1.31.2012

Nutella Coco



NNNUUTTELLLLLLAAA NOM NOM NOM. I love nutella. Everybody does. I love this drink. I don't add marshmallows, mainly because I never have marshmallows on hand. This will also work in the microwave if you just make it like normal hot chocolate. I think it tastes a bit better on the stove. The pinch of cinnamon in genius.

- 1 cup of milk (any kind of milk will work)
- 2 spoonfuls of Nutella (this is my preference, but feel free to add as much or as little as you like)
- whipped cream
- marshmallows

Directions: Pour about 1/4 of the milk into a saucepan on medium-low heat (I do all the milk at once). Add the Nutella and whisk until blended. Slowly stir in the remaining milk. Add a pinch of cinnamon and whisk until hot and frothy. Carefully pour the mixture into a mug, add whipped cream, and marshmallows and ENJOY

1.30.2012

Sweet cornbread

This is delicious, easy and FAST!

Ingredients:
1/2 cup cornmeal
1 1/2 cups flour
2/3 cup sugar
1 tbsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/3 cup oil
3 tbsp. butter, melted
2 eggs, beaten
1 1/4 cups milk

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350. Spray 8" square pan. Combine dry ingredients, make a well in the middle and add the wet ingredients. Stir together (the batter will be runny - be not dismayed!) Pour in pan and bake for 35 minutes. 

1.29.2012

Tortellini'n'stuff

I made tortellini but was out of marinera sauce, so I dumped some pesto on it. It was delicious so I also put shredded parmesan and tomato. I'm just whippin' up my own creations over here.

1.17.2012

Apple Pie

I've made this pie twice before - once with Kolbee and once with Vanna. I have them peel the apples. I got the recipe here. I used a smaller pie crust so I only used like 5 apples and the sauce overflowed in the over, but it is still delicious. I put whipped cream on top, but mom and dad do ice cream. Either works.


1 recipe pastry for a 9 inch double crust pie
1/2 cup unsalted butter
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/4 cup water
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
8 Granny Smith apples - peeled, cored and sliced

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). Melt the butter in a saucepan. Stir in flour to form a paste. Add water, white sugar and brown sugar, and bring to a boil. Reduce temperature and let simmer.
Place the bottom crust in your pan. Fill with apples, mounded slightly. Cover with a lattice work crust. Gently pour the sugar and butter liquid over the crust. Pour slowly so that it does not run off.
Bake 15 minutes in the preheated oven. Reduce the temperature to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Continue baking for 35 to 45 minutes, until apples are soft.

1.10.2012

Our Routine Granola

(I am a part of a few other recipe blogs and I wrote this post about a year ago on another one.. I decided to recycle my recipe onto this one since I don't have the time currently to write one out but I feel bad for not posting lately.. so here you go...)

This is such a healthy (as opposed to the other high calorie/high sugar granolas and cereals) breakfast slash snack. I have it every single morning and my son loves it like no other. A big plus on making granola routinely is that you have a perfect food storage item (as you will need oats, molasses, oil, brown sugar, etc.) and once you've made it a couple times it takes only a few minutes to prepare before putting it in the oven.

So here's my mom's infamous healthy/yummy granola:

Mix together in large dripper pan:

14 C. Oats
1 1/2 C. 100% Bran (optional- but adds the yummy crunch)
1/2 C. nuts or seeds (the de-shelled sunflower seeds- also optional)

Mix together while heating in saucepan:

1/2 C. Brown Sugar
1/2 C. Oil
2 1/2 C. Water
1/2 C. Molasses
1 1/2 tsp. Salt
2 tsp. Cinnamon
3 tsp. Vanilla

Pour mixed liquid over the pan of oats. Mix til there's no dry oats. (Sometimes I even add extra oats if the liquid seems to be spreading well..)
Bake at 350 for 30 minutes, stirring 1/2 way through and at the end of cooking time. Once pan is done and out of the oven, leave it on your stovetop to let it cool. (Here's when I like to add a couple handfuls of raisins, cran-raisins, or dried berry bits- also optional.) Once it cools, store in an old ice cream bucket, a couple of gallon ziplock bags, or an air-tight container.

If you haven't noticed by the quantity of the ingredients, this will last us a good 2 weeks. I usually eat this cold with milk... my mom warms hers... but sometimes I mix 1/2 granola, 1/2 sugar cereal. Doesn't get better than this. (Unless it does and I just don't know about it yet. But my doubts are high.)

If you're wondering how old I am because I consistently make and eat granola, you can rest assured that I am 80 and I like to finish off my granola with a Werther's Original whilst watching The Lawrence Welk show. If I'm still feeling spunky I soak my feet in a nice warm foot bath before putting on my orthopedic shoes and taking a long walk in my Jazzy. (And don't even think I leave the house without Life Alert. I wouldn't dream of it.)

(Healthy) Chicken Nuggets

This one is your new favorite. You just don't know it yet.

Shredded Wheat crushed to 1 cup
*1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
*1/2 tsp seasoned salt
*1/4 tsp paprika
*1/8 tsp garlic powder
*1/2 cup mayonaise
*1 T. honey
*2 tsp prepared mustard
(about 2) Boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 3/4 x 2" strips (about the size of a regular chicken nugget)

Combine and stir chicken strips in mixture (All *'ed items) to coat.
Roll chicken in cereal to coat evenly.
Place on rack in shallow baking pan.


Bake 12-15 min at 400 or until chicken is no longer pink in the center. (I cook mine longer cause I love crispiness!)
Makes 25-30
Refigerate Leftovers



I realize these look like something you'd happen upon in a horse pasture, but TRUST me, they don't taste like it!

1.08.2012

Oven Baked Parmesan Seasoned Fries

I made these for a dinner we all had at Mom and Dad's one Sunday. I loved them and so did all of you. I love anything potato based.


Oven Baked Parmesan Seasoned Fries

NOTE: The amounts listed are for every one pound of fries. One pound of fries is the equivelant of appoximately 3 medium potatoes.

Ingredients:

1 pound of medium russet potatoes (approx 3 medium potatoes)
1 1/2 TBSP of Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1/4 tsp Dried Thyme
1/4 tsp Dried Oregano
1/8 tsp Dried Rosemary
1/4 tsp of Garlic Powder
1/4 tsp of Old Bay Seasoning
2 TBSP Parmesan cheese

Directions:

*Preheat oven to 425.
*Wash and cut potatoes into 1/8ths.
*Place on a cookie sheet that has been lined with foil.
*Mix all of the spices and the parmesan cheese in a small bowl.
*Place all of the potatoes into a gallon size freezer bag, add olive oil and the parmesan cheese/spice mixture to the bag.
*Seal the bag and shake until the potatoes are evenly coated.
*Once thoroughly coated dump onto the prepared cookie sheet and spread in a single layer.
* Bake 30-45 minutes or until tender and lightly golden brown. (Baking times will vary depending on the amount of fries that you make and the size that you cut them). For the ones shown in the picture they were baked at 425 for 45 minutes.

source

1.04.2012

Aunt Peggy's Cucumber, Tomato and Onion Salad

Found this on my friend's Pinterest page who found it on Paula Deen's website. I didn't add the onion to mine. In the future I'll use it as a side dish, I took it to work for lunch today and it's kind of a bland lunch by itself.



Ingredients

1 pound cucumbers (about 2 cucumbers), peeled and thinly sliced
1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
1/2 Vidalia onion, very thinly sliced
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper


Directions
In a large serving bowl, toss together the cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, onion, parsley, vinegar, olive oil, salt, and pepper, to taste. Let the salad stand for 10 minutes before serving.

1.01.2012

Wholesome Oat Muffins

Have you ever made muffins from scratch and realized that they really should be considered a dessert? Most muffin recipes have way too much sugar for me to serve them for breakfast, until I found this one. This has the added bonus of using oatmeal, which my kids won't eat plain, so I get to sneak some in their diet with these babies. I always double the recipe so I have several bags ready to go in the freezer for busy mornings. I adapted this from the South Beach Diet cookbook.

3/4 cup oats
1 cup buttermilk (I use 1 cup milk soured with 1 Tbsp lemon juice)
1 1/4 cup whole wheat flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp cinnamon (okay I really use closer to 1 tsp, we like the stuff)
1/4 tsp salt
2/3 cup chopped walnuts (I never do this but I bet it would be good)
1/3 cup canola oil
1 egg, beaten
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla

In a small bowl, combine oats and the buttermilk. Let soak for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 425. Line a muffin pan with baking cups or spray with nonstick spray.

In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, salt and walnuts (if using).

In a large bowl, stir together the oil, egg, brown sugar and vanilla until well blended. Stir in the oat mixture. Stir in the flour mixture until just combined. Do not overmix.

Divide the batter evenly among the prepared muffin cups. Bake for 11-15 minutes, or until a wooden pick comes out clean. Cool on a rack.