Vacation

I am taking a week off to play in the snow, go skiing and sledding, read, relax and enjoy time with my family and friends. I'll be back to posting next week. I hope everyone has a safe and Happy New Year!!

Iced Lemon Rounds

I wanted to make a different cookie for Santa Claus this year. My kids didn't want to do chocolate, sugar or peanut butter so I went on a search for something tasty. I found this recipe on Sharon's food blog Culinary Adventures of a New Wife. The cookies were light, lemony and so good. They had a cake like texture that I really enjoyed while being packed with lemon flavor. I have one regret...I made the frosting into a thin lemon glaze instead of a thick lemon frosting. It was a bad call on my part. These cookies, with their cake like texture, need a thick and creamy frosting. They were a big hit with all of us, including Santa - there were only crumbs left on his plate. Thanks for the great recipe and inspiration Sharon.

Iced Lemon Rounds:

• 3 cups flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 sticks (16 tbsp) butter, softened
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 2 tbsp finely grated lemon zest
• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a cookie sheet silicone baking mat. In a small bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. Beat softened butter in a mixing bowl until creamy. Add sugars and beat until smooth. Beat in eggs, followed by lemon zest, lemon juice and vanilla. Gradually add flour mixture, combine until just incorporated. Scoop about a tablespoonful of dough and roll with your hands into a ball. Place on the cookie sheet and flatten to about 1/2 inch thickness. Bake for about 13-15 minutes until cookies are pale on top but golden on the bottom. Allow to cool on a wire rack completely.

Lemon Icing:

• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice (I used 3 tbsp)
• 2 tsp milk

To make the icing, whisk the powdered sugar, lemon juice and milk until combined. Spread the icing on the cooled cookies with a table knife.

Decorate with sprinkles if desired. Let the cookies stand on rack until icing sets. Enjoy.

Click here for a printable version of this recipe

Happy Holidays!!

I want to wish everyone a happy holiday season. May the new year bring you joy, good health and happiness. I am celebrating Christmas today with my husband and children and I look forward to relaxing by the fire all day. Cheers!

Roasted Fingerling Potatoes, Asparagus and Green Beans

Sometimes simple is best. I wanted to roast some veggies and fingerling potatoes to go with a flank steak I was grilling. I thought of all the flavor combinations of herbs and seasonings that would be really tasty but in the end I decided to use olive oil, sea salt and fresh cracked pepper. It's all they needed! The flavors were simple and wonderful. The potatoes had a nice crunch outside while remaining soft inside; the vegetables were perfectly cooked. We all really loved this side dish, especially me. It went very well with flank steak and a tossed salad.

• 12 fingerling potatoes
• Handful of asparagus spears, woody ends trimmed
• Handful of green beans, ends trimmed
• 1-2 tbsp olive oil
• Sea salt and fresh cracked pepper, to taste

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Par-cook the fingerling potatoes for 5-6 minutes in a large pot of boiling water. Remove from water and let cool. Line a baking sheet with tin foil for easier clean up then spray with cooking spray. Slice the potatoes into half, lengthwise and put on the baking sheet, drizzle with half of the olive oil and season with salt and pepper to taste. Bake for 10-15 minutes or until golden brown. While the potatoes are cooking, toss the asparagus and green beans with remaining olive oil and season with salt and pepper to taste. Remove the potatoes from oven and toss the asparagus and green beans on the baking sheet with the potatoes. Return to the oven and cook for an additional 4-5 minutes or until the veggies are tender but still a bit crisp. Enjoy.

Click here for a printable version of this recipe

Broccoli and Sharp Cheddar Soup

I recently found a wonderful recipe for broccoli and cheddar soup on a great food blog named Wives with Knives. The soup looked so rich, creamy and delicious I just had to try it. I adapted the recipe to make it a little lower in fat; I also used sharp cheddar for extra flavor. It turned out AMAZING! I really loved how quick and simple this recipe was. We had friends for dinner and we all, including the kids, enjoyed this soup. I served it with a tossed salad and fresh baked bread with butter...my ideal dinner. Thanks for a wonderful recipe Cathy!

Broccoli and Sharp Cheddar Soup:

• 1/2 cup finely chopped onion
• 3 tbsp butter
• 1/4 cup flour
• 2 tsp chicken bouillon granules
• 3 cups 2% milk
• 4 cups chicken stock
• 2 1/2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, grated
• 4-5 cups of broccoli florets
• Sea salt and fresh cracked pepper

Heat butter in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onions and sauté until tender. Add flour, stir and cook for a few minutes. Slowly add milk, chicken bouillon granules and chicken broth, stirring constantly until thickened. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Add grated cheese and stir until melted. Add broccoli and mix thoroughly. Let simmer until broccoli is tender. Enjoy.

Note: I did increase the liquid amounts of this soup to serve more people but I didn't increase the flour. It was not as thick as Cathy's soup but still very tasty. If you want it to be really thick, you must add a bit more flour.

Click here for a printable version of this recipe

Spaghetti-O's with Turkey Meatballs

I found a great pasta called anelletti at Trader Joe's recently that were in the shape of O's. I envisioned a healthy version of spaghetti-o's with meatballs. I used ground turkey for the meatballs and made them as small as I could. I made mushroom marinara sauce that was tangy and delicious while the meatballs were very tender and juicy. If you don't feel like making the marinara, just substitute it with your favorite store bought marinara. The kids loved this dinner, it turned out really tasty and fun to eat. I served it with a tossed salad and fresh baked bread.

Mushroom Marinara:

• 2 tsp olive oil
• 1/2 sweet yellow onion, diced
• 8 oz of button or cremini mushrooms, sliced thinly
• 3-4 cloves of garlic, chopped finely
• 1 28 oz can of crushed tomatoes
• 1 15 oz can of tomato sauce
• 1 tsp balsamic vinegar
• 1 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
• 1 tsp dried basil
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp fennel seeds, crushed
• 1 tsp white sugar
• 1 pinch of red pepper flakes
• Sea salt and fresh cracked pepper to taste

Heat the olive oil in a dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onions and mushrooms and saute until tender; add the garlic and cook for 60 seconds, stirring frequently. Add the remaining ingredients. Simmer for at least 2 hours then make the meatballs.

Mini Turkey Meatballs:

• 1 lb of ground turkey with Italian seasonings
• 1/4 cup of button mushrooms, chopped finely
• 1/4 cup of Parmesan cheese, grated
• 1/4 cup of Italian style bread crumbs
• 2 tbs sweet yellow onion, diced finely
• 1 clove of garlic, minced
• 1 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
• 1/2 tsp dried basil
• 1/4 tsp dried oregano
• Sea salt and black pepper to taste
• 1 egg
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• Anelletti pasta, cooked per instructions
• Fresh parsley, chopped
• Parmesan, freshly grated

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray. Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and mix gently with your fingers.

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Roll the turkey mixture into small balls.

Once the pan is hot, cook the meatballs for 2 minutes on each side then remove from skillet and place on the baking sheet. Place in the oven and cook for 5-6 minutes or until cooked through.

Place the meatballs in the simmering mushroom marinara for a few minutes to soak up the flavors. Cook the pasta per instructions.

Once the noodles are cooked and drained, spoon them into the marinara and meatball mixture then stir until thoroughly coated. Serve with fresh parsley sprinkled on top as well as grated Parmesan. Enjoy.

Click here for a printable version of this recipe

Tuscan Soup

I was craving a big bowl of soup and found a tasty looking recipe on the blog, Home of the Lazy Dog. It's a Tuscan soup filled with Italian sausage, kale and bacon and it was delicious! I adapted it to make it a bit lower in fat (using turkey sausage and 2% milk). It was still rich and creamy and so tasty. My sweet husband went to two different grocery stores looking for kale but could not find any. I ran to one other store and they didn't have it either, so I used green Swiss chard. It was an excellent replacement for kale with a similar texture. I really enjoyed this soup and so did the rest of my family. My daughter really loved the broth. I served with a tossed salad and fresh bread. A perfect meal for a rainy Oregon day.

• 3 slices of bacon, cooked and crumbled
• 3 Italian sausage links
• 1/2 onion, diced
• 3 cloves of garlic, minced
• 5 cups of chicken stock
• 2 russet potato, peeled and diced into bite sized chunks
• 2 cups of kale or green Swiss chard, chopped
• 2 cups of 2% milk
• Sea salt and fresh cracked pepper to taste
• Pinch of crushed red pepper (more if you want it spicy)

Cook the bacon in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Once it's finished place on a paper towel. Crumble then set aside for later.

Remove the turkey Italian sausage from the casing and put in the Dutch oven along with the diced onion. I made sure to really mix my Italian sausage so it was crumbled. Sauté until the onion is soft and the sausage is cooked, add the garlic, stirring frequently for 45 seconds. Add the chicken stock, milk, potatoes and kale along with the crushed red pepper, sea salt and fresh cracked pepper to taste.

Cook on medium low for 60 minutes or until the potatoes are soft and tender. Ladle into soup bowls and garnish with crumbled bacon. Enjoy!

Click here for a printable version of this recipe

Korean Style Flank Steak

I loved the Korean style marinade I used for a pork tenderloin I made recently and I wanted to try a similar marinade with flank steak. The flavors were amazing! The garlic and the ginger really gave the marinade a zing. My husband and children really loved it and so did I. It's easy and delicious.

• 1 1/2 lb of flank steak
• 3 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1-2 tbsp ginger root, minced
• 2 tbsp vinegar
• 1/4 cup of soy sauce
• 1 tbsp sesame oil
• 1 tsp white sugar
• 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

Combine all ingredients in a Ziploc bag and marinate for at least 1 hour. Let the meat sit in the bag at room temperature for 20 minutes prior to cooking. Grill meat to the desired degree of doneness. Let the steak rest for 5-10 minutes before slicing against the grain. Enjoy.

Click here for a printable version of this recipe

Chocolate Chip Cake with Chocolate Frosting

My daughter turned six recently and I must say, it's harder than I thought it would be. I can't believe she's not my baby anymore. I am very proud of what a kind, funny, silly and empathetic person she is. I truly am the luckiest mom in the world. She didn't want a store bought cake for her birthday, she wanted to make it and decorate it by herself (I only helped when necessary). She chose a chocolate chip cake with chocolate frosting. We found a great recipe in my trusted Betty Crocker cookbook for the cake. My daughter had every intention of making the frosting too but she saw a can of frosting in the cupboard and decided she wanted that instead (much easier for me). She was having a birthday party with both boys and girls so when picking out the decorations, she chose a barbie for the girls and race cars for the boys - she didn't want anyone feeling left out. Don't I have a great kid? Anyway, she decorated it all by herself except for letting her brother do a couple of sprinkles. It turned out really beautiful and tasty. The cake itself almost had a corn meal texture (in a good way) and was moist and full of flavor. My daughter was extremely proud of herself and of her cake.

Silver White Cake by Betty Crocker:

• 2 1/4 cups of all purpose flour
• 1 2/3 cups of sugar
• 3 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 1/4 cups of milk
• 2/3 cup of shortening
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 5 egg whites
• 1/2 cup of miniature chocolate chips
• Chocolate frosting (homemade or from a can)

Preheat oven to 350. Grease and flour a rectangular pan, 13x9x2 inches. Beat all ingredients except egg whites in a large bowl on low speed for 30 seconds, scraping bowl constantly. Beat on high speed for 2 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally. Beat in egg whites on high speed 2 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally. Fold chocolate chips into the batter. Pour into pan.

Bake for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean or until cake springs back when touched lightly in the center. Let the cake cool completely before frosting.

Carefully frost the cake then decorate how you or your little ones desire.

One beautiful and delicious cake baked by a VERY special young lady.

Click here for a printable version of this recipe

Mushroom and Spinach Stuffed Shells

My friend Kyle was telling me that her Mom used to make a really good stuffed shells recipe. I saw some shells at the store and decided to try to make my own stuffed shells. They were messy to make (and difficult to photograph) but they tasted fantastic. I used leftover roasted tomato, garlic and onion marinara. If you don't have time to make the marinara sauce, just use your favorite store bought marinara. The creamy ricotta was excellent with the tangy marinara sauce and I loved the flavor of the mushrooms. We all really enjoyed this dish and it made an excellent lunch the next day. Thanks for the inspiration Kyle.

Stuffed Shells:

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 8 oz white button mushrooms, sliced
• 1/4 sweet yellow onion, diced finely
• 1 15 oz ricotta cheese - I used low fat
• 1 egg
• 3/4 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded (divided)
• 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated (divided)
• 1/2 cup of fresh spinach, chopped
• 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped (divided)
• 1 tbsp fresh basil, chopped
• 1/2 tsp dried basil
• Sea salt and fresh cracked pepper, to taste
• 1/8 tsp nutmeg
• 3 cups of roasted tomato, garlic and onion marinara
• 12 jumbo pasta shells, cooked per instructions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add the mushrooms and onions and sauté until golden brown (about 5-6 minutes). Remove from heat and let cool.

In a large bowl combine the ricotta, 1/4 cup of the mozzarella, 1/4 cup of the Parmesan, the egg, the spinach, 1/2 the parsley, fresh basil, the nutmeg, sea salt and fresh cracked pepper to taste. Mix thoroughly then add the mushrooms and onion sauté and combine. Taste mixture and re-season if needed.

Pour 1/2 cup of marinara in the bottom of a baking dish that has been coated with cooking spray. Place the 12 cooked shells in the pan. Stuff each shell with the ricotta and mushroom mixture.

Pour the remaining sauce over the stuffed shells. Add the last 1/2 cup of mozzarella and 1/4 cup of Parmesan. Sprinkle the dried basil on top.

Cover with tin foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the tin foil and bake for an additional 5 minutes to brown the top. Enjoy!

Click here for a printable version of this recipe

Clam Chowder

I have been making a lot of soups lately and was craving a seafood stew or chowder. I don't normally buy canned clams but I had them for a dip that I didn't end up making. I was thinking about making Manhattan clam chowder but my children, who absolutely adore creamy clam chowder, asked me to make the New England version instead. I agreed but knew that I would be making a healthier version. I adapted a recipe by Dave Lieberman. The soup was really good although it tasted more like a delicious potato soup with clams. Next time I will substitute a bit of clam juice for some of the chicken broth. Overall, it was a great soup for a cold rainy day. The clams were really tender and delicious and the crunchy, salty bacon was the perfect garnish. My daughter LOVED this chowder and ate two full bowls.

I am entering this recipe in the Seven Fishes Feast hosted by Joe from Italyville and Maryann from Finding La Dolce Vita.

• 4 slices of bacon, cooked and crumbled
• 3/4 sweet yellow onion, diced
• 2 celery stalks, diced
• 3 cloves of garlic, minced
• 2 (6.5 oz) cans chopped clams in juice
• 3 cups chicken stock
• 2 cups 2 % milk
• 4 russet potatoes, peeled and cut into small cubes
• Sea Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 bay leaf
• 2-3 tbsp corn starch
• 1/4 cup chicken stock
• 1 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped

In a large Dutch oven, cook the bacon over medium heat. Once the bacon is done, remove to paper towels for later use. Remove all but 2 teaspoons of bacon grease from Dutch oven. Add the onion and celery to the pan and sauté for 3-4 minutes then add the minced garlic and stir frequently for 45 seconds. Add the clam juice (reserving the clams for later), 3 cups of chicken stock, milk, russet potatoes, sea salt, black pepper and bay leaf. Cover over medium low heat for 60 minutes.

When the potatoes are tender, bring the soup to a slight boil. Mix the corn starch with the 1/4 cup of chicken stock and mix thoroughly. Add the slurry to the soup and stir. Taste and re-season if desired; add the clams and stir, mixing thoroughly. Reduce heat and let the soup thicken for few minutes. Ladle into soup bowls and top with bacon crumbles and parsley. Enjoy.

Click here for a printable version of this recipe

Eggs Benedict

This is one of my very favorite breakfasts. I actually prefer bacon instead of ham on my eggs benedict, so I made it that way. There is something so amazing about lemony hollandaise sauce with the creamy yolk and salty bacon. I used the leftover hollandaise sauce I recently made and my husband and I had a delightful breakfast. This was the best eggs benedict I've ever had.

• 1 egg, poached
• 2 slices of crispy bacon
• 1/2 an English muffin
• Hollandaise sauce
• Fresh parsley for garnish

Cook the bacon and reheat the hollandaise in a double boiler (add a bit of water to thin it out).

A lot of people poach eggs directly in water but I always put mine in a ramekin. In a large skillet with high sides, add 2 inches of water and bring to a boil. Add a bit of butter to a ramekin then crack the egg inside. Place the ramekin in the boiling water. Reduce heat to medium and cover with a lid. Cook for 4 minutes then remove ramekin from pan. I use a butter knife to slide around the edges of the poached egg to loosen it.

Toast the English muffin while the egg is poaching. Place the bacon on top of the toasted English muffin, add the poached egg then pour the hollandaise (as much as you want) on top. Garnish with a bit of fresh parsley and serve. Enjoy!

Click here for a printable version of this recipe

Award:

I was given this award from Hema at Adlak's Kitchen. Hema is a stay at home Mom in India and has a terrific blog with really great recipes. Make sure to check out her site. Thanks Hema - it means a lot to me.

Also, a quick shout out to The Blonde Duck who awarded me the Proximity blog award. Thanks Duckie! Visit her site for wonderful stories and great recipes.

Rice Krispie Treats

We had friends over so the kids could watch a Christmas movie on TV. I made a small batch of rice crispy treats for them to nibble on during the show. I haven't made these for years so I loosely followed the instructions on the box. I like to add a bit more butter and marshmallows to make them a little more gooey. I decided to throw some sprinkles in for fun...the kids loved these tasty treats and so did the adults.

• 3 cups of rice krispies
• 2 1/2 cups of mini marshmallows
• 3 tbsp butter
• Sprinkles (optional)

Melt the butter in a large saucepan on low heat. Add marshmallows and stir constantly until completely melted. Remove from heat. Add rice krispies cereal and a few shakes of sprinkles then stir until well coated. Press mixture evenly into an 8x8x2 inch pan that has been coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle the top with a little more sprinkles.

Cut into squares when cool. These are best eaten the same day you make them. Enjoy!

Click here for a printable version of this recipe

Open Faced Turkey Sandwich

This is my new favorite sandwich! We had friends over for leftovers after Thanksgiving and I made these sandwiches for dinner. They were unbelievably tasty. I layered my mom's rolls with cranberry jelly, stuffing, turkey and gravy. I didn't have any homemade gravy so I used a packet of turkey gravy and it tasted great. The combination of flavors and textures was absolutely delicious. Our friends really loved them and so did my husband and I.

• Mom's rolls
• Cranberry sauce
• Stuffing
• Turkey
• Turkey gravy (I used a packet mix), prepared per instructions

Prepare gravy per instructions or warm up leftover homemade gravy if you have it. Cut the roll in half and spread each side with cranberry sauce. Layer with warm stuffing then turkey. Cover with gravy. Enjoy!

Click here for a printable version of this recipe

Awards:

I was given two awards recently. The Butterfly Award from Colleen at Cooking This and That. Thank you for passing this award on to me Colleen, you made my day.

I'll be passing this award on to Heather at Diary of a Fanatic Foodie. Heather's site is filled with wonderful recipes and great pictures...check it out.

I also received the Proximity award from Michelle at Chocolate and Marmalade. Thank you Michelle - I really appreciate it.

"This blog invests and believes the PROXIMITY - nearness in space, time and relationships! These blogs are exceedingly charming. These kind bloggers aim to find and be friends. They are not interested in prizes or self-aggrandizement. Our hope is that when the ribbons of these prizes are cut, even more friendships are propagated. Please give more attention to these writers! Deliver this award to eight bloggers who must choose eight more and include this cleverly-written text into the body of their award."

I was supposed to nominate 8 blogs but it's late and I am tired - sorry.

I'll be passing this on to Mary at One Perfect Bite. I recently found Mary's blog and I love it. Not only does she share great stories and memories but she also has fantastic recipes with amazing photographs. Be sure to visit her site.