Meatball Alphabet Soup

Hi everyone!

Tomorrow I am making Meatball Alphabet Soup for dinner.  I love soup!  It's one of my favorite foods.  I will serve this with rolls.

Meatball Alphabet Soup
Amy - amylz
Family Fun Magazine 6 servings.

Meatballs
1/2 cup dried bread crumbs
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
2 tablespoons onion, minced
1 garlic clove, minced
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, minced
2 teaspoons dried basil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 pound ground beef

Soup
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 celery rib, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
5 cups chicken stock
1 cup crushed canned tomatoes in puree
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1/2 teaspoon salt
Pepper to taste
1/3 cup alphabet pasta, dry

Step 1 First, make the meatballs. Combine the bread crumbs, cheese, onion, garlic, herbs, and spices in a large mixing bowl. Use a fork to mix in the egg, then add the ground beef, mixing well with your hands. Shape the mixture into 1-inch balls (you should get about 4 dozen).

Step 2 Heat a skillet coated with cooking spray or a small amount of vegetable oil. Place the meatballs in the skillet and cook them over medium-low heat for 8 to 10 minutes, turning them often so they brown evenly, until the centers are only slightly pink. (If you have more meatballs than you want to use, freeze the extras after cooking and you'll have some to toss into your next pot of soup.)

Step 3 For the soup, heat the oil in a large saucepan or medium soup pot. Add the onion, celery, and garlic. Partially cover the pan and cook the vegetables over moderate heat for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the chicken stock, crushed tomatoes, and spices. Bring the soup to a simmer over medium-low heat, then add the pasta.

Step 4 Keep the soup at a gentle simmer until the pasta is almost cooked, then transfer the meatballs to the pot and simmer gently for 3 minutes more to finish cooking the meatballs.

Amy

Kicked Up Breaded Pork Chops

Hi everyone!

Tomorrow we are having Emeril's Kicked Up Breaded Pork Chops.  On the side we'll be having garlic bread and salad.

Kicked Up Breaded Pork Chops
Amy - amylz
Recipe courtesy Emeril Lagasse

1 1/2 cups milk
1 1/2 tablespoons minced garlic
1 1/2 tablespoons dry white wine
1 tablespoon crushed red pepper
1 tablespoon paprika
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
6 thin center-cut pork chops (about 2 1/4 pounds)
1 cup fine, dry bread crumbs
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 teaspoons Emeril's Italian Essence or other Italian seasoning
1/4 cup grated Pecorino
3 tablespoons olive oil

In a medium bowl, combine the milk, garlic, white wine, red pepper, paprika, and 1 teaspoon salt and stir well. Add the pork chops and soak at room temperature while assembling the remaining ingredients, at least 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F and line a large rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil. Place a lightly greased wire rack on top of the baking sheet and set aside. In a large sealable plastic bag, add the bread crumbs, remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, the black pepper, Essence, and cheese and shake to combine. Drain the pork chops from the milk mixture, one at a time, and add to the bread crumb mixture. Shake to coat thoroughly. (You may need to press the mixture into the chops with your hands.) Arrange the pork chops on the baking rack and drizzle with the olive oil. Bake for 20 minutes, or until cooked through and the breading is crisp and golden. Serve with Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes and Smothered Green Peas. 

Amy

Italian Baked Chicken and Rice, Baked Cheese and Tomato Macaroni

Hi everyone!

Tomorrow we are having Italian Baked Chicken and Rice for dinner.  I love these one pot meals!  Today we had the Pinewood Derby for Scouts and we were assigned a main dish.  I decided on Baked Cheese and Tomato Macaroni.

Italian Baked Chicken and Rice
Amy - amylz
Family Fun Magazine Makes 4 servings.

1-1/2 lbs. skinless and boneless chicken breast
Salt and pepper
1 cup white rice
One 14 oz. can tomatoes
1 small onion, diced
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella
2 tsp. oregano
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Dice the chicken, season the pieces with salt and pepper and set aside. In a shallow baking dish sprayed with cooking spray, put the rice, tomatoes, onion, mozzarella, oregano, garlic and 1 cup water. Stir in the chicken pieces and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Bake in a 325 degree oven, covered loosely with foil, for 45 minutes. Uncover and bake 10 to 15 minutes longer, until rice and chicken are cooked.

Baked Cheese and Tomato Macaroni
Cindy (mommy_of_love1)

2C macaroni
1 1/2 C cheese
1 C parmesan
4 Tbs bread crumbs
1 Tbs fresh basil, or 1 tsp dried
1 Tbs butter
1 Tbs olive oil
1/2 an onion, minced
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1-14.5oz can crushed tomatoes
1 Tbs fresh basil, or 1 tsp dried
salt and pepper.

Heat oil in a saucepan. Add onion and garlic and saute for 1 minute. Add tomatoes, 1 Tbs basil, salt and pepper. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes. Mix cheeses together. Cook macaroni until al dente. Grease a casserole dish and spoon 1/3 of the sauce onto the bottom. Top with 1/3 of the cheese and 1/3 of the cooked macaroni. Repeat 2X. Combine bread crumbs and 1 Tbs basil. Sprinkle over the top of the casserole. Dot with butter and cook at 375 degrees, for 25 minutes or until golden brown.

Cindy's notes: I added mushrooms and roasted red pepper to the pan while sauteeing the onion and garlic.

Amy

Pot Roast 3, Dulce De Leche Bars

Hi everyone!

Tomorrow we are having Pot roast for dinner.  I'm planning to use a Sirloin Tip Roast for the meat.  On the side we'll be having roasted potatoes.

Pot Roast 3
(CTMom06)

3-4 lb pot roast
Adobo seasoning
2 tbsp olive oil
2 beef boullion cubes
1 large sweet onion
1 can Cream of Mushroom soup
1 can Cream of Celery Soup
1 pkt dry onion soup mix
1/2 cup white wine
1/2 cup water
2 dry whole bay leaves

Sprinkle Adobo seasoning all over roast. Sear each side in a hot pan coated with the olive oil. Crumble boullion cubes into bare crock pot. Slice-up onion and put on bottom of the crock pot. Place seared roast on top of the sliced onions. Cover roast with cream soups and dry onion soup mix. Pour wine and water over roast. Add bay leaves to crock pot. Cook on low heat for 8-10 hours. Remove bay leaves, slice and serve with potatoes. Makes lots of extra gravy!

Dulce De Leche Bars
Amy (amylz)
Pillsbury Makes: 48 bars

2 rolls (16.5 oz each) Pillsbury Create 'n Bake refrigerated sugar cookies
1 3/4 cups quick-cooking or old-fashioned oats
2/3 cup packed brown sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 bag (14 oz) caramels, unwrapped
1/2 cup butter
1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk (not evaporated)
3 tablespoons caramel topping

1. Heat oven to 350F. In large bowl, break up 1 roll of cookie dough. Stir or knead in 3/4 cup of the oats, 1/3 cup of the brown sugar and 1 teaspoon of the vanilla until well blended. With floured fingers, press mixture evenly in bottom of ungreased 13x9-inch pan to form crust.
2. Bake 13 to 18 minutes or until light golden brown.
3. Meanwhile, in same bowl, break up remaining roll of cookie dough. Stir or knead in remaining 1 cup oats, 1/3 cup brown sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla until well blended. In large heavy saucepan, heat caramels, butter and condensed milk over medium-low heat, stirring frequently, until caramels are melted and mixture is smooth.
4. Spread caramel mixture evenly over crust. Crumble remaining dough mixture evenly over caramel. Bake 20 to 25 minutes longer or until light golden brown. Cool 1 hour. Run knife around sides of pan to loosen bars. Refrigerate 1 hour or until firm.
5. With small spoon, drizzle caramel topping over bars. For bars, cut into 8 rows by 6 rows. Store in refrigerator.

Amy

Grilled Turkey, Brie, and Apple Butter Sandwich with Arugula, Amish Egg Salad Sandwich, After-The-Game Pizza Sandwich

Hi everyone!

Here are the sandwiches for this week:

Grilled Turkey, Brie, and Apple Butter Sandwich with Arugula
Amy - amylz
Recipe courtesy Tyler Florence

8 slices stone-milled rye artisan bread, about 1/2-inch thick
5 to 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1/4 cup store-bought apple butter
1 pound sliced fresh roasted deli turkey
1/2 pound brie cheese, thickly sliced
1 bunch arugula, stems trimmed

Spread each of 4 slices of bread with 1/2 tablespoon of butter. Now spread each with 1 tablespoon of the apple butter. Top each slice of bread with a couple of slices of turkey, cover that with 2 to 3 slices of brie (enough to cover the turkey), and finally, arrange 2 to 3 arugula leaves on top. Spread the remaining 4 bread slices with 1/2 tablespoon of butter and lay them, buttered sides down, over the cheese; press gently. Heat a large cast-iron or other heavy skillet over medium-low heat. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon butter and let it melt to evenly coat the bottom of the pan. Add as many sandwiches as will comfortably fit (either 2 or 4) and cook 2 to 3 minutes until the bread is golden brown and the cheese begins to melt. Flip and cook 2 to 3 more minutes to brown the bread. (Add another tablespoon of butter and cook the remaining sandwiches, if you need to.) Cut the sandwiches in half and serve hot.

Amish Egg Salad Sandwich
Amy (amylz)
Makes 4 sandwiches.

6 hard-cooked eggs, peeled & diced
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 teaspoon prepared mustard
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 Tablespoon black olives
1 tomato, sliced (8 slices)
4 leaves lettuce
8 slices white bread

In a mixing bowl, add the eggs, mayonnaise, mustard, salt and olives and coarsely mix. Using a tablespoon, spread egg salad mixture over bottom slice of bread. Then add the tomatoes and lettuce. Place the top half on the sandwich. Slice in half and serve.

After-The-Game Pizza Sandwich
Amy (amylz)
Makes 6 servings

1 loaf Italian or French bread (about 14-in. long), halved lengthwise
1 jar (14 oz.) Pizza Sauce - Homemade Style
1 cup thinly sliced pepperoni
1 can (4 oz.) sliced mushrooms, drained
2 small green bell peppers, thinly sliced
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (about 4 oz.)

Preheat oven to 425-degrees F. Arrange bread halves on ungreased baking sheet. Evenly spread Sauce on bread halves, then top with pepperoni, mushrooms and green peppers. Sprinkle with cheese. Bake for 15 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Amy

Sausage Quiche, Cheerios Muffins, PANCAKE MUFFINS, Crescent Breakfast Pizzas

Hi everyone!

Here are the breakfasts for this week:

Sausage Quiche
Amy (amylz)
(16 servings)

1 lb sausage
1/2 cup chopped onions
1/3 cup chopped green peppers
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
2 Tablespoons flour
2 deep dish pie crusts
10-12 large eggs
1 can evaporated milk (12 oz.)
1 teaspoon parsley flakes
1 teaspoon seasoned salt
3/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/3 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt

Brown sausage, remove from pan, drain and cool. In same pan, saute` onions and green peppers for 3-4 minutes. Drain. Mix with sausage. Set aside. In a big bowl, combine cheese and flour. Toss until cheese is evenly coated. Mix in sausage, onion and green peppers. Spread evenly between the two pie shells. Mix remaining ingredients and beat well. Pour evenly between pie shells, covering sausage mixture. Bake on a cookie sheet for 35-45 minutes at 375*. Whenever I make this I always get several requests for the recipe and neither pie makes it past the 30 minute mark! I usually do the first step the night before (browning sausage and onions/peppers) and refrigerate overnight and do all the other steps in the morning. Cuts down on the time in the morning

Cheerios Muffins
Amy (amylz)
(12 servings)

2 cup Cheerios or similar cereal
1 and 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1 cup apple sauce
1/2 cup raisins
1/3 cup milk
1 egg
3 Tablespoons vegetable or canola oil
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda

Prehet oven to 400 degrees. Prepare 12 muffin cups with paper lining or grease. Crush the Cheerios into very small pieces. In a large mixing bowl, sift together the Cheerios, flour, brown sugar, baking powder and baking soda, Stir in all remaining ingredients just until moistened. Divide batter evenly among muffin cups. Bake about 20 minutes until golden brown. Use the toothpick test to see if they're done. A toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin should come out clean if they're finished. If batter sticks to the toothpick, give it another few minutes. You can actually use just about any breakfast cereal you want. I tried Wheaties once and it was very nice. I say Cheerios just because that was in the directions of the recipe I originally found. Enjoy!

PANCAKE MUFFINS
JanetB12

2 cups Original Bisquick mix
1 cup milk
2 eggs
1/2 stick butter
12 tbsp filling: try Nutella, fruit jam, or cream cheese
confectioners sugar for sprinkling
maple syrup for serving

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Generously coat the bottom & sides of a 12-muffin tin with butter. Make Bisquick pancakes per instructions on the box. Fill each cup in the muffin tin half-way. Add 1 tbsp of filling to the middle of each muffin, then cover with the remaining pancake mix. Bake 20 minutes. Remove from oven, place on serving dish & use a flour sifter to sprinkle with sugar. Serve with warm syrup.

Crescent Breakfast Pizzas
Amy (amylz)
Makes: 8 pizzas

4 slices bacon
1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms (about 3 oz)
1 can (8 oz) Pillsbury refrigerated crescent dinner rolls
1 package (3 oz) cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup basil pesto
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (4 oz)
2 large plum (Roma) tomatoes, each cut into 8 slices
3 medium green onions, sliced (3 tablespoons)

1. Heat oven to 375F. Spray large cookie sheet with cooking spray. In 10-inch skillet, cook bacon until crisp; drain on paper towels. Crumble bacon; set aside. Reserve 1 tablespoon bacon drippings in skillet. Cook mushrooms in bacon drippings over medium heat 4 to 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until lightly browned.
2. Unroll dough and separate into 4 rectangles; press each into 8x4-inch rectangle, firmly pressing perforations to seal. Cut each in half crosswise, making 8 squares; place 1/2 inch apart on cookie sheet.
3. Spread 2 teaspoons cream cheese and about 1/2 tablespoon pesto on each square. Top evenly with cooked mushrooms and 1/2 cup of the mozzarella cheese. Arrange tomato slices over cheese. Sprinkle with onions, crumbled bacon and remaining 1/2 cup cheese.
4. Bake 13 to 15 minutes or until crust is golden brown. Immediately remove from cookie sheet. Serve warm.

Amy

Pork (or Beef) on a Bun, Lemon Ice Box Pie

Hi everyone!

Tomorrow we are having Pork on a bun.  You can also do this with beef brisket.  You throw it in the crockpot, cook, shred, done.  We'll also be having a big green salad.

Pork (or Beef) on a Bun
Amy - amylz
Family Fun Magazine Makes 8 to 10 servings.

1 3- to 4-pound pork-butt roast or beef brisket
Salt and pepper to taste
2 medium onions, sliced
1 16-ounce jar barbecue sauce
Soft rolls

Step 1 Carefully trim the meat of visible fat and season it with salt and pepper. Place the onions in the bottom of the crock, then lay the meat on top of them. (You may have to cut the brisket in half and stack the pieces.) Step 2 Pour about a half cup of the barbecue sauce over the meat and flip it around to coat it. Cover and let it cook for 9 to 10 hours on low. Step 3 Carefully remove the cooked meat from the crock and pour out the fat and juices, retaining the onions. For the pork: Using two forks, shred the meat into stringy chunks, discarding any fat. Step 4 Put the meat back in the crock, mix in the remaining barbecue sauce, and let it cook another half hour or so. (You could eat it now, but it is better if it soaks awhile.) Step 5 For the beef: Slice the brisket across the grain and place it on a platter, discarding any fat. Cover it with sauce and let it sit for 10 minutes or so if you can bear it! Serve on soft rolls, onions on the side.

Lemon Ice Box Pie
Amy (amylz)

1 1/2 Cups Vanilla Wafer Crumbs (About 40 Wafers)
1/4 cup Butter or Margarine Melted
1 – 8oz Pkg Cream Cheese, Softened
1 – 14oz Can Sweetened Condensed Milk
1 – 6oz Can Frozen Lemonade Concentrate, thawed
1 – 4 oz Container Cool Whip, thawed

Combine crumbs and butter and press firmly on bottom and up sides of a 9 inch pie plate. Chill, beat cream cheese until fluffy in a larger mixing bowl; gradually beat in sweetened condensed milk, lemonade. Fold whipped topping in 4 oz container. Pour into pastry shell chill 4 hours or until set. Garnish with remaining topping.

Amy

Normal Chicken, Onion-Roasted Potatoes

Hi everyone!

Tomorrow we are having Normal Chicken for dinner. I'll probably use boneless, skinless chicken so I'll only cook them about 25 minutes. On the side I'm making these onion roasted potatoes. Come on, potatoes with onion soup mix is always a winner. Then we'll also have tomato slices. I am serious when I say my kids love these. As a reminder, I slice them pretty thick and then I sprinkle them with garlic salt and dried basil.

Normal Chicken
Amy - amylz
All Recipes 4 servings

4 bone-in chicken breast halves, with skin
3 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. Place chicken breasts in a glass baking dish. Pour the soy sauce and Worcestershire sauce over them. Cover with a lid or aluminum foil.
3. Bake for 50 minutes in the preheated oven, or until the juices run clear. If using frozen chicken breasts, bake for 1 hour.

Onion-Roasted Potatoes
Amy - amylz
All Recipes 6 servings

2 pounds red potatoes, sliced 1/2 inch thick
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 envelope onion soup mix

Combine all ingredients in a large plastic bag; shake until well coated. Empty bag into an ungreased 13-in. x 9-in. x 2-in. baking pan. Cover and bake at 350 degrees F for 35 minutes, stirring occasionally. Uncover and 15 minutes longer or until potatoes are tender.

Amy

Pesto Ravioli with Chicken

Hi everyone!

Tomorrow we are having Pesto Ravioli with Chicken for dinner. My family doesn't like cheese filled ravioli so I usually buy a flavor they will like. On the side we'll be having salad. If you don't use pesto often, you can buy it in the deli section of the super market. It should be near the blue cheese crumbles, cheese slices, things like that. My kids love pesto! It's very kid friendly. The photo is from the Betty Crocker site and it's not exactly the same recipe but it seemed like this recipe was probably based on it.

Pesto Ravioli with Chicken
brookiebunny

2 tsp. Olive oil
1 lb uncooked chicken breasts strips for stir-fry
cup chicken broth
1 pkg refrigerated cheese-filled ravioli
3 small zucchinis, sliced
1 red bell pepper, sliced
cup basil pesto
Parmesan Cheese

Cook chicken in oil until brown. Remove from skillet. Add broth and ravioli to skillet. Heat to boiling; reduce heat. Cover; simmer until ravioli are tender. Stir in zucchini, bell pepper, and chicken. Cook over medium-high heat until vegetables are crisp. Stir in pesto. Toss to coat. Sprinkle with cheese.

Amy

Pork Chops Delite

Hi everyone!

Tomorrow we are having Pork Chops Delite for dinner. This looks simple and tasty. On the side I'm serving baked potatoes and Caesar Salad.

Pork Chops Delite
Rachel--burns_toast

4 pork chops
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 pkg. dry onion soup mix
1/2 cup beer
salt/pepper to taste
flour for dredging
1 tbsp. butter/oil

Heat butter/oil in large skillet. Dredge chops in seasoned flour. Cook in skillet until browned on both sides. Mix remaining ingredients, pour over chops. Cover and simmer about 45 minutes.

Amy

Chunky Marinara Sauce

Hi everyone!

We are having dinner with friends tomorrow so here is a recipe for Chunky Marinara Sauce I thought you might like. It's a semi homemade type recipe. I love those!

Chunky Marinara Sauce
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Makes 4 servings

1 package Italian-Style Spaghetti Sauce Mix
2 cans (14 1/2 ounces each) diced tomatoes, undrained
1/4 cup red wine (optional)
1 tablespoon olive oil
Grated Parmesan cheese

1. Mix all ingredients in medium saucepan. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
2. Serve over your favorite cooked pasta. Garnish with Parmesan cheese.

Red Clam Sauce: Add 2 cans (6 1/2 ounces each) chopped clams, drained, after simmer time. Cook 1 minute or until heated through.

Amy

Italian Roast Beef Sandwiches, Grilled Turkey and Ham Sandwiches

Hi everyone!

Here are the sandwiches for this week:

Italian Roast Beef Sandwiches
Amy (amylz)
Makes 4 servings

1 hoagie roll
8 teaspoons olive oil
1/4 cup fresh basil, minced or 2 teaspoon dried basil
12 slices Roast Beef, about 3 oz each sandwich
8 slices (2 ounces) provolone cheese
8 sweet Italian peppers, thinly sliced

Cut hoagie almost in half lengthwise, leaving hinged on one side. Sprinkle bottom half of bun with olive oil. Sprinkle basil over oil. Layer slices of roast beef and cheese on hoagie; top with Italian peppers. Fold over top half of bun.

Grilled Turkey and Ham Sandwiches
Amy (amylz)
Cooking Light, JANUARY 2009

1 tablespoon light mayonnaise
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
8 (1-ounce) slices country white bread
4 (1-ounce) slices deli, lower-salt turkey breast
4 (1/2-ounce) slices deli, lower-salt ham
4 (1/2-ounce) slices reduced-fat cheddar cheese
8 (1/4-inch-thick) slices tomato
Cooking spray

1. Combine mayonnaise and mustard in a small bowl. Spread about 1 teaspoon mayonnaise mixture over 1 side of each of 4 bread slices. Top each slice with 1 turkey slice, 1 ham slice, 1 cheese slice, and 2 tomato slices. Top with remaining bread slices.

2. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add sandwiches to pan; cook 4 minutes or until lightly browned. Turn sandwiches over; cook 2 minutes or until cheese melts.

Yield: 4 sandwiches (serving size: 1 sandwich)

CALORIES 237 (0.0% from fat); FAT 5.8g (sat 1.8g,mono 0.9g,poly 0.9g); IRON 1.1mg; CHOLESTEROL 28mg; CALCIUM 166mg; CARBOHYDRATE 29.1g; SODIUM 781mg; PROTEIN 18.4g; FIBER 0.4g

Amy

Bacon or Sausage Pancakes, Baked Raisin French Toast, Banana Burritos, Peachy Keen Smoothie, Downeast Maine Pumpkin Bread

Hi everyone!

Here are the breakfasts for this week:

Bacon or Sausage Pancakes
The Skipper Bunch via Plain chicken

1-1/2 c flour
3-1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 tbsp sugar
1 tsp Vanilla extract
1-1/4 c milk
1 egg
3 tbsp butter, melted
1/2lb sausage or bacon, cooked and crumbled

In a large bowl, sift flour, baking powder, salt and sugar. Make a well in the center if flour mixture and pour in milk vanilla, eggs and melted butter; mix until smooth. Spray skillet and heat over med-high heat. Pour approximately 1/4c batter in skillet, sprinkle with 1-2tbspthe sausage/bacon on pancake. Brown both sides.

Baked Raisin French Toast
Amy (amylz)
(7 servings)

1 loaf good-quality raisin bread
3 large eggs
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup butter
2 and 1/2 cups half-n-half or heavy cream
1/2 tsp vanilla

Melt butter and brown sugar in microwave until blended and smooth. Use to coat the bottom of a 9 X 13 baking dish. Place bread in 2 layers in pan, taking up all space, packing bread in, but in single layers. Whisk other ingredients until well-blended. Pour over bread, cover and refrigerate overnight. Cook in 350 degree oven for 45 minutes, uncover and cook for another 15. Dish will puff up and then fall. Serve inverted with whipped cream.

Banana Burritos
Amy (amylz)
(1 serving)

1 medium banana
1 flour tortilla
2 Tablespoon peanut butter or soy nut butter or Nutella spead
1 teaspoon 50/50 cinnamon and sugar mixed
1 Tablespoon raisins (optional)
1 teaspoon crushed peanuts or walnuts (optional)
2 Tablespoons whipped cream (optional)

Spread peanut butter or Nutella evenly over tortilla. Place whole banana one edge of the tortilla. Sprinkle with cinnamon/sugar. Top with any of the optional ingredients. Roll tortilla. Top with a dollop of whipped cream. Sprinkle with any leftover optional ingredients

Peachy Keen Smoothie
Amy (amylz)
All Recipes

1 cup sliced peaches
4 cubes ice (optional)
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon honey
2 teaspoons wheat germ
1 tablespoon rolled oats
1 cup vanilla soy milk

Place the peaches, ice, nutmeg, vanilla extract, honey, wheat germ, oats, and soy milk into a blender. Cover, and puree until smooth. Pour into glasses to serve.

Downeast Maine Pumpkin Bread
Amy (amylz)
All Recipes

1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin puree
4 eggs
1 cup vegetable oil
2/3 cup water
3 cups white sugar
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour three 7x3 inch loaf pans. In a large bowl, mix together pumpkin puree, eggs, oil, water and sugar until well blended. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and ginger. Stir the dry ingredients into the pumpkin mixture until just blended. Pour into the prepared pans. Bake for about 50 minutes in the preheated oven. Loaves are done when toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Amy

Joes To Go

Hi everyone!

Tomorrow we are having Joes to Go for dinner. The idea here is that you could cook this up and then keep it in the freezer for a quick meal. I'm just going to cook it and eat it but it's nice to know that this will freeze well. On the side we will have cucumber slices.

Joes To Go
(Barbara ~CalTrent Mom - from Once a Month Cooking)

1 pound lean ground beef (or ground turkey)
3/4 cup finely chopped onion
1 1/2 teaspoons garlic salt*
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1/2 cup chili sauce
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 Tablespoon white vinegar
1 Tablespoon prepared mustard
1 8-ounce can tomato sauce
6 hamburger buns

In a large skillet, cook and stir ground beef and onion until beef is brown; drain. Add garlic salt, pepper, chili sauce, brown sugar, white vinegar, mustard and tomato sauce. Bring to a boil; reduce heat. Simmer uncovered 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Cool and freeze. Keep with hamburger buns. To prepare for serving, thaw hamburger sauce and buns. Heat sauce until bubbly, and serve on warmed buns.

Amy

Poulet en Papillote

Hi everyone!

Tomorrow we are having Poulet en Papillote for dinner. I figured we would give it a try. The name simply means it is chicken cooked in parchment paper or foil for this recipe. On the side we'll be having penne pasta and sliced tomatoes. I like to cook pasta and then I toss it with a little butter, garlic salt and parsley. My kids love it!

Poulet en Papillote
OP???

4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
4 pieces of Canadian Bacon, thinly sliced

For the Duxelles:
1 onion, chopped
1 shallot, chopped
4 oz mushrooms
parsley
2 T butter

Sear the chicken breasts in a small amount of oil for about 2 minutes per side. Remove and keep warm. In a food processor, puree the onions, shallots, parsley and mushrooms. Melt the butter in a skillet and add the mushroom mixture. Saute until all the water has evaporated. Place each chicken breast on a piece of foil. Top with 1 T of the duxelles, add a slice of bacon and then another T of the duxelles. Close foil tightly and bake for 25 minutes at 425. To serve: Remove the chicken from the foil packets and place on a warmed serving dish. Mashed potatoes make a good accompaniment.

Amy

Potato Paprikash

Hi everyone!

Tomorrow we are having Potato Paprikash for dinner. I think my 10 year old will love this. To convert the grams, remember that there are 125 grams in 1 cup. So just estimate, you don't have to be exact. I would say use 1.5 cups sausage and about 3/4 cup of bacon. Realistically, I'll probably just dice up a package of bacon and I'll use a whole package of smoked sausage. We'll also have a green salad.

Potato Paprikash
(Dusanka)

8 - 10 medium size peeled potatoes (cut into large cubes).
200g. of smoked sausage (sliced)
100g. of smoked bacon (sliced)
1 large finely chopped onion
1 medium size cubanell or other light green pepper (chopped)
1 medium size ripe tomato (sliced 6 - 8 pieces)
1/2 tsp. salt
1 large Tbs. of paprika
1 tsp. vegetable bouillon powder
1 Tbs. ketchup
1/4 tsp. of grated black pepper
1/4 tsp. of marjoram leaves
1 pinch of sweet basil
3 - 4 coriander seeds
1/2 - 1/3 cup of water

In a medium pot fry the smoked bacon until medium brown. Take the bacon pieces out of the fat and put to the side. Add the finely chopped onion into the bacon fat and fry till medium brown. Sprinkle with 1 Tbs. of mild to hot paprika and add the potato cubes Toss back the bacon pieces, the smoked sausage rings, the chopped green pepper, the tomato slices, salt, black pepper, vegeta, ketchup, marjoram leaves, sweet basil, coriander seeds and the water. On low heat simmer under lid till tender, with occasional stirring. Taste it if more salt needed.

Dusanka's notes: I fry up the sausage right after I remove my bacon. And then I remove the slightly browned sausage pieces. And then I add my onion.

Amy

Pot Roast with Vegetables

Hi everyone!

Tomorrow we are having a good old fashioned pot roast with vegetables. My husband loves when I cook them in the oven so that's why I pulled out this recipe. On the side I plan to serve mashed potatoes and green beans.

Pot Roast with Vegetables
Amy - amylz
Recipe courtesy Tyler Florence

1 (3 to 4 pound) piece beef chuck roast, trimmed of excess fat
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 can crushed tomatoes
1 cup water
2 yellow onion, halved
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 bunch baby carrots
2 celery stalks, sliced
1 cup button mushrooms, stems removed and sliced in half
2 sprigs fresh rosemary
4 sprigs fresh thyme
2 bay leaves

Season all sides of the beef with a fair amount of salt and pepper. In a large Dutch oven or other heavy pot that has a tight cover; heat 2 tablespoons of the oil over moderately high heat. Brown the meat on all sides, taking the time to get a nice crust on the outside. Pour in the tomatoes and the water. Scatter the vegetables and herbs around the pot roast, season with salt and pepper; and drizzle with the remaining tablespoon of oil. Cover the pot and reduce the heat to low. Braise for about 3 hours, basting every 30 minutes with the pan juices, until the beef is fork tender. Slice the pot roast and arrange on platter surrounded by the vegetables. Serve with the pot juices.

Amy

Chicken Enchiladas

Hi everyone!

Here is a recipe for Chicken Enchiladas that I saw in a Diabetes Cookbook. They looked pretty good so I thought I would pass them along.

Chicken Enchiladas
Amy - amylz
Betty Crocker's Diabetes Cookbook

Prep Time:20 min
Start to Finish:45 min
Makes:6 servings

1 can (10 oz) Old El Paso enchilada sauce
1/4 cup cilantro sprigs
1/4 cup parsley sprigs
1 tablespoon lime juice
2 cloves garlic
2 cups chopped cooked chicken or turkey
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (4 oz)
6 Old El Paso flour tortillas for soft tacos & fajitas (6 inch; from 10.5-oz package)
1 medium lime, cut into wedges

1. Heat oven to 350°F. Spray 11x7-inch (2-quart) glass baking dish with cooking spray.
2. In blender or food processor, place enchilada sauce, cilantro, parsley, lime juice and garlic. Cover; blend on high speed about 30 seconds or until smooth.
3. In small bowl, mix chicken and 3/4 cup of the cheese. Divide chicken mixture among tortillas. Roll tortillas around chicken mixture; place seam sides down in baking dish. Pour sauce mixture over enchiladas.
4. Cover; bake 15 minutes. Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup cheese. Bake uncovered 5 to 10 minutes longer or until hot. Serve with lime wedges. Garnish with additional cilantro sprigs if desired.
High Altitude (3500-6500 ft): Heat oven to 375°F. Increase first bake time to 25 minutes.

Nutrition Information:
1 Serving: Calories 250 (Calories from Fat 100); Total Fat 11g (Saturated Fat 4g, Trans Fat 1g); Cholesterol 50mg; Sodium 560mg; Total Carbohydrate 19g (Dietary Fiber 1g, Sugars 2g); Protein 20g Percent Daily Value*: Vitamin A 8%; Vitamin C 6%; Calcium 20%; Iron 8% Exchanges: 1 Starch; 0 Other Carbohydrate; 0 Vegetable; 2 1/2 Lean Meat; 1/2 Fat Carbohydrate Choices: 1

Health Twist: Though protein won't raise your blood glucose levels, it's still wise to eat only one serving per meal to control your total calorie intake. Serve-With: Don't forget the rice and beans! Serve with 1/3 cup cooked rice and 1/2 cup Old El Paso fat-free refried beans for a total of 4 1/2 Carbohydrate Choices. Substitution: If you prefer green enchilada sauce to the red variety, go ahead and use it instead.

Amy

Banana & Peanut Butter Sandwich, Sub Sandwich, Zesty Sub Sandwich

Hi everyone!

Here are the sandwiches for this week:

Banana & Peanut Butter Sandwich
Amy - amylz
Makes 4 Servings.

4 - Tablespoons peanut butter
8 - slices raisin bread
2 - firm, small banana, peeled and sliced

Spread peanut butter on 2 bread slices. Arrange banana slices over peanut butter. Top with remaining bread. Place sandwiches on cutting board and cut into quarters.

Sub Sandwich
Amy (amylz)
Makes 4 sandwiches

4 sub loafs
2 Tablespoons butter or margarine, soft
4 leaves lettuce
4 ounces sliced salami
2 tomatoes, sliced
Shake salt
Shake pepper
4 ounces sliced Swiss cheese
4 ounces sliced deli ham
1/2 cucumber, sliced thin
1 large onion, sliced
3 Tablespoons prepared mustard

Cut bread in half horizontally. Spread bottom half with butter. Layer lettuce, salami and tomatoes on butter bread; season with salt and pepper. Layer on the cheese, ham, cucumber and onion of top of tomatoes. Spread top half of bread with mustard.

Zesty Sub Sandwich
Amy (amylz)
Makes 4 sandwiches

4 sub loafs
2 Tablespoon butter or margarine, soft
4 leaves lettuce
4 ounces sliced salami
2 tomatoes, sliced
Salt (to taste)
Pepper (to taste)
4 ounces sliced Swiss cheese
4 ounces sliced deli ham
1/2 cucumber, sliced thin
1 large onion, sliced
1 Tablespoon wine vinegar
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1/4 teaspoon garlic salt

Cut bread in half horizontally. Spread bottom half with butter. Layer lettuce, salami and tomatoes on butter bread; season with salt and pepper. Layer on the cheese, ham, cucumber and onion of top of tomatoes. In a small mixing bowl, stir the vinegar, olive oil and garlic salt together. Spread vinegar dressing on the top half of bread with mustard.

Amy

Neapolitan Omelette, Crock Pot Potato Omelet, Banana Raisin Microwave Oats, Breakfast Potato Skins, Ice Cream Sandwich Cake, Kool Aid Pie

Hi everyone!

Here are the breakfast for the next week.  I am also posting two desserts that I plan to make in the next couple weeks.

Neapolitan Omelette
Amy (amylz)
(2 servings)

1 cup cooked and cooled spaghetti
2 Tablespoons tomato puree or sauce
2 large eggs
1 heaping Tablespoon chopped parsley or basil (or combination)
1 Tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese
1 pinch salt
1 pinch black pepper
1 Tablespoon olive oil - for frying

Cut cooked spaghetti into short pieces - no more than an inch long. In a medium mixing bowl, beat the eggs with the tomato puree and fresh herbs. Add the spaghetti, Parmesan and salt and pepper and stir to combine. Place a medium frying pan (about 9-inch diameter) over medium heat. Add olive oil. When hot, add the spaghetti mixture. Cover and cook both sides until nicely browned... about 4 minutes for the first side and 3 minutes for the flip-side.

Cooking Tips: Measure the 1 cup of spaghetti before you chop it or you'll have too much spaghetti. If your worried that your omelette will break apart when you flip it... Place a plate face-down over your frying pan. Quickly invert the omelette onto the plate. Slide the omelette off the plate into the frying pan. You'll loose a little tomato sauce, but that's a tiny sacrifice for the reward of a well-formed frittata. For a slightly different take... make the omelette in an oven-safe frying pan. After you flip it, top it with a handful of Mozzarella cheese and place it under the broiler until the cheese is fully melted. Below you can see what happens if you use too much spaghetti and tomato puree.

Crock Pot Potato Omelet
Amy (amylz)
(10 servings)

1 32-ounce package of frozen hash brown potatoes
2 small onions - diced
4 cloves of garlic - minced
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
1 cup shredded Muenster or Monterey Jack cheese
12 large eggs
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper

Prepare a 5-quart slow cooker with a generous coating of cooking spray. Layer the following ingredients in the crock pot: hash browns, onions, garlic and both of the cheeses. In a large bowl, beat the eggs with the heavy cream and sour cream and salt and pepper. Pour this mixture over the ingredients in the crock pot. Cover and cook 4 to 5 hours until eggs are completely set.  To serve, top with additional finely grated cheese and your favorite salsa.

Banana Raisin Microwave Oats
Amy (amylz)
(This recipe yields 1 serving) 

Half cup Old Fashioned Oats
20 or so golden raisins
1 sliced banana
1/4 to a 1/2 cup of Honey Nut Cheerios
skimmed milk -- enough to top off the bowl

Microwave the oats in a microwave-safe bowl with cup of water for 2 minutes.Sir in remaining ingredients except Cheerios. Now top with Cheerios.

Breakfast Potato Skins
Amy (amylz)

2 large potatoes - baked
4 large eggs
1/4 cup grated cheddar cheese
1/4 cup grated jack Cheese
4 slices cooked bacon - crumbled
salt & pepper to taste
sour cream (optional)
1 Tablespoon chopped chives (optional)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Slice baked potatoes in half lengthwise. Scoop out about most of the flesh and set aside to make other recipes. Place skins on a cookie sheet and cook for 6 to 8 minutes so the skins get slightly crispy. Remove from oven. In a skillet on medium heat, scramble eggs until they just begin to set and no more. Remove from heat. They will cook completely in the oven. Top each potato skin with equal amounts of egg, followed by crumbled bacon and cheese. Reduce heat to 350 and bake for 10 minutes... until cheese is melted and eggs are completly set. Serve alone or garnished with sour cream and/or chives.

Ice Cream Sandwich Cake
Amy (amylz)


16 ice cream sandwiches
1 tub cool whip
1 jar hot fudge sauce
1 Cup of Whoppers Candy

Layer a 9x13 pan with 8 sandwiches. Next add a layer of hot fudge, then another layer of sandwiches. Top with cool whip and crushed whoppers.

Kool Aid Pie

Amy (amylz)

1 pkg. Unsweetened Kool Aid (any flavor)

1 - 14 oz. can condensed milk 

1 -  8 oz. container Cool Whip 

1 graham cracker crust

Combine the first 3 ingredients well, pour into graham cracker crust. Refrigerate. This is very sweet when first made, so make the day before. Kids love this treat!

Amy