Fooblog: A Blog About Food!

Ham & Cheese Croissants

2011-05-02T00:41:00.002-06:00

One of my kids' favorite go-to meals is the ham and cheese croissant. It's super quick to make and uses stuff we keep on hand all the time.

Ham & Cheese Croissants
Refrigerated croissant rolls
Deli sliced ham
Velveeta

Lay out the croissant triangles on a baking sheet. Roll up two pieces of sliced ham and place at the top of the triangle. Add a half-slice of Velveeta, lengthwise. Roll up the croissant. Bake for 12 minutes at 350. Voila! Dinner in a hurry.

Lemon Bars (of a sort)

2011-02-17T23:17:00.003-07:00

For my daughter's class Valentine's Day party, I made individual lemon bars in cupcake cups. I doubled the recipe and put about 2 Tbsp. of crust in each cup, then pressed down with a small, plastic cup before pre-baking.There was more than enough crust yet the perfect amount of filling for 24, so I pressed the remaining crust into a smaller pan, baked it, then cut it into squares, making shortbread-ish type cookies.

Lemon Bars

CRUST
1/2 C. butter, softened
1-1/3 C. all-purpose flour
1/4 C. white sugar

FILLING
2 eggs
3/4 C. white sugar
2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp. baking powder
3-1/2 Tbsp. lemon juice

Powdered sugar to sprinkle on the top

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

FOR CRUST: Mix together the first three ingredients with a fork until crumbly. You can also blend them in a food processor. Use pulses until it gets crumbly. This is a lot faster and easier, though clean up is a little more involved. (But that's why we love dishwashers.)

Press crumbles into an 8-inch square pan and bake for 20 minutes. The crust will still be white; do not brown!

NOTE: If you want to make sure that your lemon bars come out extra pretty, line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper first, then press the crumbles in. It wouldn't hurt to spray the sides either.

FOR FILLING: Combine the rest of the ingredients (except for powdered sugar) in a blender. (Yes, you can do this by hand with a whisk, but it's WAY easier in the blender, plus you'll get a smoother consistency in the blender.) Blend until well mixed. Pour over pre-baked crust.

Return to the oven and bake an additional 20 minutes. Once they're out, sprinkle with powdered sugar while warm. Let bars cool completely before cutting.

Tortilla Pizzas

2011-01-12T13:06:00.000-07:00

These are a wonderful last-minute, go-to dinner for busy people. It's fun for kids to do and very easy to prepare. Also a great way to use up those last few tortillas that are about to go stale.

Tortilla Pizzas

flour tortillas
spaghetti sauce
toppings of your choice
shredded mozzerella

Bake tortillas right on the oven rack at 375 degrees for 5-7 minutes until just beginning to harden. Pull them out and place on a cookie sheet.

Dice veggie toppings finely--onions, bell peppers, mushrooms, thinly-sliced olives, etc. They must be diced/sliced very small so they don't overwhelm the delicate tortilla crust. Pepperoni is great too.

Spread a 2-3 Tbsp. spaghetti sauce over each tortilla. Make sure to go almost all the way to the edge to keep the edges from burning. Top with desired toppings, then cheese. Go light on the toppings and cheese to ensure that everything stays together when you cut it up.

Bake at 400 degrees for 8-10 minutes or until the cheese is lightly browned. Slice up with a pizza cutter and enjoy!

This is a great way to serve custom pizzas to a group and/or for younger kids who might like to decorate their own pizzas. Just pre-bake tortillas, then arrange toppings on a plate or buffet-style in bowls at the table. Everyone can do their own toppings. Just be sure to mark whose is whose somehow!

Stuffed Bell Peppers

2010-10-22T01:58:00.000-06:00

These bell peppers are so tasty and quite simple to throw together as well. It's one of our go-to meals, and one pepper can easily feed two kids. The leftovers are great as is or rolled up in a flour tortilla with a little salsa and sour cream.

Stuffed Bell Peppers

6 large bell peppers (any color)
1 lb. ground meat (beef, turkey, or whatever you like)
1/2 small onion, diced
1 can (15 oz.) tomato sauce
garlic salt
oregano
basil
parsley
2-3 C. cooked rice
mozzarella cheese

Cut off tops of bell peppers, straight across. Trim around the stem and dice remaining usable parts from the lid. Discard stem and seeds. Place whole peppers in an oven-safe dish and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Microwave on high for 3-4 minutes. Set aside.

Brown ground meat in a pan. Season with garlic salt, oregano, basil, and parsley about halfway through cooking. Add onions and diced bell peppers. Cook til soft--shouldn't take long. Add tomato sauce and rice. Stir to combine, then heat through.

Fill whole bell peppers with this mixture until full to the brim, then place in a sprayed baking dish. Top generously with cheese.

Bake at 350 for 45 minutes or until the cheese is done to your liking. (We like it crispy on the edges and lightly browned on top.)

The Easiest Chicken Cacciatore Ever

2010-10-20T12:54:00.006-06:00

Cacciatore means "hunter" in Italian. In cuisine, "alla cacciatora" refers to a meal prepared "hunter-style" with tomatoes, onions, mushrooms, herbs, often bell pepper, and sometimes wine. Cacciatore is popularly made with braised chicken (pollo alla cacciatora) or rabbit. (Wiki Source)

Chicken Cacciatore is super easy to make with just a few staples that you (hopefully) already have on hand in the pantry and the fridge. This recipe has a bit of a twist and can be made in the oven or the slow cooker, whichever is handiest.

Easiest Chicken Cacciatore Ever
3-4 chicken breasts
1 can tomato soup OR 1 can Italian style diced tomatoes (with liquid)
1 can cream of mushroom soup
splash of milk

Veggies Used, all sliced:
green bell pepper
mushrooms (canned is fine; fresh is best)
1 small onion
tomatoes

NOTE: You can substitute any of these veggies with whatever you have on hand. Broccoli, green beans, squash, or even zucchini would be fantastic in this. Try not to skimp on the onions though--they really make the dish!

Herbs & Spices Used: rosemary, basil, parsley, garlic salt, pepper

Mix canned tomatoes with cream soup thoroughly. Add herbs and spices to taste. Stir together.

Spray baking pan or slow cooker insert with cooking oil. Place chicken in a single layer. Cover with soup/tomato mixture. Add veggies on top.

Bake in the oven at 375 degrees for 45 minutes for thawed chicken; 80-90 minutes for frozen chicken.

Alternatively, cook in the slow cooker on high for 4-5 hours or until the chicken is cooked through (registers 165 degrees in the thickest part of the breast).

Serve over rice or pasta noodles.

How To Seed a Cucumber

2010-04-09T00:08:00.001-06:00

How To Slice a Pineapple

2010-03-20T00:09:00.002-06:00

Once you get this easy-slice method down, nothing will stop you from enjoying a delicious prickly pineapple.

Music: Kevin MacLeod

How to Stem & Seed a Bell Pepper

2010-03-14T22:39:00.001-06:00

Don't bother with a paring knife. Just get your fist in there and yank off the stem.

How to Harvest an Avocado

2010-03-02T16:10:00.003-07:00

BBQ Chicken Muffins

2010-02-23T20:52:00.000-07:00

This is about as easy a dinner as it gets.

BBQ Chicken Muffins

2-3 chicken breasts
Premade BBQ Sauce
Onions, sliced
1 can refrigerated biscuit dough (8-10 pieces)
Cheddar cheese

Pan cook the chicken thoroughly, then slice into thin strips. Toss with BBQ sauce. Press each biscuit into a cooking-sprayed muffin pan cup, making a hollow for the chicken. Add BBQ chicken, then sprinkle with cheese. Bake at 375 for 15 minutes.

Even my kids loved this--totally a winner.

How to Cube a Mango

2010-02-22T21:38:00.001-07:00

Candy Corn Cookies

2009-10-06T12:44:00.006-06:00

Don't know what to do with all that leftover candy corn from Halloween? Or maybe you're a candy corn fanatic who wants to experience candy corn on a whole new level? Either way, these cookies are sweet and chewy and positively addicting.

Candy Corn Cookies
Start with a basic chocolate chip cookie recipe (minus the chocolate chips):

1/2 C. granulated sugar
1/2 C. brown sugar
1/3 C. butter, softened
1/3 C. shortening
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla
1-1/2 C. flour
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt

Mix sugars, butter, shortening, egg, and vanilla until fluffy. Stir in remaining ingredients.

Fold in 1 C. chopped candy corn. (Roughly snapped/cut into thirds.)

Line baking sheet with parchment paper. Yes, parchment paper. Not wax paper, not baking spray. It has to be parchment. Nothing sticks to that stuff, so if you don't want to ruin your cookie sheets, shell out for the parchment.

Scoop dough into balls onto the paper, leaving plenty of room between in case any cookies bleed sugar. (And a lot of them probably will.)

Bake at 375 for 8-12 minutes. (Check every two minutes after 8 have gone by.) Pull them just as they begin to brown and allow to cool on the parchment paper for several minutes.

Be careful not to touch them right away because melted sugar is like napalm.

Use a spatula or other flat utensil to lift (and/or break apart if necessary) cookies. Cool completely on a wire rack. Store in an airtight container.

The ones in my pictures are pretty big, but whenever I make these again, I'll probably do them at half the size. That would make it a scant tablespoon's worth of dough for each cookie. A nice touch would be to put one whole candy corn on top of each cookie.

Beef Veggie Stew [AFM]

2009-07-13T22:42:00.002-06:00

We received a package of four "ribeye steaks" from Angel Food Ministries with our June order. I finally got two of them defrosted and tried to pan-sear them for a beef salad. Unfortunately, I found them very...flimsy. They also seemed a little watery and had a ring of tough tissue around the edges. (Is that a bit too much information?)

I realized that these things couldn't be used in the traditional way I would cook steak. Not wanting to make them go to waste, I decided to go the soup route--or rather the stew route.

Beef Veggie Stew
4 x 6 oz. Ribeye Steaks (cubed)
4 potatoes (medium-sized; cubed with fat trimmed)
diced veggies (celery, carrots, onions)
frozen, mixed veggies
brown gravy mix (dry)
cracked pepper
water

Place diced potatoes in the bottom of a crock pot. Sprinkle with gravy mix. Add veggies. Sprinkle more gravy mix. Add cubed meat. Sprinkle with pepper and gravy mix. (Yes, I have a brown gravy mix shaker.)

Fill pot with water to nearly the top of the pile of ingredients.

Cook on high for 4-5 hours, stirring every couple hours if you can. Serve over rice if you want a carb overload, or just serve with crackers.

By the way, a bag of rice also came with our Angel Food order. Yay!

Angel Food Ministries

2009-07-13T22:02:00.008-06:00

I apologize profusely for the lack of recipe posts lately on myfooblog. We've been going through some, shall we say, economic changes, and we have had to readjust the way we have been grocery shopping and cooking. As I've adjusted to this (and several other changes), blogging has not been on the top of my list.

But life is stabilizing, and I'm ready to start sharing some of my kitchen escapades with you once again.

First, let me introduce you to our new grocery friend: Angel Food Ministries. AFM is a non-profit, non-denominational organization dedicated to providing grocery relief and financial support to communities throughout the United States.

Here's the spiel: Angel Food is available in a quantity that can fit into a medium-sized box at $30 per unit. Each month's menu is different than the previous month and consists of both fresh and frozen items with an average retail value of approximately $60. Comparison shopping has been done across the country in various communities using a wide range of retail grocery stores and has resulted in the same food items costing from between $42 and $78.

Generally, one unit of food assists in feeding a family of four for about one week or a single senior citizen for almost a month. The food is all the same high quality one could purchase at a grocery store. There are no second-hand items, no damaged or out-dated goods, no dented cans without labels, no day-old breads and no produce that is almost too ripe.

We've been ordering from Angel Food through our church for the last two months, and honestly, I couldn't be happier with our savings. We used to spend $160 every two weeks on groceries, now we're putting in about $130 per MONTH. (We order 2 "signature" boxes plus 1 Fruit & Veggies box each month, then go to the store for extra things like bread, yogurt, and more fruit and milk.)

Yes, there are some foods that come in the AFM box that are things we wouldn't normally purchase. For example, we have more frozen french fries than we know what to do with. But I can get creative with these items--like using the french fries for making potato soup.

Getting our groceries from Angel Food has really stretched me creatively in the kitchen, and I love it!

I used to fanatically watch a show called Doorknock Dinners which featured Gordon Elliot taking a guest chef into the home of a usually busy person and cooking them a dinner by using only the items they had in their home.

One of my most fun cooking challenges is figuring out how to make something delicious out of what we have on hand. So this has been great.

Most of the recipes I'll be posting in the future will be my solutions to using the items that we receive through Angel Food, so if you're ordering from AFM, then this will hopefully be very useful to you.

If you're not, then I'm certain that most recipes will be something you can adapt. (And maybe you could consider ordering from AFM as well!)

Do enjoy!

Cheap Iced Coffee (in a pinch)

2009-04-22T12:39:00.001-06:00

Whenever I go to Panera Bread, I end up getting a coffee--just a regular coffee from the self-serve urn. It runs about $1.90, but the refills are unlimited. They also have iced coffees but those are upwards of $3.00 each, and no refills.

Today I wanted something cold to follow up my coffee, but I wanted caffeine. I'm trying to avoid soda's sugar water, but I didn't want to buy anything else. So I decided to make myself an iced coffee.

I filled my coffee cup with ice, put in a couple Splenda packets, poured over some half and half, and filled it to the top with hot coffee. After stirring for just a minute, it was nice and cold. Mmmm... A hot coffee AND an iced coffee for around two bucks.

How To Make a Tomato Sandwich

2009-04-12T03:02:00.002-06:00

Tomato lovers everywhere, learn how to make a tomato sandwich!

Yes, I realize a video was not totally necessary to convey this recipe, however it gave me an excuse to practice my video-editing skills. And it was fun.

Hope you are both entertained and informed.

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Music: Kevin MacLeod

Honey Orange Chicken

2009-04-08T11:22:00.004-06:00

I love trying to figure out how to use ingredients that I already have, especially ones that I am trying to use up. (e.g. frozen veggies on their last leg, that can of beans that's been sitting around forever, a bag of crushed tortilla chips)

We have a giant container of honey that we purchased awhile back and haven't quite finished. It's getting to that stage where we have to microwave the container everytime we want to pour it, so I'm trying to use it up as fast as I can. Thus, adding it to chicken seemed a good idea. The rest of the recipe sort of came together as I looked around the kitchen.

NOTE: Yes, a better picture would have been nice, but we dished it up so fast that night (it was a quick dinner) that I didn't even think to take a picture.

Honey Orange Chicken
2 large boneless chicken breasts
1/4-1/2 C. honey (don't measure, just pour enough to cover the chicken)
2 clementines (small, easy-peel oranges)
1 scallion
Onion
Apples
Salt

In a dutch oven (or deep pan with a lid), place frozen chicken breasts side by side. Pour on the honey and sprinkle in a pinch of salt. Juice clementines into the pan, getting all the pulp you can onto the chicken as well. Cover.

Cook on medium-high heat for 15-20 minutes, then turn. Add thinly sliced onion, apples, and scallions. Cook the other side for 10 minutes.

When the chicken is done, turn off the heat, remove chicken from the pan and slice somewhat thinly across the grain of the meat. Return to pan and toss to coat in the velvety, sweet honey-orange sauce. Serve over rice if desired.

Desperation Apple Pilets

2009-03-09T23:34:00.004-06:00

Imagine if you will: It's 11:00 p.m. and you just remembered that you have to bring a snack to share to the ladies Bible study in the morning. You are dead tired. You have nothing that is instant. What do you do? Here's what I did.

Desperation Apple Pilets
1 can apple pie filling
3 flour tortillas
cinnamon & sugar mixture
2-3 Tbsp. melted butter
granola
graham crackers (largish crumbs)
raisins

Cut tortillas into quarters. Brush with melted butter, then sprinkle with cinnamon/sugar mix. Press into a sprayed 12-cup muffin pan so that the corners stick out above the cups.

Add a few pieces of crushed graham crackers into the bottom of the tortilla "cup." Spoon filling in evenly between each serving. Sprinkle with granola and raisins, then sprinkle a little more cinnamon on top.

Bake at 375 for 10 minutes. You can remove these from the pan easily by grabbing two of the now-crunchy tortilla points and lifting out.

These were so easy to make and quick, quick, quick. I tried one, and it was crunchy, sweet, and perfectly sized. I don't anticipate any leftovers tomorrow morning.

Twice Baked Potatoes

2009-03-05T22:00:00.002-07:00

Twice Baked Potatoes aren't all that tough really. If you can bake a potato and make mashers, then you can do this. The recipe below is pretty rough. I never really measure much when I make my mashed potatoes, so I'm simply listing what I normally throw in.

Twice Baked Potatoes

STEP 1: Bake potatoes
Scrub potatoes. Rub vegetable oil on them and sprinkle with salt. Place directly on the rack in a preheated 350 degree oven. Bake for 1 hour.

STEP 2: Split and cool potatoes
Cut each potato in half, lengthwise and allow to cool for 30 minutes or until cool enough to handle. (If you have asbestos fingers like my grandmother did, then perhaps you don't need to wait the whole 30 minutes.)

STEP 3: Scoop potatoes
Using a regular spoon, carve out the insides of the potatoes, leaving only a little bit and the skin. Put the innards into a large bowl or the bowl of your standing mixer. (That's how I make my mashers.)

STEP 4: Make mashed potatoes!
I simply put the potatoes in my stand mixer, then run the paddle mixer on it for a bit to start breaking them down. Then I add garlic salt, pepper, sour cream, butter, and milk. (Butter first so it melts in the hot potatoes.) I like to add chives too if I have them. Run the mixer until mashers are the desired smoothness.

STEP 5: Fill and coat
Spoon the mashers back into the potatoes, allowing for a generous, rounded mound at the top. (Invariably, there will be more mashed potatoes than will fit, so don't be stingy.) Smooth the tops with a spoon, then roll the exposed mashed potatoes in Italian bread crumbs. Sprinkle with shredded cheddar cheese. (You could mix some cheese into the mashers if you wanted.)

STEP 6: Bake!
Place on a cookie sheet and bake in a preheated 375 degree oven for 20-25 minutes.

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Yeah, it takes awhile. You practically have to start them after you get out of bed so you can eat them for dinner, but they are SO worth it.

Good Stuffing

2008-11-24T08:57:00.003-07:00

My mom has always made the best Thanksgiving stuffing (or "dressing" if you'd rather) for as long as I can remember. But I have to say that as I've grown older and started making my own, I am thinking that mine could probably stand up to hers in a blind taste test.

Thanksgiving being just around the corner, I can't help but post my own recipe for stuffing that has been altered from my mom's original.

Good Stuffing
1 stick butter (reserve 2 Tbsp for sauteing, melt the rest)
1 loaf bread (any bread will do, even leftover hamburger/hot dog buns)
1 medium-sized yellow onion
2 ribs celery (include the green leaves too--that adds lots of flavor!)
mushrooms
ground sausage (optional)
1-2 Tbsp. poultry seasoning
salt and pepper
1 C. milk

Night before: Using a pair of scissors, cube up the bread onto a cookie sheet, making about 1-inch cubes. (No one will be measuring though, so just eyeball it. ;o)) Spread evenly and leave to dry overnight. If you don't have overnight, you can spread the cubed bread on a cookie sheet and bake for 20 minutes on low heat in the oven.

Cooking day: Chop onion and celery into smallish pieces. Slice mushrooms. Melt 2 Tbsp. of the butter in a skillet. Over medium-high heat, saute the chopped veggies with a pinch of salt until tender and soft, not too browned. (I like to add a little bit of poultry seasoning to the veggies for some added yumminess.) Remove veggies from pan, then add the sausage. Brown the meat, then add back the veggies and stir to combine. Set aside.

Start preheating your oven now to 350 degrees.

Spray a large casserole dish with non-stick spray. Add cubed bread. Shake poultry seasoning and pepper over the cubed bread. Pour the rest of the butter (melted) over the bread and give a light toss. Pour the veggie-meat mixture over the bread and lightly toss again.

Pour the milk evenly over the entire dish. (NOTE: You may need a little more depending on how dry your bread is. Just make sure there isn't a whole lot pooling at the bottom of the dish. A little pooling is fine.) Toss a little more.

TIP: You can toss all the prepared ingredients in a large mixing bowl to make it easier, then add it, completely tossed, into the casserole dish. But sometimes it's worth the extra effort to just be careful and toss in the casserole dish itself so you don't have to clean another bowl. ;o)

Cover the dish with foil and bake for 35 minutes at 350 degrees. Uncover, and bake for an additional 15-20 minutes or until the bread is golden brown and delicious and you can smell Thanksgiving in your house.

Ruth Lauer’s Brunch Casserole

2008-11-14T00:27:00.003-07:00

In case you didn't catch it, my friend MamaMentor left a recipe on the comments of my breakfast casserole. Looks like a yummy one. Who doesn't like potato chips as a topping? YUM!

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MamaMentor says: Here's my favorite breakfast casserole. We have it on Christmas and Easter and other special occasions!

Ruth Lauer’s Brunch Casserole

Butter a 9x13 pan, then line it with trimmed slices of bread. Layer with ham or cooked sausage, then grated cheese, then more bread.

Mix in blender and pour over:

6 eggs
1 green pepper, chopped
½ tsp. salt
1 Tbsp. Worchestershire sauce
1 teaspoon mustard powder
3 cups milk
½ onion, chopped
Red and/or black pepper to taste

Refrigerate overnight. The next morning, preheat oven to 350˚. Meanwhile, melt 1 stick margarine and pour over casserole. Top with crushed potato chips. Bake 1 hour at 350˚. Makes 12 servings.

This casserole varies widely in character depending on your choice of meat, bread and cheese. Using good wholegrain bread makes it much heartier. You can use any kind of cheese, but we normally use sharp cheddar because we want it to taste cheesy!

Mrs. Brantley's Spice Tea Mix

2008-11-10T09:11:00.003-07:00

My friend MamaMentor graciously emailed me this alternate recipe for Russian Tea that she uses. Her recipe and comments follow.

Mrs. Brantley's Spice Tea Mix

1 C. Tang
1 C. sugar
1 C. instant tea powder
1 tsp. cinnamon (or to taste)
1/2 tsp. ground cloves (or to taste)
1 small package lemonade mix (the kind that makes 2 quarts)

Mix together and keep in an airtight container. Add a couple of heaping spoonfuls to a cup of hot water and stir.

I often give this as a gift at Christmas time. Mrs. Brantley was my "dorm mother" in college.

Breakfast Casserole

2008-11-08T08:31:00.002-07:00

"Refrigerator Velcro" is a term I learned from Alton Brown of Food Network's Good Eats. It refers to any recipe that is versatile enough to use up just about any leftovers in the fridge. My favorite fridge velcro recipe is Breakfast Casserole.

It's excellent for brunch potlucks because it's a hot dish with protein, and it is really easy to throw together the night before for baking in the morning.

Breakfast Casserole

Whole package of ground sausage OR bacon
8-12 oz. of a green vegetable, chopped (broccoli is best; spinach
works, but do add extra salt because the flavor can be overpowering;
red and/or green bell peppers would be good too; asparagus works if chopped)
Onion, chopped
Bread (enough to line the bottom of a casserole dish; use ANY bread item you have--fresh or stale--sliced bread is good; bagels are awesome; hot dog buns are handy; and don't be afraid to mix different kinds)
Softened butter (not melted)
Cheddar Cheese, shredded
12 eggs
2 C. milk (whole is tastiest, but anything will do)
1 spoonful Mustard (prepared; Dijon is great if you have it, but doesn't matter)
Salt & Pepper to taste

In a largeish skillet, saute onions and brown the sausage. (If using bacon, drain and crumble when crisp, then saute onions.) Add veggies to the pan and cook/heat through.

Spray a 9x13 casserole dish with cooking spray. Lightly butter the bread, then line the bottom of the pan with buttered side up. Pour meat/veggies mixture evenly over the bread. Sprinkle cheddar cheese over the top.

Whisk eggs, milk, mustard, salt, and pepper together until blended. Pour egg mixture evenly into the pan. Refrigerate overnight (best) or bake immediately.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Bake for 60 minutes or until the eggs have set. Served best at room temperature (as opposed to piping hot).

Enjoy experimenting with this!

5-minute Chocolate Cake, revised!

2008-11-06T08:40:00.001-07:00

You may remember the 5-minute chocolate cake I posted back in September. My young friend Legossi wanted to try it for her family, but they have various food allergies, so she modified it and sent me the recipe.

So for those of you who might have gluten, dairy, or egg issues, you'll love this.

Gluten Free, Dairy Free, Egg Free Chocolate Mug Cake

3 Tbsp. Brown Rice flour
1 Tbsp. Tapioca flour
1/4 tsp. Xanthan gum
4 Tbsp. sugar
2 Tbsp. baking cocoa
1-1/2 tsp egg replacer
1 Tbsp. Water
3 Tbsp. rice milk
3 Tbsp. oil
3 Tbsp. chocolate chips (optional if you can find dairy free chocolate chips)
a small splash of vanilla extract
1 coffee mug

Add dry ingredients to mug, and mix well. Add egg, and mix thoroughly. Pour in the milk and oil. Mix well. Add chocolate chips (if desired) and vanilla extract. Mix well! Since the ingredients are gluten free, it may require more mixing than the other version of this cake because tapioca flour does not like to be mixed in!

Put in microwave and microwave 2 minutes and 30 seconds. Don't overcook or it'll become very, very chewy.

If you're not allergic to egg, then use a real egg instead of egg replacer because the egg replacer makes it a bit chewier than if it had a real egg in it.

The price of allergies.

Oatmeal, Banana, Peanut Butter, Chocolate Chip Cookies

2008-11-04T09:21:00.001-07:00

A mouthful of a name for a cookie, isn't it? I suppose that's what you get when an amateur baker makes up her own cookie recipe. This is a modified/combined recipe from Betty Crocker's basic peanut butter cookies and a chocolate chip banana bar recipe from a unique cookie cookbook.

Oatmeal, Banana, Peanut Butter, Chocolate Chip Cookies

1/2 C. white sugar
1/2 C. packed brown sugar
1/2 C. shortening
1/2 C. peanut butter (chunky or creamy, whatever you like)
1 egg
3-4 very ripe bananas
Splash of milk
1/2 to 1 C. quick-cooking oatmeal (or 2-3 oatmeal packets, any flavor)
1-1/4 C. flour
3/4 tsp. baking soda
Pinch of salt

Combine sugars and egg til creamed (lighter in color and fluffy). Add remaining wet ingredients and mix well. Add dry ingredients. Mix well. Add chocolate chips at the end in whatever amount is demanded by those eating the cookies.

Scoop onto a lightly-sprayed baking sheet (or on parchment paper). Press down ever so slightly. They will only spread a little bit. Bake at 375 for 8-12 minutes, depending on your oven. Place on a cooling rack until cool enough to handle so you can eat them faster. Store in an airtight container.

These are great for lunches because they are so wholesome with the bananas and oatmeal. You could add raisins or nuts too if you (or your little students) like them.

COOKIE TIP: Cookies will continue to cook for a short time after leaving the oven, so pull them from the oven just before they look done. If they look done in the oven, they'll likely be overdone by time you get them off the baking sheet.

Russian Tea

2008-11-02T08:37:00.002-07:00

A few Christmases ago, my sister-in-law Kate, maker of those amazing Toasted Raviolis, gave jars of Russian Tea as a part of her goody-laden Christmas baskets.

I had never heard of Russian Tea (though apparently I was in the minority with the rest of the world), but once I tried it, I was hooked. It is particularly great for sore throats or uneasy tummies. This recipe makes a good-sized batch, so it will last for many cups of orange-spicey goodness. This is a modified version from various recipes I found on the internet.

Russian Tea

2 C. instant tea (green tea with lemon flavoring is great)
2 C. Tang
1 C. white sugar
1-2 Tbsp. cinnamon
1-2 Tbsp. cloves
Lemondrops (roughly smashed in a plastic bag with a heavy glass)

You will likely need to buy two containers of Tang, unless you can find really big ones. But two cups of a drink mix is a lot. Mix all ingredients thoroughly with a fork in a large bowl.

To serve, heat a mug of water for 2 minutes in the microwave or start with hot water. Add 2-3 Tbsp. Russian Tea mix and stir til dissolved.

If you know why this standard holiday beverage is called Russian Tea, please comment and let us know! Of course, I may be embarrassed to find out that it simply resembles a traditional Russian tea. :oP

Aunt Karen's Fruit Salad

2008-10-31T09:14:00.005-06:00

Many years ago, my aunt Karen visited and shared with us her famous fruit salad recipe. I loved it so much that I asked her to write it down for me. My mom laminated it, and I have had it in my arsenal ever since. This recipe makes a LOT of fruit salad, so it's great for potlucks or big groups and families.

Aunt Karen's Fruit Salad

1 pkg. vanilla pudding (cook & serve kind)
1 pkg. tapioca pudding (cook $ serve kind)
1 lg. can peaches
1 lg. can mandarin oranges
1 lg. can pineapple tidbits
3 barely under-ripe bananas

Drain juice from the cans into a bowl or large measuring cup. Add enough water to make 3 cups. Whisk in both pudding mixes and microwave on high for 3 minutes. Stir, then microwave for another 3 minutes. Allow to cool completely.

Cut up any canned fruit halves or slices into bite-sized pieces. Mix the cooled pudding with the canned fruit. Add sliced bananas and toss gently. Serve chilled.

You could add maraschino cherries, and the temptation is great let me tell you, but it will turn the pudding a strange reddish pink color that resembles the gel in "salmon egg" fish bait, so I don't recommend it. ;o)

Stuffed French Toast

2008-10-29T09:19:00.000-06:00

Sometimes we just have to spoil ourselves for dinner. Yes, dinner. We're a breakfast-at-dinner family for sure. My daughter likes Malt-O-Meal for lunch on the weekends. LOL This is a recipe I modified from a breakfast cookbook.

Stuffed French Toast

Filling:
8 oz. brick cream cheese
1/4 C. packed brown sugar
1/4 C. maple syrup (or white sugar)
1 Tbsp. vanilla
Orange Zest (optional)
Cinnamon
Pinch of salt

Combine these ingredients, then stir in (if desired) chopped, roasted nuts (any kind you like) or shredded, toasted coconut.

The Bread:
Use regular, sliced bread. Butter one side of each. Make a sandwich, buttered side out, by spreading the filling mixture between two slices of bread.

If you're feeling ambitious, slice a whole loaf at about 1" thick to make 8 slices, then create a pocket in them for the filling. Butter both sides and stuff with equal measures of filling.

Dipping Mixture:
1 C. whole milk or half & half
3 large eggs
1/4 C. flour
3 Tbsp. white sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
1 Tbsp. vanilla
pinch of salt

Soak each sandwich (or stuffed slice) in the egg mixture, turning to coat both sides until saturated, but not falling apart.

In a skillet, melt a pat of butter with a splash of vegetable oil. At medium-low heat, cook as many slices as you can fit without crowding each other, until golden brown on both sides. (Be careful when flipping the sandwiches; they can slide apart pretty quickly.)

Transfer the French toast to a baking sheet, and bake in a 400 degree oven til puffy and crisp on the outside. (About 6-10 minutes.) Serve fresh from the oven with maple syrup or your sugary breakfast topping of choice.

Product Review: Dishers

2008-10-27T09:44:00.003-06:00

I admit, I am a closet kitchen gadget lover. It's a trait I inherited from my mom, who loves to have all the new and cutest kitchen gear available. However, I've been blessed (and yes I say blessed) with small kitchens and limited drawer/counter space since I've had my own space to clutter up.

So I've had to curb my desires for fun stuff and go for functional instead. "Everything must serve many purposes" is my mantra, adopted from Alton Brown of Food Network's Good Eats.

Looking at dishers, those shiny kitchen devices that resemble ice cream scoopers, they appear to take up a lot of drawer space for perhaps only one purpose. However, I have to say that once I gave in and tried it, I would highly recommend getting one small to medium size disher for your own kitchen.

They're great for scooping cookies of equal sizes, forming meatballs, even measuring pancake or muffin batter. I have a smallish one that is perfect for mini-muffins, and if I need to make bigger muffins, I just use two scoops instead of one.

Yes, it takes up room in the drawer, but it's handy for so many things. If you have a disher, what size is it, and how do you like to use yours?

The Versatile Pancake

2008-10-25T14:00:00.003-06:00

My kids love a hot breakfast, and I love being able to make it for them on the fly. We used to spend $8-10 on frozen waffles every two weeks, but I soon realized that a $3 box of baking mix will make enough pancakes to last almost an entire month.

So I make a huge batch, adding to the dry mix such goodies as cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, brown sugar, pancake syrup, jam, etc. (Not all at once, mind you!)

No need to measure the water or milk either. Just add enough so the consistency is wetter than you probably think it should be. You want it to be able to pour easily, not plop it. (Rather like good, wet mud.) If you add too much water, just add in a little more baking mix. Use a small ladle to make measuring easy.

Keep the heat at medium since you're going to be cooking for awhile. Remove the pan from the heat and spray with non-stick cooking spray between pan-fulls.

I flip dozens of flapjacks in one session, cooling them on racks. The cooled pancakes can be layered with paper towels in a plastic bag and frozen.

(No, that isn't mold, for this batch, I shook sprinkles on the cakes after ladling them into the pan. They melted when I flipped them. But hey, they still taste the same!)

Lay the bags flat in the freezer at first, but once they reach Frisbee rigidity, they can be stacked like cards (or Frisbees for that matter) or however you'd like so you can reserve space in your freezer.

To warm them up, wrap loosely in a paper towel and microwave for 30-45 seconds or, better yet, to keep them crispy on the outside, place them in a toaster oven at just above medium high heat and press the button for toast.

Impromptu Caramel Apple Topping
Bite-sized apple chunks, peeled
Caramel sauce
Butter

Melt a pat of butter in a pan. Add apples and cook til tender. Add enough caramel sauce to coat the apples and then some. Serve over pancakes or waffles or...ice cream!

PERSONAL NOTE: My kids love the fruit cups from Chick-fil-A, but they aren't crazy about the apple chunks. I save these and use them the next day for pancake topping. A couple extra containers of caramel sauce from McDonald's apple dippers work great for this recipe. (I know, we probably eat out WAY too much!)

A Review: Worcestershire Sauce

2008-10-25T08:44:00.005-06:00

I was once told by a timid cook that she was afraid of Worcestershire sauce. There's nothing to be afraid of here! (Except perhaps spelling it correctly.) This dark lovely condiment is a fermented combination of a dozen or so ingredients which may include vinegar, molasses, high fructose corn syrup, anchovies, water, onions, salt, garlic, custard, tamarind concentrate, cloves, and natural flavorings.

Worcestershire sauce is greatly versatile and can be used in both cooked and uncooked food. It can serve as a part of a marinade or as a steak sauce. It can be integrated into meatloaf and burgers or added to Chex mix to give it that extra special enhancement.

Sometimes I like to add it to things just to see what happens.

Yes, that picture above is of a whopping 18-ounce bottle of Worcestershire sauce. How long does it take for a family of two adults and two small children to get through 18 ounces of Worcestershire sauce? A LONG stinkin' time. But we did it! :oD

Fried Rice

2008-10-23T08:56:00.006-06:00

Fried rice is one of the few Asian foods my husband will eat. Coming from a Thai culinary heritage, this is tough for me. But at least he's willing to pick SOMEthing he likes from Asian cuisine. Of course, there is no other fried rice that will do except my own. He can't stand fried rice from a restaurant. So here's my version, changed and adapted over the years from my mom's original recipe:

Fried Rice

Meat (ground beef, chicken, pork, kangaroo, whatever you like)
Onion, Carrots, Celery (diced)
Frozen peas
Garlic
Eggs
Cooked rice
Soy sauce
Tomatoes (diced)

In a large skillet or wok, cook veggies (except peas and tomatoes) in a bit of oil for a few minutes til almost softened, but still firm. Push veggies to the sides of the skillet, then brown meat in the center. (Look at you, you're stir frying!)

In a separate bowl, whisk eggs and a couple splashes of soy sauce together until smooth. The number of eggs you use greatly depends on how much egg you like in your fried rice and how much you're making. For example, my mom's original recipe calls for two of the white ovoids. With the way my husband likes his fried rice, I am now up to using seven eggs for one batch.

Push the meat and veggies up to the sides of the skillet. Pour in the egg mixture in the center and stir constantly until it begins to firm and form like scrambled eggs. It's fine at this point if some of the meat and veggies from the edges decide they're destined for an omelet. Just try to keep the eggs in the center of the pan.

Once the eggs are almost set (they will finish cooking as you finish stirring), go ahead and mix it all together, then add the rice by cupfuls until you have an even ratio of rice to vegetables/meat. Add peas.

Pour on the soy sauce and keep stirring it up. Taste as you go until you get it to the saltiness you prefer. Toss in diced tomatoes at the very end.

Fried rice goes with many different things, as well as stands up just fine on it's own thank-you-very-much, served along with some cool, sliced cucumbers. YUM.

Product Review: Floured Baking Spray

2008-10-21T10:19:00.002-06:00

Can I just make an editorial comment here? The No-Stick Cooking Spray with Flour is a product made by Crisco.

I was enamored by the amazing commercial footage which touted how easy it would make baking for me and how efficient and quick preparing pans would soon become. Have you ever seen those commercials?

Well, I'm here to tell you that it DOES work. It IS faster than greasing and flouring a pan the old fashioned way. However, it's not nearly as glamorous as the commercials made it out to be. For one thing...

The spray does not stay a floury white after spraying onto the pan. It turns clear like any other spray.
The product DOES coat fairly evenly, but a few applications may be necessary for the corners.
And the nozzle collects this horrid yellow goo at the top after just a couple consecutive sprays. Gah!

Needless to say, this is a two-sided review of Crisco's No-Stick Cooking Spray with Flour. While it's an effective product for those bakers out there who are in a hurry, if you get grossed out easily, then perhaps you ought to stick to tradition and get out the paper towel and shortening.

Easiest Chicken Cattiatore Ever

2008-10-19T08:42:00.003-06:00

Cattiatore means "cooked in a casserole." I've mostly baked my chicken cattiatore, however this is one I cooked in the slow cooker. It worked great and was a lot less work than fussing over the oven.

The Easiest Chicken Cattiatore Ever

4-5 chicken breasts
1 can diced Italian-style tomatoes (tomato soup will do in a pinch, but it won't be the same)
1 can cream of chicken (or mushroom or celery, whatever you have on hand)
mushrooms
tomatoes (yes, more!)
onions
bell peppers
rosemary, basil, garlic salt & pepper, parsley
splash o' milk

Place chicken in a single layer in a large casserole dish (or slow cooker) coated with non-stick spray. Combine remaining ingredients. Pour over chicken. NOTE: If you're doing this in the slow cooker, feel free to just throw it all in without mixing. It will meld together as it heats.

Bake, uncovered, at 375 for 45 minutes if the chicken was thawed. If it was frozen (like my chicken usually is), bake for 80-90 minutes. If you're going the slow cooker way, give it at least 5-6 hours if the chicken is frozen, perhaps 3-4 if it isn't.

Serve over rice. The vegetation-liquid part of this dish is uber delicious after soaking into the rice on your plate. Mmm... Also great with Cheesy Garlic Bread.

Cheesy Garlic Bread

2008-10-17T01:28:00.000-06:00

I have to admit that the frozen garlic bread you can get at the store is absolutely mouth-watering. But as with most things, sometimes it's tastier (and cheaper) to make your own. Good garlic bread doesn't take a whole lot really. I bet you have what you need right this very second.

Cheesy Garlic Bread

Sliced bread or rolls (club rolls shown)
Butter or margarine
Shredded mozzerella or another good, melty cheese
Garlic salt

Split rolls in half lengthwise if necessary. (You can even use sliced sandwich bread if that's all you've got, but I would suggest using the toaster oven to avoid any nasty bread burns.) Spread one side with butter, then shake on some garlic salt.

SIDE TIP: Make your own garlic salt by combining a 2-to-3 ratio of table salt and garlic powder.

Place bread on a baking sheet and sprinkle with cheese. Bake at 400 degrees for 8-12 minutes, depending on the thickness of your bread. You're going for a nice brown on the cheese.

This side dish goes great with any Italian meals, especially tomato-based ones that require the sopping of plates with bread.

Coming up next is a recipe that would be perfect for Cheesy Garlic Bread: Chicken Cattiatore

Daring Sandwich I

2008-10-15T01:06:00.006-06:00

I know I've mentioned the infamous peanut butter and mayo sandwich, which I must one day share, but today, I unveil one of my secret loves--tuna. Within the last few years, I discovered Albacore tuna which knocks conventional canned tuna out of the water. (A good tuna steak is not what you would think either. It actually doesn't taste at all like a giant slab of canned tuna. But I digress.)

Since discovering this whiter, tastier variety of tuna, I've taken to having my favorite version of tuna salad sandwich. If you usually put potato chips in your sandwiches and like the taste of all the ingredients below, then don't knock this weird combination until you've tried it.

Daring Sandwich I, Tuna Edition

1 can Albacore tuna (water drained onto a plate for the cats)
Real mayonnaise
Garlic salt & garlic pepper
1 stalk celery (finely diced)
Chow mein noodles
2 or 4 slices of bread

Toss the tuna, mayo, S&P, and celery in a bowl. Gently mix until evenly combined. Add S&P as needed to taste. Spread the tuna salad onto bread, then top with a goodish sprinkling of chow mein noodles. Enjoy!

One of the keys to great tuna salad is refrigerating the can of tuna ahead of time. Warm canned tuna is just... *shudders* Let's just not go there.

Food 911: Tip #1

2008-10-13T10:34:00.003-06:00

Sara from Sara's Sojourns commented earlier this month:

The place I'm staying doesn't have pickle relish (I know, that's sorta un-American!) and my fish was already in the oven and I wanted tartar sauce to go with it.

So I searched the fridge and came up with sweet baby gherkins (pickles for the uninformed) and then I found a cheese grater. I put a few of those pickles over the small side of the grater. Worked like a charm!

Great tip, Sara! Thanks muchly!

If you have a cooking, baking, substitution, or otherwise food-related tip, please email it to myfooblog (at) gmail (dot) com. Be sure to include a link to your own blog if you would like me to add it to your post. Thanks!

Quick Tortilla Soup

2008-10-11T12:53:00.009-06:00

I love recipes that can be made from food in the pantry, and this is based on one of those. My brother has a recipe for Tortilla Soup that's made entirely from canned items, but this one has a few fresh ingredients added.

Quick Tortilla Soup

Diced veggies (Onions, Celery, Bell Peppers)
Green Chilies to taste (canned are fine)
1 can corn n' peppers
1 can diced tomatoes (with green chilies)
1 can black beans
+ any additional veggies you like for tortilla soup (e.g. zucchini, yellow squash, more corn, etc.)
1 box chicken or beef broth
diced steak or chicken (cooked)
water
Garlic Salt & Garlic Pepper (regular S&P will do fine too)
Cumin
Shredded cheese
Tortilla chips

Sauté diced fresh veggies in the bottom of a large pot or dutch oven. Once softened, add canned veggies (including any liquid), broth, and meat. Add enough water to come up 1-2 inches above the ingredients. Add salt, pepper, and cumin to taste. Simmer for 10-15 minutes.

Serve hot with crumbled tortilla chips or strips (see previous post) and cheese. We like to put the tortilla chips with some cheese on the bottom, spoon soup over the mound, then top with more chips and cheese.

NOTE: The type of cheese is up to you. Any cheeses with gooey potential will be fabulous--cheddar, Monterrey Jack, "Mexican" blends, even mozzarella.

Baked Tortilla Strips (or chips)

2008-10-09T12:22:00.005-06:00

Store-bought tortilla chips are absurdly expensive for what they are (i.e. flour, water, salt). So I like to make my own whenever the opportunity arises. That is, whenever I have tortillas that are about to go stale.

I bake them so there's no frying (or extra fat) involved. It produces a denser (and I think tastier) chip that stands up to dips really well. Not to mention you can buy fresh tortillas for pennies each, making these chips much more affordable.

Baked Tortilla Strips

Cut corn or flour tortillas into strips or triangles (or whatever shape suits your fancy) onto a dry baking sheet. A pizza pan with holes in it works excellently.

Spray with cooking spray. You could sprinkle a little salt on them if you wish at this point. Toss gently to coat, then spread them out evenly.

Bake at 325 degrees until crisp and light brown. I usually put the pan in as I'm preheating, then 15 minutes after turning the oven on, I turn it off. Leave them in til the oven cools or until you get a chance to remove them later. (Or the next time you open your oven to bake cookies. *oops*)

These strips are fabulous for Tortilla Soup, the recipe for which will be posted next!

Roasting Veggies

2008-10-07T10:18:00.007-06:00

There's a very simple way enhance the flavor of just about any vegetable that might otherwise be given a lack luster steam bath, only to be later ignored or shoved off behind that mound of unchewable steak fat. That, my friend, is roasting.

Roasting causes caramelization which means that sugar is brought out of the food and burned on the surface. Ooo, yum, right? But didn't you catch that? SUGAR! So the simple math equation goes like this:

roasting (caramelization) + veggies = sweetened veggies

I've tried this method with many different veggies, and so far everything has been a success. Hey, if roasting can make brussel sprouts taste good, then we must be on to something!

Roasting Method

Slice, dice, or whatever you'd like to do to put the veggies into edible shapes. Place them on a baking sheet lined with foil. Spray somewhat liberally with cooking spray, then sprinkle generously with Kosher salt and fresh cracked pepper. Toss to coat.

Spread the veggies out evenly on the pan and roast in the oven at 400-425 degrees until the edges begin to turn dark brown. (Usually 10-15 minutes.)

Vegetables that were once loathed (for various reasons, not always taste), but now loved in our house due to the roasting method: corn on the cob, asparagus, whole green beans, zucchini and other squashes. We also like roasting red potatoes, bell peppers, mushrooms, and purple onion wedges.

Sherbet Float

2008-10-05T00:31:00.006-06:00

Sherbet Float

Your choice of sherbet flavors
Lemon Lime Soda

It seems pretty easy, and it is! Simply scoop some sherbet into a glass, then top it off with the soda. This is a fruity version of a root beer float that is not only delicious, but also very pretty to boot.

Sherbet vs. Sorbet
The difference between sorbet and sherbet is easier to keep clear straight than their namesakes. A sherbet is made with milk or another fat, making it much more like ice cream than a sorbet.

A sorbet is technically Italian ice and is somewhat grainy in texture. If you've ever had a granita, then you've had a true sorbet.

You CAN use a sorbet in this recipe--hey, I'm all about the experimentation!--but I like the sherbet because of its creaminess.

Baking Tip #1: Unused Muffin Cups

2008-10-03T08:54:00.003-06:00

If you're not using all the cups in a muffin tin, put an ice cube in each unused cup to even out the heating and protect your pan from burning.

p.s. Those silicone baking dishes are bunk. They don't get hot enough to give anything a good enough browning, and they're a pain to stand up in the dishwasher.

EDIT: (10/4/08) Linda B gave an excellent suggestion for silicone muffin pans in the comments of this post: "The silicone muffin cups are great for poaching eggs en masse, though. That's what I use them for. Just a little spoon of water in each one, then break an egg into each one, season, and cover with foil. Bake at 350 for 10-20 minutes (depending on how firm you want them) and voila! A dozen poached eggs!"

Smoothies in Less Than a Minute

2008-10-01T08:53:00.003-06:00

I have a strange fascination with infomercials. I love to watch them, but 98% of the time, it's my interest in marketing ploys, er, techniques that has me fixated to the screen at 2:00 a.m. Admittedly, most of the stuff sold on TV is extra junk and clutter.

The Magic Bullet, however, is one of those things which actually looked like a good idea. It doesn't take up a lot of space, and it makes single servings. Strangely enough, a couple weeks after I saw their infomercial for the first time and completely unsolicited, my mom gave me a Magic Bullet. It's been sitting on our counter, getting used at least a few times a month, sometimes a few times a week, and mainly for breakfast smoothies.

Quick Fruit Smoothie

Fruit
Yogurt
Orange Juice (or milk)

Start with any fruit you have on hand (canned, frozen, fresh), and don't be afraid to mix fruits. If you have some leftover peaches, go ahead and throw them in with the pears. Who knows? It might actually be yummy. (Or you won't even taste the difference.) Any stone fruit (fruit that has a seed), berries, or other soft stuff like bananas, are going to be great for smoothies.

Add some yogurt and juice or milk. Use as much as you like. A whole Yoplait container is usually perfect, but do whatever strikes your fancy that morning.

Try different kinds of yogurt too. The combinations really are endless. I usually have a standby of vanilla yogurt on hand, but don't shy away from throwing in that blueberry yogurt with a banana and some pineapple. Maybe try the key lime yogurt with some mandarin oranges. Ooo... That sounds pretty good actually.

The amount of juice or milk you add depends on how thick you'd like your smoothie to be. More liquid for a more drinkable smoothie; less for a spoonable one.

Blend your ingredients in a blender until smooth.

Of course you don't HAVE to have a Magic Bullet to make smoothies. You could make it in your food processor if that's all you have. The Bullet just makes it a whole lot easier and requires less cleanup.

Experimentation Tip: I've heard of people adding instant coffee to their smoothies for a little extra kick. I haven't tried it before because I'm not sure how I feel about mingling fruit with the sacred beverage. Also, my opinion of instant coffee is not very high. At all.

If you've tried this before, do comment! I would be interested to hear if it makes a difference in taste or potency.

How to Cut a Mango

2008-09-30T08:38:00.000-06:00

A mango is a popular tropical fruit that can be found in most grocery stories. Though fresh mango is incredibly tasty, it is one of the most perplexing fruits to cut. It has a large, almond shaped seed on the inside which holds onto the mango flesh like it never wants to let go. There are plenty of tips and tricks out there on wrangling this fibrous fruit, but here's the one that always seems to work for me.

1. Start with a good, ripe mango. That is, it should yield to pressure just a hair over "slightly."

2. Slice off the mango's "cheeks." Think of your mango in terms of having three parts: two sides and one seed. The cheeks are the meaty sides of a fruit. You can tell by the shape of the body which direction the seed lies inside.

Use a sharp knife and cut as close to the seed as you can on either side. You will then have three parts.

3. Score the flesh into cubes, but only cut to just inside the skin; then invert to make the cubes pop out for easy removal.

The real key here is to make sure your mango is ripe. You may need to experiment over time to get a good sense of when a mango is at its peak. If it doesn't yield to gentle pressure, it's not ready.

How do YOU slice your mangoes? Comment and share!

Coming up: A short infomercial, and Make a Fruit Smoothie in less than a minute!

In-A-Pinch Breadcrumbs

2008-09-28T08:48:00.003-06:00

Breadcrumbs are one of those things that are great to have on hand in the pantry because they don't really go bad very quickly. But sometimes you just don't have them or you need a little more than what you've got left in the bag.

Never fear! Breadcrumbs are easy to substitute and a lot of fun to experiment with. Here are some options for you:

1. Use stuffing mix. Yes, I'm talking Stove Top or even your average generic brand of stuffing mix. I actually prefer using these to "regular" breadcrumbs because they're already seasoned. Just pop the dry mix into the food processor* and whirl away until you have what you need.

2. Make them homemade! Yes, you can make homemade breadcrumbs in no time whatsoever. Take several slices of whatever sandwich bread you have on hand and process into crumbs. Toast them on a cookie sheet in the oven at 400 degrees or in a dry pan on the stove.

I've never tried toasting the bread first and THEN processing it, and I bet it would work, but I'm guessing it would take longer. My toaster oven can only handle three slices of bread at a maximum. But of course, if you had leftover toast for some reason or other leftover bread, those would work perfectly.

3. Mix and match your dry pantry goods. Crackers are a staple that should always be kept in your pantry for all your cooking, baking, and snacking needs. Dump a sleeve of them into the food processor and add some extra flavor with potato chips, sliced almonds (the flavored ones for salads are great for this), sunflower seeds, or whatever you have that's dry and sounds like a good flavor match for what you're using the breadcrumbs for.

I used Townhouse crackers and ranch-flavored sliced almonds for the breadcrumbs in Kate's Toasted Ravioli.

* No food processor? No problem! Get yourself a large baggie and crack away at it with a rolling pin, a rock, your fist, or I suppose you could use a sturdy coffee mug.

KW's Creamy Coffee Cake

2008-09-26T09:07:00.000-06:00

The reason why this is called a "creamy" coffee cake is because it is so moist, you won't even believe it. It hails from my dear friend KW in California. She shared it with me last summer during a time when I was charged with feeding 30+ hungry teenagers for 10 days.

KW's Creamy Coffee Cake

1/2 C. oil
1 pkg. instant vanilla pudding (larger box if you can find it)
4 eggs
1 box yellow cake mix (or white or whatever you like)
2 tsp. vanilla
8 oz. sour cream (roughly)

Blend and mix for 2 minutes in mixer on medium speed. Grease your cake pan. You can use an angel food pan like KW does or I've found that a bundt pan works great too.

Pour 1/2 mixture into cake pan. Go easy on this half because it always seems like you need more, when really, the second half is going to come up short. Now make the topping.

1/2 C. ground pecans (or coarsely chopped; toasted if you can)
3/4 C. brown + granulated sugar (mixed)
cinnamon (I never measure cinnamon; it's way too good to measure)

Sprinkle 1/2 of the topping over the batter in the pan, then swirl with knife. Pour in remaining batter, then drop in the rest of the topping. Bake 1 hour at 350 degrees.

KW has made this recipe as muffins. It made 24; she baked them at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes. I fully intend to give that a try one of these days.

Kate's Toasted Ravioli

2008-09-24T01:16:00.002-06:00

My sister-in-law, Kate, is not only the loveliest woman ever to grace my brother's romantic path, but she is also a very fine cook. A few years ago, she shared this recipe with me, and it quickly became one of our family's staple meals.

Kate's Toasted Ravioli

Frozen Ravioli (whatever kind you like)
Breadcrumbs
Grated Parmesan
Milk

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Fill a shallow dish with breadcrumbs and mix in a generous sprinkling of Parmesan. Fill another dish with milk. Dip raviolis one at a time in the milk, then breadcrumbs, pressing down on them to coat with crumbs. No need to thaw the raviolis first. They're much easier to handle when they're still frozen.

TIP: Use one hand to grab the ravioli from the bag, dip, and drop into the milk. Then use the other hand to scoop, cover, and press breadcrumbs. This will eliminate the infamous "club fingers" that will inevitably come with messy wet breading procedures.

Place the coated ravioli onto a lightly sprayed baking sheet and bake at 400 degrees. Bake time varies depending on the size of your ravioli. It may only take 15 minutes, but it might take up to 25.

Start with 10 minutes, then check them. You're looking for a nice golden brown color. You'll need to flip halfway through the cooking time, so be sure to keep an eye on them. (They don't burn super easy though, so don't get TOO stressed out about it.) As Kate told me, "You'll know they're ready when they start oozing filling."

Serve with marinara or spaghetti sauce, whatever you like to do. I served mine last night with a mushroom spaghetti sauce with ground beef and onions added.

The Plymouth Fury II

2008-09-22T08:28:00.001-06:00

This is a knock-off from a little delicatessen called Firebrand in eastern Colorado. They call it the Plymouth Fury because it has turkey and cranberry sauce in it. (You know, Thanksgiving, pilgrims, Plymouth Rock, etc.) My Junior year of college, I probably ate one of these at least twice a week. Their soup at the Firebrand is to DIE for.

I've knocked-off the Plymouth Fury many times over the years in various incarnations. This is the latest one and the first I have documented.

The Plymouth Fury II

Bread (original uses sourdough)
Sliced deli turkey
Cream Cheese
Cranberry sauce (whole or jellied)
Lettuce (original uses alfalfa sprouts)

Spread your bread or roll or bagel with a generous offering of cream cheese. Both sides please. Arrange the turkey, then top with cranberry sauce and lettuce. (I have to say that the alfalfa sprouts are quite tasty. But I don't usually buy that sort of thing.)

5-Minute Chocolate Mug Cake

2008-09-20T19:33:00.010-06:00

We have our first new Foo Fan recipe submission! Thank you to Michelle for passing along this little dandy of a treat. I couldn't resist trying it. Who doesn't have five minutes to invest for some chocolate cake love? Nom nom nom...

5-Minute Chocolate Mug Cake

4 Tbsp. flour
4 Tbsp. sugar
2 Tbsp. baking cocoa
1 egg
3 Tbsp. milk
3 Tbsp. oil
3 Tbsp. chocolate chips(optional)
a small splash of vanilla extract
1 coffee mug

Add dry ingredients to mug, and mix well. Add egg, and mix thoroughly. Pour in the milk and oil. Mix well. Add chocolate chips (if desired) and vanilla extract. Mix well! [Is your fork getting tired yet?]

Put your mug in the microwave and cook for 3 minutes at 1000 watts. [Here's a site that will convert wattage for your oven.] The cake will rise over the top of the mug, but don't be alarmed!

Allow to cool a little (the mug WILL be hot), and tip out onto a plate if you like. Then EAT!

Michelle says, "This can serve two if you want to feel slightly more virtuous."

Suggested Experimentations:
* Add more than the necessary chocolate chips
* Swirl in couple Tbsp. raspberry preserves
* Add coconut
* Swirl in chocolate syrup (like for milk)
* Add nuts

For any of these additions, you could simply sprinkle/pour them on top, and they will sink in as the cake bakes.

The Taste Test: This is most definitely a good one if you're in serious need of chocolate fix. I would highly recommend not skimping out on the chocolate chips--in fact, be generous! I'm going to try putting in some raspberry preserves someday in the future. It was a lot of fun to make. Thanks, Michelle!

The Fooblog is back! (with Hot Dogs)

2008-09-18T21:37:00.007-06:00

I have been doing Project 365 which is a challenge to take one picture a day for one year, and I've been chronicling my efforts on my Project 365 blog. I've noticed that I take a hefty number of images that feature food in some way or another.

So since I've got my camera out already, I'm going to go ahead and bring this blog back after it's lain dormant for nearly four years. After all, I love cooking (and eating), so I might as well share that with the world. Again.

One of my passions is experimenting with food. I'm not a picky eater, and ever since I had the peanut butter and mayo sandwich my friend Ed recommended, I rarely knock a strange concoction until I've tried it. I would ask you to do the same with some of the strange things I might post. ;o)

That said, I do believe I'll start us off with something truly interesting. Follows is a step-by-step recipe for a grilled cheese that just about any kid is going to love. My daughter is one of the pickiest eaters I know, and she ate the entire sandwich with zero reminders to focus on her plate.
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Dogged Grilled Cheese

Split one hot dog per sandwich into thirds vertically. Grill the slices on both sides.

Butter one side of each slice of bread, two per sandwich of course.

Add some slices of cheese to the unbuttered side of half the bread slices. Velveeta works excellently.

Place the grilled hot dog slices on the cheese.

Top the sandwiches with their other halves and grill as you normally would for grilled cheese. Careful when you flip!

Serve just slightly cooled down because that cheese can get hot and cooling helps the goo congeal. Doesn't it sound delicious already? Congealed goo...mmm...

We served ours with vegetable alphabet soup, and both my kids ate every last bit. I was truly amazed.

The future of Fooblog

2004-12-14T23:07:00.001-07:00

Well, as it seems, I just don't have the time to keep up on Fooblog any longer. I wish I could, but I don't know if I can! Sadly, Fooblog may disappear from this site.

But don't lose hope! I will perhaps try to occassionally add a recipe to my regular blog. So keep an eye out there.

Until later, may you have many empty plates followed by full tummies!

Chicken, Black Bean & Tortilla Casserole

2004-06-18T22:42:00.001-06:00

Nobody really likes the word "casserole", do they? But they're easy... and often tasty too! So here's a recipe Heath got from work one day that we tried out:

2 chicken breasts (diced)
1 Tbsp. minced garlic
2 tsp. cumin
1 chopped onion
chopped green bell peppers
14.5 oz. can diced Mexican-style tomatoes
3/4 c. salsa
2 15 oz. cans black beans (drained and rinsed)
6 7-inch tortillas
2 c. shredded cheddar cheese (mozzarella might be good too)

In a large skillet, brown the chicken with a little garlic salt and pepper, the cumin, and the minced garlic. Add the onions and bell peppers and cook a bit longer.

Add undrained tomatoes and salsa. Simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes. Stir in the beans.

Spray a 2-quart baking dish with non-stick spray. Add 1/3 of the chicken-bean mixture to the pan. Sprinkle with a little cheese. Layer three tortillas on top. (I found that if you do a whole one first, then cut the next into fourths and put those with the corners in the corners of the pan, followed by another whole one atop that, then you get complete coverage. Clear as mud? Maybe I'll post an illustration if we get complaints. ;o)

Repeat the process: chicken-bean mixture, cheese, tortillas, then chicken-bean mixture. (Now stop because you've run out of tortillas!)

Top with the rest of your cheese (and a little more if you're feeling sassy). Bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving. (Needs to have that congeal-factor, like homemade pizza.)

This is a staple meal at our house. Dee-lish!

Chocolate Chip Paradise Knock Off

2004-06-07T12:06:00.002-06:00

I had to get this down before it all disappears! Heath and I went to Chili's for dinner a few weeks ago and had this awesome dessert called Chocolate Chip Paradise Pie. As I looked at it, I thought, "Huh, that doesn't look too hard to make..." So the next time we went shopping, I picked up some walnuts (not a staple around here) and got to work.

Start with a basic chocolate chip cookie recipe (minus the chips). This is one from my old Betty Crocker cookbook.

First, cream these ingredients together:
1/2 c. granulated sugar
1/2 c. brown sugar
1/3 c. margarine (softened)
1/3 c. shortening
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla

Now add:
1-1/2 c. flour
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
Mix together until smooth and tasty.

Spread the soft cookie dough out into an 11x7 baking dish. Sprinkle generously with walnuts, then lots of chocolate chips, and finally top it off with a generous helping of shredded sweetened coconut.

Bake at 375 degrees for 35-40 minutes. Oh man, this is even better than buying it at a restaurant!

Chicken & Eggs Skillet Dinner

2004-05-24T20:49:00.002-06:00

We've been eating out so much lately! Whew... it's good to eat at home...

Tonight, I started too late to make the Black Bean Casserole I'd had on the menu. So I started defrosting some cubed chicken in hopes that inspiration would hit in five minutes or less.

Well, it did and it turned out pretty tasty. I threw in some veggies that we had lying around plus a can of Mexican tomatoes. But the wrench in all this is that I forgot to get any pasta or rice going to serve with this concoction. So what did we use? Scrambled eggs! I figured it would turn out like one of those fancy skillets at the Olive Branch... and it really did!

cubed chicken
sliced onions
garlic pepper & salt
rosemary (thanks for the tip, Erica!)

Cook these up until chicken is browned. Then I added:

sliced sweet peppers
snow peas

Saute these a bit, then add 1 can Mexican style diced tomatoes and a splash of lemon juice. Simmer until the liquid has reduced.

In a separate pan, scramble some eggs. I used 3 whole eggs, 2 egg whites, and a little milk. Add cooked eggs to the chicken and veggies.

I'd imagine this would be awesome with some mozzarella cheese sprinkled on top. Then again, isn't everything awesome with cheese?

Tricia's Angel Hair Pasta & Zucchini

2004-05-17T11:16:00.002-06:00

Tonight we tried out Tricia's Angel Hair pasta and zucchini recipe.

Of course, I had to modify it - Heaven forbid I ever follow a recipe to a T. ;o)

* I used spaghetti noodles instead of angel hair because that's what we had.

* Couldn't find any fresh Parmesan at the store, so I substituted with a couple Tbsp. of grated parm. and a big handful of shredded mozzarella. I had to add extra liquid and did so with milk.

* Added: sauteed mushrooms and onions, parsley, sliced sweet peppers, garlic salt and pepper.

I was tempted to make this with shrimp or crab meat after I got started, but my husband is decidedly anti-seafood (esp. shellfish). I think it would be really good with it though.

Thanks for the recipe, Tricia! It was so nice to have something different for a change. And it tasted wonderful!

Ham, Egg & Cheese Sandwich

2004-05-17T10:59:00.001-06:00

For breakfast on Sunday, when Mike and Kate were here, I prepared these sandwiches that I've been making for myself for month. They're fast, easy and filling. What more could you want in a breakfast? Almost all the ingredients are in the title!

1 split bagel or English muffin
1 egg
4 thin slices ham (I used pre-packaged sliced ham)
1 slice of cheese (Velveeta works great)
Catalina dressing*

Heat medium skillet (or larger if you're cooking for more than one) to medium-high heat. Drop the egg in and sprinkle with pepper (and salt if you like). Break the yolk with your spatula. Cook the ham slices (stacked on top of one another) next to the egg. Cook for a few minutes and flip. Cook to desired doneness.

Toast the bagel or English muffin. While it's toasting, place the cheese on top of the egg in the pan and put the ham on top of that. This will get your cheese melting.

Drizzle a little Catalina dressing on each half of the bagel. *Now, Catalina is one of the newest staples in our house. But I'd imagine that you can use whatever kind of dressing you like - I bet Ranch would be good; I have also tried Creamy French.

Assemble your sandwich and viola! Breakfast in a hurry!

Angel Hair Pasta ala Weight Family

2004-05-11T22:46:00.001-06:00

Here's one I just received from Tricia, one of our Fooblog fans... Sounds fabulous! :o)

TRICIA SAID: Try it-you might like it! Made it off the cuff (and the FAMILY went wild), so you'll have to figure out how much this-and-that to use!

1 Package Angel Hair Pasta
2 Med. Zucchini
2 Med. Tomatoes
Sandwich Ham cut into strips (use as much as YOU like)
1 Container Ricotta Cheese
1 Container Parmesan Cheese

Cook Angel Hair Pasta according to package.
Grate zucchini with the fat holes of a vegetable grater.
Add zucchini to Spaghetti for the last three minutes of boiling.

Before you empty pasta/zucchini into strainer, scoop out 1/2 cup of the spaghetti water. (You need this to thicken the cheese).

Put Ricotta and Parmesan in pan, add just enough left over spaghetti water to make a creamy sauce. (You should not need to use the entire 1/2 cup).

Add Pasta and zucchini. Stir. Salt and pepper to taste.

Dice tomatoes. Add tomatoes and Ham to mixtures and heat through. Top with Parmesan and Serve.

Hope you like it! Tricia PS. Love the FOO-Keep it up!

Beth's Taco Salad

2004-05-11T16:32:00.002-06:00

Mom and I are totally full from all our snacking today, so I'm just making dinner for Heath tonight. I've got this great recipe from my friend Beth who used to live in Colorado. She made this dish for me before small group one night.

1 lb. ground beef
1 can kidney beans
2/3 c. Catalina dressing
1/4 c. water
1-1/3 Tbsp. chili powder

Brown the meat and onions. Add the remaining ingredients and simmer 15 minutes, stirring. Some yummy additions to put in before simmering: chopped bell peppers, corn.

Combine with 4 c. shredded lettuce (or salad mix - whatever you have), 1/2 c. scallions (optional - I've never added these), and a generous 2 c. shredded cheddar cheese. You can also top with tomatoes, avacados, or whatever you'd like.

Toss and add more cheese on top. Serve with tortilla chips or Fritos. (I recommend Fritos!)

Trailhead Cookies

2004-05-07T13:09:00.001-06:00

In order to get ready for the coming couple weeks, I did some prep-cooking yesterday. I like to make batches of cookie dough and put them in the freezer for later use - cookies anytime! Also, I needed to get some bread dough made for buns and pizza that are on the menu next week.

Here's a fun peanut butter cookie recipe that I modified in order to use up some Trail Mix we had. I'd imagine it would be great for taking with you on hikes as well because it has a lot of protein in it. The original recipe is from my old Betty Crocker cookbook.

1/2 c. granulated sugar
1/2 c. packed brown sugar
1/2 c. shortening
1/2 c. peanut butter (either crunchy or smooth - whatever you have)
1 egg
4 Tbsp. milk

Mix all these ingredients until smooth. Then add:

1-1/4 c. all-purpose white or wheat flour
3/4 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt

Mix again until thoroughly combined.

Next, take 1 to 2 cups of any kind of trail mix you have and drop it in a food processor. Add enough chocolate chips and/or yogurt chips to make it worth your time eating these cookies. (You know how much you like. ;o) Process on high until coarsely chopped. Add to your dough. Mix again until combined.

Scoop out balls of dough and flatten just slightly. If you're going to freeze these balls, be sure you do flatten them or they won't spread when you bake them later.

Oven info: 375 degrees for 10 minutes on a sprayed cookie sheet.

Remember, when it comes to cookies, take them out before they "look" done. When they look done in the oven, it's too late - they're gonna burn!

Gale's Lasagna Filling

2004-04-28T17:11:00.001-06:00

Tonight I'm making a dish of lasagna. It's always a great way to get rid of your leftover cottage cheese, isn't it? Who cares if it's a week expired - it's getting cooked, right? ;o)

I'm using a modified version of a recipe that Gale, my friend from the office, used for a Ladies Luncheon a couple years ago. The recipe is basically the same as every other lasagna recipe, but for hers, the white filling at the top goes like this:

6 oz. cream cheese
1 c. sour cream
4 diced scallions

This is how I modified it:
8 oz. cream cheese (when it comes to cream cheese - the more the merrier, I say!)
1 c. cottage cheese (ran out of sour cream)
1 beaten egg (just cause that's how I always do it)
drained and squeezed chopped spinach (for added nutrition and to make it look "gourmet")

I used some leftover spaghetti sauce from last night. I made this wild recipe that calls for cinnamon and cocoa powder! There was only about a cup left though, so I added a 14.5 oz. can of Italian-style diced tomatoes and a small can of tomato sauce. It made the perfect amount. Now the lasagna is congealing on the stove until we're all ready to eat.

Chicken Recipe & Meatballs with Peas

2004-04-28T09:49:00.001-06:00

Here are a couple recipes I just received from my old friend Erica. ("Old" as in, we've known each other since 6th grade - she's not that old!) - Dianna

ERICA WROTE: Making me hungry just reading those recipes. So I thought I'd submit a couple of my families favorites. The first one really has no name- my grandma cooks her chicken like this, and I always find it foolproof to make- takes 20- 30 min. as long as you have chicken defrosted.

GRANDMA'S NAMELESS CHICKEN
Ingredients:
3-4 Chicken Breasts (Bone in or out - if in, cooking time takes little longer)
2 T. Olive oil
1 T. Butter
1 chicken bouillon cube
1-2 fresh tomatoes diced, or 1 can diced
2 T. garlic - less if you prefer
parsley
basil
pinch of rosemary
salt and pepper
3/4 c water
1/4 c water

* Heat butter and olive oil over med. heat until warm - add garlic. (make sure you use a skillet with a 2" rim)
* Rinse and dry chicken, add salt and pepper to taste (remember bouillon is salty), then add to olive-oil/butter - remember to keep the heat on low-med. You don't want to have it completely browned or it won't suck up the juices
* Add 3/4 c water and bouillon cube
* Add tomatoes, garlic, parsley, basil, and rosemary
* Let it simmer 15-20 min. turning chicken occasionally.
* When the water has been almost entirely sucked into chicken, add the last 1/4 c. and let simmer 5 more minutes. You now have gravy for whatever else you serve with it.

I serve this with just about everything. Buttered noodles, leftover spaghetti, rice, biscuits, salad, and another of my families favorites, green beans cooked on a skillet. (2 T butter, melted in skillet over med. heat, add green beans, stir
often until cooked - watch though, they go from cooked to burnt fast!)

And because I know you are such a huge fan of peas here is another family favorite, handed down from my great-grandmother:

MEATBALLS & PEAS
1 Pd. gd. beef
1 can/bottle (or if you prefer otherwise) of mushroom gravy
ketchup
mustard
seasoned salt
bread crumbs
olive oil
1 bag of frozen peas(or again-if preferred fresh)

* Heat olive oil in large skillet over low-med. heat
* Take 1 pd. of ground beef, and in a bowl, add (you ready for this?) a squirt of ketchup, a squirt of mustard, about 1 tsp of seasoned salt, about 5T. of mushroom gravy, and enough bread crumbs to make the meatballs hold together.
* Scoop up meat and make into about 1-2" meatballs.
* Put in skillet and cook them, turning with a spoon often - try not to let them fall apart.
* Add the bag of peas, and the remainder of the mushroom gravy and about 1/4 c water (little less if peas are frozen)
* Cover and simmer until peas are cooked.

You can serve with noodles, but I prefer just a slice of buttered bread to soak up all the leftover gravy! My family can't get enough of their meatballs and peas!!!!!

Thanks for the recipes, Erica! They both sound wonderful! I'm always looking for ways to use my Rosemary. I guess I'm not sure which dishes it should go in. I'll let you know how they turn out. :o)

Cashew Chicken Salad

2004-04-26T20:07:00.001-06:00

Just tried a new recipe this evening that I got from AllRecipes.com. We originally had Fried Rice on the menu, but it just didn't sound very tasty to me. (Maybe it was because I had pineapple beef leftovers for lunch.) So I went searching for something with chicken that could be baked because I was in no mood for slaving in front of a pan for an hour. Here's what I found and how I modified it.

Original Recipe | Modified Below

Combine these and pour into a large Ziploc freezer bag:
3 Tbsp. melted butter
1 beaten egg

Put the following into a food processor and chop until coarse. I'd suggest using the "pulse" function and not holding it down too long. Otherwise your mixture will get too fine.
(generous) 1/2 c. sweetened flaked coconut
(generous) 1/2 c. cashews
10 Ritz crackers (I used wheat ones and it was awesome)
Garlic salt & garlic pepper

Pour the chopped stuff into a large Ziploc freezer bag.

Dice 4 chicken breasts and place in the first bag with the butter and beaten egg. ZIP THE BAG!! (I did actually forget to check and see if it was totally zipped and ended up having to spray down my counter with bleach.) Squish chicken around until coated.

Pour the coated chicken into the second bag with the coconut/cashew mixture. ZIP UP! (I didn't forget to check that time.) Squish chicken around as you would with Shake n' Bake until all coated.

Line a cookie sheet with foil and coat with non-stick spray. Pour out the chicken and spread it evenly over the pan.

Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

Serve over salad greens with a dressing of your choice.

We both really liked this. I wasn't sure if Heath would like it, thinking that he wouldn't enjoy the coconut. But as it turns out, he recommended that I add more coconut next time! This is definitely going into our stock of regular meals.

I pre-diced my chicken, so it wasn't a big deal to use it. Whenever we get raw (not frozen) chicken, I try to dice up some of it ahead of time and put one breast of diced chicken each in a snack size Ziploc bag. Saves time on days when I'm in a hurry - like today! You could just cut the breasts into strips if you were short on time too.

The Olive Branch

2004-04-25T22:36:00.001-06:00

Something else I wanted to note about food today: We ate at the Olive Branch today with a bunch of Heath's family. It was excellent as usual. Linda thought she tasted chemicals on her sausage, but as it turned out, it was just the sausage. Eew.

At the Olive Branch, they have these gigantic cinnamon rolls with white frosting just dripping off of them. These things can literally fill six people. They're huge! They also have yummy raisins baked in and are especially tasty with a little butter spread on them while they're hot so it melts in. Mmmm...

I ordered the Sicilian skillet just like I have done the last several times we've met Heath's family there for breakfast. It's a skillet with chorizo, potatoes, onions, eggs, and a marinara sauce. When I ordered it for the first time, I thought it would be really strange to have marinara in my breakfast. But as it turns out, it's quite tasty.

I do need to order something else next time though. How do I get into these ruts of always ordering what's "safe"?

Tortilla Pizzas & How to Make Faux Sausage

2004-04-25T19:39:00.003-06:00

Thanks for your comment, Tricia! Here's an idea for your dilemma of needing a quick dinner for teenagers.

Tortilla Pizzas
Take 6-8 flour tortillas and place them on the oven rack at 350 degrees for about 10 minutes. Pull them out and place on cookie sheets. Spray the outer edges with cooking spray to get that extra crispness you need when you pick up the pieces later.

Spread jarred spaghetti sauce on the tortillas.

Top with whatever you have around for toppings - minced mushrooms, diced green bell peppers, tomatoes, olives (not a personal fave, but my husband likes them), onions, etc. If you happen to have pepperoni around of have a moment to brown some ground beef*, all the better! (See below for a trick to making regular ground beef taste like sausage.)

Top generously with shredded mozzarella. Bake at 350 degrees for about 15 minutes or until the cheese is slightly browned and melty.

Cut into wedges as you would a pizza and serve. Deee-licious!

Now granted, if you have teenage boys, it may take 3 or 4 of these mini pizzas each to satisfy the hunger. But they're so easy to make they could probably do it themselves. Hey, they could make you dinner!

I've often used this recipe for a quick snack when we have friends over. We've always got tortillas and most of the time I can get away with just putting the sauce and cheese on it. Heath used to be an avid video game player along with several of his friends. It was great to put these little darlings out on the table for the guys to munch while they played.

Oh and don't forget the power of the Crock Pot! If you need dinner in a hurry, there's nothing like coming home and just having to dish it up!

* Making Ground Beef taste like sausage:
It's so easy, you've probably already thought of it! Just begin browning the meat. Add garlic salt, garlic pepper, and "Italian seasonings" (or oregano, basil, thyme, marjoram, rosemary, minced garlic, and crushed red pepper - if you don't have all these, just use the ones that you have - though oregano and basil are key). Brown until all the oil has been mopped up by the cooking meat and it's very dark. I made this once when my mom was in town and she looked at it saying, "I thought you didn't have any sausage!"

Welcome, welcome, welcome!

2004-04-23T19:39:00.001-06:00

I just love blogging, so I've created this second journal section of our website entitled "Fooblog." That is, it's a "Food Blog" wherein I'll post interesting recipes I've come across (or made up) and tried. But sometimes, I may just tell you what we had for dinner.

I was inspired to do this by my mom's new website. (Friends and family, email us for the link!) She has some recipes listed on hers. I realized just how big a part of our lives food is. In fact, growing up, food was always a big deal. And with my mom and I, food is still a huge part of our lives. Just come over to one of our houses and see if you can't leave without having stuffed something in your mouth!

So here's where we share. Do with this what you wish...

The first recipe I'll ever post...

We love bananas, but unfortunately bananas don't always last. So we throw them in the freezer so that one day, they may be served up as banana bread. I almost always make two loaves when I make this bread, for two reasons. One, it's always nice to spring a treat on someone. Two, it uses more of those annoying frozen bananas!

BANANA BREAD (double recipe)

1. Combine the following in a medium sized bowl:3 c. white flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. cinnamon

2. Mix the following in a separate bowl or food processor:
2 eggs
1-1/2 c. sugar
1/2 c. unsweetened applesauce

3. Defrost 5-6 frozen bananas in the microwave. (45 seconds per banana used) They may come out slimy - that's all right! Add these to the bowl or food processor and mix until bananas have been beaten to a chunky pulp.

4. Pour in the flour mixture and mix some more until just combined.

5. Fun additions to put in now: quick oats; chocolate chips; nuts of any kind; Grape Nuts cereal; sunflower seeds

6. Spray two loaf pans with non-stick spray. (Or two 12-ct. muffin pans; or one muffin pan and one loaf pan; or one single loaf pan and one 8 ct. mini loaf pan, or... well, you get the idea.)

7. Pour half of the mixture in each pan. Be sure to sprinkle a few of whatever you added in step 5 on top of the loaf for decoration!

8. Bake at 350 degrees for 45-50 minutes (depending on what pans you used - muffins and mini-loaves take about 25 minutes) or until a toothpick (if you're most people) or a straw of dried spaghetti (if you're me) comes out clean.

Allow to cool in pans for 10 minutes before removing. Then allow to cool completely before wrapping.

Now does that sound delicious or what?