle with garlic salt, and seasoning salt.  Cover with sour
cream and cheese.  Put back in microwave just until cheese is melted.   Serves 6 to 8

Ranch Parmesan Chicken Nuggets

I know the picture doesn't look like much, but these little bites of chicken are pretty amazing! Sam said they should be on the menu at a gourmet restaurant. Chicken nuggets. Classy. :) Both of my kids love them and they come together so quickly. They freeze fairly well, so you can make a large batch and warm them up for lunches or whenever you need them. They are slightly less crispy when they have been frozen, but still very palatable. I adapted a recipe given to me by a ward member to come up with these, and they are a staple at our house.

2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken, cut into pieces as desired

4 Tbsp. butter, melted

3/4 c. Panko

1 Tbsp. ranch seasoning

3/4 c. finely grated parmesan cheese

Mix together Panko, ranch seasoning, and parmesan cheese. Dip chicken pieces in melted butter, wiping away excess (too much butter will make them soggy when they bake). Place butter-coated chicken in Panko, cover with crumbs, and press crumbs into the chicken to help them stick. Place on a cookie sheet and bake at 350 for 20 minutes or until cooked through.

Note: If chicken is cold, butter may start to harden as you are dipping, at which point you should re-microwave it to keep it liquid.

Sweet Tooth Fairy Black & White Cupcakes

I had heard about The Sweet Tooth Fairy cupcake shops here and there, but I had never understood the hype until Mom treated me to a cupcake while I was in Utah. And let me tell you, her cupcakes are no ordinary cupcakes! Moist, dense, chewy, with the most amazing frosting slathered on top and incredible flavor combinations...she has changed me from a cupcake-tolerator to a cupcake-lover. I remembered seeing an article about her in BYU Magazine and thought it included a recipe, so I looked it up when I got back from Utah. And here it is!

Oh, and by the way...that frosting is amazing. I was also making Oreo cupcakes for a piano recital a while back and used this frosting with Oreo crumbs folded in--it was the perfect cookies 'n cream frosting.

Don't have a kitchen scale? Here is a calculator for converting.

Black and White Chocolate Cupcakes

8 ounces all-purpose flour

7 ounces granulated sugar

4 ounces dark chocolate cocoa

1 1/2 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. salt

4 ounces sour cream

3 eggs, beaten

6 ounces chocolate pudding, prepared

4 ounces butter, melted

6 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 24 cupcake pan cups with paper liners (or not--I didn't when I made them and they came out beautifully!).

In a large bowl, measure the dry ingredients and mix together with an electric mixer on low speed for 30 seconds until well combined.

Add wet ingredients and mix on medium speed for 1 minute. Stop and scrape down the sides of the bowl and resume mixing on medium speed for 1 additional minute. Stop mixer and fold in chocolate chips.

Fill prepared cupcake liners with batter 3/4 full and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 18 minutes. Let cupcakes cool completely.

White Chocolate Frosting

8 ounces cream cheese, softened

4 ounces butter, softened

6 ounces white chocolate, melted

1 tsp. vanilla

10 ounces powdered sugar

Beat cream cheese and butter in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed for 1 minute. Add melted chocolate and vanilla; mix for an additional 1 minute. Add powdered sugar gradually, beating until light and fluffy after each addition.

Frost cupcakes with frosting and garnish with sprinkles, fresh raspberries, mini chocolate chips, or whatever else you choose.

Roasted Garlic-Parmesan Cauliflower

This is more a baking method than it is a recipe--we do this with lots of veggies. But we especially love cauliflower prepared this way, which came as a bit of a surprise to me. Normally my boys won't touch plain veggies, but they gobble up piles of this stuff! They think it's hilarious to pretend the chopped florets are "white trees," and much giggling is involved when this is part of the dinner menu.

Recipe adapted from Our Best Bites

1 head cauliflower

3-4 Tbsp. olive oil

3-4 cloves garlic, minced

kosher salt and pepper

1/4 c. grated parmesan cheese

Chop cauliflower florets into slices about 1/4" thick. Mix olive oil and garlic and heat in the microwave for about 20 seconds to more evenly distribute the garlic flavor. Toss cauliflower with olive oil/garlic, sprinkle with kosher salt and pepper, and bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes. Toss with a spatula and bake for another 10 minutes. Top with parmesan cheese and bake just until cheese is melted. Serve immediately.

Samoa Girl Scout Cookie Layer Cake

Once upon a time, a year or two ago, I stumbled upon a recipe for homemade samoa girl scout cookies. They looked incredible, so I bookmarked the page and have occasionally dreamt of making them. Finally, with Sam's birthday, the opportunity presented itself. I decided to mesh the cookies and his birthday cake! And it was pretty amazing. It's kind of a labor of love, but if you have a few hours to spend in the kitchen, I definitely suggest giving this one a try!

I made two chocolate cakes, two samoa cookies the same size as the cakes, smaller cookies for the top, and caramel buttercream frosting. Then I layered them all together and drizzled caramel sauce on top and pressed toasted coconut on the sides to complete it. Now I'm just working on handing out the leftovers. That much cake is dangerous for a pregnant lady to have on hand!

Chocolate Cake

Mix together:

2 c. sugar

2 c. flour

1 1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

Bring to a boil:

2 sticks butter

4 Tbsp. cocoa

1 cup water

Pour over the flour mixture and add:

2 eggs

1 c. buttermilk

1 tsp. vanilla

Mix well and pour batter into two 8-inch round pans lined on the bottom with parchment paper, greased on the sides. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.

For the frosting:

(Recipe adapted from Annie's Eats)

2 sticks butter, slightly softened

1 lb. powdered sugar, plus more as needed

1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

1/2 c. caramel sauce (I used this homemade caramel, but you can use store bought)

pinch of kosher salt

2 Tbsp. evaporated milk

Whip together butter and powdered sugar until light and fluffy. Mix in remaining ingredients (make sure caramel sauce is not warm enough to melt butter). Add powdered sugar as needed to make frosting a good consistency.

For the cookies:

(Recipe adapted from Once Upon a Plate)

Shortbread Layer

2 sticks butter, softened

1/2 cup sugar

2 cups flour

1/4 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. vanilla

up to 2 Tbsp. milk

Cream together butter and sugar. Add flour, baking powder, and salt at a low speed. Add vanilla and milk, adding only enough milk to make dough stick together well (you may not need any at all). The dough should not be overly sticky.

Press a layer about 1/4 inch thick into the bottom of 2 well-greased 8-inch round pans. You can cut a hole in the middle if desired, but since it will be covered it isn't necessary. Bake at 350 for approximately 15 minutes until edges are golden. Allow to cool 5 minutes in pan and remove from pans and set aside.

With the remainder of the dough, roll out and cut out smaller cookies about 1/4 inch thick. I cut them out using the lid of the non-stick cooking spray and cut out the middles using the large end of a frosting tip. Place on a greased cookie sheet and bake at 350 for 12 minutes until edges are golden.

Caramel Topping

3 cups shredded coconut

12 ounces caramels

1/4 tsp. salt

3 Tbsp. milk

Toast coconut by spreading on a baking sheet and baking at 300 degrees for 20 minutes or until coconut is golden, stirring every 5 minutes. Watch coconut frequently at the end, as it toasts quickly! Note: you should toast 4 cups of coconut and reserve 1 cup for decorating the cake.

Melt together caramels, salt, and milk in the microwave by cooking on high for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally until smooth. Fold in 3 cups toasted coconut.

To assemble:

Melt 2 c. chocolate chips in the microwave and spread on the bottoms of the small and 8-inch cookies, reserving about 1/2 c. for drizzling. Allow to harden in the fridge. Flip cookies over and top with the warm caramel mixture. I found this easiest to do by smearing it on with wet fingers. Just dip your fingers in water as needed to prevent mixture from sticking. If mixture is too firm, microwave for a few seconds to soften it up. Put remaining melted chocolate in a plastic ziploc bag, snip off a tiny corner, and drizzle over cookies. Allow to harden in the fridge.

To assemble cake:

Place one 8-inch samoa cookie on a cake plate. Top with a thin layer of frosting and set one cake on top. Top with another thin layer of frosting, set the other 8-inch samoa cookie on top of frosting, and top with one more thin layer of frosting. Place other cake on top. Cover the entire cake with frosting, press reserved 1 c. toasted coconut onto the sides, drizzle caramel sauce on top, and finally top with smaller samoa cookies.

Lastly, ignore the fact that your finished cake has 7 sticks of butter in it and enjoy. :)

Grandma's Grape Salad

Grandma Campbell used to make this salad for family gatherings and I think I'm the only one who has the recipe. It's even more delicious when you don't think about how much cream cheese is in there!



Grapes (one large bunch)
2 cubes cream cheese
1/2 cup sugar
Juice from one lime or lemon
Chopped walnuts

Cream together the cream cheese, sugar, and lime/lemon juice. Pour mixture over grapes and gently stir together. Stir the walnuts in last.

When I served this at a dinner party everyone raved over it, and someone asked me if it was made with Greek yogurt. Unfortunately, it wasn't that healthy! However, I think it would also be delicious with just one cube of cream cheese and a container of Greek yogurt.

Mango Jicama Salad

This delicious salad is like a party in your mouth. The sweetness of the blueberries and mangoes balances out the blandness of the jicama and the spicyness of the chile powder. Just a warning, though--it takes forever to chop up the mango and jicama into thin strips! I think if I ever make this again, I'll just cube everything (and it will be easier to eat, too). I think it tastes better with more lime juice and less chile powder (this is reflected in the recipe below).

Recipe originally from Whipped the Blog.

1 mango, peeled and cut in slices
1 jicama, peeled and cut in 1/4 inch strips
1/2 cup of blueberries
Juice of 1 lime (6 Tablespoons)
1 teaspoon chile powder (mild or spicy, whichever you prefer)
1/4 cup chopped, fresh cilantro
Sea salt

Put the mango, jicama and blueberries in a bowl. In a separate bowl, combine lime juice and chili powder. Drizzle the dressing over the fruit. Sprinkle the cilantro on top. Gently toss together and season with sea salt to taste.

Mexican Haystacks

An old friend posted this recipe on her Facebook and I knew instantly it would be a hit here! As the recipe says, "It's a party in your mouth!"

Adapted from Whole and Free

2 cups brown rice, uncooked

1 bunch cilantro

1-2 lbs ground beef or turkey or diced chicken
1 onion, diced
1 Tbsp. garlic powder

2 cups salsa

2 avocados

2 mangoes

2 red peppers

Cook brown rice according to package directions (I always add another 1/2 c. water to mine to make it more sticky). Chop cilantro and stir together with rice. Cook meat together with onions, drain fat if necessary, and stir in garlic powder and salsa. Cook until heated through and slightly thickened. Dice avocados, mangoes, and red peppers. Assemble as desired and enjoy!

Frozen Strawberry-Pineapple Limeade

All four of us here are kind of smitten with this smoothie. It is so refreshing, and the lime juice creates an almost fizzy feeling to it. The ingredient amounts are very flexible, of course, so feel free to play around with them to suit your tastes. I love using home-canned pineapple, but canned pineapple from the store would work as well. I don't suggest using fresh pineapple, as the taste is more acidic and it has a tendency to overpower the other flavors. 

Also, I like to freeze my bananas when they're slightly underripe. I just peel a bunch and put them in a gallon ziploc bag for use in smoothies. If the peel has brown spots at all, the banana taste is too much for me, so I like to freeze them when they are still tinged with green.

2 cups frozen strawberries

1 cup canned pineapple, drained

1 frozen banana, cut into chunks

1/2-1 cup milk (start with 1/2 cup and increase as needed)

juice from 5-6 medium limes

1/4 cup sugar

Combine ingredients in blender. If your blender isn't very powerful, let the fruit sit for 5-10 minutes to soften up a bit before blending. Blend until smooth, adding milk, lime juice, and sugar as needed. (And don't be shy with the limes! This tastes best with a pretty good lime flavor, so if your limes aren't very juicy you may need to add more.) Enjoy!

Yumprint

I just wanted to share an awesome site for recipe storing and sharing that I found recently. When I get bored reading articles and writing papers (read: everyday!), I distract myself by looking up delicious sounding recipes online. When I find something I really like, I...copy and paste the URL into an email draft. It's super ineffective, but I wanted something fast and easy.

And then, I found Yumprint. It's kind of like pinterest (although I don't use pinterest, so I'm not the best judge), in that you can save all your recipes in one place. If you install the Yumprint extension, whenever you are on a page with a recipe (like blogs or other websites) a little Yumprint banner will pop up. You can just click on it and save the recipe.

If you want to get really fancy, you can save the recipes to a calendar and Yumprint will give you a weekly shopping list.

Anyway, I hope you all find it as useful as I have!

http://yumprint.com/

Cowboy Cornbread

I love this meal because it is so easy, it can be prepared in the crockpot or the oven, and my kids eat it! That's a pretty rare victory! It can be prepared in about 20 minutes and the bottom layer is so flexible--you can use whatever you've got laying around that sounds good. You can throw in some green chilies if you want a bit more kick to it.

For the bottom layer:

You can really use whatever combination of ingredients suits you, but here's what I typically use.

1 lb sausage

1 can black beans, rinsed and drained

1 can diced tomatoes or 2 c. freshly diced tomatoes

1 can corn

1 onion, diced

1 bell pepper, diced

Brown sausage with onion and bell pepper. Mix all ingredients together and place in the bottom of a 9x13 pan or the bottom of your crockpot.

For the top layer I use our favorite cornbread recipe. Just spread it on top and if you are baking it in the oven, bake at 350 for about 40 minutes or until cornbread is cooked through. If you are cooking it in the crockpot, cooking time really varies based on the size of your crockpot and the temperature you cook it at. I've only done it in the crockpot a couple of times, and I think I cooked it on low for about 5 hours. If you're able to keep an eye on it the first time you make it, you can just make note of when it's cooked all the way through.

Serve with shredded cheese and sour cream on top. Yeehaw!

Grape Chicken Salad Sandwiches

My ward has certain recipes that are considered "staples" at almost any gathering or event. Grape chicken salad sandwiches are one of these items and frequently make their appearance at ward get-togethers. I finally got the recipe from a friend and made them for dinner one night. We ate them in the car on our way home from the zoo! The leftovers made a fabulous lunch the next day, and were perhaps even better since the flavor had been able to blend a little more. So you could certainly make the filling ahead of time and put together the sandwiches just before serving.

Whisk together:

2 Tbsp. lemon juice

1/2 c. Mayo

1/2 c. sour cream

1 Tbsp. sugar

1/2 tsp. prepared mustard

In a medium bowl combine:

3 c. shredded chicken

1 Tbsp. minced dry onion

1 c. grapes, sliced in half

2 c. chopped celery

2/3 c. slivered almonds (optional)

1 c. shredded cheese (optional)

Pour sauce a little at a time over chicken mixture, mixing until salad is desired consistency (there is usually some leftover). Spoon onto rolls or croissants and enjoy!

Spinoccoli Pizza

I didn't think this pizza sounded that amazing when I first read the recipe, but I decided to give it a shot. And I'm very glad I did! Although spinach, broccoli, cheese, and alfredo sauce might not sound that spectacular, they make for one delicious pizza!



Recipe adapted from Annie's Eats

For the crust: (my usual recipe)

1 1/4 c. warm water
1 Tbsp. yeast
pinch sugar
1 tsp. salt
3 1/2 c. flour
2 Tbsp. olive oil

Combine water, yeast, and sugar and let sit until yeast foams. Add salt, flour, and olive oil and knead in stand mixer with dough hook or by hand. Continue to alternate adding olive oil or water as needed. Dough should not be sticky at all but should form a cohesive ball. Lightly coat ball of dough with olive oil, cover with towel, and let rise until double. Makes enough for 1 large jellyroll pan or 2 8-9 inch round pizzas.

For the white sauce:
2 Tbsp. butter
2 Tbsp. flour
1 1/2 c. half and half or heavy cream
1 tsp. minced garlic
salt and pepper, to taste
3/4 c. grated Parmesan cheese

Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Whisk in the flour and cook, whisking constantly, until bubbling and light golden, about 1 minute. Whisk in the half-and-half (or cream) and garlic, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Cook, stirring frequently, until the mixture thickens and bubbles. Remove from the heat and whisk in the grated parmesan until completely melted and smooth.

For the toppings:
1 c. packed spinach, chopped
2 c. very small broccoli florets (can use fresh, but I usually steam frozen and it works just fine)
4 oz. shredded mozzarella cheese
4 oz. shredded cheddar cheese
Grated parmesan (optional)

Sprinkle pan with cornmeal and roll out pizza dough. Spread desired amount of sauce on pizza. (There will probably be some leftover--it makes a great dipping sauce!) Spread spinach over sauce, pressing gently into the crust. Top with broccoli and mozzarella and cheddar cheeses. Finish with additional parmesan, if desired. Bake at 500 degrees for 10 minutes.

Green Beans with Cashew Honey Sauce

We're on a veggie-eating spree. In the past, when I thought of preparing vegetables as a dish in and of themselves I generally thought of opening a can and heating it on the stove or chopping up veggies and eating them raw. Neither was a particularly appealing prospect to me. And smothering them with cheese seemed a bit counter-productive. So I started searching for delicious, nutritious ways to prepare vegetables. I've found a bunch, so be expecting lots of veggie posts! These beans are terrific!

Recipe from The Sisters Cafe

1 lb fresh green beans (I trim the ends off)
1 1/2 Tbsp. butter
1/2 c. coarsely chopped cashews
2 Tbsp. honey

Steam green beans until tender. In a small skillet, saute cashews in butter over low heat for 5 minutes. Add honey and cook 1 minute longer, stirring constantly. Pour sauce over beans and toss until coated.

Nutritious Peanut Butter-Chocolate Banana Smoothie

We're kind of smoothie fanatics at our house. Almost every morning I break out the blender and whip up a smoothie with whatever fruit we have around--sometimes vegetables, too! My boys slurp them down in no time and it makes me feel at peace to know they're at least getting their daily servings of fruit. This smoothie is a little different than what I generally make--but it's amazing! While it's not exactly low-calorie, the fat in it is at least the good kind! It's very filling and a great source of protein.

And somehow, the bananas, milk, and peanut butter combine in such a way to create the creamiest concoction I've ever made! It really feels like a milkshake. We all adore this smoothie!

Recipe from Blendtec

2 bananas (I like to use frozen so it doesn't get as diluted with ice)

1 c. milk

3 Tbsp. peanut butter

2 Tbsp. honey

1 Tbsp. cocoa

ice

Blend first 5 ingredients until smooth. Add ice until smoothie reaches desired consistency.

*I've also added in several cups of fresh spinach and a tablespoon or two or ground flaxseed with great results. If you can get past the murky camo-green color the spinach creates, it really doesn't taste much different. Just make sure to blend your spinach with the milk alone until it's pureed well in order to maintain the smooth consistency.

Knox Blox (Fruit Juice Jigglers)

I used to think Jell-O jigglers were such a fun treat! I was thrilled when I found this more nutritious option. We cut some with cookie cutters and cut the rest into squares. You can use any fruit juice, as far as I know (even not 100% juice), so I'm looking forward to experimenting with more! We used plain ol' orange juice this time and they turned out great.

Recipe from Knox Gelatine

4 envelopes (1 box) Unflavored Knox Gelatine

1 cup cold fruit juice

3 cups fruit juice, heated to boiling

2 Tbsp. sugar or honey, optional

Sprinkle gelatin over cold juice in large bowl; let stand 1 minute. Add hot juice and stir until gelatin completely dissolves, about 5 minutes. Stir in sugar or honey if desired. Pour into 9x13 pan (I also think it would be fun to try them in candy molds!). Refrigerate until firm, about 3 hours. Store in refrigerator.

Panera Bread Broccoli Cheese Soup

One thing I've noticed Utah has an abundance of but Texas seems to be lacking is a good selection of mid-grade places to eat. You know, places like Zupas, Cafe Rio, Kneaders, Guru's, Fazoli's...great places to grab a bite to eat which are nicer than fast food but don't break the bank. Panera Bread is one of those places. I've only been there once, but their bagels are the best I've ever had, and this copycat soup I found online is delicious!

Panera is owned by the same company who operates Paradise Bakery & Cafe in Utah. And, just an interesting sidenote, they have a few restaurants called "Panera Cares" where they serve food on a donation basis. They have been able to operate these restaurants and meet all expenses with this method. Some people donate more than necessary for their food, and those who can't afford it are always welcome to come and take what they need. It's a very intriguing concept!

In any case, this soup is amazing. :) I definitely suggest using fat-free half-and-half since there is a substantial amount of cheese and butter in the soup. It really doesn't make much difference in taste. I also suggest using sharp cheddar cheese, as listed, rather than a more mild version. Mild cheddar tends to get lost among other flavors, so I always like to use sharp cheddar in soups.

Recipe adapted from www.food.com

1 Tbsp. butter

1/2 medium chopped onion

1/4 c. butter

1/4 c. flour

2 cups half-and-half (I use fat-free)

2 cups chicken broth

1/2 lb. frozen broccoli

1 c. carrot, shredded

1/4 tsp. nutmeg

8 ounces grated sharp cheddar cheese

salt and pepper

Saute onion in 1 Tbsp. butter and set aside. Melt 1/4 c. butter in a large pot. Add flour and whisk for 3-5 minutes until it is thick and bubbly. Stir constantly and slowly add the half-and-half. Add the chicken stock. Stir well and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Cook broccoli according to directions on package (I use the microwave). Add broccoli, carrots, and onions to soup and simmer until all vegetables are soft. Add salt and pepper.

At this point the soup can be transferred to a blender and mixed to desired consistency. This is optional, but definitely helps picky kids swallow down those veggies! Return to heat and add cheese. Stir until melted throughout and stir in nutmeg.

Cheesy Garlic Bread Swirls

Not the most nutritious bread option out there, but this is one fabulous side to anything remotely Italian! I recommend sliding a cookie sheet below the muffin pan in the oven. Sometimes the butter drips over the pan and sets off smoke detectors! Talmage declared, "I smell a little bit of pancake fire." :)

Recipe adapted from Our Best Bites

French Bread Dough:

1 Tbsp. yeast

1 1/2 c. warm water

1 1/2 Tbsp. sugar

1 tsp. salt

4-5 1/2 c. flour

3 Tbsp. vegetable oil

1 egg yolk

Garlic Butter:

1 stick butter

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 Tbsp. garlic powder

1/2 tsp. oregano

1/2 tsp. basil

1/2 tsp. marjoram

1/2 tsp. parsley

1-2 c. mozzarella cheese

Combine yeast, water, and sugar in a large mixing bowl and allow to stand 10 minutes until bubbly. Add salt, vegetable oil, and egg yolk and combine. Add 3 c. flour and mix well until combined. Add enough remaining flour to make a soft dough that barely sticks to your finger. Knead, either by hand or in mixer, for another 2-3 minutes. Cover and allow to rise 1 hour.

Soften butter and mix with seasonings. Spray counter with non-stick cooking spray and roll out dough into a large rectangle, about 18-20 inches by 6 inches. Smear garlic butter over the entire surface of the dough and sprinkle with cheese.

Roll up cinnamon-roll style and slice into 12 equal sections using a strand of dental floss (preferrably non-mint flavored!). Spray a muffin tin with non-stick cooking spray and place rolls in muffin cups. Allow to rise while preheating oven to 350 degrees. Bake for 18-22 minutes.

Mediterranean Delight Pizza

This might be our favorite pizza. It is an imitation of Papa Murphy's Mediterranean DeLite Pizza, but our version isn't quite as light. :) We start out with our traditional pizza crust and layer on olive oil, Italian seasoning, spinach, chicken, oven-dried tomatoes, feta cheese, and a sprinkling of mozzarella. There are so many delicious flavors in each bite!

I use a lot of approximation for the pizza crust, but here are the basics I follow:

1 1/4 c. warm water
1 Tbsp. yeast
pinch sugar
1 tsp. salt
3 1/2 c. flour
2 Tbsp. olive oil

Combine water, yeast, and sugar and let sit until yeast foams. Add salt, flour, and olive oil and knead in stand mixer with dough hook or by hand. Continue to alternate adding olive oil or water as needed. Dough should not be sticky at all but should form a cohesive ball. Lightly coat ball of dough with olive oil, cover with towel, and let rise until double. Makes enough for 1 large jellyroll pan or 2 8-9 inch round pizzas.

Toppings:

olive oil

Italian seasoning

1/2 bag spinach, finely shredded

4-6 oz. feta cheese, crumbled

1-2 lbs chicken, diced, cooked, and seasoned according to taste
(I prefer to use chicken thighs on pizza since they are more moist and tend to not get dried out during cooking at high temperatures)

oven-dried tomatoes (1 pint before drying)

1 c. mozzarella cheese (optional)

Sprinkle cornmeal over pizza stone or pan. Roll out pizza dough and place on pan. Brush lightly with olive oil and sprinkle liberally with Italian seasoning. Sprinkle spinach over crust and press into dough. Top with chicken, tomatoes, feta cheese, and mozzarella cheese. (Note: this is optional but I like to add it simply because it holds everything in place and makes the pizza easier to eat.) Bake at 500 degrees for 10 minutes.

Important: The tomatoes tend to scorch at such a high temperature (you can see some of mine are a bit scorched in the photo). The pan should be placed low enough in the oven to avoid this. Check the pizza periodically throughout the 10 minutes and if tomatoes are starting to burn, lower the pan.

**You can make this pizza "lighter" by halving the crust recipe and making the crust half as thin. You will just need to reduce the baking time accordingly.

Bean Dip Pasta

I stole this recipe from Laura, but since she hasn't posted it yet I thought I should share the goodness. This recipe is delicious, very filling, and tastes much better than it looks (I tried and tried to get a good picture, but this is the best I could get).

Ingredients:

1 bag of your favorite pasta (I use Penne)

1 can chili

1 can cream of chicken soup

1 can stewed tomatoes - drained

1 can olives - sliced

1/2 block cream cheese

Diced cooked chicken - I usually put in 2 breasts (optional)

Cook the pasta according to package directions. Drain. Add all ingredients to hot pasta and stir together. Cook on low for a few minutes to make sure the cream cheese melts in and everything is warm all the way through.

Spinach Blackberry Salad

 My friend made this salad for a bridal shower that I hosted (it was actually the bride--I made her bring a salad to her own bridal shower!) and I LOVED it. It's sweet and tangy and crunchy, and the feta cheese mellows everything out. This is a great summer salad but we thought it was wonderful in snowy February.

Ingredients:

Spinach

Arugula

Grapefruit chunks

Blackberries

Feta Cheese

Mint Leaves (optional)

Make sure the grapefruit and blackberries are in bite-sized chunks and mix it all together. 

Two hints: I made it once with arugula and spinach but no mint, and once with mint and spinach but no arugula. I personally thought the mint was a little too strong in the salad (I only put a few in, torn into pieces) but my friends didn't notice it. The arugula was a great addition (as long as the arugula is good), but it is ok with just spinach too if arugula is too expensive (it is for me!).

How to Make Oven-Dried Tomatoes

I mentioned how to make oven-dried tomatoes in a previous post, but I thought since I would continue to reference them it would be easier to do a seperate post on them. So here it is...these are delicious, chewy little bites just packed with flavor. We love using them on pizza, in pasta, in quesadillas, etc.

Just chop up some cherry or grape tomatoes into fairly uniform sizes, drizzle them with olive oil, and sprinkle with kosher salt. Bake in a 250 degree oven for several hours, until tomatoes are shriveled and somewhat leathery when you rip them apart. They should look something like this:

Just watch them closely for the last little while, as they go from perfect to burnt somewhat quickly. If you need to, you can take the pan out and remove the ones that are done to let the rest cook a bit longer.