Caprese Quinoa Bake

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 25 minutes

Serving Size: 3-4

Ingredients

• 2 cups cooked quinoa
   
• 1 cup of your favorite pasta sauce
• 2 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1/3 cup heavy cream
• 1/3 cup parmesan cheese
• 1 cup mozzarella, divided
• 1/2-1 cup grape tomatoes, halved
• 1 large bunch fresh basil, cut into ribbons
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Heat tomato sauce and tomato paste over low heat in a large saucepan. Once warm, stir in heavy cream, parmesan, crushed red pepper, salt and pepper. Remove from the heat and stir in the quinoa. Fold in half of the mozzarella and half of the tomatoes, then chop 6 fresh basil leaves and add them in too. Once combined, spray an 8x8 or 9x9 baking dish with non-stick spray and pour the entire quinoa mixture into the dish. Top with fresh mozzarella rounds or shredded mozzarella and the remaining tomatoes.
3. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes and then turn the broiler on and broil for 1 to 2 minutes or until cheese is golden and bubbly.
4. Remove from the oven and top with fresh basil ribbons. Allow to sit five minutes and then serve.

http://www.halfbakedharvest.com/creamy-caprese-quinoa-bake/

Autumn Chopped Salad

Ingredients
*6 to 8 cups chopped romaine lettuce
*2 medium pears, chopped
*1 cup dried cranberries
*1 cup chopped pecans
*8 slices thick-cut bacon, crisp-cooked and crumbled
*4 to 6 oz. feta cheese, crumbled
*Poppy seed Salad Dressing (I like T. Marzetti)
*Balsamic Vinaigrette (I like Newman’s Own Light Balsamic Vinaigrette)

Instructions
*On a large platter, combine the lettuce, pears, cranberries, pecans, bacon and feta cheese. Drizzle generously with poppy seed dressing, followed by some of the balsamic vinaigrette. (I would estimate that I used about a cup of dressing: 70 percent poppy seed dressing and 30 percent balsamic vinaigrette) If you prefer your salad to have more dressing, feel free to experiment with the combination.

http://espressoandcream.com/2010/11/autumn-chopped-salad.html

Fruit dipped in yogurt and rolled in sprinkles

I have to come up with a catchier name for this concept - because it was a HIT. I saw it in a magazine somewhere, and tried it out tonight after dinner. Easy as 1, 2, 3.

1) Chop banana slices, strawberry slices, any other fruit of your choice.

2) Dip in vanilla yogurt

3) Roll in sprinkles


And present a delicious, nutritious and festive snack or dessert to a happy crowd.

I'm sure there are other variations to be considered, like crushed nuts or granola, have a ball!

Curing your chocolate craving - 1 minute brownie in a mug

We don't eat desserts normally around our house, it tends to be a weekend treat. Because I am CRAZY for chocolate, I keep a stash of chocolate mints in a jar that's just for me, and that keeps me from buying or baking sweets.

However, when the weekend comes, I have more time for baking, and I always want to make brownies!!! But then we're left with a giant pan, and having brownies after every meal is too excessive. Can you see my dilemma?

So I found this recipe online for a mug brownie. There are various versions on the web, but this is my modification taken from this link (sent to me by Erin, thank you!) While not gourmet, this recipe does the trick when you are craving a single serve brownie, and the fact that it's done in one minute is almost too good to be true.

Here is my version, I basically cut out the oil and substituted it for plain Motts applesauce. The result is gooey and cakey and wonderful with a tall glass of fat free milk! Indulge yourself and thank me later! :)

3 tbsp flour
1.5 tbsp sugar
1.5 tbsp cocoa
2 tbsp applesauce
dash of salt
dash of water to smooth out batter to desired consistency
1 (or 2) tbsp of your favorite chocolate chips


Mix ingredients together, microwave in a pre-greased mug for 1 minute and ENJOY!

Powerball Recipe - super snacks for super kids

Power Ball Cookie Recipe: Healthy snacks for your little ones.

Mix together 1 cup peanut butter and 1 cup honey until smooth.

Gradually add in 3 cups old-fashioned oats and 1/2 cup ground flaxseed.

Add one cup chocolate chips and 1 cup any combo of nuts and soft dried fruit and mix gently in your standard mixer or mush together by hand.

Roll into ping-pong size balls and put into mini muffin cups.

You can eat them right away, but they’ll be less sticky after a night in the fridge.

Recipe found in Wondertime Magazine

Thank you Jess for letting me use this!

Meatball Soup

MmmmMMMMMMMm .... it's always cloudy with a chance of meatballs at our house. After reading the book "Grandpa's Soup" with Dominic a dozen times, I decided I wanted to make my own meatball soup. I did it in the crock pot since I was teaching RE tonight and needed to have a low-maintenance meal for Daddy to serve. It was delicious!

Mamma Mia Meatball Soup (I just made that up. I'm SO clever I can't take it! :)

meatball mixture
- 1 lb ground beef
- garlic cloves, 2
- italian bread crumbs - maybe about 3/4 cup, I eyeball it and mix in slowly
- 1 egg
- 1/2 cup parmesan cheese

Mix, round into balls, pour a little olive oil in a skillet, cover them and cook for about 10 mins on medium high, then turn over until they finish.


crock pot soup mixture

-small baking potatoes (4) OR pasta of your choice, penne, bowtie, wagon wheels etc.
- 14 oz diced tomatoes
- 3 cups beef broth
-2 crushed garlic cloves
-1/2 cup parmesan cheese
-salt and pepper to taste
- frozen veggies, toss in at the last hour

Combine ingredients in crock pot, stir. Add meatballs once those are done cooking. Slow cook on low for about 3-4 hours. Serve with parmesan cheese on top!

*** If you add pasta instead of potatoes, make sure to add 3 more cups of beef broth or pre-boil the pasta...the noodles soak up all the moisture!

Mom's Lasagna

I recently hosted my husband's colleagues. It was a big group, so I needed something that would feed a lot of people while not tying me up in the kitchen. I thought Italian would be the best option and Lasagna would be perfect. While everyone seems to have a favorite lasagna recipe, and I, myself, have made several variations in the past, my mom's lasagna always comes out perfectly. I wanted to share it and also keep it for posterity. I'm not sure where the recipe comes from, but this is what she uses:

1 lb ground beef
1 lb lasagna noodles (no need to cook!)
32 oz tomato sauce
1 lb ricotta (or cottage cheese)
1 egg (my addition for easier spreading ability)
1/2 lb shredded mozzarella
1/2 C grated Parmesan cheese (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 375
2. In a saucepan, brown meat. Drain fat and add sauce to the meat.
3. Mix 1 egg with ricotta cheese.
4. On the bottom of a 9x13 pan, pour 1 C of meat mixture, then layer:
1/2 noodles, 1/2 ricotta cheese/egg mixture, 1/2 mozzarella cheese, (1/2 parmesan cheese,) sauce, repeat.
5. Cook at 375 for about 30 minutes or until noodles are done, cheese is melted and sauce is bubbling.

It's perfect as it is, but there are so many ways to vary this recipe. My mom has made a half beef, half Italian sausage mixture which turns out well. I roasted some red and yellow peppers with 1/2 onion that I then mixed with the ricotta cheese mixture. It was yummy! To be a bit healthier, you could use whole wheat noodles, easily cut out the parmesan cheese, use the mozzarella cheese sparingly, and make sure you are using a lowfat ricotta. It's also a great recipe to sneak in vegetables. I've used fresh spinach in the past. If you make your own sauce, there is so much you can add and the kids won't even notice it! Enjoy!

Gluten Free living

Most of my posts will consist of gluten-free recipes I've tried, the good, bad and the flat out nasty. Case in point: DO NOT try the Bob's Red Mill Hearty Whole grain Bread Mix, even the smell made me nauseous. DO try the new Betty Crocker gluten-free line, I've made the cookies a couple of times and that wonderful yellow box has earned a spot on my pantry shelf as a staple.

I made The Chewy Gluten Free http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/the-chewy-gluten-free-recipe/index.html cookies from Alton Brown. They were ok , though I can't recommend them; I think I should have used Katrina's ( otherwise known as the Glutenfreegoddess) alternations. http://glutenfreegoddess.blogspot.com/2009/07/dark-chocolate-chunk-cookies.

Also made last week and HIGHLY recommended:

Banana Chocolate Chip BreadPreheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly oil the bottom of a standard bread loaf pan and dust with rice or corn flour.

Combine in a large bowl:

3-4 ripe bananas, mashed (about 1 cup puree)
1/3 cup light olive oil
1 cup organic light brown sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Whisk together in a separate bowl:

1 1/2 cups gluten-free flour (I used a combo of buckwheat/rice/tapioca/potato starch)
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons arrowroot starch
1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum
1 rounded teaspoon cinnamon

Add the dry ingredients into the banana mixture and stir until smooth. If the batter looks too thin and wet, add more gluten-free flour, a tablespoon at a time, to thicken the batter.

Add in:

1/2 cup vegan soy-free chocolate chips (we used Enjoy Life)

Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and bake in the center of a preheated oven for an hour, until the loaf is firm, a bit crusty, and a wooden pick inserted into the center emerges clean.

Cool the loaf on a wire rack.

Slice and wrap each slice in foil; bag and freeze.

This bread is tasty as is, but- it is truly sublime when grilled in a hot iron skillet with a touch of light olive oil. The chocolate chips melt and the banana fragrance intensifies and your taste buds- well, they get very, very happy.

Makes about 8 or so slices.

This recipe is blissfully gluten-free, dairy-free, egg-free, soy-free, nut-free, and corn-free (if you check the source of your xanthan gum and baking powder).
Read more: http://glutenfreegoddess.blogspot.com/2007/11/banana-chocolate-chip-bread.html#ixzz0Rl1hrEN4

Pesto Pasta Salad with Fresh Mozzarella and Cherry Tomatoes

This is my FAVORITE pasta salad. Quick, tasty, healthy, easy and beautiful! Recipe credits I hand to my Mom. :)

1 box penne pasta (spring for whole wheat if you can bear it!)
1 package fresh mozzarella balls
1 package Knorr's creamy pesto sauce packet (or make your own basil sauce from scratch)
1 package cherry tomatoes


Boil pasta. Prepare sauce in saucepan as directed. Chop fresh mozzarella and tomatoes into small pieces. Rinse and drain pasta to cool it off. Pour pesto sauce over it and stir well. Add chopped tomatoes and mozzarella, mix in well. ENJOY!

Beef and Rice Stuffed Bell Peppers

Taken from Simply Recipes online.

Ingredients

* 4 green or red bell peppers
* Salt
* 5 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
* 1 medium yellow onion, peeled and chopped
* 1 clove of garlic, peeled and chopped
* 1 lb of lean ground beef
* 1 1/2 cup of cooked rice or 3/4 cup of raw instant rice
* 1 cup chopped tomatoes, fresh or canned
* 1 tbsp chopped fresh oregano or 1 tsp of dried oregano
* Fresh ground pepper
* 1/2 cup ketchup
* 1/2 tsp of Worcestershire Sauce
* Dash of Tabasco sauce

Method

1 Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Meanwhile, cut top off peppers 1 inch from the stem end, and remove seeds. Add several generous pinches of salt to boiling water, then add peppers and boil, using a spoon to keep peppers completely submerged, until brilliant green (or red if red peppers) and their flesh slightly softened, about 3 minutes. Drain, set aside to cool.

2 Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Heat 4 tbsp of the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onions and garlic, and cook, stirring often, until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Remove skillet from heat, add meat, rice, tomatoes, and oregano, and season generously with salt and pepper. Mix well.

3 Drizzle remaining 1 tbsp. Oil inside peppers, arrange cut side up in a baking dish, then stuff peppers with filling. Combine ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, Tabasco sauce, and 1/4 cup of water in a small bowl, then spoon over filling. Add 1/4 cup of water to the baking dish. Place in oven and bake for 40-50 minutes (or longer, depending on how big the peppers are that you are stuffing), until the internal temperature of the stuffed pepper is 150-160°F.

Serves 4.


****** I took a short cut on this one big time, just because I'm lucky to get 20 minutes to cook dinner on a weeknight these days! I just browned the beef, added Italian seasonings and then added a jar of organic spaghetti sauce. I did boil the bell peppers, and then filled them, added parmesan cheese on top, and then baked for about 20 mins at 350. They turned out dee-lish. I made brown rice to add as stuffing but then put it on the side for the kids, who like their meat sauce on top of their rice, with plenty of parm :)

Hot Cross Buns (A Good Friday tradition)

The Triduum, also known as Holy Week, is the most important and wonderful time of the church year. It is the time right before Easter that we meditate on Jesus' life, ministry, passion and cruxifiction. And then we celebrate our Lord's resurrection with the greatest joy our hearts will ever experience on Easter.

There are so many traditions we love and cherish during Holy Week, and making Hot Cross Buns is just one way of sharing the church's traditions.


1 C milk
2 T yeast
1/2 C sugar
2 tsp. salt
1/3 C butter, melted and cooled
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
4 eggs
5 C flour
1 1/3 C currants or raisins
1 egg white

Glaze
1 1/3 C confectioner's sugar
1 1/2 tsp. finely chopped lemon zest
1/2 tsp. lemon extract
1- 2 T milk



Makes 2 dozen

If you're not familiar with making yeast breads, please follow this link for general instructions first!

In a small saucepan, heat milk to very warm, but not hot (110°F if using a candy thermometer). Fit an electric mixer with a dough hook. Pour warm milk in the bowl of mixer and sprinkle yeast over. Mix to dissolve and let sit for 5 minutes.

With mixer running at low speed, add sugar, salt, butter, cinnamon, nutmeg and eggs. Gradually add flour, dough will be wet and sticky, and continue kneading with dough hook until smooth, about 5 minutes. Detach bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let the dough "rest" for 30-45 minutes.

Return bowl to mixer and knead until smooth and elastic, for about 3 more minutes. Add currants or raisins and knead until well mixed. At this point, dough will still be fairly wet and sticky. Shape dough in a ball, place in a buttered dish, cover with plastic wrap and let rise overnight in the refrigerator (see note at right if you're in a hurry). Excess moisture will be absorbed by the morning.

Let dough sit at room temperature for about a half-hour. Line a large baking pan (or pans) with parchment paper (you could also lightly grease a baking pan, but parchment works better). Divide dough into 24 equal pieces (in half, half again, etc., etc.). Shape each portion into a ball and place on baking sheet, about 1/2 inch apart. Cover with a clean kitchen towel and let rise in a warm, draft-free place until doubled in size, about 1 1/2 hours.

In the meantime, pre-heat oven to 400° F.

When buns have risen, take a sharp or serrated knife and carefully slash buns with a cross. Brush them with egg white and place in oven. Bake for 10 minutes, then reduce heat to 350° F, then bake until golden brown, about 15 minutes more. Transfer to a wire rack. Whisk together glaze ingredients, and spoon over buns in a cross pattern. Serve warm, if possible (Hot Cross Buns).

Impossibly Easy Cheeseburger Pie

This was first brought into my life by my Mother in Law Veronika and became the first official dish I made for company after Bronius and I got married. :)

1 lb lean (at least 80%) ground beef
1 large onion, chopped (1 cup)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese (4 oz)
1/2 cup Original Bisquick® mix
1 cup milk
2 eggs






Total Time: 10 min
1. Heat oven to 400°F. Spray 9-inch glass pie plate with cooking spray.
2. In 10-inch skillet, cook beef and onion over medium heat 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until beef is brown; drain. Stir in salt. Spread in pie plate. Sprinkle with cheese.
3. In small bowl, stir remaining ingredients with fork or wire whisk until blended. Pour into pie plate.
4. Bake about 25 minutes or until knife inserted in center comes out clean.

Chicken in a Creamy Sun Dried Tomato Wine Sauce with Pasta

Chicken in a Creamy Sun-Dried Tomato and Wine Sauce served over Pasta
3 T butter
1 T olive oil
4 lg boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, cut into strips
2 T all purpose flour
1 lb bowtie pasta
2 shallots, monced (I used garlic cloves)
1/2 c white wine
1 c whipping cream
1/2 c oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained and chopped
3 T chopped fresh basil
salt & pepper

1. Bring large quantity of salted water to a boil in a stockpot.
2. Melt butter and oil in a large skillet. Toss chicken strips in flour and sear over med-high heat until golden brown and just cooked. Transfer with a slotted spoon to a plate.
3. Add pasta to boiling water. Add shallots to the skillet and saute over medium heat for 1 minute. Stir wine, cream, tomatoes, and basil into the skillet, scraping up bits of chicken. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer until the sauce thickens.
4. Return chicken to skillet to heat through. Salt & pepper to taste.
5. When pasta is al dente, drain, reserving 1/2 c water to add to sauce if it needs more liquid, or for added richness, add more cream. Serve sauce over pasta.

Serves 4-6


Courtesy of diva cook and dear friend Stephanie Arnold.

Chicken with Rosemary Sauce

Chicken with Rosemary Sauce
Chicken with Rosemary Sauce Cooking Light recipe WW 4 points
1 t Olive Oil
4 4 oz breast halves
1/4 t salt
1/8 t black pepper
1/2 c chopped green onions
1/4 c dry white wine
1 t minced fresh rosemary
1/2 c chicken broth (fat-free and low sodium)
1/2 c half & half

1. Heat oil in large nonstick skillet over med-high heat. Sprinkle chicken with S & P.
2. Add chicken to pan; cook 3 minutes on each side.
3. Add green onions, wine, & rosemary; cook 30 seconds.
4. Stir in broth; cook 2 minutes.
5. Add half & half; cook 2 minutes. Serve
183 calories; 6 g fat; 27.5 g protein, 0.5 g fiber

Courtesy of Stephanie

Greek Pizzas

We have these a lot during Lent. They are SO tasty! I like to make cous cous on the side.

Here's my spin on a quick greek pizza.

1 bag of pita bread
2 packages Feta cheese or 1 bag mozzarella cheese
canned olives
purple onion diced
4 roma tomatoes diced (or canned tomatoes work too)
hummus spread


Spread hummus on pitas. Sprinkle with cheese of choice. Layer with diced onions, tomatoes, olives and any other toppings. Bake in oven until pitas are a little crispy and cheese is melted. I usually make them in our toaster oven on "broil" for about 8 minutes.

Pumpkin pancakes

I am always looking for ways to stuff our kids' food with healthful ingredients. Pancakes in our home are not allowed to be served without fruit, it is just a rule of thumb! :)

1 cup flour
3 tbsp sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1 egg
1 cup plain low-fat yogurt
1/4 cup canned pumpkin puree
2 tbsp butter, melted and cooled, plus 1 tbsp for the skillet (I like smart balance...doesn't always taste as good as the real deal, but better for our health. booooo, I know)

1. Preheat a large nonstick skillet on medium-high heat. In a bowl, stir together all the dry ingredients.
2. In a large bowl, beat the egg for 30 seconds. Add yogurt, pumpkin puree, and 2 tbsp melted butter and beat well.
3. Stir in dry ingredients and beat just until combined.
4. Grease skillet lightly with butter. Pour 1/4 cup batter per pancake; flip with spatula when tops bubble and edges are slightly dry. Cook until other side is golden brown, 23 mins per side.

Sangria

No festive meal is complete without this sweet beverage!

Serving size 4.

1 cup red wine
3 cups cranberry juice
2 cups strawberries
2 medium chopped apples
1 orange, wedged
Cinnamon to taste

Mix all together in a pitcher and serve over ice!

Caprese Salad

As if the island of Capri isn't appealing enough, this salad alone could send me packing to Italy and never be seen again! :)

Caprese Salad Recipe

* 2 large, ripe tomatoes
* 1/2 pound fresh cow's milk mozzarella cheese
* 1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, washed and well-dried
* Maldon sea salt or kosher salt and pepper, to taste
* 1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

Wash and slice tomatoes into 1/4-inch thick slices. Slice mozzarella cheese into 1/4-inch thick slices. Place one tomato slice on a serving plate. Top with a few basil leaves, and a slice of mozzarella cheese. Repeat layers and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Drizzle with one-half tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil. Repeat with the remaining tomato, mozzarella, basil and olive oil. Serve immediately.

Makes 2 salads.

Per salad: 354 calories, 26 g fat, 12 g saturated fat, 67 mg cholesterol, 11 g carbohydrate, 2 g fiber, 21 g protein, 40% vitamin A, 80% vitamin C, 45% calcium, 8% iron

Read more: http://healthycooking.suite101.com/article.cfm/caprese_salad_recipe#ixzz0R8lSz16g

Broiled Salmon with Rosemary Potatoes

This is usually our Monday night supper since I shop on Mondays and fish has to be eaten quickly! Sometimes we do brown rice instead of potatoes if we're trying to be less starchy.

-Salmon steaks
***1 steak is enough for two of us usually, so we get 2 for the whole family. HEB sells them pre-packaged and that saves money! It's good to avoid farm raised fish because of mercury content and instead buy wild alaskan sock-eye or the fresh atlantic variety.
- Lemons
-New potatoes, or russet, about 8
-Fresh rosemary (or use spice jar variety), sea salt to taste, olive oil to taste


Quarter the potatoes and boil them until soft. Then roast them along with the salmon with a little bit of sea salt and rosemary, maybe a dash of olive oil. After rinsing off the salmon I marinade it in some lemon juice and sprinkle with a little sea salt. You can also top it with fresh parsley or rosemary if you have extra on hand. I put it in the broiler (with or without the potatoes) for about 10 mins.

My Mom's Chicken Saag (Indian Chicken and Spinach)

Thanks Mama! I love you!

Ingredients

1 package of chicken breasts(usually three breasts per package)
2 bags of frozen chopped spinach
1 15 oz. can of tomato sauce
1 onion - chopped, then pureed in a blender
2 tablespoons of ginger-garlic
cilantro leaves-puree the leaves of about ten stems with the onion, garlic, ginger and some of the tomato sauce
Curry powder, cayenne powder
Sour cream (8 oz.)


Steps
1. Trim the breast of fat and arteries, then cut into smaller pieces(each breast into 4 pieces)
2. Coat a large glass baking dish with spray oil. Spread the frozen spinach out over the dish.
3. Lay the chicken pieces on top.
4. Mix together the ground onion, garlic, ginger,cilantro,spices and salt to taste, and mix in all of the tomato sauce and sour cream. Pour that over the chicken evenly.
5. Cover with aluminum foil, make slits to vent, and bake in oven at 375 degrees for approximately 30 minutes.

Enjoy with pita bread and raita.

Once the dish is cooked, you can transfer to other containers. You can double the ingredients, and using two glass baking dishes, bake two quantities if you need a larger quantity.

Love,
Mom