Wednesday, January 30, 2013

Super Bowl Party Food Roundup for a Crowd or a Few

This year Super Bowl XLIX ,  2015will be held in Arizona.  The reigning Super Bowl Champs, the Seattle Seahawks will defend their title against the New England  Patriots  Here is a recipe round up of party food. With much of the country battling the elements, here are  a few spicy, and not so spicy foods to warm up your party.


Party Ham Rolls are Ham and Cheese Sandwiches on slider buns or party size rolls , with a poppy seed-butter-mustard mixture spread on the inside of the buns, individually wrapped in foil, and baked in the oven



Shrimp Creole is a one pot meal with a wonderful sauce with tomatoes, the "Trinity", onions, green peppers, and celery,spices, and chicken or shrimp, served on a bed of rice.

 Crock Pot BBQ Beer Pulled Chicken  is chicken breasts cooked in BBQ sauce and beer, until tender, served on buns with the works.

Scott's Turkey Five Bean Chili is a chili full of fiber and flavor, low sodium and low fat. May be served with chopped onion, shredded Mexican cheese, sour cream, or whatever you like on your chili, it's your call and your chili.

 Scott's Honey Baked  Lime Wings with a Kick are sweet, tart wings with a kick of heat and a brush of BBQ Sauce.  What Football party would be complete without wings?



Caramelized Onion Dip with Sun Dried Tomatoes is a new take on an old standby French Onion Dip, only healthier, and with a few additions, and tastes better, in my family's opinion. Serve with a variety of crackers and vegetables for dippers.

 Bacon Wrapped Water Chestnuts or Pineapple are healthy, sweet, salty, crunchy bites of Turkey Bacon dipped in BBQ sauce. So easy and so delicious!

What party would be complete without dessert?  Here are some mouth watering desserts for your party.

 For the Adults, Kahlua Cinnamon Brownies are rich, and fudgy brownies with chocolate and coffee and a light Kahlua glaze.

For the kids, Fight Back Brownies,  Five Ingredient Brownies with Hershey's Syrup and a frosting that can be put on warm brownies.  Make, Bake, and Frost in 25 minutes. these have been my go to Brownies for many years, and so rich and fudgy!


Cookies are always welcome at any party, and these are no exception, Double Chocolate Toffee Chip Cookies with Oatmeal.  These Cookies are so good with lots of chocolate, and chewy  with the oatmeal.

Kahlua Brownie Bites, made with DIY Kahlua or store bought, have the right amount of chcolate and coffee flavor.  The mini size is just perfect for your party.

 Raspberry Dark Chocolate Bars are always the hit of the party with their shortbread crust and Jam filling topped with dark chocolate chips and covered with a crumb topping.  This is another family favorite.  If you a family member that doesn't like chocolate, the chips can always be omitted.


No Bake Nutella Cookies are little bites of Nutella, cocoa, oatmeal. and coconut, so chocolaty, and chewy with coconut and oatmeal.  They can be made before you can say "Nutella", or almost.

And now you are  ready for some football!!! or cute commercials?  Will your team win? 

Monday, January 28, 2013

Bacon Wrapped Water Chestnuts or Pineapple Chunks for Super Bowl


Sometimes oldies are the best, but have to have a makeover!   I was searching for an appetizer to take to a friend's house for dinner, and thought of these Bacon Wrapped Water Chestnuts or Pineapple Chunks, which I made a zillion years ago.  However, I  changed up the recipe a bit to make them healthier. I subbed turkey bacon for regular bacon,  Also, I used reduced sodium Teriyaki sauce to marinate the water chestnuts, which had less sodium, than low sodium soy sauce. You just have to read labels. If you aren't on a restricted diet, you can use regular bacon and Teriyaki or soy sauce. These would be a perfect addition to  your Super Bowl menu,  healthy.sweet, salty, crunchy bites dipped in BBQ sauce. Shhh!  Don't tell your guests that they are healthy. They are easy to make with only a few ingredients, and will be a hit at your party.



I needed one of these babies to soothe my jangled nerves.  Now, we live in a wooded area, but we saw five coyotes in our neighbor's yard adjacent  ours , in half an hour., over the weekend.  We have Bailey the Wonder Dog, who is about 35 lbs, and wouldn't stand a chance against a pack of coyotes.  We have never seen that many coyotes, or even in pairs before this weekend. All of our neighbors are worried for the safety of our pets.  Now, when Bailey goes outside, she is on a leash, so scary. I am calling animal control, and our village office today.  I need to vent! Wish me luck! 

Bacon Wrapped Water Chestnuts or Pineapple Chunks

Pre-heat oven to 350 Degrees F



Ingredients:

1 (8 ounce) cans whole water chestnuts, drained


1 1/4 cups Low sodium Teriyaki

12 slices turkey bacon, cut in half  (I used Trader Joe’s Uncured Turkey Bacon)

1 (15 ounce) can pineapple chunks, drained

 toothpicks

1 cup of your favorite BBQ sauce I used Sweet Baby Ray’s

                 Directions:

   
1.Marinate water chestnuts in Teriyaki sauce for several hours or overnight.    
        
2. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil, sprayed with cooking spray.
       
3. Drain the water chestnuts, discarding the Teriyaki sauce. Place a    pineapple chunk in the center of each piece of bacon, or a water chestnut  Fold the ends of the bacon over the water chestnut or pineapple chunk, and secure with a toothpick.
     
4. Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes, then turn the pieces over, and continue baking 15 to 35 minutes longer until the bacon has cooked to your desired degree of doneness.  

 5. Serve with BBQ dipping sauce if desired.

l linked up my recipe to Brandie@The Country Cook's Weekend Potluck #52
 Stop by and say Hi to Brandie! 

Friday, January 25, 2013

Quinoa Soup with Sweet Potatoes, Tomatoes and Power Greens


Power Greens, Baby spinach, Kale, and Swiss chard were the inspiration for this soup, along with quinoa.  When I was at Trader Joe's  last week, I saw a bag of greens in the Produce Dept. labeled just that, "Power Greens", which included the above. I quickly picked up the bag and put it in my cart. I was much too old for the Power Ranger Girl era, but at least now I had "Power Greens", besides green is my favorite color. Little did I know that a mix of tender baby spinach, baby red and green chards, and baby kales were called "Power Greens".

I did know that dark green, leafy  greens are so good for you to increase your health and vitality with infusions of Vitamins A, C  and K, Folic Acid, Potassium, Beta-Carotene, Omega-3's, Calcium, and  Iron, just to mention a few.  However, if you are on blood thinners for any reason. you intake of dark leafy greens is limited, because vitamin K thickens your blood.  I know from experience, because I have been on blood thinners for a blood clot, after surgery. If you have any questions, please consult your physician.


 I knew that I would be making soup with the "Power Greens".  Besides were having soup weather here, with temps going to be in the single digits, and soup would be perfect. Quinoa, another "super food" would definitely be in my soup as well as sweet potatoes, tomatoes for more color, and  garnished with corn chips.  I also added low sodium chicken stock for more broth, which is what I had on hand. If you want a truly vegetarian dish, just add vegetable stock. I also added Adobo spice from The Spice House, which has cumin, onion powder, garlic powder, Tellicherry Black Pepper, and powdered Mexican oregano.  If you don't have the Adobo no salt Spice blend, you can add any combination of your favorite Mexican spices, chili powder, cayenne pepper, or cumin.  Garnish with corn chips, if desired for a truly gluten- free, dairy free, low sodium soup, bursting with vitamins, anti-oxidants, protein, and gorgeous colors. Enjoy and stay warm!




Quinoa Soup with Sweet Potatoes, Tomatoes, and Power Greens

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup uncooked  quinoa, rinsed and drained
  • 1/2 tbsp olive oil (or other oil)
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 cup diced onion (about 2 medium)
  • 1 large sweet potato (peeled and chopped to 1/2-1 inch dice
  • 1.1/2 tsp Adobo seasoning
  • 1 can diced tomatoes, 14 oz. with juice low sodium
  • 4 cups vegetable broth or chicken stock, low sodium
  • 2 handfuls “Power Greens”, Baby Spinach, Baby Swiss Chard and Baby Kale, or any combination thereof
  • Garnish with corn chips (optional)

 Directions:

1. In a medium-sized pot, add quinoa along with 2 cups water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium, and cover .Simmer covered for about 15 minutes or until the water is absorbed and quinoa is fluffy. Remove from heat, fluff with fork, and keep it covered until ready to use.


2. Meanwhile, heat oil in a large or pot. Add garlic and onion and sauté for a few minutes over medium heat. Add sweet potato and sauté for 5-7 minutes more.


3. Stir in  Adobo Spice. tomatoes, and broth. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to medium and simmer for about 18-20 minutes uncovered, or until the potatoes are tender.


4. Just before serving, stir in the cooked quinoa, and  greens


5. Garnish soup with corn chips (optional)

Note:

You can microwave your sweet potato for 1-2 min to make it easier to peel, and reduce cooking time of the sweet potatoes.


l linked up my recipe to Brandie@The Country Cook's Weekend Potluck #51
 Stop by and say Hi to Brandie!

Wednesday, January 23, 2013

Browned Butter Oatmeal Milk Chocolate Chunk Coconut Cookies


To me cookies are pure comfort food.  I love to make cookies, cookies of any kind; chocolate chip, oatmeal of any type, peanut butter cookies, sugar cookies, etc. Cookies can soothe a boo boo, make a rainy day sunny, turn a smile to a frown, welcome a new neighbor, tame your inner "cookie monster.", celebrate a win for your favorite team, or for your Sweetie on Valentine's Day and on and on.  Most cookies are pretty easy to make and you usually have the ingredients in your pantry to make many types. I was the lucky recipeirnt of a huge milk chocolate bar recently. We had a neighborhood get together and one of the neighbors brought this huge chocolate bar, which was hardly touched.
 I decided to make cookies to freeze for our next neighborhood gathering,  I made these Browned Butter Oatmeal Milk Chocolate Chunk Coconut Cookies, which are amazing.  Of course, I had to sample a few for quality control purposes:)  I had been seeing a lot of browned butter recipes on the blogosphere, and decided to give it a go. These cookies are oatmeal chewy, chocolate, coconut delights with nutty taste of browned butter. The browned butter gives the cookies another layer of flavor, oh my!  I like to drink coffee or tea with my cookies.  I am not a a lover of milk.  Do you dunk your cookies?  Go ahead and make these cookies for your family, for your Sweetie for Valentine's Day, or for no reason at all, just because you like cookies.  You won't be disappointed.

 Browned Butter Oatmeal Milk Chocolate Coconut Cookies  Adapted from QuakerOats.com

Ingredients
  • 1  cup (2 sticks) browned***
  • 3/4  cup firmly packed brown sugar
  • 1/2  cup granulated sugar
  • 2  eggs
  • 1  teaspoon vanilla
  • 1-1/2  cups all-purpose flour
  • 1  teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2  teaspoon salt (optional)
  • 3  cups  Oats (quick or old fashioned)  I used old fashioned oats
  • 1 cup flaked coconut
  • 2 cups milk chocolate chunks
Directions
Heat oven to 350 degrees F.
  1. Browned Butter: Heat butter in a saucepan over medium heat, whisking frequently to melt butter. Continue to cook the butter. Once melted the butter will foam up a bit, then subside. Watch carefully as lightly browned specks begin to form at the bottom of the pan. Smell the butter; it should have a nutty aroma. Pour melted butter and browned bits in a heatproof bowl and allow to cool a bit.
  2. Beat together browned butter and sugars until creamy.
  3. Add eggs, and vanilla; beat well.
  4. Add combined flour, baking soda, and salt; mix well.
  5. Stir in oats and coconut; mix well;  stir in milk chocolate chunks
  6. At this point, for best results, you can store the dough in the refrigerator forup to a day and a half. (I put mine in the fridge overnight.)  After taking dough out of fridge, warm up a bit to scoop dough out of bowl.
  7. Drop by rounded tablespoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheet. I used my 1” cookie scoop for smaller cookies
  8. Bake 10-12 minutes or until golden brown for chewy cookies, 12-14 min. for crispy cookies.
  9. Cool 2 minutes on cookie sheet; remove to wire rack  
  10. Store in covered container
 
l linked up my recipe to Brandie@The Country Cook's Weekend Potluck #51
 Stop by and say Hi to Brandie!
 



Monday, January 21, 2013

Meyer Lemon Chicken



Meyer Lemons are now in season. We still had two Meyer lemons left from the package that I bought. We knew that we wanted to use it in a chicken dish, because chicken and lemons are such a good pairing.   I had to look no further than the cover of the January/February issue of Cooking Light to see this Meyer Lemon Chicken  dish. The dish has a bright, sunny flavor to give  your cold or cloudy Monday a punch, and give you a healthy does of Vitamin C.  If you don't have any Meyer lemons, you can use regular lemons. and add a little sugar.  Scott was the Chef, and I was the Sous Chef.



The dish has chicken pieces, browned baby potatoes, olives, and a Meyer Lemon sauce.  The recipe called for Castelvetrano Olives, but my grocery store didn't have them, so we used black olives.  The olives do give the dish a little zing with the lemon sauce.


The recipe takes time to prepare and has a few steps. Cooking Light greatly underestimated the total prep and cooking time. It took almost two hours to prepare from start to finish, but well worth the effort and time. We left the skin on the chicken, for moister chicken, and then removed the skin, when we ate the chicken. The moist chicken with browned baby potatoes and the olives, topped with the wonderful  Meyer Lemon wine sauce makes for a stellar dish, fit for company. The Meyer Lemon wine Sauce makes the dish.

 Meyer Lemon Chicken from Cooking Light

  • 2 skin-on, bone-in chicken breast halves, halved crosswise
  • 2 skin-on, bone-in chicken thighs
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
  • 3/4 teaspoon black pepper, divided
  • Cooking spray
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
  • 1 pound small red potatoes, quartered
  • 1 Meyer lemon, cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices and seeded
  • 1/4 cup finely chopped shallots  (We used yellow onions)
  • 4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
  • 1/2 cup dry white wine
  • 1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme leaves or 1 tsp dried thyme
  • 1 cup unsalted chicken stock, divided
  • 1 teaspoon cornstarch
  • 2 ounces pitted Castelvetrano olives  (We used black olives)
  • 2 tablespoons fresh Meyer lemon juice
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 1 tablespoon fresh parsley leaves
Preheat oven to 400°.

1. Heat a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle chicken with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper; coat with cooking spray. Add chicken to pan, skin side down; cook 6 minutes or until skin is golden brown and crisp. Turn chicken over. Place pan in oven. Bake at 400° for 12-18 minutes or until a thermometer inserted in thickest portion of chicken registers 165°.  

2. Remove chicken from pan; keep warm, covered with foil. Remove excess grease( do not wipe pan clean). Add 1 tablespoon oil to pan; swirl to coat.*** Add potatoes to pan;  sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon salt.  Cook potatoes 3 minutes on each side or until browned. Remove potatoes from pan. Add lemon slices to pan; cook 1 minute on each side or until browned. Remove lemon from pan. Add remaining 1 tablespoon oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add shallots and garlic; sauté 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add wine to de-glaze pan and add thyme; cook 1 minute or until liquid reduces, scraping pan to loosen browned bits.

3. Return potatoes and lemon slices to pan. Add 2/3 cup stock, remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon pepper; cook 2 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Combine remaining 1/3 cup stock and cornstarch, stirring with a whisk. Add cornstarch mixture and olives to pan; bring to a boil. Cook 1 minute, stirring occasionally until the sauce is thickened. Add in lemon juice and butter, stirring until butter melts. Return chicken to pan, turning to coat; sprinkle with parsley.

 ***Cooks note:
Here is an alternative method to save time cooking the potatoes.  While the chicken is baking in the oven, place the cut potatoes into a pot of boiling water; cook for 5-7 minutes or until fork tender. Remove from the heat, drain potatoes, and set aside. 

Add 1 tablespoon oil to pan that chicken was cooked in; swirl to coat.  Add par-boiled potatoes to pan; sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon salt.  Cook par-boiled potatoes 3 minutes on each side or until browned. Remove potatoes from pan.




Friday, January 18, 2013

Meyer Lemon Blueberry Scones


Whenever I eat a scone, I always think I should be drinking tea, and having a tea party. The last time that I made scones, was for Prince William and the Duchess of Cambridge, Kate Middleton's wedding. almost two years ago. How time flies?  Obviously, Scones aren't my go baked product to make, like muffins. However, it's about time that I made scones again, right?


Meyer Lemons are in season now, and I still have a few to use, so I made the Meyer Lemon Dried Blueberry Scones over the weekend. The scones were so good with a lemony, blueberry flavor. The scones are dry on the top, but moist inside with a cake like texture. I gave them an egg wash, before they went in the oven for a nice brown color.  My Meyer lemons were on the small size, and I only used the zest and juice of one, and probably should have used two Meyer Lemons instead.  I still have another Meyer Lemon recipe that I want to make that needs two Meyer Lemons, (that's a tease.)  Scones are good with coffee, too, and you can even eat them in your PJ's, if you want.




Bailey the Wonder dog turned eight years old on Wednesday, the 16th!  Happy Birthday Bailey!  I always make her favorite Peanut Butter Banana Cake.  Last year she got Pupcakes, and this year she got a huge snowflake. This cake has peanut butter, banana, grated carrots,  applesauce, one egg and flour.  Of. course Bailey loves the cake, and gobbled it down. What kind of cake will Bailey get next year ? Do you make birthday treats for your Pup?



 Meyer Lemon Blueberry Scones Adapted from Mary Beth Manfredini

Preheat oven to 400 degrees  Make about 8 medium size scones. 
Ingredients: 
1 ½ cups flour
1/3 cup sugar
1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
2/3 cup buttermilk, or sour milk
Juice and zest of one medium or 2 small Meyer Lemons or regular lemons
1/3 cup melted butter
2/3 cup blueberries, dried, fresh or frozen
1 egg. beaten, plus 1 milk for egg wash

Directions:

Mix all ingredients together with a fork, until sticky.  Drop by tablespoon on a greased cookie sheet and bake for about 8 minutes, or until lightly brown.
Or, for wedges, with lightly floured hands, put the dough in an 8” circle in the center of a sprayed baking sheet pan. Score deeply with knife into 8 wedges.  Bake 18-20 minutes. 
Egg Wash: 
Combine beaten egg and milk or water. Brush tops and sides of scones before baking.



l linked up my recipe to Brandie@The Country Cook's Weekend Potluck #50
 Stop by and say Hi to Brandie!


Wednesday, January 16, 2013

Fudgy Mint Meltaway Brownies


 I hate to throw food or baked goods away. I have odd lots of  goodies leftover from the holidays;, a few cookies here and there, my fudge, and I even had more of these Fannie May Mint Meltaways. What to do with the leftovers?   I was making brownies for a neighborhood get together and saw the leftover Meltaways.  The fudgy brownies would be even better with chopped up pieces of the Meltways. Mint Meltaways are fudgy bites of mint and chocolate, so I chopped them up,  and threw them in the brownie batter.  These brownies were over the top, and definitely a hit at our neighborhood party. I also made Meyer Lemon Bars.



Meyer Lemon Bars are in season now, and I found them on my last trip to the grocery store. I was excited to see them, because I knew that there would be several luscious lemon dishes made with Meyer Lemons. for those of you who aren't familiar with Meyer Lemons, Meyer Lemons are a cross between a lemon and a mandarin orange. The unique flavor of the Meyer lemon blends the tart flavor of a lemon and the sweetness of a mandarin orange, giving the Meyer Lemon a deeper color also.  Unlike some lucky bloggers I know, I do not have a Meyer Lemon tree on my patio like SP Cookie Queen., so I have to ration my lemons. That's one of the downfalls of  living in the Midwest. Don't worry, however, there are more Meyer Lemon Recipes to come.  The Meyer Lemon Bar Recipe is here.

Getting back to the brownies, the added Mint Meltaways gave the brownies a deeper minty chocolate flavor.  Enjoy!






Fudgy Mint Meltaway Brownies

Ingredients:



1/2 c butter

2 squares, (2 oz) unsweetened chocolate

1 c. sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp .vanilla

3/4 c. AP Flour

1/2 c. chopped, Mint Meltaways or mint chocolate chips





Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees



Line a 8x8x2 pan or use a heart cake pan with aluminum foil or parchment paper, edges overlapping. Melt butter and chocolate.  Remove from heat and stir in sugar.  Add eggs, and vanilla.  Beat lightly until just combined.  Stir in flour and mix well. Stir chopped Mint Meltaways or mint chocolate chips into batter. Spread batter in pan.  Bake in 350 degree oven for 25-30 minutes.  Do not over bake. Cool on rack. Remove brownie from pan, and place on rack.



linked up my recipe to Brandie@The Country Cook's Weekend Potluck #50
 Stop by and say Hi to Brandie!







Monday, January 14, 2013

Homemade Chicken Soup for the Flu



Chicken soup has long been touted as a remedy for a cold. In Illinois, and other parts of the country. The flu has now reached almost epidemic proportions. Scott and I got flu shots, but sadly my neighbor and BFF,  Pauli, did not,  She has been sick for over a week with the nasty respiratory flu. Now there is scientific evidence to support that chicken soup can be a cold remedy, or  eating a steaming bowl of chicken soup may open up your nasal passages, and lessen the effects of an upper respiratory infection. You can read more here.  Many Moms and Grandma's know this already.


When I found out that Pauli had the flu, and was so sick, I had to make some chicken soup for her What else would a good neighbor do?. Nothing fancy, just  simple soup with, sauteed onions, carrots, and celery, along with  chicken breasts, cut in chunks, and cooked in chicken stock, pepper, a little salt and a few parsley flakes for color, just good wholesome ingredients.. Let that cook on the stove for about one hour, stir in some uncooked noodles, cook till noodles are tender, and there you have the best Home made Chicken Noodle Soup. I used No Yolks Noodles and the soup was wonderful.  I heard from Pauli's husband that the soup was the best Chicken Noodle soup that they have had in a long time. I made a big batch of the soup, and saved some for Scott and I, and it was very, very, good. I hope no one in your family has gotten that awful flu, but if they have, make this chicken soup and they will feel better. Or you can just make this soup, because who doesn't love Chicken Noodle soup!


I thought that I would share the "traffic" going through our yard over the weekend!

First there were three deer,


Then there were two..

And then there was one...

Well there were actually eight deer total. but Scott only got pictures of these. No, these photos aren't photo shopped!

Home Made Chicken Noodle Soup From Grandma Becky

Ingredients:

·      1-2 Tbsp olive oil
·      1 lb of baby carrots, rough chopped
·      2 medium onions, rough chopped
·      3 stalks of celery cleaned, and rough chopped
·      1 lb of chicken breasts, cut in chunks
·      32 oz Chicken stock, low sodium
·      6 oz uncooked noodles, more or less
·      Salt and Pepper to taste

Directions:

  1. Heat oil in large Dutch oven or soup pot, until hot.  Add the veggies and sauté until soft, about 5 min.
  2. Add chunks of chicken and chicken stock to pot, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer until chicken is cooked through,
  3. Once chicken is cooked through, stir in noodles, and cook until al dente. You don’t want soggy noodles.
  4. Season with salt and pepper to taste
  5. Enjoy! If you want more broth, you can add more chicken stock or water.
linked up my recipe to Brandie@The Country Cook's Weekend Potluck #50
 Stop by and say Hi to Brandie!





Thursday, January 10, 2013

Applesauce Oatmeal Streusel Muffins



Baking is my passion. I like to cook, but I I love to bake, and I started baking as a young girl.  Besides being "therapy" for me, I get instant gratification from the people who eat my baked goods. Over the years I have baked countless muffins, cookies, cakes, brownies, etc. for other people to enjoy.  I made these muffins for my Friend, Coleen, and her Mom, who is having Hospice at home, which started last week.


Coleen had told me that her Mom liked warm milk poured over her muffins.  I chose these Applesauce Oatmeal Streusel Muffins because they would be easy to eat, and taste so good with warm milk. As it turned out, her Mom ate two little bites without the warm milk, because the muffins were so moist, which made me happy.

 Besides having applesauce and oatmeal in them,  I subbed coconut oil for the oil in the recipe. The only spice in these muffins are my beloved cinnamon.  These muffins taste like my morning Cinnamon Oatmeal with Apples, using rolled oats that I make every morning, so good. It's only one minute 30 seconds in the microwave, no pacakged oatmeal for me. Even when I was working, I made my oatmeal at home, and warmed it up, when I got to work. Now, I have to make another batch of these healthy muffins for Scott and I.  Enjoy





Topping:
  • 1/4  cup Quaker® Oats (quick or old fashioned, uncooked)
  • 1  tablespoon firmly packed brown sugar
  • 1  tablespoon margarine or butter, melted I used coconut oil
  • 1/8  teaspoon ground cinnamon
Muffins:
  • 1-1/2  cups Quaker® Oats (quick or old fashioned, uncooked)
  • 1-1/4  cups all-purpose flour
  • 1  teaspoon baking powder
  • 3/4  teaspoon baking soda
  • 3/4  teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1  cup unsweetened applesauce
  • 1/2  cup fat-free milk
  • 1/2  cup firmly packed brown sugar
  • 3  tablespoons vegetable oil  I used coconut oil
  • 1  egg white, lightly beaten
Directions:
Heat oven to 400°F. Line twelve medium muffin cups with paper baking cups or spray bottoms only with cooking spray.

For topping, combine the first four ingredients — oats, brown sugar, butter and cinnamon — in small bowl; mix well. Set aside.


For muffins, combine oats, flour, baking powder, baking soda and cinnamon in large bowl; mix well. In medium bowl, combine applesauce, milk, sugar, oil and egg white; blend well. Add to dry ingredients all at once; stir just until dry ingredients are moistened. (Do not overmix.)

Fill muffin cups almost full. Sprinkle with reserved topping, patting gently. ( I only got 11 muffins.)

Bake 20 to 22 minutes or until deep golden brown. Cool muffins in pan on wire rack 5 minutes. Remove from pan. Serve warm.

l linked up my recipe to Brandie@The Country Cook's Weekend Potluck #49
 Stop by and say Hi to Brandie!









Tuesday, January 8, 2013

#Leeklove Quinoa with Leeks and Mushrooms


This month Love Bloghop is #Leeklove.  I thought that I would get my dish made before I was leaving to go out of town to see my Granddaughter, but that didn't happen, unfortunately.  So, I am posting now. When I was thinking of recipes with leeks, I could have made the Irish Leek Potato Soup or a quiche using leeks, but I wanted something a little different.


I found a recipe with Leeks, Quinoa, Mushrooms, and Red Peppers. Since Quinoa is one of my new loves, I thought that I would try a recipe with quinoa.  This recipe used Shitake Mushrooms, but my grocery store didn't have them, so I  subbed Cremini mushrooms instead, which have a deeper color and flavor. Also, I  forgot to buy flat leaf parsley, so I used the dry parsley. This recipe comes together quickly, cooking the quinoa first.  Then, saute the leeks, add the mushrooms and red pepper, and simmer with white wine.Top the cooked quinoa with the vegetable mixture.  Garnish with chopped walnuts.  This dish has many flavors and textures, the nutty quinoa, mild leeks, crunchy red peppers, mushrooms, and crunchy walnuts.  This  is a perfect dish for a light dinner or lunch. I now have lunch for a week:)  Be sure and stop by Deanna@Teaspoon of Spice  and see the other #Leeklove recipes. You can also see them on Love Bloghop on Pinterest.  Enjoy!


Quinoa with Leeks and Mushrooms Adapted from Cooking Light

Ingredients:

  •  2 cups fat-free, less-sodium vegetable or chicken broth
  • 1 cup water
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
  • 1  1/2 cups uncooked quinoa, rinsed
  • 3 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley  I used 1 Tbsp dried parsley
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil, divided
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided
  • 3 cups thinly sliced leek (about 2 large)
  •  4 cups thinly sliced shiitake mushroom caps (about 8 ounces)  I used cremini
  • 1 1/2 cups chopped red bell pepper
  •  1/4 cup dry white wine 
  •  1/2 cup coarsely chopped walnuts



Directions:

  1. Combine broth, water, and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a large saucepan; bring to a boil. Stir in quinoa. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 15 minutes or until liquid is absorbed. Stir in 3 tablespoons parsley, 1 1/2 teaspoons oil, and 1/8 teaspoon black pepper. Remove from heat; keep warm.
  2.  
  3. Heat remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons oil in a medium nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add leek; sauté 6 minutes or until wilted. Add mushroom caps, bell pepper, and wine; cook 2 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Stir in remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon black pepper. Place 1 cup quinoa in each of 4 shallow bowls; top each with 1 1/4 cups vegetable mixture and 2 tablespoons walnuts.

l linked up my recipe to Brandie@The Country Cook's Weekend Potluck #49
 Stop by and say Hi to Brandie!



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