Gourmet's Creamy Coleslaw

I've never made coleslaw before, and felt like making some a few weeks ago.  My sometimes-sad store was out of cabbage though, so I didn't get around to making this until yesterday, when I finally had some cabbage in my fridge.  I want to make this next time we have pulled chicken or pulled pork, so I can pile it on top of the meat.  I bought the smallest head of cabbage I could find, but it was still over two pounds, so I only used half of it for one pound of cabbage.  (What am I gonna do with the other half of cabbage now?!  Lol.)

Gourmet's Creamy Coleslaw

adapted from Gourmet mag via Epicurious

1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup sour cream
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
3-4 tablespoons sugar (add more or less to taste)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 lb green cabbage, quartered, cored, and thinly sliced
2 medium carrots, shredded

1.  Whisk together mayonnaise, sour cream, vinegar, sugar, salt, and pepper in a large bowl until combined well, then toss with cabbage and carrots. Let stand, uncovered, at room temperature, tossing occasionally, until wilted, about 30 minutes. Serve at room temperature or chilled.  Can make one day ahead.  Store in refrigerator.

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Cilantro-Lime Soup

This soup was delicious- and just I needed on a day when I was sick with a cold.  I used homemade chicken stock, and that flavor, along with the cilantro and citrus-y lime, just tasted SO good together.  This is based on a Mexican soup from Yucatan- Sopa de Lima.  I had limes and cilantro leftover from my recent Southwest Burgers, and this light and refreshing soup was just the most perfect way to use them up.  I really, really enjoyed it.  My husband is also sick and he loved it too- he's stealing my daughter's pink thermos today so he can take some leftovers for lunch.  :) 

My kids didn't seem crazy about this, but two of them ate it without really saying anything, so I'll take it.  I'd still make this again, just because the adults liked it so much!!  This is a brothy soup and not terribly filling, but it was just perfect for us as a main dish since we didn't have huge appetites anyway.  To make it more filling, maybe once could add cooked rice (to individual bowls) or a can of rinsed black beans, but I have not tried these ideas.  I really, really love citrus flavors, and cilantro, and this was so easy to make, as well!  Ok, I'll stop going on and on now. 

Cilantro-Lime Soup
adapted from Epicurious (Bon Appétit)

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon chili powder
2 skinless boneless chicken breast halves, cut into 3/4-inch pieces (I used chicken thighs)
4 cups low-salt chicken broth (canned or homemade)
1 cup fresh or frozen corn kernels
1 cup chopped seeded tomatoes or 1 can petite diced tomatoes, undrained
1/2 bunch fresh cilantro sprigs, rinsed, and tied together with kitchen string.

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
Sour cream

1.  Heat oil in heavy large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic; sauté until slightly softened, about 3 minutes. Add chili powder; stir 1 minute. Add chicken; stir 2 minutes. Add broth, corn, tomatoes and 1/2 bunch cilantro sprigs to saucepan; bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer until chicken is cooked through, about 10 minutes. Discard cilantro sprigs. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Chill. Bring to simmer before continuing.)

2.  Add chopped cilantro and lime juice to soup. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Garnish bowls with sour cream.

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Greek Gyro Burgers

We enjoyed these a few days ago for dinner with these grilled veggie skewers.   This is another delicious recipe off of Our Best Bites blog.  Even though I have a cold, I could still taste how yummy these were- especially topped with loads of homemade tzatziki sauce and a fresh tomato.  It's not in the picture, but I also topped mine with some of the grilled red onions from the veggie skewers.  A very flavorful meal! 

We've grilled burgers twice in the last two weeks, which is way more than we usually do- I've been diagnosed with pregnancy-induced anemia and need to beef up my iron intake!!  Super cheesiness!!  So, this was a tasty way to do that.  (So were those Southwest Burgers- yum!!!)  A super large dose of iron, like I'm now taking in the form of a pill, is NOT a fun or tasty way to do that, by the way! 

For the flatbread (I find that most store-bought pitas are gross, and I prefer a flatbread instead of an actual pita anyway) I decided to use this recipe for homemade tortillas.  They cook up so light, fluffy and thick that they worked very well for a flatbread wrap.  They remained soft and pliable and taste good.  You can use a good storebought flatbread or pita, or make your own, or use the tortilla recipe. 

The recipe calls for ground lamb, but that is impossible for me to find here, and I'd rather use ground beef anyway.  I used ground sirloin and it worked out really well.

Greek Gyro Burgers

from Our Best Bites

1 lb. lean ground lamb or ground beef (like ground sirloin)

2-4 cloves garlic, minced

1 1/2 tsp. dry onion
1 Tbsp. Dijon or coarse grain mustard
3/4 tsp. Kosher salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
1/2 tsp. dry oregano
1 tsp. rosemary, dry or fresh and chopped

Tzatziki sauce
fresh tomato and onion slices
flatbread or pitas

1.  Gently combine lamb or beef, garlic, onion, mustard, salt, pepper, vinegar, oregano, and rosemary with your hands and shape into 4-5 oblong patties. Place on a plate in the fridge for a few hours to "set up", if desired. 

2.  Preheat your grill.  Grill for 5-6 minutes on each side and remove from heat. Allow to stand for 5 minutes. Place on pitas or flatbread and add onions, tomatoes, and tzatziki. Fold like a taco and serve immediately. For easy serving and clean-up, wrap in aluminum foil.

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Grilled Veggies

Grilling veggies really brings out their flavor.  Last night with dinner, we had grilled veggie kabobs.  We used metal skewers- if you are using wooden ones, remember to soak them in water first.  I brushed them in a mixture of olive oil, garlic, sea salt, and pepper and spices, an idea from Eating, Etc.  I was lazy, and instead of making the homemade pepper mix, I just sprinkled black pepper, paprika, hot pepper flakes, onion and garlic powder right into the olive oil (I'm out of white pepper, and I figured paprika was the closest I had to sweet pepper flakes). 

Even the kids got excited about eating these veggie kabobs.  (Well, all except for one).  You can use any veggie you like; last night, we used zucchini (a nice, small one, for best flavor), yellow bell pepper, and red onion.  You don't have to make kabobs with them, either- you can cut them in bigger pieces and just grill them alone, or if you have a grill tray, you can cut them small and grill them in there. 

Grilled Veggies

adapted from Eating, Etc.

olive oil, about 2-3 tablespoons

1 large fresh garlic clove, minced

sea salt, to taste
generous sprinkle fresh black pepper
white pepper, to taste
paprika or sweet pepper flakes, to taste
red pepper flakes, to taste
onion & garlic powder, to taste
assorted veggies, cut into chunks (we used one small-ish zucchini, one bell pepper, and one small red onion)

1.  In a small bowl, combine everything except for the veggies.

2.  Thread the veggies onto skewers, if using, and lay out on a tray or small baking sheet.  Brush the veggies with the oil/spice mixture (a silicone brush works well for this). 

3.  Preheat outdoor grill to medium.  When grill is hot, add veggies and cook for a few minutes on each side, until cooked to your preference.  You can brush the residual marinade (from the tray they were sitting on) onto the veggies as they cook.  Serve immediately. 

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Baked Teriyaki Chicken Thighs

Shiny, glistening chicken thighs.  That's a sentence that you probably does not get you excited about trying this recipe, but it is better than it looks!  We had to eat really late on the night we had this, and I was too tired to pull out the lighbox.  I blame my husband.  So, we'll all have to deal with these shiny, overhead light chicken thigh photos.  At least you may be able to get a giggle out of the way the above picture looks; to me, it looks like a chicken man, sitting with his legs jauntily crossed.  Just picture a top hat on him. 

(If you want to see some awesome pics of this recipe, go to Dine and Dish, the blog where I saw this in the first place, and check out those photos!  It might make you more inclined to actually try this recipe, too!)

Anyway, this recipe is super easy, and pretty cheap too, given that it uses chicken thighs.  These are boneless, skinless chicken thighs.  The recipe calls for 12 thighs for 6 people, but I figure one thigh per person is enough (even though they are not huge, and they do shrink a bit when cooking, so keep that in mind.).  I used 5 thighs but kept the sauce the same.  In the recipe I'll write 6-12 thighs.  It's up to you to decide how many to use.  My oven cooks everything super fast, so I lowered the oven temp to 350.  I'll keep that the same below.

Another glistening chicken photo for you to enjoy!!

Baked Teriyaki Chicken Thighs
from Allrecipes, via Dine and Dish

1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon cold water
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup reduced-sodium soy sauce
1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
6-12 skinless chicken thighs

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees F

2.  In a small saucepan over low heat, combine the cornstarch, cold water, sugar, soy sauce, vinegar, garlic, and ground black pepper. Let simmer, stirring frequently, until sauce thickens and bubbles.

3.  Using kitchen scissors, remove any pieces of fat from each chicken thigh. Place chicken pieces in a 9×13 inch baking dish sprayed with Pam cooking spray. Pour 1/2 half of the sauce over the chicken, brushing each piece so it is coated.

4.  Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes. Turn pieces over, pour on remaining sauce, and bake for an additional 20-30 minutes, or until chicken juices run clear.

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Homemade Granola Bars

These are a fun, quicky and easy project.  They taste good, too!  I've used fat free sweetened condensed milk before with good results.  This time around, I used chopped white chocolate with a few chocolate chips thrown in.  You can add whatever grains and seeds to these that you want.  (I never use quick oats, but I did for these, because I accidentally bought a little container of them a while ago.  I think regular oats would be good too). 

Homemade Granola Bars

from Allrecipes

3 cups quick-cooking oats*

1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk

2 tablespoons butter, melted
1 cup flaked coconut
1 cup sliced almonds
1 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup sweetened dried cranberries


1.Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9x13 inch pan.

2.In a large bowl, mix together the oats, sweetened condensed milk, butter, coconut, almonds, chocolate chips and cranberries with your hands until well blended. Press flat into the prepared pan.

3.Bake for 20 to 25 minutes in the preheated oven, depending on how crunchy you want them. Lightly browned just around the edges will give you moist, chewy bars. Let cool for 5 minutes, cut into squares then let cool completely before serving.
*Look for gluten-free oats if gluten is an issue.

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Southwest Burgers with Chipotle Mayo

These burgers were sooo good.  And, it was the first time we were able to grill these without them falling through the grill grates!!  I followed the tips Eating, Etc posted from Sunset Magazine.  A few important highlights from that article: Don't get a too-lean ground beef; handle the meat as little as possible (just incorporate seasonings gently with your hands and form patties), and use wet hands to form the patties.  I'd encourage you to read the Sunset article if you're in need of burger help like I was.  :) 

I used ground sirloin for this reicpe and it was delicious.  I LOVED the chipotle mayo on these- so good.  My kids loved these burgers as well- they ate them up very quickly and it was so quiet at the dinnertable until they were all done- lol!!  (And two of my kids say they don't even like hamburgers very much!)  My kids just had regular mayo on theirs because they were afraid of the spicyness (although it wasn't really spicy at all; it was flavored just right).  This is another recipe from Our Best Bites blog; and yet another hit!  In the recipe, it states to use grated onion.  I'm a dork and couldn't figure out how to grate it very well, so I gave up and used dried onion flakes.  Poor me!

Southwest Burgers with Chipotle Mayo

from Our Best Bites

Burgers:

1 1/2 lb ground chuck or ground sirloin

1-1/2 chipotle peppers canned in adobo sauce, chopped
1 1/2 tablespoon adobo sauce (from the chipotle chili can)
1/4 cup grated onion (or 2 tablespoons dried onion flakes)
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon (or less) kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Chipotle-lime Mayo:
1/2 cup Mayo
2 teaspoons fresh lime juice
1 1/2 teaspoons adobo sauce (from the canned chipotle chilis)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

4-6 good quality buns
1 tomato
1-2 avocado
lettuce
optional: jack, cotija, or queso fresco cheese

1.  Make the chipotle mayo:  Combine mayo, adobo sauce, lime juice and cilantro in a small bowl.  Cover, and set aside in the fridge until ready to use. 

2.  Place the beef in a bowl and gently crumble with your fingers. Add the chipotle peppers, adobo sauce, grated or dried onion, garlic powder, cumin, kosher salt, and pepper. Use your hands (yes, your hands!) to gently mix things together.  Do not overwork the beef!  Just mix it enough to distribute the ingredients and call it good.  Divide into 4-6 patties (depending on how big you want them to be).  At this point, I placed the raw patties on a plate and covered them, and then stuck them in the fridge.  I thought that might help them hold together better- a la making crab and salmon patties. 

3.  When ready to cook, place the patties on a pre-heated outdoor grill or a stovetop skillet.  Cook 4-6 minutes on each side (turning only once) and when they are done, let them sit for a few minutes before eating. 

4.  While grilling the burgers, grill the buns on the outdoor grill, too.  They are so good this way!  Serve burgers on buns (generously spread with Chipotle Mayo), topped with tomato and avocado slices, a crisp piece of lettuce, and the optional cheese (we didn't use any). 

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Cinnamon Blondies

These were easy to make and very delicious.  I was supposed to underbake them, and I sure did, lol- I didn't realize until a few hours later, when I cut into them, that they were still completely raw everywhere except the very edges!!  (I was trying to make two other recipes at the same time....)  So, I hoped for the best and stuck them back into a 350 oven for a while until they seemed baked enough.  I am happy to say they did not suffer at ALL from the re-baking.  They turned out very delicious- chewy, sweet and full of cinnamon flavor.  They did not last long here!  (At all.  I blame the children.  Yeah, the children.  The sweet, innocent children.)

Cinnamon Blondies
from A Little Bit Crunchy...

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 stick unsalted butter (1/2 cup)
1 1/2 cups light brown sugar
1 egg plus 1 egg yolk
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla

1.  Preheat oven to 350F. Line a square 8X8 or 9x9 inch pan with parchment paper and then grease the pan.  (Or you can just be super lazy like me and use only cooking spray).  In a small bowl, whisk the flour, salt, and cinnamon together- set aside.  Melt the butter and brown sugar together. Cook for 1 minute until it just starts to bubble around the edges- but don't let it come to a boil. Pour into a large bowl and let it cool for about 10 minutes.

2.  Add the vanilla to the butter/sugar mixture and then the egg and egg yolk. Whisk together. Add the flour mixture and stir with a wooden spoon- just until combined.  Pour into your prepared pan.

3.  Bake for 20-25 minutes.  They will be set on top but still slightly jiggly in the center.  Remove them from the oven and allow to cool completely in the pan on a cooling rack. When cool- allow to firm up in the refrigerator for a few hours before cutting.

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Tortellini Pasta Salad

This pasta salad was delicious!  Thanks to the ladies over at Our Best Bites for this awesome recipe.  I really, really liked it.  It's tortellini pasta, cominbed with yummy veggies like tomatoes, red onion, cucumber, and olives. (Are olives a veggie?)  You whip up a mustard vinaigrette and combine it with these ingredients for some supreme yumminess.  When I made the vinaigrette, I cut the recipe in half, and found that it made exactly one cup, which was exactly what I needed for the pasta salad!  I also used half extra-virgin olive oil instead of only canola. 

Tortellini Pasta Salad

from Our Best Bites

About 8 servings

1 19 or 20-oz. package Cheese Tortellini

1/2 medium red onion, thinly sliced

1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
1/2 medium cucumber, seeded and sliced
1 cup whole, large pitted black olives, halved (I found a regular can was about one cup)
1 cup Ground Mustard and Garlic Vinaigrette (Recipe below)

1.  Cook the pasta according to package directions.

2.  Meanwhile, combine the onions, tomatoes, cucumber, and olives in a large salad bowl. When the pasta is done cooking, drain and rinse in cold water. When the pasta has cooled, toss it with the combined ingredients and then add the vinaigrette and toss until combined. If possible, refrigerate for at least an hour before serving.

Ground Mustard and Garlic Vinaigrette
from Our Best Bites
makes 1 cup (half-recipe)

2 Tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 Tablespoons white wine vinegar or rice vinegar
1 green onion, firm parts only, trimmed of the white “furry” ends
2-3 cloves of garlic
1/4 tsp. Kosher salt
1/8 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon sugar or honey
1 Tablespoon coarse grain mustard
1/4 cup canola oil
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Blender Directions:  In the jar of your blender, combine all the ingredients except for the oil. Blend on high. While the blender is running, slowly add the oil in a steady stream. (Dressing should turn creamy.)  If possible, refrigerate the dressing for a few hours before serving.
Immersion Blender Directions: Dump all of the ingredients in a bowl or liquid measure cup and blend until creamy.  :) 

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Goldfish Cupcakes

After making the Spaghetti & Meatballs cupcakes recently, I thought that I really needed to make more cute cupcakes from that book!  Actually, I have both the "Hello, Cupcake" book, and the sequel, "What's New, Cupcake".  These Koi Goldfish are from the second book, "What's New, Cupcake?"  I've had the newer cupcake book for almost a year and haven't made anything from it, so I thought it was high time I did!  I picked this recipe because it was both cute and looked easy.  I made these with the kids yesterday afternoon when it was a no-school day.  I used the same delicious vanilla cupcake recipe I used before.  (At the bottom of that post).  They turned out really well and the kids had a ton of fun making them.  (BTW, that orange circus peanut candy tastes really gross- like bubble gum, but the kids seemed to like it!!!  I just took it off of my cupcake when I ate one). 

Koi Pond Cupcakes

from What's New, Cupcake?

15 vanilla cupcakes baked in blue paper liners

1-2 cups vanilla frosting

Blue food coloring

30 orange circus peanuts
30 orange peanut butter-filled candy-coated chocolates (Peanut Butter M&Ms)
15 orange cereal O’s (Fruit Loops, Apple Jacks (we used Cheerios))
30 brown mini candy-coated chocolates (M&Ms Minis) or chocolate chips

1. Spoon 1/4-1/2 cup of the vanilla frosting into a small plastic zip lock bag, press out the excess air, seal and set aside. Tint the remaining can of vanilla frosting pale blue with a few drops of the blue food coloring. Cover and set aside.

2. For the fins, place 15 of the circus peanuts on their sides and cut lengthwise into 2 slices, to make 30 slices. Lay each slice cut side down and cut each in half on the diagonal. For the bodies, place the remaining 24 circus peanuts flat side down and make a diagonal cut from one end, removing no more than ¼ inch (you'll set the eyes on this flat cut).

3. Spread the tops of the cupcakes with the light blue frosting and smooth. Place 1 of the circus peanut bodies on top of each frosted cupcake. Arrange fins, cut side up and pointed ends out, 2 at the uncut end of each circus peanut body and 2 on either side in the middle.

4. Snip a small (⅛-inch) corner from the bag with the vanilla frosting. Pipe a large dot of frosting at the cut end of the circus peanut body. Press 2 orange candies into the dot of frosting for the eyes and 1 cereal O for the mouth. Pipe small dots of vanilla frosting on the orange candies and add the brown candies or chocolate chips for the pupils. Repeat on all of the koi goldfish bodies with the remaining frosting and candies.

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Whole Wheat Bread

This recipe comes from Allrecipes and is originally called "Kid-Friendly Wheat Bread", but I don't like using "Kid-Friendly" in the recipe title.... because kid-friendly conjures up images on orange boxed mac & cheese and dino-shaped chicken nuggets.... stuff like that.  I do have to say, though, that this bread IS kid friendly, based on how much my kids love it.  They love any type of homemade bread though, so I don't know if this is any more loveable than other recipes I've tried.  However, it is very good, it's easy to make, and I really like it too. 

I've made it in the past, but just in the last two weeks, I've made it twice.  If it's not gone after 2 days, I slice it and stick it in the freezer- that way, I can pull out some to make toast or school lunches.  (Homemade bread makes the BEST toast!)  This is a nice, firm loaf- it does not cumble when making sandwiches, etc.  The last time I made it, I made one loaf into cinnamon-swirl bread by mixing together 1/4 cup brown sugar and 2 teaspoons cinnamon.  I put a little melted butter on the rolled-out bread dough, sprinkled the sugar mixture on, and rolled it up like a cinnamon roll, and the put it in the pan to rise. 

Note: This recipe uses a stand mixer with a dough hook.  You may knead it by hand if you wish. 


With butter and my homemade freezer jam!

Whole Wheat Bread
adapted from Allrecipes
makes 2, 9x5 loaves

1 1/2 cups warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
1 tablespoon brown sugar
2 (.25 ounce) envelopes active dry yeast
2 cups all-purpose flour
4 cups whole wheat flour
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
2 teaspoons salt
1/3 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1/2 cup milk, room temperature
softened butter for rubbing baked loaves, optional

1.  Measure the water into a large bowl, or the bowl of a stand mixer and stir in 1 tablespoon of brown sugar. Sprinkle the yeast over the top and set aside until foamy, about 10 minutes.

2.  Add 1 cup of the all-purpose flour and 3 cups of whole wheat flour to the bowl along with the brown sugar, salt, melted butter, and milk. Using a stand mixer with a dough hook, mix on low speed to blend ingredients. Continue to mix on medium-low speed, adding the rest of the flour 1/2 cup at a time, until the dough clings to the hook and cleans the sides of the bowl. You may not need to add all of the flour. Mix (knead) on medium speed for about 5 minutes. Oil the bowl and turn the dough to coat. Cover loosely and set aside to rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour.

3.  Punch down the dough and place on a floured surface. Divide into two equal portions and use a rolling pin to roll each one into a rectangle that is about 16x8 inches (or shape into loaves however you wish). Be sure to press out all of the air bubbles. Roll the rectangles into loaves and pinch the seam together.

4.  Place loaves seam side down into greased 9x5 inch loaf pans. Cut a few slits across the top of each loaf using a sharp serrated knife (optional, I never do this). Set aside to rise until your finger leaves a dimple when you gently press into a loaf, 30 to 45 minutes. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (200 degrees C).

5.  Bake the loaves for 30-45 minutes, or until loaves are deep brown. Rub crusts with butter if desired.  Remove from pans to cool on a wire rack.

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Grilled Chicken with Herbs

How about a break in all the carbs for some grilled chicken?!  This is a delicious recipe that I've used before and loved- you can use any fresh herbs you want, and dried herbs work well, too.  This time around, I only had fresh sage, so I used that along with dried parsley, rosemary and thyme.  I've thrown fresh basil in here before and it's wonderful.  This recipe also uses balsamic vinegar- yum.  My whole family loves this, even the kids who "think" they hate vinegar (ha ha ha!).  I did cut down on the vinegar amount just slightly, but it would be fine with the whole amount, too. 

We had this for dinner last week with oven-roasted potatoes (red and yellow potatoes tossed with olive oil, lemon juice, salt, pepper, fresh garlic and thyme- then roasted at 400 F until tender), and Corn & Bacon Saute.  What a wonderful meal... I miss it! 

I used boneless, skinless chicken tenders for this recipe- I love using those.  Since they are small, they thaw faster, cook much quicker, and are a good portion size (have 2 instead of a huge chicken breast).  They are great for kids and adults!  They are also super tender- a lot of times, a huge, thick chicken breast can get tough, but I've never had chicken tenders get tough, even when they get a touch over-grilled.  For chicken tenders, I plan about 2 per child (my kids have bigger appetites now than they did 2 yrs. ago) and 2-3 per adult.  Leftovers are always good, too!

Grilled Chicken with Herbs

from Allrecipes

2 tablespoons chopped Italian flat leaf parsley (or 2 tsp. dried)

2 teaspoons fresh rosemary, minced (or 1/2 tsp. dried)

2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme (or 1 tsp. dried)
1 teaspoon dried sage (or 2-3 tablespoons fresh)
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup olive oil
1/3-1/2 cup balsamic vinegar (depending on taste)
salt and pepper to taste
1 1/2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breasts or chicken tenders

1.In a blender combine the parsley, rosemary, thyme, sage, garlic, oil, vinegar and salt and pepper to taste. Blend together. (Or you can use an immersion blender).  Place chicken in a nonporous glass dish or bowl and pour blended marinade over the chicken. Cover dish and refrigerate to marinate for at least 2 hours or up to 48 hours.

2.Preheat grill to medium high heat OR set oven to broil.

3.Remove chicken from dish (disposing of leftover marinade) and grill or broil for about 6 to 7 minutes per side, or until chicken is cooked through and no longer pink inside.
 

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Potluck Mac & Cheese

This is a great recipe to make for a potluck, or a large group.  It's also a great recipe to bring to someone who needs a meal- I double the recipe, and make half in a glass 8x8 dish, and half in a foil, disposable 8x8 so our fam and another fam can have some!  The reason I like to make it for these occasions is it's an easy, simple recipe, it uses a bit less cheese than my other recipes (less expensive!), it's very easy to double because everything is in even numbers, and if you double it, it makes a TON!  It doesn't have a lot of different spices and flavors like the mac I usually make-making it a good choice for many different palates.  Plus, everyone seems to love it.  I've made it 4 or 5 times now.  Once for a school potluck, twice to bring to families who needed a meal, and at least once when we had people over for dinner with small children. 

Add leftover ham- SO good!  After Easter 2014

Even though you probably don't need it, I will include both the original recipe (for an 8x8) and my doubled version (for a 9x13... warning- this pan will be very heavy!)  When making the doubled version, you will need two large pots.  I use two large soup pots- one for boiling a pound of pasta, and the other has the white sauce going while the pasta is boiling.  If you only have one large pot, you can boil the pasta first, set that aside, and then get to work on the white sauce. 

Macaroni & Cheese (8x8)

from Mueller's Pasta (back of box)

Makes an 8x8 pan.... serves 5-6

8 oz Elbow (or other small shaped) macaroni

1/4 cup butter

3 Tbsp. all-purpose flour

1/4 tsp dry mustard

1/4 tsp salt (optional)

1/4 tsp black pepper

2 cups milk

2 cups (8 oz) shredded Sharp Cheddar Cheese

1 cup croutons, optional

1.  Preheat oven to 350 F.  Cook elbow macaroni for 9 minutes.  Drain and set aside. 

2.  Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, melt butter; blend in flour, mustard, salt and pepper.  Cook until the mixture is smooth and bubbly; gradually add milk.  Cook and stir over medium heat until mixture boils; simmer 1 minute; stirring occasionaly.

3.  Gradually mix in cheese. Stir over low heat until cheese is melted. 

4.  Add pasta; stir together lightly.  (Taste for salt at this point and add some if needed).  Pour into an 8x8 baking dish or 2-quart casserole dish.  Top with croutons, optional, and bake for 25 minutes. 

Macaroni & Cheese (9x13)

from Mueller's Pasta (back of box)
Makes a 9x13 pan.... serves about 10

16 oz (1 pound) Elbow (or other small shaped) macaroni
1/2 cup butter
6 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp dry mustard
1/2 tsp salt (optional)
1/2 tsp black pepper
4 cups milk
4 cups (16 oz, or 1 pound) shredded Sharp Cheddar Cheese
2 cup croutons, optional

1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Cook elbow macaroni for 9 minutes. Drain and set aside.

2. Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, melt butter; blend in flour, mustard, salt and pepper. Cook until the mixture is smooth and bubbly; gradually add milk. Cook and stir over medium heat until mixture boils; simmer 1 minute; stirring occasionaly.

3. Gradually mix in cheese. Stir over low heat until cheese is melted.

4. Add pasta; stir together lightly. (Taste for salt at this point and add some if needed).  Pour into an 9x13 baking dish. Top with croutons, optional, and bake for 25-30 minutes.

**This post and photos are property of http://dishingwithdish.blogspot.com/ **

Corn & Bacon Saute

This side dish was so delicious.  We had it last Friday with grilled balsamic chicken and roasted potatoes.  I loved the whole meal.  The original recipe has you cooking the bacon and onions together, but when I've done that in the past, I always end up with burnt onions.  So, I cooked the bacon first, drained most of the grease, and cooked the onions in about a tablespoon of leftover bacon grease.  This worked well- I kept the remaining bacon grease in a little cup by the stove, so I was able to add a few more drops here and there, as needed. 

I also cut the amount of corn I used in half- I knew the kids wouldn't be totally crazy about this because of the green onion.  They did eat it, but acted as expected about the green onion.  So, I used 8 oz. of frozen corn instead of the whole pound bag.  I used about 5 slices of bacon and less green onions.  The full recipe is below though; cut it in half if you desire. 

Corn & Bacon Saute
from A Well-Seasoned Life
makes a lot- cut in half for smaller families

1/2 of a medium onion, chopped
6 slices bacon, diced
16-oz. frozen corn
Seasonings: kosher salt (optional), coarse black pepper, dried thyme
4-5 green onions, sliced

1.  In a large skillet, saute the and bacon on medium-low until bacon starts to get crisp, about 10 minutes. After the bacon is crisp, remove the bacon to paper towels to drain and cook the onion in about 1 TBS of bacon grease until tender. 

2.  Add the corn and seasonings to the skillet and cook on medium-high heat until the corn is heated through and any moisture is cooked out. Return the bacon-onion mixture back to the skillet and stir it all together. Remove from heat. Add the green onions.  (Or, you may add the green onions before this and cook them down a bit if desired). 

**This post and photos are property of http://dishingwithdish.blogspot.com/ **

April Fool's Day

I had fun making these cupcakes today.  Once again, I had my little 4-year old helper in the kitchen with me when I made these- he LOVED it!!  (We did these while the older kids were at school, to surprise them when they came home).  Thanks to the book, "Hello, Cupcake", I have access to tons of cute ideas for creative cupcakes, and so many ideas for April Fool's!  These are "Spaghetti & Meatballs" cupcakes- but everything on them is made of something sweet- there's a cupcake, topped with "spaghetti" frosting, strawberry jam for the tomato sauce, a Ferrero Rocher chocolate for the meatball, and white chocolate grated with my microplaner for the Parmesan cheese on top!  (A cheese grater would also work, I think). 

Vegetarian cupcake eater?  Have picky eaters in your house, who prefer to just have plain spaghetti with parmesan?  (No sauce, and no meatballs?)  Well, we have cupcakes for those eaters, too!  (See below.  Actually, I just ran out of the chocolate "meatballs", lol, and was too lazy to do more jam). 

Spaghetti & Meatballs Cupcakes

from "Hello, Cupcake"

10-12 vanilla cupcakes (a recipe suggestion is below)

2 cups vanilla frosting (you will have some leftover)

1/4- 1/2 teaspoon unsweetened cocoa powder (add smaller amount first, and add more if needed)
3 drops yellow food coloring
11-13 hazelnut chocolates (Ferrero Rocher), unwrapped
3/4 cup strawberry preserves, warmed for 5 seconds in microwave and whisked
2 tablespoons grated white chocolate (I just grated some over each cupcake)

1. Tint the vanilla frosting with the cocoa powder and yellow food coloring and spread a thin layer on top of the cupcakes. Arrange the cupcakes on a serving platter so that they are touching.

2. Spoon the remaining frosting into a ziplock bag.  Press out the excess air and seal the bag. Snip a 1/8-inch corner from the bag.  (Or, use a piping bag and tip.  I used a small Wilton tip, I think it was number 3.  It was either 2 or 3; use what looks right to you (how big you want your spaghetti to be).)  Pipe the frosting all over the cupcakes to make the spaghetti, piling it high and allowing some of the spaghetti to hang over the edges.

3. Place the hazelnut chocolates and the strawberry preserves in a medium bowl and toss to coat. Spoon some of the preserves on top of the cupcakes. Place 1 hazelnut chocolate on each cupcake and 1 on the platter (if desired... I didn't have enough). Top the cupcakes with the remaining strawberry preserves. Sprinkle with the grated white chocolate.

I used this recipe for the cupcakes only, and left out the lemon so I would have vanilla cupcakes.  I was out of sour cream, but I did have some plain, full-fat Greek-style yogurt on hand, so I used that.  These cupcakes were just delightful.... light, flavorful, great, soft texture, etc.  This might be my go-to recipe for vanilla cupcakes from now on, and I love the use of yogurt.  I have made the recipe stated the original way, with lemon zest and lemon frosting, and they're wonderful that way as well.  When I made these today, I cut the recipe in half, and it still made 15 cupcakes!  Lol.  Double the recipe below if you want 30.

Yogurt Cupcakes
Adapted from Allrecipes
Makes 15 cupcakes

1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1 whole egg
1 egg yolk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup plain, Greek-style yogurt, or sour cream

1.  Preheat oven to 350 F.  Line 15 muffin cups with paper liners.

2.  In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Add vanilla; mix well. Combine dry ingredients; add to creamed mixture alternately with Greek yogurt sour cream (batter will be thick). Fill greased or paper-lined muffin cups with 1/4 cup of batter.

3.  Bake at 350 degrees F for 15-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely. 

**This post and photos are property of http://dishingwithdish.blogspot.com/ **