Pumpkin Snickerdoodles Adjust the oven racks to the upper-and lower-middle positions and heat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper; set aside. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, salt and pumpkin pie spice; set aside. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the butter and 1 1/2 cups sugar at medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Recipe Notes: The dough can be made through step 3 and either covered tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen. Balsamic Pot Roast (in the Crock Pot) A couple of months ago I was reading a Taste Of Home magazine while in the waiting room at my son's orthodontics appointment, and I came across a recipe for Balsamic Braised Pot Roast. I made a mental note of it and filed it away in my brain for later use. This week, as I was struggling for dinner ideas, that recipe popped into my head. Balsamic Pot Roast3 lbs beef chuck roast, boneless Garlic salt & pepper seasoning2 tbsp olive oil1 onion, sliced2 sprigs of fresh rosemary2 bay leaves2 fresh sage leaves (or a sprinkle of powdered sage)2 cloves garlic, chopped1 cup red wine1/3 cup GOOD balsamic vinegar1, 14.5oz can beef broth 3 tbsp corn starchSalt & PepperBaby carrots, about a bag2 medium potatoes, cut into mouth sized pieces While I prefer to cook my pot roast in a crock pot, I do think it's essential to sear the meat first. *If you want to shorten the cook time for this, cook it on high for 6-7 hours.
Honey Glazed Chicken and Bacon Bites I had an idea. Actually, it was more like my three hundred and forty-sixth idea for this month and I now have the hips to show for it. No biggie, I consider it a small sacrifice for eating food that tastes this good. So I asked myself: “Would it be a really crazy idea to wrap loads of bacon around chicken strips and brush them with a spruced up honey marinade?”. See, now that’s what happens when you blog from your desolated home or kitchen (in the burbs). Anyway, it turned out nothing short of a phenomenal idea that I simply have to share here in my little corner of the www. Ingredients: 1 pound boneless chicken breasts 20 thin bacon slices 3 tbsp honey 2 tsp coarse mustard fresh lemon juice Optional: salt Directions: Cut the chicken breasts—or fillets, as we call them here—in thin strips. Note: I’m using the Dutch equivalent to bacon in this recipe. Grab a bowl and combine 3 tbsp honey with 2 tsp coarse mustard. Squeeze in some lemon juice. Bacon rights all the wrongs in this world.
Pizza Pretzel Bites Pizza Pretzel Bites Today is one of my favorite days of the year…the start of college football season. Yeah, yeah I know, a few other teams have been playing the past few days, but it doesn’t technically start until the Buckeyes play. My husband and I are huge Ohio State Fans. It kind of comes with the territory growing up in Columbus, Ohio. Although neither Andrew or I chose to go to undergrad at Ohio State, Andrew did end up going to Ohio State for medical school. Andrew and his brother even went to cheer on Ohio State when they went to the National Championship Game in 2002. We usually end up ordering a pizza and drinking a few cold drinks as we cheer on the Buckeyes. You can stuff these the night before and place them in the refrigerator. Yield: about 4 ½ dozen pretzel bites Ingredients: Directions: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, mix together the water, sugar, yeast, and butter. Roll each bite flat with a rolling pin. Stuff with pepperoni and cheese.
Chicken Tamale Pie Today’s lesson is on healing foods. You might be thinking of brightly colored veggies and lean proteins, and I can dig that . Most of the time. But today I’m thinking of creamy corn bread, spicy enchilada sauce, seasoned chicken, and melted cheese baked into a pie dish. I’ve had a rough go of it the last few days. The Pistachios. Let me tell you something about myself. So in an effort not to eat the whole bag of pistachios in between lunch and dinner, I’ve been spending my evenings making one bazillion types of pistachio baked goods. No pistachios were thrown at the kitchen wall. Just when I was about to throw in the towel on baking for the rest of my life, Bjork asked for this tamale pie. One last thing: Tamale Pie loves the camera. Like, whoa. Chicken Tamale Pie Author: Pinch of Yum, adapted from Cooking Light Prep time: Cook time: Total time: Serves: 8 ⅓ cup fat free milk ¼ cup egg substitute 1½ tablespoon taco seasoning, divided ¼ teaspoon ground red pepper 1 (14¾ ounce) can cream-style corn
Better Than Takeout Orange Chicken Yesterday as I stood in the kitchen trying to figure out what to make for dinner I wondered to myself, how do those people do it on those shows where they are given random ingredients and are suppose come up with something genius. I think I stood there for a solid 20 minutes looking in the cupboards and staring into the freezer hoping that I would be struck by some ingenious idea. Then I saw the oranges, and it hit me “O-raang Shh-ikun”….that is orange chicken if you can’t understand the accent. I love orange chicken, and I almost always order # 14 Orange Chicken when we order Chinese take out and I wondered to myself if I could make it better at home. The sauce is sweet, tangy, there is no lack in orange flavor, and the red pepper flakes give it just a touch of heat. Combine corn starch, salt, and pepper. As you finish each batch, drain cooked chicken in a paper towel lined plate. In a large saucepan combine 1 ½ cups water, orange juice, rice vinegar, and soy sauce. Ingredients Chicken
Quick & Cheesy Chicken Pot Pie For the longest time my quick, go-to Chicken Pot Pie recipe involved canned cream of chicken soup and a homemade biscuit topping. I’m *trying* to stay away from processed foods and to feed my family more naturally, so I came up with this recipe. Which, in my mind, tastes way better then the original anyways. I simplified it with an even easier biscuit topping, using the homemade bisquick mix that I always keep on hand in my fridge. This would be a perfect way to use up any Thanksgiving leftovers whether that be turkey, ham or vegetables. How are you going to be using up those Thanksgiving leftovers? Quick & Cheesy Chicken Pot Pie Ingredients Filling 2 cups chopped cooked chicken (or turkey, or ham)2 cups leftover, fresh or frozen vegetables Cheese Sauce 2 tablespoons butter2 tablespoons flour1 cup chicken brothsalt & pepper to taste1 cup shredded cheese Biscuit Topping 1 cup biscuit mix (homemade biscuit mix*)½ cup grated cheese⅓ cup milk Instructions *Here is the recipe for homemade biscuit mix.
Spanakopita Bites Buttery, flaky phyllo appetizers are especially popular in my family. I guess I can't blame them since who can resist buttery, flaky phyllo dough anyway?! My mother in law requested these Spanakopita Bites as an appetizer for the birthday party she was throwing for her husband. They were a hit with no leftovers, which is no surprise. Spanakopita Bites recipe adapted from CBSrecipe yields 60-72 mini muffin sized bites 1 Tablespoon vegetable oil 1 small onion, chopped 3 green onions, chopped 10 ounces frozen chopped spinach. thawed and squeezed dry 4 to 6 ounces domestic feta cheese, crumbled 1 cup cottage cheese OR ricotta cheese OR cream cheese 1 egg Salt and pepper to taste 1 pound phyllo, thawed 8 tablespoons butter (1 stick), melted 2 tablespoons vegetable oil Preheat oven to 375 degrees Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in medium skillet over medium heat. Meanwhile, mix spinach, feta, cottage cheese and egg in medium bowl. Combine the remaining butter and oil and set aside until ready to use.