Cooking Barefoot

Mom's Crock Pot Ribs

2010-06-06T11:15:00.000-07:00

Everyone in the family gets excited when Mom makes her crock pot baby back ribs. The meat is so tender and just falls off the bones. It melts in your mouth. And the sauce has the sweet and tangy flavor that just makes this dish awsome. I am probably the only one, but I even like to have a bite or two of the bitter lemon peal while eating the ribs. It just gives it an extra zing.

On this night we hadthe ribs with roasted potatoes (wash and cube potatoes, spray with olive oil Pam, toss with some seasonings of choice. This was done with garlic salt, pepper and tarragon. Roast at 450, stirring once, for about 30-45 minutes depending on cube size.), and Roasted Beets and Sauteed Greens. Which were awsome! We have decided that we love fresh beets and are incorporating them into our standard meal plans.

Mom's Crock Pot Ribs
Serves 4-6

1 rack of baby back ribs
Salt and pepper to taste
1 onion thinly sliced
2 lemons thinly sliced and seeds removed
1 bottle of your favorite bbq sauce
1 12 oz bottle of beer or sparkling apple cider if you are alcohol free like us

Salt and pepper ribs and broil fat side up for 10 minutes. Flip over and broil for 5 more minutes. Slice rack into individual ribs. Layer onion slices, lemon slices and ribs in crock pot, and continue as needed ending with onions and lemons on top. Mix bbq sauce and beer/apple cider, pour over rib and onion layers. Cook on high for 4-6 hours, basting top layer occassionally as needed. Enjoy!

Spiced Carrot Cake Cupcakes w/Candied Carrots

2010-04-04T14:18:00.000-07:00

Personally, I dont like carrot cake. Vegetables shouldnt be in desserts and I dont care for raisins. My cousin calls them "grape jerky". This recipe intrigued me though. I found it in the Dec, 2008 issue of Fine Cooking. No actual carrots in the cake. No Raisins. But add yummy spices I love and some pistacios? Everything is worth making at least once, right? This one was definately worth it.

Spiced Carrot Cake Cupcakes w/Candied Carrots
Serves 8

For the cakes
2 cups carrot juice
1 1-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated
3 oz. (6 Tbs.) unsalted butter, softened; more for the molds
6-3/4 oz. (1-1/2 cups) unbleached all-purpose flour; more for the molds
1-1/2 tsp. ground allspice
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground star anise
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. table salt
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
2 large eggs
1/4 cup chopped unsalted pistachios (for garnish)

For the candied carrots
2 cups granulated sugar
2 large carrots, peeled and cut into long julienne strands to yield 1 cup
1 cinnamon stick
1 whole star anise

Make the cakes

Combine the carrot juice and ginger in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat. Boil until reduced to 3/4 cup, about 25 minutes. Let cool to room temperature.

Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 325°F. Butter and flour 8 baba au rhum molds (2-1/4 to 2-1/2 inches tall), Set aside on a large rimmed baking sheet.

In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, allspice, cinnamon, star anise, baking soda, and salt. In a large bowl with a hand mixer or in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and brown sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, 1 to 2 minutes. On medium-low speed, add one of the eggs, mix until mostly blended, and then add the second egg. On low speed, alternate adding the flour mixture and the carrot reduction in two additions each. Mix each addition until just combined.

Spoon the batter into the prepared molds, filling each a little more than half full. Swirl the batter with a skewer to smooth the tops. Bake the cakes until a cake tester inserted into the centers comes out clean, 20 to 22 minutes. Cool the cakes on a rack for 10 minutes and then carefully invert to remove from the molds. Cool the cakes upright on the rack. The cakes may be served warm or at room temperature.

Make the candied carrots

Bring the sugar and 2 cups of water to a boil in a medium saucepan over high heat. Add the carrots, cinnamon stick, and star anise. Reduce the heat to maintain a simmer; simmer gently, stirring occasionally, until the carrots are translucent, soft, and slightly sticky to the touch, about 30 minutes. Discard the cinnamon and star anise. Remove the carrots with a slotted spoon and set aside. Reserve the syrup.

To serve, dip each cake in the syrup for about 3 seconds, put it on a dessert plate, and drizzle with about 1 tsp. syrup. Garnish with the candied carrots and pistachios.

Make Ahead Tips
You can make the cakes up to 1 day ahead and the candied carrots up to 2 hours ahead.

nutrition information (per serving):(since it was on the page anyway)
Calories (kcal): 460; Fat (kcal): 12; Fat Calories (g): 110; Saturated Fat (g): 6; Protein (g): 6; Monounsaturated Fat (g): 3.5; Carbohydrates (g): 85; Polyunsaturated Fat (g): 1; Sodium (mg): 200; Cholesterol (mg): 75; Fiber (g): 2;

Notes: The only changes I made to this was to put a dollop of cream cheese frosting on the top. I think my family would have burned me at the stake without it.

Curried Rice with Ham

2008-09-18T13:39:00.000-07:00

This is one of my favorite meals to have with leftover ham. I got this recipe from my mother. It can be made without the ham, but I like the sweet flavor it gives with the spicy curry.

Curried Rice with Ham

Prep Time: 45 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

2 cups cooked rice (white or brown)

1 cup chopped onion

1 cup chopped celery

1 cup chopped carrot

2 Tablespoons olive oil

1/2 cup chopped ham

2 Tablespoons curry

Plain yogurt for garnish

Directions:

Cook rice ahead of time. I usually make extra a day or two before making this recipe and store in the fridge. Saute vegies in olive oil in a large skillet until they are crisp tender. Add rice and cook until rice is heated through and has bits of crispyness. Add ham and heat. Stir in curry and evenly distributed. Garnish with some plain yogurt.

Notes: You can use other meats or leave the meat out altogether. Different vegetables may also be used.

Family Rating:

Breaded Porkchops

2008-09-03T10:15:00.000-07:00

This is a family favorite around here. I get asked to make this often. My mom used to make this too. It's another one of those recipes with no real recipe. We just make it.

Breaded Pork Chops
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 5-10 minutes
Bake Time: 30 minutes
Preheat Oven: 350F
Serves: 4

Ingredients:
4 boneless center pork chops
1/4 cup flour
Pinch of salt and pepper
2 eggs, beaten
1 cup Italian bread crumbs
Cooking spray or olive oil
1 lime

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350F. Rinse and pat dry the pork chops. Mix flour with salt and pepper. Dredge chops in flour mixture, then egg, then bread crumbs. Put chops in a skillet with some olive oil or cooking spray and brown on each side. Remove chops from skillet and put in a baking dish prepared with cooking spray. Squeeze a little lime juice over each chop and bake for 30 minutes at 350F. Serve immediately.

Notes: Using olive oil in the skillet to brown the chops makes the crust a bit crispier than using cooking spray. You can also add other herbs and spices to either the flour or bread crumbs. I like to grind some rosemary and add that to the bread crumbs.

Family Rating:

Garlicky Potatoes

2008-09-03T10:06:00.000-07:00

Originally I got this recipe from my mom. Then I lost the recipe and just had to do things by memory. Then I changed it because I was on a no fat diet. This is how it ended up. This is one of those recipes with no real amounts set for the ingredients. You just make it. It's pretty simple though.

Garlicky Potatoes
Prep time: 15 minutes
Bake time: 30 minutes
Preheat: 400F
Serves: depends

Ingredients:
1/2 potato per person, sliced really thin (about 1/4 inch thick)
cooking spray
Garlic salt or powder
Any other herb that sounds good (optional)

Directions:
Prehead oven to 400F. Slice potatoes and rinse in cold water. Pat completely dry. Layer on a baking dish which has been prepared with cooking spray. Layers can overlap slightly. Coat with another layer of cooking spray. Sprinkle with garlic salt or powder. Bake in the oven at 400 for abotu 30 minutes or until potatoes start to brown around the edges.

Notes:
I use the olive oil cooking spray and it works really well. The original recipe called for butter to be spread over the potatoes. It's delicious that way, but really high in fat. The cooking spray way is just as good. Any herbs and spices can be used. I have added paprika, and usually do that. I have also added rosemary and it was wonderful.

Family Rating:

Preview/Catch up

2008-09-03T09:46:00.000-07:00

I have some catching up to do from the last preview. I've been bad about the blogging...so what is new?? I have always been bad about keeping blogs up to date. Anyway...Pork chops with Onions and Potatoes (AllRecipes.com) has fallen off the menu for now. They never got made at all. I am sure they'll pop up later sometime. Joy's Chocolate Chip Cookies (Family Recipe) and Breaded Pork chops (Family Recipe) are in the queue ready to go. I just need to post them.

Added to the new preview:

Danny's Mom's Cheesecake (family recipe)
Greek Pita/Wraps (mixed grocery store cookbook recipes)
Curried Couscous (FoodNetwork.com recipe)
Curried Rice (family recipe)
Scalloped Potatoes (family recipe)
Garlicky Potatoes (family recipe)
Sea Shells Con Broccoli (recipe from back of box)
Split Pea Soup (which may get pushed back of it doesn't cool down soon)

We'll see what else I can pull out of my pantry. :)

Meatless Skillet Supper (Lentils and Rice)

2008-08-26T12:37:00.000-07:00

We were really broke when I first tried this recipe. I had figured out that it would cost me $3.50 for the complete meal for 4 people, plus the costs for salad or a slice of bread for each person. I haven't tried to calculate the price in today's economy though...and with how things are going, I don't want to know. It's probably $3.50 per person now.

I was a little hesitant about trying it. There are no herbs or spices in the recipe. Who cooks without herbs and spices, other than bachelors?? And we all know what their food tastes like! It's surprisingly good though.

I got the recipe from one of my famous grocery check out cookbooks. This one is from the Classic Pillsbury Cookbooks line. It's called New Recipes for Pasta Rice and Beans. It was hard for me to find the name of the cookbook since all the pages are stuck together and this is the page the cookbook automatically turns to now. We have renamed the recipe "Lentils and Rice". Meatless Skillet Supper sounds yucky.

Lentils and Rice
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Serves: 4

Ingredients:
1 Tablespoon Oil
1/2 cup thinly sliced carrots
1/2 cup dry lentils, rinsed
1/2 cup sliced green onions
1 1/4 cup chicken broth (or vegetable broth)
1/2 to 3/4 cup instant brown rice (whatever makes 2 servings of your brand. Do not use boil in bag)
4 oz (1 cup) shredded cheddar cheese

Directions:
Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add carrots, lentils, and onions; cook and stir for 3-4 minutes or until vegetables are crisp-tender. Add broth; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 5 minutes. Add rice; cover and continue to simmer for 10 minutes or until vegetables are tender and liquid is absorbed. Fluff rice with fork. Remove from heat; sprinkle with cheese. Cover, let stand for 1-2 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Notes:
I had ran out of cheddar cheese, so I used monterey jack and it was wonderful.

Family Rating:

Beef Tips in gravy

2008-08-25T18:26:00.001-07:00

I cant even remember what kind of recipes I was looking for when I found this. It turns out it was a stroke of luck that I did find it. Everyone in the family loves this one. My 16 year old son will even stay home for dinner when I make this one and that is happening less and less often.

I found this recipe on AllRecipes.com. You can use just about any cheap piece of beef since you cook it for 2 hours. It'll be very tender and just fall apart in your mouth.

Beef Tips

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 2 hours

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

3 Tablespoons vegetable oil

1 onion, chopped

2 lbs cubed stew beef

2 cups water

1/4 cup soy sauce

1/4 cup Worchestershire sauce

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon salt (see note below)

1 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 (.75 oz) package dry brown gravy mix

1 cup water

Directions:

In a large skillet, heat oil over high heat. Saute onion until almost translucent.

Add beef and cook on high heat until meat is browned on all sides, about 3-5 minutes.

Pour 2 cups water, soy sauce, and Worchestershire sauce into the skillet. Stir in garlic powder, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for 1.5 to 2 hours.

Combine gravy mix with 1 cup water. Mix thoroughly and stir into the meat mixture. Bring to a boil stirring frequently until slightly thickened.

Notes: DO NOT add salt. This will come out waaaay too salty. I use low sodium gravy mix and soy sauce, in fact. Serve this over rice, noodles or mashed potatoes. It tastes great with all three.

Family Rating:

Make Ahead French Toast

2008-08-20T13:00:00.000-07:00

My mom made this for one of our family get togethers. It was really, really good. She made some changes to it, but didnt write them down for me....sounds kinda like me before I started the blog. LOL I do have a few minor changes that I will make next time.

This baked french toast is very sweet and custardy. It doesnt need any syrup or any other toppings.

Make Ahead French Toast
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Refridgerate time: 8 hours or overnight
Bake time: 45 minutes
Serves: 8

Ingredients:
5 eggs, lightly beaten
1 1/2 cup milk
1 cup half and half
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 (1 lb) loaf french bread, cut diagonally in 1 inch slices
1/2 butter, melted
1 cup light brown sugar
2 Tablespoons maple syrup
1 cup chopped pecans

Directions:
In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, cream and vanilla. Dip bread slices into egg mixture and place in a lightly greased 9x13 inch baking pan. Refrigerate overnight.

The next morning: Preheat oven to 350F degrees.

In a small bowl, combine butter, sugar, maple syrup and pecans. Spoon mixture over bread.

Bake in a preheated oven until golden, about 40 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Notes:
This was delicious, although it was a little too sweet. Next time I am going to cut back on the brown sugar by about half and see how that goes.

Family Rating:

Chicken Broccoli Casserole

2008-08-19T15:06:00.000-07:00

We had this over at my mom's a year or so ago. I cant remember exactly when. We all loved it, so she made a photo copy of the recipe book pages. So, here I have the copies of the pages, but no idea what book it is. It does say "Weight Watchers" on the bottom of one page, so I guess it's one of their books. LOL

Anyway, we all loved this at mom's. It was great. Of course, my kids love broccoli, so that helps. When I made it at home last week, it was just eh. My husband and son still really liked it, so maybe my tasters were off center or something.

Chicken Broccoli Casserole

Serves: 8

WW Points: 4 (since the info is there!)

Ingredients

2 Tablespoons reduced-calorie stick margarine, divided

2 Tablespoons chopped shallots

1/2 teaspoon minced garlic

1/4 cup plus 2 Tablespoons flour

1 1/2 cups fat-free chicken broth, divided

1 cup fat-free sour cream

1/4 cup (1 oz) shredded reduced-fat Gruyere or Swiss cheese

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon white pepper

cooking spray

6 cups chopped, cooked broccoli

3 cups chopped, cooked chicken breast

1/4 cup dried bread crumbs

2 Tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

2 Tablespoons minced fresh parsely

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350F

2. Melt 1 Tablespoon margarine in a saucepan over med-hi heat. Add shallots and garlic; saute until tender. Combine flour and 1/2 cup chicken broth; stir well. Add flour mixture and

remaining 1 cup chicken broth to saucepan. Cook over med heat until thick, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; stir in sour cream and next 4 ingredients.

3. Spread 1/2 cup sour cream mixture in an 11x7-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Add broccoli to dish, top with 1 1/4 cups sour cream mixture, chopped chicken, and remaining sour cream mixture.

4. Melt remaining 1 Tablespoon margarine. Combine melted margarine, breadcrumbs, 2 Tablespoons Parmesan and parsley; stir well. Sprinkle breadcrumb mixture evenly over top of casserole. Bake, uncovered, at 350F for 30 minutes or until thoroughly heated.

I just served this with my favorite rice pilaf. It's the Near East Rice Pilaf brand.

Family Rating:

Grandma's Chicken and Pasta

2008-08-18T10:49:00.000-07:00

This has always been one of my favorite dinners. (you may have noticed that I cook a lot of my own favorites LOL) If I knew my mom was making this, I'd always be home for dinner...which is saying a lot when you are a teenager. What I didnt realize was, that this was one of my Grandma's recipes. I had always thought of her as a baker (she makes the VERY best pie crust ever, but that's a story for another time), and not a cook. So, when I asked my mom for the recipe for Chicken and Pasta, I was surprised when she asked if it was Grandma's Chicken and Pasta that I wanted or a different one.

Grandma's Chicken & Pasta
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Serves: 4

Ingredients:
3 chicken breasts, boneless and skinless, cut into bit sized chunks
3 Tablespoons butter
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 large clove of garlic, finely minced
1 small bunch of green onions, finely chopped
1/2 cup dry vermouth
1 Tablespoon flour
1/3 cup cream
1/2 cup gruyere cheese, shredded
1/2 cup parmesan cheese, shredded
salt and pepper to taste
2 Tablespoons parsley, chopped
16 oz noodles

Directions:
Start water for noodles and cook as directed, and drain.
Meanwhile heat butter and oil in heavy skillet. Add chicken and cook for 4-5 minutes, stirring constantly. Add garlic and green onions and cook for 2-3 minutes. Add vermouth and cook 1 minute. Stir in flour and cook until smooth. Add cream, cheeses and parsley. Cook, stirring until cheese is melted. Toss with noodles.

Notes: You really dont need that much butter and/or oil. I sometimes just use the spray oil or just the olive oil. It's up to you.

The cream can be substituted with half and half easily. Or I have done half cream and half fat free milk.

Instead of, or in addition to, the parsley, you can add peas. Usually a small bag of frozen. Which is what we usually do, as you can see from the picture. I usually just throw the peas in with the boiling noodles and let them cook with the noodles.

If you cant find gruyere or are put off by the ungodly price per pound, you can substitue any swiss cheese. We have also used the smoked gruyere, and we all loved it.

Family Rating:

No-Bake Peanutty Chocolate Drops

2008-08-17T20:57:00.000-07:00

These are some of my favorite cookies. They are chewy and fudgey and just perfect for summer. I hate when you get a craving for cookies and it's 100 degrees outside....no longer a problem!

When I was a kid, I remember making something like these. The recipe from my childhood was lost somewhere along the line and I spent much time looking for something similar. I finally found this recipe in one of my famous grocery store check-out line cookbooks called "101 Hurry-up Cookie Recipes. It's published by "Favorite Brand Name Recipes".

No-Bake Peanutty Chocolate Drops

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 5 minutes

Refrigerator time: 2 hours

Makes 5 dozen

Ingredients:

1/2 cup butter

1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa

1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk (NOT evaperated milk)

2 1/2 cup quick-cooking oats, uncooked

1 cup chopped peanuts

1/2 cup peanut butter

Directions:

In a medium pan over medium heat, melt butter; stir in cocoa. Bring mixture to a boil. Remove from heat, stir in remaining ingredients. Drop dough by teaspoonfuls onto waxed paper-lined cookie sheet; refigerate 2 hours or until set. Store loosely covered in refrigerator.

Notes: I hardly ever make these with the peanuts in them, and I hardly ever wait for them to set in the fridge. They are delicious warm, when you just cant wait!

It's been a long week or so.

2008-08-17T20:56:00.001-07:00

I just downloaded all the pictures from my camera and it seems I am a bit behind. LOL We've had a busy week and spend much of it eating from the freezer or remaking easy recipes already up here. I am ready to get back to work now though! So be prepared for a few new recipes in the next day or so!

Apricot Almond Granola

2008-08-08T15:27:00.000-07:00

My husband and I love to put granola on our yogurt in the morning. I also love to just snack on it during the day. Most store bought granolas are bland, too sweet, or have raisins in them. This one caught my attention because it had dried cranberries and dried apricots. I LOVE apricots. I found this in Cooking Light Magazine.

Apricot Almond Granola

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Bake Time: 45 minutes

Serves: 10 (1/2 cup)

Ingredients:

6 cups rolled oats

1/4 cup chopped almonds

1/4 cup chopped pecans

2 Tablespoons brown sugar

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1/3 cup maple syrup (use the real stuff)

1/4 cup honey

1/4 cup pineapple juice

1/2 teaspoon almond extract

cooking spray

1/4 cup dried cranberries

1/4 cup chopped dried apricots

Directions:

Heat oven to 300 degrees

Combine first 5 ingredients in a large bowl. Add syrup, honey, juice and extract; toss well. Spread mixture evenly into a jelly roll pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 300 for 45 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes. Stir in cranberries and apricots. Cool completely. Store in a zip-top plastic bag.

Notes: I used orange juice because I didnt have any pineapple on hand and it worked fine.

Hungarian Porkchops

2008-08-08T10:14:00.000-07:00

This is one of my family's favorite meals. I got the recipe from my mother and have no idea where she got it from. I just know we've been eating it about as long as I can remember.

I have always tried to get my kids involved with making menus and cooking dinner. I constantly have asked them what they want for dinner in the upcoming week. There are things that always seem to come up...tacos, mac n cheese, ice cream, hungarian pork chops. Sometimes the kids dont know the name of a meal or what's in it, just that they like it. So I have spent a lot of time trying to decipher what it is the kids want.

Many, many years ago I asked my oldest daughter what she wanted for dinner that week. She said she wanted the "chicken in pink sauce". Chicken in pink sauce?? Hmmm. I dont recall any chicken in a pink sauce. Well, we did have chicken Parmesan a couple of months earlier. Did she mean that? No. So, I racked my brain over and over. Tossing out anything chicken that vaguely looked like it was in a pink sauce. No luck.

A couple of week later I made Hungarian Pork chops and she was very excited that I had finally made the "chicken in pink sauce"! So, this dish has been nicknamed "Chicken in Pink Sauce".

Hungarian Pork chops
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
Serves: 6

Ingredients:
6 center cut pork chops
1 medium onion, chopped
1 clove garlic
3 Tablespoons butter
1 bay leaf
3/4 cup chicken broth
1 cup sour cream
2 teaspoons paprika
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
Salt and pepper pork chops. Saute onion, garlic and butter in a skillet until clear, careful not to burn the garlic. Remove onion and garlic mixture from skillet, add pork chops and brown on both sides. Lower heat, add broth and bay leaf. Simmer for 1 hour until pork chops are tender. Remove chops and add sour cream, paprika, and onion mixture. Cook until slightly thickened. Add chops and heat thoroughly. Serve over rice or noodles.

Notes: I usually omit the butter and just use some cooking spray or a little bit of olive oil. I also cut the porkchops into bite sized pieces before cooking. That way I can use less chops because I am a cheapskate. I usually only use 2 chops for 4 servings. I use the fat free sour cream, it doesnt thicken as well, but if you want it thick you can use a little cornstarch.

The asparagas is just roasted with some garlic salt and cooking spray in a 450 degree oven until tender, about 15-20 minutes.

Family Rating:

Preview

2008-08-06T14:41:00.001-07:00

Here is a list of the items I will be cooking in the next week or two.

Homemade Granola (Cooking Light)
Hungarian Porkchops (Family Recipe)
Grandma's Chicken and Pasta (Family Recipe)
Beef Tips aka Beef and gravy (AllRecipes.com)
Chicken Broccoli Cassarole (AllRecipes.com)
Porkchops with Onions and Potatoes (AllRecipes.com)
Joy's Chocolate Chip Cookies (Family Recipe)
Breaded Porkchops (Family Recipe)
Lentils and Rice (Grocery Store Cookbook)
Make Ahead French Toast (AllRecipes.com

Black Bean and Salsa Soup

2008-08-05T20:30:00.000-07:00

This is super quick and easy. You can keep all the ingredients in the cupboard for when you need a 10 minute dinner. It's quicker than going to McDonalds! And much more healthy.

I found this recipe on allrecipes.com when I was looking for non-solid foods when my TMJ was acting up and I couldnt chew. After not being able to chew for over a month and being sick of anything liquidy, I am surprised this recipe was ever made again. LOL

Black Bean and Salsa Soup
Prep Time: 5
minutesCook Time: 5 minutes
Serves: 4

Ingredients:
2 (15 oz) cans black beans, drained and rinsed
1 1/2 cup vegetable broth
1 cup chunky salsa
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 cup sour cream
2 tablespoons thinly sliced green onions

Directions:
In a food processor or blender combine beans, broth and cumin. Blend until fairly smooth

Heat bean mixture in a medium saucepan until thoroughly heated. Serve with a dollop of sour cream and a sprinkle of sliced green onions.

I served this with Bisquick biscuits with some cheese and chipotle powder added to the mix.

Notes:
Less or no sour cream
More green onions. Try avacado too. Possibly add some corn after blended, or shredded zuchini before blending.
Chicken broth can be used instead of vegie.

Family Rating: (son wasnt home for dinner)

Mom's Enchiladas

2008-08-05T09:56:00.000-07:00

This will probably be one of the hardest recipes to write. Why? There is no real recipe. My mom never cooked with recipes after the first time cooking something. This is one of those recipes. I'll try to give measurements, but I am probably not very good at it since it's all done by sight.

Do you have any idea how hard it is to learn to cook from someone who doesnt have recipes for any of your favorite foods?? It's awful!!

Mom: Put in the oregano

Me: How much?
Mom: oh, I dont know, just until it looks good
Me: ....

I am going to try my best and we'll see how it works out. Add and subtract items depending on what you and your family like.

Mom's Enchiladas

1 lb ground beef, browned (omit or use beans to make vegetarian)
1 lg can (28 oz??) Las Palmas enchilada sauce, medium
1 lg can (4 oz??) sliced olives
1 lg can (7 oz??)diced chili peppers
16 oz each of cheddar and monterey jack cheeses, shredded
10 tortillas, taco sized. Flour or corn, your preference

After the meat has been browned pour in about 1/2 of the enchilada sauce and let it simmer until the sauce is soaked into the meat. Let cool.

Mix cooled beef, olives, chilis, and cheese together until well mixed. Add more sauce if needed. Reserve about 1 cup of shredded cheese.

Pour a small amount of sauce into a 9x13 inch pan, enough to cover the bottom. Fill each tortilla and roll up inside of pan. Repeat with each tortilla. Cover rolled tortillas with remaining sauce and cheese. Bake at 350 until heated through and bubbly. About 30 minutes.

Variations:

I usually use the flour tortillas

I have used chicken or ground turkey instead of beef. Sometimes I omit the meat altogether.
I have added 1 cup of sour cream into the cheese mixture with the chicken.

I have reduced the meat to 1/2 lb and added a can or two of black beans (which I really like)

I cut back on the cheese and added in grated zuchini (make sure you squeeze out all the juice), which is how I always make them now. It adds more vegies and reduces the fat. It's usually 2 medium zuchini. Use the hot sauce or add in some chipotle powder because the zuchini will mellow the flavor. Dont tell your family, they'll never know you did it.

Sometimes I add a handful of chopped cilantro.

I never roll the tortillas anymore. I layer them like a lasagna. Less messy hands and a bit faster.

Family Rating:

White Spanish Rice

2008-08-05T09:34:00.000-07:00

I cant remember where I got this recipe. I think it was from an old Sunset cookbook. I was looking for a Spanish Rice recipe that didnt have a tomato base. Yes, I know...isn't the whole point of Spanish rice to have tomatoes or tomato sauce in it?? Well, you have already read my love/hate relationship with tomatoes. Spanish rice shouldnt have tomatoes. Ripe or not.

White Spanish Rice
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Serves: 4

Ingredients:
1 cup Rice
1 small to medium Onion, chopped
1-2 cloves Garlic, chopped
2 cups Chicken broth (use vegie broth to make vegetarian)
Pinch of saffron
Bay leaf
Touch of olive oil

Directions:
Heat up a little bit of oil in a skillet. Add rice and onions and saute until onion is starting to turn clear and rice is slightly browned. Add in garlic and saute for a minute or two. Add in broth, saffron, and bay leaf. Bring to a boil. Once it boils, cover and simmer over low heat for 20-25 minutes until all liquid is absorbed.

Family Rating:

Tomato Pie

2008-07-28T10:40:00.000-07:00

Tomatoes. Somedays I love them. Somedays I hate them. I never know which day it'll be. I always hate tomatoes that are pink and hard. I hate restaurants that give you those. Why bother?? I love them fresh off the vine, sliced with a little salt and pepper. I hate chunks of them in my soups and stews. When I buy canned tomatoes, I buy the petite cut, so I dont have to worry about the chunks so much. Sometimes I even run those through the food processor. I am just really picky about my tomatoes, which makes it hard for me to decide if I like them or not. Mostly, I just stay away from them.

So, last October when Wanda (from The Boss of Floss ) posted a recipe for Tomato Pie, I surprised myself and made it. For someone so non-commital about tomatoes, it seemed strange that I'd pick that to make. Anyway, it was delicious! My son wouldnt try it, but he thinks he'll die if he has a tomato. My daughter who doesnt like tomatoes tried it anyway and loved it. She said it smelled so good, she just had to have a slice....then she went and had another and another. LOL It was much more delicious than it sounds.

There are only 2 problems with the pie that I can see. One of them may be partially my fault. 1. Fat content. It's gotta be pretty high with 1 cup of mayo and all that cheese. 2. Watery. It's more than quite possible that I am too impatient to drain the tomatoes properly. I decided to try and tackle problem number 1 this time around.

On with the Show!

Wanda's Tomato Pie
4 tomatoes, peeled and sliced
fresh basil & green onion chopped
9" deep pie crust
1 cup each of shredded mozzarella, shredded cheddar cheese and mayonnaise (the real thing folks)
salt & pepper to taste.

Place the tomatoe slices in a colandar and salt them - let them drain for 10 minutes. You want to get rid of as much standing juice as possible. Layer the tomatoes and basil with onion in the crust. Season with salt & pepper. Combine the cheeses and mayo - spread over the top (like a crust) and bake at 350 deg for about 30 minutes. The cheese & mayo will be crusty and brown, the pie crust light and flakey. Let cool to room temp......refrigerate any leftovers.

I remembered how watery the pie was the first time, so I decided to decorate the top and take a picture of that.

Brandy's Version of Wanda's Tomato Pie (sorry Wanda!)

4 garden fresh tomatoes
Fresh basil, green onions, spinach, about a handful of each
Sliced crookneck squash, enough to fill the bottom of the pie crust
1 cup reduced fat mozzarella
shredded 1/2 cup parmesan
shredded 1/2 cup mayo
1/2 cup non-fat plain yogurt
9" pie crust (bought or homemade)

Place the tomatoe slices in a colandar and salt them - let them drain for 10 minutes. You want to get rid of as much standing juice as possible. Layer the tomatoes, squash, and basil with onion in the crust. Season with salt & pepper. Combine the cheeses, mayo and yogurt - spread over the top (like a crust) and bake at 350 deg for about 30 minutes. The cheese & mayo will be crusty and brown, the pie crust light and flakey. Let cool to room temp......refrigerate any leftovers.

Again, this was delicious! We didnt even notice the yogurt/mayo exchange since it was only half the amount. The squash gave it a nice crunch. The parmesan gives it a wonderful flavor too.

Next time, I will cut back on the mayo even more since I cut back on the cheese. Probably mayo and yogurt to make 3/4 cup. I'll definately drain the yogurt through a cheese cloth or use greek style yogurt next time. I think I'll also cover the edges with foil and see about baking a little bit longer.

Family Rating: (Son wasnt home for dinner...something about tomatoes killing him...)

Baked Pancake (Pannenkoeken)

2008-07-27T11:20:00.000-07:00

This is one of my favorite breakfasts. I remember going to my Gma's as a little girl and trying to decide if I wanted Gma's Pancakes (yes, capital P, because her pancakes are what other pancake strive to be.) or "Chipannakoeker".

Gma's Pancakes were to die for. To this day, I still cant recreate her recipe even with her standing over my shoulder. She put yogurt in them, and other than that, she swears they are from a normal pancake recipe. Normal in Gmaland, maybe. But everywhere else, not so much. They were always light and just slightly crispy around the edges.

"Chipannakoeker" was an oven pancake that was light and fluffy and we could customize our toppings. As a kid, I remember being told that they were "Indian" pancakes called "chipannakoeker". Unfortunately, I cant find any recipes to a baked pancake by that name. I have found Pannenkoekens though. They are Dutch baked pancakes with, remarkably, the same exact recipe! So, maybe it's just how us kids mispronounced the name? Who knows? They'll always ben Chipannakoekers in my heart

Gma's Baked Pancake aka Chipannakoeker

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Bake Time: 15 minutes

Serves: 1 (recipe may be doubled, tripled, quadrupled, havent tried more than that)

Ingredients:

1/4 cup flour

1/4 cup milk

1 egg

1 tablespoon butter

Directions:

Heat oven to 400F. Put butter in a pie pan (or any pan that can be put in the oven), put in the heating oven to melt. Mix flour, milk and egg. Pour into pie pan over melted butter. Bake for 15 minutes or until puffy and slightly browned around the edges. Pancake will deflate after it is removed from the oven. Serve immediately.

Serving suggestions:

Sprinkle with powdered sugar and drizzle fresh lemon juice over it.

Spread on your favorite jam or jelly.

Top with Maple syrup.

Variations:

Add 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg and/or cinnamon to batter

Add 1/4 cup chopped apple to the top of batter before baking

Add 1/4 cup fresh or frozen rasberries, blueberries, blackberries, etc to top of batter before baking.

Use cooking spray instead of butter. It'll still be good, just without the butter flavor.

Untried Variations:

Savory pancakes, add sage, basil, whatever to batter.

Add ham, bacon, and/or fresh vegies before baking.

Family Rating:

Banana Nut Bread

2008-07-25T17:05:00.000-07:00

You know those little cookbooks that line the shelves of the checkout counters at grocery stores? Yeah, I am addicted to those. I probably have a couple of hundred of them. Sometimes I find wonderful treasures in them and sometimes the whole book is a dude.

Anyway, this banana bread comes from the "Light Delights" section of one of those books. The title of the book is Muffins and Quick Breads for Every Occassion. I have no idea who the publisher is since the cover is long gone. The page to the banana bread is stuck open forever. The page is stained and stiff from banana bread batter. I dont even bother looking at the rest of the book anymore.

Banana Nut Bread
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour
Serves: 16 (Makes 1 loaf)

Ingredients
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons brown sugar
5 tablespoons margarine
1 1/3 cup mashed ripe bananas (about 2 medium bananas
1 egg
2 egg whites
2 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup chopped walnuts

Directions
Preheat oven to 375F. Spray a large loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray; set aside.

Beat sugars and margarine in a large bowl with electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add bananas, egg and egg whites. Sift together flour, baking soda and salt in medium blowl; add to banana mixture. Stir in walnuts. Pour into prepared loaf pan.

Bake 1 hour or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Remove from pan. Cool on wire rack 10 minutes. Serve warm or cool completely.

Brandy's Notes:
I havent really changed this recipe other than to use butter instead of margarine and I omit the salt, which I do for almost everything I cook. I have also made this recipe with 2 whole eggs instead of the 1 egg and egg whites. It turns out just fine.

From years and years of baking breads for the holidays, I do not spray the loaf pan. I line the loaf pan with foil. That way, clean up is easy and the bread is ready to be packed up for gift giving. Once it's cool, I just pull the foil all the way up and cover the bread!

Variations:
Add 1/3 cup pecans instead of walnuts (or any nut actually)
Add 1/3 cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips

Family Rating:

Vegetable Lasagna

2008-07-24T19:32:00.000-07:00

Tonight is lasagna night. I decided to search for a new recipe and found this one on AllRecipes.com. I think I am going to blend this recipe and my normally used recipe to come up with something new. I never used artichokes in my regular lasagna and now that I see a recipe with them, I wonder why I never thought of it!

Artichoke Spinach Lasagna
Prep Time: 20 Min
Cook Time: 1 Hr
Serves: 8

INGREDIENTS
cooking spray
9 uncooked lasagna noodles
1 onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1 (14.5 ounce) can vegetable broth
1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
1 (14 ounce) can marinated artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
1 (10 ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed, drained and squeezed dry
1 (28 ounce) jar tomato pasta sauce
3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
1 (4 ounce) package herb and garlic feta, crumbled

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Spray a 9x13 inch baking dish with cooking spray.
Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add noodles and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain.
Spray a large skillet with cooking spray and heat on medium-high. Saute onion and garlic for 3 minutes, or until onion is tender-crisp. Stir in broth and rosemary; bring to a boil. Stir in artichoke hearts and spinach; reduce heat, cover and simmer 5 minutes. Stir in pasta sauce.
Spread 1/4 of the artichoke mixture in the bottom of the prepared baking dish; top with 3 cooked noodles. Sprinkle 3/4 cup mozzarella cheese over noodles. Repeat layers 2 more times, ending with artichoke mixture and mozzarella cheese. Sprinkle crumbled feta on top.
Bake, covered, for 40 minutes. Uncover, and bake 15 minutes more, or until hot and bubbly. Let stand 10 minutes before cutting.

Brandy's Vegetable Lasagna
Prep Time: 1 Hour
Min Cook Time: 1 Hour
Serves: 8

INGREDIENTS
cooking spray
9 uncooked lasagna noodles
1 onion, chopped
6 cloves garlic, chopped
2 medium zucchini, shredded
1 (14.5 ounce) can reduced sodium chicken broth
1 teaspoon chopped crushed dried rosemary
1 (14 ounce) can marinated artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
1 (9 ounce) package fresh spinach, chopped
1 (28 ounce) jar tomato pasta sauce
1 (15 ounce) container fat free ricotta cheese
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 cup fresh basil, chopped
16 oz reduced fat mozzarella cheese, shredded and divided
1 (4 ounce) package herb and garlic feta, crumbled

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

Spray a large skillet with cooking spray and heat on medium-high. Saute onion, garlic, and zucchini for 3 minutes, or until tender-crisp. Stir in broth and rosemary; bring to a boil. Stir in artichoke hearts and spinach; reduce heat, cover and simmer 5 minutes. Stir in pasta sauce.

In a medium bowl, mix ricotta, egg, nutmeg, and basil.

Spread 1/4 of the artichoke mixture in the bottom of the prepared baking dish; top with 3 noodles. Sprinkle 1/3 mozzarella cheese over noodles. Dollop ricotta mixture over cheese and carefully spread to cover the pan. Layer 3 noodles over ricotta, 1/3 of the mozzarella, 1/4 artichoke mixture. Repeat layers 1 more time. Cover with foil and bake for 40 minutes. Uncover, sprinkle with remaining mozzarella and feta, and bake 15 minutes more, or until hot and bubbly. Let stand 10 minutes before cutting.

Notes: The noodles will cook in the sauce if you use the foil cover. You do not need to buy the "no cook" noodles. Whole wheat noodles may take a bit longer to cook. My family loves cheese, so I added the ricotta mixture that we usually put in lasagna.

You can save time by using the frozen spinach. I used fresh and had to rinse and stem it. I also grated my own cheese instead of using pre-shredded cheese.

Family Rating: (Son wanted to know where the meat was...in the vegetable lasagna *rolls eyes*)

Garlic Bread

2008-07-24T11:49:00.000-07:00

Who can have lasagna without some garlic bread? I heard a recipe on TV a week or so ago about adding lemon zest to your garlic bread. Lemon zest? Garlic bread? Together? Ok, you talked me into it. I found this recipe on 101Cookbooks.com. I am going to make it as directed with the optional ingredients.

My Dad's Garlic Bread
The size of your baguette will determine how much butter and garlic you'll use. My dad uses roughly one head of garlic for each stick of butter.

1 loaf artisan French bread or wide baguette
1 - 2 heads of garlic
1 - 2 sticks of unsalted butter
1 bunch of chives (optional)
zest of one lemon (optional)

As told to me by my father. Slice that loaf of bread right up the middle so you have two halves (he uses his serrated knife for this). Now set them on their backs, cut side up. Mince the garlic or push it through one of those crushers - either way is fine. Now add it to the butter you should be melting in a small saucepan.
(This is where he got really animated). Now take a basting brush (or any brush for that matter - pastry, etc) and start slathering the garlic butter all across that bread. Really go for it, let it soak in. He then says to me, "heck, sometimes I even pour it on." (At which point I can't help but think that my mom would be mortified). Make sure you get all those garlic chunks evenly distributed. Now sometimes my dad makes a garlic bread in advance and freezes it (don't ask). If you are going to freeze the bread for later, this is when you do it - you don't want to bake, then freeze.
He recommends the 'double-bake' as he calls it. This is when you bake at a standard temperature (350 degrees) for 10 to 15 minutes to heat the bread (particularly if it is coming out of the freezer), and then brown it off for color under the broiler for a minute or two.
When the bread is finished broiling let it cool for a minute or two. This is when I sprinkle with the lemon zest and chives (and to be honest, I sprinkle a bit of zest on the bread before it goes in the oven too because I like that roasted lemon flavor alongside the garlic.) Slice and serve.
The short version of this recipe:Cut, slather, bake, brown, slice.

Brandy's Notes: Brad thought the idea of lemon on the garlic bread was weird. I think next time I am going to try added the lemon zest before I broil the bread and see if it brings out more of the flavor.

Family Rating:

Herbed Lima Beans

2008-07-24T11:44:00.000-07:00

This isnt so much a recipe, but an idea I had for frozen lima beans. I have always loved baby lima beans. I never buy the big ones. Usually I just microwave them like on the back of the package. One day I decided to try something new.

Heat 1-2 teaspoons olive oil in a 12" fry pan. You can also use cooking spray, if you prefer. Add in some oregano, basil (or Italian seasoning, or Greek Seasoning) and garlic powder (or garlic salt, or minced garlic) to taste, and 16 ozs of frozen baby lima beans. Saute until lima beans are heated through. Just use your imagination for the seasonings. The amount really depends on what your family likes. I probably use 1/2 teaspoon of each. Maybe more.

Everyone in my family loved the lima beans this way. I'll never microwave them again.

Family Rating:

Luau Dinner

2008-07-23T21:04:00.000-07:00

The directions for this one are really easy....

Drive to Gma's, grab a plate and serve yourself from the buffet. Sorry, no picture tonight!

Blue Cheese Chipotle Turkey Burgers

2008-07-22T13:09:00.000-07:00

I got the blue cheese chipotle idea from Chili's restaurant. My whole family loves their blue cheese chipotle burger, so I am going to attempt to do something similar using turkey instead of beef.

I gave up ground beef when I was having gallblader problems and started using the fat free ground turkey instead. I decided I liked it better anyway, so we have kept up with the turkey. I have been fooling around with different flavor burgers for almost a year now. None of which I ever wrote down. LOL

I am using this recipe from AllRecipes.com as my starting point and will make a few changes here and there.

Spicy Chipotle Turkey Burgers
1 pound ground turkey
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
1 chipotle chile in adobo sauce, finely chopped
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon seasoned salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
4 slices mozzarella cheese
4 hamburger buns, split and toasted

DIRECTIONS
Preheat an outdoor grill for medium-high heat, and lightly oil grate. Place the ground turkey, onion, cilantro, chipotle chile pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, seasoned salt, and black pepper in a mixing bowl; mix well. Form into 4 patties.
Cook the hamburgers on the preheated grill until the turkey is no longer pink in the center, about 4 minutes per side. Place the mozzarella slices on the patties 2 minutes before they are ready. Serve on the toasted buns.

Brandy's Blue Cheese Chipotle Burgers

Serves: 4
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 6 minutes

1 pound ground turkey
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
2 teaspoons chipotle powder
1 teaspoon garlic salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 cup blue cheese crumbles
4 english muffins, split and toasted

DIRECTIONS Preheat George Foreman grill to high heat, and lightly oil plates.

Place the ground turkey, onion, cilantro, chipotle chile powder, garlic salt, black pepper, and blue cheese in a mixing bowl; mix well. Form into 4 patties.

Cook the hamburgers on the preheated grill until the turkey is no longer pink in the center, about 6 minutes. Serve on the toasted buns with blue-cheese chipotle mayo, avocado slices, grilled onions and fresh spinach leaves.

Blue cheese Chipotle Mayo
1/2 mayo
1 teaspoon chipotle powder
2 tablespoons blue cheese
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
1 teaspoon very finely chopped cilantro

Mix well.

Served with fries(frozen, sprinkled with garlic salt) and Mediterranean Salad (prebagged mix), cause sometimes I am lazy.

Family rating:

Bacon and Potato Soup

2008-07-21T20:23:00.000-07:00

Tonights dinner is Bacon and Potato Soup. I have no idea where I got the original recipe. It's printed on a plain piece of white paper with no clue to whose recipe it is. Ok, the paper used to be white. It is now well worn and all sorts of colors from the soup spilling on it. It's definately one of our favorites, though!

Original Recipe:

6 pieces bacon, cooked

1 1/2 teaspoon olive oil

1/2 cup onion, chopped

1/2 cup celery, chopped

1/2 cup carrots, chopped

4 cups chicken broth

4 cups potato, cubed

1/8 teaspoon cayenne

1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1/2 teaspoon salt

Cook bacon until crisp in a 8 quart saucepan. Drain bacon and wipe pan clean.

Add olive oil, onion, carrot and celery to pan as they are cut. Saute until onion is soft but not browned. About 3-4 minutes.

Stir in chicken broth, potatoes and cayenne. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until potatoes are tender. About 10-15 minutes.

Stir in cheese, heating until just melted, do not boil. Chop bacon and add to soup. Sesason to taste with salt. Serve at once.

It's not bad this way, but we like a bit more flavor and I needed more soup.

Brandy's Bacon, Rosemary, Potato Soup:

Serves: 6

Prep time: 20 minutes

Cook time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:

6 pieces of bacon cooked

1 1/2 teaspoon olive oil

1 cup onion, chopped

1 cup celery, chopped

1 cup carrot, chopped

1 tablespoon garlic, minced

1 teaspoon crushed rosemary

6 cups chicken broth

6 cups potato, cubed

1/2 teaspoon cayenne

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Cook bacon until crisp in a 8 quart saucepan. Drain bacon and wipe pan clean.

Add olive oil, onion, carrot and celery to pan as they are cut. Saute until onion is soft but not browned. About 3-4 minutes.

Add garlic and rosemary and saute for 1-2 minutes.

Stir in chicken broth, potatoes and cayenne. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until potatoes are tender. About 10-15 minutes.

Mash vegitables with potato masher or put about 1/2 of the soup in a food processor and blend until smooth.

Stir in cheese, heating until just melted, do not boil. Chop bacon and add to soup. Serve at once with a loaf of crusty bread.

Served with Potato Rosemary bread from my grocery store's bakery.

Variations:

Vegetarian, omit bacon and substitute vegetable broth for chicken broth.

Low Fat, omit bacon, use fat free broth, omit cheese or reduce cheese to 1/2 cup reduced fat cheese.

Add-ins, chopped green onion, sour cream.

Family rating: (son was not home for dinner, so only 2 thumbs up)