Monday, November 30, 2009

Always Around

Just got to thinking about things that can always be found in different places in my kitchen. Here goes my list. Top 5 things in each section:

Freezer
1. Berries (fresh picked)
2. Ginger (to make it last longer)
3. Chips (chocolate, butterscotch, cinnamon, white chocolate)
4. Candy bars (great to mix into blondies or cookies, or eat for an occasional snack) - right now I have york peppermint patties and snicker bites
5. Chicken or fish (some kind of healthy protein)

Fridge
1. Mustard (condiment of choice on raw veggies)
2. Carrots - raw for munching or salads
3. Mixed greens and/or baby spinach
4. Vanilla yogurt
5. Arthur's Whole Wheat Sandwich Thins

Pantry
1. Dry beans
2. Chicken stock
3. Peanut butter (Peanut Butter and Co's Dark Chocolate Dreams or Skippy Natural)
4. Honey
5. Canned beans

Baking section:
1. Flours: wheat, bread, and regular
2. Raisins
3. Craisins
4. Sugar - white, brown, dark brown, and raw
5. Oats - plain rolled oats from the bins at Whole Foods

What is always in your kitchen?

New Roasted Cauliflower

Most people enjoy leftovers after Thanksgiving. Not me, well at least not that many. By Saturday we were wanting some veggies. I remembered seeing this recipe at Craving Greens blog and wanted to try it. Dad didn't like it, Mom thought it was ok. I thought it was "just ok" at first bite too, but after I let it sit at room temp - even out of the fridge - I thought it was pretty good. Definitely a new take on roasted cauliflower. Don't be afraid of this!


1 head cauliflower, cut into florets
1/3 cup olive oil
1 can diced tomatoes, with juices
2 T raisins (soaked for 10 minutes in water)
1/4 cup chopped pecans
1 tsp sugar (sugar in the raw preferred, but we didn't have any at the house)
Spices: to taste: cilantro (we used dried), s/p, crushed red pepper
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 1/2 T lemon juice

Heat pan with oil. Saute florets and sugar about 10 minutes. Pour in everything else, but lemon juice. Heat through. Put in a pan into a 350 oven for about 30 minutes. Take out of oven and pour lemon juice on top - serve with fresh cilantro if you have any.
Enjoy!

Pineapple Tuna Salad (2009.45)

My Mom picked up this cookbook for me in Tampa: Victorian Recipes. It is a collection of old Tampa recipes from difference B&Bs, older Southern ladies, and restaurants. I picked out something healthy to make. While it tasted good - it wasn't very filling. I was hungry in about 90 minutes.

Makes 5 servings

1 can tuna
1 8 oz can crushed pineapple
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/8 cup chopped pecans
2 T light mayo
s/p

Drain both cans. Mix all. Chill.
I served mine on a bed of spinach.
Honestly, I don't know if I'll even finish this container - it just wasn't worth 170 calories to me. And I want to make the most out of my calories!

Sunday, November 29, 2009

Menu Week: Nov 30 (no leftovers)

This weekend - I actually got tired of cooking. I don't know if it was cooking in a kitchen that wasn't my own. I do love cooking with my Mom - but after 4 days - we were both running short on patience (Mom, I love you!). We cooked ALL the time (when I wasn't exercising or watching football).
So, this is the beginning of the last month of the year. This will have lots of food in it. I'm going to try to make the most of vegetables when I'm not going to parties.
And, I haven't been grocery shopping yet (didn't feel like going anywhere when I landed in the ville today). So, we'll see what happens:

Monday: tuna pineapple salad (recipe of the week), pbj, veggies, Publix breakfast bread for breakfast with some pumpkin butter.
I have some fish in the freezer - think I'll be doing that on mixed greens for dinners.
Dinner on Friday night with a friend: grilled chicken on mixed greens with other veggies. Good healthiness after running
Saturday is lunch with a friend then football food over at a friends house for the Gator/Bama SEC Championship game. I have plenty of berries and some angel food cake - so I'm going to do a mixed berry compote to top it with it and some vanilla ice cream.

That might be about it. We'll see if I come up with anything else. The following week will start the holiday baking! YUM

Saturday, November 28, 2009

Anadama Bread




I heard about Anadama bread this past weekend in Paintsville. I had never heard of it - but we had everything at the house to make it. So, that was the first thing we made for this Thanksgiving meal.
It was much better than I thought it would be -much better than plain rolls.
1/2 cup warm water
2 1/4 tsp yeast
3/4 cup boiling water
3 T butter
1/2 cup yellow corn meal
1/4 cup molasses
1 T sugar
1 tsp salt
3 1/2 cup bread flour

Mixed warm water and yeast - stir to mix, set aside. Mix everything but flour. Mix with the yeast. Mix in flour. I would probably use a little less flour next time.
Knead till smooth. Put in buttered bowl, with top of bread buttered - covere and let sit about an hour. Punch down, knead about 3 minutes, cut 3 slits, let sit covered again for about 30 minutes.
Grease and corn meal a loaf pan. Bake at 375 for about 45 minutes.
Enjoy!

Chocolate Banana Bread - 2009.44

Tyler Florence definitely has a winner on his hand! This tastes like a brownie in bread form. So good.
Wasn't too rich, you could see chunks of banana in it. We didn't have any vanilla, so substituted coconut extract - and it made it taste very "tropical". So yum. We made it in 8 little loaves so Mom could give them away!
From Tyler Florence's Ultimate.

1 stick unsalted butter, softened
2 cups flour
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
4 oz bittersweet chocolate, melted (used Hershey's Dark)
2 eggs
3 ripe bananas
1 tsp vanilla (or coconut like we used)

Grease loaf pan (350 degrees).
Mix dry. Cream wet. Add together - don't overmix.
Bake for about 55 minutes (for regular pan) or 40 for small pans. Just check it.
Very good!
For 12 slices: 283 calories, 12 fat, 2 fiber. This would be good for a special dessert with cool whip or ice cream and sliced bananas, maybe some shaved chocolate and coconut.

Friday, November 27, 2009

Pumpkin White Chocolate Pecan Cake Cookies

My Mom has to do a lot of baking for her church during the holidays, so I am helping while I am home. We had plenty of pumpkin since we are stocking up in case of the after-pumpkin rush shortage. These are yummy, moist, and cake like.

2 1/4 cup flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
2 eggs
1 1/2 cup dark brown sugar, packed
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup pumpkin
10 oz white chocolate chips
1/2 cup chopped pecans

Combine dry ingredients. Cream butter, eggs, and sugar. Add in pumpkin and vanilla. Combine dry. Fold in chips and pecans. Bake on greased cookie sheet for 19-22 minutes at 300.

Thursday, November 26, 2009

Asian Pear and Goat Cheese Salad







I love salads! Honestly - I could eat them every meal! Today's was amazing - no dressing needed!

12 oz mixed greens
2 asian pears, thinly sliced
1 large red pepper, thinly sliced
1/2 cup raw walnuts, chopped
1/2 cup craisins
4 oz goat cheese, crumbled

Mix all. If you are going to use a dressing - I would suggest a balsamic (that's what my aunt used and she said it was great).
Fave thing on the TG dinner table today!

Baked Cheesy Mashed Potatoes




My Papa loves mashed potatoes. So, I kicked them up a little bit today for TG meal. I got the bulk from a Cooking Light recipe and altered it somewhat. Every last bit of it was gone!

4 lbs of potatoes, peeled, cubed, boiled
5 oz gruyere cheese, grated
5 oz fontina cheese, grated
2 T butter
pepper
1 1/2 cup milk
Boil potatoes. Drain. Combine all but about 1/4 cup of the combined cheeses. Mix. Put in greased 9x13. Bake at 350 for 20-30 minutes, covered. Uncover, top with the remaining cheese. Bake on broil for -10 minutes.
So yum. Don't add much more salt if any because these cheeses are really salty!

Thanksgiving 2009 Menu






Thankful for parents who buy the ingredients to cook a fabulous meal! We had family and friends over to eat a wonderful meal.

Pork Tenderloin (roasted with a bbq rub, sliced) (pulled crockpot pork)
Anadama bread and Publix bakery rolls
Cranberry BBQ sauce
Orange Cranberry Sauce
Red Onion Applesauce
Asian Pear and Goat Cheese salad (top 2)
Cheesy Baked Mashed Potatoes (all gone)
Collards with Bacon
Roasted Balsamic Green Beans and Mushrooms
Green Beans and Potatoes (just for Dad and Papa who like mushy green beans)
Publix Pumpkin Pie
Gingerbread Pumpkin Butterscotch Trifle (top 2)
Tea (sweet and unsweet)

All way yummy.

Tuesday, November 24, 2009

Time, Bravo, Top Chef, and TV Dinners as recorded by Joel Stein

Gotta hand it to Time magazine. Joel Stein is a great writer. His article in the latest Time is called "TV Dinners Get Literal". A frozen food company has picked up a line of tv dinners that will be using Top Chef meals created for the tv show. I think you need to read the whole article (very short), but these are some of the "highlights". And I agree wholly with Joel Stein, just for the record.
Harry Balzer, a dude who tracks food trends, "You are going to eat four to five times today, and the one thing I know you aren't to do is try to get someone else to prepare those meals." Today I did that. I had a meal out with a friend. That is fine. Not all the time, but occasionally - and I love to eat out. But, very seldom do I have pre-packaged foods in my fridge. I seldom buy a rotisserie chicken because I know it is cheaper and tastes better when I cook a raw one in the oven. I don't buy frozen veggies that often because I would rather go pick mine from a local farm or buy them fresh from the market - even buy a ton of them and freeze them myself.
"I ordered all five of Schwan's Top Chef meals - which cost $10-12$ per meal." Folks - come on. I can eat on 5 meals for that. Or more. Do you know how much money you are wasting just to pop something in the microwave for minutes 30 seconds, peel off the cover, stir, and repeat. So, not only is your stomach and the rest of your body suffering - but so is your wallet!
"The cauliflower, though a weird glop that was totally unlike cauliflower, kind of compelling." I would rather spend 2$ on a head of cauliflower, take a minute to chop it up, put it on a roasting sheet pan, and throw it in oven. I don't want a weird glop of something white on a plate.
"They used fresh ingredients (talking about the Top Chef folks). By the time this gets to you, its a salty mush. I'm sure Kevin didn't put guar gum in it." All these fake ingredients - go on, grab a fake meal out of your freezer, read the ingredients - anything fake? You don't need them. I am loving eating a mostly whole diet. It is so much better for me. Even my granola bar today had 3 ingredients in it: dates, peanuts, and salt - all natural ingredients - and so very good!
"The Top Chef deal is targeting people who don't have time to cook but do have time to watch TV. Its going to make a fortune!" Oh, if people only knew how stupid and true that was. Joel hit the mark on the head. People will watch Top Chef just to have something to talk about at the water cooler (I'll be watching the whole season when I get home for Thanksgiving this week), buy all the Top Chef gadgets for the kitchen, and then use the knife they bought to cut a slit in the film cover on their frozen meal.
Wake up folks!

Monday, November 23, 2009

Menu Week: Thanksgiving

Wow - its Thanksgiving week!
So excited about all the cooking with my Mother this coming week - and that means a trip to FL. Warmer temps, huge kitchen to cook in...good stuff (many things to be thankful for)! Thank you Dad for the plane ticket.
Monday - leftovers (pumpkin pancakes with pom arils, chocolate chips, and cool whip), chicken sweet potato curry, salad with chicken, fruit.
Tuesday - black bean chilaquiles, chicken curry, salad with egg white omelette, angel food cake with sauteed apples and cool whip and cider (Tina Wright style) with a friend.
Wednesday - early morning commute to airport may mean muffins and coffee with Rebecca at SDF, Whole Foods for lunch in Winter Park, veggies for dinner.
Thursday - I know the main part of our Tday meal will be a slow-cooker pork tenderloin. Yum. I'll be posting later this week with pics of our wonderfully abundant meal.
Friday - making more things (Christmas goodies), going to Sonnys, having spaghetti squash and veggies for dinner because of a 5k on Saturday (need carbs, don't want pasta)
Saturday - almond butter on sandwich thin pre-race (first time for almond butter), buffalo chili for the Gator game on the big screen.
God is so good. I'm looking forward to this week. Lots of veggies and lots of exercise so I hopefully don't gain a ton! :)

Wednesday, November 18, 2009

Sweet Potato Chicken Indian Curry (2009.43)

Wow - where did the month go? It is starting to be cold and rainy here in the KY. Oh well, the fall is almost behind us.
Perfect time for Crockpot recipes - BH&G Biggest Book of Slow Cooker Recipes. This one was good - not great. I will eat it, but not serve it to other people. Funny thing is - I set it on high instead of low last night. So, this thing cooked on high for 5.25 hours instead of just 4. Thankful it wasn't burnt to a crisp!
And it is healthy. 250, 2 fat, 6 fiber. I used sweet potatoes so it may have even more fiber!

1 1/2 lbs sweet potatoes, chunked
1 red pepper, big dices
1 onion, sliced
1 lb chicken - cubed
1 can diced tomatoes
1 T coriander
1 1/2 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp ginger
3/4 tsp salt
1/3 tsp red pepper
1/2 tsp garam masala (or turmeric, but I didn't have it, so I substituted)
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp cloves
1 cup chicken broth

Layer in up to the chicken in a crockpot. Mix the tomatoes, broth, and spices. Pour over. Cook on low for 8 or high for 4.

Monday, November 16, 2009

Product Review: Kashi Southwest Style Chicken

There are some days when all you want to do is grab a freezer meal. Today was it. I got back in from a trip away (all wknd) at 11pm last night. I had tried to clean out the fridge before I left - so I had nothing.
I received a coupon for a free Kashi meal a few months ago and picked out the Southwest Style Chicken. I grabbed it.
So yummy! It took me a while to eat it because work life was crazy. But the chicken wasn't rubbery, good flavor from just the right amount of cilantro, very filling because of the black beans and the mixture of oats, brown rice, and other grains. So good! All for 240 cal, 5 fat, 6 fiber. The sauce kinda broke down as it sat and then it went into the pilaf - that made it even better. And this was definitely a bigger portion than a regular Lean Cuisine or something. Very good - and only 28% of my daily sodium, so not as bad as other frozen entrees.
Kashi - anytime you want to send me more coupons - bring it on! :)

Taste of Raleigh: Winston's Grille

This past wknd I was in a great eating city/area in Raleigh, NC. For lunch I went with some friends to Winston's Grille. I very nice place for lunch or dinner. I had been there once before when I was in seminary for a nice dinner with my parents.
The warm yeast rolls were great - whipped butter melted nicely. So yum on a cold, blustery, rainy day in Raleigh.
I had a great salad - a harvest salad: grilled matchstick veggies, granny smith apples, craisins. I topped it with balsamic. I opted to leave off the honey mustard dressing and the bleu cheese crumbles, so it was really healthy. Craisins are wonderful on a salad! Probably the healthiest thing I ate all weekend. It was delicious and filling.
My two other friends got salads as well (and yeast rolls): black and bleu salad (blueberries, strawberries, blackened chicken, strawberry vinaigrette dressing. The other one was the grilled chicken salad (yummy cheese on top). I think cheese does wonders for salads!
What is your favorite cheese on a salad? I like goat or really sharp cheddar! I did take pictures but they turned out really dark because the lighting was dim in the restaurant.
Thankful for a great leisurely lunch in Raleigh and friends.

Product Review: Food Should Taste Good Multigrain Chips

I was in the Chicago Midway airport last night and just grabbed a bag of chips from one of the vendors. My granola bar and apple were long gone, but yummy too. They looked healthy enough - better than fried chips or ones with tons of chemicals.
I got these. They only had the multigrain and olive kind, so I opted for the multigrain because I really don't care for olives.
I loved the flax seeds baked in. Mine unfortunately were a little stale, but I think that may have just been because they were at an airport. I loved the saltiness - yum. Lick your lips and fingers to get the salt goodness off - that good.
There were about 15 chips in the bag (big tostito type chips), mostly whole, not crumbly. 210 calories, 9 fat, 6 fiber. So I thought altogether pretty good for a bag of chips.
Company: do you want to send me your other flavors to enjoy? I would really love to try the jalapeno, buffalo, chocolate, and sweet potato! Free publicity!

Comfort Food: Chicken Pot Pie


For dinner on a great fall evening - chicken pot pie. And with everything in the cupboard - its even easier! :) Thank you Tina for a great and yummy dinner.

2 pie crusts
2 cans cream of potato soup (chunky)
2 cups chopped chicken
1 can veg-all, drained
1/2 cup milk
1/2 tsp each thyme and black pepper
1 egg

Mix all together. Pour into pie shell. Top with other pie shell. Egg wash the top. Bake at 350 for 40 minutes. Oh, and poke holes with fork in top of pie shell before putting egg wash on.
Let sit for about 5 minutes before serving so it stays together (the yummy gooeyness inside).

Creamy Toffee Dip

Oh yum. I ate way too much of this weekend - but it was paired with granny smith apple slices does that make it healthier? Thank you Tina for a yummy and simple, versatile recipe!

Creamy Toffee Dip

8 oz cream cheese, softened
1 bag Heath Toffee bits
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1 t vanilla

Mix all. Let chill before serving. Enjoy with sliced apples, graham crackers, pears, anything!

Menu Week: November 16

New week - almost Thanksgiving. Wow - the year has totally flown by. I've enjoyed it very much!
This week won't really be specific - but I'll see what I can do (time prevention!)
I don't think I really have any leftovers, so pancakes will be for breakfast and then later in the week I'll make a black bean chilaquila that will probably last me till I go home for Thanksgiving.
The recipe of the week will be out of a Slow Cooker cookbook - hopefully a big pot of soup of some sort that will last me till I go home for Thanksgiving.
I'm eating a lot of greens and veggies and egg white omelettes as I undo the tons of food (yummy, but a ton) this weekend in Raleigh (recipes coming).
I also need to be drinking tons of water to undo the traveling and sodium!
Thursday I'm having breakfast with a friend. Tuesday is national bread baking day or something like that so I may try something in the bread machine for work the next day or to go with my soup.
I am heading out of town again this week (not leaving though until Sat morning and coming back Sunday night). So looking forward to it.
Ok - more specifics later.

Thursday, November 12, 2009

KIND Fruit and Nut Bars

Sitting here at the BWI airport - wanted something to snack on, really just some caffeine. I had seen this type of bar on some food blogs that I read, but had not seen it in Louisville before. You reall gotta love healthy, tasty goodness.
Picture of it to come, but I got the Almond and Apricot bar. Loved the subtle yet not fake tasting burst of apricot, whole almonds, chewy texture.
Here is the what the front label says: all natural ingredients, gluten free (celiac sufferers - just for you), wheat free, dairy free (vegan lovers), low GI (glycemic index) - which is a very good number (my physical therapist in the ville says you are supposed to stay under 50 on the GI), good source of fiber (we all need more of that right), no trans fat. There were some other random things, but those are most important.
Maybe not as few ingredients at Larabars (which I love most flavors), but very reasonable: almonds and apricots being first in line.
So, hopefully they aren't always this expensive (2.67 at an airport), so hopefully I can find them at TJ or WF or other stores like that around the country.
Good stuff. Will enjoy it all weekend

Wednesday, November 11, 2009

Cranberry Muffins (2009.42a) - Jared Coffin House in Nantucket

I finally used this Baking in America cookbook that a dear friend here in the Ville gave me. And I actually am going to use it again tonight. So, I am hoping the second recipe turns out as good as the first recipe.
I made the Cranberry Muffins from Nantucket (from this hotel). They turned out light, fluffy, and mildly tart from the cranberries. The directions I found to be a bit hard to follow - so I just simplified and used a regular muffin how-to. I liked them. Again, may cut down on the sugar I sprinkle on top, but that's about it.

12 muffins

2 cups flour
2 t baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp grated nutmeg (I used fresh)
1 3/4 fresh or frozen cranberries (I used more than their 1/2 cup), chopped in a food processor
1 egg
1 egg yolk
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 stick softened unsalted butter
1/4 cup crisco
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup plus 2 T milk

Mix dry, set aside. Cream together creamables. Add in the milk. Add in dry. Fold in cranberries. Sprinkle about 2 tsps of sugar over the top of the muffins (not 2 T)
Spoon into greased muffin tins. Bake at 350 for abtou 25 minutes or until lightly browned and a knife comes out clean.
Enjoy!

Tuesday, November 10, 2009

Apple Berry Cobbler with Cinnamon Biscuits (2009.42)

Wow - that means there is only about 10 weeks left in the year! Went by so quick!
This was a great way to wake up this morning - to have my house smelling yummy and very fall-y. Apples and cranberries and cinnamon - can't go wrong with this. This is out of Southern Living's Our Best Recipes 2004.
I followed this recipe to a T (save the nuts because I didn't have any chopped at the time and was pressed for said time). I thought it was a little sweet for my liking, so next time I would: cut the biscuits out (instead of just dropping them - better presentation) and cut the sugar down to make it more tart.

4 granny smith apples
3 fuji or other tart/sweet apple (I didn't peel them, but that is just me)
2 cups cranberries
1 cup sugar (I would cut the sugar here)
3 T flour
1 tsp cinnamon
1/3 cup maple syrup

2 cups flour
1/4 cup sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 stick cold unsalted butter, chopped
3/4 cup buttermilk

3 T sugar (I would cut the sugar here)
1/2 tsp cinnamon

Apple and berries, combine with sugar/cinnamon mixture. Then stir in syrup. Press into 9x13 greased pan.
Dry ingredients, cut in butter, combine with buttermilk. Knead about 7 times. Drop or cut biscuits on top of apples.
Sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar (and nuts if desired).
Bake at 350 for 50-55 minutes.
Serve warm with ice cream or cool whip.

I cut the cooking time a bit (it said an hour). I thought it was done by 50 minutes. This was good, just a little sweet - so I can cut the sugar next time! I hope Brandi enjoys it.

Sunday, November 08, 2009

Menu Week: Nov 9

Wow - well, I need to definitely be eating healthy to make up for all the stuff I ate this wknd!
Monday
Pumpkin or Banana Vegan pancakes for breakfast with Rebecca who is bringing the Starbucks (Caramel Macchiato nonfat with whip for me). Lunch is sweet potato and other random stuff. Dinner is pbj because I have housing duty.
Tuesday
Couscous for breakfast with yogurt. Lunch is with Brandi (who is getting the apple cobbler with cinnamon biscuits). Dinner is salad while baking cookies
Wednesday
Couscous, salad, soup. Baking gingerbread.
Thursday
Pumpkin Oatmeal muffin with pb dark chocolate on the way to the airport. Lunch is in WF with my good friend Leah. Dinner is at friends'.
Friday-Sunday
Much of the same
Recipe of the week will be a gingerbread recipe. I just gotta find one in a cookbook that I haven't used yet this year.

Sweet Potato Hash with Fried Egg




Amazing breakfast - reminded me very much of one of my fave Lou breakfast places - North End. Seriously - it was that good.

(serves 3-4) - if that many, do 1 egg per person
2 medium sweet potatoes, cubed
1/2 white onion, chopped
2 apples, peeled and chopped (we used 1 granny smith, 1 black twig)
3 slices pancetta
2 T medium amber maple syrup
1 egg per person
butter

Heat butter in pan till really hot. Cook potato and onions till almost done. Add in the apples, pancetta, and syrup. Heat through. Cook the fried egg. Put it on top. Top with some greenery.
Much cheaper than getting it at North End. Toasted some sourdough with strawberry preserves, drank some milk with it.
So good and filling, local ingredients. What a way to spend a warm, Sunday morning. As I told Rebecca, "Sunday mornings were made for this" - note: right now I go to church at night (so I'm not skipping). I just love a leisure morning (1 a week) to enjoy a nice brunch, without being rushed to go get ready.

Seaside Cheddar Grilled Cheese







Ok - I've had two memorable grilled cheese sandwiches in my life. One was about 2 years ago at a little diner in Ft. Wayne, IN. 5 cheeses, sourdough, tomato, bacon. Didn't think it could be topped. Hmmmmm.
It was topped last night.

Rebecca and I made an amazing grilled cheese - and you can, too.


4 slices fresh sourdough breat
6 oz seaside cheddar cheese (Whole Foods)
1/2 red onion, sliced
2 T apple cider
butter

Start the onions really early because they take about 1 hour to caramelize. Slice them, put them in a pan, pour in the apple cider, cook on low for about 1 hour.
In a frying pan, butter bread. Spoon on some of the caramelized onions, top with cheese, then other slice of bread.
Heat through. Holy yum these were amazing.

Thursday, November 05, 2009

Fall Spiced Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

Will these take the place of my favorite chocolate chip oatmeal cookie recipe from Sara Foster - nope. Are they a good treat to bring to the office in the Fall - yes. How can anything with spices, oats, and dark chocolate be bad? I mean these cookies are practically good for you!

1 cup flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1/4 tsp fresh ground nutmeg
1/3 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1/4 cup sweet potatoes, mashed (I used some from my cousin's farm in AL)
1/2 tsp vanilla
2 cups rolled oats
3/4 cup dark chocolate chips
1/4 cup chopped walnuts

Mix dry. Cream butter through vanilla. Combine. Fold in oats and chocolate. Don't overmix.
Bake on lightly greased baking sheets at 350 for about 12 minutes. I got 24 cookies.
You had to really hunt for the sweet potato in it. And since mine aren't a typical sweet potato, mine almost have a greenish tint instead of a orangish tint. I love the spice of these cookies - and I always love anything made with oats!
125 cal/5 fat/1 fiber per cookie. But you get over 2 grams of protein per cookie and less than 10 grams of sugar.

Apple Muffins (2009.41a)

This cookbook, Taste of Home Guide to Baking, is usually a better judge of recipes than this. I made this one tonight and just tasted it. Usually they are at least servable. These don't have any flavor at all. So - they are going in the trash. They aren't weren't the calories for me even to eat them. You win some you lose some!

1 1/2 cup flour
1/4 cup sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp fresh ground nutmeg
1 egg
1/2 cup milk (I used light vanilla soy milk)
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 large apple, shredded

1/3 cup packed brown sugar
2 T flour
1/2 tsp cinnamon
2 T chilled butter, chopped

Mix dry, combine wet, fold in apple. Sprinkle streusel topping on top. Bake at 400 for about 20 minutes. I got 10.
These have absolutely no flavor. Don't care for them at all.

Vegan Planet's Spiced Banana Pancakes

Wow - I think I like these better than the pumpkin ones - we'll see! My friend Sarah pointed me to these - (as another blogger says) - holy yum. That just means its a yum set apart from other yums!

Vegan Planet is a cookbook - I think I may have to get my hands on a copy!

1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
2 tablespoons raw sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
sprinkle of cinnamon
sprinkle of allspice
1 1/4 cup vanilla soymilk
3 bananas - 2 ripe (like ones you would use for banana bread), 1 like you would eat - sliced

Mix dry. Mix in the soymilk. Mix in the mashed bananas. Fold in the chopped banana. Cook on a greased griddle till done (I'm using scant 1/3 cups) and I'll get about 10-12 pancakes. I plan on serving these with some choc chips and pb chips and cool whip!
Yummy - what a great and healthy breakfast. About 200 calories for 2 pancakes.

Taste of Louisville: The Cupcake Shoppe

This little place is right down the street - next to other favorites such as Lotsa Pasta and Asahi. Today was the first day I tasted their yumminess!
My boss' wife brought me a yummy Pumpkin Patch Cupcake with Cream Cheese Frosting.
The frosting was tasty with a sprinkle of cinnamon on top. Perfect blend of sugar and cream cheese. Perfectly smooth.
The cupcake was so moist - perfect ratio of frosting to cake. Had nuts in it, perfect spicy/sweet level. Maybe the best fall cupcake I've ever had.
Darn - I didn't have my camera. Wish I did.
So cute. So yummy. Definitely worth the one bite!

Tuesday, November 03, 2009

I read way too many food blogs when....

My breakfast this morning consists of:

1/2 cup whole wheat apple cider couscous with Trader Joes orange flavored dried cranberries
1/2 cup ff vanilla yogurt
1 T Nature's Path Pumpkin Flax Seed Granola
1 tsp flax seeds

And I enjoyed every bite! :)

Thanks food bloggers!

Monday, November 02, 2009

Fitness Magazine's Sweet Potato and Apple Bake

Totally honest - Fitness Magazine usually puts out better exercises than they do recipes. This one however, is an exception. My cousin in AL would like this one - because I used their sweet potatoes. So yummy. I had some tonight for dessert after running and kettlebells (perfect for a Fitness Magazine recipe) heated with some light cool whip.

Makes 6-8 servings

2 medium sweet potatoes
3 apples (I used 2 golden delicious and 1 fuji, peeled, cored)
2 T real maple syrup
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ginger
1/8 tsp allspice
1 tsp butter

Bake sweet potatoes for 1 hour at 350 till you can poke them easily with a fork. Let them cool, then slice them (I like the skins, so I left them on). Layer potatoes and apples in a greased 2 qt casserole. Mix syrup and spices. Drizzle over the top. Dot on butter on the top. Bake covered at 350 for 45 minutes.
So good and about 100 calories for a serving. Much healthier and cheaper than all those 100 calorie packs you get at the store that are all processed! So much fiber in these! What a great dessert, side dish, breakfast...

Sunday, November 01, 2009

Whole Wheat Apple Cider Couscous

Never would have thought of this - who does. I adapted a recipe I found on Mr. Breakfast and wanted to use up some more of my Huber's Apple Cider (amazing) and some Whole Wheat Couscous I have had sitting on the counter since my Kitchn Cure week 1.

1 cup apple cider
1/2 cup whole wheat couscous
1/4 cup orange flavored dried cranberries from Trader Joes (these will be a staple in my house if I ever live near a Trader Joes)

Boil the apple cider. Stir in the couscous and cranberries. Cover and cook OFF the HEAT for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork.

Serve for a quick meal (usually breakfast, which is when I'll eat it this week) with some yogurt and dried apples on top for crunch.