To make this masterpiece get your supplies together:
1 white onion, diced
In a large skillet or sauce pan, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil and add the diced onions. Sautee on medium-high until softened, about 3-5 minutes. Add the canned tomato and tomato paste, spices, salt, pepper, and crushed garlic. Continue to cook all ingredients until cooked through. Set aside when done.
In a medium bowl, combine raw goat cheese, Greek yogurt, broccoli pieces, and egg. Mix well.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Lightly grease the bottom of a 13 x 9 Pyrex glass baking dish. Place a layer of zucchini and squash rounds evenly across the bottom, making a sort of liner.
Top the entire dish with more shredded goat cheese, if desired. I also used some mozzarella cheese whenI used the goat cheese just to give it a little more sticking power but you don't have to.
Bake for 45 to 60 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to sit for 10 minutes before serving. I found this recipe on Pinterest. The website is whatrunslorinow.com.
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I love quick breads, and I have to admit it that this is my all time favorite! This is such a soft and moist bread. You do not have to add anything to this to make it delicious! I got this recipe from ourbestbites.com website.
You will need the following ingredients:
2 C flour
2 t cinnamon
1/2 t salt
1 1/2 t baking soda
6 T unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 C canola oil
1 C sugar
1/4 C brown sugar
3 eggs
2 t vanilla
1/2 C sour cream
3 C grated zucchini
3/4 C mini chocolate chips
optional: zest from one orange
Topping:
2 T brown sugar
2 T white sugar
1/2 t cinnamon
Pre heat oven to 350. This should make two very full 8" loaves for you. You can certainly divide it into smaller loaves for gift giving.
Mix the topping ingredients together: put the flour, cinnamon, baking soda, salt, and cocoa powder in a small bowl and whisk to combine. Set aside.
You can use a stand or hand mixer to beat the oil, white sugar, brown sugar, and eggs until combined and slightly fluffy, 1-2 minutes. I don't bother with either. These ingredients are very easy to fold together.
Add vanilla and sour cream and mix until combined.
Gently stir in the grated zucchini (and zest if you’re using).
Take a spoonful of the flour mixture and stir in with the chocolate chips.This helps the chocolate chips to be distributed throughout the bread instead of sinking to the bottom of the bread. If you only have regular chocolate chips, or a chocolate bar, just give it a chop so it’s the size of mini chocolate chips. I have made it with regular size chocolate chips and they are just to big, so they do need to be chopped some if you use them.
Add the remaining flour mixture to the batter and stir just until combined. Add chocolate chips and stir to combine.
Divide the batter between the two pans. and sprinkle topping over each. Bake for 50-60 minutes. Keep an eye on it though. Ovens differ so watch it. This is one of those breads that is great all year round. Make a few and either give them away or freeze them and take them out during the winter. What a great pick u up in the dead of winter.***********************
Coconut Banana Bread with Lime Glaze
I found this one in a Cooking Light issue. Doesn't it look delicious!
Preheat oven to 350.
--2 Cups all- purpose flour
--3/4 teaspoon baking soda
--1/2 teaspoon salt
--1 Cup granulated sugar
--1/4 Cup butter, softened
--2 large egg
--1 1/2 Cups of mashed bananas (about 3 bananas)
--1/4 cup plain low-fat yogurt
--3 tbls. dark rum
--1/2 tsp. vanilla
--1/2 Cup flaked sweetened coconut
--Cooking spray
-- 1 tbls.flaked sweetened coconut
--1/2 Cup powdered sugar
--1 1/2 tbls. fresh lime or lemon juice
Step 1-- Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups: level with a knife. Combine flour, baking soda, and salt, stirring with a whisk.
Step 2--Place granulated sugar and butter in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until well blended. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Add banana, yogurt, rum, and vanilla, beat until blended. Add flour mixture, beat at low speed just until moist. Stir in 1/2 cup coconut.
Spoon batter in a 9x5 inch loaf pan coated with cooking spray: sprinkle with 1 tablespoon coconut. Bake at 350 for an hour or until a wooden pick comes out clean.
Cool in pan for about 10 minutes on wire rack
Combine powdered sugar and juice, stirring with a whisk drizzle over warm bread and cool completely on wire rack
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Having company or just craving something different for breakfast, well you should try these Cranberry, Bacon, Cheddar Cheese Scones!! I got this recipe from the Ocean Spray website.
--1/2 cup Ocean Spray® Cran•Cherry® Cherry Cranberry Juice Drink
--1 8-ounce package cream cheese, softened
--3 tablespoons honey
--1/3 cup finely chopped pecans
--3 cups all-purpose flour
--1 tablespoon sugar
--1 tablespoon baking powder
--1/2 teaspoon salt
--1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
--1/2 cup cold unsalted butter
--5 ounces shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
--6 slices thick-cut bacon, crisply cooked and chopped into 3/4-inch pieces
--2 green onions, finely chopped
--3 large eggs
--3/4 cup buttermilk
Directions:
Combine dried cranberries and juice drink in small microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on High 1 minute or until hot.Stir together cream cheese and honey in medium bowl until smooth; fold in pecans. With slotted spoon, remove 1/3 cup plumped dried cranberries and fold into cream cheese mixture. Cover; refrigerate until serving.
Preheat oven to 400°F. Line 1 large or 2 small baking sheets with parchment paper.
Stir together flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and pepper in large bowl. Using vegetable grater, grate butter into flour mixture. Stir with fork until butter is well coated. Add Cheddar; stir to coat. Stir in bacon and onions.
Combine eggs and buttermilk in medium bowl. Stir in remaining plumped dried cranberries and all juices. Pour egg mixture over flour mixture. Stir just until dry ingredients are moistened. Scoop 10 large mounds of batter 2 inches apart onto baking sheet. Bake on center rack for 20 minutes or until lightly browned and centers are done. Cool for 2 minutes on baking sheet. Remove to wire rack to cool completely. Split scones; serve with cranberry-pecan cream cheese. (If cream cheese mixture is too firm, soften slightly in microwave.)
Excellent with the morning coffee!!
Mango Salsa
I LOVE MANGO SALSA!! I think it has something to do with the sweetness of the Mango and the hot from the peppers all mixed together in every bite. Whatever it is I love it and it is so easy to make!To make this salsa I just play this by taste because some like it hot and some like it medium and some like it mild, so if you make this just keep tasting it till you hit the right mixture for you. I like it medium, and if you look up a lot of slasa recipes they call for habenero peppers but I didn't have any of those so I used diced Banana peppers instead to give it that kick. I also added:
--Fajita seasoning about a teaspoon
--salt and pepper
--garlic salt
--paprika, careful this goes a long way!
--green peppers diced
--mangoes peeled, sliced and diced
--red pepper seasoning or you could add chopped red peppers. The seasoning I think has more of a kick.
--Banana peppers chopped
--onions diced
--tomatoes chopped and diced. NOTE: When useing tomatoes be cautious about how much juice they create. When making the salsa you do want some juice but not where your mixture is sitting in a cup or two of juice.Use a strainer if you need to, to drain your salsa, but be careful to leave some juice.
--I also used a teaspoon of Fruit Fresh in each of the jars to keep the color of the Mango. They tend to discolor when canned.
Cut, dice, chop and mix all of the ingredients and whatever else you might like in your salsa together and season it to taste. Make sure you have washed your jars prior to filling and sanitize your lids by boiling them. Place a lid and ring on your filled jar and place in water bath canner for approximately 15 min.
This salsa goes great with chips by itself or as a garnish with fish, also as a topping and filler with fajitas just to name a few things you could try it with. Hope you enjoy it!!
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Since it is summer and I use the grill for eveything I thought I would try some pizza on the grill. Well it is ABSOLUTELY FABULOUS!!!!!!!!! This is my first year for this and don't ask me why it has taken me so long, but if there is anybody else out there that has not tried this please do. It is both simple and delicious.
The ingrediant list is short and simple:
Pizza dough in the bag. I just used the store name brand.
Cornmeal to aid in handleing the crust while rolling it out and placing in the pan.
Pizza sauce in the can or jar. I used Contadina or you could use Pizza Quick.
Plenty of vegetables for the pizza. I also saute' them on the grill till they are just soft enough to bite through. If you don't do the vege thing then just pepperoni and cheese.
I also added some sweet Italian sausage to the vege one I made. The picture shown is the pepperoni one.
Instructions:
First make your crust according to directions and put aside to rise.
If you want veges make sure you get them on the grill early. Sometimes they take a while to cook. Make sure you place all the raw veges in a bowl and pour some Olive oil over just to coat before you put them on the grill. After the dough rises sprinkle it with the cornmeal and roll out to fit your foil pan. Make sure you spray the pan with non-stick spray before you put your dough on it. After you have your dough in place, pour the sauce and add your veges, cheese and pepperoni, or what everelse you like on yours. Place on grill, close lid and cook for about 5 mins. on med. to med. low heat. Check on it alot. Every grill is different.
Now this is pizza heaven!!!
DELICIOUS!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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It has definitely been hot enough lately and you know as well as I do what time it is. It is ICE CREAM time! I have made a couple of different types over the last month, but they are both from the same custard recipe.The first one I made I found on Our Best Bites website. It was called Cherry Chocolate. If you like chocolate covered cherries this is the one for you!!
Ingredient list:
-- 2 C. cherries, pitted halved or quartered. I would recommend quartered. When they are cut in half that is a big frozen bite of cherry.
-- 1 4.5 oz. dark chocolate bar for about 1 cup of shavings. I used some of my baking chocolate for shavings. To lazy to go to the store for a candy bar.
-- 1 1/2 C. 2% milk.
-- 1 C. sugar
-- 2 egg yolks
-- 1 C. heavy cream
-- 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
-- 1/2 tsp. almond extract
First you want to make your standard custard recipe by combing the milk and sugar in a medium saucepan. Warm over medium heat until bubbles form around the edges. Remove the pan from the heat.
In a small mixing bowl whisk together the eggs thoroughly. Ladle out 1/2 of the milk mixture and VERY SLOWLY add it to the whisked egg yolks, constantly stirring as you go. Return remainder of the milk mixture to stove top.
When you are done adding your milk to the eggs return the egg mixture to the remainder of the milk on the stove top whisking constantly over medium -medium low heat.
***A note here DO NOT get the eggs to hot to quick or they will curdle and who wants that.
At this point you can add the cream. Stir into milk mixture and over a med low temp. heat the mixture stirring constantly until 160 degrees. It will start to thicken quickly. A good tip to know if your custard is ready is to dip a spoon in turn it around so the back is facing you and run your finger down through the middle of the spoon. If it makes a definite track it is done!
Once it is done add your cherries, vanilla and almond extracts.
I have also made strawberry ice cream with this recipe. Just eliminate the almond and add strawberries instead of cherries. Any fresh fruit will do with this recipe. That's why I like it so much. Enjoy!!
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Well I can't seem to get away from making jam lately. I made Strawberry freezer jam first because strawberries are relatively cheap in the stores right now. I used the simple recipe inside the Sure-Jell box. All you needed was 2 cups of smashed fruit, 4 cups of sugar and the Sure-Jell of course. It truly was so very simple and took probably no more than 20 minutes. The jam was delicious and now I have 6 pints of homemade strawberry jam that I know has nothing else in it but strawberries and sugar. Some how that brings a smile to my face and makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside.
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The next jam I attempted was a pretty exotic brew if I do say so myself. It consists of three of my all time favorite foods. This concoction contains mango, blueberries and coconut. If you like a sweet jam than this is the recipe for you. It is delicious!!
Mango Mania ( makes about 8 cups)
8 mangoes (peeled, cut from the seed and chopped into small chunks)
2 Cups of blueberries
1 C. coconut
2 boxes of Sure-Jell
4 cups of water
5 cups sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
2 tsp. vanilla
canning jars with lids
--Before you start cooking wash canning jars and lids with hot soapy water. Place the lids and rings in a pot and let boil till you need them.
-First start by placing your chopped mango into a large pot with the 4 cups of water. Make sure you have started heating the water. When you place your mango in the water it should be warm. Stir in the boxes of Sure-Jell and the cinnamon and cook for 10 minutes at a rolling boil. Which means it is always boiling.
-After the 10 minutes and once the fruit has become mushy use a potato masher to smash the mango till it is smashed into smaller tender pieces.
--Next pour in the blueberries and add the sugar and cook until the mixture thickens. Use a metal spoon to test for thickening. When a film clings to the spoon the jam is just about ready.
--let it cook for a few minutes longer and then ladle into canning jars and immediately place cap and ring on jar and twist tight. Immediately turn upside down on a dish towel and leave for around 30 minutes.
--After the 30 minutes turn jars right side up and leave. You should hear the caps pop tight and your jelly jar should be sealed tight. If they don't pop right away keep an eye on them. If you have one that doesn't seal place in the refrigerator and enjoy.
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It was a rainy day here today so my grandson and I decided to make cookies. I thought gingersnaps would be a good choice for today. Not only do they taste wonderful but they make the house smell oh so good!
The recipe I use for these cookies I found a few years back on a website called recipezaar.com. I think they are called food.com now though. This recipe makes an outstanding cookie! They are nice and big with just the right amount of Gingery zip. I use these cookies in my Christmas baskets that I give away as gifts.
The recipe's name is:
There are Gingersnaps and then....There are GINGERSNAPS
The first thing you will need to make sure you have in order to make these cookies is crystallized Ginger. You can find it in the produce section of your grocery store. If you don't see it ask someone. It is truly worth it. It comes in a packet like this. The brand name of the one I used was Mellissa's. Everything else you will probably have in your cupboard.
The recipe calls for:
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
3. In a stand mixer, cream butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy.
4. While mixing on medium speed (speed 4 on a Kitchen Aid), add egg and combine until incorporated.
5. Add molasses and mix to incorporate.
6. Scrape bowl.
7. Combine baking soda, salt and other spice in a small bowl and add to butter mixture.
8. Beat until thoroughly incorporated.
9. Dump flour into bowl and decrease speed to slow.
10. Mix until just incorporated.
11. Carefully scrape sides and bottom of bowl and mix briefly to incorporate all ingredients.
12. Add crystallized ginger and mix to distribute evenly.
ENJOY!!!!!!
