#249: Cinnamon Rolls

I came across this blog some time last year and occasionally go back to it to find new, healthy recipes.  So when I wanted something to make for my family for Easter Breakfast, I came across these "healthy" cinnamon rolls and figured my family would be happy to try out this recipe!! 


Here's a tip though....if the recipe has a "sneaky" healthy ingredient in it (ie pear baby food), do not, I repeat DO NOT leave the recipe out for your husband or kids to read ahead of time.  Lesson learned.  (PS...you can't taste it at all).

Okay, these got a little over done.  Next time I would probably cook them covered at least for part of the time.  I might have also had a mishap with the frosting...as you can probably tell by the look of it.  It was a little "chunky" but the family didn't seem to notice.  :)   Overall, these were a little dry but not bad.  If I am going to eat cinnamon rolls, I want good, moist, buttery cinnamon rolls, and this is not what that was.  They were good, but not great. I'd make them again as a healthier choice to cinnamon rolls, but I'd rather have the unhealthy ones instead!


2 1/2 to 3 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 package rapid-rise yeast
2 tablespoons nonfat dry milk
3/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup very warm water (120º F to 130º F)
6-ounce jar pear baby food
3 egg whites
1 1/2 cups whole-wheat flour
2 tablespoons honey
1/3 cup packed brown sugar (I used more like 2/3 cups)
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon (I used about 1/4 c!)
3/4 cup raisins (I omitted)


1 recipe Powdered Sugar Icing (recipe below)


In large bowl, combine 1 cup all-purpose flour, the granulated sugar, undissolved yeast, dry milk and salt. Stir in water and baby food. Stir in egg whites, whole-wheat flour and enough remaining all-purpose flour to make soft dough. On lightly floured surface, knead dough until smooth and elastic, about 4 to 6 minutes. Cover; let rest on floured surface 10 minutes. Roll dough to 18- by 12-inch rectangle. Brush honey on dough; sprinkle evenly with brown sugar, cinnamon and raisins. Beginning at long end,roll up tightly; pinch seam to seal. Cut into 12 equal pieces. Place, cut sides up, in greased 13- by 9-inch baking pan. Cover; let rise in warm, draft-free place until doubled in size, about 30 to 45 minutes. Bake at 375º F for 25 to 30 minutes or until done. Remove from pan; cool on wire rack. Drizzle with powdered sugar icing.
Makes 12 rolls


Powdered Sugar Icing:
In a small bowl, combine the following ingredients and mix until smooth.
1 cup sifted powdered sugar
3 to 4 teaspoons nonfat milk (I read this as powdered milk...nope, it doesn't work if you use that!)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

#248: Strawberry Lemon Smoothie

Do you like frozen strawberry lemonade?  If so, then you need to make this smoothie, which I made healthier by using sugar free lemonade and low fat yogurt.  This was yummy...a little too tart for Chloe, but I loved this one!!

1 cup lemonade (I used generic crystal light lemonade)
1 cup frozen strawberries
1/2 cup lemon yogurt (I used low fat lemon yogurt)
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

Combine all in a blender and mix until smooth.

#247: Stawberry-Banana-Kiwi Strawberry Smoothie

I had some kiwis that were not rippening for me, so I figured I'd try throwing them together with a few other ingredients to make a smoothie.  I gave it to the girls to try out and they both asked for more!  Success!!

1 banana
3/4 c frozen strawberries
1 container (6oz) Honey Vanilla Greek Yogurt
2 kiwis (peel and diced)

Put all ingredients into a blender and puree until smooth. 

#246: Chocolate Chip-Preztel Blondies

This recipe came from one of my All You Magazines, and when I needed to bring a dessert to our "picnic" themed luncheon, this looked like one that would be easy to make and easy to transport!  These were quite good.  The combo of chocolate and peanut butter in the topping with the pretzels is a nice touch!!  I would make this again!

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 1/2 cups packed light brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup chocolate chips
1 1/2 cups coarsely crushed salted pretzels (about 3 oz.)
2 ounces bittersweet chocolate (I used semi sweet choc chips)
1/4 cup smooth peanut butter

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 9-by-13-inch baking pan with parchment. (I just sprayed with cooking spray and it came out easily from the pan)

2. In a bowl, mix flour, baking powder and salt. Using an electric mixer, beat butter and sugar until light. Beat in eggs, one at a time, then vanilla. Reduce speed to low; beat in flour mixture. Stir in chocolate chips and 1 cup pretzels. Spread evenly in baking pan. Bake until a toothpick inserted into center comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes.

3. In a bowl set over a pan of simmering water, melt chocolate with peanut butter, stirring until smooth. Spread mixture evenly over blondies. Sprinkle with remaining crushed pretzels. Let cool before cutting into squares.

PS...I linked this post up to a blog called Sweet As Sugar Cookies.  There are some really yummy recipes there.  Check it out!

#245: Mexican Stuffed Peppers

I found this recipe in one of my Kraft Foods Magazines.  Have you noticed there have been several recipes from that magazine?  If you do not subscribe to it yet, I highly recommend it!  Anyhow, we like stuffed peppers...or at least most of the members of this family like the filling of stuffed peppers, so I figured we'd try this version to shake things up a bit. :) 

Although we enjoyed this (Chloe didn't enjoy this as much as everyone else, but she's my slightly pickier ground meat eater...just depends on her mood!), I do enjoy Jaime's Stuffed Peppers more.  So I would make this again, but it's not my favorite way to eat stuffed peppers.  1 lb. ground beef
1 onion, chopped
3 Tbsp. Taco Seasoning Mix
1-1/4 cups water, divided
1 small tomato, chopped
1/2 cup instant white rice, uncooked
2 large red peppers
1/4 cup Thick 'N Chunky Medium Salsa (I omitted)
3/4 cup Shredded Cheddar Cheese, divided

Heat oven to 400ºF.  Brown meat with onions in skillet on medium heat. Stir in taco seasoning mix and 1/2 cup water. Bring to boil; simmer on low heat 5 min., stirring occasionally. Stir in 1/2 cup of the remaining water into remaining seasoned meat in skillet. Add tomatoes; mix well. Bring to boil. Stir in rice; cover. Remove from heat. Let stand 5 min. Meanwhile, cut tops off peppers; discard tops and seeds. Mix salsa and remaining water in bottom of 9-inch square baking dish. Stand peppers in baking dish.

Add 1/2 cup cheese to meat mixture; stir. Spoon into peppers; top with remaining cheese. Cover.  Bake 35 to 40 min. or until peppers are tender. Serve with sauce from baking dish.

#244: Macaroni and Beef Skillet

Apparently I forgot to take a picture of this one!  Sorry!

This recipe came out of one of my sneaky chef cookbooks.  I'm giving you the recipe as I made it on my freezer cooking day, because I made some changes to the original recipe and directions.  Overall we enjoyed this one.  It's a lot like a hamburger helper type meal, only better and healthier.  We would eat this again!

1 tbsp olive oil
1 medium onion finely chopped
1/2 lb ground turkey
2 cloves minced garlic
1 c orange puree (sweet potatoes and carrots)
1 c spaghetti sauce
1/2 c lentil puree (I was too lazy to make this so I omitted)
1 c chicken or veggie broth
salt and pepper
Sautee the onions in the olive oil until translucent.  Add turkey, stirring to break up and cook until no longer pink.  Stir in the garlic, orange puree, spaghetti sauce, lentil puree, and broth.  Season with salt and pepper.  Let cool then freeze until ready to use. 

When you are ready to make this, let the meat mixture thaw in the fridge overnight.  Cook 2 cups of uncooked macaroni noodles according to package directions.  Meanwhile, reheat the meat mixture either in the microwave on in a saucepan.  When noodles are cooked, drain and add to the reheated meat mixture.  Stir to combine.  Top with grated parmesan if desired. 

#243: Black Bean Salsa

I'll try most recipes that I find in my Parents Magazine since they are usually pretty kid friendly.  Well maybe not friendly enough for my kids or hubby to try, but usually something that I would want to eat!  When I came across this recipe I immediately bookmarked it because I LOVE black beans and figured it would be a good recipe to bring to book club...so I did!  PS...I doubled this recipe!  Next time, I would continue to make this with my additions PLUS add some red onion too.  (I just didn't have any on hand).  We'll see if my fellow book clubbers enjoy this one. 

1 cup canned low-sodium black beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup chopped, seeded tomato
1/2 cup chopped yellow or orange bell pepper
2 tsp. extra-virgin olive oil
2 tsp. fresh lime juice
cilantro, chopped
minced garlic
salt

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. In a bowl, combine beans, tomato, peppers.
3.  Add cilantro, garlic and salt.
4. In a small bowl whisk  olive oil and lime juice. Toss and serve with freshly baked tortilla chips or scoops.

#242: Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

I found this recipe at Eat Better America, and made these for the girls to take with them to daycare.  We almost always have bananas in our house and they go brown so quickly, so I just freeze them and save for recipes like this. 

I thought these were good but a bit chewy.  It could be all of the changes I made to the original recipe though.  I would make these again but they definitely aren't my favorite banana muffin I've ever had or made.

1 2/3 cups whole wheat flour (I used 1 c all-purpose and 2/3 c whole wheat)
2/3 cup sugar (I used 1/3 c)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup mashed very ripe bananas (2 to 3 medium)
3 egg whites
1/4 cup canola oil (I used unsweetened applesauce)
1/4 cup fat-free milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/3 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips

Topping (I totally forgot to do this step!)
1 tablespoon sugar
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Heat oven to 375°F. Spray bottoms only of 12 regular-size muffin cups with cooking spray, or line with paper baking cups. (I used mini-muffin tins)

In large bowl, mix flour, 2/3 cup sugar, baking powder, baking soda, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon and salt.  In medium bowl, beat bananas, egg whites, oil, milk and vanilla with fork until smooth. Stir into flour mixture just until flour is moistened. Gently stir in chocolate chips. Divide batter evenly among muffin cups.

In small bowl, mix topping ingredients. Sprinkle evenly over batter in cups.  Bake 20 to 24 minutes or until light golden brown and toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Immediately remove muffins from pan to cooling rack.

#241: Chili-Mac Skillet

Except for the kidney beans, this recipe went over well with my family.  I would definitely make this recipe again!  This recipe came from the Better Homes and Gardens Family Favorites Made Light cookbook that I swapped at our cookbook swap. 

1/2 pound ground beef
1/2 cup chopped onions (I used about 1/4 c)
1 15-1/2-ounce can red kidney beans, rinsed and drained (I used 1/3 of a can)
1 8-ounce can tomato sauce (I used 15 oz...I couldn't try and add in kidney beans AND tomato chunks.  The family would have rebelled!)
1 7-1/2-ounce can tomatoes, cut up (I omitted)
1/8 c orange puree (sweet potatoes and carrots)
1/2 cup elbow macaroni
1/4 cup water
1 4-ounce can diced green chili peppers, drained
2 to 3 teaspoons chili powder (I omitted)
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
1/2 cup shredded Monterey Jack or cheddar cheese (2 ounces)

In a large skillet cook meat and onions until meat is brown and onions are tender. Drain off fat.
Stir in beans, tomato sauce, undrained tomatoes, uncooked macaroni, water, chili peppers, chili powder, and garlic salt. Bring to boiling. Reduce heat. Simmer, covered, about 20 minutes or till macaroni is tender, stirring often. Sprinkle with cheese. Cover and heat about 2 minutes more or till cheese is melted. Makes 6 servings.

When I made this on my freezer cooking day, I did everything except add the macaroni.  The day we wanted to eat it, I reheated in the microwave and made some macaroni noodles while it was heating up.  Then I just tossed it all together and served.

#240: Veggie Tortilla Soup

I randomly saw that my friend Andi liked a facebook page called 100 Days of Real Food.  I was totally intrigued by this post so  I checked out the link.  As I looked through her website, I started finding some really yummy looking recipes.  I came across this one and knew it would be perfect to make and take for lunches during the week.  By the way, this is what Rachel Ray would call a "stoup" (combo between a soup and a stew).  This gets very thick as it sits.


2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion
2 bell peppers (any color) (I used 3)
1 – 2 hot peppers (optional) (I omitted)
1 zucchini
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon poultry seasoning (I used 1/2 tsp Old Bay)
¼ teaspoon chili powder
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 cup frozen corn kernels (or fresh if it is in-season)
3 cloves garlic
1 28-oz can organic stewed tomatoes (I used petite diced)
1 8-oz can organic tomato sauce
2 – 3 cups chicken stock, depending on how “soupy” you like it (I used 3 c vegetable broth because I had some left over in the fridge)
Optional (but recommended) garnishes: avocado, grated cheese, sour cream, cilantro (I used all of these!)

Chop the onion, peppers, and zucchini into ½” pieces. Dice the garlic.  Heat the oil over medium heat in a large soup pot. Toss in the onions.  After a couple of minutes add the peppers and zucchini. Flavor with the spices and stir the veggies until they start to soften.

Add the frozen corn (no need to defrost) and garlic since these don’t take as long to cook.  After the corn heats up add the stewed tomatoes, tomato sauce, and chicken stock.  Bing to a boil then turn down to low. Simmer for a few minutes or until you are ready to eat. Ladle into bowls, top with garnishes, and enjoy!

#239: Cheesy Cowboy Cornbread

A co-worker got a donation of Highlights Magazines from a parent and shared some of them with me.  As I was going through them deciding if I should keep each one or not, I found a recipe for this cornbread in one of them.  I had all of the ingredients on hand to make it and I figured I could make this to go with our Chili Mac dinner. 

1 1/2 c flour (I used 1 c all-purpose and 1/2 c whole wheat)
1/2 c cornmeal
1/2 c sugar
2 c grated cheese (I used 1 1/4 c shredded low fat cheddar)
1 tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 eggs
1 1/4 c milk (I used skim)
1/2 c vegetable oil (I used unsweetened applesauce)

Stir together first six ingredients.  Set aside.  In a small bowl beat the eggs milk and vegetable oil until the mixture is light yellow.  Pour the egg mixture into the flour mixture.  Stir until everything is moist. 

Pour into a greased 8x8 pan and bake in a 350 degree oven for 35 minutes or until the edges are light brown.

#238: Strawberry-Apple Smoothie

 This is what she looks like when A. She cuts her own hair and B. Mommy decides it's a good time to start growing part of her bangs out!

There was a recipe for a strawberry-orange smoothie that I found in my Kraft Foods magazine.  I drink smoothies most days for breakfast lately so when I saw this one used pudding, I was intrigued.  When I went to make this for the girls for breakfast, I realized that Allison had finished the orange juice the night before.  But I did have some diluted apple juice left, so we just substituted that instead. 

Allison and Chloe both enjoyed this smoothie!  And by using half apple juice/half water and the sugar free pudding, this was actually quite healthy.  I didn't love this one because you can definitely taste the powdery pudding aftertaste but if my girls will drink this and get in another serving of fruit, I'll make it again for them. 

1 c orange juice (I used diluted apple juice)
5 oz frozen strawberries
1/2 pkg sugar free instant vanilla pudding

Blend in a blender until smooth.  Serve immediately.  Serves 2.

#237: Slow Cooker Sloppy Joes

Can you tell we like sloppy joes at our house?!  This is now the fifth sloppy joe recipe we've tried.  :)  I like this one because I could make it ahead of time, freeze it, and then just reheat and cook in the crockpot for a couple of hours.  I actually made this on Sunday so we could eat it as soon as we get home on Monday and I didn't have to try and have the crockpot go on in the middle of the day. 

This was yummy!!  I loved it!  Actually we all enjoyed this one except for Chloe.  But Chloe does like sloppy joes, so she must not have been in a "sloppy" kind of mood. 
1 lb. lean ground beef
1/3 cup chopped onions
1/3 cup chopped celery (I omitted)
1/8 cup chopped green bell pepper
4-oz.of bottle chili sauce (I omitted)
1/2 (6-oz.) can tomato paste
1 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce (I used steak sauce)
Pepper
6-8 sandwich buns, split


In large skillet, cook ground beef, onions, celery and bell pepper over medium-high heat for 5 to 7 minutes or until beef is thoroughly cooked, stirring frequently. Drain.


In 3 1/2 to 4-quart slow cooker, combine ground beef mixture and all remaining ingredients except buns; mix well.  Cover; cook on low setting for 4 to 6 hours.  Stir; spoon beef mixture into buns.

#236: Turkey Enchiladas

I found this recipe in my TOH magazine and since I had some left over ground turkey thawing in the fridge, I figured I'd give it a try.  Brian and Allison didn't eat this with the corn/cilantro mixture on top, but I did.  I liked it...I didn't love it, but I really did like this.  Since it's not something anyone else in my family would eat, I probably wouldn't make this version again, but I would definitely make this meat mixture.

1-1/4 cups frozen corn, thawed
1 can (4 ounces) chopped green chilies (I used 2 oz)
1 cup fresh cilantro leaves
1/3 cup heavy whipping cream (I used skim milk)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper


ENCHILADAS:
3/4 pound ground turkey
1/3 cup chopped onion
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tablespoon olive oil
3/4 cup salsa
1 tablespoon cornmeal
2 teaspoons chili powder
1-1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
6 flour tortillas (8 inches), warmed
1-1/4 cups shredded Mexican cheese blend, divided
1/4 cup sliced ripe olives


Directions
Place the first six ingredients in a food processor; cover and pulse until blended.
In a large skillet, cook the turkey, onion and garlic in oil over medium heat until meat is no longer pink. Remove from the heat; stir in the salsa, cornmeal and seasonings.
Spoon 1/3 cup turkey mixture down the center of each tortilla; top with 2 tablespoons cheese. Roll up and place seam side down in a greased 11-in. x 7-in. baking dish. Spoon corn mixture over the top; sprinkle with olives and remaining cheese.
Cover and bake at 350° for 30 minutes. Uncover; bake 5-10 minutes longer or until heated through. Yield: 3 servings.

#235: Struesel Coffee Cake

Here's another recipe I found in a cookbook I got when we did our recipe swap.  It's from Better Homes and Garden's Family Favorites Made Light.  I made this coffee cake for the girls to take to school with them this week.  It was very easy to make and I had all of the ingredients on hand except for the walnuts.  It doesn't make very much though (I put it in a 8x8 pan) so if you were making this for a family breakfast or for company I would probably double it.  I omitted the walnuts too because I was serving this to young children.

This isn't the best "coffee cake" I've ever eaten, not by any means.  It's more like a bread with a cinnamon-sugar topping.  It could definitely use a little moisture...maybe some butter on it.  If I make this again I might try putting some dough on the bottom, add the cinnamon sugar mix in the middle, top with more dough and then add more cinnamon-sugar mixture on top too. 

3 tbsp brown sugar
1 tbsp flour
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tbsp margarine
1/4 c finely chopped walnuts (I omitted)
1 1/2 c flour
3/4 c sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/8 tsp salt
1/2 c skim milk
1 egg white (slightly beaten)
3 tbsp cooking oil

Spray 9x9x2 in ch pan with non-stick cooking spray.  Set aside.

Topping; In a small bowl combine brown sugar, 1 tbsp flour, and cinnamon.  Cut in margarine until crumbly.  Stir in walnut and set aside.

In a medium mixing bowl stir remaining flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.  In another bowl mix together milk, egg white and oil.  Add to the flour mixture and combine until moistened.  Pour batter into prepared pan.  Sprinkle the struesel topping over batter.

Bake in a 350 degree oven for about 20 min or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.  Serve warm.  Makes 9 servings.

#233: Raspberry-Applesauce JELL-O Bars

I found this recipe in a recent Kraft Foods magazine.   I figured it would be an easy side dish to bring to the in-laws house this weekend.  The girls and I really enjoyed this.  It has the taste of jello, but the texture more like applesauce.  The jello helps it hold its shape too.  I used half regular jello and half sugar free...next time I'm going to try just using sugar free jello.  I doubt it would make much of a difference in taste!

Update: I have made this multiple times with sugar free jello and you cannot tell a difference. I've also use different flavors of sugar free jello (lemon, orange, peach, cherry) and all are very good!  (Lemon is probably my least favorite, but we loved peach!!)

1-1/2 cups boiling water
2 pkg. (3 oz. each) JELL-O Raspberry Flavor Gelatin
2 cups unsweetened applesauce, chilled

Add boiling water to gelatin mixes in medium bowl; stir 2 min. until completely dissolved. Stir in applesauce.   Pour into 8-inch square dish sprayed with cooking spray.   Refrigerate 3 hours or until firm.

#234: Honey-Yogurt Dipping Sauce for Fruit

I found this recipe in my All You Magazine and figured I'd make it for the girls and I to eat with our fruit at lunch.  It couldn't get any easier with only two ingredients!  We loved this one and it was a nice way to change up eating our fresh fruit.

1 c greek style yogurt (I used a 6 oz container of yoplaits Greek Honey Vanilla Yogurt)
1/8 c honey (I used 2 tbsp)

Combine together and let chill in fridge.  Serve with cut up pieces of fruit. 

#232: Pumpkin Dump Cake

My cousin-in-law, Sabra emailed me this recipe and suggested I try it.  Pumpkin + Cake = DEFINITELY want to try it!!  I was more than happy to oblige her request.  This was VERY GOOD!!  Thanks to my SIL Angela's suggestion, I brought the left overs to the in-laws gathering on Saturday.  Angela and I definitely enjoyed eating this one two days in a row!!  This was very easy and really yummy!!  Thanks for sharing Sabra!

1- 15 ounce can pumpkin
1- 12 ounce can evaporated milk
3 eggs
4 teaspoons Pumpkin Pie Spice
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup sugar

1- 18.25 ounce yellow cake mix**
1 cup walnuts
3/4 cup or 1-1/2 sticks butter, melted


Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease 9x13 pan. Completely combine 1st six ingredients. Pour into prepared pan. Sprinkle with cake mix. Gently pat down with spoon. Sprinkle with nuts. Drizzle with butter. Bake for 50 minutes. Cool and cut in squares.

#231: Gyro Pizza

I found this recipe on Betty Crocker's website months ago.  I filed it away and hoped to make it for dinner some time, but trying to change up Brian's cheese pizza is not as easy task.  So when we were having a girls night in I figured that might be a better time to try this recipe.  The original recipe calls for ground turkey, but when I was talking about this recipe with my co-workers, it was suggested to use real gyro meat instead.  Thanks to Erin, I learned that I can go to my local gyro spot and order 3/4 lb of gyro meat!!  I was SO excited to learn that and go pick it up (for $2.20 I might add!).  Thank you Erin!!

This was fabulous (or at least I thought so!)  The change of using real gyro meat was such a great idea!!!  TRY THIS!!
1 can (13.8 oz) Pillsbury® refrigerated classic pizza crust

1/2 lb lean (at least 90%) ground turkey (I used 1/2 lb gyro meat, chopped)
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped (I omitted)
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano leaves (I omitted)
1/4 teaspoon salt (I omitted)
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 tbsp dill
1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese (6 oz)
3/4 cup coarsely chopped cucumber
1 medium tomato, coarsely chopped
4 thin slices red onion (diced)
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese

Heat oven to 425°F. Spray 13x9-inch pan with cooking spray. Press pizza dough in bottom and slightly up sides of pan to form crust. Bake about 7 minutes or until crust just begins to turn brown on edges.


Meanwhile, in 6-inch skillet, cook turkey and garlic over medium-high heat 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until turkey is no longer pink. Stir in oregano and salt.

Combine sour cream and dill.  Spread sour cream mixture over warm crust. Sprinkle with 1 cup of the mozzarella cheese. Evenly top cheese with chopped gyro meat. Sprinkle with cucumber, tomato, and red onion. Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese and the feta cheese.  Bake 13 to 14 minutes or until edges of crust are golden brown and cheese is melted.

#230: Grape Salad

Thanks to the power of Facebook, this recipe was passed down to me from a family friend.  I off-handedly commented that I didn't know what to bring to our recent family gathering and this recipe was given to me courtesty of "Mrs. Walsh!"  I was a little apprehensive about making this one because of Brian's grape-phobia but I figured he wouldn't eat anything I brought anyways so why should I cook (or not cook) for him.  Mrs. Walsh's recipe won out...sorry honey! 

This was really yummy...but there's a lot of sugar in it, so how could it not be yummy??  Next time I make this (and there will be a next time) I am going to try and cut down on the sugar a bit as I doubt it would make any difference.  Loved this one!

2 lbs green seedless grapes (I omitted...I am NOT a fan of green grapes)

2 lbs red seedless grapes (I used 4 lbs)
8 ounces sour cream
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract, to taste

Topping Ingredients
1 cup brown sugar, packed, to taste
1 cup crushed pecans, to taste (I used walnuts)

Wash and stem grapes.  Set aside.  Mix sour cream, cream cheese, white sugar and vanilla by hand until blended.  Stir grapes into mixture, and pour in large serving bowl. 

For topping: Combine brown sugar, and crushed pecans.  Sprinkle over top of grapes to cover completely. Chill overnight.

#229: Butternut Squash Chili

I found a recipe for Sweet-Potato and Black-Bean Chili in my family fun magazine.  I didn't have any sweet potatoes on hand, but I did have a large butternut squash, so I thought maybe I could interchange them.  So I googled "butternut squash chili"and came across this recipe.  My recipe below is pretty much a combo of the two.


1 tbsp olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 (15 oz.) can petite diced tomatoes, undrained
1 (16 oz.) can kidney beans
1/2 large butternut squash, peeled & cubed
2 cup vegetable or chicken broth
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
2/3 cup frozen corn
chopped cilantro


Microwave the squash in a microwave safe container losely covered with plastic wrap.  Cook on high for 3 minutes.  Meanwhile, sautee onions in olive oil until translucent.  Add in diced tomatoes, kidney beans, squash, broth, garlic and spices; bring to a boil over medium high heat.  Cover, reduce heat to medium low, and simmer, stirring occasionally, 15 minutes.  Stir in corn and cilantro and cook 15 minutes or until squash is tender and chili is thickened.  The soup thickens after it cools down.

#228: Marinade for Chicken

It's spring, you know what that means....grilling season!!  I found this recipe on allrecipes.com and made it on my freezer cooking day.  Super easy to put together and freeze until ready to use.  Brian took one bite and proclaimed "This is good!", Chloe spit it out, but Allison and I enjoyed it.  (I think Chloe is going to be a picky chicken eater like her mommy!)

This recipe looks very unhealthy by the amount of vegetable oil in this dish, however almost all of it gets tossed since it's used for the marinade. 
1 1/2 cups vegetable oil (I used 1 c)
3/4 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup Worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
1/3 cup lemon juice
2 tablespoons dry mustard (I used yellow mustard)
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon black pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons finely minced fresh parsley (I used 1 tbsp dried)

Directions
1.In a medium bowl, mix together oil, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, wine vinegar, and lemon juice. Stir in mustard powder, salt, pepper, and parsley. Use to marinate chicken before cooking as desired. The longer you marinate, the more flavor it will have.

#227: Peach Salsa

I found a recipe in my FamilyFun Magazine for Fish Tacos with Peach Salsa.  The fish tacos had no appeal to me, but the peach salsa sure did!  It's intended to be used as a topping on tacos and other mexican themed dishes, but I wanted a healthy addition to my lunches this week so I figured I could eat this more like a salad.  This is good!  It's sweet, it refreshing, it's salsa.  It would be great as a mexican topping and would be fabulous with chips.  It's not my favorite "salad" but it was still a good low point (ahem, ZERO!) side dish.


In a a small bowl combine:
1 (16-ounce) package frozen segmented peaches, chopped and thawed
¼ cup finely chopped red onion
1 teaspoon lime zest (I omitted)
2 tablespoons lime juice
1 tablespoon finely chopped jalapeño pepper (I omitted)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
¼ teaspoon salt

#226: Roasted Asparagus with Lemon

There were some great spring recipes in my All You Magazine this month.  I happened to pick up some asparagus at Aldi this week, so I figured it would be a perfect time to try it.  I love roasted asparagus but I normally just eat it with olive oil and salt.  I really liked this with lemon!  I think I had a little too much salt on mine but I would definitely make this again!
2 pounds fresh asparagus
2 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and pepper
2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Preheat oven to 400°F and line a large rimmed baking sheet with foil. Break off tough ends of asparagus. Place asparagus on baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil.

In a small bowl, rub 1 tsp. salt with lemon zest until crumbly. Sprinkle over asparagus and toss to coat. Arrange asparagus in a single layer and roast until tender, 18 to 25 minutes, shaking baking sheet once or twice during cooking time.  Season asparagus with pepper and sprinkle with lemon juice just before serving.

#225: Classic Long Johns

I'm getting adventurous with trying recipes that use yeast.  I still don't like the precision of these recipes but I'm always pleasantly surprised when these turn out even semi-close to how they are supposed to.  I was scared to try making long johns but fortunately these turned out pretty well.  My dough definitely didn't rise like it was supposed to, so these are slighltly more cake-like consistency but Brian and I surely enjoyed trying different toppings on this one.  :)  We tried pieces of one plain (yummy!), with powdered sugar (Brian's favorite), with a chocolate glaze (also yummy), and with a powdered sugar glaze (might be better if I made it thicker).  And no, we did not eat 4 long johns in trying these out!  We only ate (and shared) 2.  :)

I pulled this recipe out of my latest taste of home magazine....if you don't subscribe to any of their magazines you are missing out!

I also must have made these too big (or maybe b/c they didn't rise), because you are supposed to get 24 servings and I only got 14 long johns.

Ingredients

2 packages (1/4 ounce each) active dry yeast
1/2 cup warm water (110° to 115°)
1/2 cup half-and-half cream (I used evaporated milk)
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup shortening
1 egg
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
3 to 3-1/2 cups all-purpose flour (I used 1 c whole wheat and 2 c all-purpose)
Oil for deep-fat frying

MAPLE FROSTING:
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon half-and-half cream
1/8 teaspoon maple flavoring
1 cup confectioners' sugar

CHOCOLATE FROSTING:
2 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
2 tablespoons butter
1 cup confectioners' sugar
2 tablespoons boiling water
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions
In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Add the cream, sugar, shortening, egg, salt, nutmeg and 3 cups flour. Beat until smooth. Stir in enough remaining flour to form a soft dough (dough will be sticky).
Turn onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about 6-8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease the top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour.

Punch dough down; divide in half. Turn onto a lightly floured surface; roll each half into a 12-in. x 6-in. rectangle. Cut into 3-in. x 2-in. rectangles. Place on greased baking sheets. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 30 minutes.

In an electric skillet or deep fryer, heat oil to 375°. Fry long johns, a few at a time, until golden brown on both sides. Drain on paper towels.

For maple frosting, combine brown sugar and butter in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until sugar is dissolved. Remove from the heat; stir in cream and maple flavoring. Add the confectioners' sugar; beat for 1 minute or until smooth. Frost cooled long johns.

For chocolate frosting, in a microwave, melt chocolate and butter. Stir until smooth. Stir in remaining ingredients. Spread over cooled long johns; let stand until set. Yield: 2 dozen.

#224: BBQ "Chili" with Corn

This is NOT chili.  At least not as I think of chili.  I really wanted to make this to have for lunches this week but the original recipe is 11 pts per serving...WAY too many points than I can have or want to eat for lunch.  So I made some changes.  The smoky taste of the beans sure give this recipe a different flavor but upon first taste this is good.  I hope I enjoy it all week for lunches!  (Of course this would be MUCH better with corn chips, cheese and salsa though)

1 lb lean (at least 80%) ground beef  (I used 1/2 lb ground turkey)

1 large onion, chopped (1 cup)
1 can (22 oz) southern pit barbecue grilling beans, undrained
1 can (14.5 oz) Muir Glen® organic fire roasted diced tomatoes, undrained (I used petite diced tomatoes)
1 can (8 oz) tomato sauce (I used 16 oz)
1 box (9 oz) frozen corn (I used 2/3 c)
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese (2 oz) (I omitted)
2 cups corn chips (I omitted)


1 In heavy 3-quart saucepan, cook beef and onion over medium-high heat 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until beef is thoroughly cooked; drain.  Stir in remaining ingredients except cheese and corn chips. Heat to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer uncovered 5 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until corn is tender. Top individual servings with cheese and corn chips.

#223: Shredded Beef, Bean and Corn Fajitas (or tostadas)

This recipe was supposed to be for fajitas.  I have a texture issue with shredded beef in a taco shell, so I ate mine on top of a tostada instead.  When you look at this recipe it has a lot of ingredients, but don't be scared to try it.  It's really not hard.  Of course I omitted many ingredients or made many changes to fit our tastes/needs.

1 small red onion, cut into thin wedges (1 cup) (I omitted)

2 cloves garlic, minced (I omitted)
1 Tbsp. olive oil (I omitted)
2 cups Shredded Beef Master Recipe (see recipe below)
1 14.5-oz. can Mexican-style stewed tomatoes, cut up (I omitted)
1 cup frozen whole kernel corn
1 cup canned black beans, rinsed and drained (I omitted b/c my family doesn't like them, but I would have loved it on there!)
2 tsp. chili powder
1/2 cup seeded and chopped cucumber (1 small)
1/2 cup peeled and chopped jicama
1 Tbsp. snipped fresh cilantro
6 7- to 8-inch flour tortillas, warmed*
1/2 cup dairy sour cream and/or purchased guacamole

Directions
1. In a large skillet, cook onion and garlic in hot oil over medium heat about 4 minutes or until tender. Stir in shredded beef, undrained tomatoes, corn, beans, and chili powder. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, uncovered, about 5 minutes or until heated through and desired consistency. (I skipped most of this step because I didn't have time to make it this way.  I made the shredded beef mixture added some corn and then put it on top of our tostada shells.)


2. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, stir together cucumber, jicama, and cilantro.  (THIS IS YUMMY!)  Divide beef and vegetables among tortillas. Top with cucumber mixture and sour cream and/or guacamole. Makes 6 servings.


Shredded Beef Master Recipe:Trim fat from a 3 to 3-1/2 pound boneless beef chuck pot roast. If necessary, cut beef to fit a 4- to 5-quart slow cooker. Place 2 large onions, cut into thin wedges and 2 cloves garlic, minced in the cooker. Top with beef. In a medium bowl, combine 1, 14-ounce can beef broth, 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce, 2 teaspoons dry mustard, 1 teaspoon dried thyme, crushed; 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper. Pour over beef in cooker.


Cover and cook on low-heat setting for 11 to 12 hours or on high-heat setting for 5-1/2 to 6 hours. Remove beef and onion from cooker, reserving juices. Using two forks, shred beef, discarding any fat. Skim fat from juices. Add onion to beef; add enough juices to beef to moisten. Place 2-cup portions of beef in airtight containers and refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months. Makes 6 cups.

#222: Tijuana Lasagna

This is quite yummy.  It probably would have been better if I didn't freeze it ahead of time, but it was still quite good non-the-less.  As you can see I topped mine with sour cream, tomatoes and cilantro...an absolute must! :)  I got this recipe out of my Sneaky Chef cookbook...and no one had any idea any of this was in there.  If you asked my family, it was a layered taco meat/shell/corn dinner.  NOT!


1 tbsp olive oil (I omitted)
1 medium sized onion, finely chopped
1 lb ground beef (I used turkey)
3/4 c salsa (I used picante sauce)
1/2 c orange puree (sweet potato and carrot mixture)
1/4 wheat germ (I used wheat bran)
4 corn tortillas (I used 3 flour tortillas)
1 c shredded low-fat cheddar cheese
1 c frozen corn (I used about 1/2 c)
1 packet taco seasoning
1/4 c refried beans
1/3 c water
For the sauce:
1/4 c orange puree (sweet potato and carrot mixture)
3/4 c salsa (I used picante sauce)
1/2 tsp each cumin and chili powder (I omitted)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and spray a 9 or 10 in glass pie pan w/oil (I used a metal pie pan).  Heat the oil over medium heat in a deep skillet.  Add the onions and cook until they are slightly translucent, about 10 min.  Add the beef, stirring to break it up, and cook for about 5 minutes, until the meat is no longer pink.  Stir in the salsa, puree, wheat germ, some pepper, corn and beans, if using.  Bring to a boil, and then reduce heat to low and simmer for 5-10 more minutes.  While the meat mixture is simmering, mix the ingredients for the sauce in a separate mixing bowl. 

To assemble:
Spread 1/2 cup of sauce on the bottom of the prepared pie plate.  Place 1 tortilla on top of the sauce.  Spread 1/2 c of the meat mixture evenly over the tortilla.  Sprinkle with 1/4 c cheese.  Place another tortilla on top of the cheese, then repeat steps 3 and 4  two more times.  Finish by topping with remaining tortilla and spread the remaining sauce over the top, then sprinkle with the remaining cheese. 

Cover with foil and bake 15 minutes.  Uncover and bake another 5 minutes or until the top is lightly browned.  Let stand a few minutes before cutting.

#221: Beefy BBQ Macaroni

This was a recipe given to me by my friend Jenny.  I saw her eating it one day at lunch and it primarily consisted of ground beef and noodles, so I figured my family would love it.  I liked this one, but sadly, the others weren't huge fans.  I think the BBQ Sauce was a bit overpowering for them.  In fact, Brian was very reluctant to eat this until I told him what was in it.  Their reviews though should not discourage you from trying it...I thought it was good!

3/4 lb ground beef
1/2 c chopped onion (I used about 1/4 c)
3 cloves minced garlic
3 c cooked elbow macaroni
3/4 c BBQ sauce
1/4 tsp pepper
Dash cayenne pepper (I used a few red pepper flakes)
1/4 c milk
1 tbsp butter
1 c shredded cheddar
Additional cheddar optional for topping (I omitted)


In a large skillet, cook the beef, onion and garlic over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain. Add the macaroni, barbecue sauce, pepper and cayenne.

In a small saucepan, heat milk and butter over medium heat until butter is melted. Stir in cheese until melted. Pour over the macaroni mixture; gently toss to coat. Sprinkle with additional cheese if desired. Yield: 4 servings.
 
When I made this on my freezer cooking day, I cooked the beef with the onion and garlic and then added it to a bowl with all of the remaining ingredients EXCEPT THE NOODLES.  I let thaw in the fridge over night; boiled the noodles right before we ate them; and reheated the beef mixture in the microwave.  Then I tossed the reheated meat mixture with the freshly cooked noodles and served. 

#220: Beef, Potato Vegetable Pasties

This is a half of one so you could see the inside.
Anything wrapped in pie crust has to taste good right?  Right?!  Who knew beef and potatoes encased in a pie crust would taste good....but it does.  I made these as a freezer meal while Brian and the girls were at the Children's Museum.  When they got home, they were cooling on the stove so I cut one in half for the girls to eat (I figured I could spare one!).  I convinced Brian not to eat any for lunch so he could have leftovers during the week, but then Allison asked for seconds.  : )  Our future dinner was starting to dwindle quickly.


Fast forward a few weeks:  I thawed the remaining pasties in the fridge overnight and then baked them in a 350 degree oven (losely covered with foil so they wouldn't over-brown) for about 20 minutes until they were heated through.  I wasn't so sure Brian would actually enjoy this because he "does NOT like pie" and I thought the pie crust would be too much for him, but he liked these!  AND he took the leftovers for lunch (although he says they were not as crispy reheated in the microwave). 

Ground Beef Pasties
1 lb. ground beef (I used 3/4 lb ground turkey)
1 onion, diced
5-6 medium-sized red potatoes, cubed (I used about 3 russet potatoes diced pretty small)
2 c. diced veggies (I only put veggies in mine and I used about 1/2 c frozen mixed veggies)
1/2 t. garlic powder
1 t. Italian seasoning
Salt and pepper, to taste
Homemade pie crust or store-bought (I used 2 pie crusts each cut into 4 pieces)
1 egg yolk, beaten
1/4 T. butter or margarine (I omitted)
1/4 c. flour (I omitted)
2 c. beef stock, broth or bullion cubes (I omitted)
2 t. Worcestershire sauce (I omitted)
1 t. Italian seasoning (I omitted)


1. In a large skillet, cook ground beef and onion for 5 minutes. Stir in potatoes and fresh veggies, if using. Stir in seasonings. Cook until potatoes are fork tender, about 15-20 minutes. (If using frozen veggies, stir into skillet shortly before removing from heat.) Cool.

2. Roll out dough into a circle, about the size of a small plate. (If using store bought dough, cut each piece of dough into fourths and roll into a circle.) Place about 1/3 c. beef filling into the center of each dough circle. Fold over, seal and roll edges.

3. Brush each pasty with beaten egg yolk and bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes, until golden and pie crust is fully cooked. 

I never did the following:
4. While pasties cook, melt butter or margarine in a small saucepan. Whisk in flour and cook 2 minutes. Whisk in beef stock, bring to a slow boil and boil until thickened. Stir in Worcestershire sauce and Italian seasoning.  Serve pasties with gravy on the side for dipping or poured on top.