tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34168874257922438782024-03-05T14:09:53.240-05:00The Green World RecipesAdriennehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17910903204495281371noreply@blogger.comBlogger19125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3416887425792243878.post-84644301339807221242013-02-07T12:40:00.004-05:002013-02-07T15:33:59.524-05:00Lemon Grilled Chicken and Perfect Asparagus<div style="text-align: center;">
I'm always on the hunt for easy, healthy recipes that my family will like, and these are both definite winners! I found <a href="http://www.bhg.com/recipes/">this first one</a> on the <a href="http://www.bhg.com/recipes/">Better Homes and Gardens</a> site, and adapted it a bit. I used chicken tenders instead of the chicken breasts, marinated it for two hours, and then cooked them on our little George Foreman grill. So super easy!</div>
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Lemon Grilled Chicken</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://images.meredith.com/content/dam/bhg/Images/recipe/34/R105044.jpg.rendition.largest.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://images.meredith.com/content/dam/bhg/Images/recipe/34/R105044.jpg.rendition.largest.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">photo from <a href="http://www.bhg.com/recipes/chicken/30-minutes-less/quick-heart-healthy-chicken-recipes/#page=18">Better Homes and Gardens</a> </td></tr>
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4 chicken breasts</div>
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1/2 fat-free, low-sodium chicken broth</div>
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1/4 c lemon juice</div>
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1 tbsp lemon zest</div>
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1 tbsp finely snipped fresh thyme (or 1/2 tsp dried thyme)</div>
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1/4 tsp black pepper</div>
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For marinade, combine broth, zest, juice, thyme and pepper. Trim the fat from the chicken, and place it in a freezer bag. Pour the marinade over the chicken, seal the bag, and place it in the refrigerator. Marinate for 1-2 hours, turning occasionally.</div>
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Drain the chicken, but save the marinade. Our George Foreman is one of the older, simpler ones, so there are no settings to adjust; you just plug it in, and it heats up. If yours is adjustable, I'd say to set it to medium, let it warm up, and throw your chicken on there. We only had to cook ours for a few minutes, because our pieces were so small, but we had a lot of them. If you'd like, brush some of the marinade on the chicken when it's about half way done, flip it over, and brush it on the other side as well. We skipped this step on ours, and they were still super moist, tender, and lemony-delicious. </div>
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While Brandon tended to grilling the chicken, I took care of the asparagus. <a href="http://www.afamilyfeast.com/perfect-asparagus/">I found this recipe for "perfect" asparagus" here</a>, and I'm telling you, it is aptly named. That asparagus was <i>delicious</i>. I'd never tried blanching my veggies before, but I will definitely be doing so again.</div>
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Perfect Asparagus, with Lemon</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.afamilyfeast.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/asparagus_process7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="314" src="http://www.afamilyfeast.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/asparagus_process7.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">photo from the <a href="http://www.afamilyfeast.com/perfect-asparagus/">original post</a> at afamilyfeast.com</td></tr>
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fresh asparagus</div>
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fresh lemon</div>
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1/2 tbsp butter</div>
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Wash your asparagus, then snap off the hard ends and discard (compost!) them. Prepare your ice bath: basically, you just need to have a big bowl full of iced water handy by the stove. Boil water in a large pot. Once it's come to a boil, add the asparagus and allow it to return to a boil. Set a timer, and boil the asparagus for about two minutes. Skinny asparagus will finish faster, thicker ones may take a little longer, but don't let them go for more than three minutes! They will be a bright, vibrant green when they're ready. At this point, use a pair of tongs to move the asparagus to the water bath, and leave it there for about two minutes. Use the tongs again to remove it and set it aside. I just placed mine in a strainer in the sink, until the chicken was just about done. </div>
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When he put the last two pieces of chicken on the grill, I melted my butter in a non-stick skillet over medium heat, added the asparagus, squeezed the juice from about half a lemon over it, and sauteed it for only a minute or two and then served it <i>immediately</i>. </div>
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I'm trying to focus on meat and veggies at dinner, to avoid over-doing on the carbs, so that was our entire dinner: chicken and asparagus. We each took healthy helpings of both, especially the asparagus. And man, oh man, was it good. All of it. Strangely, neither of the girls was the least bit interested in any of it--I can usually count on Kaylie to eat hers, but not this time. Still, there was not a bit of asparagus left by the end of the meal, and there were only 3 little pieces of chicken.</div>
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I think that next time I do this asparagus, I'll try doing a balsamic glaze instead of the lemon, and maybe pair it with a Mediterranean chicken? Oh, this is making me hungry!</div>
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Adriennehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17910903204495281371noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3416887425792243878.post-2962176758726579762012-10-12T18:32:00.000-04:002012-10-12T18:32:20.771-04:00All-In-One Chicken Bake<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://pinterest.com/pin/158611218097350409/">This recipe</a> is easy, simple, and delicious. It was a huge hit with my husband, so this will definitely be something we make again. </div>
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4-6 trimmed chicken breasts (I used 3 large breasts)</div>
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new potatoes, or small red potatoes</div>
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fresh green beans (or any green veggie, really)</div>
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1 stick unsalted butter, melted</div>
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1 package dry Italian dressing mix</div>
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Preheat oven to 350°F. Cut your potatoes and green beans, and arrange along each of the long sides of your 13x9" baking dish. Arrange the chicken breasts down the middle. Sprinkle the dressing mix evenly over everything, then pour the butter evenly over everything. I knew from this recipe that the Italian dressing mix would be salty, so I made sure to use unsalted butter.) Cover with aluminum foil and bake for one hour.</div>
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Super easy, right? It only dirties the one baking dish, a knife and a cutting board, then you get to ignore it for an hour, AND everything comes out tender and tasty. Love it!</div>
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Adriennehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17910903204495281371noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3416887425792243878.post-24067389896000639862012-10-12T18:31:00.000-04:002012-10-12T18:31:30.432-04:00Banana Nut Bread<div style="text-align: center;">
My banana bread recipe has been requested, so here it is! I basically just use the recipe recipe from my big Better Homes and Gardens cookbook, but with more nuts, and sometimes I like to throw some chocolate chips in as well.</div>
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<u>Banana Nut Bread </u></div>
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2 c AP flour</div>
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1 1/2 tsp baking powder</div>
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1/2 tsp baking soda</div>
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1/4 tsp salt</div>
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1/4 tsp cinnamon</div>
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1/8 tsp nutmeg</div>
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2 beaten eggs</div>
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1 1/2 cups mashed bananas (about 5 medium)</div>
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1 c sugar</div>
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1/2 c butter (or oil)</div>
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3/4 c chopped walnuts</div>
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1/2 c mini chocolate chips, optional</div>
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streusel nut topping, optional</div>
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Preheat oven to 350°. Lightly grease one 9"x5"x3" (or two 7.5"x3.5"x2") pan, and set aside.</div>
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Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg in a large bowl. Make a well in the center of the mixture, then set aside.</div>
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In a medium bowl, combine mashed bananas, beaten eggs, butter and sugar. Once mixed, add it all at once to the flour mixture. Stir just until moistened; batter will be lumpy. Fold in nuts and, if desired, chocolate chips. Spoon into prepared pan. If desired, top with streusel.*</div>
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Bake at 350° for 55 to 60 minutes, or until wood toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan on wire racj for 10 minutes, then remove from pan and cool completely on rack. Wrap and store overnight before slicing. (As if I ever have the patience to wait.)</div>
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<u>*Streusel Topping:</u></div>
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1/4 c packed brown sugar</div>
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3 tbsp AP flour</div>
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2 tbsp butter</div>
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1/3 c chopped walnuts</div>
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Mix sugar and flour. Use a pastry cutter to cut in softened (not melted!) butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in walnuts.</div>
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If you end up with more batter than will fit in your loaf pan (it should not be more than half full), but don't have enough to make a second loaf, you can make the rest into muffins. Just spoon them into a greased or lined muffin pan, and bake for 15-17 minutes. Just keep an eye on them, to make sure they don't over bake.</div>
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Enjoy!!</div>
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Adriennehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17910903204495281371noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3416887425792243878.post-84160176352754480202012-07-26T04:03:00.000-04:002012-07-26T04:03:00.603-04:00Crock Pot Chicken: A Fail, and then A Win<div style="text-align: center;">
I found 2 similar crock-pot chicken recipes on Pinterest, and wanted to try them both. I got to <a href="http://onceamonthmom.com/creamy-chicken-with-mushrooms/">this one</a> first. It was just as easy as the recipe says, and the chicken was tender, but I didn't like the flavor at all. My husband liked it more than I did, but he wasn't wowed by it either. If you're a fan of canned cream of chicken soup, the you will like this. I, apparently, am not a fan.</div>
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<span style="background-color: white;">A week or so later, I tried </span><a href="http://onceamonthmom.com/cream-cheese-chicken/" style="background-color: white;">this recipe</a><span style="background-color: white;">. I almost skipped it, since it also calls for cream of chicken soup, but this recipe only needs one can </span><i style="background-color: white;">and </i><span style="background-color: white;">it calls for cream cheese. I decided to give it a chance, and I'm so glad that I did! This chicken was creamy and tender and flavorful. My only complaint was that it was a bit on the salty side, probably from the Italian dressing mix. Next time I'll just make my own, and I'll be able to control how much salt goes into it. I think I'll also take the mushrooms from the first recipe and add them to the second. </span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.onceamonthmom.com/wp-content/uploads/cream-cheese-chicken-300x225.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://www.onceamonthmom.com/wp-content/uploads/cream-cheese-chicken-300x225.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">photo from <a href="http://onceamonthmom.com/cream-cheese-chicken/">original post</a> on <a href="http://onceamonthmom.com/">Once A Month Mom</a></td></tr>
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Cream Cheese Crock-Pot Chicken</div>
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2lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts</div>
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1 can cream of chicken soup</div>
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8oz cream cheese</div>
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1 packet dry Italian dressing mix</div>
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Place chicken, soup, cream cheese, and seasoning mix in slow cooker.
Cook on high 4-5 hours or low 8-9 hours, or until chicken is cooked
through. (I used less chicken, and it took only 6 ours on low.) Serve over hot cooked rice, mashed potatoes, or pasta, if
desired.<strong><br /></strong></div>
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<br /></div>Adriennehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17910903204495281371noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3416887425792243878.post-46370608184762942122012-07-24T21:34:00.000-04:002012-07-25T16:31:14.410-04:00Pesto Rolls and Pasta Caprese with Sausage<div style="text-align: center;">
Do you like pasta? Do you like cheese? Do you like <a href="http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2011/06/caprese-salad/">caprese</a>? If you answered "yes" to any of those questions, then you need to make <a href="http://pearls-handcuffs-happyhour.blogspot.com/2012/01/my-achilles-heel.html">this dish</a>. Now. Unless you're counting calories, in which case, you should probably close this window and try to forget that you ever saw this post.</div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpqw-IK1vVzvo-R4ty_IX48nVKUmrU4LIqaWzbzzhAIo5TMgDQUjlYf7uX_ouRfNedF3e6Lw3wf7hNr639namIFSUSXnsAWmcS7PB00VorEGcfu99RKd7At9po4PndY4l58HtQRqkeltY/s640/_DSC0242.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpqw-IK1vVzvo-R4ty_IX48nVKUmrU4LIqaWzbzzhAIo5TMgDQUjlYf7uX_ouRfNedF3e6Lw3wf7hNr639namIFSUSXnsAWmcS7PB00VorEGcfu99RKd7At9po4PndY4l58HtQRqkeltY/s320/_DSC0242.JPG" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo from original post on <a href="http://www.pelinchef.com/2011/06/pesto-soslu-ekmek.html">Pelin Chef</a>. Idea from <a href="http://pinterest.com/pin/158611218096078700/">Pinterest</a>. </td></tr>
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I was starving, so I started off by putting some <a href="http://pinterest.com/pin/158611218096078700/">pesto rolls</a> in the oven to munch on while the pasta was baking. It was suuuper easy: "Press out cresent roll dough. Spread pesto. Roll up into a log. Slice.
Place in a pie plate like cinnamon rolls. Serve with marinara dip." That's Pinterest said, and that's what I did. It quick, easy, and delicious.</div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Lxncu5t9aPk/TwR2Hu-FKFI/AAAAAAAAXIA/LLRPXqiykrI/s320/capresepasta11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Lxncu5t9aPk/TwR2Hu-FKFI/AAAAAAAAXIA/LLRPXqiykrI/s320/capresepasta11.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo and recipe from <a href="http://pearls-handcuffs-happyhour.blogspot.com/2012/01/my-achilles-heel.html">original post</a> on <a href="http://pearls-handcuffs-happyhour.blogspot.com/">Pearls, Handcuffs, and Happy Hour</a>.</td></tr>
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But enough of that. On to the <i>pasta</i>. <a href="http://pearls-handcuffs-happyhour.blogspot.com/2012/01/my-achilles-heel.html">This recipe</a> is fantastic! It was straight-forward and pretty easy, but not terribly fast. I followed it pretty much exactly, except for adding some <a href="http://www.johnsonville.com/products/four-cheese-italian-sausage.html">mild Italian sausage</a>, and doubling the mozzarella. If you decide to do sausage, too, pre-cook it according to the package directions, slice it, and mix it in with the pasta and sauce prior to adding the tomatoes, cheese, and basil. You really just can't go wrong here. </div>
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Mmm. So good, so full. But because I'm a glutton, I went for the trifecta. After dinner, I made <a href="http://bakeat350.blogspot.com/2011/02/peanut-butter-blossoms-one-of-our.html">peanut butter blossoms</a>. </div>
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Anyone want to go for a run?</div>
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<br /></div>Adriennehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17910903204495281371noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3416887425792243878.post-86687280420353802462012-07-07T11:13:00.001-04:002012-07-24T21:34:44.206-04:00Cheesy Enchilada Casserole<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhZHgYNrEEdY3Q5edYwdP0LpXCvKBdl8sg5V1PsjlCK0anKHKh9E3fL1GvOisHE-YH99bkcWtfvPDdKzvjdO0zNqUB0ym0KzIgLWJ2fewHdveF5TylwGppaSL-EcMLu9QbV07A5w-BsR5R/s400/IMG_0305.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhZHgYNrEEdY3Q5edYwdP0LpXCvKBdl8sg5V1PsjlCK0anKHKh9E3fL1GvOisHE-YH99bkcWtfvPDdKzvjdO0zNqUB0ym0KzIgLWJ2fewHdveF5TylwGppaSL-EcMLu9QbV07A5w-BsR5R/s320/IMG_0305.jpg" width="241" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">photo from the <a href="http://www.sixsistersstuff.com/2011/10/cheesy-enchilada-casserole.html">six sisters</a> original post.</td></tr>
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<span style="background-color: white;">This is another one that I found on Pinterest. The pin came from <a href="http://www.sixsistersstuff.com/2011/10/cheesy-enchilada-casserole.html">Six Sisters Stuff</a>, and they got the recipe from <a href="http://www.justgetoffyourbuttandbake.com/?p=3352">Get Off Your Butt and Bake</a>. We made some guacamole to go with it, and it was delicious! We will be making this one again--with a few alterations. We had a lot of the meat mixture left over, so next time I'll use my 3 qt baking dish, instead of the 2 qt dish recommended in the recipe. We're also going to skip the tortilla layers in the casserole, because they just got soggy. Perhaps next time, we will serve it <i>in</i> the tortillas, burrito style. Here's what we did:</span></div>
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<b>Ingredients</b><br />
1 pound lean ground beef (90% lean) <br />
1 large red onion, chopped<br />
2 1/2 cups salsa <br />
1 can (15 ounces) black beans or red kidney beans, rinsed and drained <br />
1/4 cup (reduced-fat) Italian salad dressing <br />
2 tablespoons (reduced-sodium) taco seasoning<br />
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin <br />
6 flour tortillas (8 inches) <br />
1 small can of drained corn (or about 1 1/4 cups of frozen corn)<br />
3/4 cup reduced-fat sour cream<br />
2 cups (8 ounces) shredded reduced-fat Mexican cheese blend <br />
1 cup shredded lettuce <br />
1 medium tomato, chopped<br />
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<b>Directions</b><br />
In a large skillet, cook beef and onion over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain.</div>
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Stir in the salsa, beans, dressing, sour cream, corn, taco seasoning and cumin.<br />
Spoon a generous, even layer of the meat mixture on the bottom of your 3 quart baking dish, s<span style="background-color: white;">prinkle with grated cheese, top with </span><span style="background-color: white;">a flour or corn tortilla. Repeat until you've filled your dish (or run out of meat).</span></div>
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The last & final layer should be a healthy dose of grated cheese.<br />
Cover with foil that has been sprayed with pam or other and bake at 400° for 25 minutes, or until hot & bubbly. <br />
Let stand for 5 minutes before topping with lettuce and tomato. Guacamole is strongly recommended.</div>
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Yield: 8 servings. </div>
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<img align="center" src="http://i58.photobucket.com/albums/g255/callmecirce/hosted%20images/signature.gif" style="background-color: white; border: 0px;" /></div>
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<br /></div>Adriennehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17910903204495281371noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3416887425792243878.post-50925008760244765172012-06-04T08:28:00.003-04:002012-07-24T21:35:12.423-04:00Feta-Stuffed Turkey Meatloaf with Tzatziki Sauce<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://alldayidreamaboutfood.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/1031.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://alldayidreamaboutfood.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/1031.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">photo from <a href="http://alldayidreamaboutfood.com/2010/12/feta-stuffed-turkey-meatloaf-with-tzatziki-sauce-low-carb.html">All Day I Dream About Food</a></td></tr>
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My sister-in-law found <a href="http://alldayidreamaboutfood.com/2010/12/feta-stuffed-turkey-meatloaf-with-tzatziki-sauce-low-carb.html">this recipe</a>, made it and raved about it, so of course I had to try it. The original recipe suggests using coconut flour in place of bread crumbs to make it low-carb, but I just used the bread crumbs. Here is how I made mine:</div>
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<i>Tzatziki Sauce:</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>1 cup yogurt</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>1 tbsp lemon juice</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>1 clove garlic, finely minced</i></div>
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<i>1/2 medium cucumber, seeds removed, and shredded</i></div>
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<i>1 tsp chopped, fresh dill</i></div>
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<i>1/4 tsp salt</i></div>
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<i>Meatloaf: </i></div>
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<i> </i></div>
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<i>1 medium onion, chopped</i></div>
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<i>1 tbsp olive oil</i></div>
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<i>1 tsp salt</i></div>
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<i>1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper</i></div>
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<i>1 package frozen spinach, thawed and drained</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>2 lbs ground turkey</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>1/2 cup bread crumbs</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>1/4 cup chicken stock</i></div>
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<i>1 large egg, lightly beaten</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce</i></div>
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<i>1 cup crumbled feta cheese</i></div>
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<i><br /></i></div>
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<i>For the sauce, mix all ingredients in a medium bowl and chill until serving.</i></div>
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<i><br /></i></div>
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<i>For the meatloaf, line a baking sheet with parchment paper and
preheat oven to 325°F. (I didn't have any parchment paper, so I skipped that part and it was fine.) Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
Stir in onions, salt and pepper and saute until onions are translucent
but not browned, about 15 minutes. Add in spinach and stir until heated
through. </i></div>
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<i><br /></i></div>
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<i>In a large mixing bowl, combine onion mixture, turkey, bread crumbs,
chicken stock, egg and worcestershire sauce. Mix until very well
combined. </i></div>
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<i><br /></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>Place half of the turkey mixture on prepared baking sheet and shape
into a flat rectangle, about 1 inch thick. Cover with feta cheese,
pressing on feta to adhere to meatloaf. Place remaining turkey mixture
overtop of feta and shape the whole thing into a rough loaf. </i></div>
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<i><br /></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>Bake for 1 to 1 1/4 hours, or until internatl temperature reaches 160F on an instant read thermometer.</i></div>
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<i>Cut into slices and drizzle with tzatziki sauce, passing remaining sauce at the table.</i></div>
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<i>Serves 6.</i></div>
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I absolutely loved it, but my husband wasn't such a fan. (He said the tzatziki sauce was great, and he probably would have liked it a whole lot better had it been made with beef instead of turkey.)</div>
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<img align="center" src="http://i58.photobucket.com/albums/g255/callmecirce/hosted%20images/signature.gif" style="border: 0;" /></div>
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<br /></div>Adriennehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17910903204495281371noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3416887425792243878.post-39172693339563000552012-06-02T14:20:00.003-04:002012-06-02T14:23:17.852-04:00Banana Crumb Muffins<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_nCtSo9-Ah4w/SJpTgaau0TI/AAAAAAAAAHk/j8D320X3tpQ/s400/Banana-Crumb-Muffins-1.jp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_nCtSo9-Ah4w/SJpTgaau0TI/AAAAAAAAAHk/j8D320X3tpQ/s320/Banana-Crumb-Muffins-1.jp" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">photo and recipe from <a href="http://www.mybakingaddiction.com/my-favorite-banana-crumb-muffins/">mybakingaddiction</a></td></tr>
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I had a bunch of overripe bananas sitting in my kitchen. They taunted me every time I walked in there, because they smelled so good but were way too mushy to eat. The answer? Make banana muffins! In the past, I've used the banana bread recipe from my <a href="http://www.amazon.com/BETTER-HOMES-AND-GARDENS-COOKBOOK/dp/1572156244/ref=sr_1_8?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1338659791&sr=1-8">go-to cookbook</a>, but this recipe isn't so great for muffins. So I turned to Pinterest, and voila! A new <a href="http://www.mybakingaddiction.com/my-favorite-banana-crumb-muffins/">banana muffin recipe</a>! I copied, pasted, made it pretty, printed, and got to baking.</div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_FymfTyh5YZmXbB8KTyy_525PsKi7oh_qtUcFwemPcXvYnZGxOe5-MZoke_VS4xWElWTmsNEn1c954zwVdIo7ymbl2iMJo5JY1vMZuW4TmHX0aytKiprEa03Ja8aKmpbR3hdLKSiQy9Cf/s1600/banana+muffins.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_FymfTyh5YZmXbB8KTyy_525PsKi7oh_qtUcFwemPcXvYnZGxOe5-MZoke_VS4xWElWTmsNEn1c954zwVdIo7ymbl2iMJo5JY1vMZuW4TmHX0aytKiprEa03Ja8aKmpbR3hdLKSiQy9Cf/s400/banana+muffins.jpg" width="308" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I'm printable!!! Just click me, to view me full-size. :)</td></tr>
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This is definitely a recipe that I will use again in the future, though with a few changes from the original. (It definitely makes more than 10 muffins, and it makes about twice as much crumb topping as you need. Unless you like a LOT of crumb topping.) The next time I make some, I think I'll leave off the crumb topping, and make some <a href="http://tastykitchen.com/recipes/desserts/nutella-buttercream-frosting-2/">Nutella frosting</a> to go on top, instead. Or <a href="http://dashofdan.com/post/7268059834/baking-101-cream-cheese-frosting">cream cheese frosting</a>...that would be good, too. </div>
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<img align="center" src="http://i58.photobucket.com/albums/g255/callmecirce/hosted%20images/signature.gif" style="border: 0;" /><br />
<br />Adriennehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17910903204495281371noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3416887425792243878.post-61002063532246647192011-06-11T10:38:00.000-04:002012-07-24T21:35:39.702-04:00Mediterranean White Pizza<div style="text-align: center;">
Brandon has fallen in love with the Alexander the Greek pizza from <a href="http://www.chanellospizza.com/">Chanello's</a>, a local pizza chain here in Virginia. It's a Mediterranean style white pizza with, among other things, calamata olives and feta cheese. It's <i>delicious</i>. This time, instead of ordering out, I decided to make my own.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKYSIQWtY7rG_aAwQZuyHhPGSZtHG_dM4aZediOJlSdk4AUm-UHbE-4BezqLp6PHpcFAS5ZQn1Li_-zIT8eBAN63kCHBuhIaW9xlvdMY46zbheWmVmLtcv2gXtGQJXxRTzCgSYfB04fJrf/s1600/white+pizza+%25283%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKYSIQWtY7rG_aAwQZuyHhPGSZtHG_dM4aZediOJlSdk4AUm-UHbE-4BezqLp6PHpcFAS5ZQn1Li_-zIT8eBAN63kCHBuhIaW9xlvdMY46zbheWmVmLtcv2gXtGQJXxRTzCgSYfB04fJrf/s320/white+pizza+%25283%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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You will need: </div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
fresh pizza dough (1 ball = 1 pizza)</div>
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olive oil</div>
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minced garlic (I got a jar of it, rather than mincing my own)</div>
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<a href="http://www.gourmetgarden.com/us/product/view/Basil">fresh basil</a> </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
fresh spinach</div>
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shredded mozzarella </div>
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chopped roma tomatoes (1 per pizza)</div>
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chopped calamata olives</div>
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chopped white onion</div>
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feta cheese, crumbled</div>
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I didn't measure anything out, I just kind of gauged by what looked right. If any of these ingredients don't sound good to you, don't put it on the pizza! I skipped the onion, though it was more by accident than by design. Just remember, the more ingredients you have to put on it, the less of each you will need.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoXkmMcKA6VywVl2gtIqvJNCDjeKMV0Kj0EyersHWSX18SZYwwuNmCtOGGqZQl3vPGJC39QkmA1uBOdYiQifSjEcyeHzWfON_cE9VF_HbJBhXIYYBzTTLH0VkT31RNj-wDRJyFwV_W3U2r/s1600/white+pizza+%25281%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="227" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoXkmMcKA6VywVl2gtIqvJNCDjeKMV0Kj0EyersHWSX18SZYwwuNmCtOGGqZQl3vPGJC39QkmA1uBOdYiQifSjEcyeHzWfON_cE9VF_HbJBhXIYYBzTTLH0VkT31RNj-wDRJyFwV_W3U2r/s320/white+pizza+%25281%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Preheat oven to 375°F and get your pizza dough thinned out and spread on your pan. (I wasn't sure whether to oil my pan or not, so I did one with and one with out. The pizza came easily off of the un-oiled pan, but stuck to the oiled one.) Mix olive oil, basil, and garlic in a small dish and use your fingers to spread it out on the prepared pizza dough as the "sauce". Grab a handful of the spinach, break it up a bit, and sprinkle it on. Add the mozzarella, tomatoes, olives, onion and feta. (Brandon had me add more mozzarella on top, after that photo was taken.) Bake at 375°F for 25 or 30 minutes, or until cheese just begins to brown and the crust is golden. (I let my first one over-brown, and then I took the second one out a bit too soon.)</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5Nk8EdYyKu9XqmQkg1kA_1OZgq16EYTtNl1YJyvnStMEvxgon6v6l2M8RwYBSOQmQ61YKIqLPc7AOh_Qa4DPdVVnguHxXNzfc0OWbHOrRLYGzagJlVqPZS44PyV6xA7jUvzzus7urdFUa/s1600/white+pizza+%25285%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="228" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5Nk8EdYyKu9XqmQkg1kA_1OZgq16EYTtNl1YJyvnStMEvxgon6v6l2M8RwYBSOQmQ61YKIqLPc7AOh_Qa4DPdVVnguHxXNzfc0OWbHOrRLYGzagJlVqPZS44PyV6xA7jUvzzus7urdFUa/s320/white+pizza+%25285%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Let it cool a bit after you take it out, and enjoy! </div>
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<img align="middle" src="http://i58.photobucket.com/albums/g255/callmecirce/hosted%20images/signature.gif" style="border: 0;" /></div>Adriennehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17910903204495281371noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3416887425792243878.post-6683976625146304992011-06-06T21:31:00.000-04:002012-07-24T21:36:11.419-04:00Sirloin Steak Dianne<div style="text-align: center;">
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I've been going to <a href="http://allrecipes.com/">allrecipes.com</a> for a lot of recipes lately. Most recently, we tried the <a href="http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Sirloin-Steak-Dianne/Detail.aspx">sirloin steak Dianne</a> and <a href="http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Easy-Delicious-Asparagus/Detail.aspx">easy delicious asparagus</a>.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibwFp5etnXzwRMmYxq44AtlIq5TzxeAbH_7rdI1Cz3ZrfA-B_s9Wz3z0c-EH41dT0gYmVvE3ZYf4PG_3GuwMgKp7Zw6P8nXDVTtJ80kHUGF-ZNbLNFqSynXHuXvNH5Mv8UmzuGVpfFO60G/s1600/025.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibwFp5etnXzwRMmYxq44AtlIq5TzxeAbH_7rdI1Cz3ZrfA-B_s9Wz3z0c-EH41dT0gYmVvE3ZYf4PG_3GuwMgKp7Zw6P8nXDVTtJ80kHUGF-ZNbLNFqSynXHuXvNH5Mv8UmzuGVpfFO60G/s320/025.JPG" width="213" /></a></div>
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Now, the asparagus recipe was just as delicious as the title promised, but Dianne must really fancy complex recipes. It was delicious, but it was definitely <i>not </i>easy.<br />
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See? We had to set it on <i>fire</i>. To make matters worse, I made the triple mistakes of not reading the whole recipe thoroughly, not ensuring that I had all the necessary ingredients, and not doing any prep work. If Brandon hadn't been there to help me pull it together, it would have been a disaster. But he was there, he did help me, and we were able toput together a darn good dinner. One day, we would like to do it again, but with all the right ingredients, and with all the prep work done ahead of time.</div>
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<img align="middle" src="http://i58.photobucket.com/albums/g255/callmecirce/hosted%20images/signature.gif" style="border: 0;" /></div>Adriennehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17910903204495281371noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3416887425792243878.post-10455867976500327462011-05-04T09:35:00.003-04:002011-09-24T11:43:14.159-04:00Lemon Icebox Pie<div style="text-align: center;"> This is a family favorite, and has been a standard at every family gathering for as long as can remember. I craved it the whole time I was pregnant with Elora, but I didn't have a blender at the time so my mom made one for me when we were home for Christmas that year. <i><br />
</i><br />
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<i>8oz block cream cheese, softened</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: red;">1 </span>can sweetened condensed milk </i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>½ c lemon juice</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>1 tsp vanilla</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>1 ready-made graham cracker crust</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Cut the cream cheese into small blocks. In an electric blender, blend cream cheese, sweetened condensed milk, lemon juice and vanilla until smooth. Pour mixture evenly into graham cracker crust, cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours. Serve plain, or top with fruit.<br />
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If you like, you can substitute lime juice for the lemon. I don't think it's nearly as good that way, but I seem to be the only one who feels that way. :) </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div>Adriennehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17910903204495281371noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3416887425792243878.post-13278857206599832442011-05-01T12:50:00.002-04:002011-10-14T09:36:11.564-04:00Easy Chicken Pot Pie<div style="text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"> This is a recipe that I've made up as I went after Thanksgiving several years ago. It's a good way to use up left overs. A rotisserie cooked chicken from the grocery store or a crock-pot-cooked chicken works really well for this. I'll serve the chicken for dinner one night, then clean the left-overs off the bones and use those in my pot pie the next night. If you have any suggestions on how to improve this recipe, please share them in the comments!!!!<br />
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<i>4 tbsp flour</i><br />
<i>4 tbsp butter</i><br />
<i>salt & pepper to taste</i> <br />
<i>2 14.5 oz cans chicken broth</i><br />
<i>1/2 of a whole chicken, cooked, picked off the bones, and cut into small pieces*</i><br />
<i>sm can corn, drained</i><br />
<i>sm can mixed peas & carrots, drained </i><br />
<i>1 box Pillsbury frozen rolled pie crusts, thawed (2 crusts)</i><br />
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Pre heat your oven to 350°F. Make the gravy: Melt butter, sprinkled with salt and pepper, in a large sauce pan over med-low to medium heat. Add flour and stir with a whisk until well mixed. Add broth a little at a time as the gravy thickens, stirring frequently with the whisk. When the gravy has reached the desired consistency, reduce heat to low and stir in the chicken and vegetables. <br />
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Line a 9" glass pie plate with the first pie crust, pressing the crust all the way into the plate. Pour the filling into the crust, and place the second crust over the top. Tuck or trim the edges, and press together with the tines of a fork. Cut 2 or 3 slits in the middle to allow the pie to vent.<br />
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Bake in the center of the oven for 60 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown. If the edges brown too quickly, cover them with foil after 20 or 30 minutes. It isn't a bad idea to place a cookie sheet under the pie to catch nay drips; it's easier to wash the cookie sheet than to scrub out the oven. Cool for 10 minutes before serving.<br />
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</div>Adriennehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17910903204495281371noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3416887425792243878.post-84609767626893248532011-04-30T09:46:00.002-04:002011-10-14T09:37:23.397-04:00Mexican Pizza<div style="text-align: center;"><i>2 Boboli pizza crusts</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>1 can re-fried beans, divided</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>1 small can corn, drained and divided</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>1 lb lean ground beef</i><br />
<i>1 envelope taco seasoning mix </i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>small onion (optional)</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>1 or 2 jalapeno peppers (optional)</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>2 lbs Mexican blend shredded cheese</i><br />
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Preheat oven to 350°F. Brown the ground beef, drain, and prepare according to the instructions on the taco seasoning envelope. (If desired, chop the onion and peppers and add them to the beef with the seasoning.) Set aside. While beef simmers, spread 1/2 of the re-fried beans on each of the 2 pre-baked pizza crusts; it's the "sauce" for the pizza. Do the same with the corn, using a fork to make sure it's evenly distributed. Sprinkle a thin layer of cheese over the corn. When the sauce on the meat has reduced sufficiently, divide it between the two pizzas as well. Top with desired amount of shredded cheese<i>. </i>(You don't have to use the full 2 pounds; if you do, the pizzas will be <i>very </i>cheesy. Any more then 2 pounds is just overkill.) Place first pizza on a pizza pan or stone, and back at 350° for 30 minutes, or until cheese is well melted and just starting to brown. Remove, and cool for 5 minutes before serving. Repeat with the second pizza.<br />
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Serve with sour cream, guacamole, salsa, and/or pickled jalapenos. Enjoy! <i></i><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaWOj1Jc54fdbTjOzQ_HeCK5Ag0vWi1e_pUv6rLBbN-c08oLcDpMC81XyXBKFhHFyZIIAs7XEXGBHeH-y1dJlF9osMC7z_cPEeQQYSgKvQghCumY1OhJTHL4n0loLQ4ptudjOuTEYX9yHR/s1600/signature.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaWOj1Jc54fdbTjOzQ_HeCK5Ag0vWi1e_pUv6rLBbN-c08oLcDpMC81XyXBKFhHFyZIIAs7XEXGBHeH-y1dJlF9osMC7z_cPEeQQYSgKvQghCumY1OhJTHL4n0loLQ4ptudjOuTEYX9yHR/s1600/signature.gif" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-WVVCWtMQZ9o/Te5BuIyxKYI/AAAAAAAACdM/BZCexxM-V5o/s1600/signature.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br />
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</i></div>Adriennehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17910903204495281371noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3416887425792243878.post-59250736936263258632010-10-30T09:01:00.000-04:002010-10-30T09:01:51.922-04:00Borrowed Brilliance: Brownie Batter Chocolate Fudge Cupcakes from kevinandamanda.com<div style="text-align: center;">I stumbled across this recipe yesterday on <a href="http://kevinandamanda.com/">kevinandamanda.com</a>, and though I haven't been able to try it yet, it just looked too scrumptious not to share. You can check out her original post <span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.kevinandamanda.com/whatsnew/new-recipes/brownie-batter-chocolate-fudge-cupcakes.html">here</a></span>, but here's the recipe just as she posted it: </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP4Glgd0-PfO82lSgYaxIymV73SC5MR0sWjWzmdepdt6R89PvWzD7bt76aORAJ8DlbV-K0AHUonfUryzexWM9WdimLhFQLq1OKaYGbXD1GuCYeNraa_DIV72-L5eWg4XWHpzp9yg1vf9-H/s1600/brownie-batter-chocolate-fudge-cupcakes-with-outrageously-rich-chocolate-indulgence-frosting-15.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP4Glgd0-PfO82lSgYaxIymV73SC5MR0sWjWzmdepdt6R89PvWzD7bt76aORAJ8DlbV-K0AHUonfUryzexWM9WdimLhFQLq1OKaYGbXD1GuCYeNraa_DIV72-L5eWg4XWHpzp9yg1vf9-H/s320/brownie-batter-chocolate-fudge-cupcakes-with-outrageously-rich-chocolate-indulgence-frosting-15.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><a href="http://www.kevinandamanda.com/whatsnew/new-recipes/brownie-batter-chocolate-fudge-cupcakes.html">photo</a> pulled directly from <a href="http://kevinandamanda.com/">kevinandamanda.com</a></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 150%; line-height: 120%; text-align: center;">Brownie Batter Chocolate Fudge Cupcakes<br />
with Outrageously Rich Chocolate Indulgence Frosting</div><div> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><strong>BROWNIE BATTER</strong></div><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><div style="text-align: center;">1/4 cup butter, melted<br />
1/3 cup fat-free sweetened condensed milk<br />
1/3 cup milk<br />
1 (18.25 oz) box devil’s food cake mix</div><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><div style="text-align: center;">Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and mix on medium speed for 2 mins until well combined. Using a small scoop (about 1.5 tbsp) drop batter onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and freeze overnight.</div><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><strong>CUPCAKES</strong></div><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><div style="text-align: center;">1 (18.25 oz) box devil’s food cake mix<br />
1 (3.9 oz) pkg Jello instant chocolate fudge pudding mix<br />
1 cup sour cream<br />
1 cup vegetable oil<br />
4 eggs, beaten<br />
1/2 cup milk<br />
2 cups mini semi-sweet chocolate chips</div><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><div style="text-align: center;">Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Spray a muffin tin with cooking spray and line with cupcake liners. Combine all ingredients except chocolate chips into a very large bowl and mix on medium speed for 2 mins until well combined. Stir in chocolate chips. Using a large scoop (about 3 tbsp) drop batter into the cupcake liners, filling about 2/3rds full. Remove brownie batter from freezer and press into the cupcake batter. Bake for 22-28 mins. Allow to cool completely before frosting.</div><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><strong>FROSTING</strong></div><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><div style="text-align: center;">5 sticks butter, softened<br />
8 oz powdered sugar<br />
1.5 cups unsweetened cocoa powder (Hershey’s Special Dark Cocoa)<br />
a pinch of table salt<br />
1.5 cups light corn syrup<br />
2 tsp vanilla extract<br />
16 oz milk chocolate chips</div><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><div style="text-align: center;">Melt chocolate chips in the microwave, stirring well every 30 seconds. Allow to cool for 5-10 mins. Combine butter, sugar, cocoa and salt in a food processor and process until smooth, about 30 seconds. Scrape the bowl as needed. Add the corn syrup and vanilla and process until just combined, about 5-10 seconds. Scrape the bowl again, then add the melted chocolate and pulse until smooth and creamy, about 10-15 seconds. You can use a mixer for this too, if you don’t have a food processor, just don’t whip the butter too much! :) Adapted from Cook’s Illustrated.</div><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><strong>Makes & frosts 36 cupcakes. </strong></div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Thank you so much for sharing, Amanda! Seriously, if you have never visited their site, you should check it out. (They do way more than just great recipes.) And, her original post has a ton of fantastic tips for making this recipe even easier, and lots more pictures of the process. </div>Adriennehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17910903204495281371noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3416887425792243878.post-48300162879074455382010-05-13T15:49:00.000-04:002010-05-13T15:49:56.577-04:00Chocolate Covered Nuts<div style="text-align: center;">Has anyone else noticed that I've posted more chocolate recipes than anything else? I promise, there is another non-chocolate recipe coming soon!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB7xdD_g8nwn2RZt8N6GFgiMYXNk-R-aEGM-hc-Sl-cjY5A0SW4o4u_YB_LBTNY41F3FMch8wzA1jsvFiHE5CrWd6SuyKDz9-s4E9wDW0CkepBoHmncrJDS58vxXEYku4V5BtDo8PV9zMO/s1600/IMG_5823.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB7xdD_g8nwn2RZt8N6GFgiMYXNk-R-aEGM-hc-Sl-cjY5A0SW4o4u_YB_LBTNY41F3FMch8wzA1jsvFiHE5CrWd6SuyKDz9-s4E9wDW0CkepBoHmncrJDS58vxXEYku4V5BtDo8PV9zMO/s320/IMG_5823.JPG" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">These candies are absolutely delicious, and so very easy to make. First, choose your nuts. You can make your candy with only one kind of nut in it, or you can use several. The candy pictured above was made with 9oz cashews, and 6 oz each of pecans, walnuts, and macadamia nuts, all mixed in together. You can use pretty much whatever you want, just make sure they are pieces (not whole nuts) and stay away from salted nuts. The nuts from the baking aisle at the grocery store work very well, but if you're like me, and can't find unsalted cashews, go for the lightly salted variety.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Next up, choose your chocolate. You can melt down pretty much any solid chocolate you like. The first time I did this, it was to get rid of the Easter chocolate I bought too much of when it went on sale right after Easter. There was a dark chocolate bunny, a milk chocolate egg, and some semi-sweet chocolate chips to fill it out. This time, I used a 12oz bag of milk chocolate chips and a 24oz bag of semi sweet and I really like the result.</div><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><div style="text-align: center;"> As for quantities, I like to have slightly more chocolate than nuts. This time around it was 36oz chocolate to 27oz mixed nuts, and as you can see from the photo, my candies are very nutty. If you want there to be more chocolate and less nut, well, then use more chocolate! There's no right or wrong answer here, so I suggest that you play with this, until you get them the way you like them.</div><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><div style="text-align: center;">In addition to the nuts and chocolate, you will need a double boiler (or you can use a bowl set into a pot), a spatula scraper, a wax paper lined cookie sheet, a pizza cutter and a large cutting board. Melt your chocolate in the double boiler over medium heat, stirring regularly, until all of the chocolate is melted and smooth. Remove from heat and stir in your nuts. Use the spatula scraper to scoop the mixture onto the lined cookie sheet, spread it out and press it in. (Try not to let it get any thicker than about 3/4" or it will be hard to cut. Use more than one tray if necessary.) Cool completely. It will take about 3 hours in a refrigerator, but if you're cooling it on the counter, it'll need to sit over night. Once the candy is completely cool, lift it out of the tray using the wax paper and place it on the cutting board. Use the pizza cutter to cut it into manageable squares and store your candy in a tightly sealed container, in a cool place. Enjoy!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
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</div>Adriennehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17910903204495281371noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3416887425792243878.post-46332591310170231162010-03-16T14:44:00.002-04:002010-03-16T14:44:00.491-04:00Double Chocolate Chip Brownies<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil6mBmx_gtfvRa6UdQYyiw5wz2j7Cq2cPFgjGmNbQAzj_6GI2NGbqu25vSu_UJ71rhg8zRL0d_kSaGY7XRJN9cmm5ZYd9SDsEtR1W4gPhB77fo2CwI01GA-OkL93WDWbHLCNIz0nwK6B2k/s1600-h/048.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil6mBmx_gtfvRa6UdQYyiw5wz2j7Cq2cPFgjGmNbQAzj_6GI2NGbqu25vSu_UJ71rhg8zRL0d_kSaGY7XRJN9cmm5ZYd9SDsEtR1W4gPhB77fo2CwI01GA-OkL93WDWbHLCNIz0nwK6B2k/s320/048.JPG" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><i></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>2 c (12oz) semi sweet chocolate chips, divided</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>½ c butter or margarine, cut into pieces</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>3 lg eggs</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>1¼ c all purpose flour</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>1 cup sugar</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>1 tsp vanilla</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>¼ tsp baking soda</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>½c chopped nuts</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease 13x9 in baking pan. Melt 1 c of the morsels and all of the butter in a large, heavy duty sauce pan over low heat; stir until smooth. Remove from heat. Stir in eggs. Stir in flour, sugar, vanilla and baking soda. Stir in remaining 1 c chocolate chips and nuts. Spread into prepared baking pan. Bake for 18-22 min or until wooden toothpick comes out slightly sticky when inserted into the center. Cool completely in pan on wire rack. Cut into bars.</div>Adriennehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17910903204495281371noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3416887425792243878.post-4515880360288580082010-03-12T12:14:00.004-05:002011-05-04T09:36:45.029-04:00Deliciously Healthy Taco Salad<div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH8yxySdfL29-4ctnu4-dP32z-_OP72G2akQiqrcippK3XylUJivIBV2ioMPNMZfz5IsfAKNieK1jSqwqE-mftPQBVzCco7_XKgiVpMH7egUqBLFSUZS7h7bu_Y3WdUlHc1T-b_EbBaqwf/s1600-h/P1040058.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH8yxySdfL29-4ctnu4-dP32z-_OP72G2akQiqrcippK3XylUJivIBV2ioMPNMZfz5IsfAKNieK1jSqwqE-mftPQBVzCco7_XKgiVpMH7egUqBLFSUZS7h7bu_Y3WdUlHc1T-b_EbBaqwf/s320/P1040058.jpg" /></a> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><i>1 lb lean ground beef</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>1 can navy beans, drained and rinsed</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>½ tsp chili powder</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>¼ tsp salt</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>1/8 tsp pepper</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>½ c salsa, divided</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>1 tbsp lime juice</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>1½ c shredded lettuce</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>1 lg avocado, chopped</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>1 sm chopped tomato</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>¼ c red onion strips</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>baked tortilla strips</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">In a large skillet, brown the ground beef over medium heat. Drain well and return to pan. Mix in salsa, lime juice, beans, chili powder, salt, and pepper; heat through. Divide lettuce among serving bowls. Add meat mixture, and top with avocado, tomato, onion, and tortilla strips. Serves 4.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><b>Adrienne's helpful hint:</b> Use a pizza cutter to cut tortillas into strips, and use the broiler setting on your oven to crisp them quickly. </i></div>Adriennehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17910903204495281371noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3416887425792243878.post-73349895602873535592010-03-08T12:40:00.002-05:002010-03-08T13:27:35.574-05:00Mrs. Sweet's Chocolate Cake<div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtfq19sQaKM7OqZ0GqxDTwHXLQGzvA-kgklNA0O0jp1cy71UFStc0gHiwbE25MhTwkd8Z9YyMZ3U-xwTFEM-RjpCiUwHO-a9bTP26T0WOBr0nfX8GVq0MltbTZr8CDrABx8qjVwNi364b4/s1600-h/September+21+001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtfq19sQaKM7OqZ0GqxDTwHXLQGzvA-kgklNA0O0jp1cy71UFStc0gHiwbE25MhTwkd8Z9YyMZ3U-xwTFEM-RjpCiUwHO-a9bTP26T0WOBr0nfX8GVq0MltbTZr8CDrABx8qjVwNi364b4/s320/September+21+001.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<i> 1 box devil's food cake mix</i><br />
<i>8 oz sour cream</i> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>½ c canola oil</i><br />
<i>½ c water</i><br />
<i>4 eggs</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>sm box chocolate pudding mix</i><br />
<i>¼ c Kahlua or coffee (not hot)</i><br />
<i>1 tsp cinnamon</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>12 oz semi-sweet chocolate chips</i><br />
<i>confectioners (powdered) sugar </i><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a standard bundt pan and set aside. Combine cake mix, pudding mix and cinnamon. Add sour cream, oil, water, eggs, and Kahlua. Blend mixture until smooth and thick. Stir in chocolate chips. Pour into prepared bundt pan and bake at 350°F for 50-60 min or until toothpick inserted in middle comes out clean. Cool 10-15 minutes, then remove from pan. Sprinkle with sugar, and cool completely before serving.</div>Adriennehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17910903204495281371noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3416887425792243878.post-3385311635984916162010-03-04T12:30:00.001-05:002010-03-04T13:13:18.414-05:00Chocolate Chip Pecan Pie<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuNq23HVnqHrkWzPQxjO-hx4ZTXqZbyEExrlMksbEx2XhXoAF3MxC6bHDiG4-CfSwX-ddDf81IU-0aXlR2_zOTB7jLUwtwBbJgo6vL2rl4CfoiC7UCfeDaRePEWk3M3BB6iU2OlQ5jkGE/s1600-h/087blog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuNq23HVnqHrkWzPQxjO-hx4ZTXqZbyEExrlMksbEx2XhXoAF3MxC6bHDiG4-CfSwX-ddDf81IU-0aXlR2_zOTB7jLUwtwBbJgo6vL2rl4CfoiC7UCfeDaRePEWk3M3BB6iU2OlQ5jkGE/s320/087blog.jpg" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-style: italic;">9" pie crust (I use the frozen rolled Pillsbury pie crusts.)</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-style: italic;">1 cup light corn syrup</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-style: italic;">3 large eggs</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-style: italic;">2 tbsp stick butter, melted</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-style: italic;">1½ tsp vanilla</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-style: italic;">1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-style: italic;">¼ cup flour</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-style: italic;">½ tsp salt</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-style: italic;">1 cup pecan halves</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-style: italic;">½ cup chopped pecans</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-style: italic;">1 cup chocolate chips</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Place oven rack in lowest third of the oven, and preheat to 350°F or 180°C. Unroll thawed pie crust and place it in a 9" pie plate, I've found that the glass works best. Trim edge to ½" around plate, and fold the excess under. Flute or crimp the edges. Set aside.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">In large bowl, whisk together syrup, eggs, butter, vanilla, sugar, flour and salt. Stir in pecans (both the halves and the chopped) and chocolate chips. Pour into prepared crust. Bake 50 minutes at 350°F/180°C or until crust and pecans are browned. If the crust darkens too quickly, cover edges with foil. Cool completely on a wire rack.</div>Adriennehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17910903204495281371noreply@blogger.com0