Watermelon Lime Granitas – johanna
August 6th, 2010 | Filed under: RECIPES - Beverage, RECIPES - Snacks, RECIPES - Treats

The Summer sun is upon us and it is relentless. Thank goodness for pools and sprinklers. There is nothing more refreshing in the dead heat of summer than cool sweet juicy watermelon. “When I was a kid” watermelons used to have seeds. We would have contests to see who could spit them the farthest. Then we would worry if we happened to swallow one because of the stories that the seed could sprout and grow in our stomachs. I also believed in the bogeyman and if I saw someone kissing on TV I would turn into a frog. Such were the times. We did not have a pool but we did have long sheets of plastic for a slip-n-slide. After rain storms we would take our skim boards into the back alley to skim the puddles. If if flooded we set sail on inner tubes in the street. To really cool down we used to walk down the street to the 7-Eleven for Slurpees. We tried making our own but it never worked just right. Except for the time when we put the liter bottle of Cherry 7-up in the freezer. I imagine that is how it happened when Granita was first discovered.

Granita is a icy frozen treat similar to the Italian ice, French sorbet and the American slushy or snow cone. The granita, traditionally made of coffee, is eaten as a refreshing and light dessert or between courses to cleanse the palate. It is uncertain exactly where the granita first originated. China has been cited for creating the first ice creams. Even so, the claims of Italy, France and Spain as the first to introduce water ices as far back as the 13th century are all together questionable. There are myths that Marco Polo brought the idea of cultivating ice and ice creams back to Italy from China but it is all undocumented speculation. In any event Italian ices eventually made its way to Europe and then on to the Americas.

Source: Woman’s Day
6 cups cubed seedless watermelon
1?4 cup sugar
1?4 cup lime juice

Purée watermelon in a food processor. Add sugar and lime juice; pulse until sugar is dissolved.

Pour into a 13 x 9-in. metal baking pan. Freeze 2 1?2 hours, stirring each hour, mixing ice crystals into the middle oXf the pan.

To serve: Let granita stand for 10 minutes at room temperature. Scrape into chilled glasses and serve at once

Technorati Tags: family, food, kids, RECIPES, RECIPES - Beverage, slush, snow cone, summer, watermelon granita, womans day

| No Comments »

Potatoes and Asparagus Omelet – johanna
July 9th, 2010 | Filed under: BUDGET MEALS, RECIPES - Breakfast, RECIPES - Snacks, THE BUDGET PANTRY, THE CRAFT CLOSET

On Saturday or Sunday morning I like to make omelets as a way to use up left over vegetables. Ideally to make this recipe for potatoes and asparagus omelets use precooked cubed potatoes and steamed asparagus to cut down on cooking time. If leftovers are not available blanch the asparagus and potatoes in boiling water for 5-6 minutes. Our potatoes and asparagus omelet also makes for a tasty comfy dinner entree. Use 5 egg whites and 1 whole egg for a low cholesterol version.

2 small red potatoes, chopped into 1-inch bite sized cubes
1/2 cup chopped 1-inch pieces asparagus
1 tbsp chopped cilantro
6 eggs
1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
2 thin ham slices, chopped
Butter
Salt and pepper
Salsa

In a bowl whisk eggs together until well blended. Set aside.

Saute potatoes and asparagus in 1 tablespoon of butter over medium-high heat until browned and caramelized. Season with salt, pepper and cilantro. Reduce heat to medium.

Pour whisked eggs over vegetables in pan. Once the egg starts to set gently lift one edge with a spatula and tilt the pan so the uncooked egg runs underneath. Repeat all around the pan until most of the omelet is set with a small amount of uncooked egg on top. Carefully use a spatula to flip the omelet over and turn off heat. Sprinkle with ham slices and cheese. Flip one side of the omelet over folding in half. Remove from heat. Top with a dollop of salsa and serve. Makes 2

Technorati Tags: 4th of july, brunch, cheap meals, food, fun family food, kids, omelets, Potato asparagus omelet, RECIPES, RECIPES - Breakfast, summer

| No Comments »

Banana Oatmeal Muffins – johanna
June 18th, 2010 | Filed under: RECIPES - Snacks

Ideally one should be able to take any cake or quick bread recipe to make muffins. The banana bread recipe that we love so much by Baker’s Illustrated is not an exception to this rule. However, for our banana muffins we prefer a more delicate tender crumb with a little extra oat fiber mixed in. When oats were added to our favorite banana bread recipe the result was a bit dry. With a few alterations wa-la we have banana oatmeal muffins. These little beauties make a perfect treat when hiking or on a road trip.

3 bananas, mashed
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter, softened
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/8 tsp salt
1/2 cup walnuts or pecans, coarsely chopped
1/4 cup rolled oats

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees.

In a large bowl combine the mashed bananas, sugar and butter; mix until smooth. Add the eggs and vanilla. Mix until well blended.

Sift the flour, powder, soda and salt. Fold in the nuts. Add flour mixture to the banana mixture stirring until just combined. Pour batter into greased muffin tin. Bake 30-35 minutes or until firm to the touch and golden brown. Let cool 5 minutes in the pan before transferring to a wire rack.

Makes 18 muffins

Variations:
Sprinkle a 1/4 cup of chopped dried pineapple, chopped crystallized ginger, shredded coconut or chocolate chips for an extra treat.

Technorati Tags: banana oatmeal muffins, camping, hiking, kids, RECIPES, RECIPES - Snacks, summer, vacation

| No Comments »

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.

Technorati Tags: after school snacks, corn dog muffins, easy, kids, quick, RECIPES

| 1 Comment »

Savory Orange Honey Butter – johanna
December 21st, 2009 | Filed under: RECIPES - Breakfast, RECIPES - Snacks, RECIPES - Treats

Honey butter is very easy to make and tastes wonderful on everything from corn bread, muffins, french toast and rolls. I thought I would make up a batch for a special holiday breakfast treat. The orange zest is a nice compliment to the salty butter and naturally sweet honey. Slather some on a biscuit for a satisfying dessert.

1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 honey
1 tsp grated orange zest

Whip the butter, honey an zest together until well combined.

Variations:
- To make a glaze use melted butter in the place of softened butter. Whip in the honey and zest. Allow to cool in the refrigerator overnight.

Technorati Tags: biscuits, Christmas, Orange Honey Butter, RECIPES - Breakfast, rolls, Thanksgiving

| No Comments »

Fall Harvest Cornucopia Munch – johanna
November 25th, 2009 | Filed under: RECIPES - Snacks

These harvest cornucopias are so much fun to make and eat. The kids will love them. They also might ask you for ice cream later to go with the ice cream cone…

In a bowl mix in your favorite snack foods from the list below:

Dried fruit: cranberries, Raisins, blueberries, fruit snacks
Sweets: yogurt covered raisins, M&M’s,
Nuts: almonds, peanuts, cashews, pecans,
Snacks: fish, pretzels, cheerios, granola

**These suggestions are not limited. Just remember the sugar cones are not very wide.

Technorati Tags: after school snacks, fall harvest snacks, harvest preschool, healthy snacks for kids, thanksgiving menu ideas

| No Comments »

Oatmeal Apple Scones – johanna
October 30th, 2009 | Filed under: RECIPES - Breads, RECIPES - Breakfast, RECIPES - Snacks, RECIPES - Treats

I cannot resist the crunch of a ripe hard juicy apple, it is so satisfying. Apples pair well with just about anything, my favorite a cube of cheddar cheese, mmm tasty.

Oatmeal Apple Scones and Chicken Apple Chili are among my favorite uses for apples. The scones, unlike cake or muffins, are not to sweet and make a wonderful companion with a mug of hot apple cider.

Source: Rachael Ray
1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon half-and-half
1 large egg
1 1/2 cups flour
3 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 stick (4 ounces) butter, chilled and cut into small cubes
1 1/2 cups rolled oats
1 apple, cut into 1/4-inch cubes

Stir 1/2 cup crumbled cooked bacon into the batter.

Preheat the oven to 450°. In a small bowl, whisk together 1/2 cup half-and-half and the egg.

In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Blend in the butter with your fingertips until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add the oats and apple and toss. Stir in the liquid mixture until the dough just forms a ball.

Turn the dough out onto a floured work surface. Pat into a 7-inch round; cut into 8 wedges. Transfer to a parchment-paper-lined baking sheet and brush the tops with the remaining 1 tablespoon half-and-half. Bake until golden, about 20 minutes. Transfer to a rack to cool.

Technorati Tags: apple recipes, oatmeal apple scones

| No Comments »

Sliced Apple Sandwiches – johanna
September 21st, 2009 | Filed under: BUDGET MEALS, RECIPES - Snacks

This week we celebrate Johnny Appleseed. Hard to imagine I can still remember the song from grade school. I loved Johnny Appleseed. I enjoyed the story about planting seeds that will one day grow to be apple trees. When I saw this recipe for Sliced Apple Sandwiches in the September issue of Parents I knew this was the perfect snack to start out the week with.

Red Apples
Raspberry jam
Smooth peanut butter, optional

Cut off the top of a red apple and slice into eight slivers, revealing the geometric core in the middle. Spritz the apples with lemon juice to prevent browning, then spread 1 tablespoon smooth peanut butter and a teaspoon of strawberry jam between the slices.

Technorati Tags: apple sandwiches, fall, johnny appleseed, kid snacks

| No Comments »

Beef and Gravy Quesadilla – johanna
September 11th, 2009 | Filed under: BUDGET MEALS, RECIPES - Main Dish, RECIPES - Snacks

I made beef and gravy quesadillas with the left over roast and gravy. It is sort of a ritual we have to use leftover meat in a taco or quesadilla. They are cheap and a great disguise for those who are picky about leftovers

tortillas, two per person
Roast, cooked and shredded or chopped
Beef gravy
Mixed cheddar and Monterey jack cheese blend, shredded

Heat a skillet over medium heat. Lay a tortilla in the pan. Add beef, cheese and a drizzle of gravy and top with another tortilla. Grill until the bottom has browned then flip. When down remove and slice into quarters.

Technorati Tags: after school snacks, beef and gravy, cheap meals, food, left overs, quesadillas, quick, RECIPES

| No Comments »

Caramel Corn – johanna
August 15th, 2009 | Filed under: RECIPES - Snacks, RECIPES - Treats

For family night my brother’s daughter Breigh asked if they could make caramel corn. This their family’s story.

“We did not have vanilla, but our corn syrup had vanilla in it. The original recipe called for a cup of popcorn and oil. Instead I used two normal sized bags of buttered Microwave popcorn. It was so much easier and faster.

I took two 13×9 glass baking pans and emptied the first bag into one. I sprinkled some almonds into the popcorn, then poured half the caramel over the popcorn and nuts then stirred it together. By then the second bag was finished. I repeated the steps into the second glass pan. It almost seemed like there was too much popcorn as I mixed, but the end result turned out great. You could use 1.5 bags of popcorn for a thicker caramel coating, but I thought what we did was perfect. Everyone else loved it too

We baked the corn for 15 minutes. The recipe says you need to stir every 5 minutes, I didn’t do that. Once the 15 minutes were over, we took the pans out of the oven to let things cool. After a few minutes you can break away the top layer and place it into a large bowl. The bottom layer will still be really hot. I did this to speed up the cooling process, It only took a few more minutes to cool off the bottom layer. Be careful, hot caramel on your skin really hurts. You want the corn going into the bowl completely cool or else everything will stick together again.

We only had a spoon, sauce pan and the two glass baking pans to clean up, which was easy with some warm water.
I may try this again tomorrow.”

Source: Allrecipes
2 bags buttered microwave popcorn
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
6 tbsp butter
3 tbsp light corn syrup
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 275 degrees F.

Mix sugar, butter, corn syrup into a large saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring until mixture starts to boil. Continue cooking for 5 minutes without stirring. Remove from heat. Stir in baking soda and vanilla.

Meanwhile, start popping the popcorn during the last 5 minutes. Keep warm until ready to use.

Empty the popcorn into two 13X9 inch baking pans. Pour caramel over the popped popcorn and stir. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes in the preheated oven for 15 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes. Remove from pan and put into a large bowl to cool.

Technorati Tags: caramel corn, family night, food, kids, recipies

| No Comments »