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Double Chocolate Banana Bread

Always nice to have a few overripe bananas to make some banana bread. I’ve had a number of recipes over the years, but this is my new favorite.  My daughter pointed me to this recipe from the blog Running with Spoons. I made some changes and below is how I make it. I really like putting quick breads in smaller pans rather than one standard size bread pan. They seem to bake more evenly and just nice to cut the smaller loaves.

Ingredients:

  • 1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour (I usually use whole wheat pastry flour, but not necessary).
  • 1/2  cup unsweetened cocoa powder

    banana-bread

    Double Chocolate Banana Bread

  • 1 tsp. baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp. sea salt
  • 1/2 tsp. baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp. cinnamon (optional)
  • 2 large eggs
  • 3 ripe bananas (about 1 1/2 cups mashed)
  • 1/2 cup plain Greek Yogurt (I use 2% fat)
  • 1/3 cup REAL maple syrup
  • 2 tsp. vanilla extract
  • 1 1/2 Tbsp. Coconut oil
  • 1/2 cup semi sweet chocolate chips
  • 1/2 cup nuts, chopped (I usually use pecans, but use what you like or none at all)

Put it together:

  • Pre-heat oven to 350°
  • Put flour, cocoa, baking soda, salt, baking powder and cinnamon in a medium sized bowl and whisk together.
  • Put the eggs, bananas, yogurt, maple syrup, coconut oil, and vanilla in another bowl. With an immersion blender, mix all ingredients until smooth.
  • Pour the wet ingredients in the dry ingredients and mix to just combine. Fold in the nuts and chocolate chips.
  • Pour evenly into 2 well-greased small bread pans. (My pans are ~ 7.5″ x 3.5″). I also use parchment paper and just grease the small ends. Makes for an easy cleanup and the bread comes out so much easier.
  • Bake for  33-35 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean. Let cool for 10-15 minutes before removing from pan and cool further on a cooling rack.
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Black Bean Brownies

In trying to get more beans and fiber in our diet, I tried this Black Bean Brownies recipe. It is an adaptation from the book, “Spilling the Beans.” It got a thumbs up from the family and you’d have no idea there were beans in it.

Ingredients:

  • 1 c rinsed & drained canned black beansbrownies
  • 1 1/4 c chopped pecans
  • 1/2 c butter
  • 2 oz. bittersweet chocolate
  • 1/3 c flour (used whole wheat)
  • 1/4 tsp. salt
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/2 c sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 2/3 c chocolate chips
  • 1/2 tsp. cinnamon, if desired

Put it Together:

  1. Preheat oven to 350
  2. Rinse the beans and spread them out between some paper towels to absorb the excess moisture.
  3. Spread the pecans out on a baking sheet and put in oven to toast lightly (5-7 minutes). Watch them carefully. Set aside to cool.
  4. In a small pan, melt the chocolate and butter being careful not to scorch. Mix to combine and set aside to cool a few minutes.
  5. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, salt, and cinnamon.
  6. Place beans and cooled butter/chocolate mixture in a food processor and combine until smooth. Add the eggs, sugar, and vanilla. Pulse processor until combined. Add mixture to the flour/salt combining lightly.
  7. Gently fold in the chocolate chips and pecans. Do not over mix.
  8. Pour into a greased (I used butter) 8×8″ baking pan. Bake at 350º F for 28-30 minutes. It is done when batter no longer jiggles and is slightly firm. A toothpick inserted comes out very moist & “chocolatey.”
  9. Cool completely before cutting unless you want to eat this with a spoon. When cooled it is very moist and delicious!!
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Turkey, Chicken or Pheasant Pot Pie

I don’t have a picture for this recipe, but wanted to write it down so I don’t forget it! I’ve made it twice in the past couple months and it’s delicious! The garlicky sauce that the veggies and meat are mixed in is wonderful. My husband licked the pot clean when I made the sauce.

The pie has one crust on top. You can purchase frozen pie crust in the grocery store, but if you have a food processor, it comes together in a couple minutes.

I listed all the meats in the title, as it’s been made with all of them.

Turkey, Chicken, or Pheasant Pot Pie

Make the Crust

Ingredients:

  • 1 1/4 cups flour (I use King Arthur’s white whole wheat)
  • 1/4 tsp. salt
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, chilled & cut into small chunks
  • 3 1/2 Tbsp. ice cold water
  • 1 1/2 tsp. apple cider vinegar

Put it Together:

  • Combine flour, butter, & salt in food processor. Pulse until crumbly. This is about 10 1 second pulses.
  • Stir water and vinegar in a small bowl.
  • Pour half the water-vinegar mixture in processor. Pulse to combine (about 8 1 second pulses). Pour remaining liquid in and pulse til it comes together. (8-10 1 second pulses). Sometimes I have to had a bit more water.
  • Shape into a small ball, cover in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use.
  • This recipe makes enough to make a top crust of 13 x 9 inch pan.

Make the Filling

Ingredients

  • 6 Tbsp. butter
  • 4-6 cloves garlic, minced (be generous with this)
  • 2/3 cup flour (I use white whole wheat by King Arthur)
  • 3 cups chicken stock/broth (or use water to make 3 cups if not enough broth).
  • 2 Tbsp. Olive Oil
  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 2 small potatoes, diced (I left peel on)
  • 2 cups chopped/sliced carrots
  • 3-4 celery stalks, sliced
  • 1-2 cups frozen peas
  • 2  cups cooked chopped/shredded turkey, chicken, or pheasant.
  • Cayenne pepper or crushed red peppers to taste
  • 1 tsp. dried thyme
  • salt and pepper to taste

Put it Together

  • Make the filling: Heat the Olive Oil in a large pot. Add onion, potatoes, celery, carrots, thyme, & cayenne/crushed red pepper flakes. Sauté until tender crisp – about 5-7 minutes. Add frozen peas and add meat of choice. Set aside.
  • Make the sauce: Melt 6 Tbsp. butter in a large skillet. Add garlic and sauté for a minute. Add flour and whisk until a thick paste forms. Add the stock one cup at a time. Whisk after each cup. Season with salt and pepper. Add to vegetable/meat mixture, stirring to combine.
  • Finish it: Pour mixture into a greased 13 x 9 inch pan. Roll out your pie crust on a lightly floured board til it hangs slightly over the 13 x 9 inch pan. Finish the edges with fork prints or as you wish. Cut slits in the top. Put in 375 degree preheated oven for 30-35 minutes or until crust is lightly browned. Brush the warm crust with a bit of butter. Let stand 5-10 minutes before serving. Enjoy!
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Broccoli Soup

There are a lot of Broccoli Soup recipes out there and many of there are delicious. I’ve made a number of variations myself over the years. Here’s one I made today that went over well.

Broccoli Soup

Ingredients

  • 4 cups chopped broccoli (I used frozen and the amount is pretty much a guesstimate)

    broccoli-soup

    Broccoli Soup

  • 4 cups chicken broth
  • 3-4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 medium sized onion, chopped
  • 2 Tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • 3/4 cup half and half or cream
  • 1/2 cup grated Asiago cheese (Parmesan would work well too)
  • 1/4 tsp of crushed red pepper flakes
  • 1 15 oz. can of white beans, drained and well rinsed (just about any kind work or use a couple cups of freshly cooked beans).
  • Sea salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

Put it Together

  • Heat olive oil in a soup pot and then saute the onions and garlic for a few minutes until soft.
  • Add the broccoli, red pepper flakes, and chicken stock. Heat til just boiling and simmer until broccoli is done (6-8 minutes)
  • Add the white beans and heat a few more minutes. Remove from burner and let cool a few minutes.
  • With an immersion blender, puree the soup. You can also puree in a regular blender and work in batches.
  • Add the cheese and cream. Heat a couple more minutes and then serve with crackers, crusty bread or toasted garlic bread. A salad on the side can complete the meal or serve as a side with a main dish.
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Kale Quinoa Salad

The original inspiration for this salad came from Smitten Kitchen. I’ve had to make several changes to accommodate the availability of ingredients in our rural area. The end result was a hit with the family and I’ve made it several times since.

Kale Quinoa Salad

Ingredients – Dressing

  • 4 Tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • 3 Tbsp. white wine vinegar
  • 1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard

    Kale Quinoa Salad

    Kale Quinoa Salad

  • 1 tsp. honey
  • 1/2 tsp. sea salt
  • 1/4 tsp. fresh ground pepper

Salad Ingredients

  • 1 large bunch of kale (I’ve used both the curly kale and the dinosaur (aka Lacinator) kale.
  • 1/2 cup uncooked quinoa
  • 1 bunch of scallions, sliced part ways up into the green stalk.
  • 5 oz bag dried tart cherries (my daughter used cranberries instead)
  • 1/2 cup slivered almonds, toasted until light brown and cool.
  • Feta Cheese – crumbled
  • Lemon zest gratings

Put it All Together

  1. Rinse the quinoa thoroughly. Place the quinoa in a small saucepan with 1 1/2 cups boiling water and a 1/4 tsp. sea salt. Cook for 10-15 minutes, until tender. Rinse quinoa well in cold water and drain. Set aside.
  2. Rinse and dry the kale. Remove the leaves from the stalks, discarding the stalks. Finely chop the kale and put in a large bowl.  (Do make sure it is chopped finely. )
  3. Add the quinoa, scallions, cherries, almonds and mix well.
  4. Whisk the dressing ingredients together in a small bowl. Pour over the dressing. Grate some lemon zest over the salad. Season with additional salt and pepper if desired.
  5. Add the Feta cheese to the individual servings.
  6. This servers 3-4 as a meal or several smaller servings if used as a side.

Surprisingly, this salad will keep well in the refrigerator for a day.

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Easy Cabbage Soup

Not much to say about this soup except that it is TOTALLY awesome. I had posted a link to the recipe on Simply Recipes on Facebook awhile back and it generated a lot of comments. This soup is incredibly easy to make, healthy, and tastes great. I tweaked a few ingredients from the original. The spices are essential to this soup, so please don’t skip them!

Easy Cabbage Soup

Ingredients

  • 1 Tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • 2 tsp. butter
  • 1/2 tsp. ground coriander
  • 1/2 tsp. ground cumin seed
  • 1 tsp. fennel seeds (grind them in a mortar and pestle or a coffee grinder used for spices)
  • Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
  • 1 medium onion, chopped (about 1 1/2 cups)

    cabbage soup

    Cabbage Soup

  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 6-7 cups packed of sliced cabbage (I make slices around a quarter inch)
  • 1 tsp. sea salt
  • 2 14 oz. cans diced tomatoes
  • 4 cups chicken broth
  • 1-2 cups water (depends on desired thickness of soup)
  • Fresh ground pepper to taste

Put it All Together

  1. Heat the olive oil and butter on medium heat in a soup pot (8 qt).  Add the garlic, onions, and spices. Cook until onions are softened, 5-6 minutes.
  2. Add the cabbage to the onions, stirring to mix. Sprinkle with the sea salt.
  3. Add the tomatoes and juices to the onions, again stirring.
  4. Add the chicken broth. Stir and bring to a simmer. Cover and cook 25-30 minutes or until cabbage is thoroughly cooked.
  5. If soup is too thick, add additional water or broth.

This is a light soup. I have sautéed some sliced Andouille sausage for users to add to the soup at their discretion. My husband likes this addition.

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Blueberry Coffee Cake with Almond Topping

I volunteered to bring a dessert for a ladies group that meets in my home town. I was going to make my Applesauce Muffins, but then I got my latest magazine of Cooking Light and stumbled across a recipe for Blueberry Coffee Cake that was loaded with blueberries and I was hooked! Made a few minor changes and served it up to family for testing. It was well received.

Blueberry Coffee Cake with Almond Topping

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
  • 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp. baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp. sea salt
  • 2 cups fresh blueberries (if you use frozen, bake a bit longer)

    blueberrycoffeecake

    Blueberry Coffee Cake

  • 1/3 cup packed brown sugar
  • 1/3 cup old-fashioned rolled oats.
  • 1/4 cup sliced almonds
  • 1 Tbsp. whole wheat pastry flour
  • 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
  • 2 Tbsp. butter, melted
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/4 cup butter, softened
  • 2 Tbsp Safflower oil (or other light oil)
  • 1 egg, lightly beaten
  • 1 cup buttermilk
  • 2 tsp. grated lemon zest
  • 1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice

Put it All Together

  1. Heat the oven to 375.
  2. Wash the blueberries and drain thoroughly.
  3. In a small bowl mix 1 Tbsp flour, cinnamon, sliced almonds, and rolled oats. Pour the 2 Tbsp. butter over the dry ingredients and mix. Set aside.
  4. In a medium bowl, mix the 2 cups flour, baking powder, and baking soda. Remove 2 Tbsp. of the flour mixture and toss with the blueberries. Set the blueberries aside.
  5. In a large bowl, place the granulated sugar, 1/4 cup of butter, and safflower oil. Beat until well mixed. Add the egg and beat well.
  6. Add the buttermilk and flour mixture alternately to the sugar mixture. Begin and end with flour mixture. Stir in the lemon zest and juice.
  7. Coat a 9 inch square pan with cooking spray. Place 1/2 the batter in the pan and spread out with a spatula. Evenly put 1/2 the blueberries on top. Add the rest of the batter mixture and then top with the rest of the blueberries. Sprinkle evenly with the brown sugar-almond-oatmeal mixture from step 3.
  8. Bake at 375 for 45 minutes or until a wooden toothpick comes out clean. You may need to use the outside edges as there are so many blueberries that the toothpick always comes out pretty messy :-). I use the outside edges for the toothpick and then bake a bit longer to accommodate for the middle of the pan.
  9. Cool in pan for 10-15 minutes on a wire rack. Loose around the edges with a knife and remove from pan if you wish.

I haven’t tried it yet, but did think that substituting raspberries or blackberries would also be good — or even a mixture of berries. Serve with ice cream or whipped cream if you wish. Hope you enjoy this as much as we do!

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Buckwheat Pancakes

I love Sunday morning breakfast. Church is later in the morning, and it’s fun to make a special meal when I have time to spare. Buckwheat pancakes with real maple syrup, sausage, and fresh fruit is one we really enjoy. I got the original recipe from Simply Recipes and made it our own. Buckwheat has an earthy flavor and Simply Recipes says you can substitute the wheat flour for all buckwheat (which is gluten free). I haven’t tried that.

Buckwheat Pancakes

Ingredients

  • 1 cup buckwheat flour ( use Bob’s Red Mill)
  • 1 cup whole wheat pastry flour (again, Bob’s Red Mill)

    buckwheat pancakes

    Buckwheat Pancakes with Sausage and Blackberries

  • 3 Tbsp. sugar
  • 1/2 tsp. sea salt
  • 1 rounded tsp. baking soda
  • 3 Tbsp. butter, melted
  • 1 egg, slightly beaten
  • 2 1/2 cups buttermilk

Put it All Together

  1. Heat a griddle or non-stick pan to medium heat.
  2. In a large bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients.
  3. Pour melted butter over dry ingredients and start mixing.
  4. Add the slightly beaten egg to the buttermilk. Slowly add buttermilk mixture to dry ingredients until you get the desired consistency for the pancakes. You may need to add or not use all buttermilk.
  5. Put a small amount of vegetable oil or spray on the heated pan/griddle.
  6. Pour about 1/4 cup batter onto the griddle. Cook until bubbles appear on top (3.4 minutes). Turn for an additional 2-3 minutes or until nicely browned.
  7. Serve with warmed REAL maple syrup, the fresh fruit of your choice (we use a variety of fresh berries), and sausage or bacon if desired.
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Scrambled Eggs – All Dressed Up

I’m not a huge egg fan by any stretch of the imagination, as my family will attest, but today seemed like a good day to make them for a brunch. Our church service was at 0900 instead of later in the morning this week, so we went before breakfast and ate afterwards.

If I’m going to eat eggs, they need to be amped up a bit so I don’t taste the egg too much. I add lots of veggies and cheese and then serve with toast and some fruit. (Today the fruit was clementines).

Scrambled Eggs – All Dressed Up

Ingredients

  • 7 eggs
  • 1/4 tsp. salt
  • 4 cloves of garlic, finely minced

    eggs

    Scrambled Eggs All Dressed Up

  • 1/2 red pepper, finely chopped
  • 4-6 oz. mushrooms, thinly sliced (I like to use baby Portobella mushrooms, but pic what you like)
  • 4 oz. sharp cheddar cheese (Usually use the white)
  • 1 tsp. tarragon, dried
  • 1/4 tsp. truffle oil
  • Olive oil and/or butter

Put It All Together

  1. Prepare the garlic, pepper, mushrooms, and cheese. Set aside for the moment.
  2. Crack the  eggs into a medium bowl and add a 1/4 cup water. Mix thoroughly. An immersion blender works wonderful!
  3. Heat a non-stick pan over medium heat until a drop of water spatters. Add 1-2 Tbsp of olive oil and/or butter and heat again. Add garlic, pepper, mushrooms and tarragon. Sauté until soft – about 3-5 minutes.
  4. Add the eggs to the pan and then top with the cheese. Let eggs cook for a half minute. Then with a rubber or wooden spatula, gently push the eggs from the side to the center of the pan. Continue until there is no liquid left. (I find the eggs get fluffier when I add the cheese at the start of cooking).
  5. Sprinkle the truffle oil over the top of the eggs. This is optional, but it does give a delicious umami/earthy flavor to the eggs that I absolutely adore.
  6. Serve with toasted whole wheat bread and fruit.
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Mango Smoothie

Haven’t written anything for awhile. Have lots of recipes and no time :-(. Anyway, thought Id get caught up a bit by posting a basic smoothie recipe we like. I could have smoothies every day for breakfast! Here’s one I really like… and it’s definitely adjustable with a variety of fruits.

Mango Smoothie

Ingredients

  • 1 small banana
  • 1 tsp. chia seeds
  • 1 scoop vanilla flavored whey/protein powder (I use Mercola’s Miracle Whey)

    Image

    Mango Smoothie

  • 1-2 Tbsp grated lemon or to taste. (NOTE: I put a lemon in the freezer and then grate it into the smoothie with a microplane  grater)
  • 1/2 cup plain Greek Yogurt
  • 1/2 cup water or 1% milk
  • 1 cup frozen manago chunks (more or less)
  • Fresh grated nutmeg.

Put it Together

  1. Put all ingredients together in a small bowl.
  2. Grate about 1/8 tsp nutmeg over mixture.
  3. Using an immersion blender, mix the ingredients until smooth.
  4. Pour in a large cup or glass – or if you wish, put in two smaller cups for 2 servings.
  5. Grate some more nutmeg over the cup.
  6. NOTE: I leave the lemon and mango out 5-10 minutes before proceeding with grating/mixing. The lemon grates better if left out a few minutes and the mango blends better if slightly thawed.

Variations: There are lots of variations on this. I will often use frozen blueberries or mixed berries as the fruit and then use cinnamon for the spice — using about 1/2 tsp. cinnamon in place of the nutmeg. A friend uses frozen peaches and raspberries. If no yogurt, you can use milk in it’s place if desired. I’ve left the whey powder out and added more yogurt and that works just fine too. Don’t believe there are any hard and fast rules for smoothies. Use your imagination and enjoy!

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My New Favorite Chicken Soup

I published a chicken soup recipe awhile back here that I’ve made for years. These past few months I’ve found a new way of making chicken soup that is much faster to put together and tastes pretty darn good!

My son has been “into” brining poultry after we brined a turkey for Thanksgiving last year. He uses a recipe where uses equal amounts of kosher salt and sugar boiled to completely dissolve and then cool. He then puts two chickens in a large container with the brine and refrigerates over night. The next day he rinses the chickens in cold water, applies an herb run and roasts them. This is absolutely delicious and there is leftover chicken for salads, sandwiches and soups for a week for three of us. Maybe I’ll get more details later and publish a full blog on Brined Chicken! You can use any type of chicken you have available for this soup, however.

chicken soup

Fast Homemade Chicken Soup.

Chicken Soup – Fast to Make

Ingredients

  • 2 cups of cut up roasted chicken
  • 8 cups chicken broth (I use 2 – 32 oz. boxes of broth – or make your own broth as noted in my original chicken soup recipe).
  • 2-4 cups hot water – depending on how much liquid you want in your soup
  • 2 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • 1/4 tsp (generous) of crushed red pepper flakes
  • 1 Tbsp dried thyme leaves
  • 3 bay leaves
  • 4-8 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 cups onion, chopped
  • 2 cups carrots, chopped
  • 2 cups celery, chopped
  • 1 pkg frozen spinach (10 oz) – I’ve also used fresh chopped bok choy or baby spinach. Leave the spinach out for a couple hours to thaw if possible, but not necessary.
  • 3/4 cup pearled barley
  • 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley (or equivalent dried parsley)

Put it Together

  1. Heat the olive oil in a soup pot. Add garlic and sauté briefly. Add thyme, red pepper flakes, onions, carrots, and celery. Sauté until just tender – 7-10 minutes.
  2. While veggies are sautéing, warm the chicken broth in another pan until almost boiling. Add this to the original soup pan and bring mixture to a low boil. Add bay leaves.
  3. Rinse the barley in warm water for a minute or two. Add this to the broth mixture. Bring soup back to low boil and simmer until barley is done. This usually takes 35-30 minutes.
  4. Add the spinach and cook until it is thawed or add the fresh spinach or bok choy.
  5. Add chicken and parsley. Cook until hot. Let simmer a few more minutes to meld flavors.
  6. Serve with bread, crackers and/or a simple lettuce salad. Enjoy.
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Crockpot Yogurt

I used to make yogurt occasionally when the kids were younger and I had a “real” yogurt maker of sorts. It always seemed to be too much “putzing” to be worth the effort. I recently heard about making yogurt in a crockpot and I was intrigued. So I did some research on the Internet and came up with a method that worked for me. There are numerous variations out there and you will need to find one that fits into your workflow. After a few adjustments, this is the method that works for me.

Homemade yogurt is awesome! It has a smooth, mellow taste and I can eat it by the spoonful without any sweetener.

Crockpot Yogurt

Ingredients & Equipment:

  • 1/2 gallon of milk (I use 2%)
  • 1/4 cup of plain yogurt with live active cultures. (I’ve been using Greek Gods Yogurt)yogurt
  • A 2-3 qt crockpot
  • Candy Thermometer
  • Small blanket

Put it Together:

  1. Pour the milk into a saucepan and heat until 185 F.  (Some versions call for putting this in the crockpot and heat til 185, but I find it’s faster to heat in a pan first. You may also want to add a cup of powdered milk to make it thicker, but I never have it around, so don’t put it in :-).
  2. Pour the milk into the crockpot and cool to 110-115 F. This may take an hour or two. I leave the cover off and put the thermometer in the crockpot to monitor.
  3. Remove 1-2 cups of milk and transfer to a small bowl. Add the 1/4 cup of yogurt and whisk to mix. Add mixture back into crockpot and stir.
  4. Cover the crockpot and then wrap it up in a small blanket. Place the wrapped crockpot in an oven that is not turned on. Turn the oven light on and shut the door. Leave in oven 8-12 hrs. (The main purpose of the crockpot in this recipe is to act as an insulator to keep the temperature constant.)
  5. Remove crockpot from oven. At this point you can remove the base container from the crockpot and refrigerate until later or strain the yogurt to remove the excess whey to make it Greek yogurt.
  6. To strain the yogurt, place a damp thin, white, cotton kitchen towel or several layers of cheesecloth in a colander. Place the colander over a bowl. Transfer the yogurt to the lined-colander. It may take an hour or two to strain the yogurt if using a towel (which is what I do). You will have a cup or two of whey which can be saved to use for baking. It can be substituted for buttermilk in recipes calling for this.
  7. Once the yogurt has drained, place it in jars or glass containers and refrigerate. This makes 2 ping jars.
  8. Enjoy!! I serve this with fresh or frozen berries and sometimes my homemade granola on top.
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Apple, Cranberry, Sausage Stuffing

I haven’t posted anything for a long time. Doesn’t mean I’m ignoring my blog cuz I use it to lookup my recipes frequently. Work and family seem to have left less time to write. But with Thanksgiving coming, I decided to put down the stuffing recipe I got from my daughter and edited to what we had on hand. This stuffing goes over very well with our guests and it’s open to any tweaking or changes the cook wants to make!

Apple, Cranberry, Sausage Stuffing

Ingredients:

  • 1 1/2 loaves of 100% whole wheat or multi-grain bread.
  • 1 – 1 1/2 lbs pork sausage (you could substitute turkey sausage if desired)
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 large onion, chopped
  • 3-4 stalks celery, chopped
  • 1 cup dried cranberries
  • 1 apple, cored & chopped
  • 1 Tbsp. dried sage
  • 1 Tbsp. dried rosemary
  • 1 Tbsp. dried thyme
  • 6 Tbsp. melted butter
  • 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley. Substitute dried if not available.
  • 4-5 cups liquid – mixture of chicken/turkey broth and water – use proportions as you wish.

Put it Together:

  1. Cube the bread in desired size. (My hubby did an awesome job of making nice small cubes of the bread and it made a difference in the outcome). Put the bread in a couple of cake pans and toast in oven at 350 for 10-15 minutes. Check on this frequently and stir as needed as the bread isn’t in a single layer. Remove when it’s at your desired “toastiness” 🙂 and transfer to a large bowl.
  2. Brown the sausage in skillet. When almost done, add the onions and garlic. Stir until onions done and sausage is nicely browned… probably another 5 minutes.
  3. Add the celery, rosemary, thyme, and sage. Stir a few more minutes to meld flavors.
  4. Pour sausage mixture over dried bread cubes. Add apple, cranberries, melted butter and parsley. Mix.
  5. Add broth, stirring until desired consistency is reached. The last time I made this, I used 4 1/2 cups broth. The dryness of the bread and how moist you want it if you stuff the turkey will dictate the amount of liquid used.
  6. You may either stuff the turkey or bake the stuffing in the oven. I have baked it at 350 for 45 minutes or so. I also like to put it in a crockpot on low for a couple hours.
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Berry Crisp

I’ve always liked Apple Crisp from when my Mother and Grandmother used to make it when I was a child…. fond childhood memories, comfort food and all that goes with it!

My daughter recently made a Berry Crisp when we were visiting her – it was sumptious. Got the recipe from her and adjusted to what we had on hand. The fruit measurements are close to what I had available. You can use any combination you have on hand just so you have 4 1/2 – 5 cups of fruit – even if it’s only one or two kinds. I’ve been thinking of using peaches or nectarines for one of the fruits sometime.

Berry Crisp

Ingredients – filling:

  •  1 1/2  cups sliced/diced strawberries

    Berry Crisp

    Berry Crisp – fresh out of the oven. One helping removed before it even cooled!

  • 1 cup blueberries
  • 1 1/2 cups blackberries
  • 1 cup raspberries
  • 1/4 cup sugar (I’ve been using raw cane sugar)
  • 1 tsp. lemon zest
  • 1 tsp. lemon juice
  • 1 tsp. cinnamon (I love Penzey’s Vietnamese cinnamon.
  • 2 tsp. corn starch

Ingredients – Topping:

  • 1 1/4 cups rolled whole oatmeal (not quick kind)
  • 1/2 cup whole wheat flour (I use pastry flour)
  • 1 tsp. cinnamon (See my Penzey’s link on filling)
  • 1/3 cup light brown sugar.
  • 1/2 tsp. sea salt
  • 1/4-1/2 cup chopped nuts (I’ve used sliced almonds or pecans cuz that’s what was there. You can omit if you wish, but why??)
  • 1/4 cup butter, melted

Put it Together:

  1. Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees F.
  2. Put all the filling ingredients in a large bowl and gently mix. Set aside.
  3. In another bowl, mix topping ingredients (except for butter) thoroughly. Add the butter and mix again.
  4. Put the fruit mixture in a deep dish pie pan.
  5. Cover with the topping mixture, spreading out evenly.
  6. Bake in 375 degree F oven for 40 minutes or until fruit is done and topping lightly browned.

Serve plain, with whipped cream, or with vanilla yogurt. This is not overly sweet, so it could easily be served for breakfast. In fact, I have had it for breakfast :-). Hope you enjoy this as much as we do!

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Granola – for breakfast and snacking

I’ve been on a granola kick lately. I used to make it a lot when the kids were younger, but got away from that. Then my daughter made this granola for us that we really liked and inspired me to start again. Got her recipe and then made some changes just because I could. I’ve made this a few times and it’s gone over quite well. I had searched the Internet for recipes, but they all had too much oil and/or sweetener in them. So this is what I came up with…

UPDATE: Updated 8/26/17 to reflect my current use of ingredients.

Granola

Ingredients

Granola

Granola

  • 8-9 cups Old-Fashioned Oatmeal
  • 1 1/2 cups natural whole almonds
  • 1/2 cup chopped pecans (or use 2 c almonds)
  • 1 cup roasted unsalted sunflower seeds
  • 2/3 – 3/4 cup roasted unsalted pumpkin seeds
  • 2 rounded Tbsp cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp. nutmeg
  • 3/4 tsp. sea salt
  • 1 1/2 Tbsp. Vanilla
  • 1/2 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • 1/3 cup REAL Maple Syrup
  • 1 – 2 cups dried fruit – I’ve used cherries, raisins, currents

Put it Together

  1. In a large bowl, combine oatmeal, seeds, nuts, cinnamon, salt
  2. In a small bowel combine oil, maple syrup, and vanilla.
  3. Pour the syrup mixture over the cereal mixture. Mix thoroughly to coat everything.
  4. pour in two cake pans and spread out evenly.
  5.  Bake at 260 degrees for 1 1/2 hours… stir every 30 minutes to bake evenly.
  6. Remove from oven and put granola into large bowl. Let cool. Add dried fruit and store in containers.
I put this on my yogurt/fresh fruit mixture for breakfast. My son likes to eat it by the handful as a snack.
There is room for a lot of variation in the recipe…. you could use a mixture of grains, add some flax meal. Substitute walnuts for the pecans. Use honey instead of maple syrup…. you get the picture :-).
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Refried Beans

There are numerous ways of preparing refried beans and we all probably feel our way is the best. I used to have a recipe given to me by my sister several years ago that I can no longer find. I searched the Internet and none seemed quite what my sister made, so I decided to wing it. I think my rendition turned out pretty well so figured I’d better write it down before I forgot…

I initially soaked the beans and then started cooking them. Unfortunately, I didn’t turn the heat down and they burned in my nice stainless steel pot and left a black bottom. (BTW,  boiling water with a healthy dose of Dawn Dish Detergent for 5-10 minutes really made this easy to clean!) Not wanting to do this again and it being later in the evening,  I took more pinto beans, washed them and put them in a crock pot with water, salt and several cloves of garlic. Set it on high for a couple hours and then low before I went to bed. Wonderful perfectly cooked pinto beans in the morning!!!

Refried Beans

Ingredients

  • 4 cups dried Pinto Beans
  • 6-8 cloves garlic coarsely chopped
  • Sea Salt to taste (I used a generous teaspoon)
  • 2 jalapeno peppers, finely chopped
  • 1 large onion, finely chopped
  • 4 Tbsp. tomato paste
  • 1 Tbsp. Chili powder
  • 1/2 tsp. Cayenne pepper
  • 1 medium carrot, grated
  • 4 Tbsp. oil (mixture of olive oil, safflower oil, or canola oil. Actually bacon grease drippings makes this extra good if that’s your want or you have bacon around)

Put it Together

  1. Rinse the beans and pick them over, taking the odd wrinkled ones out.

    refried-beans

    Refried Beans ready to be served with tortillas or as a side dish.

  2. Put in a large crock pot with 10-12 cups of warm water.  Add a generous teaspoon or so of salt and the garlic. Put the crock pot on high for a couple hours and then on low overnight. I start this early in the evening.
  3. The next morning, drain off most of the liquid, leaving enough to make it a thick soupy mixture.
  4. Heat the oil in a large frying pan and saute the onions, jalapenos, carrot, and another clove or two of garlic if desired.
  5. Add the beans, tomato paste, chili powder, and cayenne pepper. Mix thoroughly and heat through stirring constantly for a couple minutes.
  6. Mash the beans with a potato masher or use an immersion blender (that’s what I did) pureeing until as smooth or chunky as you want it. Season with more salt if desired.
  7. Serve with tortillas, salsa, lettuce & shredded cheese. I also serve as a side dish with shredded cheese and/or salsa.
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Stir Fried Broccoli with a Kick

We had quite a bit of broccoli in our garden, especially after the first frost…my son froze it in several gallon freezer bags. We wanted to do something besides the typical stir-fry or steam/boil… so this is what we came up with. The amounts are really just what we had on hand and what looked good, so feel free to experiment. My son added the Cajun seasoning and we find that we like it! Putting lots of thin sliced onions in the mix gives this a delicious treat.

Stir Fried Broccoli with a Kick

Ingredients

  • 2 bunches of fresh broccoli cut in bite size pieces or a large bag of frozen broccoli
  • 2-3 medium onions – cut in half and sliced thin
  • 5-6 large cloves garlic, minced

    stir-fried-broccoli

    Stir Fried Broccoli with a Kick

  • 1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
  • 2 Tbsp. Olive Oil
  • Sea salt to taste
  • Cajun seasoning such as Slap Ya Momma which can be found on Amazon

Put it Together:

  1. Steam the frozen broccoli until it is thawed and slightly done. If using fresh, steam for 5-6 minutes. Drain and rinse in cool water.
  2. Heat Olive Oil in large pan and saute the onions, garlic, and red pepper a couple minutes until onions are starting to go limp.
  3. Add the drained broccoli and continue cooking until done.
  4. Season with sea salt and the Cajun seasoning.
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White Bean Dip

I got the recommend of this recipe from my sister who found it on Heidi Swanson’s 101cookbooks.com web site. Made a few changes such as more beans and less olive oil… upped the garlic and rosemary also. It is an awesome recipe!!

White Bean Dip

  • 2 – 15 oz. cans white beans (I’ve used Cannellini & Great Northern) or cook the dry beans and use 3 1/2 cups of cooked beans.
  • 1 cup sliced almonds, toasted
  • 4-6 cloves garlic, minced
  • 3 tsp. fresh rosemary, minced

    White Bean Dip

    White Bean Dip

  • 2 Tbsp. lemon juice
  • Zest of 1/2 lemon
  • 1 tsp. sea salt
  • 5 Tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • 1/4 – 3/4 cup water

Put it Together:

  1. In small saucepan, heat olive oil and add rosemary and garlic. Cook on low sizzle for 2-3 minutes and then remove from heat and let steep for 15 minutes. Pour through a strainer and set aside the olive oil.
  2. Rinse beans and put in medium size bowl.
  3. Add approximately 2/3 of the almonds to the beans along with the lemon juice, salt, 1/4 cup water and 4 Tbsp. Olive Oil.
  4. Puree the bean mixture adding additional water as needed to make a creamy paste to your desired consistency.
  5. Put the bean mixture in a serving dish (I use an oval shaped dish). Drizzle the remaining olive oil over the top, add the lemon zest and the remaining toasted almonds.
  6. Serve with whole grain crackers, pita crackers, or veggies and enjoy!
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Roasted Brussels Sprouts

Broccoli is probably one of the more popular cruciferous vegetables being touted for its health benefits… but there are numerous other ones. Brussels sprouts is a favorite around here…. and our most favorite way of preparing it is to roast it. My mother used to harvest brussels sprouts from our garden after the first frost and prepare them by boiling and serving with butter. I always liked this, but roasting takes it to a new level.

Roasted Brussels Sprouts

Ingredients:

  • 1-2 lbs. fresh brussels sprouts

    brussels-sprouts-unclooked

    Brussels Sprouts before roasting

  • 3 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 tsp. Maldon Salt (you can use any salt (regular or sea salt), but Maldon Salt adds a nice dimension to this dish
  • Fresh ground pepper to taste

Put it Together:

  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees
  2. Clean brussels sprouts – cut ends off, halve, and rinse in water, removing any leaves that are damaged or wilted. Drain.
  3. Combine brussels sprouts and olive oil in a 13 x 9 inch cake pan. Add salt and lightly mix.
  4. Roast brussels sprouts in oven 30-40 minutes or until lightly browned. Toss a few times to mix during roasting time. Season with pepper and additional salt if desired.

    roasted brussels sprouts

    Roasted Brussels Sprouts

  5. Serve and enjoy!!
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Almond Prune Scones

Scones are fun to make and can be relatively healthy. Here’s one I put together with ingredients on hand. I only have a few left after an hour, so it must be a keeper.

Almond Prune Scones

Ingredients:

  • 2 3/4 cups whole wheat pastry flour
  • 1/3 cup raw cane sugar (sub regular if desired)

    scones

    Almond Prune Scones

  • 1 tsp. sea salt
  • 1 Tbsp. baking powder
  • 1 tsp. cinnamon
  • 1/2 cup cold butter, cut in small chunks
  • 2 tsp. fresh grated lemon zest
  • 1 cup plain almonds – chop and toast lightly
  • 1 cup diced prunes (substitute other dried fruit as desired)
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1/2 cup 2% milk
  • 1 tsp. vanilla extract
  • 1/2 tsp. almond extract

Put it Together:

  1. Mix flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, cinnamon, and lemon zest together in a large bowl.
  2. Cut butter into mixture using a pastry blender until mixture is crumbly
  3. Add almonds and fruit
  4. In a small bowl, whisk together milk, eggs, vanilla & almond extract
  5. Pour into large bowl of flour mixture and combine until dough just sticks together. Do not over mix.
  6. Generously spray 2 double lined cookie sheets with SPAM or other vegetable oil. Using 1/4 cup, drop dough on sheets approximately 2 inches apart. Brush dough with additional milk and sprinkle with sugar.
  7. Put cookie sheets in freezer for 20-30 minutes. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
  8. Bake approximately 15-20 minutes. Serve with butter or jelly/jam.
  9. NOTE: If you do not have double-lined cookie sheets, put parchment paper on the cookie sheet – the scones will burn easily if precautions not taken.
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White Bean Chicken Chili

I’ve never made white bean chili, but I’ve tasted a few variations. The weather is cold and windy, and it seemed like a good time for a new recipe. This one comes together pretty fast. It is based on several recipes I found and the ingredients I had on hand. We all thought it was pretty good and will make it again.

White Bean Chicken Chili

Ingredients

  • 2 Tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil

    white bean chili

    White Bean Chicken Chili

  • 2 large onions, chopped
  • 6 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 tsp. dried oregano
  • 1 Tbsp. cumin
  • 1 tsp. cayenne pepper
  • 1 – 32 oz. box chicken stock (4 cups)
  • 1 cup water
  • 3-4 cups cooked chicken, diced (preferably the white meat)
  • 5 cans Great Northern Beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1/3 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
  • 1 cup shredded cheese – Monterey Jack, white Cheddar, Pepper Jack. May also use sour cream instead.
Put it Together:
  1. Heat olive oil in large pot. Add onions and garlic. Sauté until slightly cooked – 3-5 minutes.
  2. Add oregano, cumin, cayenne pepper and mix thoroughly.
  3. Add broth, water, and chicken. Cook a few minutes until slow boil.
  4. Remove 1-2 cups liquid and pure two cans of drained, rinsed beans with an immersion blender or food processor. Add to soup.
  5. Add remaining 3 cans rinsed, drained beans and cook mixture 30 minutes or so to blend flavors.
  6. Stir in cilantro.
  7. Serve and top with cheese or sour cream.
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Simmered Cabbage

I really like cabbage, but don’t think to cook it as often as I should as it’s so good for you with all sorts of antioxidants and cancer fighting substances. I also like it raw as in coleslaw, but when fall and winter are here, cooked cabbage is always a nice addition to the meal. Here’s what I like to make (Note to self: Make it more often!). My husband thought it was awesome, so the recipe will stay in the “list of things to make.”

Simmered Cabbage

Ingredients

  • 1 small head of cabbage, chopped (around 4-5 cups)

    simmered cabbage

    Simmered cabbage

  • 2-4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 Tbsp. butter
  • 2 Tbsp. olive oil
  • 1 tsp. sea salt
  • 1/2 tsp. fresh ground pepper
  • 2 cups chicken broth
Put it Together:
  1. Melt butter and add olive oil to large skillet
  2. Add garlic and saute briefly
  3. Add cabbage, salt & pepper and saute 5 minutes, stirring often
  4. Add the broth, bring to just boiling, cover and cook for 5 minutes.
  5. Remove cover and simmer an additional 10 minutes or until done, stirring often.
  6. Season with additional salt & pepper if desired. Enjoy!
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Salmon Black Bean Dip

I’ve made this salmon dip periodically for a few years. The original recipe came from one of Jane Brody’s books. Some minor adjustments were made and here’s what we generally use.

Salmon Black Bean Dip

Ingredients:

  • 2 – 6 oz. packages of salmon (I use Chicken of the Sea wild caught salmon)

    black bean salmon dip

    Salmon Black Bean Dip

  • 2 Tbsp. minced celery (I used 1 stalk and it probably gave closer to 3 Tbsp)
  • 2 Tbsp. minced red onion
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 tsp. cumin powder
  • 1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
  • 1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
  • 1/3 cup fresh lime juice
  • 1/2 – 1 tsp. lime zest
  • 3 Tbsp. Olive oil
  • 2 – 15 oz cans black beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1/2 cup fresh chopped cilantro or parsley

Directions:

  1. Put salmon in large bowl and use a fork to flake.
  2. Add remaining ingredients and mix thoroughly.
  3. Put in refrigerator for 1-2 hours to meld flavors.
  4. Serve with tortilla chips (a mix of blue and regular is eye appealing), pita chips, or crackers.

This is a nice dip to bring to a party as an hors d’oeuvre. We will also eat it as a light supper.

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Taco Seasoning for Taco Meat

Well, here it is Sunday, and looking for a quick lunch/dinner after church. I used to make tacos for Sunday dinner all the time when our kids were young as it was quick and they liked it (or at least they ate it). How could I lose? Anyway, decided to make it today as I thought I had all the ingredients. Turns out – no taco seasoning! After a quick search on the Internet, I came up with something I thought would work based on several ideas.

Taco Seasoning

Ingredients:

  • 2 Tbsp. Ancho chili powder (this is a milder, sweeter chili powder that I really like – sub as you wish)
  • 1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
  • 1 tsp. dried oregano
  • 1 tsp. Sweet Hungarian Paprika
  • 1.5 tsp. cumin
  • 1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
  • 1 tsp. sea salt  (you can use regular salt; I’m just a lover of sea salt as flavor seems brighter)
  • 1 tsp. fresh ground pepper (this is really a ballpark measure – I ground until I was sick of it)
  • 1 tsp. cornstarch
  • NOTE: I add fresh onions and garlic to my taco meat – otherwise you will want to add onion and garlic powder.

Directions:

Mix all ingredients together. Store in an airtight container. This batch should make 2 batches of taco meat, depending on how much you use.

If you want to know how I used it, here’s what I did today… tomorrow may be different 🙂

Put it together with the hamburger:

  1. Brown 1 lb hamburger, draining fat.
  2. Add 3-4 cloves garlic and 1 onion, chopped. Cook until onions are done.
  3. Drain 1 15 oz can dark red kidney beans. Rinse, add to meat mixture and mash slightly.
  4. Add 1 small can of diced green chilies
  5. Add 2 Tbsp. of Taco seasoning and 1 cup of water. Cook until desired consistency, adding water if needed.
  6. Put your tacos together as desired.
  7. This went over VERY well with all present. The green chilies and kidney beans were a new addition and think I’ll keep them.
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New Chili Recipe

Hot Peppers from our garden

Hot Peppers from our garden

I was at my sister’s this past week and she made chilil…. a nice dish to welcome the fall weather. It inspired me to make a pot of chili when I got home. Instead of my usual recipe where I marinate the meat overnight (which should be another entry), I put this together using hot peppers from our garden. Not sure what the variety of pepper it is, but it added a nice kick to the chili. Here’s a picture of the peppers in case anyone knows what they are (I didn’t plant them).

Here’s the recipe as I recall. There is no recipe to reference… just put it together as the mood suited me at the moment.

My New Chili Recipe

Ingredients

  • 2 lbs. hamburger
  • 1 Tbsp. Olive Oil
  • 4-6 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 onions, chopped
  • 3-4 stalks celery, chopped
  • 2 14 oz. cans fire-roasted diced tomatoes
  • 2 14 oz. cans dark red kidney beans, drained & rinsed
  • 4 cups chicken broth
  • 4+ hot peppers, minced (wear latex/vinyl gloves when you do this – voice of experience speaking. You are NEVER as careful as you think you will be.)
  • 2 Tbsp. Ancho Chili Powder (much milder and a bit sweeter than regular chili powder)

    Chili server with tortilla chips

  • 1 Tbsp. Cumin powder
  • 2 tsp. of oregano
  • Sour cream or plain Greek yogurt (optional)

Putting it Together:

  1. Brown hamburger, seasoning with salt and pepper as desired & then set aside.
  2. Heat Olive Oil and then saute celery, garlic, and onions until soft. Add hamburger.
  3. Add Ancho chili powder, cumin, oregano and hot peppers. cook a few minutes.
  4. Add tomatoes, chicken broth, and kidney beans, mixing thoroughly.
  5. Cover and simmer 1-2 hrs to meld the flavors. Add water if it becomes too thick.
  6. Server with a dollop of sour cream or yogurt if desired.