Breakfast: Oatmeal Breakfast Cookie

Recipe taken from dinnersdishesanddesserts.com

1/4 cup Oats
2 Tbls whole wheat flour
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 Tbls maple syrup (I use sugar free)
3 Tbls vanilla Greek yogurt (I used Chobani Non-Fat)
1 Tbls chocolate chips
1 Tbls chopped nuts
Stir everything together in a bowl until everything is combined. Place in the center of a small microwave plate.  The mixture will be pretty wet, this is not something you can really do with your hands.  Gently press down, just slightly.  Microwave for 60-70 seconds.  Your cookie is done when it springs back, and is no longer sticky on top. Enjoy warm for gooey chocolate!

Note:   You could change this up a million different ways.  I put in chocolate chips, you could put in raisins or berries.  Add peanut butter (I have done that, it is good).  Stir in some cocoa powder for a chocolate version.  You get the idea, the possibilities are endless.

Dinner: Bean and Salsa Burritos (Vegetarian)

This recipe is adapted from one I found in Parenting magazine. In that recipe, the filling was turned into "sloppy joes" and put on hamburger buns. I found this to be too sloppy as the beans kept dropping all over the place. Plus, with all the salsa flavor, it just tasted more appropriate on a tortilla.

Ingredients:
2 tsp oil
3 minced garlic cloves
2.5 cups rinsed and drained canned beans (two 15 ounce cans of black beans or kidney beans or a combination of the two)
15 ounce jar mild, chunky salsa
1 Tbsp brown sugar
1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp dijon mustard (could omit when making burritos)
1/2 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp salt
Shredded cheddar cheese
Tortillas or whole-wheat buns

Instructions:
1. In a skillet, heat oil over medium heat.
2. Add garlic and saute for one minute.
3. Stir in beans, salsa, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, cumin and salt.
4. Bring to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes (or until the beans feel soft)
5. Spoon into warm tortillas or onto whole-wheat buns and top with cheddar cheese.

Side: Easy Creamed Spinach

Recipe and photo from About.com: Southern food

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup butter
• 1/4 cup flour
• 1 cup milk
• 1 bag or 2 boxes (16 to 24 ounces) frozen spinach
• salt and pepper
• dash nutmeg

Preparation:

Melt butter in top of double boiler over low direct heat. Blend in flour until smooth. Cook until mixture is smooth and bubbly. Gradually add milk and cook, stirring, until thickened. Add spinach. Cover and cook over boiling water, stirring occasionally, 15 minutes. Season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg.
Serves 4.

Dinner: White Chicken Enchiladas

Recipe and picture taken from the Joyful Momma's Kitchen Blog.

Ingredients:

10 soft taco shells

2 cups cooked, shredded chicken

2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese

3 Tbsp. butter

3 Tbsp. flour

2 cups chicken broth

1 cup sour cream

1 (4 oz) can diced green chillies
Chopped raw white onions
Red pepper

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9x13 pan

2. Mix chicken, 1 cup cheese, chopped onions and red pepper. Roll up in tortillas and place in pan.

3. In a sauce pan, melt butter, stir in flour and cook 1 minute. Add broth and whisk until smooth. Heat over medium heat until thick and bubbly.

4. Stir in sour cream and chilies. Do not bring to boil, you don't want curdled sour cream.

5. Pour over enchiladas and top with remaining cheese.

6. Bake 22 min and then under high broil for 3 min to brown the cheese.

Sticky Rolls

This recipe was taken from the cookbook, Beyond Grits and Gravy.

Ingredients
Frozen dinner rolls (18 oz.)
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup of butter
1/2 cup sugar
1 tablespoon cinnamon
small package of vanilla pudding mix (not instant)

Instructions:
Set this up the night before:
Spray the inside of a Bundt pan or tube pan with nonstick spray. Distribute pecans all over the bottom of the pan.
Put frozen rolls into the pan.
Put butter, sugar and cinnamon into a saucepan and bring to a boil. Then, drizzle the butter mixture over the rolls.
Finally, sprinkle the pudding mix all over the rolls.
Leave to rise overnight.

The next morning, cook the rolls for 30 minutes at 350 degrees.

Notes:
I need to get a metal tube pan. The silicone Bundt one I have is too ornate and pliable.
I'm not sure what frozen rolls to use. I used "Rhodes" brand this time, but they didn't rise. I'll have to experiment with other brands.

Soup: Chunky Potato

Ingredients:
3 medium red potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
2 cups water
1 small onion, peeled and finely chopped
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
Crushed red pepper flakes
Ground black pepper
3 cups milk
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
1/2 to 1 cup shredded bacon

Instructions:
1. Bring water to a boil in large saucepan. Add potatoes and cook until tender. Drain, reserving liquid. Set aside potatoes. Measure 1 cup cooking liquid, adding water if necessary, set aside.
2. Melt butter in saucepan over medium heat. Add onion to saucepan; cook, stirring frequently, until onion is translucent and tender, but not brown.
3. Add flour to saucepan; season with pepper flakes and pepper to taster. Cook 3 to 4 minutes.
4. Gradually add potatoes, reserved liquid, milk and sugar to onion mixture in saucepan. Stir well.
5. Add cheese and bacon. Simmer over low heat 30 minutes, stirring frequently.

Dinner: Beef Stew

Ingredients:
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1.5 pounds lean boneless round steak, trimmed of fat and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
3 cups water
2 medium potatoes, scrubbed and cut into bite-sized pieces
9-ounce package frozen, no-salt-added whole baby carrots
8 ounces sliced fresh mushrooms
1 cup no-salt-added frozen pearl onions
4 teaspoons low-sodium beef bouillon granules
1 teaspoon dried savory or thyme, crushed
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

Instructions:
Throw everything into the crock pot and cook on low for 4-6 hours.

Dinner: Pulled Pork (serves 6)

Ingredients:
14 ounces of beef broth
3 pounds of pork (shoulder or butt)
1 bottle (18 ounces) BBQ sauce

Instructions:
1. Pour broth into crock pot. Then add pork.
2. Cook on high for 4 hours.
3. Remove meat and shred into Dutch oven.
4. Add BBQ sauce to meat in Dutch oven.
5. Cook for 30 minutes in a 350 degree oven.

Notes:
I like to cook it on LOW if time permits to make meater softer. So, it takes 4 to 6 hours.
I take the meat out as directed and shred it, removing large chunks of fat. Then, I throw it back in the crock pot and add the sauce turning it to "Keep Warm" heat level on my crock pot.

Dessert: Love Notes (Lemon Bars)

I made these yeeeaars ago and they were excellent. I really should make them again...

CRUST:
2 cups sifted plain flour 1/2 cup powdered sugar 1 cup butter

Cut flour and powdered sugar into butter until mixture clings together. Press dough into 9x13 pan. Bake at 350 degrees F for 25 minutes. Cool to room temperature before putting on the topping (this is essential!)

TOPPING:
4 eggs, slightly beaten 1 teaspoon baking powder 2 cups granulated sugar
1/4 cup plain flour 6 tablespooons lemon juice powdered sugar

Mix eggs, sugar and lemon juice together. When well blended, add baking powder and flour. Mix well. Pour over baked crust. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes. Sprinkle with powdered sugar. Cool completely, then cut into bars.

Dessert: Coconut Chocolate Chip Cookies

My go-to Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe. It's great with or without coconut. Now I can finally get rid of the tattered post-it that's been hanging on the side of my fridge for years now!

Ingredients:

1 cup butter
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
2 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 1/4 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups chocolate chips
2 cups coconut

Instructions:
(Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit)
1. Cream together butter, brown sugar, and sugar
2. Beat in eggs and milk
3. Stir in vanilla
4. Combine in flour, baking soda, and salt
5. Fold in chocolate chips and coconut.
6. Bake for about 10 minutes per batch.

Notes:
I've seen some recipes that include a 1/2 teaspoon of coconut extract. I might try that when I'm not trying to get rid of stuff in my kitchen.

Breakfast: Blueberry Pancakes

This recipe is from Cook's Illustrated. Waaay better than Bisquick!

Ingredients:
2 cups buttermilk (or 2 cups milk and 1 tablespoon lemon juice)
2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 large egg
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
1-2 teaspoons vegetable oil
1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries, preferably wild, rinsed and dried

Instructions:
1. If you don't have buttermilk, whisk lemon juice and milk in medium bowl or large measuring cup; set aside to thicken while preparing other ingredients. Whisk flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in medium bowl to combine.
2. Whisk egg and melted butter into milk until combined. Make well in center of dry ingredients in bowl; pour in milk mixture and whisk very gently until just combined (a few lumps should remain). Do not overmix.
3. Heat 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat for 3 to 5 minutes; add 1 teaspoon oil and brush to coat skillet bottom evenly. Pour 1/4 cup batter onto 3 spots on a skillet; sprinkle 1 tablespoon blueberries over each pancake.
4. Cook pancakes until large bubbles begin to appear, about 2 minutes. Using thin, wide spatula, flip pancakes and cook until golden brown on second side, about 1 to 1.5 minutes longer. Serve immediately and repeat with remaining batter.

Side Dish: Cheesy Green Bean Casserole

This recipe is from Betty Crocker as is the picture above. I made this for Thanksgiving one year. It was a hit!

Ingredients:

1 can (10 3/4 oz) condensed cream of mushroom soup
1 cup shredded American-Cheddar cheese blend (4 oz)
1 teaspoon soy sauce
1 bag (12 oz) Green Giant Valley Fresh Steamers frozen cut green beans, thawed, drained
1 small red bell pepper, chopped (1/2 cup)
1.5 cups Cheddar French-fried onions (from 6-oz can)

Instructions:
1. Heat oven to 350°F. In 1 1/2-quart casserole, stir together soup, cheese blend and soy sauce. Stir in green beans, bell pepper and 1 cup of the onions.
2. Cover; bake about 30 minutes or until beans are tender and mixture is heated through. Stir; top with remaining 1/2 cup onions.
3. Bake uncovered about 5 minutes longer or until onions are brown and crisp.

Dessert: Magic Cookie Bars

My Mom used to make these around the holidays every year. I always loved them. Now, there a favorite in my family and always a crowd pleaser.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup butter or margarine, melted
• 1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
• 1 (14 ounce) can EAGLE BRAND® Sweetened Condensed Milk
• 2 cups semisweet chocolate morsels
• 1 1/3 cups flaked coconut
• 1 cup chopped nuts

Instructions:

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees F (325 degrees for glass dish). Coat 13x9-inch baking pan with no-stick cooking spray.
2. Combine graham cracker crumbs and butter. Press into bottom of prepared pan. Pour sweetened condensed milk evenly over crumb mixture. Layer evenly with chocolate chips, coconut and nuts. Press down firmly with a fork.
3. Bake 25 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool. Cut into bars or diamonds. Store covered at room temperature.

Soup: Corn Chowder (serves 2)

So easy, so good. May need a salad or something extra to fill you up.

Ingredients:

4 slices Oscar Meyer Ready to Serve Bacon
1 10 3/4-ounce can of Campbell's Classics Cream of Potato soup
1 cup low-fat or whole milk
1 11-ounce can Green Giant Corn Niblets
Oyster crackers

Instructions:

Heat the bacon for 20 to 30 seconds in the microwave. Set aside.
Pour the cream of potato soup into a saucepan. Add the milk and corn.
Break up the cooked bacon into small pieces, then stir it into the saucepan.
Heat for 5 minutes or until the soup reaches a simmer.
Serve with oyster crackers.

Dinner: 10-minute Calzones (4 servings)

Ingredients:

1 one pound bag frozen pizza dough, thawed
1 six ounce package pepperoni, chopped (or cooked Italian sausage, crumbled)
1 cup ricotta
1 cup shredded mozzarella
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 16-ounce jar pasta sauce, such as marinara
Grated Parmesan

Instructions:

Heat oven to 400 degrees.
Cut the dough into quarters and shape into 4 balls. Set aside.
In a medium bowl, mix the pepperoni, ricotta, and mozzarella.
Roll or pull each dough ball into a 7-inch circle.
Spoon 1/4 of the pepperoni filling onto the center of each.
Fold over and pinch the edges together.
Place on a baking sheet and brush with the oil.
Bake for 30 minutes, or until golden.
Meanwhile, heat the sauce, then spoon it over the calzones. Top with the Parmesan cheese.

Notes:

Prepare calzones on the baking sheet as they can be delicate and flimsy.

Dessert: Peach-Blueberry Crisp (serves 6)

This recipe is from Cook's Illustrated magazine. I made it using fresh peaches and blueberries from the Farmer's Market. It was amazing.

INGREDIENTS

Topping Mixture:
6 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour
1/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon table salt
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces and chilled
3/4 cups pecans or whole almonds, chopped coarse (or chopped fine if mixing topping by hand)

Fruit:
5 cups peaches (peeled, pitted and cut into half-inch wedges - about 5 medium peaches)
1 cup fresh blueberries, rinsed
1 tablespoon quick-cooking tapioca
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1.5 tablespoons lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon grated lemon zest from 1 lemon

Instructions:
1. For the topping: Place flour, brown sugar, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt in food processor workbowl fitted with steel blade. Add chilled butter and pulse until mixture moves from dry sand-like appearance with large lumps of butter to a coarse cornmeal texture, about three 4-second bursts. Add nuts and pulse until mixture resembles crumbly sand, about five 1-second bursts. Do not over process or mixture will take on a smooth, cookie-dough-like texture.
(To mix by hand, allow butter pieces to sit at room temperature for 5 minutes. Meanwhile mix flour, brown sugar, granulated sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt in medium bowl. Add butter, toss to coat. Pinch butter chunks and dry mixture between fingertips until mixture looks like crumbly wet sand. Add nuts and toss to distribute evenly. Do not overmix.) Refrigerate mixture while preparing fruit, at least 15 minutes.

2. Toss peaches, blueberries, tapioca, sugar, lemon juice, and zest in medium bowl.

3. Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 375 degrees. Scrape fruit mixture with rubber spatula into 8-inch square (2 quart) baking pan or 9-inch round deep dish pie plate. Distribute chilled topping evenly over fruit; bake for 40 minutes. Increase oven temperature to 400 degrees; bake until fruit is bubbling and topping is deep golden brown (~ 5 minutes longer). Serve warm or at room temperature.

Notes:
To make a larger crisp that serves 10, double all the ingredients, use 13x9-inch baking pan and bake for 55 minutes at 375 degrees, without increasing the oven temperature.

I didn't include the nuts when I made it and it turned out fine.

Dinner: Chicken Salsa Slow Cooker (serves 2-3)

(Picture to come)

This recipe comes from A Potful of Recipes by JoAnna Lund.

This dish has the consistency of a thick stew. The tortillas become really soft, almost like dumplings. You can make it healthier by substituting low-fat cheese and lower calorie tortillas.

Ingredients:

1 (10 3/4 ounce) can of Healthy Request Cream of Chicken Soup
1.5 cups chunky salsa (mild, medium or hot)
1 cup + 2 tablespoons of shredded Cheddar cheese
6 (6-inch) corn tortillas, torn into large pieces (I use 2 or 3 large flour tortillas)
2 cups (12 ounces) diced, cooked chicken breast
1 teaspoon dried parsley flakes

Instructions:

Spray a slow cooker with cooking spray. In the prepared container, combine chicken soup and salsa. Add cheese and tortilla pieces. Mix well to combine. Stir in chicken and parsley flakes. Cover and cook on LOW for 6 to 8 hours. Mix well before serving.

Notes: I always find that it takes much less than the recommended 6-8 hours. It's more like 3 hours in my crock pot.

Dessert: Healthy Deep Dish Cookie Pie (Vegan, except for the chocolate chips)

This recipe is from http://chocolatecoveredkatie.com as is the picture above.

I know I'm supposed to be using my cookbooks, but I am archiving the recipes I've tried from Pinterest before I forget. Cookbook recipes to come!

Ingredients:

• 2 cans white beans or garbanzos (drained and rinsed) (500g total, once drained)
• 1 cup quick oats
• 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 3 T canola oil
• 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 and 1/2 cups brown sugar
• 1 cup chocolate chips

Instructions:

Blend everything (except the chips) very well in a food processor. Mix in chips, and pour into an oiled pan (I used a 10-inch springform pan, but you can use a smaller pan if you want a really deep-dish pie.) Cook at 350F for around 35 minutes. Let stand at least 10 minutes before removing from the pan.

My Notes:
I really liked this dessert. My husband could not tell there were garbanzo beans in it! I might try white beans next time just to see what they are like.

I had a tough time making this recipe because my food processor was not big enough PLUS I discovered that it was broken - the blade wouldn't turn! Grr. I was already committed to making the dessert, so I improvised. I won't make this dessert again until I get a good food processor. Since this project is about culling my kitchen stuff, that won't be until after our move.

The dessert was a touch dry. So, adding a small scoop of vanilla ice cream as shown in the picture above is a great idea to up the moistness.

Creamy Peanut Butter Banana Smoothie (serves 2)

This recipe is from www.chiquitabananas.com as is the picture above.

Ingredients:

• 2 whole Chiquita Bananas, frozen, peeled and sliced
• 1 (6-oz.) carton non-fat Vanilla yogurt
• 1/3 cup creamy Peanut butter
• 1/2 cup non-fat Milk

Instructions:

Put all ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth. The yield is about 24 ounces, enough for 12 ounces per person.

My Notes:
I put the bananas into the freezer and froze them thinking I would peel and slice them afterwards. Well, that didn't work so well! I couldn't peel them when they were frozen. So, I decided to let them thaw on the counter. This also did NOT work. They turned to mush inside their peels! So, when I try this again, I should peel, slice, THEN freeze and see how that goes.

Also, the tangyness (is that a word?) of the yogurt really comes through in the finished product. So, if you like that, keep it. However, I'm not that fond of it. So, when I try this again, I will substitute the 6 ounces of vanilla yogurt for 6 ounces of vanilla pudding and see what that tastes like.

Dinner: Pork Chops and Apples (serves 2)

This recipe is from Betty Crocker's online site (as is the picture above). It is a favorite in our house. It doesn't take many ingredients and the apples help keep the pork from drying out.

Ingredients:

1 medium, unpeeled cooking apple, sliced (I use two apples)
2 Tablespoons packed brown sugar (you decide how much is right for you!)
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon (I probably use twice or three times as much!)
2 pork chops, 1/2 to 3/4 inch thick (about a 1/4 pound each)

Instructions:
1. Heat oven to 350°F. Place apples in 1 1/2-quart casserole. Sprinkle with brown sugar and cinnamon.
2. Remove fat from pork. Spray 8- or 10-inch nonstick skillet with cooking spray; heat over medium heat 1 to 2 minutes. Cook pork in hot skillet about 5 minutes, turning once, until light brown.
3. Place pork in single layer on apples.(This is a deviation from the original recipe) Place slices from second apple on top of the pork and again sprinkle with brown sugar and cinnamon. I find that the apples on top help keep the pork juicy.
4. Cover and bake about 45 minutes or until pork is slightly pink when cut near the bone and apples are tender.

Serve it up with something green and you've got dinner!

Statement of Purpose

I have been using Pinterest lately. I have found a wealth of great recipes and ideas out there! I am so thankful for the generosity of these bloggers who offer up the results of their labors to the rest of us. I don't have any special recipes to offer as of yet. I am a very "by the book" recipe follower.

However, I have a shelf full of cookbooks that are begging to be used. I am moving out of my apartment at the end of July of this year. I want to be able to leave some of those cookbooks behind. So, I am going to go through those books and try out recipes. If I like them, they will make the blog. Then, once I have exhausted the recipes in a book, I can donate it to Goodwill. This way, I will have a wealth of GOOD recipes at my fingertips on my iPad rather than having to hunt through a cookbook AND I can cull my vast amount of kitchen "stuff" for my move.