This recipe for homemade graham crackers is next on my list!
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Friday, June 5, 2009
Strawberry Pie
I made this fresh strawberry pie for Mother's Day (yeah, I'm a little slow)...So, so, so good. I just bought a frozen pie shell, which made it really easy. But I am sure it would taste twice as nice with a homemade crust.
Friday, May 29, 2009
Heavenly Granola
This stuff is good! It got munched up so fast, I couldn't get a picture of it. Izzy and I made blueberry and yogurt parfaits with it for snack yesterday...try it!!!!
1 Tbsp. cooking oil
2 cups rolled oats
1/2 cup wheat germ
1/4 cup butter
4 Tbsp honey
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup sliced almonds
1/3 cup dried cranberries
Directions:
Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium. Add oats, stir and cook for 5 min until browned. Remove from heat and cool oats on a rimmed baking sheet.
Melt butter in same pan over medium. Stir in the honey, brown sugar; cook, stirring, until bubbly. Return oats and add almonds and fruit. Cook and stir another 5 minutes.
Pour onto foil-lined baking sheet and BROIL in oven for 3-5 minutes, until golden (watch it carefully so it doesn't burn!).
Pull off the granola with the foil and cool.
1 Tbsp. cooking oil
2 cups rolled oats
1/2 cup wheat germ
1/4 cup butter
4 Tbsp honey
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup sliced almonds
1/3 cup dried cranberries
Directions:
Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium. Add oats, stir and cook for 5 min until browned. Remove from heat and cool oats on a rimmed baking sheet.
Melt butter in same pan over medium. Stir in the honey, brown sugar; cook, stirring, until bubbly. Return oats and add almonds and fruit. Cook and stir another 5 minutes.
Pour onto foil-lined baking sheet and BROIL in oven for 3-5 minutes, until golden (watch it carefully so it doesn't burn!).
Pull off the granola with the foil and cool.
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
Chicken Licken
We had some leftover rotisserie chicken and I'm thinking about putting this pot pie together- OR maybe just making the filling and putting it into "hot pocket" pies. What do you think I should do?
Monday, May 18, 2009
A Week of Searcy Dinners
Okay, I have moved in and can now focus on food!
Sunday: Turkey Tacos. I even made Callie's salsa (the best!) with cilantro from my new garden!
Monday: Red Beans and Rice (recipe below)
Tuesday: Pizza with Nana!!!
Wednesday: Pancakes and Fruit
Thursday: Freezer night (I'm thinking nuggets)
Friday: Chicken Tikka Masala (sorry, you have to subscribe to Cooks Illustrated to get this recipe BUT it is worth it!)
Red Beans and Rice
½ lb. small red beans, dry
1 medium onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 lb beef smoked sausage, cut into 1 inch chunks
6 chicken bouillon cubes
1 clove garlic
1 bay leaf
½ tsp. dried thyme leaves
In a medium crock-pot, add all ingredients. Cover with water and cook on High for 6-8 hours. Before serving, add 1 tsp. salt and ½ tsp black pepper. Serve over rice.
½ lb. small red beans, dry
1 medium onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 lb beef smoked sausage, cut into 1 inch chunks
6 chicken bouillon cubes
1 clove garlic
1 bay leaf
½ tsp. dried thyme leaves
In a medium crock-pot, add all ingredients. Cover with water and cook on High for 6-8 hours. Before serving, add 1 tsp. salt and ½ tsp black pepper. Serve over rice.
Monday, May 4, 2009
This week
Here's my menu for this week:
Sunday: Honey Nut Chicken and BBQ Succotash (the chicken is way easy and tastes great, the BBQ Succotash was just okay)
Monday: I am trying the crockpot lasagna that has been mentioned many times (I thought if you make regularly, it must be good!)
Tuesday: Chicken Taco Salad- there is no real recipe for this. All you need is tortilla chips, chicken (I often use leftovers from grilling), lettuce, black beans, corn, tomatoes, green onions, cilantro, lime juice, ranch dressing, and salsa
Wednesday: homemade pizza (I rationed out some of the sausage from the lasagna for topping) and if anyone wants to share recipes for pizza dough, I would love a new recipe.
Thursday: Mexican Style Shredded Pork (this is done in the crock pot and is great in burritos, tacos, on chips... I always get lots of compliments on this, but is soooooo easy)
Friday: I think we're going out.
So that's our week. Can't wait to try that lasagna cooking right now!
Sunday: Honey Nut Chicken and BBQ Succotash (the chicken is way easy and tastes great, the BBQ Succotash was just okay)
Monday: I am trying the crockpot lasagna that has been mentioned many times (I thought if you make regularly, it must be good!)
Tuesday: Chicken Taco Salad- there is no real recipe for this. All you need is tortilla chips, chicken (I often use leftovers from grilling), lettuce, black beans, corn, tomatoes, green onions, cilantro, lime juice, ranch dressing, and salsa
Wednesday: homemade pizza (I rationed out some of the sausage from the lasagna for topping) and if anyone wants to share recipes for pizza dough, I would love a new recipe.
Thursday: Mexican Style Shredded Pork (this is done in the crock pot and is great in burritos, tacos, on chips... I always get lots of compliments on this, but is soooooo easy)
Friday: I think we're going out.
So that's our week. Can't wait to try that lasagna cooking right now!
Monday, April 27, 2009
Bean Brownies....
Doesn't that sound scrumptious?!! Well, they are. And, since I was added as an author just so that I could add this, here goes:
1 Brownie mix (any variety will work, I'm sure -- I usually use Betty Crocker or Duncan Hines -- my favorites are the kind with chocolate chips in the mix)
1 can of unseasoned beans, I prefer navy or black, but you can use any variety, from what I've read -- dump the beans, undrained, into the blender. Puree them until they are as smooth as you can get them. (They will still have some texture and that's okay.)
Now, make the brownies according to the box directions, EXCEPT, use your new bean puree in place of the oil... if the recipe says 1/2 cup oil, use 1/2 cup beans. I also use just the egg whites to lower the fat and cholesterol a little more.
I cook them at the temp on the box, but short the cooking time by a LOT. I usually start with 10 to 15 minutes and add 2-5 minutes at a time. You want them to be very underdone or they are really dry. Most of the time, I find they are best after about 18 minutes -- it just depends on the size of the pan. I have also found that cook more evenly, if they are thinner.
I did read on one blog, as I was looking for ways to use beans in recipes, that if you use 1/2 the oil and 1/2 beans, you get a much more normal brownie texture. Personally, I prefer just undercooking them.
I have also used this in cake mixes and it works just as well. Just match the bean color to the mix color. One can of beans is enough for about 3 mixes. I usually make all of them into cupcakes and freeze a bunch, so I don't have to bake so often. Again, short the cooking time dramatically! The cake is done when a toothpick comes out clean.
So, there you have it! A super easy, sneaky way to add a great food to dessert and still have something any normal child (or adult) will eat. (And it makes a brownie much less damaging to your health...) At our house, we don't even have to keep it a secret. We call them "Bean Brownies" and all five of our kids love them!
1 Brownie mix (any variety will work, I'm sure -- I usually use Betty Crocker or Duncan Hines -- my favorites are the kind with chocolate chips in the mix)
1 can of unseasoned beans, I prefer navy or black, but you can use any variety, from what I've read -- dump the beans, undrained, into the blender. Puree them until they are as smooth as you can get them. (They will still have some texture and that's okay.)
Now, make the brownies according to the box directions, EXCEPT, use your new bean puree in place of the oil... if the recipe says 1/2 cup oil, use 1/2 cup beans. I also use just the egg whites to lower the fat and cholesterol a little more.
I cook them at the temp on the box, but short the cooking time by a LOT. I usually start with 10 to 15 minutes and add 2-5 minutes at a time. You want them to be very underdone or they are really dry. Most of the time, I find they are best after about 18 minutes -- it just depends on the size of the pan. I have also found that cook more evenly, if they are thinner.
I did read on one blog, as I was looking for ways to use beans in recipes, that if you use 1/2 the oil and 1/2 beans, you get a much more normal brownie texture. Personally, I prefer just undercooking them.
I have also used this in cake mixes and it works just as well. Just match the bean color to the mix color. One can of beans is enough for about 3 mixes. I usually make all of them into cupcakes and freeze a bunch, so I don't have to bake so often. Again, short the cooking time dramatically! The cake is done when a toothpick comes out clean.
So, there you have it! A super easy, sneaky way to add a great food to dessert and still have something any normal child (or adult) will eat. (And it makes a brownie much less damaging to your health...) At our house, we don't even have to keep it a secret. We call them "Bean Brownies" and all five of our kids love them!
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