Corn bread is the perfect quick bread to serve alongside soups and stews, such as Chili or Minestrone Soup. It is lovely served with a honey-butter mixture (just mix a tablespoon or two with 1/4 cup softened butter) and can just as easily be made into corn bread (just pour batter into an 8x8-inch baking dish instead of a muffin tin).
One tip to note: do not overmix the batter; mix only until the dry ingredients are wet. Lumps are good! I even let the batter sit for about 5 to 10 minutes if I'm not in a rush. This step keeps the muffins/bread from being tough.
0 Comments
We'll start out this week with a healthy recipe (so I can off-set the peanut butter ice cream I had last night)...
What I love about this recipe is the fact that it taste like I'm having dessert for breakfast and yet this smoothie is chock full of beneficial nutrients from the antioxidants in blueberries, potassium in bananas, calcium and B vitamins in Greek yogurt, to the omega-3 fatty acids in the chia seeds. Cheers! Lemon bars are an often requested dessert or snack in our home. This is a relatively simple recipe to make and it easily doubles to fit a 9x13 pan for a larger crowd or gathering. The tangy sweet flavor and the bright yellow color make it a perfect dessert to take along to your Easter celebration!
A tried and true weekend breakfast staple at our house! The great thing about pancakes is that you can customize and personalize them endlessly! You can add a wide variety of ingredients to the batter itself (nuts, fruits, chocolate chips, etc.) or you can get creative with your toppings, serving pancakes alongside maple syrup, homemade fruit syrups (strawberries and blueberries are our favorites), applesauce, even prepared/canned fruit pie fillings and whipped cream if you are feeling decadent! Pancakes, like waffles, freeze well and so this is a perfect recipe to double or triple, depending on your family size, and then freeze the extras for a quick weekday breakfast (or snack!) option. Pancakes Servings: 6 to 8 (makes 18 4-inch pancakes) Ingredients: 2 eggs 2 cups flour 1 ¼ cup milk 1 tsp vanilla extract 3 Tbsp brown sugar ¼ cup vegetable oil or melted butter 6 tsp baking powder ½ tsp salt Directions:
I've never been a fan of just plain mashed potatoes. I have to have some flavoring in them, whether it's adding a large slab of butter (yum!) or when I was in high school I would dump a glob of ranch dressing on them and mix it in. Throughout the years I've continually tweaked my mashed potato recipe until I've reached the perfect flavor combination and my "secret" ingredient is mayonnaise. I'm rather obsessed with mayonnaise, actually. I will only eat fries if they are dipped in mayonnaise (never ketchup!), I love to dip my grilled cheese sandwiches in a mixture of mayonnaise and ketchup, and a caprese sandwich is absolutely divine with a layer of mayo! Of course, mayonnaise is not exactly a health food but I only use mayo made with olive or avocado oil, so I tell myself it's not all bad... I also enjoy mashed potatoes with real lumps so I always use a hand masher so I can make sure to leave some large chunks of potato in the mixture. If you prefer a smoother finished product, then I'd recommend using a handheld blender to "mash" them until they are the desired consistency. Mashed Red Potatoes Servings: 6 to 8 Ingredients: 8 medium red potatoes, cut into large pieces 6 garlic cloves, minced 6 Tbsp butter ¼ cup whole milk ¼ cup sour cream 4 Tbsp mayonnaise ½ tsp salt 1 Tbsp. fresh chives, finely chopped Directions:
I tried to model these drop biscuits after those served at Red Lobster. While nothing compares to their's, I feel these are a close second :-) No, they are definitely not diet food with the amount of butter called for in this recipe, but sometimes you just have to spoil yourself. If you want to lighten this recipe a tad, replace 1/4 cup of melted butter with 1/4 cup of milk and use 2% instead of whole milk. I like serving these biscuits alongside broth-based soups for lunch. They also go great with most meat dishes, like Honey-Soy Chicken or Meatloaf. Garlic – Cheese Drop Biscuits Servings: 12 biscuits Ingredients: 2 cups flour 1 Tbsp sugar 3 tsp baking powder 1 tsp salt ½ tsp garlic powder ½ cup shredded Cheddar cheese ½ cup shortening ½ cup whole milk ½ cup butter, melted Directions:
Prepare ahead for this recipe because it does require marinading time. This step by default makes this recipe perfect for your Freezer Meal list. For small families (fewer than 4 sitting down to eat at a time), this recipe is easy to halve after preparation and you can freeze half for a later meal. We prefer to use chicken thighs for this recipe but if you want to make it a bit healthier, feel free to substitute boneless, skinless chicken breasts. Serve with Mashed Red Potatoes and your favorite veggie side! Honey Ginger Chicken Servings: 8 Ingredients: ½ cup soy sauce ¾ cup honey, room temperature 1 tsp apple cider vinegar ½ cup minced fresh ginger ¼ cup minced fresh garlic 3 ½ to 4 lbs. chicken pieces Directions:
This is an elegant, yet simple, pastry dessert that is perfect for holiday meals or for a sweet option hosting an afternoon coffee or tea gathering. I recently made a double batch for our school's pre-Parent/Teacher Conference meal that our PTO hosts as a "thank you" for our teachers. It was a huge hit among the teachers! Typically I cut these pastries into 1-inch slices, but depending on the gathering, you might want to then cut the 1-inch slices in half, lengthwise, for a smaller, bite-size appetizer. Almond Danish Pastry Puff Servings: 10 to 12 Ingredients: 1 cup flour ½ cup butter, softened 2 Tbsp cold water ½ cup butter 1 cup water 1 cup flour 1 tsp almond extract ½ tsp vanilla extract 3 eggs 1 ½ cups powdered sugar 2 Tbsp butter, softened 1 tsp vanilla extract ½ tsp almond extract 1 to 2 Tbsp whole milk ¼ cup sliced almonds Directions:
Beef Tamale Pie Servings: 8 Ingredients (filling): 1 Tbsp butter 1 onion, finely chopped 5 garlic cloves, minced 1 tsp salt 1 ½ lbs ground beef 2 Tbsp chili powder 1 Tbsp ground cumin 1 (28 oz) can diced tomatoes 1 (15 oz) can black beans, drained and thoroughly rinsed 1 ½ cups frozen corn, thawed 2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese ¼ cup fresh cilantro, minced Ingredients (topping): 1 ½ cups flour 1 cup cornmeal ¼ cup sugar 2 tsp baking powder ¼ tsp baking soda 1 tsp salt 1 cup whole milk 8 Tbsp butter, melted 2 eggs, slightly beaten Directions:
We have a tradition in our home of "Meatless Mondays," when we pick a vegetarian recipe for dinner. If you are trying to eat more plant-based meals, pasta is a great option because of its flexibility and the variety of ingredients, both meat and non-meat, that pair well with it. It is very easy to remove meat from pasta and not notice its absence. My family has no problem removing meat but I know that some families might balk a bit at the mention of a "meatless" meal and that is where working with pasta is a way to gently ease them into the idea of meatless meals. Spinach and Cheese Manicotti Servings: 6 to 8 Ingredients: 1 (10 oz.) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed 2 cups ricotta cheese 2 eggs ⅓ cup Parmesan cheese, grated 1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded 1 tsp garlic powder 1 tsp salt 1 tsp Italian seasoning ½ tsp ground oregano ¼ tsp ground nutmeg 14 uncooked manicotti shells 1 (24 oz.) jar prepared spaghetti sauce Directions:
|
Archives
October 2018
Categories
All
|