Light & Healthy!

Well it is January and we have yet to have a "big" snow storm. It has all been East of us :( I can not wait for that big storm to hit us, I have been waiting for it all season long. The forecasters say that there is a storm coming, but im not getting my hopes up....Anyways, here's what we cooked today ~

Mexican Lasagna ~



Ingredients:
Left over Turkey Chili from last week plus
1 pound ( more ) of ground turkey
2 taco seasoning packets
Tortillas ( White Flour )
Shredded Cheddar
1 Can Re-fried beans

Directions:
In a 9x13 pan layer 2 tortillas, spread re-fried bean and shredded cheese
layer 2 more tortillas, some meat mixture and cheese..and so on and so forth.
We left a meat layer on the top and topped that with shredded Cheese.
Bake at 350 for 45 min. enjoy with a splash of salsa and sour cream.

Healthy Puff Peanut Butter Balls ~



This is one of my absolute favorite things to make and eat :) So healthy and yummy. Plus my kids LOVE them. Please see August of 2010 for recipe.

Mediterranean Tuna Wrap~



Ingredients

* 2 (6-ounce) cans chunk light tuna in water, drained well
* 1/4 cup finely diced red onion
* 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves
* 1/4 cup chopped calamata olives
* 3 tablespoons olive oil
* 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
* 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
* Salt
* Freshly ground black pepper
* 6 cups pre-washed mixed greens (about 3 ounces)
* 4 whole-grain wrap breads (about 2 ounces each)
* 2 large tomatoes, sliced
Directions

In a medium bowl combine the tuna, onion, parsley, olives.

In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, zest, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Pour about 2/3 the dressing over the tuna mixture and toss to combine. In a separate bowl, pour the rest of the dressing over the greens and toss to combine.

Place some tuna salad onto each piece of wrap bread. Top with 1 1/2 cups of greens and a few tomato slices. Roll the wraps and serve.

We had this for Dinner tonight ~ OMG the flavor is outrageous! I love it!!

Perfect Roast Chicken~




Ingredients
nocoupons

* 1 (5 to 6 pound) roasting chicken
* Kosher salt
* Freshly ground black pepper
* 1 large bunch fresh thyme, plus 20 sprigs
* 1 lemon, halved
* 1 head garlic, cut in half crosswise
* 2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) butter, melted
* 1 large yellow onion, thickly sliced
* 4 carrots cut into 2-inch chunks
* 1 bulb of fennel, tops removed, and cut into wedges
* Olive oil

Directions

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Remove the chicken giblets. Rinse the chicken inside and out. Remove any excess fat and leftover pin feathers and pat the outside dry. Liberally salt and pepper the inside of the chicken. Stuff the cavity with the bunch of thyme, both halves of lemon, and all the garlic. Brush the outside of the chicken with the butter and sprinkle again with salt and pepper. Tie the legs together with kitchen string and tuck the wing tips under the body of the chicken. Place the onions, carrots, and fennel in a roasting pan. Toss with salt, pepper, 20 sprigs of thyme, and olive oil. Spread around the bottom of the roasting pan and place the chicken on top.

Roast the chicken for 1 1/2 hours, or until the juices run clear when you cut between a leg and thigh. Remove the chicken and vegetables to a platter and cover with aluminum foil for about 20 minutes. Slice the chicken onto a platter and serve it with the vegetables.

Holy Cow the house smells like Grandmas house while this was cooking ~ When we took it out of the oven I stole a carrot and the flavor OH MY GOODNESS...im in heaven!

We hope you are having a wonderful January :)

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Happy New Year, Everyone! We hope you had a fabulous Holiday Season...I can not believe how fast it goes, all the preparation and anticipation and in literally 5 minutes its all over :( Today was rough getting the kids back to school ~ I could have used 2 more weeks off. But today is Monday and it's a new year! This year we are going to cook healthier...I swear it!

So lets get right to it!

Quinoa-Cranberry Salad with Pecans


Ingredients


* 1 cup quinoa, rinsed and drained
* 2 cups water
* 1/2 cup chopped toasted pecans
* 1/2 cup dried cranberries
* 1 tablespoon olive oil
* 2 tablespoons lemon juice
* salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1. Bring the quinoa and water to a boil in a saucepan over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until the quinoa is tender, and the water has been absorbed, about 15 to 20 minutes. Scrape into a mixing bowl, and cool to warm, about 20 minutes.
2. Once the quinoa has cooled, stir in the pecans, cranberries, olive oil, and lemon juice; season to taste with salt and pepper to taste. Let stand at room temperature for 1 hour before serving.

** This is so yummy ~ it may not look it but it will satisfy your sweet tooth while
also having a good grain.

Asian Glazed Drumsticks





* 8 medium chicken drumsticks, skin removed
* Pam spray oil
* 1 cup water
* 1 tbsp Sriracha hot sauce (more or less to taste)
* 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
* 1/2 cup soy sauce
* 4 tsp agave nectar (or sugar)
* 3 cloves garlic
* 1 tsp ginger, grated
* 2 tbsp chives or scallions, chopped
* 1 tsp sesame seeds

In a heavy large saucepan, brown chicken on high for 3-4 minutes with a little spray oil. Add water, balsamic, soy sauce, agave, garlic, ginger, hot sauce and cook on high until liquid comes to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer, covered for about 20 minutes. Remove cover and bring heat to high, allowing sauce to reduce down, about 8 minutes until it becomes a thick glaze, turning chicken occasionally. (Keep an eye on glaze, you don't want it to burn when it start becoming thick) Transfer chicken to a platter and pour glaze on top. Top with chives and sesame seeds and serve.


Caramelized Onion, Mushroom and Gruyere Quiche with Oat Crust



Ingredients
For the crust:

* Cooking spray
* 3/4 cup rolled oats
* 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
* 1/4 teaspoon salt
* 3 tablespoons cold, unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
* 3 tablespoons cold, lowfat buttermilk

For the filling:

* 4 teaspoons olive oil
* 1 large onion, sliced thinly into half moons
* 8 ounces sliced mixed mushrooms, such as cremini, oyster, shiitake
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
* 1/4 teaspoon dry mustard
* 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme leaves (or 1 teaspoon dry)
* 3 large eggs
* 3 egg whites
* 1 cup evaporated fat-free milk (not condensed milk)
* 2/3 cup grated Gruyere cheese (about 1-ounce)

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Spray a 9-inch pie dish with cooking spray.

To prepare the crust, put the oats, flour and salt in the bowl of a food processor and pulse 3 times to combine. Add the butter and pulse about 12 times, until you get a pebbly course texture. Add the buttermilk and pulse 3 to 5 times more to combine. Form the mixture into a ball and place it between 2 large pieces of waxed paper. Roll out into a circle about 10 inches in diameter.

Remove the top sheet of waxed paper. Transfer the crust, still on the other piece of waxed paper to the pie dish, then remove the waxed paper from the top. Press the crust gently into the dish. Bake for 9 minutes, then let cool.

To prepare the filling, heat 2 teaspoons of oil in a large nonstick pan over a medium-low heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden brown and caramelized, about 20 minutes. Transfer the onions to a bowl. Add the remaining 2 teaspoons of oil to the pan and heat over a medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until they have released their water and begin to brown, about 6 minutes. Add the onions back to the pan, stir in the salt, pepper, mustard and thyme.

In a medium bowl whisk together the eggs, egg whites and evaporated milk.

Sprinkle the cheese into the pie crust. Top with the mushroom-onion mixture and pour the egg mixture on top. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees F. Bake for 35 minutes or until knife inserted in the middle comes out clean. Let stand for 5 minutes before cutting into 6 wedges and serving.

***Note: Gruyere Cheese is freaking 21.99/lb so uhhh yeah we used mozzarella!!


We also made Marinated Vegetables with broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, peppers, zucchini, sugar snap peas and grape tomatoes covered in lite Italian Dressing.




Turkey Chili ~ Ground Turkey - a heavy pound, a can of diced tomatoes, a can of tomato sauce and chili beans, season with salt, pepper and chili powder then cook and simmer several hours.





Last was Mango Salsa. It was to have sweet potato chips with it but we got lazy and decided bagged whole grain jalapeno chips work fine and are already in the house! The salsa was a mango, cherry tomatoes, red onion, red chili and mint. The dressing on it is rice vinegar, olive oil and lime juice. Smells like summer :)

Last Sissy Cooking Day of 2010

This Christmas was awesome! We really enjoyed the day with our family and watching the kids open their gifts. We had and easy dinner at our parents' house - ham, cheesy potatoes and cheesy spinach. Also had super fabulous appetizers that I posted on my facebook page on Christmas day. And there were oodles of cookies and candy that just had to be eaten too! Mix in the wine and I wasn't sure I would ever eat again after that but a couple days past, a good work out in and I was ready to cook today.

So we wanted to make at least one thing that was lite so we made an old favorite, Lemon Pasta with Roasted Shrimp.
Ingredients:
* 2 pounds (17 to 21 count) shrimp, peeled and deveined
* Good olive oil
* Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
* 1 pound angel hair pasta
* 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted
* Zest and juice of 2 lemons

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Place the shrimp on a sheet pan with 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper.Toss well, spread them in one layer and roast for 6 to 8 minutes, just until they're pink and cooked through.

Meanwhile, drizzle some olive oil in a large pot of boiling salted water, add the angel hair and cook until al dente, about 3 minutes. Drain the pasta, reserving some of the cooking liquid. Quickly toss the angel hair with the melted butter, 1/4 cup olive oil, the lemon zest, lemon juice, 2 teaspoons salt, 1 teaspoon pepper and about 1/2 cup of the reserved cooking liquid. Add the shrimp and serve hot.



I also wanted to make something a little different so I chose Italian Beef Roulade Steak: Braciole.





Braciole:
1.5 pound beef flank steak
3 c. spaghetti sauce
1/2 onion, sliced
1/2 c. white wine
Filling:
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 eggs
1 T. fresh basil, chopped
1 tsp. fresh rosemary, minced
1 tsp. dried oregano
1 T. dried parsley
1/2 c. grated Parmesan/Romano cheese
1 c. shredded mozzarella cheese
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 c. breadcrumbs
Spread your filling all over the flank steak. Tightly roll the meat over the filling. Place the roll seam side down and get your kitchen twine ready. This is a necessary step to tie it with the twine. (I didn't have twine so I skipped it and it came out more like a fold over than a roulade!) Place the meat roll, seam side down into a baking dish. Scatter the onion on the bottom, and pour your spaghetti sauce over the roll, and into the dish. Stir the white wine into the sauce. Cover with a double layer of foil, crimping down the edges. Bake at 350 for 3 hours. The meat comes out soo tender and delicious! You could surely play with the stuffing to best fit your taste buds and ingredients on hand.



We had some smoked salmon that we made a pizza with based on a recipe from the box it came in. The smoked salmon was delicious on its own, the pizza recipe needed work...it had sauteed red onions along with some dill, parsley and green onions baked on the crust then topped with the salmon, sour cream and more of the herbs. A good base but needed more love, I think we will stick to cold smoked salmon with cream cheese and capers :)




I had also gotten a gift from my very best co-worker friend, Jenny, that was a jar of Goulash Mix with the recipe to finish it. It was easy and always a favorite for John and the kids so we made that too. The jar contained the macaroni and seasonings. We added the ground beef and tomatoes - easy and perfect for a winter's night dinner!



Since I base my life on "everything in moderation" we also made a Chocolate Peanut Butter Cheesecake. People think cheesecake is so impressive and the truth is it is so easy to make, so why not, plus it can be frozen for another day if that moderation becomes to hard to control :)
Ingredients:
2 1/4 pounds cream cheese -- softened
1 1/2 cup sugar
6 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/2 cup heavy cream
10 ounces semisweet chocolate -- melted
1 cup peanut butter -- smooth or crunchy

Directions:

Preheat oven to 300 F. In a large bowl, beat together cream cheese and sugar until light and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes.

Beat in eggs, one at a time. Add vanilla, beat until smooth. Add heavy cream, beat till well blended. Transfer 1/3 of batter to another bowl and set aside. Beat melted chocolate into remaining batter. Pour into crust.

With mixer on medium speed, beat peanut butter into remaining 1/3 batter until thoroughly mixed.

Carefully spoon peanut butter mixture on top of chocolate cheese mixture in pan.

Using the long handle of a wooden spoon, swirl the two flavors together. Bake about 1 hour, or until cheesecake is set around edges and puffed but still jiggles slightly in the center. Let cake cool 2 hours, then refrigerate until well chilled, 8 hours. or overnight. For a crust, use Oreo cookie crumbs.

*** Picture of Cheese Cake coming soon ~ it needs to chill ***

Snow Day!?

Well today is our first "Snow Day" I have 7 kids here all under the age of 9. They have been so good today. So as usual the forecast said we would get hit with a blizzard and as usual I am very disappointed ~ I look forward to getting a boat load of snow :( Oh well maybe next time.

Today was a day of repeats we made Chicken Marsala, Beef Enchiladas, French Onion Soup and a Nutella & Cherry Strudel.


Chicken Marsala ~




Beef Enchiladas ~





Nutella & Cherry Strudel ~




I hope you all enjoy the rest of your week ~ Can you believe it Christmas is less than 2 weeks away :)

Let it Snow ~ Let it Snow ~ Let it Snow

Waking up this morning we were so excited to see snow on the ground! I know most of you do not like the snow but I really enjoy all 4 seasons that Ohio has to offer us. We are so lucky to be able to see the seasons change. There are only 18 days till Christmas ~ The kids are so excite, and I am too.

Sweet & Sour Chicken with Brown Rice ~


* 2 cups instant brown rice
* 1/4 cup seasoned rice vinegar
* 2 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
* 2 tablespoons cornstarch
* 2 tablespoons apricot preserves
* 2 tablespoons canola oil, divided
* 1 pound chicken tenders, cut into bite-size pieces
* 4 cloves garlic, minced
* 2 teaspoons finely grated or minced ginger
* 1 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
* 6 cups bite-size pieces of vegetables, such as snow peas, broccoli and bell peppers
* 1 5-ounce can sliced water chestnuts, drained


Preparation

1. Prepare rice according to the package directions.
2. Meanwhile, whisk vinegar, soy sauce, cornstarch and apricot preserves in a small bowl. Set aside.
3. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook, undisturbed, for 2 minutes. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until no longer pink on the outside and just starting to brown in spots, about 2 minutes more. Transfer to a plate.
4. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil, garlic and ginger to the pan and cook, stirring, until fragrant, 20 to 30 seconds. Add broth and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Add vegetables, reduce heat to a simmer, cover and cook until the vegetables are tender-crisp, 4 to 6 minutes. Stir in water chestnuts and the chicken. Whisk the reserved sauce and add to the pan. Simmer, stirring constantly, until the sauce is thickened and the chicken is heated through, about 1 minute. Serve with the rice.


Greek Shrimp and Pasta ~


Ingredients
8 oz uncooked pasta, penne variety
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 medium onion(s), chopped
2 clove(s) (medium) garlic clove(s), minced
1/2 pound(s) shrimp, large variety, peeled and deveined
4 medium plum tomatoes, diced
15 medium olive(s), oil-cured black variety, pitted and chopped
8 oz canned clam juice, or bottled
1/4 cup(s) reduced-fat feta cheese, crumbled
3 Tbsp fresh oregano, fresh, chopped
Instructions

* Cook penne according to package directions; drain.

* Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and garlic; cook, stirring frequently, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the shrimp and cook, stirring occasionally, until the shrimp are just opaque in the center, about 3 minutes.

* Add the tomatoes and olives; cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 3 minutes.

* Add the clam juice; bring to a boil. Stir in the penne, cheese, and oregano. Reduce the heat and simmer, tossing well, until the flavors are blended and the cheese just begins to melt, about 1 minute. Yields 1 1/3 cups per serving.



Beef Barley Soup


Ingredients

* 1/2 cup chopped carrot
* 1/2 cup chopped celery
* 1/2 cup chopped onion
* 1 tablespoon butter or margarine
* 4 cups beef broth
* 4 cups water
* 2 cups chopped cooked roast beef
* 1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained
* 1 cup quick-cooking barley
* 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
* 1/2 teaspoon pepper
* 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
* 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
* 1/2 cup frozen peas

Directions

1. In a soup kettle or Dutch oven, saute carrot, celery and onion in butter until tender, about 5 minutes.
2. Add the broth, water, beef, tomatoes, barley, salt, pepper, basil and oregano; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the peas. Simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes.

Mushroom Risotto ~




* 2 cups Baby Bella mushrooms, sliced
* 2 cups arborio rice
* 1 tsp olive oil
* 3 tsp butter
* 2 shallots, minced
* 1 cup white wine
* 8 cups fat free chicken stock (or vegetable stock)
* salt and pepper
* 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
* 4 tbsp chopped parsley

Heat chicken stock in a small pot and keep on low heat.

In a medium size heavy sauce pan, saute garlic in 1 tsp olive oil. Add mushrooms, salt and pepper and cook 1 minute. Add 1/2 cup of the chicken stock and let the mushrooms cook about 4 minutes. Set aside.

Add butter to the pan on set flame to medium-low heat. Add shallots, sauté about 1 minute. Add rice mixing well until well coated and translucent, about 2 minutes. Add wine, salt and pepper and mix well until it is absorbed into the rice. Ladle 1 cup stock into rice and mix until all stock is absorbed, add another ladle, and continue adding and stirring until all broth is absorbed, about 20-25 minutes. Add mushrooms, parmesan cheese and parsley, mix well and serve.

Banana Cream Pie ~




Ingredients:
Pre made Pie crust
2 Bananas
2 boxes of vanilla pudding

Direction:
Make pudding according to box
Slice Bananas and lay in Pie crust
Pour cooled pudding over top of Bananas
Chill and enjoy!

Chocolate Chip Cookies ~



I just followed directions from Nestle :) So YUMMY!
We also made Buffalo Chex mix, we found the recipe here:
http://www.chex.com/recipes/default.aspx

We were not sure about it as it cooled ~ but YUMMO once it cooled!


Kelly and I are looking forward to spending next Sunday with our mom, sister in law and niece and nephew ~ we are going to make Christmas Cookies ~ we will be sure to include pictures.

Happy Holidays!

What a long holiday weekend it was! So lets get right to it ~

Heavenly Creamy Clam Chowder ~



ingredients

* 3 (6.5 ounce) cans minced clams
* 1 cup minced onion
* 1 cup diced celery
* 2 cups cubed potatoes
* 1 cup diced carrots
* 3/4 cup butter
* 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
* 1 quart half-and-half cream
* 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
* 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
* ground black pepper to taste

Directions

1. Drain juice from clams into a large skillet over the onions, celery, potatoes and carrots. Add water to cover, and cook over medium heat until tender.
2. Meanwhile, in a large, heavy saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Whisk in flour until smooth. Whisk in cream and stir constantly until thick and smooth. Stir in vegetables and clam juice. Heat through, but do not boil.
3. Stir in clams just before serving. If they cook too much they get tough. When clams are heated through, stir in vinegar, and season with salt and pepper.


Warm Goat Cheese Sandwiches ~



Ingredients

* 1 (5 ounce) goat cheese, softened
* 1/2 cup basil pesto
* 3/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes, softened and chopped
* 2 pita breads, cut in half

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. Open the pita bread halves up into pockets. Spread goat cheese onto one side of the inside of each pita pocket. Spread a layer of pesto over the goat cheese. Sprinkle with sun-dried tomatoes. Place pita halves onto a baking sheet.
3. Bake for 3 to 5 minutes in the preheated oven, just until the filling is warm, and the bread is lightly toasted.


Baked Scallops Gratin ~




Ingredients (serves 4 as appetizer):

2 tbsp olive oil
1 lb (450 g) bay scallops, patted dry
3 large cloves of garlic, minced
2 tbsp minced fresh parsley
1 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 tsp salt
freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup breadcrumbs
1 tbsp unsalted butter, cubed

Preheat the oven to 425ºF (220ºC). Lightly spray the gratin dish with cooking spray.

In a bowl, combine olive oil, garlic, parsley, lemon juice, bay scallops. Season with salt and pepper.

Using a slotted spoon place the scallops into the gratin dish, top with the breadcrumbs and the butter.

Bake 10-12 minutes, or until the topping is golden brown and sizzling, and the scallops are just barely done. For a crispier top, turn on the broiler for the last 1-2 minutes.

Remove from oven. Serve immediately with baguettes slices and some lemon wedges.


Pot Roast ~





Ingredients:

Pot Roast
Carrots
Potatoes
Beef Broth
Water

Directions:

Place all in crock pot on low for 8 hours ~ and eat :)

Meatloaf and Mashed Potatoes:




If you need the recipe please contact us ~ Most people know how to make it :)

39 day's till Chirstmas :)

As far as I'm concerned The Holiday Season is officially here. I can not wait to put up our Tree, The lights are up outside ~ with more to come. Have you started/finished your Christmas Shopping yet?

On today's menu : Chocolate Peanut Butter Surprise Cookies, Caramelized Butternut Squash, Potato and Poblano Gratin, The Marlboro Man Sandwich & Lasagna.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Surprise Cookies ~




Ingredients:

* 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
* 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa
* 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
* 1/4 teaspoon salt
* 1/2 cup granulated sugar (plus more for rolling)
* 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
* 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
* 1 cup creamy peanut butter, divided
* 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
* 1 egg
* 3/4 cup powdered sugar

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375º F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
3. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together sugars, butter and 1/4 cup of peanut butter until light and fluffy. Add the vanilla and egg, beating to combine. Stir in the flour mixture and stir to combine, blending well. Set aside.
4. In a medium bowl, mix together powdered sugar and remaining 3/4 cup of peanut butter until smooth.
5. Pull off a heaping tablespoon of cookie dough and flatten with your hands. Take about 1 teaspoon of peanut butter mixture and place it in the center of the chocolate dough. Wrap the chocolate dough around the peanut butter center, pressing to seal. Roll the cookie into a ball and roll the cookie in the sugar. Place cookies on the prepared baking sheet 2 inches apart. Using the bottom of a glass, flatten each cookie to about a 1/2 inch thickness.
6. Bake in preheated oven for 7 to 9 minutes. Let stand on the baking sheet for 2 minutes, then remove to a wire rack.


Caramelized Butternut Squash ~




Ingredients

* 4 cups water
* 3 cups brown sugar
* 2 (3-inch long) cinnamon sticks
* 1 (4-pound) butternut squash, unpeeled, seeded, and cut into 1-inch pieces, seeds reserved

Directions

In a large, heavy pot, stir the water, brown sugar, and cinnamon sticks together until the sugar dissolves. Add the butternut squash and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, uncovered, until the liquid is reduced and syrupy, and the squash is very tender, about 2 1/2 hours.

Place the reserved seeds in a colander and rinse to remove any pulp. Dry thoroughly on paper towels. Heat an 8-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add the squash seeds and cook, stirring frequently, until lightly toasted. Set aside to cool completely before using.

Remove the cinnamon sticks from the squash and discard. Let the squash cool slightly and serve warm or at room temperature with the toasted seeds.


Potato and Poblano Gratin ~




Ingredients

* Nonstick cooking spray
* 3 large poblano chiles, charred, stemmed, seeded, and cut into 2-inch wide by 1/2-inch-thick strips
* 1 cup frozen corn, thawed
* 1/2 cup half-and-half
* 1/2 cup Mexican crema, or creme fraiche
* 4 Yukon gold potatoes (about 1 pound), unpeeled and cut into 1/8-inch thick rounds
* 1 teaspoon salt
* 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
* 3 cup coarsely grated Monterey Jack cheese

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Spray a glass 9 1/2-inch, deep dish pie dish with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, combine the poblano strips and corn.

In a small bowl, mix together the half-and-half and crema.

Arrange 1/2 of the potato rounds, overlapping slightly, in the prepared pie dish. Sprinkle 1/2 of the poblano-corn mixture on top, season with the salt and pepper, and top with 1/3 of the cheese. Repeat the layers, ending with the cheese. Pour the cream mixture over the potatoes. Place the pie dish on a baking sheet. Cover the dish tightly with foil. Bake for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and continue baking until the potatoes are tender and the cheese is golden brown, about 30 minutes longer.

Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Cook's Note: For easy peeling, enclose the charred poblanos tightly in a plastic bag.

The Marlboro Man Sandwich ~




Ingredients

* 1 whole Large (or 2 Small) Onions
* 2 sticks Butter (lots And Lots Of Butter)
* 2 pounds (to 3 Pounds) Cube Steak (tenderized Round Steak That's Been Extra Tenderized)
* Lawry's Seasoned Salt (or Similar Seasoned Salt)
* ½ cups (approximately) Worcestershire Sauce
* Tabasco Sauce, To Taste
* 4 whole French/deli Rolls (earthgrains Are Best!)

Preparation Instructions

Slice onions and cook in 1/4 stick butter until soft and light brown. Remove and set aside.

Slice cube steak against the grain. Season with Lawry’s.

Heat 2 tablespoons butter over high heat (in same skillet) until melted and beginning to brown. Add meat in single layer. Cook one side until brown, then flip and cook until brown, about a minute on both sides.

Add 1/2 cup (at least) Worcestershire sauce, 5 to 6 shakes Tabasco, and 2 tablespoons butter. Add cooked onions. Stir to combine.

Butter halved French rolls and brown in skillet.

To assemble, lay bottom half of French roll on plate. Place meat mixture, followed by a spoonful of juice from the pan. Top with other half of roll, cut in half, and devour!
http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2007/06/marlboro_mans_f/

Lasagna ~




Ingredients:

1 pkg. lasagna noodles
1 lb. gr meat
1 tub ricotta cheese
2 pkg of mozzarella cheese
1 big jar of spaghetti sauce

Directions:

Boil noodles till done, brown gr. meat till done
Mix mozzarella and ricotta cheese together
stir meat and sauce together, save some sauce to pour over top.
Start Layering meat/sauce mixture, noodles, cheese and repeat.

Bake at 350 till bubbly.

Next week we will be baking only :) We will make cookies, pie and pumpkin roll . I am so excited ~ I love love love Pumpkin roll.