Frozen Goodness:Part 2

Homemade Ice Cream Sandwiches

That buttermilk strawberry concoction sounds divine! I will have to try it! Now if you are in the mood for a frozen treat that you can sink your teeth into, try your hand at making these homemade ice cream sandwiches. You'll never want to touch a fat boy again! They are really easy to make and you can use any kind of ice cream you like- homemade or store bought. Of course they are better with homemade ice cream! My personal preference? Peppermint ice cream. Its like a big frozen peppermint patty of sorts.  I got the recipe from The Everyday Food Cookbook: Fresh Flavors Fast, and it can also be found on the Martha Stewart website.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted, plus more for pan
1/2 cup sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup all-purpose flour, (spooned and leveled)
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 pints ice cream (any flavor), softened

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350. Butter a 15-by-10-inch jelly-roll pan; line with parchment paper, leaving a 2-inch overhang on the two shorter sides.

In a medium bowl, whisk together butter and sugar until combined; whisk in egg, vanilla, and salt until combined. Add flour and cocoa, and mix just until smooth. Spread in prepared baking pan. Bake until cake is dry to the touch and edges begin to pull away from the sides, 10 to 12 minutes. Cool completely in pan.

Using paper overhang, lift cake onto a work surface. With a serrated knife, halve crosswise. Place one half of cake, flat side down, on a large piece of plastic wrap. Spread with ice cream, then top with remaining half of cake, flat side up. Return ice-cream sandwich to baking pan, and wrap tightly in plastic. Freeze until firm, about 2 hours.

Unwrap sandwich; using a serrated knife, cut into 8 rectangles, wiping off blade between each cut. Serve ice-cream sandwiches immediately.

Homemade Backyard Mint Ice Cream

This recipe is from Food & Wine Magazine. They featured my favorite ice cream artisan, Jeni Britton Bauer who has a fantastic ice cream shop here in Columbus Ohio. It has become easily one of my favorite things about living here in Ohio. Her ice cream is divine!

Ingredients:

2 cups whole milk
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon cornstarch
1 1/2 ounces cream cheese, softened (3 tablespoons)
1 1/4 cups heavy cream
2/3 cup sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons light corn syrup
1 cup coarsely chopped mint leaves
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt

Directions:

Fill a large bowl with ice water. In a small bowl, mix 2 tablespoons of the milk with the cornstarch. In another large bowl, whisk the cream cheese until smooth.

In a large saucepan, combine the remaining milk with the heavy cream, sugar and corn syrup. Bring the milk mixture to a boil and cook over moderate heat until the sugar dissolves, about 4 minutes. Off the heat, gradually whisk in the cornstarch mixture. Return to a boil and cook over moderately high heat until the mixture is slightly thickened, about 1 minute.

Gradually whisk the hot milk mixture into the cream cheese until smooth. Add the chopped mint. Whisk in the salt. Set the bowl in the ice water bath and let stand, stirring occasionally, until cold, about 20 minutes.

Strain the ice cream base into an ice cream maker, pressing the mint leaves with the back of a spoon to extract all of the flavor, and freeze according to the manufacturer's instructions. Pack the ice cream into a plastic container.

Press a sheet of plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the ice cream and close with an airtight lid. Freeze the mint ice cream until firm, about 4 hours.

Crock Pot Sticky Chicken: how has this never been blogged about?

Every family has their go-to recipes. You know, the kind that whenever you can't think of something to make or don't want to look for new recipes you know you can fall back on. The kind of recipe that doesn't require much work, preparation, or ingredients. The kind of recipe you can never get sick of. And most importantly: the kind of recipe that is a crowd pleaser! Well, enter Crock Pot Sticky Chicken. I feel like this is a staple in all the Foodie Family households. I could be mistaken, but I didn't notice it on our blog! I was shocked! How could we have let this happen?

Let me tell you a few more things I like about this recipe. First of all, it's super cheap! You can buy a whole bird for around a dollar a pound. And if you have a well stocked pantry, that is basically all you need. So, if you buy a 6 pound bird, you serve about 6 people for only a dollar per person! Beat that! If you have a lot of mouths to feed you won't find a better deal. And if there are only two of you, like in my household, even better! It makes for great leftovers! You can eat the chicken plain or use it in many, many other recipes similar to how you would use a rotisserie chicken. Only this has a little kick to it, so it's even tastier. My personal favorite is to make chicken noodle soup. All you do is add broth, veggies and noodles and it is so so tasty. Maybe I'll blog about that come soup season. ( I can't wait!!!)

Anyway... without further ado...

Crock Pot Sticky Chicken

Ingredients:

4 tsp. salt

2 tsp. paprika

1 tsp. cayenne pepper

1 tsp. onion powder

1 tsp. thyme

1 tsp. white pepper

1/2 tsp. garlic powder

1/2 tsp. black pepper

1 large roasting chicken

Directions:

In a small bowl, thoroughly combine all the spices. Remove the giblets from the chicken and clean the cavity well. Pat dry with paper towels. Rub the spice mixture into the chicken, both inside and out, making sure it is evenly distributed and down deep into the skin.

Place the chicken into the slow cooker. Do not add any liquid. As the chicken cooks, it will produce its own juices. Cook on low 8-10 hours and it will be falling off the bone tender. You can brown the chicken in the oven, if desired. The drippings can be used to make gravy which can be served over mashed potatoes or rice.

Not sure of the source! Mom, do you know?

Quinoa...Its What's for Dinner!

One of my favorite things is getting my cooking magazines in the mail. Its so fun to look over new recipes, and its also fun because it seems in the foodie world there are certain food items that become the "it" ingredient. And it seems like recently that "it" ingredient is Quinoa! I had never even heard of it before last year and then all the sudden I can't hide from this mystery ingredient. So one day I decided to try it. And I loved it! The greatest thing about Quinoa is that it is super healthy. According to wikipedia:

"this crop has become highly appreciated for its nutritional value, as its protein content is very high (12%–18%). Unlike wheat or rice (which are low in lysine), and like oats, quinoa contains a balanced set of essential amino acids for humans, making it a complete protein source, unusual among plant foods.^[12] It is a good source of dietary fiber and phosphorus and is high in magnesium and iron. Quinoa is gluten-free and considered easy to digest."

So there you go! It tastes good and its good for you! So basically any recipe that calls for rice or couscous you can easily substitute Quinoa for. Here are two recipes that I have kind of improvised that my husband and I both enjoy. And two big bonuses! Its perfect for summer because you can eat it cold and its tasty. And secondly, it makes for very tasty leftovers. You can make one of these recipes and just eat them for lunch all week! Yum yum!

First, here is the basics on how to cook Quinoa. Its pretty similar to couscous and rice. You need 2 parts liquid to 1 part quinoa. First, you need to rinse the Quinoa. Then add to a pot with the liquid ( I always use broth instead of water, to give it a nice flavor) bring to a simmer, cover pot for 15 minutes. Then remove from heat, keep lid on and let stand for 5 minutes. Then fluff with a fork and add to one of the following tasty salads:

Mango, Avacado and Black Bean Quinoa Salad

1 mango, diced
1 avocado, diced
1 tomato, diced
1/4 cup red onion diced
1 can black beans, rinsed
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
2 garlic cloved, chopped
1 1/2 cup quinoa, rinsed
2 cups broth
1/2 t. cumin
3 T olive oil
1 1/2 T red wine vinegar
salt & pepper to taste
cooked shrimp (optional)

First chop up mango through the garlic and add to a large bowl. You can do this hours before. I usually do it during the day with my little boy in the baby bjorn. He loves to watch me chop veggies!

Next, combine broth, quinoa and cumin in a pot. Quinoa will triple in bulk so make sure your pot is big enough. Cook according to instructions above.

Once Quinoa is cooked, add to the chopped produce and add oil and vinegar and salt and pepper. Toss well and add cooked shrimp or chicken if desired. You can eat this warm or cold.

This makes about 6 servings.

Greek Quinoa Salad
1-2 tomatoes, chopped
1 small cucumber cut into cubes
1/4 cup chopped red onions
1 can chick peas, rinsed
1/4 cup chopped parsley
1/2 cup pitted kalmata olives
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 1/2 cup quinoa, rinsed
2 cups broth
1 t. dried oregano
3 T olive oil
1 T red wine vinegar
1 T lemon juice
salt and pepper to taste.
Crumbled feta cheese

Follow the instructions for the previous salad. Chop produce, cook quinoa and add vinegar and oil, and sprinkle with feta cheese. Simple as that.

Now you have the building blocks to make all kinds of yummy quinoa salads. Makes for a great dinner, lunch and leftovers!
these recipes were adapted from recipes I found on Eatingwell.com and ourbestbites.com

Homemade Granola Bars

In the recent weeks as food prices have gone out of control, I have had to make a lot of cuts to our weekly grocery list. Granola bars can be a bit pricey, it was costing around $7.50 a week, or even more when I packed cliff bars for the husband (which I often do because they are so filling). So along with my morning orange juice, granola bars got the ax. Well, it dawned on me that most of the ingredients in granola bars are pantry staples in my house. So I did a quick recipe search on allrecipes.com (love that site!) I scanned through a few and I always like to read the reviews too. Very helpful. Anyway I tested out a recipe, and used some modifications that some reviewers gave. The first batch was pretty tasty, but I made more modifications this time around and I think they are perfect! My husband even told me "Good work on the granola bars!" Which made me proud!

Now the great thing about making your own granola bars is that you can modify the recipe to meet your indiviual needs/tastes. This is perfect if your children or you have a nut allergy. Most granola bars, even if they are nut free, are processed near nuts so they may be off limits. Have no fear! This way you know exactly what is going into the bars. Also its so fun to personalize the bars. Get creative! You can add dried fruit, nuts, chocolate chips, coconut, whatever you want. The grocery store near my house sells trail mix in bulk, so I added some of that into the mix. Last week I tried chocolate chip/peanut butter chip with nuts, this week I opted for the white chocolate cherry pecan trail mix. Yum yum yum! Why not try a tropical twist? Add coconut, dried papya and pineapple maybe even some macadamia nuts if you want to break the bank.

Or you could just go simple and add raisins. ( I don't plan on doing this because I HATE raisins. )

You could add mini m&m's for a treat for the kids too! Anyway, I don't plan on going back to store bought granola any time soon. These were so fun, easy and delicious I'm hooked!

Here is my modified recipe. The original recipe can be found here at allrecipes.com

Granola Bars

Ingredients:

2 cups old fashioned oats

1/2 cup brown sugar (orginal recipe called for 3/4 cup. That is too much sugar in my opinion)
1/4 cup wheat germ -(original recipe called for 1/2 cup and no flax seed. I decided to split them up, to add more variety and because I am running low on wheat germ!)
1/4 cup flax seed
3/4 t ground cinnamon
1 cup all purpose flour
3/4 t salt
3/4 cup mix ins of your choice
1/3 cup honey (original recipe called for 1/2 cup. Honey is expensive and I wanted to cut down the sugar)
1 egg beaten
1/2 cup veg oil ( you could substitute part or all of this with applesauce, which I did the first time I made these. It is healthier no doubt, but yields a more soft, chewy granola bar. Some people prefer this. But i like mine to have a little crunch, so I will stick to the oil)
2 t. vanilla extract ( This time I added 1 t. almond, 1 t. vanilla)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350. Generously grease a 9x13 baking pan. In large bowl mix together dry ingredients. Make a well in the center and add honey, oil, egg and vanilla. Mix together with large wooden spoon or with your hands. Press into the baking dish until smooth and even.

Cook for about 25-30 minutes, or until the edges begin to brown. If you want a crunchier bar cook longer, if you want a softer bar, take out around 20 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes and then cut into bars. I got 18 bars, the original recipe said it yielded 24. These would be too small, I think.

The End.

Cooking When You Have Kids, Part 2

Like my sister, I have also recently been faced with the predicament of restructuring the way I cook to adapt to my new role as a mother.  This hasn't been easy for me, particularly because I am naturally drawn to labor-intensive cooking.  I love the process of it!  I love making things from scratch.  If I had the time and energy, I would seriously church my own butter and make my own bread from wheat that I grew in my garden.  I would love that!  Alas, that is all just a pipe dream for now, as I too have to find meals that I can do prep work early in the day or meals that take 20-30 minutes to prepare.  The crock pot is a useful tool, but sometimes you just get bored of making crock pot recipes.  Also, it seems like they are better wintertime recipes, like soups and stews.  Anyway...Here are a few healthy and easy meals that I have been making recently.  Hope you try them out!

Chicken Piccata
(Pictured above)

I love the fresh lemony flavor of chicken piccata. Because the chicken breasts are butterflied, or pounded very thin, they cook very fast. This meal takes about 20-30 minutes to make from start to finish and its nice because its a little on the "fancy" side. Serve it with some pasta and a nice tossed salad and you have a beautiful meal. The other part that is great is that you probably likely have all or most of the ingredients in your pantry, so its a very economical meal to prepare also.

Ingredients:

1 pound chicken scaloppini (I just butterflied two large chicken breasts)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon all-purpose flour, divided
3 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
Finely grated zest and juice of 1 lemon, zest reserved for optional garnish, about 2 tablespoons juice
1 teaspoon white wine vinegar
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, plus more for garnish
1 tablespoon capers, drained and rinsed
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
Baby arugula for garnish
Whole-wheat angel hair pasta or roasted potatoes, for serving

Directions:

Season the chicken with salt and pepper and sprinkle with 1 tablespoon flour.

Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until very hot; cook the cutlets until opaque throughout, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Transfer the cutlets to a plate. (Reserve the skillet.) Reduce the heat under the skillet to medium.

Add the remaining teaspoon oil and garlic to the same skillet; cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Whisk together the broth, lemon juice and 1 teaspoon flour, and add to the pan. Simmer sauce until reduced and thickened, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the vinegar, parsley and capers. Swirl in the butter until sauce is shiny and slightly thickened.

Serve chicken with the sauce. Toss the arugula and freshly grated lemon zest with a light drizzle of olive oil; season to taste with salt and pepper, scatter over chicken. Serve with pasta or potatoes as desired.

Source: Copyright 2010 Television Food Network, G.P. You can find it here.

Crepes!

When my younger sister came to visit me I decided to whip up some crepes one day, because she has a thing for french cuisine. It had been a while since I had made them. They are so easy, so fast and so versatile! I was hooked. Since then, I have made a batch of batter each week and kept it in my fridge. Its great for a lunch or light dinner. And its also super kid friendly! Just fill it with some ham and cheese and fold it into quarters. The picture above is a sweet crepe, filled simply with cottage cheese and a little cherry jam. Quite tasty!

Some dinner options for crepes would be:
Spinach, goat cheese, mushrooms and tomato
Prosciutto, asparagus and Fontina Cheese
Good old Ham and Swiss or Ham and Cheddar
Shredded Chicken, Broccoli, Ricotta and Cheddar

you get the drift! You could basically put whatever you fancy in a crepe.

Here is a basic crepe recipe:

1 cup flour ( you can also do 1/2 cup whole wheat, 1/2 cup white)
1 1/3 cup milk
2 eggs
2 T canola oil
2 T Sugar (optional)

Combine all ingredients in a blender, blend until smooth. Heat a non-stick skillet over medium high. Pour about 1/4 cup batter and swirl around until thin and even. Cook about 1 minute then flip, cook about 30 seconds to a minute longer.

You can find similar recipes on allrecipes.com

 

Above: Ice cream wrapped crepe topped with caramel ice cream topping.

 

Above: This is such an easy yet fancy and pretty dessert.  Not to mention that it is so delicious!  There's just something about the combination of ice cream and a crepe!  You could serve this with any of your favorite toppings, such as fresh berries and powdered sugar, or strawberries and chocolate syrup.  Then, of course, you could use any flavor of ice cream that you like!  Yum!

Fish is a great quick meal. It only takes a few minutes to cook, so pretty much any preparation of it will be pretty snappy. Plus its so healthy for you and light and tasty. I love fish! This is one of my favorite Tilapia recipes from Cooking Light. I substituted the rice with Quinoa, because that is what I had in my pantry and it was oh so tasty. Have you ever tried Quinoa? I strongly recommend it! It is a super healthy whole grain that can basically be used in place of rice or couscous. And its a great source of protein. I only recently discovered it, but I am hooked.

Broiled Tilapia with Thai Coconut Curry

Ingredients:

1 teaspoon dark sesame oil, divided
2 teaspoons minced peeled fresh ginger
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup finely chopped red bell pepper
1 cup chopped green onions
1 teaspoon curry powder
2 teaspoons red curry paste
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
4 teaspoons low-sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
1 (14-ounce) can light coconut milk
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
4 (6-ounce) tilapia fillets
Cooking spray
3 cups hot cooked basmati rice
4 lime wedges

Directions:


Preheat broiler

Heat 1/2 teaspoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add giner and garlic; cook 1 minute. Add pepper and onions; cook 1 minute. Stir in curry powder, curry paste, and cumin; cook 1 minute. Add soy sauce, sugar, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and coconut milk; bring to a simmer (do not boil). Remove from heat; stir in cilantro.

Brush fish with 1/2 teaspoon oil; sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon salt. Place fish on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Broil 7 minutes or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork. Serve fish with sauce, rice, and lime wedges.

Source: Found on Food.com. You can find it here.

Gnocchi! I love Gnocchi! Have you tried it? They are these plump little potato pasta dumplings they eat in Italy. I like them because they look like little grubs. I think kids would like them too. There are unlimited ways of preparing gnocchi. My little sister made this dish for me for mothers day and it really only took about 20 minutes. I am going to paraphrase the recipe for you.

Mother's Day Gnocchi

Basically you take 1 package gnocchi, boil it until they float ( about 4 minutes ); drain.

Then while the water is boiling, in a saucepan heat 1 T olive oil. Add 2 crushed garlic cloves, cook until fragrant. Add 1 14 oz can crushed tomatoes and simmer for about 15 min. add salt and pepper to taste. Add 4 oz mascarpone cheese and 1/4 cup Parmesan. Stir to combine. Add a bunch of fresh spinach and stir until just wilted. Remove from heat. Top with fresh basil leaves and Parmesan.

Other variations that I like to make from time to time:

Cook Gnocchi. In a saucepan heat oil, add garlic. Add 8 oz mushrooms, cook until golden. Add 1/2 pound peeled shrimp. Toss with Gnocchi, a few tablespoons of pesto and some diced tomatoes. Add some Parmesan cheese and serve

Last, very simple, is Gnocci ala Caprese:

Add your favorite tomato basil pasta sauce with packaged cooked gnocchi and toss in some of those baby buffalo mozzarella cheese balls. Toss with fresh basil leaves and some Parmesan cheese. I like this because the gnocchi and the mozzarella are roughly the same size. Tasty Tasty!

Last is a tasty veggie burger I have made a few times. Its nice and easy and you can make the patties during the day and then just put in the oven when you are ready. Super cheap and it makes 6 servings, so you'll likely have leftovers! Yum!

Black Bean Burgers with Mango Salsa Relish

Ingredients:

2 (15-ounce) cans black beans, rinsed and drained
3/4 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro, divided
3/4 cup (3 ounces) shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1/4 cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 medium jalapeño pepper, finely chopped
2 large egg whites
Cooking spray
1 1/4 cups chopped peeled mango (about 1 medium)
3 tablespoons chopped shallots
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 avocado, peeled and chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
6 (2-ounce) whole-wheat hamburger buns, lightly toasted
6 green leaf lettuce leaves

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Place black beans in a medium bowl; mash with a fork. Stir in 1/2 cup finely chopped cilantro and the next 7 ingredients (through egg whites). Shape bean mixture into 6 (1/2-inch-thick) patties. Arrange patties on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350 degrees F. for 20 minutes, carefully turning once.

Combine remaining 1/4 cup cilantro, mango, and the next 4 ingredients (through minced garlic) in a medium bowl. Place a patty on bottom half of each hamburger bun; top each with 1 lettuce leaf, 1/3 cup salsa, and top half of bun.

Source: Cooking Light recipe by Marina Delio, Santa Barbara, California, April 2010. You can find it here.

You aren't a real mom until you've mastered the art of cookie making!

There is a funny episode of Friends where Monica is trying to make the perfect chocolate chip cookie so that one day she can be the mom who makes the worlds greatest cookie. Well, being a mom is a serious job and making an excellent chocolate chip cookie is definitely part of the gig. Lucky for me, my mom DID make the worlds greatest cookies! Chocolate Chip and Snickerdoodle! So I don't have to painstakingly find the perfect recipe like Monica. I inherited them!

First up: Snickerdoodle, pictured above. These are hands down the best snickerdoodles out there! For some reason or other, it seemed that my mom was the only one who could make them just right. My sister and I tried on occasion and the cookies would turn too flat or crispy. For this reason we believed my mother was leaving out an ingredient on the recipe intentionally so that she alone would be the master cookie maker. Well I tried my hand at them again and I mastered it. I'm not really sure what the trick was. They just turned out! I brought them to an activity for church for the 8-12 year old girls. On my way out from the activity I noticed one of the girls had taken a bite of the cookie an then thrown the rest away! This to me was beyond disturbing. I honestly was shocked. And betrayed. And if I wasn't the good person that I was I would have retrieved the cookie and made the little girl eat it. I don't know what is wrong with that kid. Anyway... I assure you that is not the typical reaction when taking one bite out of these cookies.

Giant Snickerdoodles

Ingredients:

1 cup butter or margarine, softened

1 ½ cup plus 2 Tbsp. sugar

2 eggs

2 ¾ cup flour

2 tsp. cream of tartar

1 tsp. baking soda

¼ tsp. salt

2 tsp. cinnamon

Directions:

In large mixing bowl with mixer at medium speed, cream butter, 1 ½ cups sugar and eggs until light and fluffy, scraping sides of bowl occasionally. In a separate bowl, combine flour, cream of tartar, baking soda and salt. Add to creamed mixture until well blended. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Combine remaining 2 tablespoons sugar and cinnamon in a flat open bowl. Shape dough into 2 inch balls and roll in cinnamon-sugar. Place 3 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets. Bake 12-15 minutes until golden brown. Snickerdoodles will puff up at first, then flatten out to giant size during baking. Remove from cookie sheet and cool on wire rack.

Makes 2 dozen.

Next up: The Beloved Chocolate Chip Cookie. The bottom line is that the Chocolate Chip Cookie is like the Holy Grail of all cookies. It is everything a cookie ought to be. Crispy, chewy, doughy and of course sprinkled with rich creamy chocolate morsels. Yum! I don't care what anyone else says, Chocolate Chip Cookies really are THE cookie to master. Especially for moms. What kid could refuse? I made these as a young lass in my 4-H years and I won a blue ribbon at the fair. So here you have it, AWARD winning Chocolate Chip Cookies!

Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients:

1 lb. butter or margarine

1 ½ cup white sugar

2 cups brown sugar

3 eggs

6 cups flour

1 ½ tsp. salt

1 ½ tsp. baking soda

2 tsp. vanilla

2 bags (4 cups) chocolate chips

Walnuts, if desired

Directions:

Cream together butter, white sugar and brown sugar.

Then add eggs, flour, salt, baking soda and vanilla. Once incorporated, add chocolate chips and walnuts.  

Mix well. Put on ungreased cookie sheet with ice cream scoop. Bake at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes.

Freezer Dinners take 2

I just can't keep up with my sister. I meant to post this right after she posted her frozen dinners entry, but she has since posted like five other things. Oh well! As my more blog-productive sister stated, we are both within days of having babies! And the nesting phase has hit us both full force. I am actually quite proud of my accomplishments! I have stocked up our freezer to its full capacity with meals for me and hubby. If my calculations are correct, this should provide us with about 21 days worth of meals! Many of the meals I made are already on the Foodie Family blog. I will list them anyway along with the links to the recipes for your information. And I also have a few new recipes to add. So here it is...the contents of my freezer!

Ham: I got a big spiral ham for Christmas from my work. We had it Christmas Eve then froze the rest for later. I figure this should easily feed us for two days, plus a week's worth of ham sandwiches for lunch.

Soups, Stews and Chili: I think basically most soups, stews and chili are probably very freezer friendly. And it's great because you can make up a big batch and then have them for lunch leftovers too. I made some rolls, bread bowls and a very tasty Roulade to serve along side.

I made Tomato Soup, Squash Soup and Tortilla Soup, which have all been featured on this blog.

I also made a very delicious beef stew recipe that I got from this last month's Cooking Light magazine. It was scrumptious. My husband invited a friend over for dinner that night and I was a little sad to share it! ha ha! I'm awful! But we still had plenty for us and enough to freeze too. Here is the recipe for the beef stew:

ITALIAN BEEF STEW

Ingredients:

7 teaspoons olive oil, divided
1 1/2 cups chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped carrot
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 pounds boneless chuck roast, trimmed and cut into cubes
3/4 teaspoon salt, divided
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 cup dry red wine
3 3/4 cups chopped seeded peeled plum tomato (about 2 pounds)
1 1/2 cups fat-free, lower-sodium beef broth
1/2 cup water
2 teaspoons chopped fresh oregano
2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
1 bay leaf
1 (8-ounce) package cremini mushrooms, quartered
3/4 cup (1/4-inch-thick) slices carrot
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
1 tablespoon chopped parsley

Directions:
Heat a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add 1 teaspoon oil to pan. Add onion and chopped carrot; sauté 8 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add garlic; sauté for 45 seconds, stirring constantly. Remove from pan.
Add 1 tablespoon oil to pan. Place 1/4 cup flour in a shallow dish. Sprinkle beef with 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper; dredge in flour. Add half of beef to pan; sauté 6 minutes, browning on all sides. Remove from pan. Repeat procedure.
Add wine to pan, and bring to a boil, scraping pan. Cook until reduced to 1/3 cup (about 5 minutes). Return meat and the onion mixture to pan. Add tomato and next 6 ingredients; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally. Uncover, and stir in sliced carrot. Simmer, uncovered, for 1 hour or until meat is very tender, stirring occasionally. Discard bay leaf. Stir in remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, basil, and parsley.
Source: Cookinglight.com
I also made some chili from an Everyday Food recipe...but to tell you the truth, I had to modify the recipe so much and add so many spices and things to make it flavorful, the recipe isn't really worth posting.
Another good frozen meal I'm looking forward to eating again are calzones!
Calzones are really easy to make and can be modified with a whole variety of ingredients to fit your particular palate. I usually make homemade pizza dough and stuff them with all kinds of yummies, but this time I was just too pooped to knead the dough, so I just got the canned pizza dough. This wasn't the greatest idea. They still tasted good, but the dough really makes a huge difference. But if your goal is quick and simple, the pre-made dough will do just fine.
Here is what I used for our calzones:
Spinach, Mushroom and Sausage Calzones
Ingredients:
olive oil
1-2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 lb fresh or frozen spinach ( if frozen, thaw and squeeze out excess water)
1 package sliced mushrooms
1/2 lb sweet Italian sausage
1/2 jar pizza sauce
8 oz fresh mozzarella, cubed
1 package pizza dough, or fresh or frozen pizza dough
salt and pepper
oregano, to taste
Directions:
Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
Cook sausage in sauce pan until no longer pink, breaking up into chunks. Set aside.
Heat oil in saucepan over med high heat. Add garlic, cook 3o sec. Add mushroom, cook until softened and browned, about 5 minutes. Season with salt, pepper and oregano. Fresh basil would also be delicious. Add spinach, cook until just wilted. Add sausage, cook until warmed through. Remove from heat. Stir in pizza sauce and cheese.
Roll out pizza dough, divide into four sections, cut into rectangles. Spoon topping onto half of each rectangle. Fold other half up and pinch edges to seal.
Cook at 450 degrees (Or as directed by pizza dough package) for about 15-18 minutes or until lightly browned.
I just kind of made this recipe up. You could easily swap out ingredients. Get creative! It makes 4 calzones, and I froze two. To freeze, let calzone reach room temperature and then wrap tightly with aluminum foil. To reheat, place directly from frozen into a preheated oven and cook about 20- 30 minutes until warmed through.
Next up: Pastas!
Pasta is a really freezer friendly dish. I do believe my sister has shared some tasty baked pasta dishes. I made the Tomato Sausage Lasagna recipe she shared with us. It will feed us for a few days!
I also made some homemade ravioli from scratch with my pasta machine that my husband gave me for Christmas! It was a lot of fun, but A TON of work for an 8 month pregnant girl and I was seriously pooped the rest of the day after making them. I made two kinds, spinach and butternut squash and they were both delicious. I won't post the recipe at this point because you need special equipment and like I said, it was an all day affair. I think I might have to wait a few months to make more homemade pasta! But nevertheless, we have a few days of good eating to come from my labors.
I made two baked pasta casseroles that I got from the Martha Stewart/Everyday Food website.
The first is called Pastitsio, and is a lovely Greek pasta bake made with lamb and penne. The husband and I both enjoyed the unique flavor of the lamb and the creamy topping. It's a nice mix up from your traditional Italian baked pastas.

Pastitsio
Serves 8
Ingredients:
Coarse salt and ground pepper
1 pound penne, cooked and drained
2 pounds ground lamb
2 medium onions, diced
1/2 cup red wine
1 can (6 ounces) tomato paste
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
6 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
3 cups milk
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cook pasta, and drain; reserve. Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, over medium heat, cook lamb, breaking apart pieces with a wooden spoon, until no longer pink, 6-8 minutes. Add onions; cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent, about 5 minutes.

Transfer to a colander; drain fat, and discard. Return lamb to pan; add wine. Cook over medium heat until almost all liquid has evaporated, about 5 minutes.

Stir in tomato paste, cinnamon, and 2 cups water; simmer, stirring occasionally, until thickened, 15 to 20 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Make Parmesan Cheese Sauce while mixture is simmering: In a medium saucepan, melt butter over medium heat; whisk in flour until incorporated, about 30 seconds. In a slow steady stream, whisk in milk until there are no lumps.

Cook, whisking often, until mixture is thick and bubbly and coats the back of a wooden spoon, 6 to 8 minutes. Stir in cayenne, if desired, and Parmesan.

Add pasta to lamb mixture; transfer to a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Pour sauce over the top, smoothing with the back of a spoon until level. Bake until browned in spots, 35 to 40 minutes. Remove from oven; let cool 15 minutes before serving.

Read more at Marthastewart.com: Pastitsio - Martha Stewart Recipes
The next recipe I tried was Mediterranean Tuna Casserole. Now, I can honestly say I don't think I have ever had tuna casserole before. So I thought, what the hay! Why not try it? It was pretty good. It's definitely a comfort food dish. I don't think it will become part of our regular repertoire, but it is worth trying for sure. I added some sliced olives just for the heck of it.

Mediterranean Tuna Noodle Casserole

Serves 8
Ingredients:
1/3 cup olive oil, plus more for baking dishes
Coarse salt and ground pepper
1 pound wide egg noodles
2 red bell peppers (ribs and seeds removed), thinly sliced
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
5 cups whole milk
4 cans (6 ounces each) tuna in olive oil, drained
1 can (14 ounces) artichoke hearts, drained and thickly sliced
5 scallions, thinly sliced
1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Lightly oil two 8-inch square (or other shallow 2-quart) baking dishes. In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook noodles until 2 minutes short of al dente; drain, and return to pot.

Meanwhile, in a 5-quart Dutch oven or heavy pot, heat oil over medium. Add bell peppers; season with salt and pepper. Cook until crisp-tender, 4 to 6 minutes. Add flour and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Gradually add milk, stirring until smooth. Cook, stirring occasionally, until mixture comes to a simmer.

To Freeze: Prepare through step 3; cool to room temperature. Cover tightly with aluminum foil, and freeze up to three months.

To Bake from Frozen: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Bake, covered with foil, until center is warm, about 2 hours. Uncover, and bake until top is browned, about 20 minutes more.

To Bake from Thawed: Thaw overnight in refrigerator. Preheat oven to 400 degrees and bake, covered with foil, until center is warm, about 30 minutes. Uncover, and bake until top is browned, about 20 minutes more.

Remove from heat; add mixture to noodles in pot, along with tuna, artichoke hearts, and scallions. Season with salt and pepper, and toss. Divide between prepared baking dishes, and sprinkle with Parmesan. Bake until golden and bubbling, about 20 minutes.

Read more at Marthastewart.com: Mediterranean Tuna-Noodle Casserole - Martha Stewart Recipes

So speaking of casseroles, I also made the tasty Chicken Tamale Casserole previously posted on the blog.

I also tried one more new casserole, that I got from Martha's website. This was a tasty casserole, and it's a little different then your typical casserole so I thought I'd give it a try. I think it would be even better with a pound of sliced mushrooms added to it. And maybe some walnuts. I wish I would have thought of that! But even without, it's a very nice, savory dish.

Chicken-Sausage and Bean Casserole with Sage
Serves 8
Ingredients:
1/2 baguette (about 4 ounces), torn into pieces
1/4 cup olive oil
Coarse salt and ground pepper
1/3 cup fresh sage leaves (about 25)
1 large onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 pound fresh chicken sausage, casings removed
1/2 cup dry white wine, such as Sauvignon Blanc
3 cans (19 ounces each) cannellini beans, rinsed and drained

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a food processor, pulse bread until very coarse crumbs form (you should have about 3 cups). Add 2 tablespoons oil; pulse briefly to moisten. Season with salt and pepper; set breadcrumbs aside.

In a medium saucepan, heat remaining 2 tablespoons oil over medium-high heat. Add sage; cook until crisp, 2 to 3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer sage to a paper-towel-lined plate; set aside (reserve pan with oil).

Add onion and garlic to pan; cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is tender, 5 to 7 minutes. Add sausage and wine; cook, breaking sausage up with a wooden spoon, until cooked through, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in beans; cook until beans are tender and creamy, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Transfer sausage-and-bean mixture to a shallow 4-quart baking dish; scatter breadcrumbs over top. Place dish on a rimmed baking sheet, and bake until topping is golden, 25 to 30 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes before serving. Serve casserole topped with fried sage leaves.

Read more at Marthastewart.com: Chicken-Sausage and Bean Casserole with Sage - Martha Stewart Recipes

And lastly......I also made a nice quiche. I was making quiche for dinner and it dawned on me...hey this would be a pretty easy thing to double...I wonder if you can freeze it? So I did a Google search and according to the internet, quiche is easily frozen! I'll have to let you know how it turns out. According to the internet, you just place from frozen and bake at 350 for 25-35 minutes until warmed. I'll let you know how it turns out.

I had a favorite quiche recipe that I would use and then I lost it when my computer crashed, so I did my best to recreate it. And here is what I came up with. Again, like the calzones, feel free to mix in whatever veggies or cheeses you would like.

Laurie's Favorite Quiche

Ingredients:

4 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup ricotta cheese
1/2 cup Cheddar cheese
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon oregano
salt & pepper
veggies of your liking. I have done spinach and frozen veggies mixtures. This time I used halved cherry tomatoes and frozen corn
1 pie crust

Directions:

Prepare pie pan with refrigerated pie crust. Set aside.

Add eggs, cheeses, mustard, and spices. Mix in veggies. Pour into pie shell, cover with foil. Bake at 400 degrees for about 40 minutes, or until set. Cool for about 10 minutes.

Phew! That is about it for the contents of my freezer. I'm exhausted now just thinking about it! ha ha! I'm sure glad I made all those meals while I had the energy, because this week I am totally just relying on my crockpot!

Top of the Muffin to you!

You know, I really love muffins. Some people even call me love muffin. Well just my husband. Okay just kidding, he hasn't ever called me that. But the point is, muffins are very tasty! I have been making muffins fairly regularly while I have been pregnant. Bran Muffins, to up my fiber intake and sweet muffins to just hit that sweet tooth without pigging out on cake or donuts or something that is probably less healthy for you. Not that these muffins are necessarily healthy, but they do fill you up and that's better then a candy bar I say!

The fist muffin, pictured above is the tried and true Bran Muffin. Oh bran muffin, what would I do with out you?

I actually got this recipe off of the Bob's Red Mill Wheat Bran package.

1 cup Bob's Wheat Bran
1 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup raisins ( I omitted the raisins. Not a fan!)
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 cup milk
1/2 cup molasses or honey (I used honey)
3/4 cup applesauce
1/4 cup chopped nuts
2 T oil
2 eggs, beaten

Preheat oven to 400. Combine bran, flour, baking powder and soda. Stir in nuts and raisins. In a separate bowl, blend applesauce, milk, molasses or honey, oil and egg. Add to dry ingredients. Stir until just moistened. Spoon into greased muffin pan and bake 15-20 min.

Lemon Ricotta Muffins

I'm not exaggerating, these are the most delicious muffins I have ever tasted. I love them so much. I think that this might be one of my favorite recipes period. I just love the lemon/almond flavor and the ricotta makes a nice moist texture. You've got to try these. I got the recipe from Giada De Laurentis, from the Everyday Itailian show on the food network. I have to say, pretty much all of the recipes of hers that I have tried have been super yummy and easy. I need to buy her cookbook!

Nonna's Lemon Ricotta Biscuits

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup plus 1 teaspoon sugar or more as needed for sprinkling
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest (from 2 lemons)
• 1 cup whole-milk ricotta cheese
• 1 large egg
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
• 1/3 cup thinly sliced almonds

Directions

Line 12 muffin cups with paper liners. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl to blend. Using an electric mixer, beat 1 cup sugar, butter, and lemon zest in a large bowl until light and fluffy. Beat in the ricotta. Beat in the egg, lemon juice, and almond extract. Add the dry ingredients and stir just until blended (the batter will be thick and fluffy).
Divide the batter among the prepared muffin cups. Sprinkle the almonds and then the remaining 1 teaspoon of sugar over the muffins. Bake until the muffins just become pale golden on top, about 20 minutes. Cool slightly. Serve warm or at room temperature.


And last but not least, The Banana Crumb Muffin. These muffins are a great way to use up over ripe banana's. They are very yummy and the brown sugar topping makes it feel like eating dessert. I like to add a few tablespoons of Wheat Germ to boost the fiber. It doesn't change the texture or flavor much. I got this recipe from Allrecipes.com.

Banana Crumb Muffin

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3 bananas, mashed
• 3/4 cup white sugar
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 1/3 cup butter, melted
• 1/3 cup packed brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon butter

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Lightly grease 10 muffin cups, or line with muffin papers.
2. In a large bowl, mix together 1 1/2 cups flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. In another bowl, beat together bananas, sugar, egg and melted butter. Stir the banana mixture into the flour mixture just until moistened. Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups.
3. In a small bowl, mix together brown sugar, 2 tablespoons flour and cinnamon. Cut in 1 tablespoon butter until mixture resembles coarse cornmeal. Sprinkle topping over muffins.
4. Bake in preheated oven for 18 to 20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into center of a muffin comes out clean.

Gingerbread!

Last year my husband and I decided to start a little tradition of making/decorating gingerbread houses. So far we have had a lot of fun doing it and the best part about it is that is makes your house smell like christmas! You can't get that from the kits in the grocery store. I got the recipe from Martha Stewarts website. The dough is a little difficult to work with, so make sure its chilled well. Also, when you roll it out, make sure you have plenty of flour! It will stick otherwise. The recipe also says to bake on an ungreased cookie sheet. This is unwise advice. I tried it had to scrape gingerbread off the cookie sheet. A sheet of parchment paper works great.

Here is the recipe! Try it! Its a fun family activity and you can eat it on Christmas with a warm cup of cocoa if you want to! Also, if you click on the link at the end of the post you can see the site and download a template. I just made one up, which you can do too!

Also, I am not going to include the recipe for Royal Icing that I used this year. It was terrible. I believe my mother has one that I used last year that was much better.

Makes enough for 5 small house kits (NOTE: The photo above is a little larger house, I made three medium sized houses with this recipe)

• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
• 1 cup dark-brown sugar
• 4 teaspoons ground ginger
• 4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cloves
• 1 teaspoon finely ground black pepper
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 2 large eggs
• 1 1/2 cups unsulfured molasses
• 6 cups all-purpose flour

Directions

1. In a large bowl, sift together flour, baking soda, and baking powder; set aside.
2. In an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter and brown sugar until fluffy. Mix in spices and salt. Beat in eggs and molasses.
3. Add flour mixture; mix on low speed until thoroughly combined. Divide dough into thirds and wrap in plastic. Chill for at least 1 hour.
4. Heat oven to 350 degrees. On a well-floured surface, roll out dough to 1/8 inch thick. Cut into desired shapes, or using template instructions, if desired. Place dough shapes on ungreased baking sheets; chill until firm, about 15 minutes. Bake 15 minutes, or until gingerbread is firm in the center, but not dark around the edges.

Read more at Marthastewart.com: Gingerbread for Gingerbread House Kit - Martha Stewart Recipes

Speaking of Tomatoes....

So speaking of tomatoes....I have been trying to use up my little garden babies before they all go bad. Two great solutions: roasting them and freezing them! Then you can preserve the delicious flavor, save a little money, and utilize your homegrown produce. I have one recipe for each! For the first recipe I used roasted tomatoes, which are one of the most wonderfully flavorful and delicious things on the planet. To roast tomatoes, cut lengthwise and place in a bowl. Add a few tablespoons olive oil, some salt, pepper, sugar, and oregano and give a good toss. Then on a cookie sheet lined with foil place tomatoes cut side up. For this batch, I slow roasted them, which really intensifies the flavor. I roasted them at 200 degrees for about 6 hours. You can store these in an airtight container in the refrigerator and serve them on salads, or use them in recipes.
If you don't have time to slow roast them you can broil them like in the roasted tomato soup recipe.
Now on to the featured recipe.... When I was blog surfing the other day I found this recipe on one of my favorite blogs, Design Sponge. I knew it was right up my alley and that I could use my garden babies to make a tasty meal. The recipe calls for taleggio cheese, which I have never tried, but it sounded expensive! ha ha. So I used mozzarella instead. The creme fraiche was really what sold me on making this recipe. If you have never tried it, try it! It is so decadent! (but also a bit of a splurge in more ways than one I am sure) I modified this recipe also by adding less cheese. I generally do that just to make things a bit healthier.
You could use this recipe as a base to make all kinds of culinary delights. Think of switching up the cheeses and adding different ingredients in the stuffing. Goat cheese with mushroom would be nice. Or maybe you could try brie and apple. Or prosciutto and smoked mozzarella, or good old fashion ham and cheddar. Oh so many choices. The crust was really flaky and tasty. If you are really pressed for time and want to make this a week day meal perhaps you could use pre-made bread dough, but that takes all the fun out of it!!!
Taleggio and Spinach Roulade (serves 6)
Dough Ingredients

• 160 ml (2/3 cup) full-fat milk
• 2 tsp dried active yeast
• 1 tsp caster sugar
• 3½ tbsp sunflower oil
• 1 whole medium egg
• 1 egg yolk
• ½ tsp salt
• 350 g (3 cups minus one tablespoon) strong white flour (bread flour)

Filling Ingredients

• 80 g (3 ounces) crème fraiche
• ½ tsp salt
• 100 g (3.5 ounces) baby spinach leaves
• 20 g (1 ounce) basil leaves
• 100 g (3.5 ounces) Pecorino cheese, grated
• 250 g (9 ounces) Taleggio cheese, sliced (or substitute with a mixture of cheddar and mozzarella)
• 100 g (3.5 ounces) semi-dried marinated tomatoes

To Finish

• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 handful of poppy seeds

Instructions
1. In a small saucepan, warm up the milk very slightly, just to about 30°C/85°F. Add the yeast and stir to dissolve. Set aside for about 10 minutes to activate the yeast.
2. Place the rest of the dough ingredients in the bowl of an electric mixer. Add the yeast and milk and work with a dough hook on slow speed for about 2 minutes. Increase to high speed and knead for another 7 minutes, by which point the dough should become a smooth, shiny ball (this process could also be done by hand; you will probably need to knead the dough for an extra 5–10 minutes).
3. Transfer the dough to a large bowl brushed with a little oil. Cover the bowl with a wet cloth and put it somewhere warm. After about 45 minutes, once the dough has doubled in size, line a 30 cm x 40 cm (roughly 12 in. x 16 in.) oven tray with greaseproof paper.
4. Transfer the dough to a work surface dusted very lightly with flour and roll it out thinly so it reaches the size of the tray. Line the tray with the dough, pulling it right out into the corners. Cover with the tea towel again and leave for 30 minutes.
5. Once the rolled-out dough has risen significantly, cover it with the filling. Use a palette knife to spread the crème fraiche all over the surface, sprinkle salt and then scatter the spinach, basil, Pecorino, Taleggio and tomatoes.
6. Carefully pick up one of the longer sides of the dough and roll and push it all up into a neat spiral log shape. Stand the log on the seam so it doesn’t unravel when baked. Cover the tray in the tea towel again and leave for another 30 minutes.
7. Preheat the oven to 200°C/390°F .
8. Brush the roulade’s surface gently with the beaten egg and then scatter on the poppy seeds. Make sure the oven has reached 200°C/390°F and then put the tray inside. After 10 minutes, reduce the temperature to 160°C/320°F.
9. Continue baking for roughly 25 minutes. Don’t worry if the roulade breaks or cracks a little. When ready, it should have taken on a nice dark brown color. Stick a sharp knife inside to check. It should come out with some melted cheese but no dough.
10. Remove the roulade from the oven, allow it to cool down a little (or completely) and cut into thick slices. Serve immediately with a salad.
This recipe originally appeared on Waitrose.com in May 2008.

Read more at Design*Sponge http://www.designspongeonline.com/2010/10/in-the-kitchen-with-yotam-ottolenghis-taleggio-roulade.html#ixzz13VOr34un

Techniques: Freezing TomatoesI got the idea for freezing tomatoes from my Everyday Food magazine.

The information below came from the National Center for Home Food Preservation. Check out the website here. They have all kinds of good ideas for preserving food.

Preparation--Select firm, ripe tomatoes with deep red color.

Raw--Wash and dip in boiling water for 30 seconds to loosen skins. Core and peel. Freeze whole or in pieces. Pack into containers, leaving 1-inch headspace. Seal and freeze. Use only for cooking or seasoning as tomatoes will not be solid when thawed.

Above: Here are my "frozen tomatoes" after I peeled them, but before I put them in the freezer.

Juice--Wash, sort, and trim firm, vine-ripened tomatoes. Cut in quarters or eigths. Simmer 5-10 minutes. Press through a sieve. If desired, season with 1 teaspoon salt to each quart of juice. Pour into containers, leaving headspace. Seal and freeze.

Stewed--Remove stem ends, peel and quarter ripe tomatoes. Cover and cook until tender (10-20 minutes). Place pan containing tomatoes in cold water to cool. Pack into containers, leaving headspace. Seal and freeze.

Now on to the featured recipe. I know I have a tendency for posting complex recipes. That is just what I enjoy making the most! But this recipe is easy peasy and super cheap. It comes from Everyday Food, one of my favorite sources for delicious and easy recipes. The only thing I modified was that I added mushrooms just because they are delicious. We served it over rice.

Chicken in Tomatoes

This recipe for chicken in tomatoes was created with frozen summer produce, but if you just can't wait, fresh will work just as well.

Read more at marthastewart.com: Chicken in Tomatoes - Martha Stewart Recipes

Ingredients:

2 pounds frozen tomatoes (4 cups), thawed
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
4 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (1 1/2 pounds total)
Coarse salt and ground pepper
1 small yellow onion, thinly sliced (1 cup)
3 garlic cloves, smashed and peeled
3 sprigs oregano

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a food processor, pulse tomatoes until coarsely chopped. In a large ovenproof skillet, heat oil over medium-high. Season chicken with salt and pepper and cook, skin side down, until golden and crisp, about 7 minutes. Flip and cook 1 minute. Transfer chicken to a plate and drain all but 1 tablespoon fat from skillet. Reduce heat to medium. Add onion to skillet and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, 1 minute. Add tomatoes, season with salt and pepper, and bring to a boil.

Add chicken, skin side up, and oregano, then transfer skillet to oven. Cook until chicken is cooked through, 25-30 minutes.

Above: Chicken in Tomatoes.  After trying this wonderful recipe that was shared by my sister, my husband and I decided that this would be equally delicious served over pasta or served with a crusty loaf of bread (to sop up the tomato and juices...kind of like a make-it-yourself bruschetta).

Hey a Pregnant Mormon can have a Mojito too!

Okay....So its not a Mojito that you drink...and it doesn't have any alcohol in it...but it combines the citrusy/mint flavors that a Mojito has (or so I've been told!) I found this recipe in Food and Wine Magazine back in February. The recipe originally calls for chicken, which we made previously and it was delicious, and this time I thought I'd try it with some Tilapia, and it was equally tasty! I love the combination of grapefruit/lime/mint/cilantro. It is very refreshing, flavorful and satisfying. Not to mention this is a very healthy meal. Maybe you can eat this the day after you cook the Chalupa's!

Here is the Original Recipe for the Chicken Mojito's. All I did was substitute fish, and I broiled it, because Tilapia is kind of a pain to grill. You could grill up a nice Halibut and it would be even more delicious! But like I said, I have made this with chicken and it was yum yum too.

Citrusy Mojito Fish or Chicken

1. 1 red grapefruit
2. 1 lime
3. 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
4. 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
5. 2 tablespoons chopped mint
6. Salt and freshly ground pepper
7. 1 1/2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken thighs (Or white fish such as tilapia, halibut, orange roughy...)
8. 2 tablespoons chopped red onion

1. Light a grill or preheat a grill pan. Using a sharp knife, peel the grapefruit and lime, removing all of the bitter pith. Cut in between the membranes and release the sections onto a work surface. Squeeze the membranes over a medium bowl to extract the juices. Stir in half each of the olive oil, cilantro and mint and season with salt and pepper. Add the chicken and toss to coat. *If you opt to broil fish, simply heat broil, and cook for about 5 min until fish is fork tender. Do not overcook.
2. Grill the chicken thighs over moderately high heat, turning them occasionally, until they are lightly charred outside and cooked through, 8 to 10 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, coarsely chop the grapefruit and lime sections and transfer to a bowl. Add the red onion and the remaining olive oil, cilantro and mint. Season with salt and pepper. Serve the chicken thighs with the citrus salsa.

No Soup For You!

Why no soup for you? Because that leaves more for me! First off let me apologize. This is my worst food photo of all time. I have an excuse. It slipped my mind to take a picture until my hubby (Who didn't get home to eat his dinner until close to 9) was about to dig in! Stop! I need a picture! so I hurried and snapped this out of focus, poorly orchestrated image. Now that is a good husband who will wait to dig in after a long day to indulge his silly wife.

Anyway, as I mentioned before...I LOVE soup. Once September hits, its one soup a week at our house. They are cheap and satisfying and always leave leftovers. So this week the soup in the spotlight is a lovely hearty butternut squash beauty. I actually love having squash in my garden primarily because they make such lovely soup. We have 2 squash soup recipes that we love in our house. The first, which is the one pictured is a more rich and savory. It comes from Jamie Oliver, one of my favorite celeb chefs. The second soup, is a sweet & spicy curry with coconut milk which I absolutely adore. I have made it several times for guest and they always rave about it! Both soups are equally delicious.

Jamie's Superb Squash Soup as found on his site here
the only modification I made is that I have never used the sage leaves. I am sure they would be delicious, but I don't have them in my garden and don't really fancy the idea of spending a few dollars on a garnish. One day I'll try them. I have made the croutons and they are yummy!

• olive oil
• 16 fresh sage leaves
2 red onion, peeled and chopped
• 2 sticks of celery, trimmed and chopped
• 2 carrots, peeled and chopped
• 4 cloves of garlic, peeled and chopped
• 2 sprigs of fresh rosemary, leaves picked
• ½–1 fresh red chilli, to taste, deseeded and finely chopped
• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2kg butternut squash, onion squash, or musque de Provence, halved, deseeded and cut into chunks
• 2 litres good-quality chicken or vegetable stock
• extra virgin olive oil

for the croutons
• extra virgin olive oil
16 slices of ciabatta bread
• a block of Parmesan cheese, for grating
Put a very large saucepan on a medium heat and pour in a couple of lugs of olive oil. Add the sage leaves and fry for around 30 seconds or until dark green and crisp. Quickly remove them with a slotted spoon to a bowl lined with kitchen paper – you’ll use these for sprinkling over at the end. In the pan you’ll be left with a beautifully flavoured oil, so put it back on the heat and throw in your onion, celery, carrot, garlic, rosemary leaves, chilli and a good pinch of salt and pepper. Cook gently for about 10 minutes until the vegetables are sweet and soft. Add the squash and the stock to the pan, bring to the boil and simmer for around half an hour.

While the soup is cooking, make your croutons. Drizzle a little olive oil over the ciabatta slices, pat it in and press some grated Parmesan on to each side. Place in a non-stick pan without any oil and fry until golden on both sides.

When the squash is soft and cooked through, whiz the soup with a hand blender or pour it into a liquidizer and pulse until you have a smooth purée (but you can leave it slightly chunky if you like). Most importantly, remember to taste and season it until it’s perfect. Divide the soup between your bowls, placing 2 croutons on top of each. Sprinkle with a few of your crispy sage leaves and drizzle with a swirl of good-quality extra virgin olive oil.

Red Curry & Coconut Squash Soup
I found this recipe on a local foodie blog, Restaurant Widow.

One medium butternut squash about 2 lbs

2 tbsp butter or good olive oil

2 tbsp garlic

2 tbsp fresh ginger

salt

1 14 ounce can lite coconut milk

14 ounces chicken stock (or vegetable stock, if you'd like to keep things vegetarian)

1/2 tbsp - 1 1/2 tbsp red curry paste, depending on how you like your heat level. I'd start with less, because you can always add more but you can't take away!

1/4 cup brown sugar

Cut the squash and scoop out the seeds. Place it in a steaming basket and steam for about 20-25 minutes, or until very soft. You could also bake the squash if you prefer. Be sure the water doesn't boil out! Allow to cool until you can handle the squash, and then scoop out the flesh. Mash lightly with a fork and set aside.

Have the coconut milk can open and nearby.

Heat a medium saucepan over medium/medium-low heat and melt the butter. Add the garlic/ginger puree and cook for a few minutes, just until the butter begins to brown very slightly - be careful, because this can lead to burning very quickly. Everything should smell sweet and nutty. As soon as this happens, add the coconut milk. Fill the empty coconut milk can with chicken stock, and add that to the pot. Add the curry paste, the brown sugar, the fish sauce, and a nice big pinch of salt. Bring to a simmer over medium heat and allow to reduce slightly, maybe 5 minutes or so, then add the squash. Turn the heat off and puree the soup with a stick blender. Taste and adjust seasonings. If desired, you can garnish the soup with a little bit of coconut creme, which is a different product from coconut milk, and is very sweet - it makes a nice foil for the spiciness of the soup.