Holiday Cheer

Here is a family recipe for no-egg eggnog. I think your family isn't really big on eggnog, but mine definitely is. Here's a recipe for eggnog with no raw eggs, so you don't have to be creeped out. I love this stuff and Ryan likes it, too.

1 pkg. (3.5 oz) French vanilla instant pudding
5 cups milk
1/4 tsp. salt
2/3 cup sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1 cup whipping cream, whipped
1/2 tsp. each nutmeg and cinnamon (for topping each serving)

1. In a blender, combine all ingredients except whipped cream and spices, or beat by hand for two minutes.

2. Blend the mixture into the whipped cream and chill thoroughly.

3. Shake the eggnog just before serving it. Sprinkle the top of each glass with nutmeg and cinnamon if desired.

Also, I made THIS recipe and it will be coming out of the oven in a few minutes. I'm taking some to our book club Christmas party tonight. I don't see how it could be anything but delicious.

Veggie Chili

I have been wanting to whip up a veggie chili for a while now and I finally forgot about the weather outdoors (high in the 90s yesterday, yes October 19th) and hunkered down to make it. We plan to whip this up for October's family dinner later this month so we tried out our own version of veggie chili. I might make a couple small adjustments for that version... we shall see. Siblings, don't put your nose up yet. I think you might actually enjoy this stuff. If not, we'll have tortilla chips on hand! ;o) 

I got the idea for using zucchini from a pin I recently put up on Pinterest for Spicy Vegan Chili by acozykitchen.com. I guess this is vegan chili as well if you don't use the cheese topping! Credit for the idea to use RO*TEL to spice things up goes to another pin for Chicken Tortilla Soup by shopchopnserve.blogspot.com.

Ingredients:

1-2 T vegetable oil

1 zucchini, quartered lengthwise, then sliced thin

1/2 white onion, rough chopped

1 clove garlic, finely chopped

1/2 green pepper, diced

1 can original RO*TEL (tomatoes with green chilies)

1 can petite diced peeled tomatoes

1 can black beans

1 can pinto beans

a few shakes of cumin

a few shakes of chili powder

dash or two of salt

dash or two of freshly ground pepper 

Warm vegetable oil over medium heat in large pan or medium pot. Throw in garlic and onion to start things off. After the air is potent and you are getting hungry, add in the green pepper and zucchini. After that cooks and slightly browns for a couple minutes, add in the canned goods (tomatoes and beans) and the spices. Let simmer on medium low heat for approximately 20-30 minutes, stirring occasionally. From first chop to last bite it was a total of one hour! We were able to enjoy this on a busy night. 

Top with: cheese, diced onion, cilantro, sour cream... the options are endless. We stuck with just some shredded medium cheddar cheese and served with tortilla chips.

Makes approximately 4-6 servings depending on the level of starvation.

I really liked the spice that the RO*TEL added to the dish. This was a winner in my book!

More pumpkin cookies

I made these cookies today to take to Jamie as a birthday treat at school. They're not low fat, but they sure are tasty. I added regular choc chips for good measure.

Low Fat Pumpkin Spiced Chocolate Chip Cookies

I made THIS recipe and it turned out great! I only used unbleached white flour, though. AND I have made the regular low fat choc chip recipe that this was adapted from and they didn't turn out that well.

Burrito Bowls

Here's an easy dinner idea that is GF. I even got the chips she recommends from Target and they are delicious (and healthy)!

Burrito Bowls

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Filled Crepes

October Conference weekend makes me want to make all things pumpkin! Yesterday I made pumpkin waffles for breakfast. This morning was pumpkin cream cheese filled crepes. I made my usual crepe recipe, but used the cream cheese recipe found HERE. Topped with whipped cream, it was like having pumpkin pie for breakfast!

7 layer tostadas

Here's an easy "recipe" I made for dinner tonight. I was the only one with 7 layers on my tostada, but that's the beauty of a customize-able recipe for dinner!

7 layer tostadas

(This recipe calls for whole wheat tortillas as the base, but we just used regular tostada shells, which makes it gluten-free for those who need it to be!)

Zucchini Ziti

Last night I made THIS for dinner. It turned out yummy! I was glad the noodles actually cooked since you put them in the crockpot uncooked.

Healthy Chocolate Muffins

So, after watching Forks Over Knives I am trying to transition to eating (much) less animal products. I've started following a food blog called the Happy Herbivore. I found this recipe for Chocolate Zucchini Muffins there. They turned out so yummy!

Notes:
-I didn't have whole wheat pastry flour, so I ground some wheat and used about 3/4 C of that flour and 1/2 C unbleached white flour.
-I actually bought some "raw" sugar and used about 3/4 C.
-I didn't have non-dairy milk, so I just used regular skim milk.
-Since these were going to be dessert for my family after Sunday dinner and I didn't want them to be a total downer, I added a handful of semi-sweet chocolate chips.

Congo Bars

I just made THESE and they turned out so great!
I only had about 1/2 as much of the pecans as the recipe called for, but they're still awesome. I only baked mine for 20 minutes instead of the suggested 22-25 and they turned out to be the perfect softness!

*image via Brown Eyed Baker blog (All of my pics on here recently have been taken from the blogs where I found the recipes.)

PB Sheet Cake

I tried THIS recipe yesterday and it was very yummy! If you're looking for a treat that's high in sugar and fat, this is for you. :) I would recommend not baking it for the full 20 minutes and adding more milk to the frosting. Mine turned out way too thick and didn't cover the whole cake.

Coconut Banana Bread with Lime Glaze

Okay, girls, this is delish! It's one of the recipes I've pinned on pinterest and I just tried it out. YUM.

Coconut Lime Banana Bread with Coconut Glaze

Also, here is a new recipe blog I found that we might want to add to the sidebar (I know I've already added it to my Google Reader).

Skinnytaste

lasagna rolls

much of my inspiration for trying new recipes comes from pinterest and/or google reader. i usually add recipes that i find + like from google reader to pinterest so i can remember which recipes i want to try.

so, about a month ago mindy and i tried out the lasagna rolls while mike and tim worked on fixing tim's sweet ride that was out of commission. i haven't been eating much meat lately so i was pumped to find these spinach lasagna rolls (pinterest). i like this idea because tim likes meat when he can have it, and i don't have to make a full pan of the same type of dish. the lasagna rolls are the perfect alternative to the layered up traditional dish.

the first time around i made 1/2 a pan with organic ground beef, 1/3 with the normal recipe (no meat), and 1/6 without spinach but with meat for mindy lousky. (and the first time around i forgot to save cheese for the top... oops. last nights batch was purely vegetarian. i added 'separated' next to the mozz cheese which would have helped me. fantastic recipe. i hope you try it.

spinach lasagna rolls
recipe slighly adjusted from tasty kitchen

1 package/pound lasagna noodles
1 10oz pkg frozen chopped spinach, thawed
15 ounces ricotta cheese, low fat
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, separated
2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4+ cups pasta sauce (we use ragu - 7-herb tomato)

in a large stock pot, bring water to boil. boil the lasagna rolls for about 6 minutes. the noodles need to be slighly firmer than al dente since they'll be baking for a a few minutes once they get their filling.

defrost spinach in microwave on 50% power if not completely thawed yet. squeeze out all the liquid and set spinach aside.

combine ricotta, parmesan and 1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella, salt, pepper, and spinach. stir well and set to side.

in a 13x9 baking dish,  place 1 cup sauce on the bottom and spread to coat evenly.

drain the lasagna noodles in colander and run cool water over to stop the cooking and make them easier to roll.

lay out a few lasagna noodles at a time. add about 2 tablespoons of the filling and spread out along each noodle.  i spread about 1 T of sauce over the cheese on each noodle before rolling. roll up and place seam side down in the baking dish. repeat until all filling/noodles are rolled up in the pan.

cover the rolls with 1 1/2 cups sauce and cover with foil. bake in 350* oven for about 40 minutes. remove foil, sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup mozz cheese and place back in the oven for another 15 minutes. i placed sliced french bread in the oven at this time and it was perfectly warmed when the lasagna rolls were done.

allow to sit for a couple minutes before serving.

enjoy.

Oreo Brownie Overload

I got the recipe from cookies and cups that I follow through Google Reader and I had added the recipe to my Pinterest. You can get the recipe directly from the printable page for 'dreamy oreo brownies'. I am making slight adjustments in the directions based on how they turned out for me - and how I will do them next time around. See the link for the original recipe.

1 box brownie mix (with ingredients noted on package directions)
1 package Oreo cookies, divided equally in thirds, all coarsely chopped
1/2 tub Cool Whip, thawed
1 8oz package low-fat cream cheese, softened
2 cups powdered sugar
Original recipe calls for semi sweet chocolate chips and vegetable oil to add a layer of chocolate on top. I will not do this step in my next making of this dessert.
Prepare brownie mix according to package directions, fold in 1/3 of the chopped Oreos. Spray non-stick cooking/baking spray on a 13x9 pan. I did 8x8 and they were crazy thick so note my suggestion of 13x9. Dump the batter in the pan and bake according to directions. Do the toothpick check and once clean let the brownies cool completely.

While the brownies cool, mix the cream cheese and powdered sugar until combined and smooth. Fold in the Cool Whip and 1/3 oreos with spatula. Try not to eat this by the spoonful because it is beyond delicious and totally fantastic. Spread on top of brownies once cooled.

Top with the remaining 1/3 package chopped cookies and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Notice the dreamy oreo brownies I made and pictured below have the layer of melted chocolate chips. That is not necessary - it is heavenly and Oreo Brownie overload enough without that. If you must, I would suggest drizzling 1/2 cup of melted chocolate chips over the brownies instead of 1 1/2 cups layered in to the dessert.

Butterscotch Cookies

Here you go, Amy :)


I just saw this no-bake cookie recipe and tried it out today. I haven't tried the finished product yet, but I'm sure they'll be good. I used crunchy PB and added a little more of the rice crispies and omitted the salted peanuts.

please...

something other than an egg needs to be up here.

i'm tempted to remove the picture so i won't have to look at it anymore.

bell pepper egg-in-a-hole

simple and fantastic! this is my new breakfast item to replace a good ol' fried egg.

i saw the idea from a picture on pinterest: 

http://pinterest.com/pin/80831915/

so i cooked up an egg inside a big slice of green pepper last night. it might have overflowed a little but was still  tasty. served on a slice of whole wheat toast.

smores brownies

smores brownies

idea from a martha stewart recipe, i think. i have the printout in the kitchen.

preheat oven at 325. line 8x8 or 9x9 pan with heavy duty foil leaving enough on the edges to lift brownies out after baked. spray with non-sticking baking spray.

graham cracker base

1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs

6 T butter, melted

pinch of salt

2 T sugar

bake 325 for 18 minutes

brownie layer

brownies from a box, made following directions on box for cake-like brownies

pour 2/3 of mix on graham cracker crust. bake 25 minutes (or until crispy on top and 'done' based on the toothpick method). i used the remaining 1/3 of the mix to make some brownie bites in my mini cupcake pan

marshmallow tops

~4 cups small marshmallows

put broiler on low. adjust level in oven to lower portion of the oven so the marshmallows are about 5 or 6 inches from the broiler. bake for about 2 minutes or until toasty. stare at these puppies while they bake and brown! take them out if they are getting too toasted and/or bubbly. 

remove brownies from pan and place on cooling rack using the foil 'handles'. peel the foil away from the marshmallows to make for easier cutting after completely cool. 

Oreo Cheesecake

I just made THIS oreo cheesecake recipe. YUM. I don't know how she made those darling, ridiculously perfect mini cheesecakes that are pictured, but I just made mine in a pie tin. It is definitely heaping.

Santa Fe Chicken

I made this recipe for dinner and it is absolutely delicious. (No surprise, since anything involving cream cheese is sure to be tasty.)

SANTA FE CHICKEN

bean flautas (or taquitos)

i ran across this recipe on pinterest (http://pinterest.com/pin/79529205/).

You can see the recipe directly on A Couple Cooks blog. Credit for the below picture goes to that blog as well.



the ingredients are simple + we had everything on hand!

refried beans, green onions, cream cheese, shredded cheddar (or mexican blend as it calls for), cumin, chili powder, salsa and tortillas!

delish!

Cookies and Cream No-Bake Treats

(Image from the blog I got the recipe from.)
I tried THIS recipe today. Easy, yummy, no-bake.

BBQ Chicken Sandwiches

I make bbq chicken sandwiches a lot (just cook chicken in the crockpot with bbq sauce on top). But they've always just been "just ok" to me. I saw this recipe and it sounded SO GOOD. I made it yesterday and it did not disappoint. The red onion and cilantro on top really made it so yummy (I know some might disagree). It would probably be good with any BBQ sauce, but I did use the Trader Joe's brand as she suggests (yay for no high fructose corn syrup like Sweet Baby Ray's and most other bbq sauces). I can't wait to eat the leftovers!

HERE is the recipe. This is Amber (Jensen) Doxey's cooking blog.

Peanut Butter Truffle Brownies

Amy & I made these last night. They were pretty good with some vanilla ice cream...I'd have to say I'm enjoying them even more today...so good! This picture is from Betty Crocker's website.

Peanut Butter Truffle Brownies (Gluten Free)

chocolate chip cookie bars

thanks to the wonderful site: two peas and their pod, i have been drooling over desserts the last few days. last night i HAD to make these chocolate chip cookie bars. they looked fail-proof. and they were! they are delish!

try them out for yourself. fantastic!

credit for recipe + picture: two peas and their pod.

Peanut Butter Puffs

I tried this new recipe out today and they are tasty, easy, and don't require using the oven!

1/4 C honey
2 packed tablespoons brown sugar
1/4 C creamy peanut butter
1 3/4 C rice crispy cereal (or rice chex to make it gluten free!)

In a sauce pan over medium heat, combine honey and brown sugar. Stir until the brown sugar is dissolved and mixture starts to boil. Remove from heat. Stir in peanut butter until smooth. Stir in rice crispies. Let cool until not too hot to handle (about 5 minutes). Spoon heaping tablespoons onto a cookie sheet. With damp hands, form into balls. Refrigerate until set. For cute display, place balls in mini muffin cups.

"Guiltless" Alfredo Sauce

I made THIS alfredo sauce the other night and it turned out yummy! I even made it with fat-free cream cheese and fat-free milk (instead of just reduced fat). It was even better when I added pesto to the leftover sauce!

Enchiladas

I tried a new enchilada recipe yesterday. They turned out yummy(actually a little spicier than I'd anticipated)!

Ingredients
1 lb cooked and shredded chicken
1 1/2 - 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1 big can of green enchilada sauce
1 lime
1/4 cup cut-up cilantro
2 garlic cloves
6 medium flour tortillas

Directions
First, combine the chicken, half the can of sauce, and half of the cheese in a bowl. Then add cilantro, minced-up garlic, and lime juice to taste. And I squeezed in the whole lime.
Next put this filling in each tortilla, roll, then place in 9x13 baking pan, with the seams of each roll facing down. Now, pour the remaining sauce and sprinkle remaining cheese over the whole pan evenly.
Bake at 350 for 20 minutes.

Oreo Stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookies

Muffins

I made THESE muffins to take to our ward egg hunt/breakfast this morning. I left out the nuts because I didn't want someone with a nut allergy to eat one and get sick, but I will definitely add them next time. They were very yummy!

easter chicks cake pops

my friend katie and i attempted these little chicks cake pops last night. our first time attempting cake pops in general but chicks?! it was an interesting adventure. i'll try to upload a pic or two this weekend of how ours turned out. but they look delish. i'll be snacking on one for lunch today.

Spring Chicks from Bakerella

our attempt... no yellow candy melts at michaels that day

granola bars

i made granola bars! crossing off #39: make granola bars of the wolsey to do list!

yet again, i have found a great recipe from the martha stewart everyday FOOD magazine that my sista jill scripps got me hooked on.

emeril's nutty granola bars
p. 36 of the march 2011 issue

ingredients:
3/4 cup honey (separated, a note that would have been helpful for me!)
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for baking dish
3 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
1 1/3 cups slivered almonds (6oz)
coarse salt
1 cup raisins or other dried fruit (i used whati had in the cupboard... what i thought were dried blueberries but are actually craisins flavored with blueberry juice)
1/3 cup cream almond butter or other nut butter (any guesses on what i used? yep, PB!)
1/4 cup light-brown sugar

1. preheat oven to 325*. in a small saucepan, heat 1/4 cup honey and butter over low. (i didn't pay attention to the 1/4 cup... i just went with the whole 3/4 cup... oops!) cook, stirring,until butter melts, 2 minutes.
2. in a large bowl, combine oats, almonds, and a pinch of salt. drizzle honey mixture over oat mixture and stir to combine; wipe saucepan clean. spread mixture evenly on a large rimmed baking sheet. bake until golden brown, about 20 minutes, stirring occassionally. let cool completely on sheet, 10 minutes. return to bowl and add raisins or dried fruit of your choice; stir to combine.

3. lightly butter an 8-inch square baking dish. in saucepan, combine 1/2 cup honey (i went with about 1/4 cup since i had used toooooo much in the first place, and this might have helped hold them together better), almond butter (or PB) and brown sugar over medium. Cook, stirring occassionally, until mixture comes to a boil and sugar dissolves, 10 minutes. Drizzle over oat mixture and stir until combined; transfer to baking dish. with a spatula firmly press granola into dish.

refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour, then cut into 16 bars or squares. (store in an airtight containter at room temperature, up to 5 days).

a couple notes: i am not sure why an 8x8 is needed. i think a 13x9 would be just fine and make for more traditionally sized granola bars. also, i would recommend an unsweetened dried fruit. these are mighty tasty but with the additional honey due to my mix up and sweetened craisins/bluisins it is defintely on the sweet side.

these are great for snacks. i should have made a drive to mesa, gilbert or queen creek this week to share. i'm not sure tim and i will make it thru all of these on our own.

Bunny Buns

Riley found THIS recipe in The Friend magazine and REALLY wanted to make it. It was an all day ordeal and we even ran to the store to buy shortening. We ate them for our family home evening treat last night and they were delicious! (They are basically orange rolls.) Unfortunately Riley wasn't too impressed. She ate half of hers and then said, "They're too sticky and too bunny." Hmmm...I guess they won't become an Easter tradition around here. :)

Garlic Butter Soft Pretzel Bites

these are seriously one of the tastiest things i've ever made!
kristin and i made them tonight and we both LOVED them.

HERE is a link to where the recipe came from.

Garlic Butter Soft Pretzel Bites

Ingredients

• FOR THE DOUGH:
• 4 cups Bread Flour
• 1-¼ teaspoon Kosher Salt
• 1 Tablespoon Non-diastatic Malt Powder (preferably) Or Granulated Sugar
• 2 teaspoons SAF Or Instant Yeast
• 1 cup Whole Milk
• ½ cups Hot Tap Water
• _____
• FOR THE PRETZEL BOIL:
• 2 quarts Water
• 2 Tablespoons Baking Soda
• _____
• FOR THE TOPPINGS:
• 1 whole Egg White, Whisked Until Frothy
• Coarse Sea Salt, Kosher Salt Or Pretzel Salt
• 6 Tablespoons Butter, Melted, Mixed With 1/2-1 Clove Garlic, Peeled And Minced (or 1/4 Teaspoon Granulated Garlic)

Preparation Instructions

To make the dough by hand:

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, malt powder or sugar and yeast. Set the whisk aside and switch to a sturdy wooden spoon. Stir in the milk and tap water until a soft dough forms. Turn onto a generously floured surface and knead, adding small amounts of flour as needed to keep the dough from adhering to the counter. You do not want a firm dough; it should be fairly slack, a little tacky and soft, yet smooth. Place dough in a clean bowl, cover with a damp tea towel and set aside to rise in a warm, draft-free place until nearly doubled in bulk and puffy, about an hour or so.

To make the dough by stand mixer:

In the work-bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, combine the flour, salt, malt powder or sugar and yeast. Mix on low just to combine dry ingredients. With the mixer still on low, carefully pour in the milk and water. Continue mixing on low until you have a smooth, soft, slightly tacky dough. Remove bowl from the mixer, cover with a damp tea towel and set aside to rise in a warm, draft-free place until nearly doubled in bulk and puffy, about an hour or so.

To make the dough by bread machine:

Add the milk, water, flour, malt powder or sugar, and yeast to the pan of your bread machine in the order recommended by the manufacturer. Select the “Dough” or “Dough Only” cycle and hit start. Allow the cycle to complete.

To form pretzel bites:

Turn the dough out onto a very lightly floured surface. Use a bench knife to cut the dough into four pieces. Keep three pieces covered with a tea towel while working with the first. Roll the piece like play-dough until you have a snake of dough about the circumference of two thumbs squashed together. Use your bench knife to cut 1-inch pieces from the dough snake. Transfer the dough pieces onto the lined baking sheets, being sure to leave generous amounts of room between pieces and rows. They will expand both as they rise and again as they boil and bake. When you have dealt with all the dough, cover the pans with tea towels and let them rise in a warm, draft-free place until puffy looking, about 20 minutes.

To cook the pretzels:

Preheat oven to 400°F.

Bring 2 quarts of water to a boil in a stainless steel or other non-reactive pan (enameled cast-iron, tempered glass, etc.). When the water boils, add the baking soda. Gently lift the pretzel dough pieces one at a time into the boiling water. (You can boil more than one at a time, but be sure not to crowd the the pan as they will expand as they boil.) Let simmer for about 45 seconds, flip the pieces and simmer for another 45 seconds to 1 minute. Use a slotted spoon to drain and return each piece to its place on the pan. Continue until all pieces have been boiled and returned to the pan.

Brush all pieces of dough with the frothy egg white and sprinkle with coarse salt. Place pans in the oven and bake at least until golden brown (at least 15 minutes), but you can bake them until they are deep brown. It’s up to you!

Remove the pans from the oven and brush the pretzels with the garlic butter. If you have leftover garlic butter, you can place the pretzels in a large mixing bowl and toss with the remaining butter.

Serve warm or room temperature.

super easy potato soup

adapted to what i had on hand from: http://www.food.com/recipe/unbelievably-easy-potato-soup-74275

3 large potatoes, cut in small chunks

1/2 small onion, finely chopped

place veggies in pot. fill pot with water just about to the veggies level

boil, then let simmer for 20-30 minutes or until tender

randomly mash with a fork or spatula (or potato masher if you are fancy)

add 1/2 cup milk (used 1%), could use half and half or whatever your heart desires

if you think the soup needs thickening, mix a little cornstarch or flour with 1/4 cup milk. then add to soup and let simmer for a couple minutes.

add lots of salt + pepper to your preferred taste.

serve with some cheese, green onions.... and bacon if you have it on hand!

Snickers Cookies

This recipe came from my mom.

Mix together:
1 C. margarine
1 C. sugar
1 C. brown sugar
3/4 C. peanut butter

Add:
2 eggs
2 t. vanilla
1 t. baking soda
1 t. baking powder
3 C. flour
Make dough.
Wrap some dough around mini-Snickers.
Bake 350 degrees for 10 minutes.
Enjoy!

Links on Sidebar

Ya'll... do you use the links on the sidebar... 'Recipe Sites that Inspire'?

Do you have other recipe sites that you frequent? Let me know and I can add them to our list.

Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins

I made THESE this morning to take to a friend. I LOVE anything lemon flavored, and I happened to have poppy seeds on hand, so I decided to give them a try. They turned out super yummy! They weren't quite as lemon-y as I had hoped, however. Oh, and I only baked them for about 16 minutes (not 18-20) and that was plenty long enough.

no-pork fried rice

we haven't been buying much meat lately. i have picked up a little chicken and a little turkey deli meat as that's all i can handle right now. please don't share your thoughts on deli meat right now... its nearly all i've got. this last week we only ate out once... with mom and dad at el charro. (that's impressive for us) i am excited to keep it up. i think it makes it easier that we don't have close friends to meet out for dinner. although i would probably trade close friends for the bill of eating out. this is a recipe blog though... so... we've REALLY been trying to keep the grocery shopping to the basics and stick to planned meals or things at home. in making a meal plan this week i gave tim the march issue of every day food. i love this magazine. its small and has loads of awesome recipes without the annoying overload of ads. tim picked out a couple recipes to try out this week... one being a pork fried rice recipe. i knew right away that we were going to make it a no-pork recipe. below is my adapted recipe from martha stewart every day foods version.




cook up two cups of rice (one cup uncooked) the way you cook it

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

2 eggs, lightly beaten

2 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce

1 garlic clove, minced

1/2 bunch scallions, white and green parts separated and thinly sliced

1/2 bag of frozen stiry fry veggies (picked up safeway brand on sale + had broccoli, snap peas, green beans, water chestnuts, celery, carrots, onions... was perfect for this!)

2 tablespoons rice vinegar

(i adjusted measurments and omitted pork, fresh ginger, fresh carrots and frozen peas and replaced with frozen stir fry veggies. you could easily use the full bag of frozen veggies for this.)

heat a large nonstick pan over medium-high heat and spray with non-stick cooking spray. while that heats up lightly beat two eggs and 1/4 teaspoon soy sauce together. add eggs to pan and move pan around until eggs cover bottom of pan. cook without stirring about a minute. fold, remove from pan and place on a cutting board or plate. cut the eggs into thin slices.

add 1 tablespoon oil  to the pan and swirl to cover. add frozen veggies, white part of scallions and garlic. stir for about 3 minutes or until veggies are cooked and warmed through. add the rice wine vinegar and remaining soy sauce. then add the sliced eggs and rice. stir until well covered with deliciousness.

top with green scallions and serve!

we really enjoyed this dish tonight.

Oreo Cheesecake

I made this dessert yesterday and it was yummy! Even better, it doesn't heat up the house to make it!

I found the recipe in a Kraft Foods magazine a long time ago.

1 pkg. oreo cookies
1/4 C butter, melted
4 pkg. (8 oz. each) cream cheese, softened
1/2 C sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tub cool whip, thawed

Line 13 x 9 inch pan with foil. Coarsely chip 15 oreos; set aside. Finely crush remaining oreos; mix with butter. Press firmly into bottom of pan. Refrigerate while preparing filling.

Beat cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla until well blended. Gently stir in whipped topping and chopped cookies. Spoon over crust. Cover.

Refrigerate 4 hours or until firm.

S'mores Stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookies?

Yes, please! Who wants to make them and bring some to me?

HERE

Instant Chocolate Cake

Looks cool!

ORIGINAL RECIPE

BLOG I SAW IT ON

Potato Soup

Here is the link to the recipe for the soup I brought to family dinner last night: HEARTY POTATO SOUP.
(I doubled the recipe for last night, and used some of Mom's gluten free flour.)

We really like it around here!

Brownie Covered Oreos

I made THESE as a St. Patty's Day treat for the ladies I visit teach. I made them with the mint oreos to be extra festive. Oh, and I didn't top with frosting/sprinkles to make things easier. They turned out oh-so stackable so I stacked them in clear plastic and tied with a green ribbon- they're little towers of cuteness!

cool read: eatocracy article

The feather in the cap of the Austin food scene

kudos

kudos to lindsay for rocking this blog. and continually posting even though the rest of us are slackers!

have to share this recipe: http://www.saveur.com/article/Recipes/Heaven-and-Hell-Cake

looks heavenly... ;o)

Garlicky Pasta Salad

I was given this recipe to make for a friend's baby shower tonight. I made it, and it is very tasty! (Don't know how many of you would love it, but thought I'd share!)


Garlicky Pasta Salad

1 package Tri-Colored Twisted pasta (16 oz.)

1 ½ cups cubed pepper jack cheese

1 ½ cups sliced salami

Mix the following ingredients in separate bowl:

2 Tbsp. lemon juice

4 tbsp. olive oil

4 tbsp. minced garlic (can use less if desired)

¼ cup chopped fresh basil

Combine all salad ingredients, then salt and pepper to taste.

Corn Salsa

Here's a recipe I got from a lady in our ward. It is seriously so yummy (to me).


Corn Salsa
1 can white corn (drained)
1 can black eyed peas (not drained)
4-5 medium tomatoes chopped
2-3 large avacadoes chopped
3-4 green onions chopped
1/2 bunch cilantro chopped
good season italian dressing mix
vinegar for dressing mix
oil for dressing
chips for dipping

Prepare dressing as indicated on packet. Mix all other ingredients together and pour over mixture.

Manicotti

I was trying to find a video clip of Brian Regan imitating his Italian friend talking about manicotti, but no luck...anyone know what I'm talking about?

I made THIS for dinner last night. It's SO GOOD and I will definitely be making it again. I recommend it!!

Homemade Pizza Rolls

I made THESE tonight for dinner and served with a salad. Yummy! I used pre-made whole wheat pizza dough from Trader Joe's. I filled Ryan's with mozarella cheese and pepperoni, mine with pesto and mozarella, and just mozarella for the girls. Yummy! And super easy and fast. Bonus!


P.S. I made THIS for our Valentine's Day dessert and it was delish! Although, I think I prefer regular pazookie better...

Slow Cooker Asian Shredded Beef Recipe

After I had Harley one of my friends brought me this delicious meal! We had it on white rice, not cabbage....of course :) I think it is delicious!! I just made it for the first time on Sunday.

Slow Cooker Asian Shredded Beef


This pic was taken from the website...my personal opinion....ours looked better than this!

Stuffed Bell Peppers

I'd like to try THIS recipe out. I've always loved stuffed bell peppers but I've never made them. Anyone else think this looks good?

Cranberry White Chocolate Cookies

I made THESE today. Yummy! I made them because I had leftover white choc. chips for some random reason. They are good, but for some reason white choc. is so rich/too sweet for me to eat much at one time. This is probably a good thing though. :)

chicken tortilla soup - pioneer woman

its not often that i found a delicious recipe that calls for a laundry list of ingredients that i usually have on hand! so... while winter is still in existence in AZ - try it out! or i will when i get there. and change my ways to cooking at home! seriously - how heavenly does that look? ok. maybe i'm just hungry but i'm excited about this recipe. altho one thing i would change is crisping up the tortilla strips and throwing them on top.

http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2011/01/chicken-tortilla-soup/

Long time no post

I saw THIS recipe for Applesauce Oatmeal Muffins today and I think I'll make the batter tonight so we can have them for breakfast tomorrow. They're right up my alley!

Anyone make a resolution to post more on our recipe blog? :)