Saturday, March 2, 2013

Baked Scones

Found on Our Best Bites. These are really easy and really delicious. Loved with honey butter and strawberry jam.



Ingredients:

1/3 C real butter
1 ¾ C Flour
3T sugar
2/1/2 t baking powder
¼ t salt
1 egg, beaten
4-6 T milk

Instructions:

Heat oven to 400 degrees.

Mix flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Cut in butter with pastry blender until it resembles fine crumbs.

Combine egg and 4T milk. Slowly pour milk mixture into dry mixture while mixing with a fork to combine. If you need the additional 2 T milk to bring the dough together, add it. I almost always need the full 6T of milk.

Form into a ball and pat onto baking pan. Flatten to about 1/2 thickness and cut into 6-8 pieces. They say to put some milk or egg rubbed on top but I put a little too much so it needs to be light. Then sprinkle with sugar and bake for 10-12 min at 400 degrees. Don't overbake. They will be golden brown on bottom and not on top. Enjoy! Perfect Saturday morning breakfast.

Saturday, February 23, 2013

Crispy Chicken Quesedillas



Ingredients
1/4 cup mayonnaise, light or regular
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
3 green onions, sliced very thin
2 tablespoons sour cream, light or regular
2 teaspoons hot sauce (this does not make them spicy but adds great flavor!) we like Cholula lime.
1-2 chicken breasts boiled and shredded
1 cup shredded cheese ( mexican/ cheddar/ whatever you like)
4 ish flour tortillas
Tomato sliced
Avocado sliced
Directions
Mix chicken, hot sauce, green onions, cilantro, sour cream, mayo and sometimes I add some tajin seasoning too. Mix. Heat a skillet. Lay down one tortilla and top with chicken mixture and add some slices of avocado, tomato and onion. Sprinkle cheese on top. Top with tortilla and flip after bottom is crispy. Slice into quarters. Such an easy, fast, healthy dinner. I keep frozen shredded chicken for a super quick one. Note too that you can make however many or not you want. Most of the time I just eyeball it. We love these! 5/5

Saturday, February 2, 2013

White Hot Chocolate

1 & 1/2 c. Skim milk
1/4-1/2 cup whipping cream
1/2c. white chocolate chips
1Tbsp. granulated sugar
just under 1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
Whipped cream (optional)
Throw into a cocoamotion and let it work it's magic. Tastes a lot like the Starbucks white hot chocolate! 5/5
Makes 2 servings

Sunday, January 27, 2013

Sunday Bread

Found this on Pinterest an thought I'd give it a shot. SUPER EASY! We baked it in our 12in Dutch oven and it was perfect! I added 3 cloves crushed garlic and some Italian seasoning. Can't wait to make this. Family tradition. Hence Sunday Bread.

3 cups unbleached all purpose flour
1 3/4 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon yeast
1 1/2 cups water (either warm or cool)
Optional: any spices/ seasonings you'd like.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, salt and yeast. Add water and mix until a shaggy mixture forms. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and set aside for 12 - 18 hours. Overnight works great. Heat oven to 450 degrees. When the oven has reached 450 degrees place a cast iron pot with a lid in the oven and heat the pot for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, pour dough onto a heavily floured surface and shape into a ball. Cover with plastic wrap and let set while the pot is heating. Remove hot pot from the oven and drop in the dough. Cover and return to oven for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes remove the lid and bake an additional 15 minutes. Remove bread from oven and place on a cooling rack to cool.

Minestrone Soup

This recipe comes from my mother-in-law. It's very quick, easy and delicious and healthy! 5/5

Chop 1 onion and saute in 1 tablespoon of oil
Add 2 cans of chicken broth or water and chicken bullion
add 2 chopped carrots
2 chopped small zucchini
1 cup of frozen green beans
1 cup of any noodles (I like the macaroni salad kind that are tiny cylinders)
Season to taste:
Crushed pepper
garlic powder or garlic
1 teaspoon Italian seasonings
1/2 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp basil
3 bay leaves
1-2 cans of stewed tomatoes or just canned tomatoes
You may need to add 1-2 cups of water and enough bullion if it gets too dry
boil for about 20 mins.
add
1 can kidney beans I also like white beans. Rinse beans and gently stir into soup until heated.



Thursday, January 24, 2013

Whole Wheat Pancakes

Wanted a more dinnery pancake that isnt so desserty. Found this on Our Best Bites. LOVE THEM!!! These are great! They're pretty healthy and fluffy but have a nice texture and are filling. 10/10

Whole Wheat Buttermilk Pancakes
adapted from Cooking Light

3/4 C whole wheat flour
3/4 C all-purpose flour
3 Tbs sugar
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 C low-fat buttermilk *
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 Tbs canola oil
1 large egg
1 large egg white
Cooking Spray or butter for pan

*As a substitute for 1 C buttermilk, place 1 Tbs lemon juice (or vinegar but I prefer lemon juice) in a 1 C measuring cup and then fill the remainder with milk. This recipe calls for 1 1/2 C buttermilk, so do the same thing with 1/2 Tbs lemon juice and remaining 1/2 C milk.

Combine flours, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a mixing bowl and whisk together. In a separate bowl combine buttermilk, eggs, oil, and vanilla and whisk well. Add the wet ingredients into the dry and mix just until moistened and combined.

Heat a nonstick griddle or skillet to medium heat. Coat pan with non-stick spray or a little butter and then pour on pancake batter. Use about 1/4 C batter for large pancakes (5-6″) and 2 T for kid-sized ones (2 /2-3″). Wait until bubbles form and edges are set and then flip.

Makes 12 large or 24 small pancakes.


Freezer Instructions: These pancakes freeze wonderfully. Just lay out pancakes in a single layer on a baking sheet or other pan. Freeze until solid and then place in a zip-lock bag. To serve, just warm up in the microwave or toaster.

Monday, January 14, 2013

Cream of Something

So tonight I realized I was out of cream of chicken. Perfect excuse cuz I've been wanting to try a recipe like this anyway. I used it I make creamy enchiladas and am currently waiting for them to come out of the oven. They smell delicious and the sauce tasted amazing! So simple and I know exactly what went into it.

Cream of Something Soup
Author/Source:
Kristi @ Onceamonthmom.com
Ingredients:
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 small onion, diced
1/2 cup main ingredient, diced
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup flour
1 cup milk
3/4 cup broth

Directions:
Saute garlic, onion and main ingredient (mushrooms, chicken, celery, etc.) and set aside. Melt butter over medium heat. Whisk in flour. Cook for about 2 minutes. Add “milk” and broth. Add sauteed garlic, onion and main ingredient. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer, stirring regularly, until it reaches desired consistency (about 10-15 minutes). Season to taste with salt and pepper and use as you would a can of condensed Cream of Something Soup in any recipe. If I make it ahead of time, I pour the soup into a pint canning jar and refrigerate it for up to four days.

Made about 2 & 1/4 cups.