Cranberry Nut Bread

I was trying to decide what to give the helpers at B's after school care for Christmas.  There are 6 of them so I needed something that wouldn't break the budget!  I decided to make them a gift this year and came upon this recipe.  I tripled the recipe to make the right amount.  This recipe will make 1 regular size loaf pan or 2 mini pans.  I ended up with 7 mini loaves.  The house smelled amazing while they were cooking!  We'll have to try some tomorrow for breakfast!

Here's the batter, cranberries and pecans

Here are my 7 loaves cooling

The loaves are packaged and ready to be delivered

Ingredients:
1/3 cup orange juice
2 teaspoons grated orange zest, from one orange
2/3 cup buttermilk
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 large egg
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup fresh or frozen cranberries, chopped coarse
1/2 cup walnuts or pecans (I used pecans)

Directions

Adjust oven rack to middle position and preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray bottom of 9 x 5-inch loaf pan with non-stick cooking spray.

In a small bowl, stir together orange juice, orange zest, buttermilk, butter and egg. Set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, salt, cinnamon, baking powder and baking soda. Stir liquid ingredients into dry with rubber spatula until just moistened. Gently stir in cranberries and nuts. Do not overmix.

Scrape batter into prepared loaf pan and spread evenly with a rubber spatula. Bake for 20 minutes, then reduce heat to 350 degrees. Continue to bake until golden brown and toothpick inserted into center of loaf comes out clean, about 45 minutes longer. Cool loaf in pan for about 10 minutes, then turn out onto wire rack and cool at least one hour before serving.

Pan Seared Chicken in a Mushroom Mustard Sauce

I'm always looking for different ways to make chicken because we have so much of it!  I saw 2 recipes that looked good and ended up making this one on Friday night.  It's an easy weeknight dinner (another plus in my book!) that tastes great!  I served M's and mine over brown rice and put B's with some white rice.  The original recipe calls for tarragon but I used thyme just because I prefer it.  I was skeptical about cooking the chicken on the stove top because we had the thicker Costco chicken breasts.  I was able to pound them pretty thin and it worked out just fine.

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon oil
• 4 small chicken breasts, pounded thin and seasoned with salt and pepper
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 tablespoon oil
• 8 ounces mushrooms, sliced
• 1 medium shallot, finely diced
• 1 clove garlic, chopped
• 1/2 cup chicken broth
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 2 tablespoons grainy mustard
• 2 tablespoons dried thyme
• salt and pepper

Directions:

Heat the oil in a large pan over medium-high heat, season the chicken with salt and pepper, add it to the pan and cook until browned, about 2-3 minutes per side and set aside.

Add the oil and mushrooms and saute until browned on both sides, about 7-8 minutes

Add the shallot and saute for 1 minute.

Add the garlic and saute for half a minute.

Add the wine, deglaze the pan, add the chicken broth and cream, bring to a boil and let simmer until reduced by half, about 5-7 minutes.

Mix in the mustard and tarragon, season with salt and pepper, return the chicken to the pan and cook for 2-3 minutes.

Italian Chicken Skillet

I saw this recipe and it looked pretty easy to throw together on a weeknight.  I made B's with regular thin chicken breasts but used chicken sausage for M's and mine.  The original recipe calls to marinade the chicken breasts first but since I was in a rush, I just did salt & pepper on the chicken breasts.   It also calls for chicken broth but I must have used all of mine.  I subbed a dry white wine and it turned out fine.  The skim evaporated milk makes it a little less calorie filled - which is always a plus too!

Ingredients:
8oz penne pasta
2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
1/4 small onion, minced
salt & pepper
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup chicken broth (I used dry white wine)
8oz tomato sauce (I used marinara sauce because I had it already opened in the 'fridge)
1 cup evaporated skim milk
1 teaspoon flour
4 teaspoons prepared pesto

Directions:
Saute marinated chicken in a large skillet sprayed well with non-stick spray over medium heat for 5-6 minutes a side, or until no longer pink in the center. Remove to a plate then cover loosely with foil to stay warm and set aside. Carefully wipe out skillet with a spatula or wet paper towel. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil then season with salt and add penne. Cook until al dente then drain and set aside.

Still over medium heat, add oil to the skillet then add onions and season with salt and pepper. Saute for 3-4 minutes, or until tender, then add garlic and saute, stirring constantly, for 30 more seconds. Carefully add chicken broth then let simmer until reduced by half, about 2 minutes. Add tomato sauce and evaporated milk then whisk in flour and pesto. Simmer until thick and bubbly, about 2-3 minutes. Add cooked and drained pasta then toss to combine. Portion out to plates then top with cooked chicken.

Assorted Bagels

I struggle with what to give B every morning for breakfast.  She likes bagels but I always forget to pick them up.  I thought I'd try making them yesterday.  I was surprised that they really aren't that tough to make.  The dough takes some time to rise but aside from that, they were a breeze!  We did plain, poppy seed, sesame seed and everything bagels.  We had them this morning for breakfast and loved them!

I'm guessing that using "bread flour" is part of the trick to this recipe!  The last few times I've tried making dough for pizza, it hasn't turned out well at all!  I will definitely use bread flour for that next time because this dough was very easy!  I found the recipe here.

Here's the dough after an hour of resting & rising

Here's the 10 "mini" balls of dough

Here they are getting ready for the simmering water

Here's the final product

Ingredients:

2 teaspoons of active dry yeast
1 1/2 teaspoon of granulated sugar
1 /1/4 cup of warm water (avoid hot but warm)
3.5 cups of high gluten flour (or bread flour if you can’t locate it.)
1.5 teaspoon of salt
Egg, whisked for egg wash

Toppings for everything bagels:  In a bowl I mixed 1 tsp of each: caraway seeds, coarse salt, fennel seeds, cracked pepper corns, poppy seeds, toasted sesame seeds.

Directions:
In a measuring cup, add 1/2 cup of warm water and add the sugar.  Stir to dissolve then add the yeast on top and let it sit (don’t mix).  Let this sit for 5 minutes.  Then stir the yeast to blend.

In a stand mixer bowl, add the flour and salt.  Make a well in the center of the mixture and the pour the yeast/sugar mixture (after it’s complete) into the center.  Also, add the 3/4 cup water.  With the dough hook, mix to combine for about 6 -8 minutes.  If the dough is still dry, add a tablespoon of water at a time to add additional moisture.

Onto a floured countertop, remove the dough from the stand mixer and knead it by hand for about 8 minutes or until elastic.

Take a large bowl and oil the interior.  Add the dough and cover with a damp towel.  Set in a draft-free location.  I typically place it in the microwave.  Do this for one hour.  Punch down the dough after one hour and let rest for an additional 10 minutes.

Remove the dough and divide into 10 smaller round balls.  Place on a baking sheet and cover with a damp towel.  After an additional 10 minutes remove each ball. Lay it flat and press with the heel of your hand to flatten the bagel a big (don’t crush it) on the floured countertop and press your index finger in the center and exaggerate the hole size.  Repeat.

Preheat your oven to 425.  On the stove top, fill a saucepan with water and bring to a boil.  Once boiling, turn the water down to a simmer.  Working in batches, add one or two bagels to the water and let it cook for one minute on one side then repeat on the other side.  Remove with a slotted spoon and place on the baking sheet with a Silpat.  Repeat until each bagel has been boiled on each side.  Take your egg wash and brush on the top of each bagel. Sprinkle your topping on each bagel.  Place in the oven and bake for 22-24 minutes.  Remove and let cool. Store in ziploc baggies.

Chicken & Broccoli Casserole

I needed a quick, easy weeknight dinner last week.  I saw this recipe and gave it a whirl.  It's nothing fancy but it was tasty.  I called it my one dish wonder!

Ingredients:
4 ounces dried medium noodles
2 1/2 cups chopped cooked chicken 
1 10 ounce package frozen chopped broccoli, thawed
1 10 3/4 ounce can condensed cream of mushroom soup
1/2 cup skim milk
1/2 cup shredded Mozzerella cheese (2 ounces)
1 teaspoon Italian Seasoning
Salt & Pepper

Directions:
Cook noodles according to package directions. Drain well.
2. 
In a 2-quart casserole stir together noodles, chicken, broccoli

In a medium mixing bowl stir together soup, milk, cheese, Italian Seasoning, Salt & Pepper.  Stir into noodle mixture.

Bake, covered, in a 350 degree F oven for 40 to 45 minutes or until heated through.  Makes 6 servings.

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Reindeer Cupcakes

We aren't original for doing this but we definitely had fun making them!  B had a "cupcake wars" with her Brownie troop and we decided to make reindeer cupcakes.  We used our vanilla cupcake recipe and then decorated them.  They turned out so cute!

Here's B decorating them

Her finished product - Rudolph up front and some "snow" in the back

Ingredients:
1 ¼ cups (lightly spooned in the measuring cup and levelled with a knife) flour
¾ cup granulated sugar
2 tsps baking powder
½ tsp salt
6 Tbs (3 oz) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
½ cup water
1 large egg, at room temperature
1 yolk from a large egg, at room temperature
1 Tbs vanilla extract
2 tsp Plain Greek Yogurt

For the decorations: Mini pretzels broken at the top for the antlers, mini Nilla wafers for the mouth, M&M's (a red one and whatever other color you want for the nose, candy eyes, black icing for lips, brown frosting

Directions:
Position an oven rack in the center of the oven and preheat oven to 375°F (190°C) – I have an unusually hot oven so I set mine to 180°C). Line 12 regular-sized (2 ¾-inch diameter) muffin cups with paper or foil liners (I used silicone cupcake cups).

Put the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in a medium or large mixing bowl and whisk to combine.

Put the melted butter, water, egg and yolk, vanilla and Greek yogurt in a small bowl and whisk until well blended. Pour the wet ingredients over the dry and whisk until well blended and smooth, about 1 minute.

Portion the batter evenly among the prepared muffin cups, filling each about 2/3 full. (I poured the batter into a large measuring cup with a spout, which makes pouring easier and neater.) Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted in the center of a cupcake comes out clean, 14 to 16 minutes. Move to a wire rack and let cool for 15 minutes. Carefully remove the cupcakes from the pan, set them on a wire rack and let cool completely.

Sausage & Spinach Stuffed Shells

I'm a bit behind on updating the blog!  M spent most of his week home working on the plane last week.  It was pretty cold out and I was trying to make nice dinners for him so he could warm up!  I found this recipe for stuffed shells.  I wanted something that wasn't the normal all cheese stuffed shell.   I used fresh spinach and just chopped it up.  I also threw in about 1/2 lb of ground beef.  The recipe didn't call for putting sauce on the shells while they cooked, but I added some marinara sauce to it.  This was delicious and even better left over!

Here are the shells ready for the oven

Here's one of the dishes

Ingredients:
16-18 jumbo pasta shells
1 pound fresh pork sausage links, casing removed
1/2 lb ground beef
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 (14-ounce) can diced tomatoes - I used the basil and oregano one
1 cup fresh spinach, chopped
1/2 cup ricotta cheese
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
salt and freshly ground pepper
Marinara sauce

Directions:
Fill a large bowl with cold water and ice, set aside.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta shells and cook according to package directions. Drain well then add to ice water until ready to stuff.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add pork sausage & beef  then use a wooden spoon to break up the sausage, cook 5-6 minutes until browned.
Add garlic and cook 30 seconds then add tomatoes and spinach; cook 1 minute. Remove pan from heat and stir in ricotta cheese
Pour a light coating of marinara sauce in the bottom of a baking pan (9x9 or 9x13).  Using a spoon, fill pasta shells with filling and arrange in a baking dish. Sprinkle tops with shredded cheese and drizzle more marinara sauce on top then bake in the oven 25-30 minutes until cheese has melted and tips of shells begin to crisp and brown.

Enjoy!

Au Gratin Potatoes (Weight Watchers)

I made these to accompany the Peppercorn Crusted Beef Tenderloin.  I wanted a comfort food but didn't want all the calories.  I think these are great and would prefer them over the super heavy version of Au Gratin potatoes.  I found this recipe by just Googling for a light recipe.

Not the prettiest picture but the taste was really good!

Our full meal

Ingredients:
1 spray of cooking spray
1 tbsp salted butter
1 medium uncooked onion, diced
2 tbsp all purpose flour
2 cups fat free skim milk
2 lbs uncooked Yukon potatoes, thinly sliced
1 cup low fat shredded cheddar cheese
Salt & Pepper

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 375°F. Coat a 2-quart covered baking dish with cooking spray.
  
• Melt butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until onion begins to brown, about 5 minutes. Stir in flour; add milk slowly, stirring. Add potatoes and stir to mix. Bring to a boil. Stir in 3/4 cup of cheese, salt and pepper.
  
• Pour mixture into prepared baking dish and level out surface. Bake for 1 hour, uncovered. Cover and bake until potatoes are fork-tender, about 20 minutes more.
  
• Change oven temperature to broil. Sprinkle remaining cheese over potatoes. Broil 6 inches from the heating element until the cheese is golden brown, about 1 to 2 minutes. Allow to cool for 5 minutes before slicing into 8 pieces.

Peppercorn Crusted Beef Tenderloin

As I mentioned in an earlier post, I had some time to look through the latest Cooking Light Magazine on my travels for Thanksgiving.  I thought this one sounded really good and went to Costco to find a nice tenderloin.  I enjoy my beef at a medium rare temperature and these came out perfectly!  The flavor is really nice!

The beef as I started to cook it

The beef resting

Our meal (with Weight Watchers Au Gratin Potatoes)

Ingredients:
4 (4oz) beef tenderloin steaks
2 tsp cracked black pepper
1/2 tsp kosher salt, divided
4 tsp olive oil, divided
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat leaf parsley (I used dried and less)
3 tbsp cilantro (I omitted because I don't like it)
1-1/2 tsp fresh garlic, chopped
1 tsp fresh oregano (I used dried)
1/2 tsp grated lemon rind
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

Directions:
Drizzle a little olive oil on each side of the steaks.  Sprinkle evenly with pepper and 1/4 tsp salt.

Heat oven proof skillet over medium high heat.  Add 1 tsp oil & swirl to coat.  Add steaks to pan and cook for 3 minutes per side, or until desired temperature.  Set aside to rest.

Combine remaining oil, remaining 1/4 tsp salt, parsley & remaining ingredients in a small bowl.  Whisk to combine.  Drizzle over each steak and serve.

Enjoy!

Braised (Bone In) Short Ribs

M has been working on the plane all week in these cold temps.  I've been trying to have a warm / nice meal ready when he gets home.  If you haven't checked it out, I made a chicken pot pie earlier this week.  I posted a new picture to show that it actually turned out this time!  (Small wins!!)
This recipe is for bone in short ribs.  I always worry when I make something that M has made...and well!  He hasn't tried the bone in type though so I thought I'd give it a try.  These were fall off the bone tender and just so flavorful!  They take hours to roast so, it's a good weekend meal!

Ingredients: (4-5 servings)
8 whole Beef Short RibsKosher Salt and Pepper To Taste
1/4 cup All-purpose Flour
6 pieces Pancetta, Diced (I used bacon because I couldn't find pancetta)
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
1 whole Medium Onion, Diced
3 whole Carrots, Diced
2 whole Shallots, Peeled And Finely Minced
2 cups Red Or White Wine
2 cups Beef Or Chicken Broth (enough To Almost Cover Ribs)
2 sprigs Thyme
2 sprigs Rosemary

Directions:
Salt and pepper ribs, then dredge in flour. Set aside.

In a large dutch oven, cook pancetta over medium heat until complete crispy and all fat is rendered. Remove pancetta and set aside. Do not discard grease.

Add olive oil to pan with the pancetta grease, and raise heat to high. Brown ribs on all sides, about 45 seconds per side. Remove ribs and set aside. Turn heat to medium.

Add onions, carrots, and shallots to pan and cook for 2 minutes. Pour in wine and scrape bottom of pan to release all the flavorful bits of glory. Bring to a boil and cook 2 minutes.

Add broth, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, and plenty of freshly ground black pepper. Taste and add more salt if needed. Add ribs to the liquid; they should be almost completely submerged. Add thyme and rosemary sprigs (whole) to the liquid.

Put on the lid and place into the oven. Cook at 350 for 2 hours, then reduce heat to 325 and cook for an additional 30 to 45 minutes. Ribs should be fork-tender and falling off the bone. Remove pan from oven and allow to sit for at least 20 minutes, lid on, before serving. At the last minute, skim fat off the top of the liquid. (Can also refrigerate mixture, then remove solid fat from the top.)

Sour Cream Pork Chops with Vidalia Onion

I fully intended to get take out the night I made these but when I saw the recipe, I thought it sounded really good!  The meal comes together pretty easily and can be done on a weeknight - another plus for me!  I would shorten the cook time just a little as I thought the chops were slightly over-done but aside from that, a good pork recipe!  I added a few things to the recipe based on reviews on the original recipe.  I'll notate them below.

Ingredients:

• Three 1 1/2 to 2-inch thick boneless pork chops
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 1/2 cups sliced Vidalia onion, separated into rings
• 1 cup beef stock
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley - I used a few dashes of dried parsley
• 1 teaspoon yellow mustard
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• One 8-ounce container sour cream (I used low fat)
• 1/2 package baby bella mushrooms
• A few dashes of Worcestershire Sauce
• A few dashes Crushed Red Pepper Flakes

Directions:

Sprinkle the pork chops with salt and pepper.

In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the pork chops and cook until browned, 4 to 5 minutes per side.  Set chops aside & put the onions in the skillets to brown them a little.  Put chops back in pan and arrange onions on top / around chops.  

In a small bowl, combine the stock, parsley, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, red pepper flakes and paprika, and season with salt and pepper. Pour the broth mixture over the pork chops. Return the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. About 10 minutes before the pork is done, add in mushrooms and stir to combine.  Stir in the sour cream until blended and cook until heated through, 4 to 5 minutes; do not boil. 

Enjoy!