Good Morning Muffins

Sorry it’s been so long since I posted… got a little busy and things had to take a back seat for a while.  Anyway, I made these muffins a couple weeks ago and man were they good!  This is a recipe I found while watching Pioneer Woman’s cooking show.  I really enjoy her show and the type of food she makes.  So much of it is just good, simple, comfort food!  While watching the episode I was a bit skeptic about her use of TWO jars of marmalade in one batch of muffins, but I did the same and I really liked the balance of flavor and texture.

On the recipe she suggests using less if you don’t like the bitter taste of marmalade, but I don’t really feel like it is bitter so don’t be afraid to use it all.  The recipe I followed was also slightly different than what I watched her make on the show (I imagine it got altered a bit) and only listed 2 cups of marmalade, but on the show she says she just goes ahead and uses the two jars as it’s close.  Another difference I found when searching was the use of either just butter, just shortening, or a mix.  On the show she states that she likes the mix best so I went with that.

The muffins are nice and moist, with a great orange flavor, and have a little bit of sweetness and crunch on the top.  She uses a good deal of nutmeg in the topping, so you might consider cutting back a little if you aren’t a big fan.  She also uses salt which I found to be a great addition that sort of cuts through the sweetness a bit, but if you don’t like that sort of thing you can leave it out.  This recipe makes a lot of muffins, perfect for sharing, or just portioning out through the week for breakfast or a quick snack.  I think you can freeze them too if you like.

 

Makes : 24 muffins

Ingredients :

• 4 C. flour
• 1/2 C. sugar
• 2 T. baking powder
• 4 T. unsalted butter (cold)
• 1/4 C. shortening
• 1 1/2 – 2 C. marmalade (or 2 jars)
• 1 C. orange juice
• 2 tsp. vanilla
• 3 eggs, beaten

Topping :

• 1/2 C. sugar
• 1/4 C. brown sugar
• 2 T. melted butter
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• 1 tsp. nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• wheat germ

Directions :

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.  Spray muffin pans with cooking spray.
2. In a large bowl, sift together dry ingredients.  Using a pastry cutter or two knives cut in the butter and shortening until well combined.
3. In a separate bowl combine your wet ingredients, then gently stir into your dry ingredients.  Use very few turns of the spatula to combine it. 
4. Mix your toppings in another bowl and sprinkle a heaping tsp. over each muffin.  Also sprinkle about a 1/2 tsp. of wheat germ on each muffin.
5. Bake 20-22 minutes. Cool on wire rack.

Recipe from The Pioneer Woman

Patty Melt

In all my years I have not once tried a Patty Melt, until today that is.  It was my mom’s favorite thing to order when we’d go out if it was on the menu and I never even really knew what it was.  I was thinking about her, and it came into my head, and I was suddenly very curious.  So I searched it out, and was surprised to see it was just a burger/grilled cheese.  I figured I could do that.

I decided to go with a pretty basic recipe, though I found others that seemed a little more complex and I am sure great.  I think my mom liked hers on a dark rye, but I couldn’t for the life of me find any at the store, so went with a Russian Rye instead.  I can see why my mom liked them, though I felt this particular version could have used a good deal more cheese.  It is a melt after all and I do love my cheese!  I liked the nice buttery golden bread though and the juicy burger and caramelized onions between.  I think I may try some of the variations out there because it was such a simple yet satisfying sandwich.

 

Serves : 2

Ingredients :

• 8 oz. ground beef
• 1 small onion, thinly sliced
• 4 slices rye bread
• 4 slices swiss cheese
• 2 T. canola oil
• 2 T. butter, room temperature (or warmed slightly in the microwave if you forgot to take it out like me)
• salt and black pepper to taste

Directions :

1. Divide the meat into two balls. Form each one into a 1/4-inch patty that is just slightly larger than the slices of bread. Season each patty generously with salt and pepper.
2. Pour 1 tablespoon of the oil into a small skillet set over medium-high heat. Add the onions and cook until browned, about 10 minutes or so. Set aside.
3. Heat a large cast iron skillet over high heat. Pour in the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil. When it’s hot, add the burger patties. Cook for about 2 minutes per side. They should be well browned, but still slightly medium or medium-rare inside. Set aside.
4. Top two of the slices of bread each with some onions, a slice of cheese, cooked patty, another slice of cheese and finally a slice of bread. Slather each sandwich on top and bottom with the butter.
5. Wipe out the skillet. Then turn the heat to medium. Add the sandwiches. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes a side, or until the bread is golden browned and the cheese has melted.Slice in half diagonally and serve.

Recipe from Dishing Up Delights

 

 

Chicken Nacho Soup

I may have mentioned before that I am not much of a soup person, but that doesn’t stop me from trying them from time to time.  In doing so, I have actually found a couple I really like, which is a pretty big change from hating all soups.  Tonight’s soup was pretty good, but I am not sure it will become a favorite for me personally.  I think I would have liked it to be a tad creamier somehow, or a little less hot sauce since that was the dominating flavor to me.  I did like it with the chips for dipping though, and as far as soups go I would probably eat it again just to keep things different once in a while… perhaps with the changes I mentioned.  Jeff eats soup a lot more often than me and he said it was good, so perhaps he’s a better judge for this one.

It comes together quite easily, and doesn’t need a lot of time to cook which is always a good thing on those busy weeknights.  I love that it uses rotisserie chicken because that’s even less work you have to do, and I just really like rotisserie chicken.  At first I wasn’t sure what the recipe meant by “nachos”, but I decided it must have meant tortilla chips since the article also mentioned dipping them in the soup and some were pictured with it.  So anyway, I went with an Artisan Toasted Southwestern variety and they were perfect for this.  For the cheese I used Monteray Jack, but I bet cheddar, mozzarella, or even pepper jack if you really like the heat would also be good.

Serves : 4-6             Time to make : 40 minutes

Ingredients :

• 1/2 rotisserie chicken, shredded
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 5 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 jalapeno, diced
• 3 T. olive oil
• 1/2 (8 oz) package cream cheese (I used fat free)
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 cup salsa
• 1 can corn, drained
• 4 C. chicken broth
• 1 T. hot sauce
• 3 T. tomato paste
• 1 C. nachos, crumbled
• salt and pepper to taste
• shredded cheese for topping
• cilantro or parsley for topping (optional)

Directions :

1. Heat oil in a large soup pot or dutch oven over medium heat.  Cook onions in hot oil until translucent.  Add garlic and jalapenos and cook a minute more.
2. Add water and cream cheese, stirring until cheese is melted.  Add crumbled nachos next, this helps to thicken the soup.  Add chicken, corn, and salsa and stir to combine.  Then add your broth, hot sauce, and tomato paste and stir again.  Salt and pepper to taste.  Bring to a low boil and simmer for about 20 minutes.
3. Serve with shredded cheese, cilantro, and more nachos for dipping.

Recipe from Jo Cooks

Buffalo Fried Goat Cheese

I only need one word to describe these…. AMAZING!  I’ve been so good with my diet lately that I felt it was time to have a bit of indulgence to stay motivated.  I had come across these the other day while browsing recipes and knew I had to try them.  In our house we don’t often have goat cheese because my husband claims he is allergic…. though I am not sure if I believe him or if this is one of those allergies that comes around out of convenience for not wanting to eat a specific food.  I have only had it a handful of times, and always enjoyed it, but one time stands out in my mind as noteworthy and that was the time in Tahiti that I had it deep fried…. OMG!  I have to say these are as good if not better than those were with the addition of the buffalo sauce.  Each gorgeous ball is packed with perfect balance of tang, creaminess, crunch, and heat!

I have a pretty sketchy track record when it comes to breading and frying things…. more often than not I lose all my breading in the pan.  It usually ends up fine, at least as far as taste, but darn it if it doesn’t look terrible!  This is the most successful I have ever been with breading and it was so easy.  I think the cheese is the perfect soft/sticky for the breading to stick, and by double breading it allowed for a nice thick coating.  Because you are frying soft cheese I would recommend getting your oil fairly hot before you start since this is not something you want to cook for very long or you will get cheese escaping out the sides.  I went with medium-high heat, and once I put them in (working with only three at a time so I could really watch them closely) I only needed to fry them for maybe a minute total before they were nice and brown.  I just carefully rolled them around with a slotted spoon so that they cooked evenly and avoided spilling out the sides from staying on one side too long.  My advice is just to watch very closely.  Another bit of advice…. the original recipe which I halved called for me to use a cup of panko crumbs for my breading and I probably used less than half of that which then leaves the rest wasted.  I understand wanting enough to be able to roll them around in, but if you would prefer not to waste so much start with half of it and see how much you can coat before adding the rest to your dish.

These would be a fantastic appetizer to serve for any party, but I am thinking especially for the superbowl.  They really are easy to make, and once you get them all prepped, cook in very little time at all.  I think a fresh veggie tray with ranch would be the perfect accompanying appetizer for these, and with that you also have the perfect vegetarian spread as long as they are ok with the eggs anyway.

Makes : about 12                        Time to make : 15 minutes

Ingredients :

• 4 oz. log of soft goat cheese
• 2 eggs, slightly beaten
• 2 cups panko breadcrumbs (see note above)
• 3 cups vegetable oil, for frying (I didn’t measure, but just put about a half inch in the bottom of my skillet and I used canola oil)
• 1/2 cup Frank’s Red Hot Wings sauce

Directions :

1. Cut off 1/2 inch slices from your goat cheese log and roll them into balls. 
2. Roll cheese ball into egg mixture, taking care to evenly coat the entire thing before then rolling into a dish of the panko very gently pressing into the crumbs to help them stick.  Roll in egg mixture again carefully and then into the crumbs a second time.  Repeat with all the cheese balls before you start frying.
3. Heat oil over medium heat, and test before you start frying your cheese balls by dropping in a piece of breading.  It should float and bubble.  Carefully drop a few balls into the pan and gently roll them around with a spoon for a short time (maybe a minute or so depending on how hot your oil was) until they are a nice even golden brown.  Read above for a more detailed tip on this.
4. Remove to a plate lined with a paper towel to absorb the extra oil.
5. Toss your fried cheese balls in the wings sauce gently and serve warm on a bed of greens.

Recipe from a Bitter Sweet Wife

Cheesy Spinach & Bacon Quesadillas

I started with a recipe tonight for these, but altered the already small ingredients list enough times that I think it is no longer the same recipe, so I will just share mine instead.  I was sort of concerned before making these that not only would there not be enough filling for each quesadilla (compared to past quesadillas we’ve made), but that we’d be hungry still after eating them as our dinner tonight.  It’s a fine line some nights to come up with a dish that is low enough in calories for my dietary needs while still being filling, but also high enough and filling for my husband as well who gets a lot more calories a day than me.  Quesadillas are a pretty light meal in general, but just looking at the ingredient amounts I was concerned these would be even more so.  It turns out that I was wrong, and these were more than satisfying.  I actually started to feel pretty satisfied after one to tell you the truth, but I managed to eat that second one somehow lol.

The flavor on these is awesome.  The little bit of heat from the tortillas, matched with the creamy smoked flavor of the cheese, and the sweet smokey bacon and fresh spinach is just perfect.  I think serving these with a bit of sour cream would be even better, but it’s definitely not necessary if you are hoping to keep the calories down.

I want to take just a moment to talk about the bacon…. if you have never cooked your bacon in the oven you don’t know what you’re missing!  Not only is there no splatter of oil to clean up and ruin your clothes or burn you, but each piece is perfectly done with ease, and stays nice and straight and looks amazing!  Thick cut bacon works best, but you can certainly do it with any bacon you have.  You just have to watch it closely because the time in which is crisps happens so quickly.  I am going to go ahead and say every oven is different, and so is every bacon so there is no cut and dry temperature/time combo that will work best, but I will list what I used tonight as a guideline to get you started and you’ll just have to try it for yourself to find out what works best in your oven.

Serves : 2-4                            Time to make : 10 minutes (not including bacon preparation time)

Ingredients :

• 4 Jalapeno Cheddar Tortillas (they are large and the brand is Mission)
• 3 oz. nonfat cream cheese
• 3/4 cup shredded gouda
• 8 strips of thick cut bacon, crispy
• 1 cup of fresh baby spinach (or basically a large handful)

Directions :

1. First make your bacon… either in the skillet if you prefer, or in the oven as mentioned above.  To make it in the oven line a large cookie (with sides) with foil and place a rack on top.  The foil should come up the sides a bit to catch all your grease for easy cleanup.  Spray rack a bit with non-stick cooking spray.  Lay bacon on rack making sure not to overlap them for the best results.  Bake in a 350 degree oven (not preheated) for about 25-30 minutes or until done, paying close attention starting around 15 minutes and flipping them once or twice for even crisping.
2. Once bacon is done, combine the cream cheese and gouda in a small microwave safe bowl and heat for about a minute until melted stirring about halfway through.  Watch closely so it doesn’t burn or anything, but it should be fine as long as you stirred it.  You’ll end up with a sort of sticky, ball of cheese rather than a truly melted sauce.
3. Split the cheese among the four tortillas and spread on one half of each.  Next layer on the bacon.
4. Heat a skillet over medium-high heat, add about a T. of water and throw in the spinach stirring gently.  Cook just until it has wilted down a bit, and then remove it.  Layer that into your quesadillas last before folding them over into half circles.
5. Wipe out any moisture in your skillet left from the spinach and spray with a bit of non-stick cooking spray.  Heat over medium-high heat and then cook your quesadillas in there either one at a time, or if you are brave and have a large skillet go for two at a time but it will make it harder to flip them.  Again, watch closely because once they start to brown they will burn fast if you aren’t careful.  It will probably only take a minute or so for the first side to brown up and start to get crispy, then flip it and cook the other side.  Note: the other side will brown even faster so pay attention.
6. Cut in half and serve warm.  Optional to serve with a bit of sour cream as well.

Sticky Glazed Chicken & Couscous

Another aptly named dish!  This is one of those recipes where it would be very helpful to have everything measured out and ready ahead of time since towards the end things come together rather quickly, and if you want to time everything to be done together you may end up flustered at the end as you try to get your couscous going, keep an eye on the chicken and onions  (which were getting very close to being overdone in my case), and measure out the sauce ingredients.  Especially if you are like me and seem to always end up in a rush to get something like your brown sugar, only to find you are at the end of the bag and it’s pretty clumpy so you have to take extra care to break it up first.  And the slow pour of things like vinegar can be agonizingly worse when you are in a hurry.  So I like to just have things measured out into little dishes sitting next to me for convenience.  Back to original point… because I did NOT have it all ready I was a bit flustered as mentioned and in trying to get it all together and plated I found out just how sticky it was when my hands became a serving utensil…

Anyway, this is a very tasty recipe for sure, and a very attractive looking dish as well.  The recipe I followed called for regular couscous, but Jeff is not a fan and I had been wanting to try the larger pearl variety so figured this would be a good time.  This of course added to my flustered state since I didn’t realize it was cooked slightly different from regular couscous which you just boil the liquid for, dump it in, cover it and leave it.  For the pearl couscous (I used a tricolor variety) you actually have to cook it on low for a little longer and stir it occasionally, so just be aware of that before you start.  I definitely prefer the large variety now that we’ve tried it and think I will use that whenever I can, especially since Jeff seems to agree.  If you are not familiar with couscous you may be concerned that the amount of food seems small for two people, but like rice it fills you up pretty quickly because it expands.  If you do decide to go with the larger variety though you could get away with making a cup rather than 2/3 as stated in the recipe.

Jeff said this reminded him a lot of sweet and sour which is no surprise given the vinegar and sugar based sauce, but it’s a little different with the sundried tomatoes and red wine vinegar.  It is nice and sweet and it coats the chicken wonderfully so you get all the flavors in each bite.  I did notice afterwards that I misread a portion of the recipe off my phone and used 4 T. of sugar instead of tsp. which could have made a substantial amount of difference, so I am just going to go ahead and list it as I made it since I had great results.  I encourage you to add  a good handful of spinach or even two since it cooks down so small.  Another great thing about this recipe… at least for me, is that other than the spinach, all the ingredients are things I typically have on hand so I can easily throw this together any time.

 

Serves : 2                  Time to make : 20 minutes

Ingredients :

• 3 boneless skinless chicken breasts, sliced thin (about 12 oz)
• 2/3 cup dry couscous
• 1/2 small red onion, diced
• 8 or so sundried tomatoes, chopped (about 1/4 cup)
• handful of spinach
• 6 T. red wine vinegar
• 4 T. brown sugar
• cooking spray or olive oil

Directions :

1. Spray skillet with cooking spray or put a bit of olive oil and heat over medium-high heat.
2. Add onion, cook for 1 min. stirring until slightly browned.  Season and add your chicken, cook about 6-7 minutes until  browned and mostly cooked through.
3. Boil the water for your couscous  as directed on the package, then add couscous and cover.  If you chose to use the large variety you will need to keep the burner on a lower heat and stir occasionally for about 8-10 minutes (or as directed on package) otherwise it can sit there for about 5 minutes untouched if you used the small kind.
4. To the chicken, add your vinegar and sugar, and stir it well to get it all mixed.  Throw in tomatoes, and cook a couple of minutes until sauce comes together and gets sticky and thick, and chicken is fully cooked through.
5. Throw in your big handful of spinach and stir until it just wilts down and remove from heat. Serve chicken over the warm couscous.

 

Pulled Hawaiian Chicken Sandwiches

Tonight’s recipe comes from foodgawker again… yeah I go there a lot lol…. and while I wouldn’t say it was a new favorite it was definitely good.  I think it has potential to be great, but in it’s current form is just a bit simple for my tastes.  However, simple is not always bad, and this is a great way to change things up a bit without getting too adventurous in the kitchen for those that are newer to culinary exploration.  I think the addition of maybe some green peppers would be really good on this, or maybe even some smoky bacon or ham, or jalapenos would help take this recipe to the “great” status.  As I knew he would, Jeff also suggested using a white bun for these, and I agree it would be better, but I was trying to boost the health and cut back on the calories for tonight so went with wheat.  I bet a nice specialty type roll fresh from the bakery would be even better for these; something a bit harder than your basic burger bun.  I also want to point out, that for convenience, I use a counter top grill about 99% of the time and it’s possible that once in a while it sacrifices just a bit of flavor in a dish, but that’s debatable I imagine.  I just think that you get way better char marks on the real thing and that might have pushed this over the “good” status a bit too.

I didn’t have as much fun photographing this dish, but I still think I managed to come up with something drool worthy to share with all of you.

Makes : 5-6 Sandwiches

Ingredients :

• 1 Lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 1/2 cup heinz 57 sauce (not ketchup which is a common misconception)
• 2 T. agave nectar or honey (I used honey)
• Tabasco
• Fresh pineapple, cored and sliced into 7 1/2″ rings (I used pre-cut spears and just sliced them thinner)
• olive oil
• salt and pepper
• 5-6 buns or sandwich rolls

Directions :

1. Heat grill to medium heat.  Place one ring of pineapple in a small food processor and puree until you get a sauce-like result.  Place into a medium bowl and add to that your heniz 57 sauce, agave nectar or honey, and a couple of dashes of Tabasco.  Taste at this point and add some additional honey as desired.  Remove 1/4 cup of the sauce to use for basting and reserve the rest for serving later on.
2. Brush pineapple rings with a bit of olive oil before placing them on the heated grill.  Cook for 5-7 minutes on both sides until the sugars begin to caramelize and you get nice grill marks.   Pound chicken out slightly to achieve and even thickness before seasoning with salt and pepper and then brushing on half of sauce you pulled earlier to your first side.  If you used a countertop grill like me, you can go ahead and baste the other side once you put it on the hot grill, otherwise you’ll need to remember to baste the other side once you flip your chicken halfway through cook-time.  Cook until chicken is completely done, then set aside and cover with foil to allow the chicken to rest for about 5-10 minutes before shredding with two forks.  (during this time you could toast your buns if you want, which is what I did, but the recipe did not call for it)
3. Add shredded chicken to the bowl of sauce and toss to coat evenly.  Divide among your buns and top with the rings of grilled pineapple.

Enchilada Pasta Skillet

Tonight’s meal is definitely one from the comfort food department.  Like many of the recipes I share on here, this comes together easily and in pretty good time.  It’s been a while since I made actual enchiladas, but this seems much easier without all the filling and rolling and extra dishes.  Everything goes together in one pan for this dish.  Flavor isn’t exactly like a typical enchilada, likely because of the pasta vs. tortillas, but it’s very good nonetheless.

The recipe, which again came off foodgawker (another one of those that caught my attention with a lovely picture), didn’t specify a type of pasta, so I used orecchiette which I had on hand which worked nicely.  They act like little bowls to scoop up the sauce nicely.  I imagine shells would work nicely for this reason too.  Just watch carefully during cook-time for your chosen pasta to reach the al dente stage before moving on to the next step.  I actually used this recipe as an excuse to finally go out and buy a cast iron skillet, which I have been wanting for a long time, because I am too scared to put my Rachel Ray set in the oven.  Make sure you have an oven safe skillet to make this in if you plan to broil the cheese on top at the end.  This makes a large skillet full, so be sure to use the biggest one you have too.

 

Serves : 4                 Time to make : 35-40 minutes

Ingredients :

• 2 T. olive oil, divided
• salt and pepper
• 1 LB chicken, cut into bite sized pieces
• 1/2 onion, chopped
• 1/2 red pepper, chopped
• 1 (14.5 oz) can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 2 (1o oz) cans enchilada sauce
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 1 tsp. Tabasco (Dh said it was a bit much for him so you might want to try half first)
• 2 oz. Velveeta cheese or shredded cheese (I used a shredded Mexican blend)
• 8 oz. pasta
• 1/2 cup shredded cheddar (I used the Mexican blend again)
• sour cream, cilantro, scallions

Directions :

1. Heat 1 T. oil in a large skillet over medium heat.  Season chicken with salt and pepper and place in skillet.  Brown on all sides; about 5-7 minutes.  Transfer chicken to a plate and cover loosely with foil.
2. Wipe out skillet and heat remaining T of oil over medium heat.  Add onions and peppers and cook until tender stirring frequently; about 5 minutes.  Add beans, enchilada sauce, chicken broth, Tabasco and first portion of cheese.  Cover and cook at a low simmer until pasta is al dente, stirring occasionally to prevent anything from sticking to the bottom.  Depending on what type of pasta you chose this should take about 10 minutes.   Once you have reached al dente add back in your chicken and continue to cook uncovered until chicken if fully cooked through and sauce thickens; about another 3-5 minutes.
3. Add remaining cheese to the top and place under broiler for a minute until cheese melts, watching carefully.  Top with a generous dollop of sour cream, chopped scallions, and cilantro either in the skillet or in each individual dish.

Chocolate Mug Cake (Eggless)

You may have heard of the mug cake; a single serving cake baked in a mug in the microwave.  I have been intrigued by it for quite some time, but hadn’t gotten around to trying it myself.  I don’t know why, but I have doubts about food cooked solely in a microwave.  As I was browsing through FoodGawker the other day I came across yet another recipe and was convinced by the image I saw… that of a moist, fluffy cake dripping with honey.  Since I am counting calories I didn’t use any honey, but I imagine it would be even better with something on top.  Perhaps even some chocolate syrup!  I just went with a simple powdered sugar embellishment for today.

The cake itself is only good, at least without something to top it off.  However, I know there are countless recipes out there for these cakes so perhaps others have perfected the ingredients for an even tastier cake.  This one though is eggless, which is going to really help keep the calories down for those like me that just want a taste of cake without having an entire cake left over to tempt you for the next few days.  I actually split it with my husband and two boys today so I only got a fourth, but it was just enough to quiet that voice inside me SCREAMING for chocolate on a daily basis lol.  The best thing about this cake IMO is how quick it all comes together.  You can be enjoying a nice serving of cake in a little more than 5 minutes tops!

Today I used mini chocolate chips since that’s what I had on hand, but the recipe didn’t specify.  I do think they worked best though since they sunk to the bottom and made the cake a little hard to get out in one flawless piece (which is no big deal, and doesn’t detract from the taste at all).  I imagine a larger chip would only be worse.  I used a ramekin for mine today because I wanted a wider cake to share with everyone, but any large sized mug would probably work, or even a small glass bowl.

 

Serves : 1                           Time to make : 5 minutes

Ingredients :

• 3 T. all purpose flour
• 1 T. cocoa powder
• 1 T. chocolate chips
• 1/4 tsp. baking powder
• 1 T. brown sugar
• pinch salt
• 3 T. milk
• 2 tsp. olive oil
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

Directions :

1. In a small bowl combine flour, cocoa powder, chocolate chips, baking powder, brown sugar, and salt.  Stir to combine and break up any lumps.
2. In a separate bowl combine milk, oil, and vanilla and whisk with a fork to combine. 
3. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients stirring until just combined, do not over stir.
4. Grease a mug, ramekin, or small glass bowl (I used some shortening) and pour in your batter.
5. Microwave on high for exactly 1 minute, keeping a close eye through the door (don’t open) around 40 seconds just to be sure it’s not going to spill over, though you shouldn’t have any issues.
6. Allow to cool for a couple minutes before running a knife around the edges and overturning onto a plate.

BBQ Muffin Cups

These super simple muffin cups came from Food.com, and are what gave me the idea for my Italian Chicken Cups (shared the other day).  They are another great weeknight meal, and though they are not really low in calories or anything the simplicity and low cost help make up for it.  And you can always lower the calories by using ground turkey, low fat cheese, and reduced fat biscuits too.  I have tried versions with corn in them as well, and really enjoyed the addition.  This has become one of our go-to recipes whenever we need to repeat things because of busy schedules and they are SO easy, even Jeff can make them start to finish without messing them up…. which if you know my husband you’d know is no small thing.  If you use the Pilsbury Grands (my preferred biscuit) you’ll get 8 of these, which Jeff and I can eat by ourselves, but I’d say you can get away with 2 per person as long as you have a little side with them.

 

serves : 2-4                 time to make : 25 minutes

Ingredients :

• 3/4 lb ground beef
• 1 T. onion, minced
• 1/2 cup bbq sauce
• 2 T. brown sugar
• 3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• 1 can flakey biscuits (I use Pilsbury Grands)

Directions :

1. Brown beef and onions in skillet.  Meanwhile preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
2. Drain beef and onions before mixing in the bbq sauce and brown sugar.
3. Using your hands, stretch the biscuits out to about double the size and fit down into a lightly sprayed muffin pan. 
4. Fill each cup with the beef and onions mixture then top with some cheese.
5. Bake about 15 minutes or until muffins are golden and cooked through.

Fish Picatta

This recipe comes from Melissa d’Arabian, whom you may have seen on Food Network.  I’ve made other variations of this recipe before, but this one is SO simple I had to give it a try and I was so glad I did because it’s literally bursting with flavor.  It’s a great weeknight meal because it takes so little effort to prepare, and it’s also a nice light dish with low calories and fat.  If you’re like me and would like to find more ways to incorporate fish into your diet for all it’s healthy benefits, I highly suggest you try this recipe.

Tonight I paired this with some fried potato slices (fish and chips), but it would also be good with a simple pasta to soak up all that delicious sauce left on the plate.  Or perhaps some couscous would be nice too.  Tilapia is fairly inexpensive, but you can splurge a little and use something like Halibut for this too if you want.  Really, any firm white fish would work I am sure.  The lemon flavor is VERY strong, so if you would like it a little less lemony go ahead and do half the lemon juice.  I have tried this with both pinot and moscato and had great results.

 

serves 4                time to make : 20 minutes

Ingredients :

• 2 T. olive oil
• 4 small fillets of white fish such as tilapia, about a lb total
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup flour
• 1/4 cup white wine
• 2 lemons, juiced (I also take the zest off one for extra flavor)
• 2 T. capers
• 2 T. butter
• 2 T. chopped fresh parsley

Directions :

1. Heat olive oil in a large saute pan over medium-high heat.  While pan is heating, blot fish with a paper towel, season with salt and pepper.  Dredge in flour, shaking off excess.
2. Saute fish in oil until just cooked through and lightly browned, about 4 minutes.  Turn half way through cooking.  Move to platter and keep warm.
3. Immediately deglaze the pan with the white wine, whisking for about 1 minute.  It  helps to lift the pan off the burner at this point or you will have a HUGE mess.  Add the lemon juice and capers next and stir to combine.  Add the butter, allowing to melt as you whisk together.  Simmer for a couple minutes to allow the sauce to thicken slightly as it reduces. 
4. Pour over the plated fish, and top with your chopped parsley (and this is where I add the zest as well).

 

Kicking off the Fall Season with some Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins!

Let me just start off by saying WOW!  My house sure smells amazing right now!  Not only were these muffins quick, and delicious, but they were also made from things I had on hand which is always a good thing.  This is especially true when you are trying to bake on a budget so to speak.  Maybe not everyone has cans of pumpkin on hand but I usually have at least three at any given time.

We really enjoyed these muffins, and my only thought is that it could stand to have even more spice to it, whether you use cinnamon or pumpkin spice, or nutmeg or ginger or whatever.  The recipe actually called for 2 Tsp. of cinnamon but I did 1 Tsp. cinnamon and 1 Tsp. pumpkin spice.  I also did 1 cup sugar, and 1 cup brown sugar for these.  I am pretty sure the recipe called for milk chocolate chips, but I tend to prefer dark chocolate so that is what I had on hand.  I don’t think you can go wrong with chocolate though.

I realize Fall has already started, and even the weather of late has been right on track for this great season.  However, in my house it isn’t truly Fall until October when we get to decorate for Halloween and start making all the yummy fall treats.  It’s also the month of my oldest son’s birthday so it’s always extra special now.  Anyway, these were the perfect thing to round out a day of decorating, and I hope everyone else is enjoying their fall as much as we are!

 

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins

Serves : 28-30 muffins            Time to make : 30 minutes

Ingredients:

• 4 eggs
• 16 oz. canned pumpkin
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 3 cups flour
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• 2 tsp. baking soda
• 2 tsp. cinnamon
• 1 tsp. salt
• 12 oz. chocolate chips

Directions:

1. Combine the eggs through oil into a large bowl and whisk until smooth.
2. In a separate bowl combine the flour through salt and then gradually incorporate into the wet ingredients until mixed well.
3. Fold in the chocolate chips.
4. Fill muffin cups (greased or lined)  3/4 full and bake in a preheated oven at 375 degrees for 16-20 minutes.

 

Day 151 : Nanny’s Veggie Dip

While this is not my nanny it must have been someone’s, and IMO she knew what she was doing.  This is a great simple dip that uses things almost everyone has on hand at any given time.  For the purpose of showing just that I went with the dried versions as stated in the recipe, but I bet fresh ingredients could make this even better!  I almost always have onions, parsley, and garlic on hand, as I am sure many others do as well.

I made this today to dip carrots in because I was hoping to keep my caloric intake a little low for the afternoon since I knew we were eating out tonight.  However, once I made it and brought it into the living room to share in a sort of picnic Archer quickly decided he wanted some too, and I wasn’t comfortable with him having the carrots so I asked Jeff to grab some crackers for him to dip.  Tried it with the veggie ritz crackers and it was SOOOO good.  I could easily have eaten a whole sleeve of crackers that way myself.

Anyway, this is great for a crowd, either at a party or maybe a picnic or whatever.  Just make sure you give it some time to chill and let the flavors marry before you serve it.

 

Nanny’s Veggie Dip

Serves : about a cup                  Time to make : 5 minutes

Ingredients :

• 1/2 cup fat free sour cream
• 1/2 cup low fat mayo
• 1/2 T. parsley flakes
• 1/2 T. dried onion flakes
• 1/4 tsp. garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. black pepper
• 1/2 T. prepared mustard

Directions :

1. Combine all ingredients in a bowl and stir well to mix.
2. Cover and chill for a couple hours before serving.

Day 150 : Spicy Spud Crusted Chicken

This is one of my favorite chicken recipes.  I came across it a long time ago and though the idea was a bit weird to me I fell in love with the taste and texture of this.  It really is easy to make and there is so much flavor!  I haven’t done it yet, but I bet you could do other seasoning blends too and get great results…. maybe italian, cajun, greek, etc.  For the potato flakes I like using regular Creamy Butter style, but you could try whatever you like.  Normally you would cut the chicken into strip sized pieces, but I just pounded mine out a little tonight and left them as whole breasts.

 

Spicy Spud Crusted Chicken

Serves : 4                         Time to make : 40 minutes

Ingredients :

• 3-4 large chicken breasts, cut into pieces
• 1/3 cup butter, melted
• 2/3 cup instant potato flakes
• 3 T. (basically 1 pkg) taco seasoning
• 1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper
• 1/3 cup shredded parmesan

Directions :

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and spray a 9×13 baking dish with cooking spray.
2. Melt butter in a shallow dish and set aside.
3. Combine potato flakes, taco seasoning, cayenne pepper, and parmesan in a second shallow dish.
4. Dip chicken pieces in the butter first, and then roll into the potato mixture making sure to press the coating onto the chicken.
5. Bake for 30 minutes or until done.

 

Day 145 : Taco Salad Nachos

Well I’m back!  Enjoyed my time away, and was able to recharge my batteries so to speak, but not it’s time to get back to things.

Tonight’s recipe is one we’ve made before and it’s perfect for any night.  It literally goes together in maybe 10 minutes, and it’s something the whole family can enjoy.  I know a lot of people have taco night because they are easy…. well these are even easier because you don’t have to assemble tacos and there is no worry about them spilling out onto your plate because they are already in a pile!  You can crunch up the chips and eat it more like a salad or leave the chips whole and eat them as nachos.

I will list our typical taco toppings, but feel free to use whatever you like for yours.

 

Taco Salad Nachos

Serves : 4                Time to make  : 10 minutes

 

Ingredients :

• 1 bag of tortilla chips (For extra flavor try hint of lime, pepper jack, or jalapeno chips)
• 1 lb ground beef
• 1 pkg. taco seasoning
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 small can olives, sliced
• 1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
• 1 cup salsa
• 1 cup sour cream (fat free)
• 1/2 cup guacamole
• 1 pkg shredded lettuce

Directions :

1. Brown ground beef in a skillet, and drain.  Add seasoning and water and mix.
2. Place chips on the bottom of the plate and layer the meat, cheese, onions, olives, and lettuce on top. 
3. Mix together the salsa, sour cream, and guacamole and pour over the top.

 

 

Thanks for your patience and I hope you will all stick with me!