Chicken and Rice Casserole - Family Favorite

I love family favorite recipes. I would say - that during my middle school and high school - we had this at least 2-3 times on Sundays per month. This casserole was definitely easy and great for after church because we could set the oven timer and have it hot when we got home. It is a recipe in the first Plant City Primitive Baptist Cookbook, my copy is all stained and everything - actually it is Mom's copy.
I made it this evening to take to a family, who just lost their mom. I'll head it over there tomorrow after church.

Chicken and Rice Casserole

1 1/2 cup cooked rice (I used regular rice)
3 hard boiled eggs, chopped
4 stalks celery, halved, sliced
2 cups diced chicken
1 can healthy request cream of chicken soup
1/2 cup light mayo
1/2 medium onion
pinch of sea salt
pepper to taste
fried onion rings

Mix all together. Let sit overnight covered. Bake at 325 for 30 minutes, uncover, bake 15 more minutes with fried onions on top. Enjoy!

Menu Week: February 9

This week is really busy, but most of it includes cooking - so it should be fun!
Monday - I am the RA where I live, so we are having our spring get-together. I'm using 2 cider mixes to make some Apple Cider. I just got the Foster's Market Cookbook in the mail so I am making three cookie recipes from the book: Chunky Peanut Butter, Chocolate Chip, and Oatmeal Raisin. Looking forward to seeing how the cookies turn out and getting the leftovers out of my house. My meals today will be lentil butternut squash soup and an egg white omelet with sauteed spinach and other vegetables.
Tuesday - Chicken salad for lunch and then heading to a friends' for dinner.
Wednesday - For the 2009 recipe of the week I picked out the 15 Minute Weight Watchers Cookbook. I am making a vegetarian meal of Herbed Polenta with Portabellos. For Community Group, in honor of Valentine's Day this weekend, I am making Red Velvet Cake Truffles.
Thursday - Lentil Soup and Chicken salad - I'm working in the housing office till late anyway and then will get some cardio in at night.
Friday - Lentil soup (I love leftovers) and then we are having our women's event. I am supposed to bring a sandwich - so I am making homemade pimiento cheese with some bread from Panera or Plehns.
So, for me it is a healthy eating week - I just gotta get the goodies outta my house! :)

Roasted and Broiled Veggies on Greens (2009.5)

I love salads! There isn't a lot of food I don't like - but this salad had one of those things, and I thought I would give it another shot - eggplant. This time in a way I hadn't had it before - broiled. Nope, still didn't do anything for me.
But, the salad, recipe of the week out of Salad, cookbook of the week, was a winner. I bought mozzerrella balls to go in this salad, but accidently left them in the grocery bag over night - not a good thing. Since I had some shredded romano cheese - I used that. The Mozz balls would have been better, because the cold creaminess of the cheese would have been a great contrast to the vegetables. Yet, this was still good.
The winner of the salad - the roasted garlic on the roasted sweet potatoes. Roasted garlic is sweet and amazing! Roasted sweet potatoes - almost a comfort food - pop in your mouth goodness. Warm for a really cold night! I could have eaten the whole pan, but didn't. Still have two servings left.

Roasted Garlic, Sweet Potato, Roasted Red Pepper and Eggplant Salad
2 large cloves, zested (with a zester grater)
2 sweet potatoes, sliced and cubed
pepper
olive oil
2 large red pepper
1 eggplant
romano shredded cheese (or better yet, mozzerrella)
Greens
balsamic and olive oil as the dressing

375 toss garlic and potatoes in oil and roast for 30 minutes. Toss halfway. Turn broiler on and place sliced eggplant and sliced and seeded peppers on sheet pan for 10 minutes. Put on greens (I used my favorite, organic baby spinach leaves). Dress with balsamic and olive oil, salt and pepper. Enjoy!

Menu Week: February 2

Well - this week I'm not going to tell you when I'm going to cook things because this week none of those dates may actually happen. But, I will tell you what I am going to cook. Can't wait...
White Chicken Chili
Shrimp Deviled Eggs
Chicken Salad
Caprese Chicken Ravioli
Whole Grain Bread
Roasted Vegetable and Mozzerrella Salad
3 Lean Cuisines - I'm housesitting this week so I need things that are quick and easy
Chocolate Peanut Butter Brownies for CG this week - in honor of Tony's bday (because we didn't have CG this week due to the ice storm.
So - I'll be looking forward to cooking, and sharing food with people, and enjoying housesitting, and enjoying the Getty's this week! :)

Basic Pizza Dough

Pizza is really good - its the all-american food - is it not? You can get it however you want it - usually whenever you want it. The only thing I don't like about getting pizza in a restaurant - it is usually very greasy.
Fast food pizza - Papa Johns takes the cake with their sliced roma tomatoes!
Restaurant pizza - CPK - any of their pizzas are great - I love the mushroom one.
Far away pizza places - John's in NYC - they have an old train station as their pizza place. how cool is that - and the pizza is amazing.
Homemade. Best homemade pizza I've had is at the Beeler's house in Orange City. E makes the best pizza dough. Now, she grinds her own wheat, but I didn't have time to do that (nor do I have the equipment).
Yesterday, snow day #3, I got in the mood for pizza and only had one pack of yeast left. Well, it went ok - probably could have risen a bit more, but it was good. Tasted great! Thx E!

1 c bread flour
2 c flour
1 tsp salt
1 T sugar
1 pkg rapid rise yeast
1 cup warm water
yellow cornmeal

Mix water and yeast - let foam for 5 minutes. Mix dry in mixer. Mix in yeast and water and let go for about 5 minutes till elastic and smooth. Oil bowl and oil outside of dough. Let sit in a warm place covered till doubled - about 45 minutes - punch down. Let rise again.
Bake at 450 topped with your favorite topping! Enjoy. And you don't have to pay a delivery fee!

Rachael Ray's Chick Pea Salad

I am not a huge fan of Rachael Ray. But, some of her recipes are good. I find most of her recipes basically the same with just one or two slight differences, and some of her "sayings" I find annoying. But, some people love her. I was watching her show the other day and saw this recipe - sounded healthy and fresh, so I thought I would give it a shot! I've changed it a little bit after reading the reviews, but basically have kept it the same.

Chick Pea Salad (I'll be eating this tonight with baby spinach)

2 cans chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1/2 large red onion, chopped
1/2 large red pepper, seeded and chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
1 tsp rosemary
large pinch of red pepper flakers
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 T red wine vinegar
1 T balsamic
3 T evoo
s/p

Mix all together. Watch the salt at the end so it doesn't get too salty. Let chill. This would be good with fish, chicken, pork, or on top of greens for a vegetarian dinner. Chick peas have proteins - and you are getting so many vegetables! Tangy enough, but not as tangy as a three bean salad like my mom loves. I think she would like this!

Vanilla Walnut Granola

I've become a huge fan of granola. But, I think it is so expensive to make - and you can't control what you put in it. If you make it yourself you can determine your likes and dislikes and how much of something you want - and it is cheaper. Which is very good at this point in our country's ecomony.
I found this recipe at a new blog I'm checking out: Cookie Baker Lynn. But, since it is a snow day and I didn't have some things but wanted to make it - I've made a few changes. I'm sure her's is great as is, but mine is tasty as well. And I like it because it makes a smaller batch.

Vanilla Walnut Granola

2 1/2 cups rolled oats
1/3 cup flax seeds (I knew these would come in handy again)
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup chopped walnuts (because I didn't have any almonds)
1/2 cup shaved coconut (because I like coconut in my granola)
1 1/2 T sugar (I didn't have any vanilla sugar)
2 T canola oil
2 T natural honey
2 T maple syrup
1 1/2 T pure vanilla extract
1 cup dried fruit.

Mix dry. Stir together wet and pour over. Spread out on lightly sprayed rimmed cookie sheet. Bake at 300 for 30-35 minutes, stirring after every ten minutes. Add in the dried fruit. Let cool and harden then store in air tight container.
I like granola as a snack at work, on yogurt, over fruit and cool whip for a nice crunch. It is healthy too - flax seeds make it extra heart healthy (along with the walnuts and canola oil).
Now that it is done: here are reviews. Definitely watch how long you cook it. I would cook it even less time. And you definitely want to add fruit - otherwise there isn't a whole lot too it! :) I like different chunks of stuff in my granola. Play with it - make it yours.

Favorite Cookbooks

People have started to ask me what my favorite cookbooks are. Well, I have 62 and counting (adding one this week - more on that later). Also, my mom has tons at home - maybe double what I have - so I have a lot to choose from.
These are it right now - and have been for a while. Their menus are fresh, simple ingredients (not cheap and boring however), simple dishes, favorite flavors, seasonal ingredients, and from the beginning of the meal to the end of it.
Favorite cookbook hands down:
Sara Foster's Fresh Every Day. This cookbook has great pictures, simple recipes, seasonal ingredients (and ways to mix up same recipes with seasonal ingredients. I have definitely cooked many things out of there. Some of my fave would be: chicken cacciatore (saw Sara herself demonstrate this at the W-S store I worked at in Durham where her cafes are), Foster's homemade granola, pumpkin white chocolate chip cookies. Some recipes that I have yet to try but need a reason to (any takers?): roasted mushrooms, green peas, and tomatoes (since I've started roasting everything else), roasted corn salsa (will wait for summer when I get corn at Hubers), roasted red bell pepper salsa, black-eyed pea salad with roasted b-nut squash and goat cheese. How yummy do all those things sound - and healthy!
New addition mentioned earlier: I just ordered The Foster's Market Cookbook which came out in 2002 with over 200 recipes they use at the market in Durham/Chapel Hill. I am anticipating great things from it. I also am anticipating going there in May when I am in the area. I loved going there when I lived there - it was just down the street. And, I liked the one in Durham better than the one in Chapel Hill.
Second favorite cookbook: Tyler's Ultimate (Tyler Florence from Food Network). I started watching Tyler back in the day he was doing Food911 and How to Boil Water. I love watching his Ultimate show. He has so much fun and also takes everything up a notch - and makes a whole meal.
Today was a snow day so I took some time to look through this one again. Here is what I have made: Hunter's Minestrone (the only one I've made so far, but that doesn't stop it from being in the top two). I also judge a cookbook on how many dog-ears one has when I have first looked through it. This one has TONS - definitely 2/3 of the book has been marked - to cook. So, again - do I have any takers for a dinner sometime? Here are some on the immediate cook time frame: roasted cauliflower soup, white bean and roasted shrimp salad with cherry tomato vinaigrette, baked rigatoni with eggplant and pork sausage (and I'm not a huge eggplant fan), tagliatelle with mushrooms, cipolline onions and bacon. Those all sound amazing and "comfort food".
So - what are your favorite cookbooks? I'm always looking for new ones. Any suggestions - and why?

Pineapple Raisin Bran Muffins (2009.4)

I knew I would have some recipes like this. Where they are ok - but nothing spectacular. Ones I normally wouldn't put on the food blog, but this is part of my new year's resolution. So, whether they are spectacular or not - they go on the blog.
This is from the Plant City Primitive Baptist Cookbook (the church I grew up in) #2: Seasoned with Love. I definitely think the best recipes (for the most part) got in the first one. These muffins were submitted by Flo Ziglar. I remember some things about Flo: she was tall and lean with short peppery hair. She was really nice and always came to Ladies Circle.
These weren't bad, but they weren't great either. I guess they were fine as far as bran muffins go. They weren't as dark as normal bran muffins. The pineapple and raisins definitely helped these muffins make it into the ok category. i will put these in my freezer - they aren't "throw in the garbage" worthy.

Pineapple Raisin Bran Muffins
1 1/4 cup all bran cereal
1 cup milk
1 egg
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 1/2 cup flour
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 tsp salt
3 t baking powder
2/3 cup raisins
8 oz crushed pineapple with juice (don't drain).

Let bran and milk sit for about 5 minutes - soaking together. Mix dry ingredients together. Egg butter and egg to cereal. Mix with dry. Fold in pineapple and raisins. Spoon into greased muffins tins. 400 for 16-19 minutes.
Let's hope next week's recipe turns out better than this one.

Snow Day Whole Grain Bread

I love snow days. We of course never got them in FL (and hurricane days during the school year were few and far between). I don't like to get out and play in it because I don't like being cold and wet - unless I'm skiing. But, I do like the random day in the middle of the week where I am earning money but staying at home! :)
Today, I have invited 2 friends over (one whose husband is on a mission trip, and the other just because i haven't seen her in forever) for lunch of homemade chicken noodle vegetable soup and whole grain bread. This is the reward for having a well-stocked pantry - fresh homemade bread that is going to smell amazing in 2 hours!

Whole Grain Bread (2 lb loaf in bread machine)

1 1/2 cup skim milk
2 T butter
2 T molasses (or honey)
2 1/3 cup bread flour
1 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup kashi grain flake cereal (I found this on sale for 2.50 at Walmart the other day)
1 t salt
1 1/2 tsp yeast
1/3 cup chopped pecans (or sunflower seeds)

Layer all in in that order. Turn machine on. I used the basic med crust cycle just because I didn't have time for the whole wheat cycle. Enjoy with anything on top - this is a great basic bread. But today I am dragging out some new homemade (by family and friends): pear preserves, strawberry preserves, and apple butter - and honey and butter.

Taste of Chinese Louisville: Great Wall

I love hole in the wall Asain places. My two favorite are Chen's in Franklinton, NC (just north of Wake Forest, a 10 minute drive from the seminary) and a fmr place called Charlie's in Chapel Hill down the store front from the gym I worked out. Both places were friendly, cheap, a lot of food, and both had amazing General Tso's chicken and Charlie's had phenomenal Corn Egg Drop soup.
There is a little grocery front place on Brownsboro in the Clifton area called Great Wall. That is where Brandi and I ate lunch today - well, actually we brought it back to the office. I think the place only has 4 tables so I assume most of their business is pick up/delivery.
I had the chicken and mixed vegetables. They gave me a ton of chicken - but actually I just ate all the veggies (and maybe a piece or two of the chicken before I decided I really just wanted the veggies). I ate about 1/2 cup of the plain rice (why don't more Chinese places serve brown rice?). I took one bite of the tasteless egg roll and decided that definitely wasn't worth it. So, I opted for one of Brandi's Crab Ragoons - those were SO good! :) Put a tad of duck sauce on the top and it was yummy.
So...good, not outstanding, but cheap (4.65 for an entree, rice, egg roll or soda). Not bed. And you could definitely get 2-3 meals out of it. so, really - 2.50 for lunch if you split it with someone is darn cheap! And I like darn cheap!
Now to drink a ton of water today to flush out all the sodium from my system!

Menu Week: January 26

I've been doing a lot of thinking (not much research) about the foods that go in my body, what I cook with, what I have in my refrigerator. But, not to go crazy and out there, but to eat balanced, healthy, etc. So, hopefully this week will reflect some of those thoughts:
Monday - Chinese (I'm doing chicken with mixed veggies) with Brandi from Great Wall on Brownsboro. Haven't figured out dinner yet - either leftover chinese or some roasted veggies (whatever I feel like after training and pilates while watching the Bachelor).
Tuesday - over the weekend I made some mini tortellini chicken vegetable soup so that is what leftovers this week will be. Grilled fish (either salmon or tilapia - whatever I'm in the mood for), sauteed spinach (inspired by the Gossetts).
Wednesday - soup and then roasted veggies and a salad for dinner. Making some chocolate and peanut butter desserts for CG in honor of Tony's bday.
Thursday - soup and Rachel Ray's chick pea salad for dinner with a grilled pork chop
Friday - soup (see a theme for leftover lunches) and egg white omelette and yogurt and fruit for dinner.
Saturday - Calistoga Cafe for breakfast (I think I'll get steel cut oatmeal and fruit) and then something fun for dinner - don't know what it will be yet. For my cookbook recipe this week I am making a muffin recipe out of the 2nd Plant City Primitive Baptist Cookbook - it is a pineapple bran muffin. I like to make muffins and take them to people, but then freeze some so I can sometimes mix up my normal breakfast.
And if you are wondering where the grains and fats are coming from - because I think we all need those in our diets. My normal breakfast is whole grain wheat and all natural peanut butter and fruit. I love all natural peanut butter.

Taste of Louisville: Calistoga Cafe

Louisville has a new chain restaurant. Calistoga Cafe opened recently on Dutchmans in the heart of St. Matthews. Nearby restaurants are Moe's, Wild Eggs, Panera, Red Lobster, Texas, Ernesto's, Bazo's, Skyline Chili, Denny's - just to name a few. Definitely a popular location for food.
I was enticed by the menu and photo of atmosphere of this place, so I thought I would try it out today. Here is what I thought:
Great:
the staff - at least the ones I had. One of the bussers who worked the area near me had to deal with 4 uppity women who wanted things their way and weren't too grateful for her assistance. I was glad to get an opportunity to be gracious with my words to her.
fountain drinks - I love fountain drinks! :)
the coupon - with my meal today I got a coupon (good for 30 days) for a BOGO Free breakfast. Hopefully I will get to use this next Saturday.
Taste of half wrap: I got the veggie hummus wrap - I liked the marinade they put on it and the taste (although slight) of the hummus.
Not so great:
the price - you choose two and a fountain drink and small tip (10%) was 11.40. Too much for lunch.
I got the French Onion soup (least amount of calories I would think) - it was only warm and they seemed to have slapped some croutons then a slice of mozz cheese on top. At least it wasn't too salty. I just ate the broth and onions. The sandwich was piled in too much (wrap) so it started to fall apart. It was soggy from the vinaigrette they had put on it. The feta wasn't small cubes - but large blocks (3/4 in cubes) - that's too big for a sandwich.
Too loud: My Dad would definitely have not liked this place. I was trying to do some Bible reading and menu planning. I went after 1pm hoping to miss some of the crowd. But even by the time I left at 240 it was still so loud in there. Don't know if it is the acoustics or just the number of people, but I really think Panera is quieter.

So, will I go back? I'll give it one more shot - with the coupon and breakfast. But, I don't think I'll be making this place a regular! :(

Morning Glory Muffins (2009.3)

New cookbook this fall - Whole Grain Baking by King Arthur Flour. This is week 3 of baking out of cookbooks - so far so good! :) This is the premier cookbook by anyone who likes to bake with whole grains. If its a grain - it is probably in here.
I have made similar muffins to these, but these used whole wheat flour. They turned out darker than the others I have made - but have so much goodness in them. I liked them warm out of the oven. We'll see how others like them today.
I kept the recipe mostly the same, but used both sugars, used wheat germ instead of sunflower seeds (the option) and used blood orange juice for the oj.
So, the question - are these healthy? Well, the question would have to be answered in how you define healthy? They have a ton of fruit and fiber in them. But - they also have 350 calories, 20 whole grains, 18 fat, 7 protein, 19 sugars, 26 complex carbs. So - while not WW point friendly, they are a good filling source of fruits and complex carbs!

Morning Glory Muffins (make 12-18 muffins) -

2 cups whole wheat flour
1/2 cup each light and dark brown sugar
2 tsp soda
2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp EACH salt and ginger
5 large carrots, peeled and grated
1 large granny smith apple, peeled and grated
1/2 cup coconut
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1/3 cup wheat germ
3 eggs
2/3 cup canola oil
1/4 cup fresh oj (I used blood orange juice because I had those lying around)
2 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup raisins (soaked in hot water, drained)

Preheat oven to 375. Mix dry ingredients together, add fruit. Mix wet ingredients, fold into dry. Fold in raisins.
Line muffin pan, lightly spray, pour till the tins are full. Bake for 24 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes. Serve

Roasting Vegetables

If you are sick of the same vegetables - try roasting them. I have done this 2 times this week (or last) and have loved the results. Roasting usually sweetens the taste of what you roast - so easy too!

Roasted Broccoli with Red Peppers

1 bunch broccoli (3 heads)
1/2 large red pepper
olive oil
s/p

Cut heads in florets. Chop peppers into strips, then halve. Place out on a baking sheet and drizzle with evoo. S/p. Then bake at 450 for about 18 minutes. You want the broccoli to be slightly browned.

Roasted Green Beans and Mushroom with Balsamic

1 lb fresh green beans, cleaned (left long)
1 8 oz pkg sliced mushrooms
1 1/2 T evoo
1 T balsamic vinegar
s/p
Parmesan cheese

Trim green beans, but I left mine long. Toss with mushrooms. Put in a big gallon baggie. Mix evoo and balsamic, toss together - squish over veggies. Place out on pan. 450 for 25-30 minutes or until most of the moisture is gone from the mushrooms - not burnt though. Remove from oven, s/p, and sprinkle parm cheese on top. Yumm-y!

Roasted Root Vegetables

3 small sweet potatoes
3 parsnips
4 carrots

Peel, cube or slice about the same size. evoo, s/p, pan 450 till done (by tasting, some pieces may be done before others). I did this because I wanted to use up some veggies instead of throwing them in the garbage.

Menu Week: Jan 19

I am housesitting this week, so I have purposefully not added much to my fridge because I want things to be easy, portable, quick, and healthy. I have all of that in my fridge now. Only have to get some fruit and items to make breakfast for our Crossing Essentials class on Saturday.
Monday - chicken salad wrap (leftover chicken from soup), vegetable tagine
Tuesday - chicken salad over greens, spinach lasagna
Wednesday - chicken, mushroom, and rice soup, vegetable tagine
Thursday - spinach lasagna, minestrone soup
Friday - chikfila for Orientation lunch, yogurt, egg white omelettes
Saturday - Brunch for CE: banana muffins, morning glory muffins (out of King Arthur Flour Whole Wheat Baking cookbook, my recipe for week 3), cream cheese danish, egg cuties. Then I'm heading to Fazolis to use my bday dessert coupon before the month runs out.
Sunday - minestrone soup, cereal (random bowls are good for you)

Winter Progressive Dinner Part 2

Tuesday night was our WPD.2. This time it was enjoyed with the Dawkinses and Myerses. I'm am sending you here to look at pictures and get Laura's take on the evening. The salad was good and easy - I like that. Laura's chili was warm and yummy with all the fixings - so good on a cold evening. Bonnie's cheesecake was great with a sour cream top layer - yummy! And I love cheesecake.
The salad I made was romaine, mandarin oranges, avocado, and smokehouse almonds. The dressing was oj, orange zest, red wine vinegar, s/p, and olive oil.
Here are some random things from the evening:
1. All the meals had a creamy layer to them: avocado on the salad, sour cream for the chili, cheesecake for dessert.
2. David taught us about beating the potato to make the skin open up easier to eat.
3. I just sat my little potato down in the big bowl of chili - makes the skin better (since there is vitamins in the skin of the potato).
4. I learn table decor from Laura every time I go over there.
5. We prayed for the guys' trip coming up and the people in Central Asia. That was a great way to end the evening.

I love these couples. They are a great example for me of cooking and marriage and friendship and selfLESSness and having a mission-heart. I am very thankful God put them in my life here at Southern. Bonnie, Laura, and I all work here in the admin offices, and Justin and David work here at the seminary as well. They go to church together at Immanuel - a great church dtown Ville. Bonnie and I take pilates most days together. I see Justin when I head to the student store and mail room.

Pear and Apple Crumble Pie (2009.2)

I don't know what it is about warm brown sugar - it can make probably even spam taste yummy. This is week two of the new year and that means week 2 of new recipes. I was a little skeptical about this one because I've had mixed results (ok, but not great) from the recipes I've made out of Get Togethers from Gooseberry Patch. But, when the crumble topping goes on - and its warm right out of the oven - every forkfull is yummy. This is fall and winter combined. It is for Community Group. I like it.

Pear and Apple Crumble Pie
1 deep dish frozen pie crust (set out when starting filling)
4 cups sliced apples (I used 2 cameo, 2 granny smith)
4 cups sliced pears (I used 4 bartlett I think)
1/2 cup white sugar
juice of one medium lemon
1 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp nutmeg
3 T flour

Combine all and put into pie shell. Preheat oven to 400 and bake on cookie sheet for 35 minutes.

3/4 cup flour
1/2 packed brown sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
5 T unsalted chilled butter, diced

Put all in food processor and pulse till it resembles course crumbs. Take out and chill. Put on top of pie. Take oven down to 375 for another 30 minutes.

Serve warm with ice cream or cool whip.

Spinach Lasagna

I love this recipe. Almost like my baked ziti - this is a go to recipe, make ahead, that I know will turn out great and is somewhat healthy (only 4 WW points for 1/12th of the pan).
As I told my friend Kevin and Jamie Bowers tonight - Martha Shinn gave me this recipe. My junior year of college at Flagler in St. Augustine, Martha (the Youth Ministries director, boss, and friend) had all the single girls over for a V-day dinner. So sweet. This is the main dish she made. I've been making it since. I love it. And it is so easy and you have to make it ahead - so you aren't scrambling around right before you have dinner guests.

Spinach Lasagna

32 oz spaghetti sauce
1 cup water

2 egg whites
1 pkg frozen spinach, thawed and squeeze all the water out
1/3 cup romano grated cheese
16 oz low fat small curd cottage cheese
pepper

10 oz lasagna noodles

1 1/2 pkg of mozz cheese or mixed italian grated cheese

Mix sauce and water. Mix filling. Layer sauce, noodles, filling, sauce, noodles filling, sauce noodles, sauce. Cover and chill over night.
Preheat oven to 375. Top with cheese. Cover and bake for an hour. Serve and enjoy!

Menu Week: January 12

This week has a lot of cooking and fun stuff. Makes me happy!
Monday - Dinner with K and J Bowers. Making Spinach Lasagna, salad with a poppyseed dressing from BGC, roasted broccoli with red peppers. They are bringing the dessert.
Tuesday - Winter Progressive Dinner Part 2. I am making a grapefruit avocado salad with tex mex dressing and pomegranite seeds. Laura has chili and Bonnie will make a yummy dessert.
Wednesday - Leftovers and then baking for CG: My cookbook this week (2009.2) is Get Togethers with Gooseberry Patch. There is one for an apple-pear crumble pie. Don't know how it can go wrong - we shall see. If not, there is always a boxed brownie mix! :)
Thursday - No cooking today - all leftovers. Need the break.
Friday - I am making an easy dessert to share for Bloom - Crossing's Women's event.
Saturday - I'm thinking leftovers sound pretty good today
Sunday - more leftovers and getting ready for the housesitting week next week.

Crockpot Minestone

I love the crockpot. They are very helpful. I love healthy crockpot recipes. This is one of them. I made this as one of the two soups for a girls movie party I had over here yesterday. It was pretty good - full of many vegetables and completely vegetarian.

Crockpot Minstrone (Cooking Light Slow Cooker, slightly varied...)

1 box and 1 can vegetable broth (or chicken if you don't need it vegetarian)
2 cans diced tomatos with juice
1 can great northern beans, drained and rinsed
1 box frozen spinach, thawed
2 medium onions, chopped
2 large carrots, peeled and sliced
1 zucchini, quartered, sliced
2 swigs of evoo
oregano, garlic, celery seed, rosemary, pepper
1 cup water

Cook on low for about 5 hours. Put in 1/2 cup dry pasta with 30 minutes left. I actually had 2 cups of cooked spirals left from some mac and cheese and just threw that in, and turned it off. Top with some grated parm cheese - yummy. It makes a ton, so I have healthy leftovers!

Food and the Body

I'm a very visual eater. Not only does food need to taste good - it also needs to look good. My friend, Allison, posted this today to her blog. Thought you might want to see the precision of my Creator.

Thanks Allison!

Taste of Birthday Louisville - Cafe Lou Lou

For my actual birthday day lunch - Lilly and I went to Cafe Lou Lou after church. This is definitely one of the "Louisville" places as you can see by the Mardi Gras sign (and its not even February yet!). I was grateful for the new food and company on my bday!

We had a Greek salad - the sun-dried tomato vinaigrette definitely made the salad. So good, just tangy enough!

We split a veggie calzone for our main course. The dough was a bit soggy but the filling was great: fresh tomatoes, spinach, green peppers, and cheese, and other veggies too - my brain isn't remembering the others though.

The dessert "took the cake" - no pun intended. It was one of their specials for the day - and we got the last piece. It was realy popular. It was a Bananas Foster Bread Pudding with Rum Sauce. Wow! Is all I can say! It wasn't too sweet, it was amazing. I wish I could make bread puddings like that.

Thank you Lilly for a great lunch and splitting dessert! :)

Vegetable Tagine - 2009.1

This is my start of the new year resolution. Cooking a new recipe out of each of my cookbooks this year.
Got a healthy start out of the Great Cooking Every Day by Weight Watchers. I've never cooked a tagine before (and don't have the "right" pot, but a dutch oven works very well).
Tagine - a type of dish found in the North African cuisines of Morocco, which is named after the special pot in which it is cooked. The traditional tajine pot is formed entirely of a heavy clay which is sometimes painted or glazed. It consists of two parts; a base unit which is flat and circular with low sides, and a large cone or dome-shaped cover that rests inside the base during cooking. The cover is so designed to promote the return of all condensation to the bottom. With the cover removed, the base can be taken to the table for serving. (According to Wikipedia, a "trusted" source - ha)
Anyway - this used some leftover chickpeas, other things I had - but I used parsnips and other root veggies in here.
It was good - and supposed to be a huge serving, but I'll probably eat 1 1/2 cups each time. It is great on this cold night!

olive oil
1 big onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, finely diced or grated
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1 1/2 tsp cumin
ground pepper
1 cup water
1 can diced tomatoes with juice
1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 butternut squash, cubed and peeled
1 large sweet potato, peeled and cubed
3 carrots, sliced
3 parsnips, sliced

Cook onion, add garlic, then seasonings and water. Add the rest - I just diced them right into the pot as it was going. Cover and let simmer for about 50 minutes. Very easy, healthy, and great flavor. A little sweet from the cinnamon, and savory from the cumin! Better than I thought it was going to be!

Menu Week: Jan 5

Well, the fun begins of trying new recipes and one from every cookbook. The cookbooks I am cooking from this week are Great Cooking Every Day (WW) and Taste of Home Baking.
Monday - Moes with a free bday coupon with Brandi, leftovers of the soup I made on New Years.
Tuesday - Vegetable and Chickpea Tagine (WW), soup for lunch
Wednesday - Meal for friends who had a baby right before Christmas (Mac and cheese, mixed veggies, and snickerdoodles). Also, a spiced pear cake with walnut praline glaze for small group.
Thursday - Leftovers - tagine and soup
Friday - leftovers - see Thursday
Saturday - Chicken Mushroom Wild Rice soup and a winter minestrone (haven't finalized that recipe yet) for the watching of Pride and Prejudice with some friends.
Sunday - I'm thinking leftovers!

New Years Brunch - a day late

I was holding out on my New Year's Brunch this year till today. I had friends coming in town and wanted to share it with them.

There were a couple of things on the menu that were outstanding: the greens (recipe later), the cinnamon rolls (recipe-sorta later), and the citrus salad (cut up pink grapefruit, oranges, kiwi, and pineapple).

We all enjoyed ourselves. Ham, grits (stone ground much better than quick cooking), eggs (I overcooked them - I hadn't done them in muffin pans before, so I couldn't quite tell they when they were done).

Greens

1 32 oz pkg of fresh turnip greens

1 lb pork sausage

1 onion

1 pkg mushrooms (8 oz)

olive oil

I started by cooking the greens in water for about 10 minutes. Then emptied out that water to get rid of the bitterness from the greens. Put them back on for about 45 minutes or until done.

In a pan, saute onions and sausage, till the sausage is almost done - add mushrooms, saute on low till you think they are done. Add them with the greens when ready to serve - so so good! I put them over the grits - great combination!

Cinnamon Rolls

1 pkg reduced fat crescent rolls

brown sugar, white sugar, and cinnamon

10x sugar, milk, vanilla

Roll out the crescent rolls. Take apart in 4 rectangles, pinching closed the perforated seams. Sprinkle in sugars and cinnamon to your liking. Roll up tight. Cut into 5 pieces each roll. Do all of them. Put in 9 in cake pan well greased. Bake for about 12 minutes at 350 or until done. When done, mix up the sugar, vanilla, and milk into a paste and pour over. yummy! These were all gone! And they are bite size.

Oreo Truffles

For a new years party I went to - I made a great recipe by Christina Middleton. They've been all over cooking blog world the past year, but Chris made these back in the day at the Summit for a summer girls Bible study one night. They were really great and really easy - when you have a food processor and mixer! Ah, equipment in the kitchen! I also made hummus - which also made the food processor come in handy!

Oreo Truffles

1 pkg oreos - minus 7 cookies (or I've used the whole pkg of double stuff before too, depends on what taste you want), crushed fine.

1 block 1/3 less fat cream cheese - or full fat, take your pick

dipping chocolate

Soften cream cheese, crush oreos, mix together. Chill dough. Form into balls, freeze balls of oreo mixture for about 25 minutes. Roll in chocolate, lay on wax paper. Drizzle with opposite color chocolate.

enjoy!

Northwood Soup

This soup is easy for a cozy day at home - any time. It takes about 30 minutes to make. Very easy and healthy - about 250 caloried for 1.5 cups. Serves 5 so I have enough for lunches throughout the week. I got this recipe from www.myrecipes.com.

3 regular carrots - peeled and sliced in 1/2 inch slices
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic (I always grate mine now with my zester grater)
1/2 pkg turkey kielbasa, sliced
oregano, pepper
1 box low sodium chicken broth
2 cans great northern beans
1/4 cup celery leaves (from celery stalks)
6 oz spinach leaves

Saute for 4 ingredients in olive oil for 3 minutes. Add in everything to greens and bring to a boil. Let boil for 5 minutes, simmer for 5. Then mash soup with potato masher (to make it thicker by breaking down some of the beans). Bring to simmer for 5 more minutes. Add in spinach and celery leaves. Serve with some parm cheese. Easy, cheap, good. My three requirements for soup!

2009 Cooking Resolutions

I heard someone say this weekend that they categorize their resolutions. So, that is what I'm doing this year. Since this is my food blog - these resolutions will have to do with cooking. There are three of them.
1. I get to cook one new recipe a week. A week is Monday-Sunday. This week I will at least be doing 5 new recipes - it won't be like this every week though. In my menu blog at the beginning of the week - I'll tell you which one is the new recipe.
2. Since I collect cookbooks, I must start using them. So I counted all mine up (not including magazines) and I have about 60. That means I have to cook one recipe out of each cookbook this year. That will be fun, but also hard. It will also give me a chance to hopefully work with some new ingredients!
3. For the healthier end of things - I would like to start cooking with more legumes, whole grains, fish, and veggies.
What are your cooking or food resolutions this year?

Menu: Last week of 2008

I'm already starting this health(ier) eating thing even though we aren't quite into the New Year. This week also holds my birthday - so we'll see how that goes. More on 2009 Food Resolutions in a coming blog.
Monday - Asahi sushi for lunch (I had 4 of the california roll, 4 of the Spicy Crab Roll - that was amazing, some of the hibachi veggies, and a salad). Dinner will be veggies and an egg white omelette.
Tuesday - Progressive dinner with friends. I'm making a pear/gorgonzola/cherry/pecan salad with honey mustard vinaigrette. Laura is making meatballs. And Beth has desserts. This will be fun!
Wednesday - no clue yet. I'm making a hummus platter to take to a NYE party.
Thursday - Orange Cranberry muffins, Tilapia with citrus vinaigrette and veggies.
Friday - Brunch with Reed's: ham, grits/greens/eggs, cinnamon rolls, citrus salad
Saturday - Dinner at Joneses'
Sunday - Lunch with Lilly somewhere for my birthday!

Egg Cuties

To build relationships among the secretaries here at Southern, we have an administrative secretary birthday breakfast once a month. My friend, Bonnie, always seems to be in charge of the egg casserole dish. Its kinda become a tradition. And she's a great cook, so none of us mind leaving that task to her! She made a these a while back and I claimed the recipe for a brunch last week. They were very good. We sent some of the leftovers to the grandparents and had some of the leftovers for Christmas breakfast. My parents are making them again this week. These are a great thing to make the night before if you are going to be rushed in the morning, but I would still prefer them hot out of the pan the first time.

Egg Cuties (by Bonnie Myers)

1 lb. Sausage - this adds to much flavor - the pork fat stuff, not turkey stuff.
1 medium onion- chopped
2 cups shredded frozen hashbrown potatoes
1 tsp. Lawry’s season salt - we didn't have any, so we made up our own
6 oz. Shredded cheddar cheese - we used 2% sharp cheddar
6 eggs
3 tbsp. Flour
½ cup milk
1 cup ranch dressing - we used Walmart brand light Ranch

Grease muffin tins and set oven to 325 degrees.
Brown sausage and onion and drain.
Add potatoes, cheese, and flour to sausage and onion
In another bowl, beat eggs, dressing, and milk. Add to potato mixture.
Add seasonings. Fill muffin tins ¾ full.
Bake for 30 minutes.
Yields 24 muffins.

Homemade Cinnamon Raisin Bread French Toast

This whole recipe came about because my Mom got a brand new bread machine for 8$ at a church yard sale. She bought it to give away, but we had to make sure it worked first. So, we made some bread on Wednesday night and decided to make French Toast with the leftovers of it for Christmas morning.

It turned out very well - even if we had to make do without syrup. (the other in the picture is a fruit salad with blood oranges from the back yard and leftover Egg Cuties from another post).

For bread: (1 lb loaf)

5/8 cup buttermilk

1 egg

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 1/4 cups bread flour

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup butter

2 tablespoons brown sugar

1/2 cup raisins

3/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1 1/2 teaspoons rapid rise or bread machine yeast

Put all in machine in that order and turn on regular setting.

French Toast (6 slices)

2 eggs

2 egg whites

3/4 cup milk

1 T vanilla

2 tsp sugar

1/2 t cinnamon

1/4 tsp fresh ground nutmeg (my Mom actually had the nutmeg, we ground it - so good fresh)

Mix up in a big enough bowl for bread to fit in. Line cookie sheet with foil and spray well with pam. Turn over on to 500.

Dunk bread till well coated and lay on pan. Cook for 5 minutes, flip, 3-4 min on other side.

Dad topped his with light corn syrup. I topped mine with 1 tsp brown sugar and 1 T heavy cream, cool whip, and raisins. Mom topped hers with cool whip. It was very very yummy!

North Carolina Pecan Pie

My Mom's side of the family is pecan growers. Tons of pecan trees in south Georgia - loved tasting the pecans on family trips.

When I saw this recipe in my Farm Bureau Insurance magazine in October - I saved it to make for Thanksgiving. This would be my first pecan pie. We thought we had bought a pie shell, but didn't - so mom pulled together a great shortening crust (use one that you have or buy a regular crust). I also added chocolate chips to this one. It was great.

a crust of your choosing (9 in regular)

4 eggs

3/4 cup sugar

1/2 tsp salt

3/4 cup EACH light and dark corn syrup

1 1/2 T butter, melted

1 tsp vanilla

1/4 cup semi sweet chocolate chips

1 cup pecans, arranged on top in a circular fashion

Beat eggs, add rest. Pour into pie pan. It will go almost to the top. Sprinkle chocolate chips. Arrange pecans on top. Bake for 40-45 minutes at 350.

We made ours early Wednesday for eating on Thursday. I liked how it had plenty of time to completely set. It was yummy with cool whip!

Roasted Fruit Arugula Salad with Panettone Croutons

I had a very special fmr teached and dear friend over for a holiday brunch at the house. It was a sweet time of catching up and hanging out with her and my parents. I enjoy watching people eat what I have made. We all really enjoyed this first course salad. Thanks to Giada!

1 pkg arugula or mixed greens (I really liked the flavor the arugula brought to the table).

2 pears

1 cup grapes

1 cup cranberries (fresh preferably)

6 oz (2 small) Panettone, cubed

2 tablespoons butter, melted
2 tablespoons lemon juice, plus 1/4 cup (about 2 lemons total),

1/2 lemon, zested
1 tablespoon sugar
1/4 cup orange blossom honey
1/4 cup canola oil
2 tablespoons heavy cream
1 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 300 and brown the cubed bread until crispy - about 35-40 minutes. We did these the night before and put them in a baggy. Cut the pears into 8ths, peeled, mix fruit on sheet with sides and drizzle the butter, juice, zest, and sugar over the top. Roast at 425 for 25-30 minutes. Mix the dressing right before serving. Plate it and serve!

Pork, Apple, and Sweet Potato Bake

My friend, Sarah, made this for the first time I met her. I loved it then, I loved it today. I made it for my parents for a light(er) lunch during this holiday week of baking and big dinners. My cousins in Cullman, AL grow sweet potatoes, and give our family TONS of them every fall. This was a perfect dish. You can bake it in the oven for about an hour but I put it in a crock pot since we needed the oven to bake!

3 med or 6 small sweet potatoes
3-4 small-medium apples
1 lb pork sausage
cinnamon
sugar
flour
salt
water

Peel and slice potatoes and apples. Cook and drain pork. Put all in crockpot (or 9x9 pan). I put about 1/4 cup flour, 2 T sugar, 2 tsp cinnamon, 1/2 tsp salt. 3/4 cup water. But, play with it all. I liked how it turned out today - it had a little more liquid, but then after it cooled it had set up a bit. Yummy! The pork sausage gives it great flavor - even though its not the healthiest for you - but turkey sausage doesn't quite cut it!

Menu: Christmas Week

There are a lot of big meals this week, but then eating out and little ones too! :) I'll enjoy cooking with my Mom this week in a big kitchen! Going to FL tomorrow!
Monday - traveling (airport food), taco soup
Tuesday - Brunch: arugula salad with fruit and panettone croutons, egg cuties (from Bonnie), cinnichip scones (already on here), ambrosia salad with vanilla yogurt and homemade granola (already on here) and washing it down with Citrus Punch. Then dinner at Alan and T's: ribeyes, shrimp, rolls, salad, sauteed shrooms, garlic roasted onions, roasted brussel sprouts, nanaimo bars and deep chocolate torte.
Wednesday - Sweet potato, apple, and sausage bake (recipe from my friend Sarah that I had a few weeks ago) and then a grilled chicken salad for dinner (something light to counter the eating together days!
Thursday - Smoked mullet, ham, cornpudding casserole (from BGC), applesauce for granny, sweet potato casserole, cauliflower au gratin, sour cream biscuits (from Lindsay), lemon glazed lemon cake, apricot sandwich cookies, broccoli salad.
Friday - Sonnys and probably Barnicle Bills
Saturday - hotel breakfast, lunch with Robshaws, airport food
Sunday - eating with Sarah and Cheryl while shopping for NYE outfits!

Coconut Cream Pie

This was my first time making a coconut cream pie. The only reason I did was because I had leftover cream of coconut from the Coconut Cream cupcakes I had. This was really good. I took it to a dinner and baking session I went to - and we all ate a piece and it was yummy - sugar overload!

1 ready made graham cracker crust (this time of the year, short cuts are grand!)
1 block of 1/3 less fat cream cheese - softened
1 cup cream of coconut (NOT coconut milk) - this is found in the drink/mixer section
1 small pkg of cheesecake pudding mix
1 6 oz bag of coconut
1 8 oz container of Fat Free Cool Whip
1 cup heavy whipping cream
vanilla extract
sugar (both of these are optional if you wanted sweetened whipping cream, I don't like it plain)
coconut to garnish

Cream cheese and cream, then add in dry pudding mix, then add in coconut, fold in cool whip. Pour into crust. Let chill for 2 hours. Before serving whip heavy whipping cream till medium peaks form - add in 1 1/2 tsp vanilla and 1 1/2 T sugar. Spread on top. Top with coconut for garnish if you want to.
Enjoy!

Friday Night Dinner In and Pear Cranberry Crisp

I had some great new friends over for dinner tonight. It has definitely become my love language to cook for people (acts of service if you follow the Gary Chapman guideline). I just love sharing my love for food with others.
So...here's the menu:
Pear/Cherry/Gorgonzola/Spinach Salad with Honey Mustard Vinaigrette (1 pear, spinach, 1/2 cup dried cherries, 1/4 cup gorgonzola cheese) - Vinaigrette was out of the Butterfly Garden Cafe cookbook (honey, dijon mustard, red wine vinegar, and olive oil)
Flat Iron Steak with Marsala Reduction and Sauteed Onions (3.5 lbs of flat iron - s/p/garlic/thyme). 1 1/2 cup each of beef broth and marsala wine - reduced 3/4 to a glaze. 2 onion sauteed in olive oil and 3 T butter). Chris actually finished off the steak and it was so yummy - thanks to his cooking it to perfection (medium or medium rare). It was so tender. The reduction was so good and how can you go wrong with the onions!
Roasted Brussel Sprouts with Bacon and Lemon - 2 lbs brussel sprouts, cleaned and halved. 425 with olive oil, s/p and lemon zest for 18 minutes, stir, 12 minutes, crumble bacon and add some lemon juice.
Creamy Parmesan Orzo. This was good but the only thing that wasn't to my definite liking just because it had sat too long by the time we ate it. Find this recipe on http://www.myrecipes.com/.
Pear Cranberry Crisp - (Fosters, yes the cookbook I use for everything!) - what I liked about this. It was a warm way to end the meal and it cooked while we were eating our dinner.

6 pears - peeled, cored, sliced thin
1 cup fresh cranberries
1/2 cup apple juice
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 T vanilla
1 tsp cinnamon
pinch salt
1 tsp cornstarch
1/2 tsp all-spice
Mix all together and pour into deep dish pie pan or 9 in pan.

1/2 cup oats
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
4 T unsalted cold butter
1/4 cup light brown sugar
1/4 cup chopped pecans
1 t vanilla
1/4 tsp salt
Crumble together and put on top.
Bake at 375 for 40 minutes or until fruit is bubbly. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream!
YUMMY. The sauce mixes with the melted ice cream - oh I love warm desserts in the winter!
It was fun getting to cook for a change (instead of just bake). Glad my guests enjoyed it. And glad I have some leftovers (I sent the dessert to the drum session down the road).

Peanut Butter Brownies...Take 2

I made these about 2 years ago - and this time made them again, took pictures, and changed 2 things. Instead of using the mini baking reeces cups - I used just the miniature ones (about 2/3 of a bag) and cut them in half. That way they are chunkier. I also sprinkled about 1/2 cup reeces pieces to give them some color.

These were more moist than they were back then!

I'll take some to the office tomorrow and most of the to community group. Very good and easy - better than from a box and didn't take much more time. I will usually take homemade over boxed!

Menu Week: Dec 15

This is my last week up here before I go to FL for Christmas (leaving Monday, excited to have some warm weather hopefully and cooking with my Mom).
I actually have a slower week than last, so we shall see what this week holds:
Qdoba
Cyclers Cafe
Peanut Butter Brownies (made in 2006 on here, found, have all the ingredients, and don't have to make them from a box for small group - very excited about that!)
Flat Iron steak with shallots
Roasted Brussel Sprouts with bacon, parm, and lemon
Pear/Gorgonzola Salad
Cream Parmesan Orzo
Pear and Cranberry Crisp
Candy Cane Fudge
Dark Chocolate Pistachio Apricots
Rocky Road Bark
La Vida Java

Will have fun baking brownies for small group and the office, eating meals with friends, cooking for friends, taking girls to my fave coffee shop, eating and making candy with friends. This time of the year is so cool for hang out time and cooking!

Christmas Baking Fun

Last night I went over to a friend's house, Brandi, of Bites with Brandi, and had a great time baking with some fun ladies. Only one had I met before - so we got to know each other better, but it was just baking with people.

You had to bring a favorite holiday recipe, all the ingredients, and give the finished product to the other ladies. So I left with 8 things last night in a little goodie bag! And a butterfly (I know not Christmas, but fun) cookie cutter. We had pizza and roasted red pepper hummus and veggies - and then nibbled of course while we were baking.

We made: chocolate macaroons, no bakes, chocolate covered pretzels, pupmkin bread, brown sugar chews, pistachio craisin white chocolate biscotti, rocky road bark, chocolate peanut butter bars. My Mom will love the rocky road bark (Brandi's), you can't go wrong with white chocolate, I woke up hungry about 4.45 this morning and had a bite of Sarah's pumpkin bread - very moist.

All in all, it was fun and we had a great time baking. The guys were watching Elf and Narnia and the kids.

Taste of Louisville: Butterfly Garden Cafe

Even though my lunch time was really hurried - this place was excellent - the soup definitely made everything worth it. Butterfly Garden Cafe is down on Bardstown, only about 3-4 miles from the seminary. Only problem with Bardstown Rd is it is very difficult to find parking places and there is tons of traffic.
But, once inside - its all good. We all had the tomato tuscan soup (broth based, fresh tomatoes, basil, onions, etc) - it was worth everything. So yummy and warm - especially with flurries coming down outside! The chicken salad was ok. I like chunky chicken salad and this was shredded. But, I loved the bread. It came with some sun-chips and a square of a corn casserole of some sort. That was very good too.
I sampled the Raspberry Chai while waiting for our table. That was very yummy - with just a hint of raspberry. Lilly and I ended up buying the cookbook from there - and Lauren already had both of them.
All in all - very good, poor parking, about a 1/3 higher than Panera - very nice servers, cozy place. Very thankful for Lauren who suggested it! Thanks!

Taste of Louisville: Shiraz

Dwon a couple miles from the school is a great district called Clifton - with tons of little restaurants in it. One the most affordable and also tasty and quick is a place called Shiraz. I had been there once before, but today I went again and had a much better experience.
I got a Shiraz Panini - flat bread warm with avocado and quinoa and jack cheese in it. Very very good. And some of their lentil rice: basmati rice with seasonings and lentils. This I will heat up this weekend to enjoy with some chicken or just some hummus from Whole Foods.
The people I was with enjoyed it as well. So - go, great for mediterranean food - and cheap on the wallet!

Coconut Cream Cupcakes

I love coconut at Christmas time. We had our Community Group Christmas dinner last night and I brought these. I thought they were good, fluffy cupcakes, icing had little more than a hint of coconut, and the top was festive! This is a Southern Living recipe.

Cupcakes

1 (18.25-oz.) package white cake mix with pudding
1 1/4 cups buttermilk
1/4 cup butter, melted
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
Mix all together in a mixer. Line cupcakes tins with festive cupcake liners (I had just gotten some from my secret sister). Fill 2/3 full and bake at 350 for 20 minutes - don't overbake.

Icing
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 (3-oz.) package cream cheese
1 (16-oz.) package powdered sugar
1/4 cup cream of coconut
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Sift sugar into mixture to not get lumps. There is plenty leftover. Just dunk the bowl in some water so you don't lick it clean!

Green food coloring (3 drops to a baggy full of coconut) and fruited cherries.

These are my new winter/Christmas dishes I got at Kohls - love them!

Menu Week: December 8

Tis the season of many parties, dinners, games - anything to make you eat more - right? I'm glad this week holds time for me to cook, socialize, fellowship, enjoy others, bake, eat, and exercise!
The menu outside of these parties will be very simple and nothing extraordinary about them, but here is what I'm making this week:
Jack Corn Casserole (under vegetables)
Coconut Cream Cupcakes that I'll decorate in the colors of the season
Pistachio Cranberry White Chocolate Biscotti
I'll eat at least two meals out and will comment on those if they are rave-able.

Foster's Granola

Well, by the name of this you should know by now that it is Sara Foster's recipe (Durham). Again, another great recipe out of this cookbook (Fresh Every Day). I'll be ordering her first one here pretty soon - can't wait to get it!
I honestly was a little worried about this granola. It looked too wet and then too burnt. But, you know, once it was completely cooled and broken up - it is very good, very crunchy and maple-y tasting. What good granola should be! This recipe is time consuming because you have to stir it so it doesn't burn and then work it off the pan while its cooling - or it will all stick.

2 cups rolled oats (Quaker Old Fashioned)
1 cup sweetened flake coconut
1 cup sliced almonds
1/4 cup canola oil
3/4 cup quality maple syrup
1/4 cup honey
1/2 cup craisins or dried cherries
1/2 cup dried apricots, cut into pieces with scissors (I found this easier than chopping them)

mix first three with a pinch of salt on a cookie sheet with sides. 275 for 12 minutes. Take out and mix with the wet ingredients. Spray pan very well. Bake again 20-25 minutes (slightly shorter time than Sara says, but ovens cook at different temps) at 350. Stir every 5 minutes or so. Then let cool completely, breaking up pieces as it is cooling. Once cool put all in a big bowl and add fruit. (You can play with the fruit to whatever you like). This makes 4 cups.
I'm using it for our women's gift exchange tomorrow at church. Should be fun and I hope people like it.

Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies (from Durham)

This recipe is for a special lady I work with. She has been my "secret sister" this fall semester and this is her favorite cookie. So, tomorrow for our reveal - she is getting a big container of them.
Earlier this fall I found this recipe in Fresh Every Day from Foster's Market in Durham. My favorite place to hang out in Durham and I so love the cookbook. It is my go-to cookbook because I know its going to be great! Everytime I make these I can just imagine myself sitting there on 15/501 eating, chilling, maybe seeing Sarah herself!
So, the dough is phenom and the cookies are great too - nice and warm and chewy, just watch oatmeal cookies should be - with chocolate all the way through them. You can't go wrong.

2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
1 cup each light brown sugar and white sugar
3 eggs, one at a time
2 tsp good vanilla (I used some from Trader Joes)
3 cups oatmeal (I use old fashioned Quaker Oats)
2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp cinamon and baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 bag semi-sweet chocolate chips

Cream butter, sugars, eggs, and vanilla. Mix dry and spices. Fold in chips.
Lightly spray cookie sheets. Oven at 350. Big cookies (about 1/4 cup). Bake for 13-17 minutes depending on how you like your cookies. Mine were a little smaller and I let them cook for 13 minutes.

Menu Week: Dec 1

Here we are: the holidays are definitely already in full swing. That means, you bake and take, eat healthy when you aren't at parties, and eat wisely when you are at parties - remembering that there is usually another party to go to.
So...this is the week ahead of me:
Fall Pork Stew (cooking now)
Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies (Sarah Foster recipe)
Peanut Butter Blondies
Wintermint Brownies
Granola (Sarah Foster Recipe)
Then...here are parties:
SBTS Secret Sister Secretary Luncheon (Tuesday)
CBMW Christmas party
Gift Exchange Brunch for Crossing Women

Happy first week of December! :)

Hot Cheesy Corn Dip

Got this recipe from closet cooking and also Emeril - but changed it a little. This was great served with Tostito Gold chips - and hot while the cheese is still gooey!

1 bag frozen corn (12 oz), thawed
2 T butter (1 each)
1/2 large onion, chopped
1/2 red onion, diced
1 green onion (white and green), chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 jalapeno, chopped
s/p to taste
1 block monterey jack cheese
1/3 cup light mayo
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1 1/2 handfuls of grated 2 % sharp cheddar cheese.

Saute the corn in 1 T butter for about 5 minutes. Set aside. Saute pepper and onions about 2 minutes in other pat of butter. Add rest of veggies, for another 2 minutes. Mix all together with the rest of everything - topping it with the cheddar cheese. 8x8 pan, lightly sprayed with pam. 20 minutes at 350. Yummy - and definitely has a kick!

Deep Dish Crunchy and Sweet Sweet Potato Bake

Ok - a long name for sweet potato casserole. I got this recipe from my friend Beth - her in-laws make this. I tweaked it to not make it so rich and sweet because i like it better medium on the sweetness. But, this is so yummy! And I had to use real sweet potatoes.

5 large sweet potatoes (bake, take out of skins)
1 stick salted butter, melted
2 eggs
1 cup sugar
2 T cornstarch
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp all spice
1/2 cup milk

Bake in a deep dish baker (round, Pampered Chef). Spray, 400, 20 minutes.

1 cup cornflakes, crushed with your hands
1 stick salted butter, melted
1/c cup chopped pecans
2 handfuls coconut (how can this stuff get any better?)

Melt butter, stir in rest. Spread on top of casserole. Bake at 350 for another 18-20 minutes or until browned.
So creamy and then crunchy and sweet on top. I'd rather have it crunchy and sweet than with marshmallows.
Enjoy!

Orange Cranberry Sauce

This is a Cooking Light recipe. One thing on the Thanksgiving table has to be somewhat good for you - right?

1/2 cup dark brown sugar
1/2 cup oj (fresh squeezed if possible)
1/8 cup honey (I got mine from Dr. Wilder when he harvested it down in GA this fall)
1/8 tsp all-spice
1 cinnamon stick
1/4 cup water
1 bag cranberries

Put all in a medium saucepan. Heat to boiling, then reduce heat. Stir occasionally. Cook until thickened and cranberries have burst. I like some still whole. It was pretty good - still tart. I doubled the recipe. And for 1/4 cup of it - 80 calories! Much less than a piece of pie!

Using Leftover Vegetables

This weekend I finally had some time to work on the kitchen - and the fridge. I realized I needed to use up some vegetables - so I went to work last night.

Egg White omelete with mushrooms, grape tomatos, and cheese
4 egg whites
3 mushrooms - sliced
5 grape tomatoes - halved
1 tsp butter
1 tsp olive oil
pepper
2 T 2% sharp cheddar cheese
cook over mid-high heat the veggies first, then add eggs - cook till done. Enjoy!

Roasted Potatoes and Mushrooms
7 large red potatoes
3/4 mushroom container,
Peel potatoes, cube
Wipe mushrooms and slice (not the stem)
2 T butter, 2 T olive oil - dot around - sheet pan, pepper
425 for 18 minutes, then toss, then cook for another 20. Enjoy!

Lemon Gingerbread Muffins

This recipe had already been tweaked by Noodle Nights and Muffin Mornings from a Cooks' Illustrated recipe - so I pretty much left it the same. It probably makes about 16 or so muffins because I made 12 and had extra batter. Sorry for no pictures - this one would have some good ones, but I need to get a new camera - mine quit working this weekend.

2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon ground ginger
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice, salt
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups dark brown sugar
1 cup buttermilk
1/3 cup molasses
1 stick unsalted butter, melted & cooled slightly

Lemon Glaze:
3/4 cup powdered sugar
juice of a large lemon

375 middle rack, spray muffins tins, dry, wet, fold together till just mixed. Bake for 18 minutes. Lemon glaze while warm.
These were actually better than I thought they would be. I've been wanting to try them, but gingerbread is usually more dry than these muffins were. I was pleasantly surprised!

ManCube Chocolate Chip Muffins

The mancube is some guys who work in our copy center/mailroom/store here at Southern. They are very helpful and fun and all-around great guys! So, we had a huge project due last week and they were a huge help to me! Chocolate Chip muffins are great rewards.
This is one I got from Bake or Break - love the blog. These turned out a little too dark on top. Here is how I would adjust them for next time: use a regular not a dark muffin tin. Keep temp at 375, lower cooking time from 22 minutes to 20 minutes. Everything else would be good to go.

1 1/2 cups flour
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 tsp powder, soda, cinnamon, salt (just realized I forgot the cinnamon in these, so you can leave out or put in)
2 eggs
1/2 cup milk
1 stick unsalted butter, melted, cooled
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup mini semi sweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup milk chocolate chips ( I like the difference in the chips)

375, lined, and lightly sprayed. Mix flour through salt. Mix eggs through vanilla. Combine, fold in chips. Bake 20 minutes.

Menu Week: Thanksgiving

Yes - the week of Thanksgiving. This one I will be staying here, housesitting, and eating at a professor's house just like I did last year - finishing off with the Florida Gator game against in-state rival - Florida State. This is what I'm cooking so far this week, but could add some things too. And, going out with people is in this week too. More on that later:
Orange Cranberry Sauce for T-day lunch
Pecan Topped Pumpkin Bread for Secretary B-day breakfast
Sweet Potato Casserole for T-day lunch
Chocolate Chip Cookies for just because
Chocolate Chip Muffins for the ManCube

Enjoy your Thanksgiving everyone. May you continue to know the grace of God in your life - and know that everything we celebrate comes from His Good hand and is ours because of the glorious Cross of Jesus!

Taste of Owensboro: Rolling Pin and Moonlite BBQ

Went to Owensboro this weekend to hang out with new friends, the Martins and Whitakers. Saturday morning tradition at the Martin's house is donuts from the Rolling Pin. I did have a little bit of a chocolate glazed no filling long john and a donut hole. The dough itself was so soft and tender - not tough like some donuts. Chocolate was more icing then glaze. Donut hold was amazing - good flavor. Better then KK donut holes. Thanks Kerry for going out in 15 degree weather to get them - I was very glad to distract Andrew while you got out the door!
For dinner we went to the famed O-boro BBQ joint - Moonlite BBQ Inn. Known for its buffet and home cooking - I was thankful to hang out with the family and enjoy bbq. They had bbqd beef, pork ribs, mutton, chopped pork, bbq chicken. I didn't get any of the beef or mutton, but out of everything - the only thing I didn't like was the bbqd chicken - it was dry and overcooked. Sonny's is much better. The sides were amazing - mac and cheese, corn, green beans, cheesy broccoli, yeast rolls - you can't go wrong with country cooking! The desserts were a buffet in themselves - everything you could think of. I had a little bit of carrot cake and a little bit of coconut cream pie. Full and satisfied with good company - I journeyed back to the ville.

Best of Fall Cookies

Made these for small group tonight - the best small group in the state of KY - they eat what I bake!
I got the recipe from my fave cookbook - Sarah Foster - from Foster's in Durham/Chapel Hill.
These were great cookies! Best of everything that makes fall good - almost!

2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 cup butterscotch chips
1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
1 egg
2/3 cup sugar
2/3 cup brown sugar
1 cup oats
2/3 cup canned pumpkin
1 1/2 cup white chocolate chips
1 cup chopped walnuts

Put flour and soda and butterscotch chips in a food processor and grind till chips are well-integrated. Cream butter, sugars, and egg. Add oats and pumpkin. Mix in flour till no more flour appears. Fold in chips and walnuts. Bake at 350 for about 13 minutes for bigger cookies on greased cookie sheet. Makes about 30. Enjoy with others and a glass of milk.

Menu Week - November 17

Ok - I'm a day late. But, today I actually have time to go grocery shopping. This week will be different and probably next week too, but will eventually get back in a routine. This week I'll just tell you what I'm going to be making - then will post the recipes when I make them:

Chocolate Chip Muffins
Three Cheese Chicken Penne Pasta Bake
Pumpkin White Chocolate Chunk Cookies
Chocolate Chip Cookies - these are a favorite of mine, so they are already on here
Curry Honey Mustard Chicken and Roasted Butternut Squash

I love baking - and have a rule - bake and take!
The two main dish recipes are for my dinner this week and next - since I am housesitting next week. Cookies are for small group - with milk of course. Cookies are for sundaes for our dessert with dinner and friends on Saturday in Owensboro.

Birthday Pumpkin Pie

Tomorrow is one of my professor's birthdays, so he wanted Pumpkin Pie. Thankfully - I had everything in my cupboards so I wouldn't have to pick up things in NC. And I love pumkpin pies because they are fairly easy! Happy Birthday Dr. Richardson - thank you for your love for your students and your famed b-ball skills.
I got this recipe from the lovely and talented Tina Wright yesterday while I ate dinner at their home in Raleigh. Its very yummy, creamy, and not very heavy as some pumpkin pies are.

1 9-in pie shell - I just use a frozen one. Its easy!
1 14 oz can Eagle Brand sweetened condensed milk (this recipe is one of their's)
1 can pumpkin (15 oz)
2 eggs
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp each nutmeg, ginger, salt

Bake at 425 for 15 minutes. Turn down oven to 350 and bake for 37-40 minutes or until done. Take out and cool - serve with Cool Whip.
I didn't let mine cool before putting foil on it to bring it to work this morning, so it sweated some - but still tastes yummy!

Creamy Crumble Pumpkin Muffins

I have been wanting to make these for a while since I saw them on my google reader - finally made them for small group tonight (with leftovers for the office). This makes a ton of muffins. I made 24 and still had batter left over. They weren't as "cheesecakey" as I thought they were going to be - but everyone said they were good. So...here you go...

3 cups flour
1 tsp cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, salt, soda
4 tsp pumpkin pie spice
4 eggs
2 cups sugar
2 cups canned pumpkin (1 1/4 cans)
1 1/4 cup canola oil

6 ounces softened cream cheese
3 T sugar
2 T heavy cream
2 tsp vanilla

1 cup flour
3 T brown sugar
2 T sugar
1 tsp baking powder
pinch of salt
6 T unsalted butter, melted

350. Mix batter. Spray 24 muffin tins - fill 3/4 full. Mix cream cheese batter and put 1-2 tsp on top, stir in with a butter knife. Mix crumble topping and sprinkle generously on top. Bake for 20-22 minutes. Enjoy!

La Vida Java

I'm not one of those people that just go hang out in coffee shops just for the fun of it - to kill time. Except maybe the Caribou on Franklin Street by the mall in Chapel Hill. I love that one! :)
But, I found a new place last night while bonding with a new friend. Her friends own this great place and it opened about a year ago.
Colors are comfortable and cozy, great leather couch big enough for two people to lounge on and not feel like they are encroaching into each other's personal space, games galore (including one on Louisville trivia). Quiet even with people in there. Well-priced (a huge mug of their gourmet Guittard hot chocoleche for 3.75). They even gave it to me in a red mug which is fabulous! They sell local things there (jewelry, notecards, etc) but its not overtaking the place. Very nice and talkative.
So, since this place is only about 10-15 minutes from campus in the Lyndon area, I will try to make this a regular stop of mine. At least in the winter when I love hot chocolate! :)

Chris' Apple Pie

Chris Flora turned 25 on Monday. I always joke with him about being so young - well...I guess not anymore. He is a life-saver to me in the office, because I pass off most students to him on questions that are not in my job description! :) He makes my life so much easier!
Chris - happy birthday - and I hope you and your wife enjoyed the pie and the caramel syrup!
Oh, and this is from a new cookbook given to me by Lindsay - Lindsay, great reviews.
Chris' thoughts on the pie: "Great crust (I can't take credit for it, I used pillsbury roll-out crusts), the apples were cooked just perfectly, tasted like a pie from the Pie Kitchen" - Thanks Chris.

Pie crust for 2 crusts (I used the Pillsbury rolled ones. I don't have room in my kitchen to roll out dough, and it is so much easier)
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
3/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
3 T flour
7 cups apples (I used a mixture of granny smith, winesap, and baking gala apples) - peeled, sliced
1 T fresh lemon juice
2 T cold unsalted butter
2 T heavy cream
1 T sugar

9 inch pie pan, roll one dough out for the bottom, pack into pie pan. Mix the sugars, flour, spices. Toss the apples and lemon juice. Mix together. Pour and arrange into pan. Chop up the butter into small chunks and place over top. Cover with other roll of dough. Cut off excess and crimp edges. Cut slits in the top. Glaze with cream and sugar.
Move rack to bottom of oven, bake at 450 for 20 minutes. Move to middle rack and cut hear to 375 for 35-45 minutes or until apples are done. Watch crust edges so they don't burn. Enjoy either ice cream, cool whip, or caramel syrup (or all the above). Let cool first for a couple of hours so the apples have time to set.

Menu Week - November 10

This week's menu will be short as I am leaving for Raleigh on Thursday after work. Can't wait! :) But, here we go!
Monday - Lunch with Brandi at 60West here in the St. Matthew's area. I think I am going for the veggie wrap unless they have amazing soup since it is cold but sunny here in the ville. Dinner will be an egg white omelette and then on to baking an 3-apple pie for Chris' b-day.
Tuesday - Lunch will be a pbj with pear butter that my friend Rachael made me and some pretzels and fruit. Dinner will be a salad with salmon on it. I am meeting a new friend for coffee at La Vida Java here in the ville after pilates.
Wednesday - Lunch will hopefully be my yogurt parfait if Founders has any and some pretzels. Dinner is an egg white omelette and apple. I'm going to try some pumpkin cheesecake muffins for small group - we'll see how they turn out.
Thursday - Lunch is some leftover soup. Dinner will be a sandwich - something easy to take with me in the car as a friend and I start our trek to RDU by way of WVa.
Friday - Lunch is at the Tea Room in Wake Forest with my friend Charity. Dinner is grilled chicken and veggies with friends Kasey and Frank
Saturday - Lunch is a healthy fall meal at the women's conference I am speaking at in Apex. Dinner is with one of the coolest families in the world - the Bacons - in Durham.
Sunday - Lunch is at the Wright's in Raleigh and dinner is on the road back to the ville.

Menu Week - November 3

Well, this week will be kinda crazy too - due to housesitting - but will get in some cooking this week:
Monday - Lilly's clam chowder for lunch. She made some on Wednesday and brought it to me at work - I look forward to heating it up! Egg White omelet and steamed broccoli for dinner (gotta use up the broccoli before it goes bad).
Tuesday - I should do something red white and blue in honor of Election Day, hmmmmm... Soup for lunch (either Tyler's or Lilly's). Oatmeal with mixed berries (r, wh, and b) after voting.
Wednesday - Soup for lunch (whichever one I don't have on Tuesday). Dinner will be chicken tenders and fresh green beans. Small group baking is an apple pecan cake - unfortunately most of my golden delicious apples are gone.
Thursday - Yogurt parfait (from Founders if they have any, they've been slacking). Egg White omelette for dinner with some veggies.
Friday - both meals will be on the road to B'ham.
Saturday - Hotel breakfast, lunch at my cousins house
Sunday - breakfast at cousins house, then heading back to the Ville.

Caramel Apple Pecan Crisp

I love caramel and apples together - but I don't like caramel apples - odd, I know. So, today I took a regular plain Betty Crocker recipe and made it my own. I loved it. The big pan is going to my pastor's house who just welcomed Sophie Grace into the world.

Caramel Apple Pecan Crisp (9x13 pan)

6 medium golden delicious apples, peeled, cored, sliced
1/2 cup white sugar
2 T flour
1/2 cup scant brown sugar
1/3 cup cinnamon chips (or ground cinnamon) - I got mine from King Arthur - but I know Hershey's makes them too (just hard to find
1 cup flour
1 cup oats
1 cup brown sugar
10 T butter, chopped
1/2 cup (2 palm fulls) of chopped pecans

Grease 9x13 pan. Toss apples with ingredients up to and including cinnamon chips. Pour in pan. Crumble the rest (save pecans) together and sprinkle on top. Bake at 350 uncovered for 25 minutes. Add pecans to the top and bake for another 7-10 minutes, be careful not to let pecans burn.
I loved this! :) I'm glad the rest of it is going away so I don't eat it all! :)