A Cooking Baker

So lately, the posts are just quickies - but whatever works, right?   I was making kind of a bland chicken/rice/veg dinner for the recovering sickie.  I needed something different for the veg side, and I needed it quick.  Here's what I came up with (and believe it or not, the kids ATE it): Quick Roasted Veggies 1 red bell pepper, sliced thin 1/2 any kind of onion, sliced thin 1-2 crowns of broccoli, sliced thin (leave the stems on) a handful of asparagus stalks, trimmed a handful of carrots, sliced thin lengthwise EVOO salt & pepper Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Throw all of your veggies in a bowl (or skip it and just mix it up on the baking sheet), drizzle with a little EVOO, sprinkle with some salt & pepper, and toss to coat.  Spread the veggies on a baking sheet. Roast the veggies, turning every 10 minutes or so, until they start to take on some nice color and soften, maybe about 30-40 minutes, or if you need to fast forward things a bit, throw the oven

These. were. so. good. For Christmas Day this year, we were HOME.  TOGETHER.  WITH NO PLANS.  It was great!  We had spent time with one side of the family at Thanksgiving, a few days before Christmas we had 2 days of fun with the other side, and on Christmas Day, it was just us.  We slept in, stayed in our jammies for too long, went sledding, watched Christmas movies (and NBA basketball, of course), and enjoyed a couple of apps.  We did meatball sliders , pizza dip , and these amazing flatbreads.   We grabbed some Cybros sprouted pizza dough (check out their awesome products - we're huge fans!), and I stretched it out into some "rustic" shapes, and baked them for a few minutes - maybe 5 or so -  at 425 degrees.  Before they were totally done, I pulled them out, rubbed a little garlic on the tops of each flatbread, spread on some caramelized onions, some thinly sliced NY strip steak and of course a liberal sprinkling of blue cheese crumbles.  Then I put them b

These are too easy! You can make these great little sliders for dinner, appetizers, or even just a hearty snack.   I made a big batch of meatballs a few weeks ago, and froze half.  This week, I took out a few, tossed them in some sauce, and simmered them until they were heated through.  Try them on Hawaiian bread dinner rolls (you can find them in the deli) - we love the soft, sweet rolls with the hearty meatballs, with a little extra dab of sauce and some mozzarella cheese.  Good stuff!  

In a good year, I usually make about 10 different kinds of Christmas cookies. I didn't bake much this year - there wasn't time, it seemed, but mostly the motivation wasn't quite there. I made banket, and I made some sugar cookie cut-outs with the little Baker, and today we whipped up a batch of the classic Peanut Blossoms . Here are a few of the recipes I had WANTED to make, but didn't get to this year: Cranberry Walnut Pinwheels  Wisconsin Electric Cookie Book (2002) Dough 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon baking powder 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened 3/4 cup sugar 1 egg 1 teaspoon vanilla extract Filling 1/2 cup finely chopped fresh cranberries 1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts 3 tablespoons orange marmalade In a small bowl, combine cranberries, walnuts and marmalade. In a medium size bowl, combine flour, baking power and salt; set aside. In a large mixing bowl, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add egg and vanilla;

Our kids dig spaghetti, so I usually just make a meat sauce and serve with spaghetti noodles, but I was inspired to make some meatballs to change things up a little bit from a piece in the Sunday paper Food section .  I figured I could make meatball subs or little meatball sliders with some, too. I just made about 1/3 of this recipe, because it made a lot, and well, I was trying it for the first time.  I used a 1:1 ratio of Italian sausage, and based on the feedback of my son, I would likely made it a 2:1 beef to sausage ratio next time.  I also used a jarred sauce, because I thought I had tomatoes to make some sauce, and ended up not having any (time to straighten up the cupboards!). I baked the meatballs in the oven, then tossed them in a pot of sauce to kind of finish cooking and add a little flavor.  I froze half of the batch, so we can either do another batch of sauce and meatballs over noodles, or do some sliders or subs.  I think this could be a decent freezer meal for a s

This is not from a can, baby - it's just about as easy, though!  This is my favorite recipe for cranberry sauce - simple, and really tasty. Simple Cranberry Sauce 16 oz. fresh cranberries 1-1/2 c. granulated sugar (I even go as low as 1 c.) 1/2 c. water 1/2 c. fresh orange juice 1 tbsp. fresh ginger, finely chopped (I just use my microplane grater) Zest from 1 orange (again, breaking out the microplane grater) - be sure to avoid the bitter white stuff Combine all ingredients in a heavy saucepan. Cook over medium heat until the berries pop open, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat.  It will smell AMAZING in the kitchen!  If you're creeped out by it, you can skim any foam off the surface with a metal spoon and discard, but I don't usually do that.  Cool to room temperature, and refrigerate, covered, for up to 3 months.

Banket is a traditional Dutch treat that my family has enjoyed for as long as I can remember.   It takes some work to make it, so you don’t see it around as much as you used to.   This recipe is from a friend at school – the closest I can get to my Grandma Hoekstra’s banket.   It was always out at Christmas, and it was sooooo good!   It can be frozen, but usually it’s totally consumed before there's a chance.   I tend to make this during the holidays, and make 8 sticks at a time.  I'll add some photos when I make it again this year. Banket 1 cup almond paste                                         ¼ cup cornstarch 1 cup sugar                                                         2 cups flour 1 egg                                                                 1 cup butter 1 egg separated                                                ¼ cup water (ice cold) Let paste, sugar, egg, egg yolk and cornstarch stand in bowl for 30 minutes. Preheat oven

 I am so very thankful today. We are so blessed! We're having a great time with family, and the smells starting to come from the kitchen are intoxicating...  Here's what we're trying for the turkey this year:   Turkey with Lemon-Sage Butter .  We even grabbed some fresh sage from the garden.  It. smells. awesome.  We're keeping it really basic this year with all of the varied tastes in the extended family.  We've got mashed potatoes with gravy, Grandmother's Stuffing, green bean casserole, corn and rolls on the menu, with homemade Dutch apple and pumpkin pies for dessert. Time to go baste that turkey.... Have a very Happy Thanksgiving!

Pizza?  Burgers? Again?? Even my teenage boy gets sick of those from time to time.   It's true.  We're having a bunch of teenage dudes over tonight, and I decided to go outside the comfort zone of cheap, take-out pizza and do a build-your-own taco or nacho bar. This works out really well, since we have a variety of tastes and dietary restrictions - everyone can customize their own!  Here's what I did - it's so very easy: Shredded, seasoned chicken (a bunch of breasts in the crock pot with some garlic, onion, broth and taco seasoning, then shredded when cooked until tender) Seasoned beef (a.k.a. taco meat!) hard and soft tortilla shells, as well as tortilla chips and lettuce for alternatives (you can also do rice for a rice bowl or "naked" burrito) cheese - shredded cheddar, jack and cotija (you coudl also use a nacho cheese sauce) sour cream shredded lettuce sliced black olives diced Roma tomatoes taco sauce/Tabasco/salsa sliced jalapenos black

Sometimes, re-creating a restaurant favorite does the trick! I've been struggling with the kids and their tastes lately, so I resorted to making some of their restaurant favorites.  It's an easy way to know they're going to eat their dinner - without always serving pizza, tacos, spaghetti, burgers and steak.  None of the restaurants we frequent are in any danger of losing our business, either - they still do it best - but sometimes a mom has to try to save a buck (or a few hundred calories!).  We all love Penne Rosa at Noodles, which we've sort of re-created ( see the post here ).  That one is a family favorite across the board.  Most recently we made "CBR's" (their nickname for a Chicken Bacon Ranch sub from Subway).  I hate Subway - sorry, but I've had one too many gross experiences there.  The kids, however, love this sub.  So the other night, I made my version at home, and they raved! I used a soft roll (I actually grabbed a day old loaf fr

I love comfort food.   With some caution, I'm going a little comfort food-crazy in the kitchen this weekend.  I feel the desire to prep some freezer meals and do some cooking, so I need to take advantage of that feeling, as it has become more rare recently.  I'm making 2 chicken pot pies a la my friend Amy, some skinny chicken parm, some more apple sauce, some cranberry sauce, some soup(s), and maybe a loaf or two of bread.  Then I want to try to find some dessert recipes to use up some of those trick or treat remains - not too much traffic at the door this year, so we had a big stash leftover. I'll be balancing the heavier meals with some lighter fare, so I'm prepping veggies and ingredients for stir fry, some light broth-based soups, and some open-faced sandwiches and things.  I'm going to attempt a meal plan for TWO weeks, and see what happens.  I'm not a fan of planning out the whole month, but I'll see if 2 weeks is the happy medium. Here's

I'm sad to see summer go, but cool weather means some old favorites return to the rotation.  With the busy schedules, the crock pot comes back into play more frequently, too!  In fact, tonight we're having Slow Cooker Beef Stroganoff, a recipe I use often as a freezer meal, too.   Here's the recipe - I'll add a photo later if it's not too creepy looking!  Slow Cooker Stroganoff 1-1/2 lb. beef stew meat (I'm using Ney's meat again - sooo good) 1 8-oz. pkg. sliced white mushrooms, finely chopped (as small as your family needs!) 1 med. onion, sliced, diced or however you like it 1 to 1-1/2 tsp. Dijon mustard or dry mustard (add a little more to taste after it cooks) 1-1/2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce (splash in a little more before serving to taste if needed) 1 pkg. egg noodles Have on hand: 2 tbsp. corn starch or arrowroot powder 2 tbsp. water 1/3 c. sour cream (or more if you like) To freeze: Add the meat, veggies and seasonings to a gallon s

Spinach + Tomato + Feta = DELISH. I needed some dinner inspiration this afternoon, so after whipping through my Pinterest food board, I found one, but the link was gone.  So I Googled "Spinach, Feta, Tomato Chicken" and clicked on the first recipe that came up, and voila!  Dinner!  Here's my adapted version of that recipe . BTW, I really stink at making any sort of "package" with chicken - pretty much fails every time.  So yeah. Good thing ugly still tastes good! Stuffed Chicken Breasts with Spinach, Feta & Tomato For breading:  2 large eggs, lightly beaten  2 c. bread crumbs (seasoned are fine, or season plain with a little salt & pepper and some dried herbs) 1/2 tsp. garlic powder (not garlic salt!) a dash of cayenne powder (optional, but we like the kick) For chicken: 4-6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, butterflied and pounded thin (or not, if you're lazy like me)   1-2 cloves garlic, minced 1 c. feta cheese, crumbled (I us

I apologize for the cheesy basil garnish.... :) Chicken Parm can be messed up.  It can. Ever had a reeeaally thick chicken breast, with a heavy, soggy breading and a thick, chewy covering of cheese?  Yeah....  not my favorite.  We made this version last week, and it was awesome - just the right amount of tender chicken, crisp breading, a taste of cheese and bright sauce in each bite.  This was so light, and we all really enjoyed it.    Ridiculously Easy, Lighter Chicken Parm   2-4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, sliced in half for 4-6 thin cutlets EVOO to mist or brush onto chicken (you can also melt some butter and brush that on - about 2 tbsp. or so) your favorite marinara sauce (1-2 c. ) grated parm for garnish if you like - or if you need more cheese, mozzarella or provolone fresh herbs for garnish if you like, minced For the breading: 1/2 - 3/4 c. breadcrumbs (make your own, use store-bought, Panko, whatever) 1/4 c. grated Parmesan cheese 1/2 tsp. garlic po

Tried a super easy recipe last night... While paging through a magazine yesterday, this recipe caught my eye.  I needed something for dinner, so rather than put it off, I just went to the kitchen and went for it!  The recipe was for skewers, and called for you to slice the meat into 1/4" strips, and then thread them on to skewers, but I'm lazy, so I just threw the whole thing in a bag and sliced it up afterward.  You do what you need to do. Teriyaki Flank Steak 1 flank steak (about 1 lb.) 1/2 c. Teriyaki sauce 2-3 cloves garlic, minced 1-1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper 1-2 scallions, thinly sliced a good squeeze of a fresh lemon (about 1-2 tbsp.) Add the above items to a freezer bag or dish to marinate meat, at least 30 minutes, or overnight (or toss in the freezer for another night - even better, make one for tonight, and one for another time!).  Heat your grill, and grill until done to your liking.  Let rest for a few minutes, then slice thinly, against the

Pesto isn't hard to make. I had it in my head that it was, for some reason, until I finally tried it.  It just takes a few minutes!  I'd been meaning to makes some with almonds, instead of pine nuts for 2 reasons: (1) pine nuts are expensive, yo! and (2) I had a big bag of almonds from Costco that we haven't attacked with as much gusto as I thought we would.  We had some bad luck with basil this year, and I scrounged up enough for a packed 1/2 cup, but not a whole.  Shoot!  Then I saw a recipe that combined parsley and basil - problem solved!  Here's what I did, and another recipe with just basil, in case your crop fared better. I plan to toss some angel hair pasta with pesto and some little grape or Sun Gold tomatoes from the garden, and toss in whatever else makes sense from the fridge or garden, and maybe throw on some grilled chicken strips or something for dinner tomorrow.  I'll also do some little toasts and spread them with the fresh pesto  and

This is the most versatile side dish ever.  I think you could literally serve it with everything.  Last time at the farmer's market, we picked up some carrots, zucchini, squash and onions.  Right away, I washed everything up, grabbed a knife, and sliced it all up.  Then I made a big bag of mixed veggies, added a few cloves of minced garlic, and a splash of basil-infused olive oil.  I tossed it in the freezer, and I've been grabbing a few handfuls, tossing the mix into a hot pan, and I have a simple, healthy side dish in just a few minutes.  Last night, I ran out to the garden and grabbed some fresh basil, chopped it up and tossed it in before serving.  YUM.  You can add whatever you like - just do it now, while the fresh veggies are plentiful, and you can enjoy the tastes of summer for months to come. Farmer's Market Veggie Medley 1-2 zucchini, sliced 1-2 squash, sliced 3-4 carrots, sliced 1 medium red onion, sliced 1 tbsp. EVOO, basil-infused or plain 1-2 garlic clov

Food on a stick isn't just for the fair! I was just paging through a few magazines, trying to thin out the pile, and I found a great list of ingredients to combine for kebabs.  Kebabs are fab for parties - you can have big platters of ingredients, and people can put together their own combinations.  I love that this particular list of ingredients includes foods that are either already cooked or don't need to be, so you don't need to worry about cross-contamination like you might with raw chicken or beef.  If you want to go that route, marinate the chunks of meat in advance, and then have a hand-washing station for guests once they've skewered their meats.  Here's a list to get your started - just pick a variety of ingredients you'd like to try, put out a pile of skewers, a mister with some evoo, some salt & pepper, and have some fun! slices of baguette fresh mozzarella balls cubed Halloumi cheese (it's kind of like Feta, and it's good for grilling)

I love beef barbacoa.   The best I've ever had was from Cocina DeLeon in Brookfield, which is now closed.  I was inspired to experiment on my own, and I've combined about five different recipes from the Internet with some of my own tweaks (yes, I used a spreadsheet to compare ingredients).  The results were met with very positive responses, so much so, that I had no photos. [Update: added a new photo!  Also, make a double batch of the marinade, and freeze 1/2 so it's super easy to make next time.] Slow Cooker Beef Barbacoa 2-3 lb. chuck roast 1 medium white onion, diced 3/4 c. chicken stock 4-6 avocado leaves (hojas de aguacate)* 3 tbsp. freshly squeezed lime juice (juice of 2) 1/2 c. cider vinegar 4 chipotle chiles and a little adobo sauce from the can 1 bunch of cilantro, chopped (remove big pieces of stem) 4 garlic cloves, minced 1-1/2 tsp. salt 1-1/2 tsp. ground black pepper 2 tbsp. ground cumin 2-1/2 tsp. Mexican oregano Put

I just had a taste of an amazing cucumber salsa this morning (yes, this morning - there's never a bad time for salsa).  SO good.  It was so refreshing, and I could see myself consuming an entire batch alone.  So off to the store I went to get what I needed to make it ASAP.  It's the perfect taste for a hot day like today! It had garlic scapes in it - and I had seen them at the farmer's market this weekend, but didn't know what they were, or what I would do with them.  Enter my mom, who introduced me to the salsa, and Google, where I figured out exactly what they are!  Here ya go: Garlic scapes are the curly flower stalks snapped off the garlic plants (which is done to increase the size of the garlic bulbs for harvest).  Garlic scapes can be chopped and used like garlic, or used as garlic-flavored scallions (mmmmmm - stir-fry?!).  You should store them in the fridge, unwashed, loosely-wrapped in a plastic bag for up to 2 weeks. So here's the recipe - amounts ar

Watermelon and Feta?  Really? Yes.  REALLY.  The salty and the sweet, with a little heat from the pepper, is seriously good.  It's super refreshing in the summer, too. Try it - I think you might be surprised! I'm no carver of fruit, but it was kind of fun to serve the salad in the hollowed-out melon at a shower we did - I think next time I'd slice the melon the long way, though, for a longer, lower "bowl".  It looks great in a Pampered Chef "Simple Additions" square bowl, too.  (You're welcome, PC friends, and again, Pampered Chef, feel free to hook a lady up!)   Watermelon & Feta Salad 3 c.  2"chunks watermelon, seeded (I'm lazy - I use seedless) 1 c. crumbled feta cheese (reduced fat is fine, just get a good brand) Coarsely ground black pepper to taste 1/2 teaspoon red-pepper flakes (optional) OR chop up some arugula and add that for a little peppery taste 1/4 c. red onion, thinly sliced (optional) In a large bo

I whipped these up the other night when I needed to use up a handful of leftover pizza ingredients in the fridge.  I made my own dough, but you can usually buy some in the deli section of your grocery store.   I didn't measure, so I am kind of guessing on the quantities here - that's the beautiful thing about these, though - you can just wing it with the filling, and it usually works out fine.  Feel free to use what you have on hand, or get creative with your filling ingredients.  I ran out to the garden and just grabbed a few handfuls of fresh herbs, so you can use what you have in your garden, too.  Either par-bake the calzones, and then wrap and freeze for another night (thaw and then bake until golden), or just throw them in the oven for dinner (even better, make a double batch if you have enough ingredients, and do one batch for dinner, and one for another night!).  Freezer-Friendly Calzones 1 recipe bread machine pizza dough (or whatever you prefer) 1/2 c. Mozzarel

I found some pork tenderloins on special a few weeks ago, so I bought a few, made some into freezer meals and left the rest "plain."  I'm thawing the last one out today for dinner.  Here's the marinade I'm trying, using fresh flat-leaf parsley from our garden - tried to make it easy with the measurements, but you can tweak here and there to your liking.  We're going to grill it, but you could prepare it in the oven, too.  Marinated Pork Tenderloin for the Grill 1⁄3 c. olive oil 1⁄3 c. soy sauce 1⁄3 c. c. red wine vinegar Juice of 1 lemon (about 2-3 tbsp.) 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce 4 cloves garlic, minced 2 tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped 2 tsp. dry mustard 1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper 1 1-lb. pork tenderloin Whisk together all ingredients, and either pour over tenderloin in a non-reactive dish, or put it all in a Ziploc bag and marinate in the fridge for at least 3-4 hours.  You could toss it in the freezer for another night, too (

I don't bake a ton, but when I do.... ...it better be REALLY tasty if I'm going to splurge on the calories.  I'm not usually tempted by sweets, but I do keep coming back to the pan for these.  I love the salty sweet contrast, and of course almonds and dark chocolate together.  So good! Dark Chocolate Almond Blondies 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 1 tsp. baking soda 1 tsp. kosher salt 2 c. packed brown sugar (light or dark is fine) 1 c. (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract 2 large eggs 1 1/2 c. dark chocolate chips (or chunks), divided 1 c. whole almonds, chopped, divided Preheat oven to 350º F. Grease 13 x 9-inch baking pan.  Combine flour, baking soda and salt in small bowl, set aside.  In mixer bowl, beat together brown sugar, butter and vanilla extract until creamy. Add eggs; beat until light and fluffy. Gradually stir in flour mixture. Stir in 3/4 cup chips and 1/2 cup chopped almonds. Spread into prepared pan. Sprinkle with re

OK, we're winging it a lot this week with lots of evening activities (4 of 7 nights!), so we'll be doing some reheating, slow cooking, and sandwiches.  Here are a few things I've got planned based on what's in the fridge & freezer: Chicken, Veggie & Quinoa Skillet - I made some quinoa yesterday, grilled some chicken, and I've got lots of sliced veggies in the fridge - bell peppers, onions, zucchini, and asparagus.  I'm going to toss the veggies in my pan with a teeny bit of evoo and some fresh minced garlic, then add the quinoa nd chicken, heat through, and then sprinkle in some diced Roma tomatoes, and maybe chop up a handful of baby spinach leaves and toss it in, too.  I've also got a teen bit of fresh basil, so I'll probably add it.  Why not?!  Baked Potatoes - topped with steamed broccoli, Canadian bacon, shredded cheese and plain yogurt - again, stuff we've got in the fridge to use up.   I've got some fresh pineapple to finish o

Ever grill your food in a foil packet? It's an easy way to grill things quickly, and with minimal mess.  I purchased a big box of pre-cut foil sheets at Sam's a long time ago, since I use foil a lot in my freezer meals and such, so I can just pull out a 12" x 12" sheet, which is perfect for making a foil packet.  You can do a packet of veggies, potatoes, meat, etc.  Here's one combination (a full meal all in one!) to try - then get creative and see what happens!  I'll post a photo soon - we always end up eating the goods before I remember to whip out the camera... 1-1/2 lb. boneless, skinless chicken, cut into bite-sized pieces 2 c. brown rice or quinoa, cooked 1/4 c. onion, diced 2 cloves garlic, minced 1/2 c. tomato, diced (Roma, or whatever you have) 1/2 c. bell pepper, diced (any color works - red, yellow, green, orange) 1/4 c. fresh basil, chopped 1/4 c. of your favorite dressing - Caesar, Greek, Italian (make your own - even better!) Kosher s

Need to feed a crowd? I made this one for a luncheon for my husband's co-workers - they were my guinea pigs - and it went over well.  I decided to scale back the juice and add some water or broth instead for larger crowds, in case some didn't care for the heat.  You can make this as a freezer meal - either combine all of the ingredients with the roast in a freezer bag, and cook as directed (after thawing in fridge), or cook the meat, and then freeze the meat, and warm it on the stove before serving.  Pepperoncini Beef 1 (3 lb.) beef chuck roast 1 (16 oz.) jar pepperoncini peppers 4 cloves garlic, minced 1 onion, thinly sliced 1/2 tsp. kosher salt 1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper Brown the roast if you feel like it, and then put it in your slow cooker.  Cover the roast with the garlic, onions and seasoning.  Add entire contents of the jar of pepperoncini peppers - just use half of the liquid at first (add it all if you like it really hot) and a cup of water or b

I love chimichurri!   What is it, you ask?  It's a condiment, sort of like pesto, maybe, and it's Argentinian in origin.  The first time I had it was at a wedding reception, and it was served with some beef kebabs.  It was AWESOME.  So of course, when I got home, I hit the Internet, and started searching for some chimichurri recipes.  Here's one I made not too long ago - it was very good - love the fresh, herby flavor! Serve chimichurri with beef, pork, chicken - it works with anything.  You can also use it to marinate meat before grilling.  Try it this week! Chimichurri 1 c. packed flat-leaf parsley leaves 1/2 c. packed cilantro leaves 1/4 c. fresh oregano leaves (optional) 2 tbsp. white onion, chopped  2 cloves garlic, chopped 2-3 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil 2 tbsp. red wine vinegar 1/2 tsp. crushed red chile pepper 1/2 tsp. fine sea salt 1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper Finely chop the parsley, fresh oregano, onion and garlic (or proce