i've been crummy at keeping up with this blog. it has something to do with the little sweetiepie who is learning how to run... the pace of life is definitely picking up around here. however, i keep coming back here to look up recipes so i thought i should post a few more of our favourites. if nothing else it'll be an online recipe box for me! ya and no pictures... seriously, i don't even know where the camera is and my phone is dead. whatevs.
the kiddo & i both love these. i make them in the mini-muffin tins and they're a perfect snack size for her. ideally i'd make muffins every week and only ever give her healthy home-made snacks... but in reality she eats a lot of cheerios and dried fruit when we're out and about. oh well, every now and then these are a super nice treat. i love the spices and there's NO SUGAR in them. right on.
Morning Glory Muffins - from the Baby Led Weaning Cookbook (pg.168)
makes 1 dozen (or about 24 minis)
butter for greasing
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup sunflower oil (i use applesauce)
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour (i use whole wheat)
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
2 medium carrots, grated
2 sweet apples, peeled, cored & grated (i don't bother peeling them)
1/3 cup dates, chopped
1/2 cup dried coconut (unsweetened)
1/2 cup pecans or walnuts, chopped
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
preheat the oven to 350 and lightly grease your muffin tin(s).
put eggs, oil, and vanilla in a bowl and mix well. sift the flour into another bowl (i don't sift it... is that important?) and add carrots, apples, dates, coconut, nuts, spices, and baking powder. stir briefly then make a well in the center and add egg mixture. fold together lightly.
spoon it into your muffin trays and bake for 15-25 mins (25 for mine) until golden brown and springy. remove and allow to cool for a few minutes before taking out of the trays.
eat.
enjoy.
repeat.
Thursday, April 26, 2012
Sunday, June 5, 2011
orange chicken and rice soup
mix together my love of making soup, a sick husband needing nourishment, and leftover orange rosemary chicken (below) and you have the perfect storm for a yummy kitchen adventure. this is what i came up with:
Orange Chicken and Rice Soup
prep time: 20 mins cook time: 30-40mins
serves 4
3 pieces leftover orange and rosemary chicken (chopped into bite-sized pieces) and any leftover juices/sauce
1 clove garlic, minced (i'd leave it out next time)
2 inches fresh ginger root, peeled and minced
1/2 small onion, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
1/4 red pepper, chopped
1/3 - 1/2 cup rice
6 cups soup stock - i used vegetable, chicken would probably be better
a splash of extra orange juice if you want it to taste more "orangey" (i added more than a splash and it was a bit of orange overload, so be careful)
pepper to taste
chop and saute the onion, garlic, ginger, and vegetables in a little olive oil for a couple minutes.
combine everything in a large soup pot. bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer. simmer til the rice and veggies are cooked through.
yum. it feels good to be eating somewhat well again. :)
Orange Chicken and Rice Soup
prep time: 20 mins cook time: 30-40mins
serves 4
3 pieces leftover orange and rosemary chicken (chopped into bite-sized pieces) and any leftover juices/sauce
1 clove garlic, minced (i'd leave it out next time)
2 inches fresh ginger root, peeled and minced
1/2 small onion, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
1/4 red pepper, chopped
1/3 - 1/2 cup rice
6 cups soup stock - i used vegetable, chicken would probably be better
a splash of extra orange juice if you want it to taste more "orangey" (i added more than a splash and it was a bit of orange overload, so be careful)
pepper to taste
chop and saute the onion, garlic, ginger, and vegetables in a little olive oil for a couple minutes.
combine everything in a large soup pot. bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer. simmer til the rice and veggies are cooked through.
yum. it feels good to be eating somewhat well again. :)
orange rosemary chicken
i cooked!! two days in a row! in my house, and my life right now, this is a sizeable miracle. (and if i get through this post in less than two days, it'll be another miracle.) we have been eating all sorts of garbage since our little one came home and it's doing nothing good for any of us, so it's time to start some home cooking again. the goal: quick (like lightening quick!) to prepare and at least moderately healthy. the solution? rosemary orange chicken. took all of 5 minutes to put together and had enough leftovers to create a soup. done and done!
Orange Rosemary Chicken - from healthy quick meals
prep time: 5mins cook time: 1hr
serves 3
1lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp pepper
6 oz frozen orange juice concentrate (about 1/2 the can)
1 tsp rosemary
1 tsp thyme
1 tsp marjoram
preheat oven to 350.
arrange chicken in a casserole dish. sprinkle with paprika and pepper.
mix remaining ingredients and pour over chicken.
bake, covered, for 1 hour, or until chicken is cooked through.
yum! i love a dinner that takes 5 minutes to prepare. we had this with a frozen instant-type rice dish (not ideal, but not bad) and it probably would have been good to add some veggies... but maybe next time. this makes lots of juice/sauce, which is good for pouring over rice (or saving to add to soup the next day, like i did).
do you have any other lightening quick meal ideas for me? i need a lot more!
Orange Rosemary Chicken - from healthy quick meals
prep time: 5mins cook time: 1hr
serves 3
1lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp pepper
6 oz frozen orange juice concentrate (about 1/2 the can)
1 tsp rosemary
1 tsp thyme
1 tsp marjoram
preheat oven to 350.
arrange chicken in a casserole dish. sprinkle with paprika and pepper.
mix remaining ingredients and pour over chicken.
bake, covered, for 1 hour, or until chicken is cooked through.
yum! i love a dinner that takes 5 minutes to prepare. we had this with a frozen instant-type rice dish (not ideal, but not bad) and it probably would have been good to add some veggies... but maybe next time. this makes lots of juice/sauce, which is good for pouring over rice (or saving to add to soup the next day, like i did).
do you have any other lightening quick meal ideas for me? i need a lot more!
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
baby :)
the temptation to turn this into a baby blog is almost overwhelming. the only things on my mind these days are pacifiers and cluster feeding and how the heck do you ever get to the bottom of the freaking laundry pile?! but i think the temptation is mostly due to the fact that i haven't cooked anything in a month, so perhaps we'll just take a hiatus until life gets into a bit of a routine (i hear you laughing, indulge me my new mommy fantasies). the good news is we have tons of dinners in the freezer. the bad news is, they're not in our freezer, they're in our friends, and i can't for the life of me remember to go get them so we keep eating mac and cheese and sandwiches. what our freezer is full of is uneaten (but desperately drooled over) mini-quiches, since i'm beginning to suspect the little one might share her daddy's aversion to eggs. :( tragedy. mom, hope you're ready to eat quiche all week!
 |
| cutest little ducky you ever did see! |
Saturday, March 19, 2011
big love for mini mushroom and smoked gouda quiche
a million years ago, on a whim of holiday-themed inspiration, i bought frozen tart shells. i had visions of mini pumpkin pies with little dabs of whipped cream... ya, never happened. they've been taking up room in my freezer ever since. finally they found a new purpose - the crust for mini quiches, my new favourite thing! i love quiche! and what's not to love about quiche in freezable snack sized portions?! fantastic!
i went a little crazy and made three kinds (apparently i was going to make a LOT of pumpkin tarts) - mediterranean; turkey sausage, mushroom, and swiss (which i found somewhere online and promptly forgot...); and mushroom and gouda (i also bought too many mushrooms). the last ones are by far my favourite. they were a last minute make-it-up-as-you-go recipe because i was trying to use up the tart shells, mushrooms, eggs, and the leftover smoked gouda i'd bought for mac and cheese... so the proportions might not be bang on, but seriously - give these a try. YUM!
Mushroom and Smoked Gouda Mini-Quiche
prep time: 20mins cook time: 35mins
1 1/2 - 2 cups chopped mushrooms (i used a blend of white and cremini i think)
2 green onions, sliced
1 cup shredded smoked gouda
5 eggs
1/2 cup of milk
some freshly ground pepper
frozen tart shells, or homemade pastry, if you're all talented like that
saute the mushrooms in a little bit of olive oil until just cooked. drain and set aside to cool.
meanwhile, beat the eggs with the milk and pepper in a bowl.
add the green onions, cheese and mushrooms and mix well. pour into tart shells on a baking sheet and bake at 325 for about 35 minutes or until puffed up and the edges of the shells have just started to brown.
poor husband doesn't do eggs very well, so i will have to make my way through these on my own (sigh!). i'm looking forward to lots of easy breakfasts and lunches after the baby comes. :)
enjoy!
i went a little crazy and made three kinds (apparently i was going to make a LOT of pumpkin tarts) - mediterranean; turkey sausage, mushroom, and swiss (which i found somewhere online and promptly forgot...); and mushroom and gouda (i also bought too many mushrooms). the last ones are by far my favourite. they were a last minute make-it-up-as-you-go recipe because i was trying to use up the tart shells, mushrooms, eggs, and the leftover smoked gouda i'd bought for mac and cheese... so the proportions might not be bang on, but seriously - give these a try. YUM!
Mushroom and Smoked Gouda Mini-Quiche
prep time: 20mins cook time: 35mins
1 1/2 - 2 cups chopped mushrooms (i used a blend of white and cremini i think)
2 green onions, sliced
1 cup shredded smoked gouda
5 eggs
1/2 cup of milk
some freshly ground pepper
frozen tart shells, or homemade pastry, if you're all talented like that
saute the mushrooms in a little bit of olive oil until just cooked. drain and set aside to cool.
meanwhile, beat the eggs with the milk and pepper in a bowl.
add the green onions, cheese and mushrooms and mix well. pour into tart shells on a baking sheet and bake at 325 for about 35 minutes or until puffed up and the edges of the shells have just started to brown.
poor husband doesn't do eggs very well, so i will have to make my way through these on my own (sigh!). i'm looking forward to lots of easy breakfasts and lunches after the baby comes. :)
enjoy!
Sunday, March 13, 2011
vegetable lasagna
i have finally gotten to the point in life where i can make up my own lasagna recipe. i feel like there should be some kind of award for this... but i'll take the whopping pan of wonderfulness as my reward. :)
i LOVE making lasagna. i don't know why - something about bringing together all the different parts to form something truly delicious... it makes me feel strong and confident and like this one pan is proof that i actually CAN cook. i don't make it too often though because, lets face it, it's a bit of a production. i end up using almost every dish in the house just getting it ready. but ooohhh is it worth it, and it freezes and reheats great.
Vegetable Lasagna - serves 6-8
prep time: forever cook time: 1hr-ish
1 onion, chopped
2-4 cloves garlic, minced
2 stalks of celery, chopped
1 zuchinni, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
1 pepper, colour of your choice, chopped - note: you can add whatever veggies you like. i really wanted to add eggplant this time but there weren't any at the grocery store, so this was what i used. but really, use up whatever you've got in the house or whatever sounds good to you
4 cups tomato sauce - canned, homemade, seasoned, whatever floats your lasagna loving boat.
12 lasagna noodles, cooked according to package directions
1 cup light cottage cheese
1 cup light ricotta cheese
1 pkg frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
1 cup grated mozzarella cheese
1 egg (optional)
1/4 cup parmesan cheese
seasoning: basil, oregano, parsley, salt & pepper to taste - i go big on basil because the husband likes it that way, but oregano is a good dominating flavour too.
the complicated bit:
prepare the lasagna noodles according to package instructions. drain, rinse, and set aside.
saute the onions, garlic, and celery in a large skillet in a bit of olive oil for 2ish minutes. add the rest of the vegetables and some seasonings and cook until just beginning to soften. set aside.
mix the cottage cheese, ricotta, 1/2 the mozzarella, and the egg together with some seasonings. set aside.
in a 9x13 glass baking dish, assemble as follows:
a bit of tomato sauce on the bottom
4 lasagna noodles
1/3 sauce on top of the noodles
1/2 the veggies
1/2 the cheese mixture
4 more noodles
1/3 sauce
1/2 the veggies
1/2 the cheese mixture
last 4 noodles
rest of the sauce
cover and bake at 350 for 45mins - 1hr, checking to see if it's heating all the way through in the middle. when it looks done, add the rest of the mozzarella and parmesan cheese over the top and bake uncovered for another 10 minutes. remove from the oven and let it sit about 10 minutes. serve, enjoy, and greatly inflate your personal sense of culinary ability.
i LOVE making lasagna. i don't know why - something about bringing together all the different parts to form something truly delicious... it makes me feel strong and confident and like this one pan is proof that i actually CAN cook. i don't make it too often though because, lets face it, it's a bit of a production. i end up using almost every dish in the house just getting it ready. but ooohhh is it worth it, and it freezes and reheats great.
Vegetable Lasagna - serves 6-8
prep time: forever cook time: 1hr-ish
1 onion, chopped
2-4 cloves garlic, minced
2 stalks of celery, chopped
1 zuchinni, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
1 pepper, colour of your choice, chopped - note: you can add whatever veggies you like. i really wanted to add eggplant this time but there weren't any at the grocery store, so this was what i used. but really, use up whatever you've got in the house or whatever sounds good to you
4 cups tomato sauce - canned, homemade, seasoned, whatever floats your lasagna loving boat.
12 lasagna noodles, cooked according to package directions
1 cup light cottage cheese
1 cup light ricotta cheese
1 pkg frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
1 cup grated mozzarella cheese
1 egg (optional)
1/4 cup parmesan cheese
seasoning: basil, oregano, parsley, salt & pepper to taste - i go big on basil because the husband likes it that way, but oregano is a good dominating flavour too.
the complicated bit:
prepare the lasagna noodles according to package instructions. drain, rinse, and set aside.
saute the onions, garlic, and celery in a large skillet in a bit of olive oil for 2ish minutes. add the rest of the vegetables and some seasonings and cook until just beginning to soften. set aside.
mix the cottage cheese, ricotta, 1/2 the mozzarella, and the egg together with some seasonings. set aside.
in a 9x13 glass baking dish, assemble as follows:
a bit of tomato sauce on the bottom
4 lasagna noodles
1/3 sauce on top of the noodles
1/2 the veggies
1/2 the cheese mixture
4 more noodles
1/3 sauce
1/2 the veggies
1/2 the cheese mixture
last 4 noodles
rest of the sauce
cover and bake at 350 for 45mins - 1hr, checking to see if it's heating all the way through in the middle. when it looks done, add the rest of the mozzarella and parmesan cheese over the top and bake uncovered for another 10 minutes. remove from the oven and let it sit about 10 minutes. serve, enjoy, and greatly inflate your personal sense of culinary ability.
the post-baby freezer stash
baby is due in just 10 days! i know i haven't been posting many recipes lately, but that doesn't mean i haven't been cooking cooking cooking! i'm trying to fill our freezer (and a friend's, since ours is too small) with a good stash of healthy meals to tide us over for the first few weeks baby is here, since i'm pretty sure the last thing i'm going to want to do is make meal plans and go shopping and cook dinner! i've been focusing on the tried and true recipes i know we both love and tossing some comfort food in there as well. most of what i've been making has been posted on here already, but i'll try to post a couple more recipes if i can (TBP = to be posted).
so far i've made:
a double batch of granola - obviously not for the freezer, but still necessary
veggie chickpea pasta sauce - which i've updated - add more tomato paste! much less watery. :)
salmon chowder
chicken corn chowder - TBP
cheddar smokey soup
vegetable lasagna
shepherds pie - the husband made this one, and he made it great! so easy. TBP
beef stock and vegetable stock - i'm not sure what i hope to do with this in the post-baby days, but i ran out of frozen turkey stock and just feel better when i've got something like this in the freezer. it makes pulling together some kind of last minute vegetable or minestrone soup so much easier. TBP
on the agenda for this week (unless the little bean comes early, which we'd LOVE):
energy bars
mac and cheese - TBP
mini quiches - just like regular quiche, but made in muffin tins for a quick breakfast or lunch
mini meatloaf - more muffin tin deliciousness. super easy to reheat and add to a plate of rice and veggies. TBP
and maaaaaybe a chicken dish or chili or another soup, if i'm still feeling ambitious by the end of the week.
we also went shopping the other day and stocked up big time on canned and dried products. our cupboards are stuffed with cans of tomatoes and chick peas and salmon. the freezer is full of ground beef and chicken, all re-packaged into meal sized servings. and our shelves are well stocked with giant bags of rice and oats and flour. i think we're going to make it!
i've heard some people do this kind of cooking once a month (well, maybe not to this degree) as a way to shore up the freezer for those days that inevitably come when there's either no food or no time or no motivation to cook something. i'd like to say i'm going to make that a habit in our house; it sounds wise. but i think it's also wise to wait and meet this little one and see what life is really going to be like post-baby before i start committing to too many plans!
so far i've made:
a double batch of granola - obviously not for the freezer, but still necessary
veggie chickpea pasta sauce - which i've updated - add more tomato paste! much less watery. :)
salmon chowder
chicken corn chowder - TBP
cheddar smokey soup
vegetable lasagna
shepherds pie - the husband made this one, and he made it great! so easy. TBP
beef stock and vegetable stock - i'm not sure what i hope to do with this in the post-baby days, but i ran out of frozen turkey stock and just feel better when i've got something like this in the freezer. it makes pulling together some kind of last minute vegetable or minestrone soup so much easier. TBP
on the agenda for this week (unless the little bean comes early, which we'd LOVE):
energy bars
mac and cheese - TBP
mini quiches - just like regular quiche, but made in muffin tins for a quick breakfast or lunch
mini meatloaf - more muffin tin deliciousness. super easy to reheat and add to a plate of rice and veggies. TBP
and maaaaaybe a chicken dish or chili or another soup, if i'm still feeling ambitious by the end of the week.
we also went shopping the other day and stocked up big time on canned and dried products. our cupboards are stuffed with cans of tomatoes and chick peas and salmon. the freezer is full of ground beef and chicken, all re-packaged into meal sized servings. and our shelves are well stocked with giant bags of rice and oats and flour. i think we're going to make it!
i've heard some people do this kind of cooking once a month (well, maybe not to this degree) as a way to shore up the freezer for those days that inevitably come when there's either no food or no time or no motivation to cook something. i'd like to say i'm going to make that a habit in our house; it sounds wise. but i think it's also wise to wait and meet this little one and see what life is really going to be like post-baby before i start committing to too many plans!
Friday, March 4, 2011
mom's cheddar smokey soup
i came home from a ladies retreat last week to find my husband had been living on root beer and sausages (or at least that's what it looked like from what was/wasn't in the fridge). he had two sausages left and the minute i saw them i started craving this soup. so we had some for dinner the other night and have some packed away in the post-baby-freezer-stash (and i still want more!). sooo good.
i'm pretty sure there's no way to categorize this as "healthy", but dang it's easy, cheap, and comforting. this is a recipe my mom made up a while ago and i've started making a couple times a year. a glamorous pork n' beans, if you will (which makes it a hit at potluck!). enjoy at your own risk. :)
Mom's Cheddar Smokey Soup
prep time: 5 mins cook time: 30mins
serves 4
2 cheddar smokey sausages, cut into bite-sized pieces
2 cans deep browned beans - kudos if you make your own - i want to try that one of these days...
1 can diced tomatoes
1-2 cloves garlic, minced
add all the ingredients to a big ol pot. bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer for 20 minutes or so, stirring frequently (the beans can burn stick to the bottom pretty quick). you can serve it over rice if you want to stretch it a bit (or just double the recipe like we do!)
yum! someday we'll have to make this when we're camping; it really feels like the kind of thing that would be enhanced by a campfire and a starlit evening...
i'm pretty sure there's no way to categorize this as "healthy", but dang it's easy, cheap, and comforting. this is a recipe my mom made up a while ago and i've started making a couple times a year. a glamorous pork n' beans, if you will (which makes it a hit at potluck!). enjoy at your own risk. :)
Mom's Cheddar Smokey Soup
prep time: 5 mins cook time: 30mins
serves 4
2 cheddar smokey sausages, cut into bite-sized pieces
2 cans deep browned beans - kudos if you make your own - i want to try that one of these days...
1 can diced tomatoes
1-2 cloves garlic, minced
add all the ingredients to a big ol pot. bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer for 20 minutes or so, stirring frequently (the beans can burn stick to the bottom pretty quick). you can serve it over rice if you want to stretch it a bit (or just double the recipe like we do!)
yum! someday we'll have to make this when we're camping; it really feels like the kind of thing that would be enhanced by a campfire and a starlit evening...
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
rice pudding
burnt milk all over the stove top was really not how i anticipated starting this day.
i've had a craving for rice pudding for a little while now, and since i'm often up before the husband these days, it's fun to make something for breakfast to surprise him with. (note: burnt milk smell through the house is not a "fun" surprise...). so this morning i started looking up recipes, came across one that sounded the most like how my momma used to make it, and went to work.
do you ever watch the show kitchen nightmares? that's what this simple recipe felt like this morning. a comedy of errors, if you will. but i did learn a few things:
kitchen rule #1 - don't ever turn your back on milk on the stove. ever. milk loves to scald and boil over but it will only do it if your back is turned.
kitchen rule #2 - stop trying to multitask at 7:30 in the morning (especially if you are already stricken with baby brain). calm down and focus on one thing at a time. and enjoy the peace that can bring!
kitchen rule #3 - just follow the stupid recipe. substituting dried apricots because you have no raisins may sound like a good idea, but it might not work the way you planned (in this case, i added them while the rice was cooking so they'd rehydrate. what actually happened was some curdled-like reaction with the milk so my pudding looks like the bottom of a garbage can with slimy apricot bits. yum).
kitchen rule #4 - laugh. it's no use ruining a perfectly good sunny day just because i ruined a perfectly good pot of rice pudding. get out the granola, take a shower, and try again another time. life is more than burnt milk and spoiled breakfast surprises. thank God for that!!
for those of you brave enough, here's the recipe:
Rice Pudding - from Joy of Baking
cook time: 30-45mins
2 1/2 cups milk
1/3 cup rice
1/4 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 cup raisins (or other dried fruit, if you dare)
in a small saucepan, bring the rice and milk to a boil, then reduce to a simmer for 25 minutes, or until the rice is tender. remove from heat and add sugar, vanilla, and cinnamon. return to heat and cook for another 5-10 minutes or until the pudding thickens. chill (if desired), stir in raisins and serve.
i've had a craving for rice pudding for a little while now, and since i'm often up before the husband these days, it's fun to make something for breakfast to surprise him with. (note: burnt milk smell through the house is not a "fun" surprise...). so this morning i started looking up recipes, came across one that sounded the most like how my momma used to make it, and went to work.
do you ever watch the show kitchen nightmares? that's what this simple recipe felt like this morning. a comedy of errors, if you will. but i did learn a few things:
kitchen rule #1 - don't ever turn your back on milk on the stove. ever. milk loves to scald and boil over but it will only do it if your back is turned.
kitchen rule #2 - stop trying to multitask at 7:30 in the morning (especially if you are already stricken with baby brain). calm down and focus on one thing at a time. and enjoy the peace that can bring!
kitchen rule #3 - just follow the stupid recipe. substituting dried apricots because you have no raisins may sound like a good idea, but it might not work the way you planned (in this case, i added them while the rice was cooking so they'd rehydrate. what actually happened was some curdled-like reaction with the milk so my pudding looks like the bottom of a garbage can with slimy apricot bits. yum).
kitchen rule #4 - laugh. it's no use ruining a perfectly good sunny day just because i ruined a perfectly good pot of rice pudding. get out the granola, take a shower, and try again another time. life is more than burnt milk and spoiled breakfast surprises. thank God for that!!
for those of you brave enough, here's the recipe:
Rice Pudding - from Joy of Baking
cook time: 30-45mins
2 1/2 cups milk
1/3 cup rice
1/4 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 cup raisins (or other dried fruit, if you dare)
in a small saucepan, bring the rice and milk to a boil, then reduce to a simmer for 25 minutes, or until the rice is tender. remove from heat and add sugar, vanilla, and cinnamon. return to heat and cook for another 5-10 minutes or until the pudding thickens. chill (if desired), stir in raisins and serve.
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