January 26, 2012 · 10:51 am

Ricotta Pancakes

I don’t know why, but it took me forever to learn how to make a pancake without either burning it or having it be soggy in the middle. I think it was a matter of realizing that I didn’t have to turn the heat up to max…pancakes cook slow and steady and take a little bit of patience and watching. I must have figured it out because these pancakes were scrumptious and I didn’t burn any of them.

Ingredients:
1 cup ricotta cheese
3/4 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
pinch salt
3/4 cup milk
3 eggs, divided
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Instructions:
Whisk together flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt in a bowl. Combine ricotta**, milk, egg yolks, and vanilla in a separate bowl.

Beat the egg whites in an electric mixer until stiff. Add the dry ingredients to the ricotta and milk mixture, stirring gently until just combined. Whisk in a small amount of the egg whites to lighten the batter, then fold in the remaining whites.

Heat a griddle over medium-high heat, and brush the surface with butter. Use a ladle or measuring scoop (we used a 1/3 cup measure) to pour batter onto the griddle. Cook pancakes for about 3 or 4 minutes, then flip, cooking until both sides are golden brown.

**Sometimes foods like yogurt and ricotta form a little puddle on top when they are in their packaging. When spooning out the ricotta to make these pancakes, pour off that liquid first.

We had these with scrambled eggs and a fruit salad.

What did the family think? Everyone who was here for dinner last night LOVED them. (Hubs was out of town.)

Did I change anything? I was out of vanilla (STILL! I thought I had purchased some) so I used a teensy weensy bit of almond extract instead and it turn out great.

Where did this recipe come from? The Kitchn

Photo from Goop

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Filed under After School Snacks, Breakfast, Definitely Making it Again, Everybody Ate It, Lent, Vegetarian

January 25, 2012 · 9:54 am

Crunchy Homemade Granola

I have been trying a variety of homemade granolas over the past several months. I even got my hubby to start eating them (which was a mistake because now he’s eating all of my granola). Anyways, this one is super easy to make and turned out great.

Ingredients:
4 cups rolled oats
1 cup wheat germ
1 cup chopped walnuts or slivered almonds
1/2 cup sesame seeds
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1/3 cup honey
1/3 cup water OR apple juice
1 (6-ounce) package dried fruit, such as raisins

Instructions:
Heat the oven to 300º.

In a large mixing bowl, stir together the oats, wheat germ, nuts, sesame seeds, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt.

Make a well in the dry ingredients and add the oil, honey, and water. Toss the mixture until the ingredients are well combined, then spread it evenly on a cookie sheet.

Bake the granola for 40 minutes or until lightly browned, stirring every 10 minutes to keep the mixture from sticking.

Let it cool completely, then stir in the dried fruit.

What did the family think? I am the only person in our house who has tried this version so far, but I will attest to its yumminess.

Where did this recipe come from? Family Fun

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Filed under After School Snacks, Breakfast, Definitely Making it Again, Easy, Vegetarian

January 20, 2012 · 4:08 pm

Slow Roasted CrockPot Chicken

I have several roasted chicken recipes on this blog, but this one is a little different. First of all, anything with butter rubbed all over the top is going to be good and I love how it comes out all crispy and golden after being broiled in the oven for just a few minutes at the end.

Ingredients:
1 whole roasting chicken (3 1/2 – 4 1/2 pounds)
1 large onion, chopped
1 pound baby Yukon Gold potatoes
4 whole peeled carrots, chopped
1 whole lemon (reserve zest)
4 Tablespoons room temperature butter
2 cloves minced garlic
2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary
2 teaspoons fresh thyme
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

Instructions:
Place onions, potatoes, and carrots in the bottom of the slow cooker. Season with salt and pepper.

Clean and dry chicken. Zest lemon and reserve. Quarter lemon, and place in the cavity. Place chicken on top of vegetables.

In a small bowl, combine butter, garlic, rosemary, thyme, and lemon zest. Season with salt and pepper.

Cover the chicken with the butter mixture. Season with salt and pepper.

Cook chicken on LOW for 4-8 hours. The cooking time depends on how large your chicken is. Cook until an internal temperature reaches 160 degrees in the leg and the juices run clear.

Take the chicken out of the slow cooker and place in an oven proof 9×13 pan. Brown the chicken under the broiler for 4 to 5 minutes or until the skin is brown and crispy.

What did the family think? 3/4 of us liked it. 1/4 of the family just doesn’t do chicken. Period. He tried it though (drowned in ketchup).

Did I change anything? I used dried herbs instead of fresh. It turned out great. I just didn’t use as much.

Where did this recipe come from? Tablespoon.com

photo from Tablespoon.com

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Filed under Chicken, Definitely Making it Again, Easy, Make Ahead of Time, Super Easy to Make

January 18, 2012 · 10:53 am

Blueberry, Flax and Spinach Smoothie

STOP! Don’t give up on this smoothie just because it has spinach in it. I PROMISE you that you will not only not see the spinach once you get it all blended up, but you won’t taste it either and with a combo of all of these powerhouse foods in one smoothie you KNOW it’s going to be good for you. What else is awesome is that you can keep some frozen spinach and frozen blueberries on hand so that you can make this anytime. This is so good for you and it tastes good too. Try it, just once for me, pretty please.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup frozen blueberries
1/2 cup nonfat plain yogurt
1/2 cup milk (soy, skim…whatever you’ve got)
1/2 cup fresh spinach (small handful, sub 1/8-1/4 cup frozen)
1 banana
1 teaspoon flax seed meal

Instructions:
Combine all ingredients in a blender. Pulse on the ice crush option until the berries are mostly blended, then put on puree for about 2 minutes or until smooth.

What did the family think? I am the only one who has had this, but it was SO good! I know the boys will like it too if I don’t tell them about the spinach because who really wants to drink spinach.

Where did this recipe come from? Food.com

photo from Brandy Gerard

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Filed under After School Snacks, Beverages, Breakfast, Definitely Making it Again, Easy, Six Ingredients or Less, Super Easy to Make, Vegetarian

January 16, 2012 · 8:19 am

Lemony Green Beans

We eat a LOT of salad around here because it’s the only veggie that everyone in our house will eat without a whole lotta crying and whining. Last week our oldest was begging for a different veggie, so he was very happy to find these on his plate last night.

Ingredients:
1 lemon
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
3/4 lb green beans, trimmed (frozen or fresh)

Instructions:
Zest the lemon into a large bowl using a fine grater or zester. Cut the lemon in half and squeeze in the juice from one half. Add in the extra virgin olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Mix well.

Put a pan of water on to boil. Boil beans until tender. Drain well, then put the cooked beans into the bowl with your dressing and toss everything together, making sure all the beans get coated.

We had this with salmon, a baguette and fruit salad.

What did the family think? 3/4 of us liked them.

Where did this recipe come from? jamieoliver.com

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Filed under Definitely Making it Again, Easy, Side Dish, Six Ingredients or Less, Super Easy to Make, Vegetarian

January 13, 2012 · 12:40 pm

Super Easy Carrot Bread

This recipe was actually supposed to be a carrot cake, but cake implies there will be icing involved and in an effort to reduce the amount of sugar my children eat I decided to make it into carrot bread instead.

Ingredients:
2 c. flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 c. sugar
3/4 c. oil
1/2 cup applesauce
2 jars (jr. baby food) carrots
4 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla

Instructions:
Mix together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. Set aside.

Mix sugar and oil together. To this sugar and oil mixture add applesauce, carrots, eggs and vanilla. Mix thoroughly.

Add the dry ingredients and mix well. Bake in an ungreased standard-sized loaf pan for about 45 minutes (or until done) in a 350 degree oven.

What did the family think? Everyone who has had some so far loves it.

Did I change anything? I reduced the amount of sugar and oil. I also had run out of cinnamon so I used apple pie spice instead. It worked just fine. All of the changes I made are reflected in the recipe above except for the apple pie spice part.

Where did this recipe come from? Cooks.com

photo from Food People Want

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Filed under After School Snacks, Bread, Breakfast, Definitely Making it Again, Desserts, Easy, Everybody Ate It, Super Easy to Make, Vegetarian

January 12, 2012 · 12:31 pm

Homemade Maple Cinnamon Granola

I love making my own homemade granola. It’s great to eat like cereal and it’s a great addition to yogurt as well.

Ingredients:
3 cups oatmeal (uncooked)
1 cup chopped or slivered almonds
1 cup raisins
1 tablespoon vanilla
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1 cup pure maple syrup

Instructions:
Mix ingredients together in a large bowl. Transfer onto a large baking sheet sprayed with non-stick spray.

Bake at 325°F for 35 minutes (stirring once halfway through cooking time). Allow to cool completely on tray.

Store in airtight jars or containers.

What did the family think? I am the only granola eater in the family. I liked it. It was a lot crunchier than other granolas I have made.

Where did this recipe come from? Cooking on the Side

photo from thekitchn.com

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Filed under After School Snacks, Breakfast, Definitely Making it Again, Easy, Make Ahead of Time, Super Easy to Make, Vegetarian

January 6, 2012 · 5:35 pm

Oatmeal Applesauce Cookies

I needed to pack some snacks for the boys to have at school and realized that the only thing I had in the house that would qualify as a healthy snack was popcorn. What’s wrong with popcorn? Nothing, but they have been eating a lot of it lately and I think they were getting pretty tired of it, so I decided to make them some cookies that also happen to be on the healthy side.

Ingredients:
3/4 c. butter
1/2 c. brown sugar, packed
1/2 c. honey
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla
1 c. applesauce
1 c. flour
3/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. soda
1/2 tsp. cloves
3 c. oatmeal

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Bake 10-12 minutes. Mix butter, sugars, vanilla, egg and applesauce. Stir in remaining ingredients.

Drop teaspoon on greased cookie sheet.

Bake 10-12 minutes until firm.

Did I change anything? The recipe originally had white sugar which I changed to honey. I think I also accidentally put in twice as much baking soda. The cookies turned out fine though, so either way I am sure you’ll be okay.

What did the family think? Well, they’re healthy and there isn’t any chocolate in them, so our youngest didn’t like them, but I knew that would happen before I even made them. I figured it was worth a try though.

Where did this recipe come from? Cooks.com

photo from The Yummy Life

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Filed under After School Snacks, Desserts, Vegetarian

January 5, 2012 · 8:40 am

Sausage and Broccolini Risotto

I love risotto and this looked like it might be a good dish for a chilly night, too. I am so glad we gave this a try. It was SO good and pretty easy too.

Ingredients:
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
1 bunch broccolini, roughly chopped (about 8 ounces)
12 ounces sweet Italian sausage, casings removed
1 1/2 tsp Italian seasoning
1/2 medium onion, finely chopped
1 medium carrot, finely chopped
1 cup arborio rice
1 clove garlic, minced
1/3 cup dry white wine
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 14-ounce can diced tomatoes
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.

Heat 1 tablespoon butter in a Dutch oven or ovenproof pot over high heat. Add the broccolini and stir-fry until just tender, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer to a plate using a slotted spoon. Add the sausage, Italian seasoning, onion and carrot to the pot and cook, breaking up the meat, until browned, about 5 more minutes. Add the rice and garlic and cook, stirring, 1 more minute.

Add the wine to the pot and cook until evaporated, about 2 minutes. Add the chicken broth, tomatoes and 1 cup water; cover and bring to a boil.

Transfer the pot to the oven and bake until the rice is tender, about 15 minutes.

Remove the pot from the oven. (Don’t worry if the risotto seems wet; it will thicken when you add the cheese.) Vigorously stir in the remaining 2 tablespoons butter and the cheese until creamy, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in the broccolini and divide among bowls.

Did I change anything? I added the Italian seasoning and I changed the cheese in the recipe from fontina to Parmesan.

What did the family think? Everybody ate it, even our youngest,even after he had spent a good 15 minutes telling us all the reasons why he couldn’t/shouldn’t/wouldn’t eat it.

Where did this recipe come from? Food Network

Photo from Food Network

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Filed under Definitely Making it Again, Everybody Ate It, Italian

January 2, 2012 · 10:11 am

Baked Spaghetti

The other day my good friend, Candy, had said that she was going to make baked spaghetti and chocolate chip cookies for dinner. That just sounded so good to me, so I went searching for a baked spaghetti recipe. This is an adapted version of Paula Deen’s baked spaghetti.

Ingredients:
4 cups pasta sauce
1 1/2 pounds ground beef, turkey or chicken
8 ounces uncooked angel hair pasta
1 cup grated cheddar
1 cup grated Monterey Jack

Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Cook the pasta according to the package directions.

Heat pasta sauce over medium heat in a medium sauce pan.

Crumble the ground beef in a large skillet. Cook over medium-high heat until fully cooked, with no pink color remaining. Drain the fat from the meat, and then add the ground beef to the sauce.

Cover the bottom of a 13 by 9 by 2-inch pan with sauce/meat mixture. Add a layer of pasta and then a little less than 1/2 of each cheese; repeat the layers, ending with the sauce. Bake in the oven for 30 minutes. Top the casserole with the remaining cheese, return it to the oven, and continue to cook until the cheese is melted and bubbly, about 5 more minutes.

Did I change anything? This recipe has been greatly simplified by using jarred pasta sauce.

What did the family think? They really liked it. I thought it might be a bit disappointing because I thought it might taste too much just like plain spaghetti, but it was different enough to be interesting.

Where did this recipe come from? adapted from Paula Deen

photo from about.com

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Filed under Definitely Making it Again, Easy, Everybody Ate It, Italian, Six Ingredients or Less, Super Easy to Make