Creating memorable and healthy dining experiences.
Corn Dog Muffins – johanna
February 17th, 2010 | Filed under: RECIPES - Sides, RECIPES - Snacks
My first job after graduating high school was working in the Sears shoe department at the mall. It was not the most glamorous of professions, standing around for 9 hours but it paid. Occasionally for breakfast I would stop by Cinnabon for a mini roll and wash it down with a pint of milk. Sometimes for lunch the owner of the Chinese Wok would cook up a special plate of spicy Tai food for me. But my favorite lunch was at the corn dog place. I loved the cheese sticks. A stick of cheese dipped in corn bread and then deep fried to perfection. As a teenager there was no such thing as eating healthy. I have not had a corn dog in an extremely long time. When I bit into a corn dog muffin I was sent back in time to the little table in the Sears break room where I sat and ate my cheese stick.
These little guys are really great for an after school snack. I used one (16 ounce) package of Marie Calendar’s corn bread mix. It is a little sweeter than the Jiffy mix so I swapped out the sugar for maple syrup. I am thinking I might play around with adding some vegetables, carrots, peas or corn.
Source: Adapted from Allrecipes.com
2 (8.5 ounce) packages cornbread mix
2 tablespoons brown sugar or maple syrup
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups milk
1 cup grated Cheddar cheese
9 hot dogs, cut in half lengthwise then chopped into half moons or diced
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Lightly grease muffin tins.
Stir together the cornbread mix and the brown sugar in a large bowl. Whisk the eggs and milk in a small bowl until smooth. Fold the milk mixture, cheese and hot dogs into the dry ingredients until moistened. Spoon mixture into muffin tins until 2/3 full.
Bake in a preheated oven 14 to 18 minutes, or until golden brown.
Sausage and Peas Pasta – johanna
January 29th, 2010 | Filed under: BUDGET MEALS, RECIPES - Main Dish, RECIPES - Sides
This is a nice simple 30-minute dish. I was in the mood for something saucy using left over pasta, peas and some Italian sausage. I made a rue using butter, flour and milk but never used it. The sausage dish looked so yummy without it.
Serves 4
1 tbsp olive oil
1 pound hot or Mild Italian Sausage, cut into bite sized pieces
2 large garlic cloves, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
1 small red onion, thick slices
1 cup green peas
1 pound egg noodles or favorite pasta
3 tbsp butter
1/4 cup grated Parmesean cheese
Salt and Pepper, to taste
Bring a pot of water to a boil. Add pasta and cook until desired doneness. Drain and toss with butter and cheese.
Meanwhile, heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook sausage until browned and just about cooked through. Add onions, garlic and green pepper. Cook until just tender but not soggy; about 3 to 5 minutes. Add peas and cook until heated. Season with salt and pepper is desired.
Curried Turkey Salad with Apples, Cranberries and Walnuts – johanna
January 25th, 2010 | Filed under: RECIPES - Main Dish, RECIPES - Sides, RECIPES - Soup / Salad
Curry is commonly eaten throughout Asia and the Middle East. The term curry refers to delicacies that are seasoned with black pepper, coriander, curry leaves, ginger, cumin, chili powder, mustard seeds, salt, lemongrass, ginger, five spice powder, cardamom, cinnamon, nutmeg and other pungent spices and herbs. The spices are heated with oil when cooking to release the aromas.
Ready made curries such as the powder and paste found in the supermarkets are for convenience purposes. Dry curry powder is made up of ground spices and herbs and burns easily therefore it is not recommended when frying foods. The powdered form is commonly used when simmering soups, sauces and in salads. Curry paste on the other hand has a higher tolerance for heat and may be used in fried dishes. The intense flavor of curry paste is a result of the fresh herbs, spices, oil and liquid flavoring such as coconut juice.
The first time I tasted curry was my first year in college. A couple of my friends from Japan invited me over to their place for a Japanese feast. I watched, amazed, as they threw all sorts of spices together in the pot and let it simmer until the apartment smelled fragrant. The curry chicken we ate that day was absolutely divine. Curry is a treat I do not get very often since no one in the house shares my enthusiasm for cultural fare.
When I saw this recipe for curried turkey salad I immediately knew what I was going to make for lunch. I used left over roasted chicken and Greek yogurt instead of Mayo in the dressing. I wanted to slip into my jammies and if I owned a pair of bunny slippers I would put those on too. Then with my bowl of Curried Turkey Salad I would casually make my way to my bedroom, climb into bed and watch an hour of Pride and Prejudice (the A&E version). (Well, I would have if I had a TV in my room.)
Source: PinchMySalt.com
4 cups cooked and chopped turkey
1/2 cup diced Granny Smith apple
1/4 cup chopped celery, optional
1/3 cup chopped sweetened dried cranberries
1/3 cup chopped toasted walnuts*
Curry Dressing (recipe below)
In a large bowl, combine all ingredients and stir well. Serve on your favorite bread as a sandwich or on a bed of greens as a salad. Serves four to six.
Dressing:
1/2 cup thick yogurt
1/2 cup mayonnaise or plain Greek yogurt
2 tablespoons curry powder**
1 tablespoon honey
generous pinch of salt
fresh ground black pepper
Whisk all ingredients until well combined.
Recipe Notes:
*To toast walnuts, spread a handful of walnuts on a baking sheet. Toast in a preheated 350 degree oven for about five minutes or until they are fragrant. Don’t leave them in too long! Allow to cool slightly before chopping and adding to salad.
**If you prefer less spice in your salad, start with one tablespoon of curry powder then taste dressing and add more if desired.
Ham Stir-Fried Rice with Peas – johanna
January 22nd, 2010 | Filed under: BUDGET MEALS, RECIPES - Sides
My mom’s ham fried rice was one of my favorite dishes. I routinely requested it for my birthday dinner. In my home growing up we ate it as a main dish. Today we serve ham fried rice in smaller portions along side fish, shrimp or teriyaki chicken.
1 cup rice, brown, Jasmine or cooked wheat berries
2 cups broth or water
1 tbsp oil
1 small onion, chopped
1 cup frozen peas
1 1/2 cups cooked ham, chopped
2 eggs, beaten
4 scallions (green onions), chopped
1 tbsp rice vinegar
2 tbsp soy sauce
Salt and Pepper
Add rice and broth to a pot; bring to a boil. Cover and simmer 20 minutes until tender and set.
Heat oil in a skillet or wok over medium to medium-high heat. Saute onion until translucent and tender. Add peas and 2 cups rice. Saute for 2 minutes. Add ham, mix. Make a well in the center; pour in egg. Let set 2 minutes then scramble. Toss the rice with the egg. Stir in the scallions, vinegar and soy sauce.
Jellied Cranberry Sauce – johanna
December 25th, 2009 | Filed under: RECIPES - Sides
Cranberry sauce is the long time side kick to turkey but the time has come for this tart delectable side dish to branch out.Use this version of cranberry sauce in quesadillas, on top of pancakes, in sandwiches and with pork or chicken.
This recipe is found on the Ocean Spray website. The cranberry sauce is very runny unlike the canned stuff found in the grocery store. I had to add extra sugar since the cranberries in the grocery store are never ripe enough. Try combining the cranberry sauce with the cranberry relish.
Source: Ocean Spray
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup water
1 (12-ounce) package Fresh or Frozen Cranberries, washed and drained
Combine sugar and water in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil; add cranberries, return to a boil. Reduce heat and boil gently for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Place a wire mesh strainer over a medium mixing bowl. Pour contents of saucepan into strainer. Mash cranberries with the back of a spoon or pestal, frequently scraping the outside of the strainer, until no pulp is left.
Stir contents of bowl. Add sugar if needed and stir to dissolve. Pour into serving container. Cover and cool completely at room temperature.
Refrigerate until serving time.
Makes 1 cup.
Orange and Apple Cranberry Relish – johanna
December 23rd, 2009 | Filed under: RECIPES - Sides
A couple of years ago our oldest son went nuts over cranberry relish. Shocker. In the past my mother-n-law used the cranberry sauce recipe on the back of the Ocean Spray cranberry bag of cranberries. This year I took on the task of cooking and baking an entire Thanksgiving feast. Is it rude to say it was really good? I picked up a bag of cranberries to make the cranberry sauce. Of course the recipe was not on the back. I checked the website and found nothing.
Sometimes things go wrong and sometimes it is for a good purpose we may not understand at the moment. Take for instance this version of Orange and Apple Cranberry Relish. I would have never found it and to be honest we all liked it better than the recipe on the back of the bag of cranberries.
Elise from Simply Recipes uses a grinder. I have rewritten the directions using a food processor. If you do not have a food processor or grinder a blender is ok.
Source: Simply Recipes
Preparation time: 15 minutes.
2 cups washed raw cranberries
2 skinned and cored tart apples, cut into sections
1 large, whole (peel ON) seedless orange, cut into sections
1 to 2 cups granulated sugar (depending on how sweet you would like your relish to be)
Chop the apples, oranges and cranberries in a food processor use the entire (seedless) orange, peels, pith and all. (Be very careful not to over-pulse, or you’ll end up with mush). Dump into a large bowl.
Mix in the sugar. Let sit at room temperature until sugar dissolves, about 45 minutes. Store in the refrigerator.
Makes about 3 cups.
Wild Rice Pilaf with Mushrooms and Pecans – johanna
November 16th, 2009 | Filed under: RECIPES - Sides
Wild rice pilaf evokes fall with the warmth of the pecans and mushrooms reminiscent of homemade Thanksgiving stuffing. I love the added protein from the garbanzo beans. They lend a chewy filler without the fat and extra calories associated with sausage. I like to boil the orzo in chicken broth to add more flavor. Wild rice pilaf can also be used to stuff a turkey or Cornish hens.
Notes:
Orzo may resemble barley in shape but is technically a pasta. Still many refer to it as a rice and so when looking for the pasta you might want to try the rice isle first.
Source: Rachael Ray
3 ounces wild rice (about 1/2 cup)
1/2 pound orzo pasta
2 tbsp butter
2 garlic cloves
1/2 pound cremini mushrooms, sliced
1/3 cup pecans, chopped
2 tbsp chopped fresh sage
1 cup frozen peas, thawed
Half of a 15.5-ounce can chickpeas, drained
Salt and pepper
Cook the wild rice according to package directions; transfer to a large bowl. Meanwhile, in a pot of boiling, salted water, cook the orzo until al dente; drain. Add to the wild rice.
In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and mushrooms and cook, stirring frequently, until slightly softened, about 3 minutes. Add the pecans and sage and cook, stirring frequently, until the nuts are toasted and the mushrooms are tender, about 3 minutes. Stir in the peas and chickpeas. Add the vegetable mixture to the orzo mixture; season with salt and pepper.
Makes 4 servings
Cauliflower Fritter with Spicy Dipping Sauce – johanna
October 12th, 2009 | Filed under: RECIPES - Main Dish, RECIPES - Sides
I love crab cakes and tuna cakes even apple fritters but I have never heard of cauliflower fritters before. Zucchini yes. Cauliflower no. Sadly I was not that thrilled with the results. The fritters were in much need of flavor. So I thought and thought about what was missing and the first thing that came to mind was red pepper. I worked up a spicy dipping sauce I like to use on fried vegetables and was much happier. Yes it defeats the purpose of “only 5 ingredients” but I do not believe in compromising on flavor. I think some kind of mustard sauce or salsa would be a nice compliment too.
Source: Rachael Ray
1 large head cauliflower (about 2 1/4 pounds), trimmed and chopped
1/2 cup flour
1 large egg, beaten
One 10-ounce bag salad greens
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Steam the cauliflower until tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl, mash and let cool for 10 minutes. Stir in the flour and egg, season with salt and pepper and refrigerate for 15 minutes. Roll 1/4 cupfuls into balls, then flatten into patties, to make a total of 12 to 14. In a skillet, heat 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil over medium-high heat. Working in batches, fry the patties until golden-brown, about 4 minutes on each side. Serve with the salad greens tossed in olive oil and the lemon juice.
Variations:
-1 shallot, 1/4 cup chopped parsley, 1/2 cup mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses.
-Chopped anchovies.
-Green Onions, corn, peas and 1/2 cup cheddar.
-1-2 tablespoons Cajun seasoning.
-Use Balsamic Vinegar in the place of lemon juice.
Spicy Dipping Sauce:
1/4 cup light mayonnaise
1/4 cup ketchup
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp onion powder
1/8 tsp pepper
1/8 tsp salt
Stir together mayonnaise and ketchup; season with cayenne, onion powder, pepper, and salt.
Cheesey Veggie and Pasta Bake – johanna
August 31st, 2009 | Filed under: BUDGET MEALS, RECIPES - Sides
I have had the hardest time getting the littlest child, he is two, to consume fruits and vegetables. He is a steak and potatoes guy through and through, always has been. Yes I have succumb to hiding vegetables again because if he sees anything that remotely looks like a vegetable he refuses to eat it. Needless to say, the first bite of the casserole was politely refused because a carrot was peeking out from under the noodle. I quickly disguised the carrot with another noodle and the kid swallowed it with a smile and a “yum!”
This three cheese and paste casserole would make a delicious side to a slab of barbecue ribs or grilled chicken. We had ours with a beautiful green salad and roasted chicken.
Source: Adapted from Campbell’s
3 cups elbow shaped pasta, cooked and drained
1 can (10 3/4 ounces) fat free condensed cream of mushroom soup
1 package (8 ounces) shredded Italian cheese blend (about 2 cups)
1/3 cup Shredded cheddar and Monterrey Jack cheese blend
1 /2 cup diced zucchini
1/2 cup diced carrots
1 cup milk
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
Boil pasta until done. Stir the soup, cheeses, veggies, milk and black pepper in a 1 1/2-quart casserole. Stir in the pasta.
Bake at 400°F. for 20 minutes or until the mixture is hot and bubbling.
Variations:
-Substitute favorite two cheese blend for Italian cheese blend and grated Parmesan for the Cheddar cheese blend.
-Use peas, broccoli, red peppers or other favorite hardy vegetable.
Cape Cod Timbales – johanna
August 26th, 2009 | Filed under: RECIPES - Main Dish, RECIPES - Sides
Timbales are a custard like dish from as far back as the 18th century. They are an egg-cellent source of protein. Add meat and vegetables for added vitamins to round off a complete meal.
Source: Parents
4 eggs
1 cup peas, cooked
1 cup cooked tilapia or cod, flaked (4 oz.)
1 tbsp snipped fresh cilantro
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
Heat oven to 375° F. Lightly coat 8 (2 to 3-ounce) ramekins with cooking spray; set aside. Whisk together eggs, then stir in peas, fish, cilantro, salt, and pepper. Spoon mixture into ramekins.
Bake for 16 minutes or until puffed, set, and lightly browned. Loosen with a thin metal spatula.
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