delightful country cookin'

honey lime chicken enchiladas (guest post)

2012-01-27T06:14:00.000-08:00

Oh my goodness, don't those look delicious???!!! I'm so excited to welcome Mandy from Mandy's Recipe Box as a guest blogger today. You MUST go check out her blog - she's got some great stuff on there! I can't wait to try out this particular recipe. Maybe I'll get Cookie Bandit to make it for me after baby gets here... :)

Hey everyone! I'm Mandy from Mandy's Recipe Box. I am happy to be here today to help Kristin out. I love it when I can guest blog or when I have guest bloggers on my blog. It lets you meet new people and find new blogs you may not otherwise. Let me tell you a little about myself.

I am a wife and mother of 3, 2 girls (9 & 3) and a boy (7). They keep me on my toes and I love having them in the kitchen with me. I love cooking and baking (especially desserts) and I'm a converted country girl. I used to be a total Utah city girl until I met and married a farmer from Idaho. We moved to the middle of nowhere and the rest is history!

Today I am sharing a favorite dish of mine - Honey-Lime Chicken Enchiladas. These bad boys taste even better the next day as leftovers, if you ask me. The combo of honey and lime is incredible without being overly sweet. Give them a try, and you're sure to love them.

Honey Lime Chicken Enchiladas

6 Tbsp honey

4.5 Tbsp lime juice

1 Tbsp chili powder

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1 lb cooked chicken, shredded (you can also use shredded pork. That's what I did here.)

flour tortillas

colby or monterey jack cheese, shredded

10 oz. can green enchilada sauce

Mix first 4 ingredients together and toss with shredded chicken. Let it marinate for at least a half hour. Pour some green enchilada sauce on the bottom of a 10x10 casserole dish or 9x13 pan. Fill flour tortillas with chicken and shredded cheese. Roll up and place seam side down in the dish. Pour the rest of the can of green enchilada sauce over enchiladas then sprinkle with more cheese. (When using a 9x13 I like to use 1 1/2 10 oz. cans) Bake at 350 for 30 minutes. (Put it under the broiler at the end to make the cheese brown and crispy on the top.) Serve and enjoy.

I hope you'll come visit me at Mandy's Recipe Box. I'm also on Facebook, so visit me there, too!

Mandy from Mandy's Recipe Box

Mandy's Recipe Box is on Facebook

ever considered blogging?

2012-01-23T07:21:00.000-08:00

Have you ever considered what it would be like to blog? Wanted to give it a try? Have a favorite recipe that you are just dying to share with the world???

Well, I'd like to invite you to give blogging a shot by guest blogging for Delightful Country Cookin'! You see, with the baby coming any day, I've been more than busy trying to get everything ready. I haven't really had a chance to do much cooking, much less blog about my cooking. And I miss it! Delightful Country Cookin' is looking so empty lately!

I figured, why not use this time in my life to allow you to shine? I know that several of you have delicious recipes that you want to share. There are many of you with an inner writer or photographer just itching to get out. :) And I've talked to quite a few who have always wondered what it would be like to blog. Well, come find out!

If you are already a blogger, I'd also like to invite you to write a guest post. It's a great way to draw attention to your own blog and hopefully expand your readership. There are so many great food blogs out there - I just love learning about new ones!

If you are interested, go on up to the "Contact the Cook" tab and shoot me an e-mail! I'll walk you through the whole process (which is incredibly easy, by the way). I do hope that several of you will consider it, and I can't wait to see what you come up with!

rush-hour recipes: we have a winner!

2012-01-09T19:37:00.000-08:00

We have a winner!!!

Congratulations to Spradlin.cindy@yahoo.com - you've won a free copy of Rush-Hour Recipes! Here's what she said..."It is hard to choose out of these... but if I must it would be the cheesy potatoes for me."

And good news for our winner...the winning recipe was the cheesy scalloped potatoes!!! It was your overwhelming choice, and (I must say) it was an excellent one.

First, you slice up about 6-8 potatoes. The recipe says to peel them first, but I left the skins on. I figured I should eat my fiber.

Then, combine a can of Cheddar cheese soup, a can of cream of broccoli soup, milk, swiss cheese, onions, and garlic. It doesn't look all that appetizing now, but it's what gives this dish its great flavor.

Finally, shred some Cheddar cheese and chop up some green onions.

To assemble, grease a LARGE slow cooker and layer some of the potatoes...

...some of the soup...

...and then some of the Cheddar cheese and green onions. Continue layering until all of the ingredients have been used.

Turn your slow cooker on low for 8-10 hours or on high for 5-6 hours...and voila! You've got perfectly cooked potatoes in a delicious cheesy sauce. Your house will smell out-of-this-world delicious, too.

Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes
from Gooseberry Patch's Rush-Hour Recipes
10 3/4 oz. can Cheddar cheese soup
10 3/4 oz. can cream of broccoli soup
1 1/4 cup milk
2 cups Swiss cheese, cut into strips
1 yellow onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
6-8 potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced
3 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
4 green onions, chopped

In a bowl, mix soups, milk, Swiss cheese, yellow onion and garlic; set aside. Spray a slow cooker with non-stick vegetable spray. Layer some of the potatoes, soup mixture, Cheddar cheese and green onions. Repeat layering until all of the ingredients have been used. Cover and cook on low setting for 8 to 10 hours, or on high setting for 5 to 6 hours. Serves 6 to 8.

Thanks for all of your entries, and be sure to get your own copy of this cookbook in your local bookstore or online retailer. You don't want to miss out on any of the other wonderful recipes!

rush-hour recipes: review and giveaway

2011-12-30T13:11:00.000-08:00

Thought I'd disappeared???

Nope. I was just busy celebrating the holidays, traveling, turning the big 3-0, and letting my husband do the cooking (that's what you do when you are pregnant, right?). I was also testing out some delicious recipes from one of Gooseberry Patch's newest cookbooks...Rush-Hour Recipes!

This is an awesome cookbook for those of us who need a quick meal or who want delicious food without spending all day in the kitchen. I especially appreciated it at this point in my life...I've now got the figure of the Pillsbury Dough Boy and am moving at the pace of a snail. It was nice to know that I could provide delicious meals for my husband even though I haven't really felt like cooking. Everything was so easy that I didn't mind being in the kitchen one bit!

Rush-Hour Recipes is full of 230 recipes for those busy times in life. I love the fact that it includes slow-cooker meals and potluck dishes as well as the run-of-the-mill family dinners. You can find something for every occasion in this cookbook! And like all of Gooseberry Patch's signature cookbooks, it's full of those cute little drawings and kitchen tips to make the cookbook just as fun to read straight through as it is to cook from. I highly recommend it!

Once again, we picked a recipe from each chapter to try out and share with you. Here they are, each given its own "reward"!

Messiest Main Meal

Crispy Corn Flake Chicken from the chapter "5-Ingredient Favorites"

These chicken legs were easy to assemble and had a wonderful flavor...but boy were they messy! If you have kids, they'll love them (just make sure to have plenty of napkins on hand). Being the refined adult that I am (yeah, right!), I think I'll use boneless chicken breasts next time so that I can use a fork and knife. However you do it, the coating is delish!

Most Comforting

Tuna Tetrazzini from the chapter "One-Dish Dinners"

Tuna casserole is one of those dishes I associate with childhood, so it's perfect on those days when you just want something warm to fill you up. I made this one when Cookie Bandit had a cold - I'm not sure he could taste much with his sniffles and all, but he ate every bit of it up. I didn't have a cold, so I can vouch that it was excellent. I loved how easy it was to put together, how creamy the texture turned out, and how much it reminded me of being a little kid. It's definitely a must-try.

Most Flavorful

Tony's Peasant Soup from the chapter "Soup's On!"

Haha...so we have a confession regarding this soup. We didn't actually follow the recipe. We meant to, but I let Cookie Bandit make out the shopping list. With him in charge, fresh basil turned into dried, and Italian sausage turned into sausage links. We went with it though, and absolutely loved it! I guess it just shows you how versatile this particular recipe is. It's also an extremely quick fix if you use link sausage and precooked chicken breast like we did. It was perfect for the one cold day we've had in Dallas...now if the temperature would go down, I'd make it again!

Richest Side Dish

Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes from the chapter "Slow Cookers to the Rescue"

These scalloped potatoes were made in the slow cooker!!! Can you believe it? I couldn't! I was so intrigued by the idea that I just had to try it. Man, my house smelled amazing that day. Cookie Bandit walked into the door and just started sniffing...it was all I could do to get him to wait for dinner. The potatoes cooked perfectly, and the sauce was creamy and delicious. This recipe makes enough for a crowd, so it's perfect for a potluck!

Best Make-Out Bread

Quick Brown Bread from the chapter "Make-a-Meal Sides"

Odd choice of an award? Yes. But let me tell you...every time Cookie Bandit and I ate this bread, we started kissing!!! We don't know why, but we liked it. :) He was very, very sad when we finished eating the loaf. So...just a warning...don't serve this bread to anyone you don't like! On a more serious note, this bread was a fantastic find. I whipped it up in about 5 minutes, and it finished baking just in time for the soup to be done. It's made with all whole wheat and flavored with molasses, so it passed my "relatively healthy" test. And, it's amazing in the morning with jam or Nutella. Loved, loved, loved it!

Most Crowd Pleasing

Very Best Texas Caviar from the chapter "Speedy Potluck & Party Foods"

This stuff was so good! It took just minutes to assemble, made tons of servings, and stole the show as the most colorful thing on the dinner table. I ate it as an appetizer with tortilla chips, slopped it on top of my nachos, and later ate it straight up as a side. Either way, I thought it was delicious. The nice thing about making this dish yourself is that you can adjust the heat by changing how much jalapeno you include. It's also a great source of fiber and veggies. Lately, it's been unusual for me to go gaga over a vegetable, but I really loved this.

Cookie Bandit gets to pick which one of the above recipes I share with you. It didn't take long for him to decide on his overall favorite...of course he picked the bread! What husband doesn't love kissing his wife??? :)

Combine the milk and vinegar and let it just sit and coddle...or, use straight up buttermilk instead! Your pick!

Mix together the whole-wheat flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda...

Mix together the egg, molasses, and shortening or oil with the buttermilk mixture...

Then combine the wet and dry ingredients and pour the batter into a greased loaf pan!

Thirty minutes later at 350 degrees, your bread is done!

Be sure to try some warm and slathered in honey butter...yum.

Quick Brown Bread

From Gooseberry Patch's Rush-Hour Recipes

1 cup milk

1 T. white vinegar

2 cups whole-wheat lour

1 t. salt

1 1/2 t. baking powder

1/2 t. baking soda

1 egg, beaten

1/2 cup molasses

1/4 cup shortening, melted and cooled, or oil

Combine milk and vinegar in a small bowl; let stand for a few minutes. In a separate large bowl, combine flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. Mix thoroughly and set aside. Add remaining ingredients to milk mixture. Add milk mixture to flour mixture; stir just enough to barely mix. Pour batter into a well-greased 9"x5" loaf pan. Bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center tests clean. Makes one loaf.

So...how can YOU win a free copy of Rush-Hour Recipes? Just leave me a comment answering the following question - which of the other recipes featured above would you like me to share? I'll tally up the answers and share that recipe when I announce the winner! (Please also make sure I have access to a valid e-mail so that I can contact you if you win. No contact info, no entry!) Giveaway ends January 8 at midnight (Central time). Winner announced Monday, January 9.

PS - Gooseberry Patch gave me a free book to review as well as another to give away, but the views and opinions (and pictures!) presented in this post are entirely my own! Disclosure...check!

creamy lemon-pepper bow tie pasta

2011-12-04T14:58:00.000-08:00

The weather is finally getting cold here, and nothing warms us up like a creamy pasta dish. This one is incredibly easy and makes a beautiful side or main dish. The flavors are also fantastic and can be easily customized to meet your individual tastes. You must try it!

First, sprinkle some strips of chicken breast very liberally with lemon pepper seasoning. The lemon-pepper absolutely makes this dish, so don't go skimpy! Cook the chicken with some minced garlic in some olive oil until it's cooked through. Once it's done, remove it to another dish and keep it warm.

Pour some chicken broth into the skillet and add vegetables, cream cheese, and lemon juice. You can use fresh vegetables or frozen, and you can use whatever mix you would like. I chose to use fresh carrot strips and a bag of frozen stir-fry vegetables (basically, I was trying to use up what was in my fridge/freezer...lol). That's what I love about this recipe - it's incredibly versatile!

Cook and stir until your veggies are tender and the cream cheese has melted. You want to create a nice sauce - if it's too runny, then let it cook a bit to reduce down. If it's too thick, I'd add some cream to get it to the desired consistency. At this point, you should also taste it. Add salt or more lemon-pepper to get the flavors just right.

Add the chicken back to the skillet and toss in some cooked bow tie pasta. Mix well so that all of the pasta and chicken are coated with your delicious sauce.

Serve as a side dish or as a main dish alongside a fresh salad or grilled vegetable. Enjoy!

Creamy Lemon-Pepper Bow Tie Pasta
1 box bow tie pasta
1 lb. chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch strips
lemon-pepper seasoning
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 T. canola oil
1 cup chicken broth
1 cup fresh or frozen vegetables
2/3 cup shredded carrots
3 oz. cream cheese
2 t. lemon juice
salt, to taste
heavy cream (optional)

Cook pasta according to package instructions. Meanwhile, sprinkle chicken liberally with lemon-pepper. In a large nonstick skillet, stir fry the chicken and garlic in oil until the chicken is cooked through. Remove and keep warm. Add broth, vegetables, cream cheese, and lemon juice to the skillet; cook and stir until cheese is melted. Drain pasta. Add pasta, chicken, and salt to vegetable mixture; heat through. If desired, add heavy cream to thin consistency of sauce.

sourdough mushroom dressing

2011-11-21T10:25:00.000-08:00

It's Thanksgiving week!!! Last year for Thanksgiving, my husband and I were in New Zealand. We couldn't find turkey anywhere (not even lunch meat!), so our Thanksgiving dinner consisted of Pad Thai in a mall. Haha!

This year, we fortunately get to enjoy a classic American Thanksgiving, turkey and all. I have to admit, one of my favorite parts of Thanksgiving dinner is the dressing or stuffing. I don't really care which you give me...I'd be satisfied if that's all there were on my plate.

This recipe is inspired by Chef Bobby Flay's own recipe for dressing. I didn't get to see his show down with Pioneer Woman, but I did go online and look through all of their recipes. His sourdough dressing caught my eye. Mine isn't exactly like his (I made it a little easier), but my goodness it was delicious!

First, chop up some sourdough bread into cubes...I say, leave the crusts on!

Spread the bread cubes onto a cookie sheet in an even layer and bake at 350 degrees until they are lightly golden (about 10-12 minutes or so). Let these cool off, and then add them to a large bowl.

Meanwhile, bust out some mushrooms! You can use whatever kind you'd like. I chose to mix some regular pre-sliced button mushrooms with some portobello. You want to clean them and slice or chop them.

Pour some oil into the mushrooms and coat evenly.

Spread the mushrooms on a baking sheet (might as well use the same one your bread was on), and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake at 375 degrees for about 25 minutes or until they are nicely roasted. Be sure to stir them around on occasion to keep them from sticking. They are done when they are tender and browned.

While the mushrooms are in the oven, chop up some bacon into a skillet and cook. We loved using peppered bacon in this recipe!

When the bacon begins to turn brown, toss in some slices of onion and minced garlic. Continue cooking and stirring until the bacon is nice and crispy and the onion is tender.

Remove the bacon and onion from the skillet with a slotted spoon and place on a plate lined with a paper towel to let as much fat run off as possible.

Deglaze your hot skillet by pouring some chicken broth in and bringing it to a boil. Add some herbs - I just threw in a couple of liberal shakes of thyme, sage, parsley, and rosemary. Fresh herbs work wonders here as well!

Now for the magic! Combine the bread cubes, mushrooms, bacon and onions, broth mixture, and a few slightly beaten eggs in a large bowl and mix together.

Place your dressing into a greased casserole dish and cover with foil. Bake for 20 minutes at 350 degrees. Then, remove the foil and continue baking until the top is nice and browned (another 30-40 minutes).

The outcome is out-of-this-world delicious!

Sourdough Mushroom Dressing

1 lb. sourdough bread, cut into cubes

1 1/2 pounds of mushrooms (pick your favorite or use a variety)

2 T. canola oil

salt and pepper (to taste)

1/2 to 3/4 pound bacon, cut into small pieces

1 large onion, sliced

5 garlic cloves, minced

4 cups chicken broth

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

herbs to taste (i.e. thyme, rosemary, sage, parsley) - use liberally

Spread bread cubes onto a cookie sheet and bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown. Remove and place in a large bowl.

Combine mushrooms, oil, salt and pepper; spread onto a cookie sheet and bake at 375 degrees for about 25 minutes or until tender and browned.

In a large skillet, cook and stir bacon pieces. When bacon begins to brown, add onion and garlic. Continue cooking until bacon is crispy and onion is tender. Remove with a slotted spoon and place on a plate lined with a paper towel.

Pour chicken broth into hot skillet and bring to a simmer. Liberally add herbs (either fresh or dried).

Combine bread, mushrooms, bacon, onions, broth mixture, and eggs in a large bowl; mix well. Spread into a greased casserole dish and cover with foil. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes; remove foil and continue baking until golden brown (another 30-40 minutes).

quick-and-easy blackened chicken

2011-11-14T14:51:00.000-08:00

Hey folks! I'm back!

We have successfully moved to Texas, and I'm now cooking in the smallest kitchen I have ever seen. Most of my kitchen appliances are still in boxes and likely to stay there until we get a house. But, the good news is that I'm cooking! I still have some food aversions and moments when I can't handle the thought of looking at raw meat, but I'm feeling SO much better.

To celebrate our move to Texas, I wanted to highlight an incredibly quick and easy Tex-Mex meal that we enjoy. It's good enough for company but fast enough for a rushed night at home. I love it served with Mexican rice and a salad.

A few confessions:

Cookie Bandit actually made this - even though I'm cooking now, he's still being an awesome husband and helping me out.
I have yet to figure out how best to take food pictures at my new location. Natural light is nonexistent. I hope you can be patient with me!
I was so hungry that I almost forgot to take pictures of the finished product. Thankfully at least someone in our house (ahem...Cookie Bandit) isn't dictated by hormones and constant hunger.

Start by combining chili powder, salt, and pepper and rubbing it all over both sides of some chicken breasts. You want to choose chicken breasts that are relatively flat (or flatten them yourself) to speed up the cooking time. Cook in a small amount of oil in a nonstick skillet.

Once the chicken is cooked through, remove it from the skillet and keep it warm (I just wrap mine in foil). Toss some black beans, corn, and salsa into the skillet and heat until warm (2-3 minutes).

And there you have it - an easy meal in just about 15 minutes! It's also loaded in fiber and protein. To serve, just place about 3/4 cup of the corn/bean mixture onto a plate and top with a chicken breast. Serve it alongside some Mexican rice and a salad for a complete meal.

Quick-and-Easy Blackened Chicken
from Taste of Home's Light and Tasty 2006
2 t. chili powder
1/4 t. salt
1/4 t. pepper
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
1 T. canola oil
15 oz. can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup frozen corn, thawed
1 cup chunky salsa

Combine the chili powder, salt, and pepper. Rub spices over both sides of chicken. In a large nonstick skillet, cook chicken in oil over medium heat for 4-5 minutes on each side or until juices run clear. Remove and keep warm.

Add the beans, corn, and salsa to the skillet; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 2-3 minutes or until heated through. Transfer to a serving dish and top with chicken. Serves 4.

Nutrition: 297 cal, 7g fat (1g saturated fat), 63mg cholesterol, 697mg sodium, 30g carbs, 10g fiber, 33g protein.

taking a break

2011-09-29T08:52:00.000-07:00

Hey folks!

As you may have noticed, my posts have become fewer and fewer recently. There are some good reasons for that. Pregnancy has completely sapped my desire to step into the kitchen! :) Ha! I don't think I was prepared for the food aversions, gagging, and everything else that comes with growing a beautiful new little life. Fortunately the morning sickness is gone, but I still have trouble cooking.

The other BIG news is that a few days ago, we found out that we're moving to Texas...in less than 3 weeks! Ack! That's three weeks to pack up my entire home, including our kitchen. We're trying to eat up what's in the freezer and pantry (definitely not blog worthy), and our days and nights are filled with packing boxes and saying our goodbyes.

I'm thrilled about my baby and so excited to be moving back to Texas (yay BBQ!), but in order to make it all happen, I've got to take a break from Delightful Country Cookin'. I plan on diving back into blogging as soon as we get things settled in Texas, and I look forward to giving you updates on the baby, the move, and my joyous reunion with barbecue. :)

See you soon!

marshmallow clouds

2011-09-20T21:38:00.000-07:00

This Week's Cravings features kids in the kitchen. As you know, I don't have any kids in my kitchen (unless you count the little bun in my oven), so I had to think back to when I was a kid...what did I love to make? Cookies!

I used to love walking through the mall and stopping by Mrs. Fields' Cookies...did anyone else do that? My favorites were the M&M cookies. I was one lucky girl the day I discovered that my mom actually owned a Mrs. Fields cookie cookbook. I used to spend hours just looking at all of the pictures and deciding what I would make next. To this day, the cookbook often disappears off my mom's bookshelf (I think my sister and I are both to blame for that one).

My absolute favorite recipe from the cookbook is one that Mrs. Fields' daughter Jessica invented. Jessica probably has her own kids now, and I hope she makes these cookies with them. They are absolutely divine!

First, you blend the sugars and butter...yum.

Add eggs and vanilla, and beat until it's smooth and fluffy!

Toss in your flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and chocolate chips. You'll definitely need an electric mixer for this (or you'll have to knead it with your hands)...it's thick!

I must say, one of the downsides of being pregnant is that you can't eat the dough. I just wanted to dive right in.

To assemble, grab a hunk of dough and smash it down in your hand. Place 5 frozen marshmallows in the middle...they must be frozen...it makes a difference!

PS - Your hands will get messy...

Close the dough around the marshmallows and then place on an ungreased cookie sheet. I like to put mine on parchment paper...it's much easier to remove the finished product that way.

After baking for 8-10 minutes, they should look like hot chocolate in cookie form!

Seriously...these things are awesome.

Jessica's Marshmallow Clouds
from Mrs. Fields Cookies
3 cups flour
2/3 cup cocoa powder
1/2 t. baking soda
1 cup white sugar
1 cup light brown sugar
1 cup salted butter, softened
2 large eggs
2 t. pure vanilla extract
2 cups (12 oz.) miniature semisweet chocolate chips
8 oz. miniature marshmallows, frozen

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a medium bowl, combine flour, cocoa, and baking soda; set aside. Combine sugars in a large bowl. Using an electric mixer, blend in butter. Add eggs and vanilla; beat at medium speed until light and fluffy. Add the flour mixture and chocolate chips, and blend at low speed until combined. Batter will be very stiff. Wrap a heaping tablespoonful of dough around 4-5 frozen marshmallows. Place balls on ungreased baking sheet, 2 inches apart. Bake 8-10 minutes.

Celebrating National "Eat with Your Kids" Day!

hey, honey!

2011-09-13T20:47:00.000-07:00

This Week's Cravings features honey!!! I actually looked through my recipes and realized that very few of them call for honey. This surprised me...we love honey! I think we tend to just put it on things...cornbread, fried chicken, biscuits, you name it.

But, there was ONE recipe that I've featured that did call for honey...and it's one that we loved so much that my husband has been requesting it recently. Guess I'm pulling out the honey jar! That recipe is the cookie known as ANZAC Biscuits. They are an Australian treat, and eating them brings back memories of our recent trip to New Zealand. This is a wonderfully chewy, dense cookie with an incredible flavor. They also freeze well, last a LONG time (even after a few weeks, the leftovers are still chewy!), and have the power to trick you into thinking that you are eating a granola bar instead of a cookie.

First, you combine some oats, flour, sugar, and coconut in a bowl - see what I mean about tricking yourself into thinking it's a granola bar?!

In a small cup, combine some baking soda with boiling water and watch it fizzle.

Meanwhile, in a saucepan, stir some butter and either honey, corn syrup, or maple syrup together until the butter melts.

Add the baking soda mixture to the butter mixture and watch it foam! Pour it all into the the oat mixture and mix well.

It will look crumbly...this is a good thing.

Shape into 1 1/2 inch balls and place at least 2-inches apart on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Parchment paper is important here to keep them from sticking (remember...parchment paper is not waxed paper).

Bake at 300 degrees for about 20 minutes, or until they get nice and golden around the edges. Store in an airtight container to keep fresh!

ANZAC Biscuits

in Gooseberry Patch's Best-Ever Cookies

1 cup long-cooking oats, uncooked

1 cup flour

1 cup sugar

3/4 cup sweetened flaked coconut

1/2 cup butter

2 T. maple syrup, honey, or corn syrup

1/2 t. baking soda

1 T. boiling water

Combine oats, flour, sugar and coconut in a bowl; set aside. In a saucepan over medium-low heat, stir butter and syrup or honey together until butter melts. In a small cup, mix together baking soda and boiling water; add to butter mixture. Add butter mixture to oat mixture; mix well. Roll into 1-1/2 inch balls and place 2 inches apart on parchment paper-lined baking sheets. Bake at 300 degrees for 20 minutes. Cookies will keep for several weeks in an airtight container. Makes about 2-1/2 dozen.

Honey!

spinach supreme

2011-09-09T20:39:00.000-07:00

Spinach is good for you...we all know that. It's just eating it that seems to be difficult. Growing up, we ate it out of a can (very exciting, let me tell you). As an adult, I started eating it as a salad. Both ways became boring to me.

Fortunately, spinach is a versatile vegetable! After playing around a bit, we discovered that this is an absolutely delicious way to eat it.

First, saute some mushrooms and onion in butter until they are tender. Love the aromas coming from this skillet!

Stir in some salt and pepper, and then dump some fresh spinach into the skillet! Stir it around until it starts to wilt.

Just a brief minute later, and you've got an amazing side dish!

Spinach Supreme
1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms
1 onion, chopped
1 T. butter
5 oz. fresh spinach
1/2 t. salt
1/4 t. pepper

In a large skillet, saute mushrooms and onion in butter until tender. Stir in salt and pepper. Add spinach and stir gently until wilted, 2-3 minutes. Serves 2.

after-school snacks (and BIG news!!!)

2011-09-07T17:36:00.000-07:00

I'm a little late posting This Week's Cravings, but better late than never, right? The theme this week is after-school snacks!

I thought and thought about what to post, but in the end I came up short. My idea of a snack is a banana with peanut butter...you don't really need a recipe for that. Perhaps our problem is that we don't have any kids, eliminating the need for after-school snacks?

Well, folks, all that's going to change. Why? Cause we're having a...

Yes, it's true! We're having a baby! So, if you've been wondering "where is she?" or "why hasn't she posted very many new recipes?", here's your answer! I've been avoiding the kitchen like the plague - we have a love-hate relationship right now (yay morning sickness!) - and I've been a little distracted with all of the awesomeness that comes with preparing for a baby.

This big news means that someday I'll be making after-school snacks like they're going out of style! I can't wait! In the meantime, here are the closest things that I can think of that meet the "after-school snack" criteria...

s'more's crunch munch

chocolate hummus

I look forward to seeing what everyone else links up...I'm going to need inspiration!

After-School Snacks!

apple dumplings

2011-09-02T08:50:00.000-07:00

Last week, Cookie Bandit and I celebrated our 4th anniversary.

We have always given each other gifts based on the traditional anniversary gifts...I love thinking of creative ways to interpret the traditions! For the paper anniversary, I recreated the night he proposed with gift certificates to the same restaurant and opera house. I even asked a friend to meet us at the spot he proposed to take photos. For the cotton and china anniversary, I gave him a whole new set of lounge wear and made him fortune cookies (China!) with things I loved about him written inside. Last year, we celebrated the leather anniversary by going to the county fair (cows have leather!), eating at Outback (again, cows!), and then having dessert at Leatherby's Ice Cream.

Yes, we stretch it a bit, but that's what makes it fun! This year, though, I was dismayed to find out that it was the fruit and flowers anniversary. What in the world do you get a man that relates to fruit and flowers???

I thought and thought, agonizing for days. Finally, I came up with a brilliant idea, if I do say so myself. I bought him an Apple iPod (hey, apple is a fruit!) and made him a dessert of homemade apple dumplings. I even cut flower shapes out of the pastry to decorate the dumplings! :)

This dumpling recipe is to die for! And...it's incredibly easy!

Start by combining flour, sugar, and salt. Then, using a pastry cutter or fork, cut in butter until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs. You might consider softening the butter slightly beforehand (although that's not necessary).

In a separate dish, mix together water, vinegar, and an egg. Beat for a second to break up the yolk of the egg.

Pour the egg mixture into the crumbs and use the pastry cutter or fork to mix. Keep mixing until you've got a soft dough. Cover it and place it in the refrigerator for about 15 minutes...long enough to chill but not so long that it's rock hard.

While your dough is chilling, peel and core 6 apples. I placed these in a mixture of lemon water after peeling them to keep them from turning brown.

When your dough is through chilling, divide it into 7 equal balls. Six will be used to cover the apples...use the other to create cute decor for your finished dumplings.

Pat a ball of dough onto parchment paper until it's about 5-6 inches in diameter...it doesn't have to be a perfect circle, but it needs to be large enough to wrap around your apple. Sprinkle it with cinnamon and sugar.

Wrap your sheet of dough around a cored apple, covering completely. Once again, it doesn't need to look beautiful and smooth. The more creases it has, the more character it has! Do this for all of the apples. If you want to decorate them, use the last ball of dough to cut out shapes or mold tiny stems.

At this point, you can chill your dumplings until you are ready to bake them. When you are ready to bake, create a simple syrup to pour over them. Mix together sugar, water, cinnamon, and butter in a saucepan and heat until sugar is dissolved and butter is melted. Pour over the apples and then bake them at 425 degrees for 40 minutes. If you have decorated them with extra pastry, you might want to cover with foil halfway through cooking since the decorations will brown faster (look at my finished product to see what I mean).

Serve these warm with a side of homemade vanilla ice cream!

Apple Dumplings
4 cups flour
1 T. sugar
2 t. salt
1 3/4 cup butter
1/2 cup water
1 egg
1 T. vinegar
Garnish: cinnamon and sugar
6 apples, cored and peeled

Syrup:
1 cup sugar
1 3/4 cup water
cinnamon to taste
3 T. butter

Combine flour, sugar, and salt together; cut in butter until coarse crumbs form. In a separate bowl, stir together water, egg, and vinegar until yolk breaks. Blend egg mixture and crumb mixture with a pastry cutter or fork until soft dough forms. Chill dough for 15 minutes and then divide into 7 portions. On a piece of parchment paper, pat 6 of the portions of dough into 5-6 inch circles large enough to wrap around an apple. Sprinkle each circle of dough with cinnamon and sugar, and then wrap around an apple, covering completely. Use final portion of dough to decorate dumplings. Place wrapped apples in a baking dish. To make syrup, combine sugar, water, cinnamon, and butter in a saucepan and heat until sugar has dissolved and butter has melted. Pour over dumplings; bake at 425 degrees for 40 minutes.

this week's craving: grilling!

2011-08-29T19:21:00.000-07:00

Hey folks! I've got some good recipes coming up for you, and I'm excited to share them! I'm crossing my fingers that I'll be back to 2 posts a week here soon. For now, though, it's time for This Week's Cravings, and the theme is grilling!!!

Ironically, we don't own a grill...lol. That won't stop me from sharing with you one of my favorite Labor Day recipes! Instead of smoking or grilling a pork roast, I like to simmer it for 10 hours in a delicious homemade BBQ marinade.

Good? Yes, yes it is. And, I get to enjoy air conditioning while I do it. :)

I used a pork roast that was about 3 pounds (give or take). Place your roast right into your slow cooker.

Chop up a few stalks of celery and a couple of jalapenos. Throw these right on top of the roast.

For the marinade, mix together one can of reduced-sodium chicken broth, 1/2 cup sugar, 1/2 cup red wine vinegar, 1/2 cup soy sauce (I used a gluten-free version), 4 teaspoons of ground mustard, 4 teaspoons of paprika, and a few dashes of liquid smoke.

Stir the marinade until the sugar has dissolved, and then pour over your roast. Plop the lid on and plug it in! Cook the roast on high for 1 hour and then on low for 7 hours.

When your meat is done cooking, pull it out of the slow cooker. It should be so tender that it just pulls apart without any effort on your part.

Remove any large bits of gristle and fat, and then shred the meat with two forks.

Place the shredded meat into a large saucepan and then pour in the liquid from the slow cooker. Bring it to a boil and then reduce the heat to medium-low. Simmer for about an hour and a half uncovered so that the liquid will reduce.

By this time your house should smell fabulous! And your pork should look something like this...

You can continue simmering longer if you like, but I suggest keeping a little liquid in there...it helps keep it juicy when you reheat it. This is also great recipe to make and freeze - we like to keep half of the meat for immediate eating and freeze the other half for later.

Top with some onions, jalapenos, and a little bit of BBQ sauce (can't ever have too much!), and eat up!

I love Plan B.

Sweet and Savory Pulled Pork
1 boneless pork shoulder roast (about 3 pounds)
2 celery ribs, chopped
2 jalapeno peppers, chopped
1 can reduced-sodium chicken broth
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
1/2 cup soy sauce
4 t. ground mustard
4 t. paprika
a few shakes of liquid smoke

Place the pork into a slow cooker. Top with celery and peppers. Mix remaining ingredients and pour over top. Cook on high for 1 hour and then low for 7 hours. Remove meat from slow cooker; remove any pieces of fat and then shred with two forks. Place shredded meat and all liquid from slow cooker into a large saucepan; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to simmer and simmer, uncovered, for 1 1/2 hours.

Grilling!

Link up your favorite grilling recipes below!

101 hearty recipes: we have a winner!

2011-08-21T08:33:00.000-07:00

We have a winner!!!

Congrats to Melissa Elgin! You've won your own copy of Gooseberry Patch's 101 Hearty Reciphttp://www.gooseberrypatch.com/gooseberry/products.nsf/v.weball/M223es! Here's what Melissa said - "Definately the Texas Hominy. The 4 layer cookies will be on the list for the next mom and son cooking day I have with my son. Looking forward to either winning or purchasing the cookbook to add to my collection."

To everyone else, be sure to reserve your own copy of this fabulous cookbook or look for it in bookstores soon!

And, the winning recipe was by far the Cornmeal-Cheddar Biscuits. It was my personal favorite, so you all made an excellent choice! Enjoy!

Cornmeal-Cheddar Biscuits

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1/2 cup yellow cornmeal

2 t. sugar

1 T. baking powder

1/4 to 1/2 salt

1/2 cup butter, softened

1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1 cup milk

In a bowl, combine flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder and salt; cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in cheese and milk just until moistened. Drop dough by 1/4 cupfuls onto an ungreased baking sheet. Bake at 450 degrees for 12 to 15 minutes, until lightly golden. Makes one dozen.

this week's craving: special diets!

2011-08-16T08:53:00.000-07:00

First things first...have you entered to win Gooseberry Patch's 101 Hearty Recipes? Giveaway goes until Friday!

This Week's Cravings is devoted to those who have to follow a special diet. Whether it's gluten-free, wheat-free, dairy-free, peanut-free, egg-free, etc., following a special diet is HARD! I know...I had to do it for several years.

I think the roughest thing about being on a special diet was losing the freedom to socialize with friends because my needs wouldn't be met at their dinner table. I couldn't just go out to eat with them because often the restaurant wouldn't have any choices for me. I ended up either cancelling social engagements or (more awkward) bringing my own food with me wherever I went.

If you have a friend on a special diet, show them some love in the next few weeks by attempting to make a dish that they can enjoy with you! It's often not as difficult as you might think. :)

A great gluten-free option might be enchiladas made with corn tortillas and homemade sauce. These spinach mushroom enchiladas are some of my favorites.

Also, if you are going wheat or gluten-free, you can't go wrong with just a plain old meat and potatoes kind of meal. My husband created these saucy steak strips and twice-baked potatoes for me to enjoy while I was eating wheat-free. They were delicious!

A hearty gluten-free and non-dairy option is this meat 'n' potatoes skillet meal. It's a favorite at our home when we are looking for something easy, filling, healthy, and delicious.

These are just a few suggestions - the possibilities are endless! If you are new to dairy-free cooking, I suggest a website called Go Dairy Free. It can help you figure out how to substitute dairy-free products for dairy products in your favorite recipes. For those looking to cook gluten-free, resources are even more abundant. Here's a gluten-free cheat sheet to get you started.

I'm curious - are you following a special diet or do you know someone who is? What has been your biggest challenge when it comes to cooking for that diet?

Special Diets!

Link up your favorite special-diet recipes below!

getables? Be sure to link up below!

Summer Vegetables!

perseverance

2011-08-11T14:32:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago, I planted some pumpkin seeds in three containers on my patio. I watered them faithfully and every day looked at my little pots of dirt hoping to see signs of life. Finally, little green buds sprouted up in two of the pots. I love these small green leaves. There's something so exciting about caring for a tiny leaf, knowing that soon it will be a vine large enough to overtake your patio area. :)

Every day I checked on my pots and watered them. I watched the plants in the two pots grow healthier every day. Meanwhile, I watered my pot of dirt, still hopeful.

I've been watering that pot of dirt for over 3 weeks now.

Today, when I walked outside, I was delighted to see the progress of my pumpkins...

...but I was even more excited to see this!

101 hearty recipes: review and giveaway

2011-08-10T09:32:00.000-07:00

Guess what!!!

It's time for another review and giveaway!

101 Hearty Recipes is another Gooseberry cookbook that's soon to be one of our favorites! It's got 101 of the best Gooseberry recipes to date. How did they pick them? They turned to their readers' favorites! One thing I particularly love is that each recipe is accompanied by a beautiful color photo to tempt your taste buds and help you visualize your menu. The cookbook is also spiral-bound so that it can lie flat, no fancy cookbook stand required. These recipes are gorgeous, easy-to-make, and absolutely delicious. You MUST check it out!

Once again, we picked a recipe from each chapter to try out and share with you. Here they are, each given its own "reward"!

Richest and Boldest Side Dish

Texas Hominy from the chapter "Casual & Comforting"

We've always liked hominy, so we had to try this dish. Man is it BOLD! Filled with bacon and cheese, this dish has tons of flavor all on its own. I think we had to split the amount shown on the plate. It was definitely a fun new way to eat hominy and an easy way to dress up a plain entree like grilled chicken. Don't count on it to help you shrink your waistline! :)

Spiciest Kick

Texas Two-Step in a Jar from the chapter "Speedy & Satisfying"

This soup recipe is originally intended to be packaged dry as a gift, but we went ahead and made the full thing. For such a small meal, it's got a lot of spice. I found the spices a bit overwhelming and would probably cut them in half next time. Cookie Bandit, however, slurped it right up! It's a fun soup and would make a great gift-in-a-jar once the weather cools.

Most Restaurant Worthy

Cornmeal-Cheddar Biscuits from the chapter "Baked & Buttery"

We just loved, loved, loved these biscuits. They remind me of something you would expect to get in a restaurant, and yet they were so easy! This was one recipe that we couldn't get enough of. Light and flaky, tons of butter flavor, and ribboned with melted cheese, these biscuits were winners!

Most Structurally Unsound Delight

4-Layer Cookie Bars from the chapter "Fun & Filling"

Lol...Cookie Bandit picked this award. As an engineer, it bugged him that these 4-layer cookies kept wanting to separate. However, just like the Leaning Tower of Pisa, the lack of structural integrity didn't ruin their coolness factor. These cookies were delicious! We took the entire pan to our Bible study and ended up with just these two pieces left. Overwhelmingly, everyone loved them. Some even suggested adding cinnamon or cinnamon graham crackers to the cookie for an even more fun flavor combo.

My husband gets to pick which one of the above recipes I share with you. It didn't take long for him to decide on his overall favorite...of course he picked the dessert! 4-Layer Cookie Bars!!!

Making these no-bake cookies was easy-peasy! First, we combined the peanut butter, chocolate chips, and peanut butter chips in a saucepan and got those melting over low heat. You need to stir occasionally until everything is smooth and creamy.

In another saucepan, melt margarine and combine with sugar, brown sugar, graham cracker crumbs, and milk.

Heat the sugar mixture over medium-high heat until sugars dissolve, stirring constantly.

To assemble, line the bottom of a buttered baking pan with crackers...

Spread the sugar mixture over the top of the crackers...

Place another layer of crackers over the sugar mixture...

And then pour the chocolate mixture over the top! Set it aside until the cookies are firm before cutting them into bars.

Hope you like them as much as we did!

4-Layer Cookie Bars
16-oz. package rectangular buttery crackers
1/2 cup margarine
2/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
1 cup graham cracker crumbs
1/4 cup milk
2/3 cup creamy peanut butter
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup peanut butter chips

Line the bottom of a buttered 13"x9" baking pan with a single layer of crackers; set aside. Melt margarine in a heavy saucepan; add sugars, graham cracker crumbs and milk. Heat over medium-high heat until sugars dissolve, stirring often; spread over crackers in pan. Arrange another single layer of crackers on top; set aside. Combine remaining ingredients in a saucepan; heat over low heat until melted, stirring until smooth and creamy. Spread over crackers; set aside until firm. Cut into bars to serve. Makes 2 dozen.

So...how can YOU win a free copy of 101 Hearty Recipes? Just leave me a comment answering the following question - which of the other recipes featured above would you like me to share? I'll tally up the answers and share that recipe when I announce the winner! (Please also make sure I have access to a valid e-mail so that I can contact you if you win. No contact info, no entry!) Giveaway ends next Friday at midnight (Pacific time). Winner announced Saturday, August 20.

PS - Gooseberry Patch gave me a free book to review as well as another to give away, but the views and opinions (and pictures!) presented in this post are entirely my own! Disclosure...check!

summer vegetable pasta

2011-08-08T08:52:00.000-07:00

One of the things I've always loved about summer is the bountiful fresh produce available at our local farmer's market and produce stands. There's just something so delicious about fresh fruits and vegetables over canned or frozen - the flavors, the textures, and the colors are rich and wonderful!

That's why This Weeks Craving is summer vegetables. And my recipe features three of my favorites - carrots, broccoli, and eggplant. Roasting vegetables brings out their slightly sweet side while giving them an amazing texture, and this pasta dish is the perfect way to highlight their flavors.

Start by "sweating your eggplant." Cut the eggplant into slices and sprinkle each slice generously with salt.

Wait about 30 minutes to an hour - your eggplant will start "sweating." See the little water droplets?

This is an essential step to reducing bitterness, so you don't want to skip it!

Rinse off the eggplant and then chop into smaller pieces. Combine the eggplant with chopped broccoli florets and baby carrots in a large roasting pan. Toss in a generous amount of olive oil and then season liberally with salt and basil.

Roast your veggies in the oven at 400 degrees for 30-40 minutes, or until they reach desired tenderness. You'll want to toss them every once in a while to keep them from sticking to the bottom of the pan.

When the vegetables are done, toss them with some freshly cooked pasta. Serve with a garnish of freshly grated hard cheese (like Parmesan) and enjoy the flavors of summer!

What's your favorite way to serve summer vegetables? Be sure to link up below!

Summer Vegetables!

the perfect biscuit

2011-08-03T09:54:00.000-07:00

Finding the perfect biscuit recipe is a lot like finding a husband. There's a lot of good ones out there, but it's hard to find the one.

I found my husband years ago...as of last weekend, I think I've also found the perfect biscuit!

Here's what I love about it:

It's fast to whip up. The dough comes together in a matter of minutes! So many biscuit recipes require complicated sifting or hours of rising...not this one. When I want breakfast, I want it now, and this recipe lets me have it.
It takes simple ingredients...stuff I've already got in the pantry. My favorite feature is that it calls for butter and not shortening. Butter equals tons of flavor. Shortening just means bigger hips.
The biscuits rise beautifully and separate easily. Time to pull out the jam!

The recipe comes from one of my favorite Gooseberry Patch cookbooks - Country Baking. They are so good that I have to share!

Dixie's Sky High Biscuits
from Gooseberry Patch's Country Baking
3 cups all-purpose flour
4 1/2 t. baking powder
3/4 t. cream of tartar
2 T. sugar
1/2 t. salt
3/4 cup butter
1 egg, beaten
1 cup milk

Combine flour, baking powder, cream of tartar, sugar and salt. Cut in butter until mixture is coarse and crumbly. Add egg and milk, stirring quickly until just mixed. On lightly floured board, knead briefly. Roll to about one-inch thickness. Cut the dough with a round biscuit cutter. Place on a greased cookie sheet. Bake at 400 degrees for 12 to 15 minutes. Makes about 1 1/2 dozen.

this week's craving: strawberries!

2011-07-25T11:31:00.000-07:00

Oh dear...I'm so behind! I have so many recipes to share with you all, but life has been a whirlwind lately. I'm looking forward to August when things will slow down. Coming up in August, I'm giving you new desserts, main dishes, sides, and another Gooseberry Patch giveaway!!!

Until then, I'm eating a strawberry and wondering why I've never done a recipe featuring strawberries? I love the berries, but I don't have a single recipe in my recipe box that honors them. Crazy!

Fortunately, today's This Week's Cravings is all about strawberries. I can't wait to see what everyone links up...I know I'll get some great ideas from you!

Strawberries!!!

this week's craving: ice cream bonanza!

2011-07-18T09:28:00.000-07:00

Whoohoo! This Week's Craving is all about ICE CREAM! I'm so excited to see what everyone will link up.

Here are my favorites from my archives..

First, looking for an ice cream maker? Check out this post on ice cream makers before you go and buy one yourself.

Ice cream makers can be used for more than just ice cream...how about sorbet? This mango sorbet is the best I have ever tasted, and it's SO EASY. It's a must-try while mangoes are in season.

Now for the ice cream! I can't get enough of this cookies-and-cream. It's the most creamy and delicious homemade ice cream in the world...and it's chock full of Oreos!

And this double chocolate cheesecake ice cream is absolutely delicious. It's got just the right amount of cheesecake and graham cracker and a double portion of chocolate. Make mine 3 scoops!

Now let's not forget the traditional flavors. Here's as classic a vanilla homemade ice cream that you can get...

And, of course, we can't forget the rich dark chocolate...

And finally, we MUST have hot fudge! Ice cream just wouldn't be the same without it!

And now, I've got to see your favorites. Link them up!

Ice Cream!!!

the coolest cake ever!

2011-07-15T09:19:00.000-07:00

For the past few weeks, I've been traveling through Texas, Kansas, and Oklahoma visiting family. We ended our visit on Route 66 in Oklahoma, visiting Cookie Bandit's family. While there, I talked my mother-in-law into making a cake that I've been wanting to make for quite some time. It's an M&Ms Barrel Cake!

Cookie Bandit and his family are the biggest M&M lovers in the world, so this cake was perfect. They love M&Ms so much, that his parents actually made us a special cookbook when we got married. I just had to show it to you...

Sounds intriguing, right? Here are the "recipes"!

Haha! I love that cookbook and use it often. So, of course, I had to insist on making the M&Ms cake for our big family birthday celebration. I first saw this cake on Mommy Topics. What I love about it is that you can use any cake and frosting recipe that you want to...the secret is in the decorating.

We made a two-layer chocolate cake with chocolate frosting for filling. We covered the outside with chocolate frosting and then proceeded to make our barrel out of Kit-Kats. I don't suggest trying to construct the cake by yourself...the Kit-Kats kept falling off while I was trying to put it together, so my father-in-law came to the rescue.

Once we got all of the Kit-Kats in place, we tied a ribbon around the cake to hold them in.

Then, we filled the top with two medium bags of M&Ms!

The cake was a huge hit...especially with this little guy. :)

This is the perfect way to dress up any cake for a special occasion, and it requires no cake decorating skills! Hope you love it as much as we did!

hello, skinny pants!

2011-07-07T07:00:00.000-07:00

I've been chilling with family in Kansas and Oklahoma, eating way too much homemade ice cream, and, as a result, my pants are getting a little snug. To remind myself that healthy eating can be delicious (and because I haven't been doing any cooking while traveling), I'm pulling one of my favorites from my archives. Time to get skinny!

hot bacon pasta salad

I have this pair of pants. They aren't my skinny pants. They aren't my fat pants. They are more like...measuring stick pants.

Do you know what I mean?

This is the pair of pants that fits me perfectly when I'm exactly the size that I should be. If they get too loose, then I eat a little more dessert (can't get too skinny or I won't have any clothes that fit!). If they get a little tight, I know it's time to start exercising.

And it's time to start exercising.

Lately, I've been showcasing fried foods (my husband's picks). And, as a result, my measuring stick pants have been getting more and more snug by the day. So I've decided that today, I'm posting a cast iron recipe that's just as delicious but much more healthy. It would be even healthier if I used less bacon...but my pants aren't that tight.

The inspiration for this hot bacon pasta salad came from a Tasty Kitchen recipe posted by the Pioneer Woman herself - spinach salad with warm bacon dressing. The salad was delicious, so I decided to convert it into something more filling, more hearty, and slightly healthier (by using turkey bacon).

The cast of ingredients includes turkey bacon (you could also use regular), a small package of sliced mushrooms, a package of baby spinach, red wine vinegar, sugar, Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper.

Ooops...don't forget the pasta!

Cook the pasta according to package directions. In the meanwhile, slice up your bacon into smaller strips.

Toss these into a large skillet and season very, very liberally with pepper. Cook until they get as crispy as you like. Once the bacon is cooked, remove it to a separate bowl.

Toss your mushroom slices in the skillet, and cook and stir until they get nice and tender.

Then throw in your package of spinach. Stir it around for about a minute, or until the spinach has wilted.

Once your spinach has wilted, add the bacon back to the skillet and turn off the heat.

Mix together 3 tablespoons vinegar, 2 teaspoons sugar, 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard, and a dash of salt. Because my mushrooms had soaked up most of my bacon grease, I also added a small amount of olive oil to the dressing, although I'm not sure that it was really necessary.

Toss the cooked pasta in with the spinach, mushrooms, and bacon...

Then pour in the dressing.

And toss your pasta salad to mix everything all together.

And there you have it...a fast, easy, hearty, delicious, and relatively healthy skillet meal!

Hot Bacon Pasta Salad
16 oz. package of pasta
1 lb. bacon or turkey bacon
1 small package (2 cups) sliced mushrooms
10 oz. package baby spinach
3 T. red wine vinegar
2 t. sugar
1/2 t. Dijon mustard
dash salt
pepper to taste

Cook pasta according to package directions. Dice up bacon and place in a large skillet, seasoning liberally with pepper. Cook until crispy; remove to another bowl. Add mushrooms to skillet and cook 2-3 minutes, or until tender. Add spinach leaves; cook and stir until wilted. Toss in cooked pasta. Mix the vinegar, sugar, and salt and pour over the pasta. Stir everything together and serve hot. Serves 8.

Nutrition: 320 cal, 13g fat, 3g sat fat, 0g trans fat, 91mg cholesterol, 736mg sodium, 35g carbs, 1g fiber, 2g sugars, 16g protein, 67% vit. A, 18% vit. C, 7% calcium, 22% iron.

traditional homemade ice cream

2011-07-04T05:00:00.000-07:00

We have a Fourth of July tradition in my family. Every year, we make a batch of my mom's delicious homemade ice cream, pack it in an ice chest along with brownies and other deliciousness, and then enjoy our sugar rush while watching the town's fireworks show. I love traditions.

I've featured homemade ice creams on this site before, but those are a bit different. They are made custard-style, so they end up with that delicious smooth and creamy texture that you find in the best store-bought ice creams. Mom's ice cream is the traditional kind - that irreplaceable, only-can-be-made-at-home ice cream. It's delicious!

It requires very few ingredients - whipping cream, eggs (or egg substitute), sugar, vanilla, and milk. We used egg substitute since it has been pasteurized, just to be on the safe side.

This is my mom putting the eggs, sugar, and vanilla in a blender. :) Hi mom!

Blend the eggs, sugar, and vanilla until smooth.

Then, add the whipping cream and blend until mixed (just don't blend too much...you'll make butter!)

It should be nice and smooth...

Pour the cream mixture into a 4-quart ice cream maker and then add milk until the mixture reaches the fill line in the ice cream maker.

Now...if you are like my sister and like your ice cream plain, you can just stop there. If you are like me (and I'm ALWAYS right...ask my husband), then you know that homemade ice cream is always better with Butterfinger mixed in!

I crushed up Butterfinger with a strange contraption my mom had in her kitchen drawer - it looked like a giant version of something you'd find in a dentist's office! I just love searching through Mom's drawers...you never know what you'll find.

I mixed the crushed Butterfinger into the ice cream and voila ~ perfection!

But, since my sister was also visiting home, I felt it was only fair to leave her some plain homemade ice cream. I felt festive and decorated her bowl for the Fourth of July.

Mmmmmmmmmm....no matter how you serve it, this ice cream is good!

Traditional Homemade Ice Cream
6 eggs (or the equivalent of egg substitute)
2 cups sugar
1 t. vanilla
1/2 pint whipping cream
milk (approximately 2 quarts)

Blend the eggs, sugar, and vanilla in a blender. Add the whipping cream and blend until smooth. Pour into a 4-quart ice cream maker, and then add enough milk to bring mixture to the fill line. Freeze according to ice cream maker instructions. (If you're cool, add Butterfinger.)

Red, White, and Blue!

Link up your favorite Fourth of July themed recipes here!

summer squash casserole

2011-07-01T17:00:00.000-07:00

I just love comfort food. I'm visiting my family in Kansas right now, and being back home brings back memories of all of my favorite dishes. Growing up, we used to love eating at a restaurant called the Black Eyed Pea (does that place even exist anymore?). My favorite dish - squash casserole.

I don't have the official Black Eyed Pea recipe, but we have found another that we love. It's a great way to use up that summer squash that's taking over your garden!

First, cut about 3 lbs of yellow summer squash into chunks and place in a large saucepan. Cover with water and boil until tender (about 15-20 minutes).

Drain well, getting as much moisture out as you can. Mash the squash.

Place the squash back in the saucepan and then add 1/2 cup egg substitute, 1/2 cup dry bread crumbs or crushed crackers, 2 tablespoons sugar, 2 tablespoon minced onion, 1/2 teaspoon salt (or more to taste), and 1/8 teaspoon pepper. Stir well.

Spray a small casserole dish with cooking spray and then pour the squash mixture into the dish. Bake uncovered in the oven at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.

Melt 2 teaspoons of butter and mix with two tablespoons of bread crumbs. Sprinkle over top of casserole and bake another 20-30 minutes until golden. Yum!

Summer Squash Casserole

6 small yellow summer squash (3 pounds), cut into chunks
1/2 cup egg substitute
1/2 cup plus 2 T. dry bread crumbs or crushed crackers, divided
2 T. sugar
2 T. minced onion
1/2 t. salt (or more to taste)
1/8 t. pepper
2 t. butter, melted

Place squash in a large saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil; boil for 15-20 minutes or until tender. Drain well, pressing squash to remove excess liquid. Mash the squash; stir in egg substitute, 1/2 cup bread crumbs, sugar, onion, salt and pepper until blended.

Transfer to a 1 1/2 qt. baking dish coated with nonstick cooking spray. Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Toss the remaining bread crumbs with butter; sprinkle over the top of casserole. Bake 20-30 minutes longer or until golden. Makes 8 servings.

Nutrition (1/2 cup serving): 77 cal, 2g fat, 0g saturated fat, 0g trans fat, 0mg cholesterol, 240mg sodium, 12g carbs, 1g fiber, 6g sugars, 4g protein, 5% vit. A, 25% vit. C, 4% calcium, 6% iron.

this week's craving: picnics!

2011-06-27T07:00:00.000-07:00

It's finally picnic weather, and This Week's Cravings is celebrating! Whenever I go on a picnic, I rely on this favorite recipe - it's easy to assemble the night before and absolutely delicious!

marinated turkey wraps

Ready for a wrap session? Nope, that's not a typo you see...I really do mean wrap.

You see, I'm not a fan of sandwiches. Sure, the occasional Subway sandwich fits the bill when you need something fast, but I really dislike homemade sandwiches. Maybe it's because I'm inept at making them. Maybe it's because I don't have a full on veggie bar like Subway does. I don't know. I'm just not a fan.

But wraps? That's a different story! You don't have to stick to deli lunch meat...you can put all kinds of fun things in those. I even find that it's okay to make and assemble wraps in advance - let's the flavors mingle, you know? Here's one of my favorites...

For this wrap, I made a delicious marinated turkey breast in the slow cooker. It's so easy, and you have delicious, tender meat for several meals. You need a 2 1/2 - 3 pound boneless turkey breast and then the marinade ingredients - zest and juice from one lemon, dried rosemary, dried oregano, Dijon mustard, dry white wine, minced garlic, and pepper.

The night before you want to eat this, put the turkey in a glass dish with a lid.

Mix the marinade ingredients together (only takes a minute!) and pour over the top. Put the lid on and refrigerate overnight.

A note on the marinade - I zest an entire lemon and use all of its juice. If you aren't so into the citrus flavor, though, feel free to go a bit light (maybe use half a lemon). That part is flexible.

The previous picture was taken after a night of marinating. Yum, right? Okay, haha, I know...it's still raw. But here's where the cooking part comes in. Dump it all in your slow cooker, and cook on low for 6-8 hours. That's it! And invite company over while it's cooking...your house will smell delightful. :-)

A bonus - after marinating all night, the turkey skin may just slide right off...mine did!

So that's the meat. But wraps are more than meat...they have lots of goodness in them. And my favorite thing to add to these particular wraps are sauteed onions (and sometimes peppers).

For two wraps, I chop up a half onion (and, when I have them, peppers).

Saute the onion (and maybe peppers) in a skillet with about a teaspoon of olive oil, lots of oregano (don't be shy with it), and pepper to taste.

You have complete freedom to assemble your wraps however you like. Here's how I do it:

Mash up a ripe avocado and spread a quarter of it on a softened tortilla.

Top with about 3 ounces of shredded turkey.

Top with half of your cooked onions (and possibly peppers!).

And finally sprinkle a bit of Parmesan on (if you want...it's not necessary, but it adds a nice touch). At this point my husband also likes to add BBQ sauce or salsa...it's up to you!

Roll (or wrap) it up, and you are ready for dinner.

Total prep time for the meat : about 5 minutes, not counting the overnight marinade. Total prep time for the onions: about 5 minutes. Total time it takes to assemble the wrap: about 2 minutes. Total minutes of enjoyment: endless.

Can a sandwich be this cool? I don't think so!

Marinated Turkey Wraps

2 1/2 lb. boneless turkey breast
zest and juice from one lemon
1 t. dried rosemary
1 t. dried oregano
2 T. dijon mustard
1/2 cup dry white wine
2 t. minced garlic
pepper to taste

Place turkey in glass bowl, skin side down. Mix remaining ingredients and pour over turkey. Refrigerate overnight. Cook in slow cooker on low for 6-8 hours.

To make wrap: spread on softened tortilla 1/4 of an avocado (mashed), 3 oz. turkey, 1/4 of an onion (sauteed with oregano and pepper), and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Can also add salsa or BBQ sauce.

Picnics!

lentil chili

2011-06-24T18:45:00.000-07:00

This recipe is delicious and was the perfect dinner to warm us up on the rainy weekend we just had. It was a fast fix, but it smelled amazing while cooking! I love that it's healthy and full of fiber, something I'm convinced Cookie Bandit needs more of in his diet.

Would I normally put lentils in chili? No, of course not. But this recipe is definitely worth it! I love the idea of guilt-free chili! Excuse me while I go eat a bowl...

Lentil Chili
adapted from Taste of Home's Light and Tasty 2003
1 lb. ground meat
6 cups chicken broth
2 cups lentils
15 oz. tomato sauce
14.5 oz. diced tomatoes, undrained
1 onion, chopped
1 T. chili powder
1 t. cumin
1/4 t. pepper

Brown meat in a large stockpot; drain. Add remaining ingredients and bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 25-30 minutes or until lentils are tender. Serves 8.

Nutrition (using ground turkey and low-sodium broth): 278 cal, 5g fat, 1g saturated fat, 45mg cholesterol, 918mg sodium, 35g carbs, 12g fiber, 25g protein.

this week's craving: 30-minute meals

2011-06-20T07:10:00.000-07:00

It's summertime...time to get outside! During the summer, I love 30-minute meals because they give me more time to go outside and play. As much as I love working over a hot stove, who wants to do that in the summer?

This Week's Craving is all about 30-minute meals, so I'm featuring one of my very favorites. It's an absolutely amazing pasta sauce. Yes, it's quite amazing. It's got a kick to it that most sauces don't have. And did I mention it was easy? Well, it is.

You can use any type of meat you want in this sauce. My personal favorite, though, is Italian smoked sausage. It's so different! You often see ground meat in pasta sauce, but how often do you see smoked sausage? It really takes the cake.

After you dice your sausage into smaller pieces, add it to a skillet with one large chopped onion and 2 heaping teaspoons of minced garlic (about 4 cloves).

Add about a teaspoon of olive oil to give it something to saute in.

Saute until the onions are tender. If you use a different type of meat (like raw hamburger, for instance), make sure it is thoroughly cooked before you proceed.

Now here's my favorite part! Grab the following: 2 cans of Italian style stewed tomatoes (drain and reserve the liquid first), 2 jars (7 oz. each) roasted red peppers (drained), 2 teaspoons sugar, 1 teaspoon cumin, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon oregano, 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper, and 1/2 teaspoon red wine vinegar.

Put all of these ingredients in a blender, and let 'er rip! You may have to do this in batches (I did).

Add your blended ingredients to the meat and onions.

Stir and cook until heated through. Add the reserved tomato juice until the sauce reaches the consistency that you prefer.

Serve this sauce over your favorite pasta. We ate it over gnocci and followed our meal with the "no dirty dishes" chocolate cake.

We love this meal for multiple reasons. It's fast, it's easy, it's very conducive to modifications (add your own favorite meats and veggies), and it's got a taste like no other pasta sauce we've ever had. It's kickin'!

Kickin' Pasta Sauce
1 package Italian smoked sausage (or any meat of your choice), chopped
1 onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 t. olive oil
2 cans Italian style stewed tomatoes, liquid drained and reserved
2 jars (7 oz. each) roasted red peppers, drained
2 t. sugar
1 t. cumin
1/2 t. oregano
1/2 t. cayenne
1/2 t. red wine vinegar
1/2 t. salt

Saute meat, onion, and garlic in a little olive oil. Put all other ingredients in blender and blend until pureed (might have to do it in batches). Mix together and bring to a simmer. Use reserved tomato liquid to thin out sauce to desired consistency. Serve over pasta. Makes 12 servings (at least!).

Note: This recipe is easy to half and freezes well. For the IBS diet, use ground turkey or turkey sausage and either reduce the amount of onions or leave out completely (season with onion powder instead).

Nutrition (calculated with Italian turkey smoked sausage): 99 cal, 4g fat, 0 sat fat, 0 trans fat, 20mg cholesterol, 754mg sodium, 9g carbs, 2g fiber, 6g sugar, 6g protein, 17% vit. A, 50% vit. C, 4% calcium, 26% iron.

30-Minute Meals

Link up your favorite 30-minute meals!

bikini weather

2011-06-16T13:09:00.000-07:00

I don't know about you, but it finally looks like summer here! Took long enough!

We've been enjoying the weather and planning for an upcoming vacation, so there hasn't been much cooking at our place - it's just too pretty to be indoors! So, for the next few weeks, I'll be offering up some commentary on food, life, and whatever else while reminding you of some of my favorite summer foods tucked away in the DCC archives.

Today I wanted to ask...how do you go about preparing for swimsuit season? Do you even worry about it? Are you a crash dieter between May and July? Do you enjoy the weather by upping your activity?

I, for one, have never been a fan of the crash diet. Partly it's because they are just a bad idea (not good for your health or overall weight goals)...but mostly it's because I'm just too hungry all the time! I love food, and I don't believe it should be our enemy. I'm also not a fan of "crash exercising" - you know...being a couch potato all winter long only to turn into a marathon runner once the sun comes out. It's just not my thing.

What is my thing is moderation. I like eating a relatively healthy diet all year round (with the occasional treat, of course). I like exercising relatively consistently all year round (with the occasional lounging days, of course). Am I good at moderation? Not always. I tend to eat way too many cookies at Christmas and way too much candy at Easter. I'd rather snuggle under a blanket when it's cold outside than do pilates. But, I'm trying...and I think that's what counts.

Here are two of my favorite websites for helping me stay accountable to moderation in both diet and exercise.

The Sisterhood of the Shrinking Jeans - I just love these gals (and guys!). They are about loving yourself, loving your body, and achieving healthy goals. There's a daily blog with encouragement, constant giveaways (I recently won a fitbit!), and forums where you can connect with others. My favorite thing about the Sisterhood, though, is that they are always hosting a challenge (think Biggest Loser style). The challenges are more than about losing weight...in fact, they encourage you to enter them even if you are just wanting to maintain your weight! Instead, they are about healthy habits - exercise, drinking water, eating veggies, etc. These challenges have kept me motivated to keep making wise choices...and they are just plain fun.

Lose It! - This website (and phone app) is perfect for helping you to manage your diet and exercise! You enter your weight, your goal weight, and your weekly goal (anything from maintaining your weight to losing 2 pounds a week). This website will then tell you how many calories you can intake each day in order to achieve your goal. It's got a full database of foods, so you can log your calories. You can also track your exercise (earning you more food calories!). You can link up with friends to keep each other accountable and earn badges along the way. It's simple...and that's what I love about it.

I love that staying healthy doesn't mean giving up everything we love. It just means making wise choices, most of the time. :)

Speaking of something I love (and a wise choice), check out this easy summer entree from the archives!

cajun drumsticks

If you are needing an easy dinner option, this is it. These Cajun drumsticks are easy to prepare, and they go great with just about any side. The only reason I don't eat them more is that I don't have air conditioning.

400 degree oven + no air conditioning = sauna

I don't do saunas. Well...not unless I want some drumsticks.

I adapted this recipe from the Easy Peasy Chicken Legs recipe on Mommy's Kitchen. Tina over at Mommy's Kitchen always has wonderful, down-to-earth recipes, and this one did not disappoint. See her version of this recipe here.

I only made a few changes from Tina's version. Because it's just me and my man, I only made a package of six drumsticks. I used Cajun seasoning (just because I love it), and I didn't need to cook them nearly as long.

First, put your drumsticks in a large bowl and drizzle them with about 2 tablespoons of oil. Stir them around to make sure that they are coated.

Then, sprinkle in your seasoning. My pick - Cajun seasoning (yes, it says Creole on the shaker...same thing in my world). Stir the chicken legs around to coat with the seasoning.

Place in a single layer on a cookie sheet and bake at 400 degrees, turning every 20 minutes or so. Mine were done after an hour of cooking.

Final step - serve it up!

These drumsticks really were easy! With only three ingredients and minimal prep, cooking was an absolute breeze. They have a nice crispiness to the outside and good flavor - all things that I love in a drumstick.

Now, if only I could do something about the air conditioning...

Nutrition per drumstick (excluding the seasoning): 138 cal, 9g fat, 2g sat fat, 59mg cholesterol, 61mg sodium, 0g carbs, 0g sugars, 0g fiber, 14g protein.

3-2-1 salsa

2011-06-13T07:00:00.000-07:00

Father's Day is coming up, and in honor of our dad's This Week's Cravings is featuring their favorite foods!

I thought long and hard about what to post. My dad loves to eat just about anything but black-eye-peas and spinach, so I have plenty of foods to choose from! I considered going to the grocery store and taking a picture of a can of Dr. Pepper and a bag of Doritos. Then, I called my mom and asked her what his favorite food was. Even though he was standing right next to her, she decided to answer for him (that's the way our family works). She thought the Dr. Pepper and Doritos was dead on...or ribs...or tacos...or pecan pie.

Did we ask my dad? Nope. :)

I think I know him well enough, though, to know that he would love what I'm going to post today. In honor of his love of Doritos, I'm sharing a salsa recipe that Cookie Bandit and I whipped up the other day. It's made from all fresh ingredients, and it's nice and chunky (just the way Dad likes it). And even though it's got a touch of sweetness, it's hot, hot, hot (at least I think so...Cookie Bandit thinks I'm over exaggerating, as usual).

We call it 3-2-1 salsa because it contains the following...3 habaneros, 2 jalapenos, and 1 green pepper. It's a recipe for success. This recipe is meant to be canned (although you could whip up the whole batch for a large gathering). If you are unfamiliar with canning, check out my tutorial here. It's super fun and a great way to store all of the fresh summer veggies growing in your garden.

3-2-1 Salsa
1 1/2 cups finely diced onion
1 T. minced garlic
1 cup apple cider vinegar
10 cups coarsely chopped, seeded, and cored Roma tomatoes (about 25 tomatoes)
1 bell pepper, finely chopped
2 jalapenos, finely chopped
3 habaneros, finely chopped
1 cup chopped fresh cilantro, loosely packed
1 T. oregano
1 T. sugar
1 T. Tabasco
2 t. cumin
1 1/2 t. salt

In a large stainless steel saucepan, combine onions, garlic, and vinegar. Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat and boil gently for 2 minutes. Stir in tomatoes and peppers. Return to a boil and cook for 3 minutes. Add remaining ingredients and return to a full boil, stirring constantly. Reduce heat and boil gently, stirring occasionally, just until the peppers are tender (3-5 minutes). Remove from heat. Fill 8-9 jars (8 oz each), leaving 1/2 inch headspace. Process in a hot water bath for 15 minutes.

Dad's Favorites!

Let's celebrate our dads!!! What is your dad's favorite food? Link it up here!

asparagus guacamole

2011-06-08T07:35:00.000-07:00

If you thought Monday's recipe was weird, check out this one...

It's guacamole...made with asparagus! Not a single avocado in the dish!

I know, I know, I'm strange. I put avocado in my chocolate pie and then leave it out of my guacamole. I'm considering therapy soon.

Until then, though, let me just say that this recipe is worth a try. The texture is obviously a bit different because it lacks the creamy thickness of avocados. However, the taste is phenomenal! Slap some on your taco or burrito for that guacamole taste. The benefits - only 42 calories and 2g fat per 1/3 cup! It's also a great way to sneak some veggies into your family's diet.

You start by cooking up some asparagus in a saucepan.

Then, after it's nice and tender, you blend it together with onion and garlic.

Meanwhile, mix tomato, lemon juice, mayo, and spices in a small bowl.

Add the asparagus mixture and stir together! It makes a great dip for chips or veggies...and for all of you asparagus haters out there, it tastes nothing like it!

Asparagus Guacamole
from Taste of Home's Light and Tasty 2002
1 lb. fresh asparagus, trimmed and cut into pieces
1/3 cup chopped onion
1 garlic clove
1/2 cup chopped, seeded tomato
2 T. reduced-fat mayo
1 T. lemon juice
1/2 t. salt
3/4 t. minced fresh cilantro
1/4 t. chili powder
6 drops hot pepper sauce

Place 1/2 inch of water and asparagus in a saucepan; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 5 minutes or until tender. Drain; place asparagus in a blender or food processor. Add onion and garlic; cover and process until smooth.

In a bowl, combine tomato, mayonnaise, lemon juice, salt, cilantro, chili powder, and hot pepper sauce. Stir in the asparagus mixture until blended. Refrigerate leftovers, stirring before serving. Serves 6.

Nutrition: 42 calories, 2g fat, 0g saturated fat, 2mg cholesterol, 240mg sodium, 5g carbs, 1g fiber, 3g protein.

chocolate avocado pie

2011-06-06T07:00:00.000-07:00

This week, we're going to have a theme...expect the unexpected.

Take this pie. It's beautiful, right? A graham cracker crust filled with luscious, silky chocolate and topped with whip cream...it's rich, decadent, and positively sinful tasting.

The unexpected? It's made with avocado!

It's true! Recently, I got the opportunity to sample hand-grown California avocados when a box just showed up on my doorstep.

When I opened the box, I found five beautiful avocados.

And then I cut them open...yum! Look at how beautiful they are!

In my mind, these avocados were too special to stick in a sandwich or toss on a salad. As much as I love guacamole, I wanted to do something just a bit different. So, I put them in a blender with a bit of cream cheese, sugar, and cocoa powder. The result was amazing!

I took this pie to a potluck last weekend and enjoyed looking at people's faces as they ate it. Everyone raved...one woman ate three slices...kids went gaga over it...and nobody guessed the main ingredient! It doesn't taste like avocados or cream cheese...just some of the richest chocolate you've ever had. It actually went faster than the cheesecake, and that's saying something!

Make this for a party and enjoy watching people's reactions. Then come back here and tell me about it! Hope you love it!!!

Chocolate Avocado Pie
3 1/2 large or 4 average-sized avocados
8 oz. cream cheese
1 cup cocoa powder
1 1/2 cups sugar
graham cracker crust
Cool Whip topping

Blend together the avocados, cream cheese, cocoa powder, and sugar. Press into graham cracker crust and top with Cool Whip. Refrigerate before serving.

Disclosure statement: I received these California grown avocados free as part of a promotion with Foodbuzz. The opinions and recipe are my own!

I linked this up with Mommy's Kitchen's potluck Sunday!

Favorite Summer Recipes

What summer favorites are you cooking up? Link them up here!

rainy day

2011-06-04T11:24:00.000-07:00

It's June 4, and we're having typical northern California weather - rainy, wet, cold, and grey. Okay, it's not typical. In fact, yesterday it made me downright depressed. When am I supposed to get my tan???

I decided that if it was going to rain, I was going to make some rainy day foods. What's better than listening to the pitter-patter on the roof while you've got a delicious pot roast cooking in the slow cooker? It's delicious and low-fuss, which means I can spend my day making cookies, scrapbooking, cross stitching, and watching movies instead of worrying about dinner.

I went to the grocery store last night to buy all of the ingredients so that I could get up early and put everything in the slow cooker. When I woke up this morning, I laid in bed thinking how wonderful my pot roast was going to be. Then it hit me...I bought all of the ingredients except the roast! Haha!

One more trip to the grocery store later, I've got my roast, it's in the slow cooker, and I'm enjoying my lazy rainy day. If you are having "typical" (at least this year) northern California weather, consider making yourself one. It's one of the first recipes I posted on this site (passed down from my mom) and will always be one of my favorites. Here's the original post...

simply delicious pot roast

There are lots of recipes out there for pot roast. I've tried many of them. And yet...I keep coming back to this one. For one, it's my mother's recipe. But there's other appeals as well - it's got only 5 ingredients, takes less than five minutes to prepare, goes in a slow cooker, and tastes so amazing that my husband put the barbecue sauce back in the refrigerator without ever having to use it. For him to choose no barbecue sauce...well, let me just tell you, it had better be good meat.

First, you spray the inside of a slow cooker with cooking spray...get it nice and coated.

Then add a lean cut of roast beef, first making a cut in the thickest part of the meat. The size of beef you choose will depend on the size of your slow cooker - obviously, you want it to fit inside. I generally choose anything inexpensive that has "loin" in its name. Those work really well for pot roasts.

Add 1/4 cup water...

...an envelope of onion soup mix...

...one onion, cut into large chunks...

...and a can of cream of mushroom soup.

A note about the cream of mushroom soup - if you are going dairy free (or just don't have a can of soup lying around), do what I did. Make your own! I found a great recipe for "cream-of-something soup" on Tasty Kitchen. For this pot roast, I used beef broth and didn't add any mushrooms at all...it only took me 3 minutes, and it worked great!

At this point, put the lid on and set your slow cooker to high. After one hour, switch the setting to low and cook for an additional 7 hours (so 8 hours of total cooking time). When you open the lid for dinner, here's what you'll see:

Hmmmmm....that is one tasty gravy!

Okay, I know...you are probably wondering where all the veggies are. Don't most pot roasts have veggies? If you feel the need to put carrots and potatoes in the crock pot with the meat, go right ahead. Just make sure you put them underneath the meat (carrots on the bottom). I don't do it because my slow cooker isn't all that big and because I like keeping the meat separate - that way I can use it for sandwiches later on.

I did, however, roast some veggies in the oven for this particular meal. I mixed some carrots and potatoes in a bowl with a smidgen of olive oil and a few shakes of herbs.

I spread these on a lined cookie sheet and baked at 350 degrees, stirring every so often to keep them from sticking.

And so there you have it. Tonight's dinner. And it was soooo easy!

Don't worry...you won't need the barbecue sauce.

Simply Delicious Pot Roast

Lean cut of beef (anything that has "loin" in its name is generally a good bet)
1/4 cup water
1 envelope onion soup mix
1 onion, cut in large chunks
1 can cream of mushroom soup

Spray crock pot with cooking spray. Make a cut in the thickest part of the meat and place it in the crock pot. Add the rest of the ingredients in the order listed. Cook on high for one hour. Cook on low for an additional seven hours.

gardeners, please diagnose

2011-06-03T07:49:00.000-07:00

I planted a small garden this year. It's only my second one, and it has seemed to be a success so far.

In this big tub, I planted carrots and beets.

And then, I also had two smaller pots with salad greens.

They grew nicely, don't you think?

At one point, my salad greens began hosting a colony of aphids, so I attacked them by dumping 1500 (yes, 1500) ladybugs on top. It was overkill, but it definitely worked!

And so now, I'm ready to begin harvesting my garden. I was so excited about the carrots - nice round tops were peaking up out of the soil. They looked so perfect! And then, I pulled a few...

What happened??? Those of you who garden, why are my carrots so short and stubby?

Alas...I guess the purple thumb strikes again.

blueberry tossed salad

2011-06-01T07:03:00.000-07:00

I think I've mentioned before that I'm pretty horrible at making salads. In case you've missed it...I am. Salads just haven't been my thing. It seems so silly that I could make something so simple go so wrong, but I do it. I think it may be my hidden super power.

Recently, though, I've been determined to break my bad salad streak. Instead of making things up as I go along (like I often do), I've busted out my cookbooks looking for salads that I think I can manage.

Recently, I found one. I made it. Success!

This salad is simply gorgeous and only takes about 5 minutes to throw together. I've taken it to several potlucks in the past month, and I've gotten numerous requests for the recipe. It really is absolutely delicious.

The salad is quite simple - a beautiful collection of greens, nuts, cheese, and blueberries tossed in a homemade sweet poppy seed dressing. I hope you enjoy it as much as we have!

Blueberry Tossed Salad
from The Taste of Home Entertaining Cookbook
8 cups torn mixed salad greens
2 cups fresh blueberries
1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1/2 cup sliced almonds, toasted
1/2 cup sunflower kernels, toasted
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup chopped onion
3 T. red wine vinegar
1 1/2 t. ground mustard
1 1/2 t. poppy seeds

Layer the first five ingredients in a salad bowl. Combine the remaining ingredients in a jar with a tight-fitting lid; shake to mix well. Pour dressing over salad and toss. Serves 8-12.

happy memorial day!

2011-05-30T07:00:00.000-07:00

Memorial Day.

It's not just about sunshine, beaches, or fishing on a lake. It's not just about grilling or barbecuing or stuffing ourselves silly with potato salad. It's not just about having a day off of work. It's about gratefully remembering and honoring those who have served, are serving, or will serve our nation...thank you for what you do.

Hopefully you get to spend some time today with a veteran or someone currently in the service. Cookie Bandit and I are delighted to be heading over to some friends' house for a cookout. He is serving the Air Force as a surgeon, and she is a pilot in the Reserves (amazing people!)...they also gave us this fabulous recipe for pico de gallo. :)

No matter what you are doing today, you are probably eating (and most likely with friends), so here's an easy dish to bring. It's Cookie Bandit's specialty, actually! The one, the only, classic deviled eggs. And don't forget to check out This Week's Cravings below for some other great ideas for Memorial Day BBQs and cookouts (YES, there is a difference!) - be sure to link up your own!

Deviled Eggs
6 eggs
1/4 cup mayonnaise or Miracle Whip
1 t. mustard
1/2 t. white vinegar
1/4 t. salt
white pepper to taste
paprika

Hard boil the eggs. Cool eggs under running cold water 5 to 10 minutes. Peel shells from the eggs. Cut eggs in half lengthwise. Remove yolks into a bowl. Mash yolks with remaining ingredients except paprika until mixture is smooth. Fill whites with this mixture; sprinkle with paprika.

Memorial Day Cookouts and BBQs!

my online "cookbook"

2011-05-26T18:30:00.000-07:00

I recently discovered (thanks to my awesome mother-in-law) the coolest thing in the world....livebinders! What is a livebinder, you ask? Well, it's literally an online binder.

If you are like me, you have a binder somewhere filled with recipes that you've saved. When it comes to online recipes, many of you probably print them. I, for one, have always just bookmarked them. Either way, it is such a hassle! I hate looking through my physical binder because it's so unorganized. I hate sifting through my bookmarked recipes because they are so unorganized. See my dilemma?

Livebinders have essentially solved all of my problems. Here's how it works...

Go to www.livebinders.com and set up a free account. Yes, it's free! And, by the way, this works for more than just recipes. My mother-in-law found out about the website at a teacher's conference.

When you create an account, you can create your own "shelf" full of binders. Right now, my shelf has three binders - one for this blog, one of recipes that I want to try from other blogs, and one of miscellaneous craft projects that I just think are cool. I chose to make my binders "public" so that you can see them, but you also have the option of making your binders "private."

(PS - sorry that these pics are so small! You just need to go and see for yourself!)

This is my "shelf". As you can see, I've got three binders - two under the category of "food and recipes" and one under "crafts and hobbies." As a viewer, you have the option of rating my binders, commenting on my binders, and even copying them! It's pretty cool.

If we click on the binder for Delightful Country Cookin', you'll essentially find an online cookbook or recipe box. I've organized all of my recipes under different tabs (main dishes, sides, etc.). Under each tab, you'll see a link for every recipe in that tab.

Here, I'm showing you my "desserts" tab. That picture is making me hungry.

Click on one of the recipes, and guess what comes up...the blog post! You can see the post through the binder or click a button to go to the actual blog site.

I've played around with livebinders for a few days now, and here's why I love them:

They allow me to see just about all of my recipes at once, allowing me to click back and forth between them to compare and make decisions about what I want to make that evening. No more wasting time clicking over to the recipe stash and trying to scroll through everything. With livebinders, I've got it all at my fingertips.
I can sort all of my online finds in a much more organized way than I used to. I can establish multiple binders, each with its own tabs. I love that! It actually feels like a real binder.
I can share my finds with friends, family, and you!

I'm embedding the Delightful Country Cookin' binder on this site, or you can just follow this link. Either way, be sure to check it out and hopefully make your own. If you make one for your recipe finds, share it! I can't wait to see what you come up with!

Delightful Country Cookin'

german chocolate muffins

2011-05-25T09:15:00.000-07:00

I love a good muffin...especially a good chocolate muffin! These German chocolate muffins are deliciously light and moist. They are also full of surprises - they only have five ingredients, are chock full of vitamin A, and are really not all that bad for you. The majority of the fat is the good stuff that comes from the added coconut and nuts, not from eggs, oils, or butter...you can't beat that!

The foundation for this recipe is a box of German chocolate cake mix and two cups of pumpkin. That's right...pumpkin!

You could just stop after combining the cake mix and pumpkin and just bake that. However, I wanted to make my muffins a tad bit more special, so I added a few more mix-ins - coconut, milk chocolate chips, and chopped pecans.

Spoon the thick batter into muffin tins and bake for about 20 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Serve as muffins or top with German chocolate frosting for a delicious cupcake!

When Cookie Bandit saw me making these, he wrinkled his nose. He wasn't so sure about the pumpkin.
But then he smelled them cooking and saw me taking a big bite out of one. He came over and took a little bit himself. The next thing I know, he's eaten my entire muffin and is making his way towards the pan for more! Suffice it to say, this recipe is definitely Cookie Bandit approved.

German Chocolate Muffins
18.25 oz. German chocolate cake mix
2 cups pumpkin puree
1/2 cup milk chocolate chips (optional)
1/2 cup chopped pecans (optional)
1/2 cup coconut flakes (optional)

Combine all ingredients and spoon into muffin tins. Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Makes 18.

Nutrition per muffin (calculated with Betty Crocker's Super Moist German chocolate cake mix): 173 calories, 5g fat, 2g saturated fat, 0g trans fat, 1mg cholesterol, 245mg sodium, 30g carbs, 2g fiber, 16g sugar, 2g protein, 85% vit. A, 2% vit. C, 4% calcium, 7% iron.

Made without the chocolate chips, chopped pecans, or coconut flakes (and assuming it only makes 12 muffins without the added ingredients), the nutritional information amounts to 174 calories, 2g fat, 1g saturated fat, 0g trans fat, 0g cholesterol, 352mg sodium, 38g carbs, 2g fiber, 19g sugar, 2g protein, 127% vit. A, 3% vit. C, 5% calcium, 9% iron.

cheddar-apple salad

2011-05-23T07:00:00.000-07:00

I'm not generally one for salads. Most of the time, I prefer a hot meat-and-potatoes meal. But...I have to admit...I love this salad. I'll eat it any day for any meal. It's light, refreshing, and yet filling! It's also a snap to put together and the perfect make-ahead summer meal.

Assembly is simple. Combine chopped apple, chopped chicken, cheddar cubes, peas, and chopped bell pepper in a large bowl.

Add some cooked ramen noodles...they give it a fun twist!

And then toss the whole thing in a homemade poppy seed dressing.

Voila! Once you start eating it, you won't be able to stop!

Cheddar-Apple Salad
1 package (3 oz.) ramen noodles
2 red apples, chopped
1 1/2 cups chicken or turkey breast, chopped
1/2 cup cubed cheddar cheese
1/2 cup frozen peas, thawed
1 green or red pepper, chopped
1/4 cup olive oil
4 T. sugar
1 t. dried minced onion
1/2 t. ground mustard
1/2 t. poppy seeds
1/2 t. salt
2 T. sour cream
2 T. apple cider vinegar

Remove seasoning packet from ramen noodles. Prepare noodles according to package directions. Drain and rinse in cold water.

In a large bowl, combine the noodles, apples, chicken, cheese, peas, and pepper. In another bowl, combine remaining ingredients. Pour dressing over noodle mixture and toss. Refrigerate at least one hour before serving. Serves 4-5.

Summer Salads!

Link up your own favorite summer salad here!

country creamed corn

2011-05-20T07:35:00.000-07:00

I just love corn. It's one of my favorite side dishes in the world...I wouldn't put it past me to eat it for breakfast! Usually I just grab a can of corn...generally creamed corn...from the grocery store every time I go. This time I decided to up the nutritional value and just make it myself. The results were so amazing that I'm never going back to canned corn again!

What I love most about this recipe is that it's convenient (you can use frozen corn if you don't have fresh) and it only takes 10 minutes. It was so easy that I'm not sure that I can really call it cooking!

Start by plopping some butter in a skillet with some green (or regular) onions. Saute for about 2-3 minutes, or until the onions are tender.

Then, dump in a bag of frozen corn...doesn't even need to be thawed first! Cover and leave it alone for 5 minutes, or until the corn is cooked.

Now...here's the very important step that I forgot to take a picture of (sorry!). Mix together some cornstarch, milk, water, salt and pepper. Stir this mixture into the corn and bring it to a boil. Cook it for about 2 minutes, or until it's thickened.

Like I said...easy!

Country Creamed Corn
1/4 cup chopped green onion (or finely chopped regular onion)
2 T. butter
16 oz. frozen (or fresh) corn
1 T. cornstarch
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup water
1/4-1/2 t. each salt and pepper

Saute onions in butter about 2-3 minutes, or until tender. Stir in corn; cover and cook about 5 minutes until heated. In a small bowl, whisk together remaining ingredients. Stir into corn, and bring to a boil. Cook, uncovered, for about 2 minutes or until thickened. Serves 6.

Variation: Use almond milk or other milk substitute and dairy-free Smart Balance for a diary-free or IBS diet.

quick and easy christmas: winner revealed!

2011-05-18T07:45:00.000-07:00

Thanks so much to all of the comments and entries for Gooseberry Patch's new cookbook, Quick and Easy Christmas (winner of the cookbook announced below). I get a kick out of reading all of them and only wish I had time to respond to them all. I wish every post got as much comment love as these Gooseberry giveaway posts! :)

As promised, I tallied up all of the results to determine which of my featured recipes got the most votes. I think the men in your life are going to be happy... :-)

The winner...Man Bars!

These are a perfect treat to put in Christmas tins or to serve to your favorite man (or woman!) any time of year! They are best when warm (we pop ours in the microwave for a few seconds before eating), and they taste great with coffee. Someday, I'm going to go all out and cover them with chocolate frosting and roasted marshmallows!

The base of this recipe is graham cracker crumbs, not flour! Now, that doesn't mean that it's gluten-free. But, using graham cracker crumbs gives it a unique flavor that you won't find in other bar cookies.

Add chocolate chips, sweetened condensed milk, walnuts, and vanilla. Mix it well and press it into a greased 8x8 pan. Bake at 350 for 30-35 minutes.

Before serving, roll these beauties in powdered sugar!

Man Bars
from Gooseberry Patch's Quick and Easy Christmas
2 cups graham cracker crumbs
6 oz. semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup walnuts, finely chopped
14 oz. sweetened condensed milk
1 t. vanilla
powdered sugar

Mix together all ingredients except powdered sugar. Press into a well-greased 8"x8" baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 to 35 minutes. Cut into small squares and roll in powdered sugar before serving. Makes about 1 1/2 dozen.

And now...the winner of Quick and Easy Christmas...

ShellyRaeWood! ShellyRae was picked using the random number generator at random.org. She said, "Oh my family would go ga-ga for that Turkey and Cranberries. Definitely gets my vote! :) ShellyRae, I'm so excited that you get to try out the turkey recipe - it makes me go "ga-ga" too!

Everyone else, be sure to look for Quick and Easy Christmas at a local retailer soon or pre-order your copy from amazon.com today!

hamburger cornbread casserole

2011-05-16T07:40:00.000-07:00

A few announcements:

Don't forget to enter to win a copy of Gooseberry Patch's Quick and Easy Christmas! The book isn't even released yet, but I'm giving away one early-bird copy. Giveaway ends Tuesday night (tomorrow!).
Over the weekend, we finally figured out my husband's "blog name", and he got some sweet revenge on me. If you missed it, check it out here. He'd love your comments!
This is my 200th post!!!

May is National Hamburger Month, so in celebration we're busting out our best hamburger recipes for This Week's Cravings.

This Hamburger Cornbread Casserole was inspired by a similar dish I tried at a friend's house many, many moons ago. I was in high school, and my mom and I were traveling together for a conference I had to attend on the other side of the state. My friend Heather and her family graciously opened their home to us, not only letting us stay with them, but serving us a tremendous home-cooked meal. The star of the show was this casserole...we couldn't get enough! My mom talked Heather's mom out of the recipe (the women in my family tend to have that skill), and we've made it our own over the years.

Heather's mom (Miss Cindy) has since gone to be with the Lord, but every time I make this dish, I'm reminded of how blessed I am to have met such a godly woman. Her life was a testimony of faith and love. We miss you, Miss Cindy!

Begin by chopping up an onion and green bell pepper.

Cook these with hamburger meat in a skillet until the hamburger has browned.

Then, mix in the tomatoes. Let it simmer for a while...oh, it smells so good!

Add the beans and seasonings and simmer for another 10 minutes.

Get our your largest casserole dish and pour the hamburger mixture in it.

Top with cornbread batter. You can either use a box mix like Jiffy or just make your own. I generally make my own and double the recipe (I really like the cornbread part of this dish).

Bake until the cornbread has browned!

Cornbread Hamburger Casserole

2 lb. ground beef

1 can Ranch Style beans

1 can diced tomatoes

1 can Ro-Tel tomatoes with chilies

salt and pepper to taste

1 large onion, chopped

1 green bell pepper, chopped

4 t. chili powder (if desired)

1/2 t. garlic salt

cornbread batter

Brown meat, onion, and pepper. Add diced and Ro-Tel tomatoes; cook 15 minutes. Add all seasonings and beans; cook 10 minutes. Pour in a large casserole dish and cover with cornmeal batter (spreading evenly to achieve a thin layer). Bake at 400 degrees until the cornbread is done. Serves 8-10.

Gluten-free variation - use gluten-free cornbread batter.

Hamburger!

Help us celebrate National Hamburger Month by linking up your favorite hamburger recipes here!

cookie bandit's revenge

2011-05-14T07:00:00.000-07:00

As my facebook followers may have noticed, my husband and I have been trying to pick out a "blog name" for him. I suggested Mr. Delightful, but he wasn't really into that. He also said "any reference to blue eyes or being sweet, charming, etc. is too girly." Sigh. He has amazing blue eyes...and he's incredibly sweet and charming...but I guess we'll have to go a different route.

Ladies and gentlemen, may I introduce to you...

Cookie Bandit!

Yes...Cookie Bandit is much more masculine. :-)

A long, long time ago, I did a post all about Cookie Bandit's food face and how cute I think it is. He's wanted revenge for quite some time now. Last weekend, he got it.

Here's the challenge...a tri-tip sandwich covered in relish and BBQ sauce.

...and, yes...I was the contender.

Oh, he had some fun with this.

I guess I had fun, too. It was delicious!

Ack! I had BBQ sauce all over my face!

And then, the delicious last bite.

Cookie Bandit, you've gotten your sweet revenge. Just you wait!

quick and easy christmas - review and giveaway!

2011-05-11T07:00:00.000-07:00

I know, I know...it's not anywhere near Christmas yet. But, it's almost time for Christmas in July. And anyway, do we need a reason to try new Gooseberry Patch recipes?

I think not.

Quick and Easy Christmas is such a wonderful cookbook! All of the recipes are extremely simple to make, require ordinary ingredients, and generally take 30 minutes or less. They are all special enough to serve for the holidays and yet practical enough to make any time of the year. I love that! There's no need to pack this cookbook away with your Christmas decorations.

The book has 220 recipes organized in six chapters, including a chapter especially devoted to slow cooker recipes. They all looked so good that we found it hard to pick out what to try. I imagine this book will get a lot of use in my kitchen! Oh, and I haven't even mentioned the tips and tricks included at the bottom of each page. I think those are just about as fun to read as the recipes, and I got so many great gift ideas this time around!

Once again, we picked six recipe to try out and share with you. Here they are, each given its own "reward"!

Most Immediate Gratification

Buttermilk Syrup from the chapter "Breakfast and Brunch"

The buttermilk syrup was so easy to whip up that I managed to do it in between putting one batch of pancakes on the griddle and taking them off to serve. I think the total time was less than 3 minutes! And oh the taste...we loved it! I have a feeling that we're going to be opting for this homemade syrup over store-bought syrup from here on out. It was absolutely delicious, incredibly easy, and just an all-around great recipe.

Most Likely to Masquerade as a Cinnamon Roll

Glazed Walnuts from the chapter "Snacks and Appetizers"

When my husband first tasted these, he said, "Tastes like cinnamon roll filling!" He's right! If cinnamon roll filling could be turned into a candy, this is what it would look like. Made as it's written, the recipe makes clusters of candy-coated walnuts that pack quite a sweet punch. I think that next time I make it, I'll double the amount of walnuts so that they are more lightly coated...perfect for salads and trail mix. This is an extremely versatile and extremely delicious recipe. If you like cinnamon rolls, you'll want to give these a try!

Most Versatile

Walnut-Parsley Pesto Linguine from the chapter "Soups, Sides, and Salads"

This pesto required the use of a food processor...a kitchen utensil that I don't have. As a result, I almost burned out my blender making this dish and probably didn't get it as finely "pestoed" as the recipe intended. No worries, though! It still tasted awesome and made for some excellent pasta. We considered this the most versatile recipe because of all of the possibilities. You could change up the pasta, add some veggies, or even throw in some chicken to make it a main dish. This pesto would also be excellent with spaghetti squash or eggplant. I just love it when you can use one recipe to make numerous dishes. Now...if only I had a food processor...

Most Inspiring

Skillet Chicken Cordon Bleu from the chapter "Mains"

Why most inspiring? Because this recipe made me think of all of the other ways you could imitate the flavors of chicken cordon bleu! This recipe is simple - grilled chicken topped with a ham gravy and melted Swiss. I'll be honest - it didn't beat out regular cordon bleu for us, and it was not a contender for our favorite recipe from the book. But, I have a feeling that I'll be pulling this out again and tweaking it. What if I created a creamier gravy or stuffed the ham inside the chicken? What if I made a chicken and ham casserole topped with melted Swiss and bread crumbs? I can't wait to experiment!

Manliest

Man Bars from the chapter "Desserts"

Haha! These bars were fun. We had such a hard time choosing between all of the amazing sounding desserts that we ended up going with these simply because we thought the name was hilarious and the ingredient list intrigued us. There is no flour or eggs in these bars - they use graham cracker crumbs and sweetened condensed milk! They actually taste similar to a gigantic s'more! We took them to Bible study, and all the men loved them...is that why they are called "Man Bars"? My pregnant friend loved them as well...she must be expecting a boy. :)

Most Surprisingly Delicious

Cranberry Turkey Breast from the chapter "Slow Cooker"

This recipe intrigued me the minute I saw it. You put a turkey breast in a slow cooker and top it with a mixture of cranberry sauce and onion soup. Weird! And yet, SO GOOD. I always let my husband pick which recipe wins the overall favorite award, but if left to me, this one may have just gotten the prize. We both loved how easy it was to make, how good our house smelled while it was cooking, and how fabulous the flavors were. Plop the turkey and gravy on top of mashed potatoes, serve with a salad, and you've got a warm and comforting meal. The cranberry flavor is subtle but absolutely perfect.

My husband gets to pick which one of the above recipes I share with you. It didn't take long for him to decide on his overall favorite...Buttermilk Syrup!

This recipe is so easy that I didn't even take pictures while making it. There wasn't anything to take a picture of. You just boil all of the ingredients for one minute...that's it! The final result is one cup of syrup that looks remarkably like beer. Don't you think?

Pour warm buttermilk syrup over buttermilk pancakes for a fantastic breakfast. Make sure you refrigerate the leftovers!

Buttermilk Syrup

from Gooseberry Patch's Quick and Easy Christmas

2 T. butter, softened

3/4 cup sugar

1 t. light corn syrup

1/2 cup buttermilk

1/2 t. baking soda

1 t. vanilla extract

In a saucepan over medium-high heat, boil all ingredients except vanilla for one minute. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla. Cover and store in refrigerator. Makes about one cup.

So...how can YOU win a free copy of Quick and Easy Christmas? Just leave me a comment answering the following question - which of the other recipes featured above would you like me to share? I'll tally up the answers and share that recipe when I announce the winner! (Please also make sure I have access to a valid e-mail so that I can contact you if you win. No contact info, no entry!) Giveaway ends next Tuesday at midnight (Pacific time). Winner announced Wednesday, May 18.

PS - Gooseberry Patch gave me a free book to review as well as another to give away, but the views and opinions (and pictures!) presented in this post are entirely my own! Disclosure...check!

blueberry banana muffins

2011-05-09T08:40:00.000-07:00

I heart my mom...don't you? I didn't get to spend Mother's Day with her, but I did think about her a lot and thank the Lord for her presence in my life. My husband thanked God for her, too...after all, she's the one who taught me how to cook. Someday, when we live closer, I'll make her a special breakfast for Mother's Day. Until then, I'll send her pictures of a special breakfast for Mother's Day.

"Hey Mom! You out there? This is a special breakfast, just for you! Except...well...you weren't here. So I ate it. Sorry 'bout that! Happy Mother's Day!
Love, Kristin. :-)"

These muffins are excellent. The banana gives them incredible moistness, and the buttermilk adds a whole new depth of flavor. Mom, you would have loved them.

Start with two very ripe bananas. Mine are almost too ripe...almost.

In another bowl, combine the sugar and butter.

Then, throw in the other wet ingredients - the bananas, buttermilk, egg, etc.

Add the dry ingredients and mix well. Then add a cup of blueberries (if you use frozen blueberries, don't thaw first.)

Spoon the batter into greased muffin tins. You want each muffin tin to be about 2/3 full.

Bake at 350 degrees for 20-30 minutes, or until lightly browned. Enjoy!

Blueberry Banana Muffins

1/2 cup butter, softened

1 1/2 cup sugar

2 eggs

2 ripe bananas, mashed

1/4 cup buttermilk

1 t. vanilla

1 3/4 cup flour

1 t. baking powder

1/4 t. salt

1/4 t. baking soda

1-2 cups blueberries, fresh or frozen

Cream butter and sugar. Add eggs, bananas, buttermilk and vanilla, and mix well. Add the dry ingredients, mixing until well combined. Fold in the blueberries gently with a spoon. Pour batter into greased muffin tins so that each is 2/3 full. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-30 minutes, or until lightly browned. Makes approximately 18 muffins.

Nutrition: 180 calories, 6g fat, 3g saturated fat, 0g trans fat, 37mg cholesterol, 117mg sodium, 30g carbs, 1g fiber, 19g sugar, 2g protein, 4% vit. A, 2% vit. C, 3% calcium, 4% iron.

Mother's Day Brunch

What did you make for Mother's Day brunch? Link it up here!

sweet ham steaks

2011-05-06T08:53:00.000-07:00

We love ham and enjoy it on more occasions than just Easter. Because there are just two of us, we never actually buy a whole ham...too many leftovers! Instead, I opt for ham steaks. They are inexpensive and each produces 4 servings, which is enough for us to get 2 meals out of it.

Ham steaks really just need to be heated up, but I enjoy giving them a special touch. I place one or two ham steaks in a small baking pan. I sprinkled 1/3 cup brown sugar over the top and then poured a small can (6 ounces) of pineapple juice over that. Then, I covered the pan with foil and baked at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes (or until heated through).

It's quick, easy, and requires few ingredients - the perfect dinner when served alongside a baked potato and salad! The pineapple juice and brown sugar form a delicious marinade that brings out the best flavors in the ham. I encourage you to take advantage of all of the ham steaks on sale now that Easter is over and give this method a try. It's delicious!

Sweet Ham Steaks

1 lb. ham steak

1/3 cup brown sugar

6 oz. pineapple juice

Place ham steak in a small baking dish. Sprinkle brown sugar over the top; pour on pineapple juice. Cover with foil and bake at 350 for 30 minutes, or until heated through. Serves 4.

caramelized pecans

2011-05-04T07:50:00.000-07:00

You've probably seen me mention that I can't make salads. I just can't. For as long as I can remember, I've been completely inept at salad making...until now, that is.

I decided that this was the year to change things, so I've been experimenting in the salad realm. These pictures are of the salad I made for our Easter dinner. It featured spinach, blue cheese, bacon, blueberries...yum! One of my favorite additions to this salad were the caramelized pecans.

We like putting nuts on salad, and it's even more special when they have a sweetness to them. The best part...they are easy to make. All you do is stir brown sugar, butter, and pecans in a skillet for about 3 minutes until caramelized. That's it!

Then, you just set the pecans out to cool on waxed paper before adding them to your salad. Total time from start to finish: 5 minutes. Total ingredients: 3. Total dishes to wash: 1. I love it!

These pecans have a very subtle sweetness to them. If you want something a bit more overpowering, you could always reduce the amount of pecans that you use (or increase the butter and brown sugar). Next time I make them, I plan on using pecan halves and roasting them in the oven for a few minutes before caramelizing them. I have a feeling that these will be a regular feature in our salads.

Caramelized Pecans

1 T. butter

1/2 cup pecans

1 T. brown sugar

Melt butter in skillet over low heat; add pecans and brown sugar. Cook, stirring constantly, for 2-3 minutes or until caramelized. Cool on wax paper before serving.

mexican pasta salad

2011-05-02T07:00:00.000-07:00

You know those recipes that are always the star of the show at potlucks? The ones that everybody asks about? This is one of those recipes.

I remember when I first got this recipe. I was in high school at the time, loitering around in the "copy room" (the teachers were having a potluck that day, and I was hoping to snag some leftovers). The "copy lady", affectionately known to me as Mrs. Kookal (at least, that's how I pronounced it), took pity on me and gave me a small sampling of the dish that she brought.

It was love at first taste.

I begged for the recipe. She gave it. I've since made this dish for about 80% of the potlucks I've ever attended, and every single time, someone asks for the recipe. It's even been published in Gooseberry Patch's Speedy Suppers cookbook. It's just that good. Thanks, Mrs. Kookal!

The backbone of this recipe is Velveeta Mexican. I know there are a lot of Velveeta haters out there, and I don't blame you. I'm trying to get away from processed foods myself. However, I have tried to make this other ways, and it just never works out the same. If you can figure out an all-natural way that tastes just as good, I'll give you a blue ribbon and my undying gratitude. Until then, I'm using my Velveeta.

(Note: My tutorial here is slightly different from Mrs. Kookal's directions...I give hers below. In my experience, they both yield the same results.)

Microwave the Velveeta for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the cheese melts.

Crack open a can of Mexican-style stewed tomatoes, and pour the liquid into the cheese. Mix it up well.

Add the tomatoes (cut them up a bit first), cooked pasta, kidney beans, green pepper, olives, and green onion.

I like using three different kinds of pasta - it gives this salad that extra-something special.

Stir it all up and serve! You can serve this salad cold, but my family definitely prefers it warm. It's delicious!

Mexican Pasta Salad
1 can (14 1/2 oz) Mexican-style stewed tomatoes, cut up
12 oz. pasta, cooked
12 oz. Velveeta Mexican
1 can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup chopped green pepper
1/3 cup (1 can) sliced black olives
1/3 cup sliced green onion

Drain tomatoes, reserving the liquid. Mix two tablespoons of reserved tomato liquid with cheese. Microwave on high for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally until cheese melts. Gradually blend in 1/3 cup reserve tomato liquid. Add pasta and remaining ingredients. Toss and serve (warm or cold). Serves 8.

Gluten-free variation: Use gluten-free pasta.

Nutrition: 251 calories, 11g fat, 6g saturated fat, 0g trans fat, 48mg cholesterol, 1031mg sodium, 27g carbs, 4g fiber, 7g sugar, 12g protein, 16% vit. A, 23% vit. C, 24% calcium, 13% iron.

Cinco de Mayo

It's time to link up your favorite Mexican-food recipes! Pronto! :)

how to cook spaghetti squash (the easy way)

2011-04-29T07:20:00.000-07:00

Spaghetti squash is one awesome vegetable. Have you ever had it? We eat it just like spaghetti, with meat sauce on top! It's a great way to incorporate a vegetable into what otherwise would be a carb-filled meal.

But how do you cook it?

Most people I know do the traditional method of cutting the squash in half and baking it. It's an excellent method, but a bit more time consuming than I traditionally prefer. Let me show you the cheater's method...

First, pierce the squash with a fork several times.

Put it in the microwave for 20 minutes. After every 5 minutes, give it a quarter turn (so it's not resting on the same side during the entire cooking time). You'll know it's done when it's squishy to the touch.

Remove it from the microwave and cut it in half. Let it cool for a few minutes.

Take a spoon and gently scrape out the seeds in the middle.

Then, scrape out the "noodles"!

Here are a few of our favorite dishes to incorporate spaghetti squash with:

ultimate chicken sandwiches

2011-04-27T08:23:00.000-07:00

I was featured on Or So She Says... today...be sure to check it out!

We love Chick-fil-A chicken sandwiches, but we don't live very near to a Chick-fil-A. Our solution? Make our own! These sandwiches are healthy and delicious, and they taste remarkably similar to our Chick-fil-A favorites!

Combine Bisquick (gluten-free works fine), cornmeal, paprika, salt, poultry seasoning, garlic powder, black pepper, and cayenne pepper.

Marinate some chicken breasts in buttermilk over night.

The next day, discard the buttermilk (letting the excess drip off the chicken) and then coat it in the breading mix. Place in a greased baking dish and bake at 400 for 12 minutes. Turn over and bake for an additional 8-12 minutes, or until chicken juices run clear.

Serve on a bun with lettuce, tomato, and your other favorite fixings. We love it topped with buffalo wing hot sauce and served alongside sweet potato fries!

Ultimate Chicken Sandwiches
modified from Taste of Home's Light and Tasty 2003
6 boneless skinless chicken breast halves
1 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup Bisquick (gluten-free works fine)
1/2 cup cornmeal
1 1/2 t. paprika
3/4 t. salt
3/4 t. poultry seasoning
1/2 t. garlic powder
1/2 t. pepper
1/4 t. cayenne pepper

Marinate chicken in buttermilk at least 8 hours or overnight. The next day, combine Bisquick, cornmeal, paprika, salt, poultry seasoning, garlic powder, pepper, and cayenne. Remove chicken one piece at a time, allowing excess buttermilk to drain off. Discard buttermilk. Coat chicken with the cornmeal mixture and place in a 13x9 inch baking dish coated with nonstick cooking spray. Bake uncovered at 400 degrees for 12 minutes. Turn chicken, and bake 8-12 minutes longer, or until juices run clear and coating is lightly browned. Serve on rolls with lettuce and tomato. Serves 6.

oatmeal bread

2011-04-25T09:05:00.000-07:00

Today, I'm sharing with you a family recipe. My mom taught me, her father taught her, and I guarantee you that I'll be teaching the next generation. It's simply the best bread I have ever had in my life.

What makes this bread so amazing? It's the flavor! It's slightly sweet, incredibly moist, and just perfect. We eat it as toast, on sandwiches, with soup, or just by itself. It doesn't last long. :-)

You start with oats...plain, old-fashioned oats.

Then, you make the biggest bowl of oatmeal in the world, complete with butter and brown sugar! Mix it all together and let it cool.

Meanwhile, you get your yeast going in a separate bowl.

Then, you mix your yeast with your oatmeal and start adding flour.

After about 5 cups of flour, you should have a soft dough - let it rise!

When I say rise, I mean rise. :-)

Form it into loaves in loaf pans and let those rise. This recipe makes 2 loaves.

Bake it until it's done! I generally check on the bread after 20 minutes, or when I start to smell it. In my oven, it usually takes about 30 minutes for the loaves to be a beautiful brown.

This bread is easier to slice when it has cooled, but we rarely make it that far. It's just too good!

Oatmeal Bread

1 cup old-fashioned oats

2 cups boiling water

3 T. butter

2/3 cup brown sugar

1 T. sugar

2 pkg. active yeast

1 1/2 t. salt

1/2 cup warm water

5 cups flour

In a large bowl, combine the oats, boiling water, butter, and brown sugar; mix well and let cool until lukewarm. In a separate bowl, combine the sugar, yeast, salt, and warm water. Let sit for about 5 minutes. Add yeast mixture to oatmeal mixture and then stir in flour. Mix in mixer (with dough hook) for 6 minutes, or knead until dough no longer sticks to your fingers (adding flour if necessary). Let rise for 1 hours. Shape into loaves and let rise for another hour. Bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes, or until golden brown.

Easter Dinner

slow cooker fajitas

2011-04-21T07:00:00.000-07:00

Oh. my. goodness. These fajitas are so good! And, they are made in the slow cooker. Don't you just love foods that are both easy to make and delicious to eat?

Start with three bell peppers, and pick out different colors (makes it pretty)! I made things easy this time around and cooked the peppers in the slow cooker with the meat. Another option would be to leave them out and then saute them right before serving (we actually prefer this option - we like them a bit crisp-tender).

The peppers and some sliced onion go on the bottom of the slow cooker (or just sliced onion if you are cooking the peppers separately)...

followed by strips of sirloin steak (or chicken breast!) and a can of Rotel...

...and then all of the seasonings!

Cover and cook the whole bit on low for 8-9 hours, or until the meat is tender. It will smell so good.

Serve in tortillas with a dollop of sour cream. You'll love them!

Slow Cooker Fajitas
3 bell peppers, each a different color
1 onion, sliced
2 lbs. boneless beef sirloin steaks OR 2 lbs. chicken breast, cut into strips
1 can Rotel
few shakes of liquid smoke (optional)
2 T. red wine vinegar
1 T. lime juice
1 t. cumin
1 t. chili powder
1/2 t. salt
1/2 t. garlic powder
1/2 t. pepper
1/2 t. cayenne pepper

Place peppers and onion in a slow cooker. Top with the beef and the remaining ingredients. Cook on low for 8-9 hours. Serves 8.

Note: Another excellent option is to leave the peppers out and saute them separately right before serving.

Nutrition (beef): 264 calories, 11g fat, 4g saturated fat, 0g trans fat, 82mg cholesterol, 363mg sodium, 6g carbs, 2g fiber, 3g sugars, 34g protein, 5% vit. A, 85% vit. C, 4% calcium, 13% iron.

Nutrition (chicken): 150 calories, 2g fat, 0g saturated fat, 0g trans fat, 65mg cholesterol, 367mg sodium, 6g carbs, 2g fiber, 3g sugars, 27g protein, 5% vit. A, 87% vit. C, 2% calcium, 6% iron.

sausage lentil soup

2011-04-20T07:00:00.000-07:00

Since the day I first tried lentils, I've been smitten. Lentil soup is so easy and quick, provides a good dose of fiber, and is just plain delicious.

I've been off in search of more soups since then, and my Taste of Home Light and Tasty cookbooks came to the rescue once again. (Seriously, if you ever find one, snatch it up! They are awesome.) I found a great recipe for another lentil soup. This one has sausages (yum) and spinach (yum yum) to make it one of the tastiest and prettiest things ever to grace my soup bowl.

Sausage Lentil Soup

Adapted from Taste of Home's Light and Tasty 2008

1 onion, chopped

1 celery rib, chopped

1/2 lb. smoked sausage, halved and thinly sliced

2 carrots, halved and thinly sliced

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 cans (14 1/2 oz. each) reduced-sodium chicken broth

1/3 cup water

1 cup dried lentils, rinsed

1/2 t. oregano

1/4 t. cumin

1/4 t. pepper

1 can (14 1/2 oz) stewed tomatoes, cut up

1 T. Worchestershire sauce

1 cup chopped fresh spinach

In a large saucepan coated with cooking spray, saute onion and celery for 2 minutes. Add the sausage, carrot, and garlic; cook 2-3 minutes longer or until onion is tender. Stir in the broth, water, lentils, and spices. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and cover and simmer for 25-30 minutes or until lentils and vegetables are tender. Stir in the remaining ingredients; cook until heated through and spinach is wilted. Serves 6.

Nutrition (using Polish sausage): 278 calories, 10g fat, 4g saturated fat, 0g trans fat, 27mg cholesterol, 909mg sodium, 30g carbs, 12g fiber, 6g sugars, 16g protein, 95% vit. A, 23% vit. C, 8% calcium, 24% iron.

mini liqueur cheesecakes

2011-04-18T07:40:00.000-07:00

These are definitely "adult" cheesecakes. :-) Delicately laced with liqueur, these have a fabulous yet subtle flavor that is especially enhanced when drizzled with dark chocolate sauce. They are the perfect individual desserts for your next gathering!

I can't take credit for the idea...I found a recipe for Baby Grand Marnier Cheesecakes over at Tasty Kitchen and just had to try them. I modified the recipe a bit by halving it and using currant liqueur instead of grand marnier. Here are my reflections on the process.

The recipe seems complicated, but it's not. I was pleasantly surprised at how easy it was. You start out by preheating the oven with a plain old empty cake pan on the bottom rack.

While the oven is preheating, you whip up the cheesecake filling. I dumped all ingredients in my blender and just let 'er rip. I was especially excited about the prospect of using my currant liqueur. I've been thinking about what other flavors would taste good...maybe cherry cordial? thick wine like Madeira? Yum!

You also need to mix up the crust. This is a great job for a child...or a husband. :-)

Press the crumb crust into the bottom of your muffin pan. Silicone pans really work well here because the finished product just pops right out.

Then you fill up the muffin tins with your filling. I admit that I actually filled too many! I thought perhaps the filling would expand, but it didn't. I'm wishing I had made fewer cheesecakes with more filling...just an afterthought.

When they are ready to go in the oven, pour a kettle of boiling water into that preheated pan. Then, put the cheesecakes on the middle rack in the oven. They only need to bake for about 15-20 minutes, and then they'll need to set in the refrigerator for about 6 hours.

I was a bit skeptical of the finished product, but after one taste I was hooked! These are such a cute dessert, and they keep my portion size small (a major plus). The addition of chocolate sauce and berries just put them over the top. And did I mention that you can just freeze leftovers and bust them out when you have a special occasion?

You should go check out the original recipe. You can get a printable here on Tasty Kitchen, but go check out the original blog post as well. This blogger makes cheesecakes professionally and provides lots of tricks of the trade. She's also just got a beautiful blog! Go there...get the recipe...make cheesecake...eat...enjoy.

Easter Cookies and Goodies

Link up your Easter dessert recipes here! And don't forget to check out my co-hosts, Kristen at From My Tiny Kitchen and Tina at Mom's Crazy Cooking!

rich dark chocolate ice cream

2011-04-16T15:00:00.000-07:00

This ice cream is rich, creamy, smooth, and...well...almost too chocolatey.

Can there be such a thing as too chocolatey?

I came up with this recipe after taking a facebook poll about people's favorite ice cream flavors. I started salivating at the thought of "chocolate cake" ice cream and Almond Joy ice cream, but then I realized that I had better first create a classic chocolate before getting too inventive. In many ways, I failed...this ice cream is definitely not classic! Instead, my husband declared it to be a 62% dark chocolate ice cream. He also declared it perfect.

This ice cream is relatively easy to make and follows the same custard-style method that I've used to make other ice creams on this site. Why custard-style? I've found that it creates a rich and creamy ice cream without actually using heavy cream. You could use whole milk, 2% milk, or even skim milk and still get a thick and smooth result.

You mix milk with chocolate chips (or any other solid semi-sweet baking chocolate). Heat on low, stirring constantly, until the chocolate has melted. Then, bring the milk to a boil.

In a separate bowl, mix together pasteurized egg substitute, sugar, cocoa powder, and a dash of salt. I use egg substitute instead of real eggs because it is pasteurized and blends much more easily. It's also lower in fat, calories, and cholesterol - just a side bonus.

Reduce the heat on the milk to medium-low and very, very, very, very, very slowly, pour the egg substitute mixture into the milk. We're talking so slow that it comes out in a trickle. Whisk it quickly as you pour it in.

Cook and stir for about 5-6 minutes, until the mixture is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Resist temptation to lick spoon.

Then, place your saucepan in a bowl of ice and stir continuously for about 10 minutes (or until the ice has melted). This rapid cooling really helps us to achieve that perfect texture.

Finally, pour in a can of sweetened condensed milk. Once again, pour it so slowly that it just trickles out, and stir constantly the entire time.

Chill your ice cream mixture at least 8 hours (preferred overnight), and then freeze in an ice cream maker according to manufacturers' instructions. It will resemble a thick frozen yogurt at that point, so you'll want to actually put it in the freezer for several hours to firm up before serving.

Once you do, the result will be fabulous!

Just don't let it melt!

Rich Dark Chocolate Ice Cream
1 1/2 cups chocolate chips (or other solid, semi-sweet chocolate)
1 qt. milk
1 cup egg substitute
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 t. salt
1/4 cup cocoa
1 can sweetened condensed milk

Place milk and chocolate chips in a medium-sized saucepan over low heat; stir continuously until chocolate has melted. Bring to a boil.

In a separate bowl, combine egg substitute, sugar, salt, and cocoa. Reduce heat on milk mixture to medium-low, and then very slowly pour egg mixture into saucepan, whisking quickly as you do. Continue cooking at stirring for 5-6 minutes, or until mixture is thick enough to coat a spoon.

Place saucepan in a bowl of ice, stirring continuously for 8-10 minutes. Very slowly, add sweetened condensed milk, continuing to stir. Refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight before freezing in an ice cream maker. Once ice cream is made, freeze for several more hours to firm up. Serves 20.

Nutrition (made with whole milk): 195 calories, 8g fat, 5g saturated fat, 0g trans fat, 10mg cholesterol, 120mg sodium, 27g carbs, 0g fiber, 26g sugar, 6g protein, 3% vit. A, 1% vit. C, 11% calcium, 3% iron.

buttermilk mushroom pork chops

2011-04-14T09:00:00.000-07:00

I am so excited to share this recipe with you! I was thinking one day...wouldn't pork chops be good if they were cooked until tender and then slathered in a creamy mushroom sauce? And wouldn't it be great if the recipe was easy? and healthy? and not all that complicated?

I experimented and experimented, and this is the final result. On the last test run, my husband gave me a HUGE thumbs up (since his mouth was full). I agreed. These pork chops are simple but oh so delicious!

You can use as many pork chops as you want, but I recommend 6-8 (this amount balances nicely with the amount of creamy sauce you'll have). Sprinkle your chops with salt and pepper.

Dredge the pork chops in flour (gluten-free flour would work fine as well).

Then brown on both sides in a nonstick skillet sprayed with cooking spray. Place the browned pork chops in a slow cooker that has been sprayed with cooking spray.

In the same skillet, melt a small amount of butter.

Add mushrooms and saute until they are tender (about 5 minutes). Pour in white wine and let it sizzle, scraping up any browned bits that have stuck to the pan.

Pour the mushrooms and the wine over the pork chops and top with a tablespoon of basil. Cook on high for about 4 hours (each slow cooker is a bit different, but I found that 4 hours on high yields a fully cooked and tender pork chop).

Combine buttermilk, cream of mushroom soup, and a tiny bit of salt and pour over the top of the pork chops. Put the lid back on your slow cooker, and cook for another 30 minutes.

Before serving, stir the sauce to get everything mixed together. We suggest serving your pork chops over rice, noodles, or spaghetti squash and pairing them with salad or grilled asparagus.

No matter how you serve them, we think you'll love them!

Buttermilk Mushroom Pork Chops
6-8 boneless pork chops
salt and pepper
1/4 cup flour
16 oz. mushrooms
1 T. butter
1/2 cup white wine (or chicken broth)
1 T. basil
1/2 t. salt (optional)
1 cup buttermilk
1 can cream of mushroom soup

Sprinkle salt and pepper on the pork chops and then dredge each in flour. Brown pork chops on both sides in a nonstick skillet; place in the bottom of a slow cooker sprayed with cooking spray. Melt butter in the skillet and add mushrooms, sauteing until tender (about 5 minutes). Add white wine, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Pour mushrooms and wine over pork chops; sprinkle basil over the tops. Cook on high for 4 hours. Combine salt, buttermilk, and soup; mix well. Pour mixture over top of pork chops, and cook for another 30 minutes. Stir to combine before serving.

Nutrition (1 pork chop with sauce): 323 calories, 10g fat, 4g saturated fat, 0g trans fat, 83mg cholesterol, 660mg sodium, 18g carb, 1g fiber, 3g sugar, 39g protein, 2% vit. A, 3% vit. C, 9% calcium, 10% iron.

Linked up with Gooseberry Patch's Recipe Roundup: Slow Cookers

spinach mushroom enchiladas

2011-04-12T07:30:00.000-07:00

I'm generally a meat-and-potatoes girl, but if anything were to convert me to vegetarianism, these enchiladas could do it. Spinach and mushrooms are an absolutely perfect combo, and the sour cream sauce is to die for. I haven't quite figured out how to make these low-fat yet...using skim milk doesn't work nearly as well as cream...but this is a delicious meal that uses only real ingredients (and I call that healthy!).

Begin by dicing two jalapenos...remember to wash your hands afterward!

Saute the jalapenos with two cups of sliced mushrooms in a tablespoon of butter. Cook and stir until mushrooms are tender.

Add a teaspoon of cumin and 10 ounces of fresh spinach, stirring until the spinach is wilted.

For the sauce, combine 1 cup of cream (recommended) and 1 tablespoon of cornstarch in a small saucepan and mix well. You could try milk here, but the sauce won't be as thick.

Add 16 ounces of sour cream, 1 teaspoon cumin, 1/2 teaspoon chili powder, 1 teaspoon salt, a dash of red pepper, and cilantro to taste. Cook and stir on medium high heat until mixture comes to a boil; boil for 1 minute, stirring continually. Remove from the heat and add 2 ounces (2 slices) of Monterrey Jack cheese. Stir until melted.

Spray a baking dish with cooking spray and put 1/2 cup of the milk mixture in the bottom.

Prepare 12 corn tortillas (microwave for 1 minute inside a paper towel). Fill tortillas with about 1/3 cup of spinach/mushroom mixture and place seam side down in dish.

Pour the rest of the sour cream sauce over the top of the enchiladas...yum!

Sprinkle 1 cup of mozzarella cheese and garnish with cilantro.

Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes, or until the cheese is lightly browned. Let cool for a few minutes before serving.

This recipe makes about 12 enchiladas (6 servings). They go wonderfully with refried beans and Spanish rice. Sometimes I like to make extra sour cream sauce to pour over the top just before serving.

Spinach Mushroom Enchiladas
2 jalapenos, diced
2 cups sliced mushrooms
1 T. butter
2 t. cumin, divided
10 oz. fresh spinach
1 cup cream (recommended) or milk
1 T. cornstarch
16 oz. sour cream
1/2 t. chili powder
1 t. salt
dash red pepper
cilantro to taste
2 oz (or 2 slices) Monterrey Jack cheese
12 corn tortillas
1 cup shredded Mozzarella

Saute mushroom slices and jalapenos in butter until tender. Add 1 teaspoon cumin and spinach; stir until wilted.

In a small saucepan, mix cream and cornstarch. Add sour cream, 1 teaspoon cumin, chili powder, salt, red pepper, and cilantro. Cook and stir on medium high heat until mixture comes to a boil; boil for 1 minute, stirring continually. Remove from the heat and add Monterrey Jack cheese; stir until melted.

Prepare corn tortillas by microwaving for 1 minute inside a paper towel. Spray a baking dish and put 1/2 cup of the milk mixture in the bottom. Fill tortillas with spinach/mushroom mixture and place seam side down in dish. Cover enchiladas with the rest of the sauce. Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese and garnish with cilantro. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Serves 6.

Nutrition (1 enchilada, made with reduced-fat sour cream): 212 calories, 13g fat, 8g saturated fat, 0g trans fat, 38mg cholesterol, 332mg sodium, 17g carbs, 2g fiber, 1g sugar, 8g protein, 52% vit. A, 14% vit. C, 21% calcium, 7% iron.