New Menu October 19-25

Monday: Slow Cooker Fajitas
Tuesday: Quinoa Burritos
Wednesday: Crock Pot Lasagna
Thursday: Ham N Cheddar Soup
Friday: Leftovers or out
Saturday: Sloppy Joes
Sunday: Herbed Chicken & Mushrooms

Menu October 4-10

Sunday: Spaghetti
Monday: Ham Fried Rice/Orange Chicken/Steamed Veggies
Tuesday: Taco Salad
Wednesday: Honey-Lime Enchiladas, Salad
Thursday: Leftovers
Friday: Baked Chicken, Twice Baked Potatoes, Steamed Veggies
Saturday: BBQ Pizza (Thanks Jenny!), Salad

My Reasoning

The plethora of posts below is due to the fact that I am lending one of my favorite cookbooks--King Arthur Flour Whole Grain Baking--and wanted to keep these recipes around. Especially since I've recently decided to start baking our bread again. There are some really excellent bread recipes in here.

A few notes:
1. Don't be afraid of the orange juice in these recipes. Turns out that orange juice mellows out the tanic acid taste that accompanies many wheat recipes. You taste no orange, just nice bread.

2. I love the yogurt/milk substitute for buttermilk, especially in the pancake recipe.

3. The sprouted wheat recipes are wonderful! I'll post later on my sprouting methods.

4. Even though most of the recipes have some white flour, it really makes the food enjoyable. Whole grains are awesome, and the slight addition of white flour makes you hardly miss the full white flour counterparts of these recipes.

Most are my favorites, but there are a few that, as I leafed through, I just wanted to try. Good luck and happy baking!

Dark and Dangerous Cinnamon Buns

Haven't tried this one yet, but it sounds good.

Dough:
3/4 cup plus 2 Tbs lukewarm water
1/4 cup orange juice
5 Tbs honey
1 large egg, separated (reserve the white)
4 Tbs unsalted utter, cut into 6 pieces
3 1/2 cups traditional whole wheat flour
1/2 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
Heaping 1/2 cup dried potato flakes or 3 Tbs potato flour
1/4 cup nonfat dry milk
1 1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp instant yeast

Filling:
1 cup packed light or dark brown sugar
1 large egg white
2 Tbs ground cinnamon
pinch of salt

Icing:
2 cups confectioners' sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 Tbs unsalted butter, melted
Pinch of salt
2 or 3 Tbs milk or cream, enough to make a spreadable icing

To prepare the dough:
Combine all the dough ingredients using the egg and setting white aside to use in the filling. Mix and knead them--by hand, mixer, or bread machine--until you have a soft, smooth dough. Cover and allow the dough to rise until it's puffy and nearly doubled in bulk, 1 to 2 hours. While dough is rising, make the filling.

To prepare the filling:
Combine all filling ingredients in a small bowl, stirring until smooth.

Lightly grease a 9x13-inch, 11-inch-square, 12-inch round or similar sized pan.

To shape the buns:
Gently deflate the dough, and transfer it to a lightly greased work surface. Roll and pat it into a 12x16-inch rectangle. Spread the filling over the dough, leaving a 1-inch margin along one long edge. If the filling seems too sticky to spread easily, wet your fingers and smear it over the dough as best you can.

Starting with the filling-covered long edge, roll the dough into a log, turning it so the seam is flat against the work surface. Using a serrated knife or dental floss, gently cut it into 16 pieces.

Place buns in pan, spacing evenly; they won't touch one another. Cover the pan with lightly greased plastic wrap or a proof cover, and allow the buns to rise for 1 to 1 1/4 hours. They won't double in size, but will become about half again as large as they were originally. They should barely touch each other. Near the end of the buns' rise, preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

To bake the buns:
Bake the buns, until they're a deep golden brown on top, 25-28 minutes. Remove them from the oven, and after 3 minutes, carefully turn them out, upside-down, onto a rack. Place another rack, feet side up, on the buns, and invert them once again, so their tops are up. They'll be hot and delicate, so be careful. While the buns are cooling a bit, make the icing.

To finish the buns:
Beat together the sugar, vanilla, butter, salt and 2 Tbs milk in a medium mixing bowl. Beat in additional milk if the icing is too stiff to spread. Spread the icing on the lukewarm buns. Serve immediately, or cool to room temperature. Buns will keep well, covered, for several days.

~King Arthur Flour Whole Grain Baking

100% Whole Wheat Sandwich Bread

2 Tbs orange juice
1 cup lukewarm water
4 Tbs unsalted butter, cut into 6 pieces
3 cups traditional whole wheat flour
3 tbs sugar
Heaping 1/2 cup dried potato flakes or 3 Tbs potato flour
1/4 cup nonfat dry milk
1 1/4 tsp salt
2 1/2 tsp instant yeast

Combine all the ingredients and knead them--by hand, mixer, or bread machine--until you have a soft, smooth dough. Cover and allow the dough to rise until it's puffy and nearly doubled in bulk, 1 to 2 hours.

Lightly grease an 8 1/2x4 1/2-inch loaf pan. Gently deflate the dough and shape it into an 8-inch log. Place it in the prepared pan. Cover it gently with lightly greased plastic wrap or a proof cover, and allow it to rise till it's crowned about 1 inch over the rim of the pan, 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Near the end of the bread's rising time, preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Uncover and bake the bread for about 35 minutes, tenting it with foil after 15 minutes. The bread is done when it's golden brown and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center registers 190 degrees. Remove it from the oven, and after a minute or so turn it out onto a rack. Brush with melted butter, if desired; this will keep the crust soft. Cool the bread for 30 minutes before slicing.

~King Arthur Flour Whole Grain Baking

Sprouted Wheat Sandwich Bread

1/4 cup wheat berries, sprouted, or about 3/4 cup sprouted wheat berries
1 cup lukewarm water
3 Tbs orange juice
4 Tbs unsalted butter, cut into 6 pieces
2 Tbs honey
2 1/2 cups traditional whole wheat flour
2/3 cup unbleached bread flour
1/2 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
1 1/4 tsp salt
2 tsp instant yeast

Process the sprouts, water and orange juice in a blender or food processor until the sprouts are chopped and the mixture is milky white. Don't be tempted to leave the sprouts whole; though they're soft when you put them into the dough, baking turns them unpleasantly hard and crunchy.

Combine all the ingredients, including the water-sprout mixture, and mix and knead them--by hand, mixer, or bread machine--until you have a soft, smooth dough. Cover and allow the dough to rise until it's puffy and nearly doubled in bulk, 1 to 2 hours.

Lightly grease an 9x5-inch loaf pan. Gently deflate the dough and shape it into an 9-inch log. Place it in the prepared pan. Cover it gently with lightly greased plastic wrap or a proof cover, and allow it to rise till it's crowned about 1 inch over the rim of the pan, 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Near the end of the bread's rising time, preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Uncover and bake the bread for about 40 minutes, tenting it with foil after 20 minutes. The bread is done when it's golden brown and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center registers 190 degrees. Remove it from the oven, and after a minute or so turn it out onto a rack. Brush with melted butter, if desired; this will keep the crust soft. Cool the bread for 30 minutes before slicing.

~King Arthur Flour Whole Grain Baking

Honey Sprouted Wheat Bread

I love the sprouted wheat in this bread. Makes it just a little bit yummier!

1/4 cup wheat berries, sprouted, or about 3/4 cup sprouted wheat berries
2/3 cup lukewarm water
2 Tbs orange juice
1/4 cup honey
2 Tbs unsalted butter, cut into 3 pieces
1 1/2 cups traditional whole wheat flour
1 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 1/4 tsp salt
2 tsp instant yeast

Process the sprouts, water and orange juice in a blender or food processor until the sprouts are chopped and the mixture is milky white. Don't be tempted to leave the sprouts whole; though they're soft when you put them into the dough, baking turns them unpleasantly hard and crunchy.

Combine all the ingredients, including the water-sprout mixture, and mix and knead them--by hand, mixer, or bread machine--until you have a soft, smooth dough. Cover and allow the dough to rise until it's puffy and nearly doubled in bulk, 1 to 2 hours.

Lightly grease an 8 1/2-4 1/2 inch loaf pan. Gently deflate the dough and shape it into an 8-inch log. Place it in the prepared pan. Cover it gently with lightly greased plastic wrap or a proof cover, and allow it to rise till it's crowned about 1 inch over the rim of the pan, 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Near the end of the bread's rising time, preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Uncover and bake the bread for about 40 minutes, tenting it with foil after 20 minutes. The bread is done when it's golden brown and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center registers 190 degrees. Remove it from the oven, and after a minute or so turn it out onto a rack. Brush with melted butter, if desired; this will keep the crust soft. Cool the bread for 30 minutes before slicing.

~King Arthur Flour Whole Grain Baking

Honey-Oatmeal Sandwich Bread

Derek really likes this particular bread.

1 1/4 cups boiling water
1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
2 Tbs unsalted butter, cut into 3 pieces
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/4 cup honey
1 cup traditional whole wheat flour
1 2/3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1/4 cup nonfat dry milk
1/2 cup finely chopped pecans or walnuts (optional--and no never tried it)
2 tsp instant yeast

Place boiling water, oats, butter, salt and honey into a medium bowl, stir, and let the mixture cool to lukewarm.

Mix the remaining ingredients with the oat mixture, and knead--by hand, mixer or bread machine--until you've made a soft, smooth dough. Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl, cover it, and let it rise for 1 hour; the dough should be doubled in bulk.

Lightly grease a 9x5 inch loaf pan. Gently deflate the dough--it'll be sticky, so oil your hands--and shape it into a 9-inch log. Place it in the prepared pan. Cover it gently with lightly greased plastic wrap or a proof cover, and allow it to rise till it's crowned 1 1/2 inches over the rim of the pan, about 1-1 1/2 hours. Near the end of the bread's rising time, preheat the oven to 350.

Uncover and bake the bread for about 45 minutes, tenting it with foil after 20 minutes to prevent over-browning. The bread is done when it's golden brown and an instant-read thermometer inserted in the center registers 190 degrees. Remove it from the oven, and after a minute or so turn it out onto a rack. Brush with melted butter, if desired; this will keep the crust soft. Cool the bread completely before cutting it.

~King Arthur Flour Whole Grain Baking

Honey-Whole Wheat Biscuits

2 1/2 cups whole wheat flour, traditional or white
1/2 cup unbleached bread flour
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup cold unsalted butter
1 egg
3/4 cup buttermilk, plus more for brushing
3 Tbs honey

Preheat oven to 400. Lightly grease baking sheet.

Whist together dry ingredients. With a fork, two knives, a pastry cutter or a food processor, cut in the butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Whisk together egg, buttermilk, and honey in a small bowl. Add, all at once, to the flour mixture, and blend lightly and quickly with a fork until mixture is evenly moistened.

Turn dough onto floured surface, and using a bench knife or dough scraper, fold the dough over on itself three or four times until it comes together.

Pat the dough out (or roll lightly) until it's 3/4 inch thick. Cut the dough into squares or rounds with a 2-inch biscuit cutter, and transfer biscuits to the prepared baking sheet. Stack the scraps on top of each other, fold them as you did the original dough, pat out and cut again.

Brush tops of biscuits with buttermilk, if desired.

Bake until tops are golden brown, 20-22 minutes. Remove from oven and serve warm, or cool on a rack.

~King Arthur Flour Whole Grain Baking

Pumpkin Bread

*Haven't tried this one yet, but I want to so I'm writing it down.

Pumpkin Bread
2 cups whole wheat flour, traditional or white
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1 cup packed light or dark brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
3 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup canned pumpkin
3/4 cup chopped nuts
3/4 cup raisins, dried cranberries, or chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350. Grease a 9x5 inch loaf pan.
Whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and spices in bowl.
Cream together the butter and sugars in a large mixing bowl until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time, stopping to scrape the sides and bottom of the mixing bowl. Beat in the vanilla and pumpkin. Add the dry ingredients, mixing until evenly moistened. Stir in nuts and raisins.

Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean, 1 hour. Remove the bread from the oven and place it on a rack to cool for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, run a table knife around the edges of the pan to make sure the bread isn't sticking, turn it out of the pan, and place it on the rack to finish cooling completely before slicing.

~King Arthur Flour Whole Grain Baking

Ham & Cheese Rye Muffins

I love these! They sound a bit odd, but if you like a savory muffin, these are for you!

2 cups whole rye flour
3/4 cup unbleached bread flour
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp onion powder
1 1/2 cups grated Swiss cheese, divided
1 large egg
1 1/2 cups buttermilk
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
4 oz diced ham or 1/2 lb bacon, cooked crisp and crumbled

Preheat oven to 375. Lightly grease a muffin tin or line with papers and coat the paper well with nonstick spray; the cheese tends to make them stick a bit. (I've found these work better w/o papers.) Whisk flours, baking powder, baking soda, salt,and onion powder in a large bowl. Add 1 1/4 cup Swiss cheese, tossing to coat.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg, buttermilk and melted butter. Add, all at once, to the flour mixture, and stir until evenly moistened. Stir in ham.

Scoop the batter into the prepared pan, and sprinkle the remaining 1/4 cup of cheese over the tops. Bake the muffins until the cheese on top is toasted golden brown and a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean, 25-27 minutes. Remove from oven and allow the muffins to cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then turn them onto a rack to finish cooling or serve warm.

~King Arthur Flour Whole Grain Baking

Homemade Whole Grain Pancake Mix

3 1/2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
4 cups white whole wheat flour
1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
3 Tbs sugar
3 Tbs baking powder
1 Tbs salt
1 Tbs baking soda
3/4 cup vegetable oil

To make the mix:
Grind the oats in a food processor until they're chopped fine but not a powder. Put the round oats, flours, and remaining dry ingredients into the bowl of a mixer with a paddle. Mix on slow speed, and drizzle the vegetable oil into the bowl slowly while the mixer is running. When all the oil has been added, stop the mixer and squeeze a clump of mix in your hand. If it holds together, it's just right. If it won't hold together, stir in 1 Tbs of oil at a time until the consistency is correct. Store in an airtight container indefinitely in the freezer.

To make the pancakes:
1 cup mix
1 cup buttermilk (or use 1/2 cup milk + 1/2 cup plain yogurt)
1 Tbs orange juice
1 egg

Whisk all together. Batter will be thin at first. Let sit about 15 minutes for whole grains to soak up liquid. Cook.

~King Arthur Flour Whole Grain Baking

And Stickin' to It

Here is my menu for the week, and I am hoping to actually follow it this time.

Thursday: Chicken Strips, Potato Wedges, baked Zuchinni Chips
Friday: Honey Lime Enchilladas (Pork)
Saturday: Easy
Sunday: Baked Chicken & Twice baked Potatoes
Monday: Ham & Cheddar Soup
Tuesday: Chicken and Bow-tie Pasta from The Sister's Cafe
Wednesday: Leftovers

Now I just need to write my shopping list!

Pork Chops

I had some left over sauerkraut and I wanted to finish it off on Tuesday. I decided to make Pork Chops! They were the delicious ones Mom made when we were little. They had sauerkraut and brown sugar and soy sauce. Remember? They were delicious and the chops were not very much money. It was worth it. I just remembered how much I love them.

Dinner Menu

Tuesday: Italian Chicken with Spinach, Broccoli & Alfredo Sauce
Wednesday: Crockpot Barley Stew & Rolls
Thursday: Steak & Potatoes
Friday: Hamburgers & Pasta Salad
Saturday: Spinach Lasagna & Bread
Sunday: Leftovers
Monday: Turkey Taco Salad

A Lab Rat's 2nd Place Spaghetti Sauce

Today, the Geary Lab in the BYU Plant and Wildlife Science Dept. held its first (and possibly only) Spaghetti Sauce Cook-off! Of the six entries, The recipe I made with Amalia, a grad student in my lab, took second. The winner (by only four points) was Amalia's assistant, a boy named Jeremey, who claimed he won "because (he was) ethnic!"

I'm not racist, that's what he said!

So if you are racist, or if you agree with me, that ours was the best classic sauce, but his stuck out the most because it was spicy, try this recipe and we'll have our own contest! Let me know what you think!

SECOND-PLACE (FOR NOW) SAUCE

2 lbs. Italian Sausage (mild or hot)
1 small onion, chopped
3-4 cloves garlic, minced
1 (28 oz) can diced tomatoes (for thicker sauce, use crushed tomatoes)
2 (6 oz) cans tomato paste
2 (15 oz) cans tomato sauce
2 cups water (this is variable, and depends on how long you simmer your sauce. Longer = more water, while less simmer = less water)
1 can sliced mushrooms
1 can sliced olives
2-3 Tbsp. Cream Cheese
3 tsp basil
2 tsp dried parsley flakes
1 1/2 tsp brown sugar
1 tsp salt
1/4 - 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper
1/4 tsp fresh ground black pepper
1/4 c. red wine

Directions:

-Brown Italian sausage; drain grease
-Add onion; cook until softened
-Add garlic, tomatoes, tomato paste, tomato sauce, mushrooms, olives, and water.
-Stir in cream cheese
-Add basil, parsley, brown sugar, salt, crushed red pepper, and black pepper
-Stir well, bring to soft boil.
-Stir in red wine
-Simmer on low, stirring frequently for at least an hour. Longer simmer = better sauce, but do what you gotta do!
-Serve over cooked spaghetti noodles, and if desired, sprinkle w/parmesan cheese


Pictures to follow! Good work us, huh?

New Menu

I'm back!...and trying to cook again. For some reason, 5:00 is not usually a great time for the new arrival, so dinner has been late a lot. Also, busy season has officially arrived at work so dinner has been thrown together since Derek didn't know his schedule. However, I've decided (right now) that those of us that are home will eat at 6:00 regardless. So...I'd better plan a menu if I want that to work out.

Monday: Hot Dogs and Chips and Birthday Cake. (Sad I know, but it was requested by a 3 year old and a late night. We ate around 7:30 after a LONG day. I've been pumping the veggies today and we're having more tonight.)
Tuesday: Grilled Chicken on Green Salad (Romaine, Spinach, Broccoli, with tomatoes, cucumbers, & carrots from the garden.) Corn on the Cob
Wednesday: Parmesan Garlic Chicken and Skillet Garden Zucchini
Thursday: Meatballs and Rice, Two Bean Salad
Friday: Turkey Sandwiches, Baked Zucchini Chips
Saturday: Grilled Meat (whatever is on sale this week) Grilled Pineapple, Corn on the Cob
Sunday: Garden Penne

Hopefully this will help get me back on track, and also get rid of some of the excess zucchini piling up all over my house!

Quinoa Veggie Burritos

Here is the long awaited recipe with pictures. Enjoy!
Quinoa Veggie Burritos

1 (15 0z.) can black beans
1 (15 0z.) can white hominy
1 (15 0z.) can black eyed peas
1 (15 0z.) can corn
1 cup red quinoa
1 jalapeno pepper (possibly more if you are a fan of spicy)
4 green onions
½ cup yellow onion
2 cloves garlic (minced)
1 green (or red) pepper
2 tomatoes
¼ cup cilantro
1 (11.5 oz) can V8 juice
½ tsp. cumin
¼ tsp. oregano
1 lime
1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 avocadoes
2 ½ cups pepper jack cheese (grated)
Whole wheat tortilla wraps

Cook Quinoa (pronounced keen-wa). 2 ½ cups water to 1 cup of quinoa. Bring to a boil, cover and reduced temperature to low.

Drain cans into a colander. Rinse well with cool water and allow to continue draining.

Finely chop jalapeno pepper, green onions, yellow onion, green pepper, tomatoes, cilantro. Mince garlic. In large mixing bowl combine quinoa, colander contents, and veggies. Stir together and pour V8 juice over the top. Add cumin, oregano and juice from the lime. Mix together.

Chop avocado reserving ½ of second avocado for dip. Gently fold in avocado and cheese.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place 2/3 cup of burrito filling in the center of tortilla wrap. Fold burrito style, securing with a toothpick if necessary. This recipe makes enough filling for at least 12-14 burritos (if not more).

Spray a large cookie sheet with non-stick spray. Place burritos about 1 inch apart and spray with non-stick cooking spray. Bake at 400 degrees for 10 minutes, or until top of burrito is toasted golden brown. Turn burritos, spraying again; then bake for 10 more minutes.

Serve with avocado ranch dip and garnish with cilantro.

Wrap burritos individually in aluminum foil. Reheat in oven set at 400 degrees for 10 minutes. Or, you can freeze leftover filling and use it for another meal.

Avocado Ranch Dip
1 cup Ranch salad dressing
½ avocado
Puree avocado. Stir into 1 cup of ranch dressing.

Menu for this Week

So, it has been like 120 degrees here. Okay. That's an exaggeration, but I am 9 mos pregnant here and 80 degrees kills me. So, here is my mostly easy and far from the stove cooking plan for the week.

Wed: Quinoa Burritos

Thurs: Pizza Pasta Salad

Fri: Prosciutto, Spinach, and Pasta Casserole (Givin' her a try)

Sat: Leftovers

Sun: Hamburgers

Mon: Stuffed Shells

Tues: Leftover Shells

Actually, I hope that my menu actually turns into hospital food for two days and then whatever my Mom is making. But, since I'm not due till next Friday, I'm sure this will at least be the plan. I'll post some recipes later.

Prosciutto, Spinach, and Pasta Casserole

Here is the picture of that casserole I left the recipe for earlier. I really enjoyed the food and you'll have to ask Mom what she thought of it because she made it the other day. Maybe the picture is tempting. (Are you happy Tom?) :)

Menu for the Week

So, I realize it is Wednesday, but all the adds change on Wednesday, so I'm going to plan my menu accordingly. After this baby gets here, I think I'll only be able manage one shopping trip a week, so I'm practicing now.

Wed: Steak Quesadillas
Thur: Fresh Peas and new Potato soup (recipe to come later. I've got to ask Dad)
Fri: Stir Fry
Sat: Shrimp Kabobs & Rice
Sun: Biscuits, Eggs, Potatoes
Mon: Chicken Salad
Tues: Quinoa Burritos (I'll post this recipe as well)

Chicken Bacon Ranch Pizza

YUM! It turned out awesomely great. I was a bit concerned about the bacon-y-ness with the bacon ranch dressing, but it was very good. Here's the recipe, with a picture to come.

Pizza Crust (with a little tweaking)

1 Tbs Yeast
1 1/4 C water
1 Tbs olive oil
2 Cups white flour
2 Cups whole white wheat flour
1 1/2 tsp salt

**For best results start well ahead of time. Like 3 hours!

Mix yeast and water. Let sit for 10 minutes. Add the rest of the ingredients--you'll probably need more water to make a soft dough since the whole grain flour soaks up more moisture. Knead for a while and let sit for a while. (I let mine sit about three hours before actually making the pizza, punching it down once. This step is crucial to let the whole grain flour have time to puff, soak up moisture, etc. If you don't let it sit, it makes a much harder, flatter crust.) Roll out and bake at 450 degrees for 13-15 minutes.

Chicken Bacon Ranch Pizza
2 Grilled Chicken Breasts-diced (season as you will)
8-10 slices Bacon-cooked and crumbled
1/2 Green Pepper-diced
1/8 Onion-diced
1/2-3/4 cup mushrooms-sliced
Parmesan Cheese
Mozzarella Cheese
Bacon Ranch Dressing

Roll out crust, apply dressing for sauce. (I spread it fairly thin, because I didn't want an over powering taste. About 1/2 cup maybe.) Layer meat and veggies over the pizza. Top with Cheese. Bake in 450 degree oven for 13-15 minutes. Enjoy!

Bratwurst

Mom this post is mostly a question for you. What kind of Brats do you usually get and where oh where do you get them from? We got some for the 4th and they didn't quite measure up. Literally. They were the same size as a regular hot dog. I couldn't find any of the fat ones. Perhaps some might say this is a good thing, but they just were not the same. I made sure they were Johnsonville, but it just wasn't right. Anyone out there know where I can get these??? I am now craving the real thing!!!

Menu for the Week

Here's my menu for the week!

Mon: Taco Salad
Tues: Chicken Enchiladas (didn't make last week)
Weds: Sloppy Joe's
Thur: Grilled Chicken w/ pasta
Fri: Chicken Bacon Ranch Pizza
Sat: Hot Dogs/Brats mmmm! Happy 4th!
Sun: Leftovers or Easy

"Normal" Pancake Recipe
So, after way too many mornings of cereal at this house, I made some pancakes this morning. I must have done a good job too, because Derek was happy that I made normal pancakes. HA! Little did he know that they were packed with whole grains. They did turn out really light and yummy though, so here is the recipe.

1/2 cup white flour
1/4 cup rolled oats
3/4 cup whole white wheat flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp (heaping) baking soda
1/4 tsp (heaping) salt
1 egg
1 1/2 cups buttermilk
3 Tbs oil

Mix dry ingredients. Mix wet ingredients. Add together and cook.

Amazing! Love this.

Prosciutto, Spinach, and Pasta Casserole
Prep: 25 minutes
Cook: 25 minutes

Ingredients

* 2-2/3 cups dried bow ties, penne, or ziti (8 ounces)
* 2 medium onions, cut into thin wedges, or 5 medium leeks, sliced
* 2 cloves garlic, minced
* 1 tablespoon butter or margarine
* 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
* 1/2 teaspoon anise seeds, crushed
* 1-3/4 cups milk
* 1-1/2 cups chicken broth
* 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
* 1 10-ounce package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and well drained
* 2 ounces prosciutto, cut into thin bite-size strips
* 1 medium tomato, seeded and chopped

I didn't use any of the anise seeds. I didn't have the prosciutto so I used lunch meet instead. It tasted fine. I also sprinkled some parmesan on the top once it was in the pan ready to eat. It was so so good.

Directions

1. Cook pasta according to the package directions. Drain; rinse pasta with cold water. Drain again.

2. In a large saucepan cook onion and garlic, covered, in hot butter about 5 minutes or until onion is tender, stirring occasionally. Stir in flour and anise seeds. Add the milk and chicken broth all at once. Cook and stir until slightly thickened and bubbly. Stir in Parmesan cheese. Stir in the cooked pasta, spinach, and prosciutto. Spoon the mixture into a 2-quart casserole.

3. Bake, covered, in a 350°F oven for 25 to 30 minutes or until heated through. Let stand about 5 minutes. To serve, stir gently and top with chopped tomato.

4. Makes 6 servings (It makes more than 6 servings)
Nutrition Facts

* Calories 288,
* Total Fat (g) 7,
* Saturated Fat (g) 3,
* Monounsaturated Fat (g) 2,
* Polyunsaturated Fat (g) 1,
* Cholesterol (mg) 21,
* Sodium (mg) 627,
* Carbohydrate (g) 42,
* Total Sugar (g) 6,
* Fiber (g) 3,
* Protein (g) 15,
* Vitamin A (DV%) 0,
* Vitamin C (DV%) 20,
* Calcium (DV%) 23,
* Iron (DV%) 14,
* Starch (d.e.) 2.5,
* Vegetables (d.e.) 1,
* Medium-fat Meat (d.e.) .5,
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet

Where have I been?

I know, I know. I started this blog and then left you all high and dry. Luckily Jackie has filled in a bit. Somehow a combination of pregnancy and summer heat has taken away any and all desire for cooking. However, in hopes of jump starting my cooking/healthy(ier) eating, I am going to make menus again, post them, and try to stick with them. Here goes!

Monday: Spaghetti, Salad, Fruit
Tuesday: Taco Salad, Fruit
Wednesday: BBQ Chicken Sandwiches (Crock pot Chicken for the two chicken dinners), Salad
Thursday: Beef w/Broccoli
Friday: Annelisa's Chicken Enchiladas, Salad
Saturday: Leftovers
Sunday: Navajo Tacos (Ground Turkey)

Also, here's a very yummy recipe for Shrimp Kabobs I found on Cooks.com My husband loved it and so did a few guests who don't usually care for shrimp. Wahoo! Oh, and I added zucchini to the list of veggies on the skewers.
http://www.cooks.com/rec/view/0,1745,154174-234204,00.html

This is for Meagan

Meagan-I know your latest craving has been Mac and Cheese. I thought you would enjoy spicing things up a bit. I had to post this recipe for you.

Chicken Mac and Cheese
Makes: 6 servings
Prep: 40 minutes
Bake: 20 minutes

Ingredients

* 1 pound skinless, boneless, chicken breast halves
* 1 to 2 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning, crushed
* Salt and ground black pepper
* 1 tablespoon olive oil
* 8 ounces dried mostaccioli, ziti, or penne pasta
* 1 medium onion, chopped (1/2 cup)
* 2 cloves garlic, minced
* 3 tablespoons butter
* 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
* 2 tablespoons tomato paste
* 3 cups milk
* 8 ounces smoked cheddar, Gruyere, or Swiss cheese, shredded (2 cups)
* Salt and ground black pepper
* 2 cups soft sourdough or French bread crumbs
* 2 ounces finely shredded Parmesan or Romano cheese (1/2 cup)
* 3 tablespoons butter, melted

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degree F. Cut chicken into bite-sized pieces. In a large skillet cook chicken, Italian or desired seasoning blend, salt, and pepper in hot oil over medium heat until chicken is no longer pink.* Remove chicken from skillet; set aside.

2. In a large pot or kettle cook pasta according to package directions until just tender. Drain; return pasta to pot.

3. Meanwhile, in the same skillet in which chicken was cooked, cook onion and garlic in 3 tablespoons hot butter over medium heat until tender. Stir in flour until well combined. Stir in tomato paste. Add milk. Cook and stir until mixture is thickened and bubbly; reduce heat. Add the shredded cheese. Stir until cheese is almost melted. Remove from heat. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Add sauce and chicken to cooked pasta in pot; stir to coat. Spoon mixture into a 2-quart square or rectangular baking dish.

4. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a small bowl stir together bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, and 3 tablespoons melted butter. Sprinkle crumb mixture over pasta mixture. Bake, uncovered, for 20 to 25 minutes or until crumb mixture is golden and edges are bubbly. Let stand 10 minutes before serving. Makes 6 servings.

Cooking Club Directions: Prepare casserole as above for each member, except divide the bread crumb mixture into small resealable plastic bags or moisture- and vapor-proof plastic freezer bags. Do not bake. Cover pans with foil to refrigerate, or wrap with moisture- and vapor-proof wrap to freeze. Refrigerate up to 24 hours or freeze casserole and bread crumb mixture up to 1 month.

Test Kitchen Tip: Use a blender or food processor to make soft breadcrumbs. About 1-1/2 ounces of break makes 1 cup of crumbs.

Reheating and Serving: < Thaw casserole, if frozen, and bread crumb mixture in refrigerator overnight. Bake refrigerated or thawed casserole, covered with foil, in a 350 degrees F oven for 20 minutes. Uncover and top with bread crumb mixture. Bake, uncovered, for 35 to 40 minutes more or until crumb mixture is golden and edges are bubbly. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.
Nutrition Facts

* Servings Per Recipe 6 servings
* Calories 675,
* Total Fat (g) 34,
* Saturated Fat (g) 18,
* Monounsaturated Fat (g) 12,
* Polyunsaturated Fat (g) 2,
* Cholesterol (mg) 132,
* Sodium (mg) 771,
* Carbohydrate (g) 49,
* Total Sugar (g) 8,
* Fiber (g) 1,
* Protein (g) 42,
* Vitamin C (DV%) 4,
* Calcium (DV%) 55,
* Iron (DV%) 16,
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet

I am now using this blog as a wish list of recipes I want to try. This summer I am trying out one new recipe a week. While I'm at work I have plenty of time to look at recipes that look like they would work. I'm going to post the recipe and then tell you how it goes once I actually make them. This is also nice because it will be like having a cook book online. Here is the recipe I want to try next.


Lemon-Blackberry Mini Tarts
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Makes: 4 servings
Prep: 20 minutes
Chill: 2 hours
Bake: 10 minutes
Cool: 30 minutes
Stand: 30 minutes

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Lemon-Blackberry Mini Tarts
Ingredients

* 1/2 of a 15-ounce package folded refrigerated unbaked piecrust (1 crust)
* 1/2 of an 8-ounce package cream cheese, softened
* 1/4 cup purchased lemon curd
* 1 cup fresh blackberries
* 2 tablespoons seedless blackberry spreadable fruit
* 2 teaspoons lemon juice
* 4 mint sprigs
* Powdered sugar

Directions

1. Let piecrust stand at room temperature 15 minutes. Preheat oven to 400 degree F. Unfold piecrust. Cut four 4-1/2- to 5-inch rounds from piecrust. Press rounds firmly into bottom and up sides of four 3-1/2- to 4-inch individual tart pans with removable bottoms. Trim crusts even with top of pans. Prick bottoms of each crust several times with tines of a fork. Place pans on a baking sheet. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until golden. Cool completely on wire rack.

2. In a small mixing bowl beat cream cheese and lemon curd with an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Divide filling among pastry shells, spreading evenly. Cover; refrigerate 2 hours or until well chilled.

3. Before serving, remove from pans; arrange tarts on plates. Arrange berries on each tart. Combine spreadable fruit and lemon juice; spoon over tarts. Add a mint sprig, and sift powdered sugar over tops. Makes 4 servings.
Nutrition Facts

* Servings Per Recipe 4 servings
* Calories 448,
* Total Fat (g) 25,
* Saturated Fat (g) 13,
* Monounsaturated Fat (g) 3,
* Polyunsaturated Fat (g) 0,
* Cholesterol (mg) 56,
* Sodium (mg) 299,
* Carbohydrate (g) 54,
* Total Sugar (g) 18,
* Fiber (g) 4,
* Protein (g) 3,
* Vitamin C (DV%) 15,
* Calcium (DV%) 3,
* Iron (DV%) 3,
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet

I was right

I made the chicken below. It was very tasty and I loved it. My roommates also enjoyed it. I did a couple things differently though. I didn't use minute rice so I didn't add all the fluids. I also used the Italian dressing instead of the Sun Dried Tomato Dressing. It was really good though! You should all try it.

This looks really yummy!

Bruschetta Chicken Skillet




Prep Time:
10 min
Total Time:
40 min
Makes:
4 servings
What You Need
1/4 cup KRAFT Sun-Dried Tomato Dressing
4 small boneless skinless chicken breast halves (1 lb.)
2 large red peppers, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cans (14-1/2 oz. each) pasta-style or Italian-style diced tomatoes, undrained
1/2 cup water
2 cups instant white rice, uncooked
1 cup KRAFT Shredded Low-Moisture Part-Skim Mozzarella Cheese
1 large tomato, chopped
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh basil
Make It

HEAT dressing in large skillet on medium heat. Add chicken, peppers and garlic; cover. Cook 10 min. or until chicken is cooked through (165ºF), turning after 5 min. Remove chicken from skillet; cover to keep warm.

ADD canned tomatoes and water to skillet. Stir in rice; bring to boil. Reduce heat to low; simmer, uncovered, 10 min. Meanwhile, combine cheese, chopped tomatoes and basil.

RETURN chicken to skillet; sprinkle with cheese mixture. Cover. Cook 5 min. or until chicken is heated through and cheese is melted.
Kraft Kitchens Tips
Substitute
Substitute KRAFT Zesty Italian Dressing for the Sun-Dried Tomato Dressing.
How to Safely Handle Raw Chicken
Always wash hands, preparation surfaces and utensils in hot, soapy water before and after contact with raw chicken. Dry hands and surfaces with a clean towel or paper towels. Take special care in washing worn cutting boards as there may be hard-to-clean grooves or cracks that can collect bacteria.

Menu Feb. 9-15

So being pregnant is taking a toll on my lunch habits. All I want is a nice turkey sandwich, or any sandwich with tomatoes, cheese and lettuce for that matter. However, deli meat is out, and tuna is only allowed once a week, so I decided to plan a lunch menu to help me find things I can eat for lunch.

Mon: Tuna
Tue: Chicken Salad
Wed: again
Thu: again
Fri: Black bean Quesadilla
Sat: leftovers
Sun: Turkey & Cheese Sandwich

I also made a dinner menu! Since the idea of Turkey no longer offends, I figure I'll get the one meant for Thanksgiving out of the freezer and give'er a try. Wish me luck! (Hooray for non deli turkey sandwiches!!)
Mon: Chicken Pot Pie & Biscuits
Tue: Cafe Rio Pork, rice and beans
Wed: leftovers
Thu: leftovers (it makes a lot)
Fri: Cornbread (to take to the ward chili bowl)
Sat: Turkey, potatoes, carrots, etc.
Sun: leftovers

Oh, I am also going to make my mom's bean salad (stay tuned for recipe) and a pasta salad. Hopefully I will be able to eat all this food before it goes bad. But, even if I snack on them it's healthier than other things right?

Menu Jan 26-Feb 1

Hi! I'm back and finally able to think about food without cringing (most of the time). So, I'm back to making a menu. I also plan on posting a lot more recipes so that this is a more exciting blog. Please feel free to do the same!

Monday: Chicken Alfredo Pizza and Salad
Tuesday: Leftovers or Quesadillas (hubby's working late) and German Choc. Cake (story later)
Wednesday: Burritos with black refried beans
Thursday: Meatballs and rice
Friday: Sesame Chicken, stir-fry & rice
Saturday: ? Going on a date!
Sunday: Soup of some kind (nothing sounds spectacular now, so I'll think about it)

Anyway, let me know what you're making too!