Moore to Less

Keith and I made a pact awhile ago to try new things. Every week we attempt to try one new thing we have previously never had, or been scared to try or whatever. And it's been awesome, we've been enjoying so many things that we've been missing out on, and Mairi of course loves anything LOL so she benefits from it as well. A few weeks ago while grocery shopping, I spotted this jar of Tikka Masala. I was like, hmm, that looks good and healthy and nice to have for the times I don't want to cook or whatever. I grabbed it, bought and promptly threw it in the back of my cupboard. Keith busted it out tonight, and made a FABULOUS chicken and quinoa dish (we are obsessed with quinoa, did you know it's like BREASTMILK? and you all know how i feel about that :P It's a complete protein with an essential amino acid balance close to breastmilk!) and wow. Now I want to make it, and so shortly I'll be trying out a recipe for it, but in the meantime, if you come across this

Made this today and mmm it was GOOOOD. Not cornbread for REAL, per se, but a really nice bread anyway. BREAD MACHINE CORN BREAD 2 1/2 c. bread flour 1/3 c. cornmeal 1/2 teaspoon salt 2 teaspoons sugar 2 tablespoons shortening (i used butter) 2/3 cup milk 2 tablespoons water 1 large egg 2 teaspoons active dry yeast Put all ingredients into bread machine or follow your user's manual. Select correct bread cycle and crust color, then press start.

We are having quite a love affair with breads, dough, rolls-it it can be made in our breadmachine, we are addicted. However as always, I'm striving to make our carb-intake one filled with nutrition without compromising taste. So far I've been using bread flour, just to get the hang of the machine. However it's pretty nutritionally useless, and so the time has come to kick it to the curb. Here is what I found in my research of all things bread, I hope it helps some of you out as well. What matters in making bread is the protein content of the bread. Anything lower than 11% isn't recommended. (The brand I am referencing from here on out is King Arthur-while I assume most flours would be roughly the same, do your own research if you prefer a different brand to make sure) Bread flour: 12.7% All Purpose: 11.5% White Whole Wheat: 13.2% Cake Flour: 7.0% protein So I am very excited to try my beloved organic white ww flour and see what happens :) Not to mention some flax, whea

For Father's Day we made Keith chocolate cupcakes. I wasn't in the mood for the heavy buttercream frosting though, I wanted something a little lighter. So I tried whipped cream frosting, and it was really, really delicious. Def. very light and summery! Whipped Cream Frosting 1 cup heavy cream 1/2 cup chocolate ganache Cocoa powder, to dust mix up your ganache, then beat your cream till it almost reaches firm peaks (if you beat it till it reaches firm peaks, it will take on a curdled appearance as you work in the chocolate.) Chocolate Ganache Filling 1 c. semisweet chocolate chips 1/4 c. heavy cream 1 tsp. vanilla extract (i made all this ganache and then filled the cupcakes with what I didn't use for the frosting-otherwise maybe halve this if just using for frosting)

I made these when preg with Eli, and they were a big hit with my family. I thought they were pretty easy to make and very different, but overall I'm just a plan vanilla cupcake kinda girl ;) or double chocolate. It's gotta be extreme, HA! Neapolitan Cupcakes (for the cupcakes) *makes 12 1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour 2 teaspoons baking powder 1/2 teaspoon salt 3/4 cup sugar 2 large eggs, room temperature 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 1/2 cup whole milk For Chocolate Cupcakes: Reduce flour to 1 1/4 cups, and add 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder. (for the frosting - Strawberry Swiss Meringue Buttercream) *i did NOT use this frosting-I used my other strawberry frosting* 4 large egg whites 1 1/4 cups sugar 1 cup unsalted butter(2 sticks) 1/3 cup strawberry jam Directions : (for the cupcakes) 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a standard 12-cup muffin pan, or use paper liners. 2. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and

This is kind of a random recipe, but I thought I'd share. A while ago a friend told me about doing this and so Mairi and I did as well. It was so easy, and really fun, and half craft/half cooking, LOL. They tasted sweet, Mairi loved the sugar, hahaa and we put them on cupcakes. Sugared Violets All you need is egg white, and superfine sugar. You just dip the violet in the egg white, (you can also use a little brush, to paint it on, as the violet sometimes folds up on itself when you dip it.) Then dip it in superfine sugar, (or sprinkle it) and voila

Another WW recipe. Really good, basic, comfort food. I don't LOVE this, I find it kinda boring actually, but Keith and Mairi ask for it all the time. Chicken Bruschetta Bake 2 boneless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces 2 garlic cloves, minced 1 onion, chopped 1 teaspoon dried basil 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano 1/8 teaspoon pepper 1/2 cup mozz cheese shredded 1 (28 ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained 1 (6 ounce) package chicken stuffing mix preheat oven to 400 Saute chicken with spices, onion and garlic until lightly browned, but not cooked through. Place chicken in a casserole dish and sprinkle with cheese. In a bowl, mix tomatoes and stuffing mix, until stuffing mix is moistened. Spread stuffing and tomato mixture over chicken and cheese. Bake for 30 minutes.

"PERFECTLY CHOCOLATE" CHOCOLATE FROSTING 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine 2/3 cup HERSHEY'S Cocoa 3 cups powdered sugar 1/3 cup milk 1 teaspoon vanilla extract Melt butter. Stir in cocoa. Alternately add powdered sugar and milk, beating to spreading consistency. Add small amount additional milk, if needed. Stir in vanilla. About 2 cups frosting.

I've tried quite a few cake/cupcake recipes, and this continues to be the best one ever, so I'm sticking with it. I don't usually make cake-esp since discovering silicone muffin cups :D Also, again, I use the dark chocolate cocoa. HERSHEY'S "PERFECTLY CHOCOLATE" Chocolate Cake 2 cups sugar 1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour 3/4 cup HERSHEY'S Cocoa 1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder 1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda 1 teaspoon salt 2 eggs 1 cup milk 1/2 cup vegetable oil 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 1 cup boiling water "PERFECTLY CHOCOLATE" CHOCOLATE FROSTING Heat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour two 9-inch round baking pans. Stir together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt in large bowl. Add eggs, milk, oil and vanilla; beat on medium speed of mixer 2 minutes. Stir in boiling water (batter will be thin). Pour batter into prepared pans (cupcake tin/cups) Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean

So a while ago I ran into a dilemma. At first I was discouraged by this challenge, but once I embraced it fully, I was pleasantly surprised. The dilemma was this. I am a food lover. However my tastes were never cultivated much beyond crap. Esp as I became aware of exactly how much crap is in "mainstream" food, and what it does to your body. There was no way I was going to put it in my children's bodies, and thus I had to change my habits as well. I never want to be a "do as I say not as I do" type of parent, or person in general. The GOOD news is that there is not ONE product I have discarded b/c of crap ingredients that I have not found a better, more natural/whole alternative to, that is so far superior in nutrition, health and TASTE that I think I must have been crazy to ever even enjoy the substandard version. But the bad news is that sometimes it takes a while (and a lot of attempts!) to find the ONE THING that is the aforementioned. One of my life long lov

I absolutely have to follow my chili post with the recipe for chili dip, if you can even call it a recipe LOL. It's so freaking good though, it's usually how we eat our chili :) And it's great to take places b/c it is so easy-you can obviously buy canned chili or wendy's chili (not that i have ever done that...) and it's under 5m to make a yum dip. Chili Dip 8oz cream cheese 1 jar chili, or homemade chili 8oz shredded cheese (cheddar, pepperjack etc) spread room temp cream cheese on bottom of casserole dish cover with chili-if using homemade, use as much as you like :) cover with grated cheese, again to your taste put in oven 350 til warmed through, ~15-20 and cheese is melted serve with chips, pitas, whatever!

I love this recipe. I think we eat it weekly. It's cheap, nutritious, easy and most importantly, DELISH!!! I actually found this as a WW Core recipe a while ago. I tweak it to death, so I'll start out with the straight up recipe for those of you that roll like that, then I'll share what I usually do :) Chili 4t olive oil 2 chopped onions 2 chopped peppers 3-4 cloves minced garlic 3/4lbs ground meat 1T chili powder 2t cumin 1t oregano 1/2t coriander 15oz diced tomatoes 1 can pinto beans 1 can kidney beans 1/2t salt pinch pepper heat oil saute veggies, and garlic ~15m add meat ~5-7m stir in spices add tomatoes, beans, salt and pepper reduce heat simmer ~20m so easy, no? first of all, this makes a LOT. so i usually scale it down. however it only gets better a day or more old, as chili usually does. i do not make mine with meat anymore. Keith and I are trying to eat vegetarian a few days a week-healthier and cheaper :) Win win! and it challenges me to be creative too, in terms

Tonight Keith brought me home something new to try from Weg's, and I fell in love. I used to be a big iced tea drinker (snapple, etc) until we stopped eating junk aka HFCS. I am also a HUGE fan of acai ANYTHING, it has such a different taste that is so good and refreshing. BUT I am not a green tea fan, so I wasn't sure about this. However it is amazing and I"m hooked. Try it and lmk what you think!

This has been one of our most fave recipes for a long, long time. Mairi loves it too. We are big fans here of onion, pepper, and sour cream :) I also am a big fan of recipes in which you just throw it all together, mix it up and have a meal. So easy. One thing I will say is that we are kind of afraid of Velveeta. We used to make it with Velveeta, but now we use an organic salsa con queso on top instead and it's just as good and easier than melting velveeta LOL Cheesy Chicken Enchiladas *** Filling: *** 4 skinless boneless chicken breast, cooked and diced 3/4 cup mild salsa 1/2 green bell pepper, diced 1/2 large yellow onion, diced 2 cups mexican blend shredded cheese (cheddar/jack) 1 cup sour cream 4 ounces cream cheese, softened 1 teaspoon garlic powder 1 teaspoon paprika salt and pepper to taste 1/2 teaspoon dried cilantro **SAUCE** 1 cup cubed velevetta cheese (or other processed cheese) 1/2 cup milk in Large bowl mix: filling ingredients thoroughly Fill 8 large flour tort

This was something I made that keith hated. doesn't happen often, LOL, but he hates meatloaf. normally i'm not a fan either, but mairi and i tried a sample of this @ weg's one day and loved it. so they had the recipe there, and i got it and made it. it was good, mairi really enjoyed it and she's not a beef fan (me neither, i usually use gr.turkey for everything, but meatloaf felt like it needed meat LOL) Wegman's Meatloaf 1 lb Lean Ground Beef 2 Large Eggs 1/2 cup Chopped Onions 2 Tbsp Basting Oil (could just use OO IMO) 4 1/2 Tbsp Memphis Style BBQ Sauce, divided 1/2 tsp salt 1 tsp pepper 1 1/4 cups Panko preheat oven to 350 Combine beef, eggs, onion, basting oil, 2 1/2 Tbsp BBQ sauce, salt, and pepper in large bowl. Add

I had never made this before, but I'm not a fan of the usual vanilla icing, so I thought I'd try this and DELISH!!! Peanut Butter Icing 4 teaspoons water 2/3 cup powdered sugar 1 tablespoon creamy peanut butter Stir together the water, sugar, and peanut butter until smooth.

This was so amazing. We took it to Mairi's school for the end of the year party today and it was gone in like 5 seconds LOL We made icing to go with it (vanilla and pb, though the pb was def. the best IMO) We used newman o's not oreos though (the organic version of oreos) Oreo Cookie Bread 3/4 cup milk 1 egg 3 tablespoons sugar 3/4 teaspoon salt 2 cups bread flour 1 1/2 teaspoons yeast 3/4 cup Oreo cookies (crushed) Bake according to manufacturer's instructions. Adding the Oreos during the raisin-bread cycle. Or five minutes before the final kneading

Basic, yummy, quick Basic Strawberry Ice Cream 1C milk or half and half 1C cream 1/2C sugar 1/8t salt 1t vanilla 1C mashed strawberries combine, follow ice cream maker directions

For ice cream makers, my basic no cook chocolate ice cream. When I first got my ice cream maker, we tried some of the recipes that require you to "cook" the batter, and use eggs and stuff. Too involved, takes too much time etc. This is a great recipe, fast, easy, good a variety of ways (esp with peanut butter on the side...:D) I use dark cocoa b/c i don't like milk/regular chocolate much anymore-and did you know when you eat dark chocolate, you only need a tiny amount to satisfy a craving? But eating any other kind intensifies your craving and you need a lot more. It took a little bit to "change" my tastes to really love dark chocolate, but now there is no going back! Chocolate Ice Cream 3T cocoa (i use dark) 3T sugar 1C cream 1/2C half and half 1t vanilla whisk together, pour in, follow ice cream maker directions

Mairi is a huge fan of pumpkin. So on the weeks I don't make pie, I make these :) Pumpkin Muffins 1 1/2C flour 1t baking powder 1 1/4C pumpkin 1/3C oil 2 eggs 1 1/2t pie spice 1 1/4C sugar 1/2t baking soda 1/2t salt mix pumpkin, oil, eggs, spice, sugar, soda and salt til smooth mix flour and baking powder add to pumpkin mix mix til just combined pour in muffin tins bake @ 350 ~20m

More from Andrea :P This is mairi's fave thing in the entire world, i usually make her every couple of weeks, and she devours it. I use a premade organic whole wheat crust. Pumpkin Pie 3 large eggs 1/3 cup honey 1/3 cup maple syrup 1 1/4 cup milk 1/4 teaspoon salt 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice 1 teaspoon cinnamon 2 cups pumpkin Pre-heat oven to 450 degrees. ** After putting pie into oven turn heat down to 350 degrees I pour all ingredients into my food processor and blend for 2-3 minutes. Pour into unbaked pie crust. Bake for 60 - 70 minutes or until knife inserted halfway between center to edge comes out clean. Simplistic isn’t it! Definitely healthy and it comes out beautifully every time. * How to cook a pie pumpkin: Cut pumpkin in half - stem to bottom, scoop out seeds. Pour 1/2 cup of water on baking sheet, set pumpkin halves in water - cut side down. Bake at 350 until very soft. Scoop out flesh. original recipe: http://www.sgtandmrshub.com/2007/09/pumpkin-pie-recipe/

I'm on a roll-another Andrea recipe :D Morning Glory Muffins 1 cup sugar 2 1/4 cups flour ( I do 1c. white and 1 1/4c. whole wheat) 1 Tablespoon cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon salt 2 teaspoons baking powder 1/4 cup molasses 1 cup grated carrots 1 apple grated 8 oz. crushed pineapple - drained 3 eggs 1 cup oil 1 teaspoon vanilla 1/2 cup pecans broken into small pieces -optional Directions: Sift together the first six ingredients in a medium bowl. In a separate bowl whip eggs, oil, and vanilla. Pour wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Add the carrots, apple, pineapple and nuts. Mix well. Pour into greased or papered muffin tins. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes. The muffins might need a few minutes longer to bake should you use a muffin tin with an over-sized cup. original recipe link: http://www.sgtandmrshub.com/2007/09/tuesday-recipe-morning-glory-muffins/

Yet another Andrea recipe-she swore these would be the best ever, and after I tasted them, I realized she was amazing, LOL. Chocolate Chip Cookies Cream together: 1 cup butter 2 cups sugar (I use all turbinado, but you could use half white/half brown) Add and then beat until fluffy: 2 eggs 2 Tablespoons hot water 2 teaspoons vanilla Sift together and add: 3 1/2 cups all purpose flour 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon baking soda Now, add that whole bag of chocolate chips Bake at 375 degrees for 11 minutes, add time if you like your cookie more done. I prefer mine a bit undercooked. original recipe: http://www.sgtandmrshub.com/2007/10/tuesday-recipe-gasp-on-tuesday/

Another Andrea recipe, so easy, so yum. Taco Bake 1 pound ground beef or turkey 1 package of taco seasoning 3 cups baking mix 1 cup milk 1 small green pepper - diced into small pieces 2-3 tomatoes - thinly sliced Mix together and set aside: 1 cup sour cream 1 cup shredded sharp cheese 2/3 cup mayonnaise 1/4 cup onion finely chopped ( 1 small onion) Cook the meat along with the taco seasoning and 1/2 cup water. Set aside when done. Mix the baking mix with the 1 cup of milk and press into a 9×13 greased pan. Make sure to press up the sides a bit with the dough Spread the seasoned meat over the dough. Sprinkle the green peppers over the meat,then lay the tomatoes over top of the peppers. Spread the cheese topping over the tomatoes evenly. Bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes, or until edges start to brown slightly. original post http://www.sgtandmrshub.com/2007/10/tuesday-recipe-taco-bake/

Another Andrea recipe. Delicious. Cream Puffs First you need to make the Pastry Cream because this needs to chill. In your mixing bowl beat on high speed until thick and pale yellow (about 2 minutes): 1/3 cup sugar 2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour 2 Tablespoons cornstarch 4 large egg yolks While your eggs etc. are getting a good whipping combine in a medium saucepan and bring to a simmer ( you’ll be adding the egg mixture into this pan so make sure it’s big enough ): 1 1/3 cups milk 1 vanilla bean ( I skip the v. bean) Gradually pour one-third of the hot milk into the egg mixture, stirring to combine. Scrape the egg mixture back into the saucepan and cook until custard is thick. Stir constantly!! Cook until for 45-60 seconds after the mixture is thick and bubbly. Remove from heat. Add in: 1 teaspoon vanilla (can add a little more if you like vanilla!) stir the pastry cream for a few minutes to cool it down a bit. Once it isn’t piping hot anymore, lay a piece of saran wrap over t

MANY of my most fave ever recipes are courtesy of my friend Andrea-we've known each other since preschool, and the girl can COOK!!! I automatically know if she posts a recipe, it's kick ass, she's that awesome. Here is her flour tortilla recipe, which was a bit time consuming but YUM. Feel free to visit her blog @ sgtandmrshub.com. Flour Tortillas 1 batch makes around 8 tortillas - I always do a double batch because, why not?) Two cups flour (I use 1 cup whole wheat and 1 cup of white) 1 1/2 teaspoons of baking powder 1 teaspoon of salt 2 teaspoons of vegetable oil 3/4 cups of warm milk Combine: Flour, baking powder, and the salt in a medium size bowl. While you are mixing the dry ingredients together, warm up the milk and oil over a medium heat. Slowly add the warm milk mixture to the flour mixture. Stir until a loose, sticky ball is formed. Knead on a lightly floured surface until dough is firm and soft. Place dough in a clean bowl and cover with a clean towel. Let

Another WW recipe, one of my fave things to eat EVER, I make it all the time. Skillet Lasagna lb ground meat (i use only ground turkey) 1 small onion chopped (i really use a couple onions b/c i am an onion whore ) 3 cloves of garlic, minced (i use the minced jarred garlic b/c i’m lazy like that) 1 can diced tomatoes, undrained (i usually use the 28oz big can) 1 1/4C water 8oz tomato/pasta sauce ( i tend to put a bit more in, b/c i use extra veggies etc) 1T parsley 1t basil 1t oregano 1t salt 2 1/2C whole wheat pasta (i use whatever i have-usually a mix of penne and the curly kind LMAO) 1C FF ricotta (but if you aren’t doing weight loss, feel free to use regular ricotta LOL) 1/4C parm cheese dash of basil and pepper (optional) 1 egg shredded mozzarella 1) in large skillet, brown meat with onions and garlic, drain if you need to 2)add diced tomatoes, water, pasta sauce, parsley, basil, oregano and salt 3)stir in uncooked pasta 4)bring to a boil, stir occasionally. 5)reduce heat, co

amazing frosting for brownies or eating by itself on a spoon, whatever :) Brownie Frosting 3T butter 3T cocoa 1T honey 1t vanilla 1C confectioner sugar 1-2T milk or cream beat softened butter til fluffy add cocoa, honey, vanilla beat in sugar and milk gradually, adding milk for desired consistency/taste

These are amazing, that's all I can say. Best Brownies Ever 2 sticks butter 3oz cream cheese 2C sugar 3eggs 1t vanilla 1C flour 3/4C cocoa (i use dark) 1/4t baking powder 1/2t salt 3/4C nuts cream butter, cream cheese and sugar til fluffy add eggs and vanilla combine flour, cocoa and salt in small dish gradually add BY HAND to wet ingredients stir in nuts 325 ~30 min let cool, frost with brownie frosting if so desired

great recipe, we sub all variety of fruits with good results. Blueberry Muffins 2C flour 1 1/2t baking powder 1/2t salt 2C blueberries 1 stick butter 1c sugar 2eggs 1/2C milk 2t vanilla 1/4-1/2C vanilla yogurt (this is optional, i add it to make the muffins more moist) preheat oven to 350 mix flour, powder and salt toss blueberries w/ 1T flour mix beat butter and sugar 3-5 min add eggs one at a time, then vanilla gradually add flour mix add milk/yogurt til *just* combined add blueberries bake for ~15m

I'm making oreo bread tonight (well, newman o bread really, b/c we don't eat oreos :D) I am very excited about this, but not quite as much as mairi is, haha! not sure if i'll ice it or pair it with some homemade cookies and cream ice cream. hmmm. if it is good, i'll share the recipe :D

Another hold-over from our Atkins days. Carb-free meatballs, and I love them more than any other meatball recipe I've ever tried. Mairi eats about 4-5 at a time, LOL. Great for meatball sandwiches, spaghetti and meatballs, whatever. They also freeze wonderfully. I have some in my freezer at all times for something quick and easy and nutrious for Mairi. Meatballs 2lbs ground meat (we only use gr.turkey) 1/2C diced onion 2t garlic powder 1T parsley 2 eggs slightly beaten 1/2C parmesan cheese 4T water 2T oil 2t salt 1/2t pepper 1/2t nutmeg (optional) 2t italian seasoning 2C stock fry onions in oil mix all ingredients BUT stock let sit 10 min roll into 2T sized balls bring stock to boil reduce heat to medium put meatballs in stock, cover simmer 30min, turning every 10min

This was a staple when pregnant with Eli. It's a Rachel Ray recipe that Krysten intro'd me too, THANK YOU. So, so much. Buffalo Chicken Chili Mac 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO) 2 pounds (about 4 to 6, depending on size) boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into small bits *note, I use precooked Wegman's frozen grilled chicken breasts, so that cuts down on work LOL* 1 large onion, chopped (I use like 4 onions b/c we love them so very, very much) 5 large cloves garlic, finely chopped or grated 1 tablespoon smoked paprika(i used regular if I don't have smoked, I also sometimes use 1T all seasons salt, that's my FAVE way!) 1 bay leaf Salt and freshly ground black pepper 2 cups chicken stock 1/4 to 1/2 cup hot sauce/buffalo wing sauce, depending on how hot you like it 1 15-ounce can crushed tomatoes 1 pound whole wheat elbow macaroni(i use any fusilli) 1/2 cup pepper jack cheese 1/2 cup blue cheese Preheat broiler and place a large pot of salted water ov

Oh this is evil, just so you all know. Very addictingly evil, to be quite clear. Don't say I didn't warn you. This recipe I got from Keri. Pasta Carbonara 1 pound spaghetti 1 tablespoon olive oil 8 slices bacon, diced (I used one pound) 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 onion, chopped 1 clove garlic, minced (I used 1 tablespoon of minced garlic) 1/4 cup dry white wine (optional) 4 eggs 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese 1 pinch salt and black pepper to taste 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley 1/2 cup heavy cream (optional) In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta. Drain well. Toss with 1 tablespoon of olive oil, and set aside. Meanwhile in a large skillet, cook chopped bacon until slightly crisp; remove and drain onto paper towels. Reserve 2 tablespoons of bacon fat; add remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil, and heat in reused large skillet. Add chopped onion, sliced mushrooms, and cook over medium heat until onion is translucent. Add minced garlic, and cook 1 minute more. Add wine (a

We eat these at least once a week. This is just something I throw together, and it's impossible to mess up :D Chicken Nuggets cut as much chicken as you want into bite sized chunks, tenders, whatever. pour panko or breadcrumbs into a bowl, with parm/romano cheese, and spices to your taste (i use garlic, parsley, oregano, whatever) pour milk in a bowl dip chicken in milk, then panko, put on greased cookie sheet cook @ 35o for ~15m I also sprinkle all-seasons salt on top

This is the most amazing Honey Mustard EVER. I so love it. It calls for lemon juice, not sure if that's to help make it last longer or what, but I have never used it. If you do, lmk the difference! Honey Mustard 1/4C mayo 1T honey 1T whole grain mustard (i just use annie's organic regular) 1/2T lemon juice mix all together, i usually triple it and mmm good on ANYTHING esp chicken nuggets that are homemade ;)

This is one of the most amazing things I've ever made. It's SO SO good, albeit LONG to make, but so worth it. And I am pretty sure it's one of those recipes that becomes easier the more you do it, I'll let you know ;) Macaroni and Cheese with Caramelized Onions and Bacon 1 (16 ounce) package elbow macaroni 1/4 cup butter 1/2 cup sour cream 1 egg, beaten 2 tablespoons cream cheese, softened 4 cups grated Asiago cheese (i used parm/romano) 4 cups grated Vermont Cheddar cheese 4 slices bacon 2 tablespoons butter 1 large onion, sliced thin 4 cloves garlic, minced

Another fave recipe around here, we are big chicken fans if you haven't noticed ;) Chicken Cordon Bleu 6 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves 6 slices Swiss cheese 6 slices ham 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon paprika 6 tablespoons butter 1/2 cup dry white wine 1 teaspoon chicken bouillon granules 1 tablespoon cornstarch 1 cup heavy whipping cream Pound chicken breasts if they are too thick. (i just slice reg. chicken breasts in half length-wise) Place a cheese and ham slice on each breast within 1/2 inch of the edges. Fold the edges of the chicken over the filling, and secure with toothpicks. Mix the flo

This was a fave when we did Atkins (no breadcrumbs/carbs) and continues to be a fave even long after Atkins :) Stuffed Mushrooms 12 whole fresh mushrooms 1 tablespoon vegetable oil 1 tablespoon minced garlic 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper 1/4 teaspoon onion powder 1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper Preheat oven to 350 degrees F Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray. Clean mushrooms with a damp paper towel. Carefully break off stems. Chop stems extremely fine, discarding tough end of stems. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and chopped mushroom stems to the skillet. Fry until any moisture has disa

Onion Rings 1 large onion, cut into 1/4 inch slices 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon baking powder 1 teaspoon salt 1 egg 1 cup milk, or as needed 3/4 cup dry bread crumbs (PANKO!) seasoned salt to taste 1 quart oil for frying, or as needed Heat the oil in a deep-fryer to 365 degrees F ***I do not fry things. I bake them and finish them off with a minute under the broiler, and you'd never know the difference IMO. So I baked these at 350 for about 15-20m and then broiled 1 min.*** Separate the onion slices into rings, and set aside. In a small bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder and salt. Dip the onion slices into the flour mixture until the

Just in case I didn't mention it previously, every recipe on here is one that I have personally made and tried. I am only going to share "tried and true" recipes-they are my fave. I hate just googling something and taking a risk if it's good or not. I far prefer to get recipes from people and their take/changes/tweaks etc.

Buttermilk Cornbread 1/4 pound butter 2/3 cup white sugar 2 eggs 1 cup buttermilk 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1 cup cornmeal 1 cup all-purpose flour 1/2 teaspoon salt Preheat oven to 375 degrees F . Grease an 8 inch square pan. Melt butter in large skillet. Remove from heat and stir in sugar. Quickly add eggs and beat until well blended. Combine buttermilk with baking soda and stir into mixture in pan. Stir in cornmeal, flour, and salt until well blended and few lumps remain. Pour batter into the prepared pan. ( as usual, i make corn muffins instead) Bake in the preheated oven for 30 to 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. (15-20 for muffi

This is one of our all-time fave recipes. It is so delicious, and really easy to make esp once you've made it over and over and over :) Also sometimes I make chicken nuggets with the breading recipe, just no filling. Also we only ever use panko (japanese breadcrumbs) and just spice our own. Garlic-Lemon Double Stuffed Chicken oil, for greasing pan 8 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, cut into 1/2 inch slices 1 (8 ounce) package Cheddar cheese, cut into 1/2 inch slices 1 cup milk 1 1/2 cups Italian seasoned bread crumbs 1/2 cup grated Romano cheese 1 tablespoon minced garlic 3/4 cup butter, melted

This is yet another recipe where you can follow it exactly (I know a lot of people are most comfortable doing that) or you can play around with it, which is what I usually do. either way it's delish. Tomato Basil Soup 4 tomatoes - peeled, seeded and diced 4 cups tomato juice 14 leaves fresh basil 1 cup heavy whipping cream 1/2 cup butter salt and pepper to taste ***Here's what I do differently: 1-2 28oz cans of diced tomatoes instead of the fresh tomatoes and juice. 1C water. 1/2 jar tomato sauce. also some onions and garlic.*** Place tomatoes and juice in a stock pot over medium heat. Simmer for 30 minutes. Puree the tomato mixture along with the basil leaves, and return the puree to the stock pot. (or canned tomatoes, water and sauce) saute

Keith's a big fan of this. I think it's a PA thing, LOL. It's pretty good. I use Jones sausage, all natural, no funk and junk. Sausage Gravy 1 (12 ounce) package maple flavored sausage 3 tablespoons butter 1/4 cup all-purpose flour 3 cups whole milk salt and pepper to taste Place sausage in a large, deep skillet. Cook over medium-high heat until evenly brown. Remove sausage with a slotted spoon, leaving the drippings in the pan. Stir in the butter until melted. Add flour, and stir until smooth. Reduce heat to medium, and cook until light brown. Gradually whisk in milk, and cook until thickened. Season with salt and pepper, and stir in cooked sausage. Reduce heat, and simmer for 12 to 15 minutes. If gravy becomes too thick, stir in a little more milk. Make biscuits to go with it :)

best thing I've eaten in my life, for serious. Mmmm. I usually halve the recipe, and it's a nice portion size for me, keith and Mairi. Almond Joy Ice cream 1 cup milk or 1/2 and 1/2 1 (14 ounce) can cream of coconut (MUST be cream of coconut, NOT coconut milk, etc) 1 1/2 cups heavy cream 1 1/2 cups sweetened flaked coconut (i toast mine for max flavor, a few minutes) toasted almonds (optional) i grind mine up in my magic bullet dark chocolate chips, melted (maybe 1/4C) Combine the milk and cream of coconut in the container of a food processor or blender, and mix thoroughly. Stir in cream and flaked coconut. Pour into the container of an ice cream maker, and freeze according to the manufacturer's instructions. I pour the nuts in about 1/2 way through, and the chocolate too. I've done both ways-just driz

This was really good, Keith esp loved it, and Mairi as well-she made a mac and cheese calzone LOL and we had veggie ones. Calzones 1 1/4 cups water 2 teaspoons active dry yeast 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar 3 cups bread flour 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon powdered milk ***i used 1T regular milk instead of powdered milk*** ***make sure to put it in your bread machine with liquids first, covered by flour, then yeast last, liquid and yeast can't mix when measuring it out!*** To Make Dough: Place water, yeast, sugar, flour, salt and powdered milk in the pan of the bread machine, in the order suggested by the manufacturer. Select Dough cycle. After cycle is completed, roll out dough on a lightly floured surface. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Shape dough into a 16 inch by 10 inch

This is a WW Core recipe that I LOVE, even though I'm not doing WW anymore. Twice-Baked Potatoes Serves 4 4 medium baking potatoes 1 tsp garlic powder 1/3 cup butter 1 onion, minced ½ cup sour cream ½ cup shredded cheddar cheese 1 tsp parsley Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Poke a few holes in potatoes with fork. Bake potatoes 40 mins or until tender. Slice off to ¼ of potato and discard. Scoop out pulp of potato, leaving a thin layer of potato on skin. Mash potato pulp. Add Butter, garlic powder, and parsley and mix. Saute onion until soft in skillet and add to potato mix. Add sour cream and cheese (or reserve cheese to place on top of potato.) Spoon mixture into potato shells and bake 15-20 minutes or until potatoes are heated through and cheese is melted.

This is my tried and true go to recipe for just about anything. It's versatile, quick and GOOD. I usually make it into muffins, I'm not a loaf kind girl ;) Quick Banana Nut Bread 1/3 cups mashed very ripe bananas (2 large) 2/3 cup sugar 1/4 cup milk 3 tablespoons oil 1/2 teaspoon vanilla 3 eggs 2 2/3 cups baking mix 1/2 cup chopped nuts Heat oven to 350ºF. Grease bottom of 9x5x3-inch loaf pan or I use muffin cups. .Stir bananas, sugar, milk, oil, vanilla and eggs in large bowl. Stir in baking mix and nuts. *i usually add some chocolate chips at this point LOL* Pour into pan. Bake 50 to 60 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean; cool 10 minutes. Loosen sides of loaf from pan; remove from pan and place top side up on wire rack. Cool completely, about 2 hours, before slicing. Wrap tightly and store at room temperature up to 4 days, or refrigerate up to 10 day. ***less baking time for muffins of course, ~15min at most, watch them after 10min I'd say.

Ok this was kind of long and involved, although nice for a treat. I am going to link you directly to the original recipe, b/c it's got all sorts of nice pics and stuff. It's on the Food Porn community on LJ that I belong to, but you don't need a LJ acct or anything to check it out. http://community.livejournal.com/food_porn/4904128.html#cutid1

These are a Martha Stewart creation I believe. I didn't love them, Keith and Mairi did, but they love sweet no matter what LOL so take that for what it's worth ;) For best results.... let butter and eggs come to room temperature before using and use pure vanilla extract. Strawberry Cupcakes 3/4 cup fresg strawberrues, sliced in half 1 1/2 cups flour 1 teaspooon baking powder 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/4 cup milk 1/2 cup unsalted butter 1 cup sugar 1 large egg 2 large egg whites 1 teaspoon vanilla extract Frosting 3 tablespoons fresh strawberries, pureed 1 cup unsalted butter 3 1/2 cups powdered sugar 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 dash salt Preheat oven to 350'. In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt and set a side. In a food processor or blender add strawberries and process until pureed. Empty pureed strawberries into a 1/3c measuring cup and set aside. Add rest of strawberry puree to a small bowl and set

Seems like there's many varieties and ways to make this-this is what I do, and Keith loves it-I think it's pretty good too, but I can only eat so much of it, it's kinda greasy and I don't know...good but I like it in a buffet eating it with a LOT of other stuff, not as a main course or anything. Keith disagrees :) Thanks to BETH for introducing us to this magical dip LOL Chicken Wing Dip 2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened 3/4 cup wing sauce of your choice (we use Frank's) 1 cup bleu cheese 2 cups diced cooked chicken 1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese preheat the oven to 350 In a medium bowl, stir together the cream cheese and sauce until well blended. Mix in the bleu cheese, chicken and Cheddar cheese. Spread into a 9x13 inch baking dish Bake for 30 minutes in the preheated oven. If oil collects on the top, dab it off using a paper towel. Serve with tortilla chips.

This is old school, I made this often when Keith and I were first married. Turkey Club Bake 2 cup baking mix (I use Arrowhead Mills) 1/3 cup mayonnaise 1/3 cup milk 2 cups cubed cooked turkey 2 medium green onions, sliced (1/4 cup) 6 slices bacon, crisply cooked and crumbled 1/4 cup mayonnaise 1 large tomato, chopped (1 cup) 1 cup shredded Colby-Monterey Jack cheese (4 ounces) Heat oven to 450ºF. Grease cookie sheet. Stir baking mix, 1/3 cup mayonnaise and the milk in medium bowl until soft dough forms. Press dough into 12x8-inch rectangle on cookie sheet. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until golden brown. Mix turkey, onions, bacon and 1/4 cup mayonnaise. Spoon over crust to within 1/4 inch of edges. Sprinkle with tomato and cheese. Bake 5 to 6 minutes or until mixture is hot and cheese is melted.

I was craving this SO hardcore the other day, and I was given this recipe by a friend. It was so delicious, and I also made some random changes when I made it again, noted at the end. Quiche Lorraine 9 inch pie crust (I used a premade organic ww pie crust i had in the freezer) 6 slices of bacon 1 onion, chopped 3 eggs, beaten 1 1/2 cups milk 1/4 teaspoon salt 1 1/2 cups shredded Swiss cheese 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C). Line pastry with a double layer of aluminum foil. Bake in preheated oven for 8 minutes. Remove foil and bake for 4 to 5 minutes more, or until crust is set. Reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). (Or if using premade crust, cook according to package instructions.) Place bacon in a large, deep skillet. Cook over medium high heat until evenly brown. Remove bacon from pan, crumble and set aside. Reserve 2 tablespoons bacon grease in skillet. Cook onion in reserved drippings until tend

So far this has been a favorite, it was a very nice bread overall. We enjoy adding a lot of flax and wheat germ and other randomness (seeds, nuts, etc) to our breads, and I don't have any specific measurements for those, just add as you like. Sweet Oatmeal Bread (1.5lb loaf) 1/2C old-fashioned rolled oats 3/4-7/8C water 2T molasses 1T sugar 1t salt 2C bread flour 1 1/2t active dry yeast Place all ingredients in bread pan, using the least amount of liquid listed in the recipe. Select LIGHT CRUST setting Press Start Observe the dough as it kneads. After 5 to 10 minutes, if it appears dry and stiff or if your machine sounds as if it's straining to knead it, add more liquid 1 tablespoon at a time until the dough forms a smooth, soft, pliable ball that is slightly tacky to the touch. ***I used delayed timer on this, and the min amount of water, and it turned out fine. I also liked the light crust a lot, it was a good change from the med crusts I have been doing***

These were so good, very easy and Mairi really enjoyed helping make them as well. Bread Machine Cinnamon Rolls 1C milk 1 egg 4T butter 3T sugar 1 1/2t salt 3 1/3C bread flour 2t dry active yeast add to bread pan in order listed use dough cycle When cycle is done, place dough on floured surface. Knead dough about 1 minute, then let rest 15 minutes. Roll dough into a rectangle, about 15 x 10 inches. Filling: 1/4C melted butter 1/4C sugar 2t cinnamon 1/3t nutmeg 1/3 cup chopped and lightly toasted nuts (optional, i did not use these) Spread 1/4 cup melted butter over dough to within 1 inch of edges, Then sprinkle 1/4 cup sugar, the cinnamon, nutmeg, and chopped nuts evenly over dough. Roll dough up tightly on long side. Press edges to seal and form into a 12-inch long, evenly shaped roll. With a knife or 8 inch long piece of dental floss, cut roll into 1 inch pieces. Place rolls cut side down into a greased 13 x 9 inch baking pan. Cover and let rise in warm, draft free place until double

This was different, but very good. We used some jam we made in the bread machine on it, and it was awesome, and we also put some melted dark chocolate on it which was REALLY awesome. It's not overwhelmingly peanut-buttery at all, it's a mild pb flavor and everyone liked it a lot. Raw sugar is pretty interchangeable for white or brown sugar, so I used it below. Peanut Butter Bread 9oz water 1 1/4t salt 2 1/4T brown sugar 3C bread machine flour 2t active dry yeast 1/2C peanut butter, room temp *this recipe cannot be done on the delayed setting b/c you have to add the pb later in the cycle* add ingredients in the order they are listed except peanut butter select basic setting select crust setting (we used medium) press start/stop add pb 40 minutes into the cycle, when display reads 2:20.

This was an interesting recipe-I thought it was going to be "real" banana bread. It was not. It was a sort of regular bread with a mild, very very subtle banana flavor-almost unnoticeable. Very moist, and GOOD, just not a "sweet" bread, per se. Banana Bread 1C milk egg yolk 2T Olive Oil 3/4t salt 1 1/2T sugar 3/4C banana sliced thin 3C bread machine flour 2t active dry yeast add ingredients in order listed select basic setting choose crust setting (i did medium) press start/stop

Here are some tips/tricks/ideas etc that I've picked up so far for bread machine usage. Hope they are helpful! sweeteners are interchangable-ie sugar, molasses, honey, etc. I do not know about artificial sweeteners, just the whole food sweeteners. We use raw sugar only. for delayed setting, it's not recommended to use a recipe with liquid milk or eggs. I have heard people do it anyway, and I probably will, I'm not really afraid of that, LOL if you use whole wheat flour instead of white, you may need to add vital wheat gluten for more of a lift (not ww BREAD flour, just regular ww flour) you can switch out butter and oil for each other

We don't usually eat white bread-other than using it for our french toast bake, I can't remember the last time we've had it in the house. I wanted to start out with something super basic and easy when learning the ropes with my machine though, so this was my very first recipe. It was really good, even if I'm not a huge white break fan. M and K gobbled it right up, they aren't picky bread eaters at all (though they too prefer heartier breads as a general rule) ANY kind of fresh bread pretty much rules though. Velvet White Bread 9oz med warm milk 2T Olive Oil 1 1/2 T sugar 1 1/2 t salt 3C bread machine flour 2t active dry yeast add ingredients to bread pan in the order they are listed select basic setting choose crust (I did mine on the recommended medium) press start/stop to begin

I found a bread machine for $3 at a garage sale a couple of weeks ago, and I have been SO in love with it. If you don't have one, get one! Mine is just some random Magic Chef one, but it's fabulous! Look on craigslist, keep an eye out at garage sales, you don't have to pay a fortune for one! I'll be sharing recipes I've tried and my thoughts/my family's thoughts on the various kinds.

Welcome to my new recipe blog. I'm always being asked for my recipes, and I think they kind of get lost in my main blog. I love to cook, and bake, and I'm kinda ok at it ;) so I hope I introduce you to some new recipes that you and your family will enjoy!