Zucchini Plus Banana Plus Chocolate

***UPDATE*** Before continuing with this post,  I wanted to tell you that I have a new blog home.  I'd love for you to visit (all my old posts are there, along with brand new ones), and subscribe over there, since I can't transfer my subscribers over for some reason.  If you decide to follow, leave me a comment so I can thank you...and follow back if you have a blog!  Also, I'm trying to convince the hubs that this IS a real job, so I need all the followers I can get! Thanks so much...
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Equals one amazing muffin!  Actually, a whole batch of them. I recently needed to use up some zucchini and a very ripe banana.  With a little help from the hooligans, we ended up with very yummy Double Chocolate Zucchini Banana Muffins. Give them a try…they’re perfect with icy cold milk!

Double Chocolate Zucchini Banana Muffins

2 large eggs
1/3 cup honey
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 very ripe banana, mashed
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon espresso powder, optional
1/3 cup baking cocoa
1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups shredded, unpeeled zucchini, gently pressed
1 cup mini chocolate chips

Directions:

1) Preheat the oven to 350°F; lightly grease muffin tins (to make 18 muffins), or use with cupcake liners.
2) In a large mixing bowl, beat the eggs, honey, oil, banana, sugar, and vanilla until smooth.
3) Add the salt, baking soda, baking powder, espresso powder, cocoa, and flour, mixing until well combined.
4) Stir in the zucchini and chocolate chips.
5) Spoon into muffin tins, filling 2/3 of the way.
6) Bake muffins for 16-18 minutes, until they test done (a toothpick or cake tester inserted into the center will come out clean, save for perhaps a light smear of chocolate from the melted chips).
7) Remove from the oven, and let cool for 5 to 10 minutes before turning them out of the pan onto a rack.

Yield: 18 muffins

Click here for the printable recipe

This-n-That Kinda Week

I’ve had what felt like a completely discombobulated week.  No one had any camps to attend, but we still had little things to do each day…dental appointments, Moms Group meeting, never-ending errands to run.  And we fit in a fun thing each day, too, even if it was just making cookies.

But I’ve not settled on a topic for today’s post.  Thus, I’m showing you a couple of things I’ve done this week that turned out great, and a teacher gift I haven’t finished yet but I know you might need an idea NOW for the beginning of school.


This is the accomplishment I’m most proud of this week…I knitted a pair of socks for the first time…and they wound up the same size…and they fit me!  I’m just pretty amazed. And addicted.


This is the book I used to teach myself…I found it super easy to follow, with tons of photos and great explanations. I used the 5-needle method, by the way.  The hubs was impressed with my dexterity (which I’m sure was a sight to see as I started trying to figure this out).  I bought the book at Joann’s with a 40% off coupon, but you can find it at Amazon or a knitting supply site, as well.

The publishers of this book have no idea who I am or that I’m talking about their book…I just wanted to share it with y’all, in case you’d like to knit your own socks, too!  I used Paton’s Kroy Sock Yarn in Sweet Stripes, if you’re wondering, instead of the acrylic yarn they recommend practicing with…I didn’t want to spend any amount of time on socks I wouldn’t want to wear.  I’m a sock snob, it’s true.


Secondly, I reached way back in my memory and found these Bacon-Cantaloupe Wraps filed under “Summer Hike” from a year or two ago.  Originally from Rachel Ray, I just improvised as I remembered them and everyone loved them.  The hooligans even asked to have them again the next day, in lieu of eating somewhere in town while we were running errands.


This wrap is pretty self-explanatory…crisp bacon, really thin (1/4” or so) slices of cantaloupe, lettuce, and some basil-mayo on a Flatout wrap.  For the mayo, I just chopped up some fresh basil and stirred it into the store-bought mayo.  You could even call it basil aioli, if you add a little garlic and maybe some lemon juice.
The salty-sweet, fresh flavors meld together perfectly, though.  Try it, you’ll like it!

Then, I’ve been on Pinterest again.  Yep, and I found something I absolutely had to make.  Imagine that.



Cute, huh?  You can find them at Bee in Our Bonnet,if you’d like the particulars.  Again, these are not ones I made...they are her photos...credit where credit is due!

So next week all three hooligans have YMCA camp…all day, every day.  I promise to be a bit more coherent and organized in my blogging.  Well, maybe.  I may just have to dance around naked eating bonbons and celebrating being alone in my house all day!

Crunchier and Crunchier

Yes, I’ve had so much time on my hands this summer I’ve decided to make my own Greek Yogurt. No, I am not serious. I did learn to make Greek yogurt, but not to fill up my spare time.  It’s purely financial, people!  To say the hooligans love Greek yogurt would be an understatement. They devour it as if they were born in Athens. Actually, now that I think about it, they love anything Greek…except lamb.


But, as usual, I digress.  I grew weary of paying over a dollar for a single-serving of yogurt, and, of course, they don’t all want vanilla so I can’t buy a large container, not that they are much less expensive anyway. I do love the convenience of individual servings in the frig, so they can come in from playing and have a protein-packed snack.

I’ve made yogurt before, using my crockpot, and it’s very simple.  But that was not GREEK yogurt, and was a little too runny for our tastes.  I’m not sure why it’s Greek yogurt just by the addition of a draining step at the end, but there you have it.  The internet gurus have spoken. I am curious about the nutrition information, and how it stacks up to purchased yogurt, but I'm not losing sleep over it.

 I followed this method, from One Good Thing by Jillee.  She always has great ideas for household stuff

There are tons of recipes out there, but basically you just pour milk into your crockpot, heat it on low for a few hours, let it cool a bit, and stir in some plain yogurt (for the active cultures…you can use your own, once you’ve made a batch).  Wrap the crock up in a towel and let it sit overnight in the oven, and it’s magically thickened. Don’t think about why that happens.  Lastly, you drain it for several hours and end up with delicious plain yogurt, ready for flavoring or using in place of sour cream.

This process did take almost 24 hours from start to finish, but I wound up with 12 cups of yogurt from one gallon of whole milk.  That’s SIXTEEN 6-ounce servings for about $6…and that was using organic milk.  Individually I would have spent nearly $20.  Of course, I still have to flavor it, but that doesn’t up the cost all that much, since I would be adding fresh fruit anyway to storebought yogurt.

The hooligans pronounced it delicious, so I’ll definitely plan to keep making it.  Now I just need to find small containers to store it in, so they’ll continue to snack on it.  I can flavor individual portions with applesauce, jam, honey, or fruit.  I think I may make some lime curd to stir in...Key Lime is my favorite and I think that might recreate it at home.


If you want to make these EXACT yummy parfaits(meaning not with storebought granola), I use this granola recipe from Rachel Ray.  It’s fun to make with kids, if you’re looking to spend a little time in the kitchen together.

To make the parfaits, I layered a little yogurt, drizzled with honey, some raspberries, some granola, then repeated.  I added a little extra drizzle of honey on top, so you could see a prettier picture. It’s really all about you.

Enjoy!

A Back to School Tradition

I know, we have way too many traditions at our house!  I think I overcompensate for all the moving around we do by attempting to have certain things that are the same, no matter where we are living at the time.  It also helps keep me entertained, truth be told.

When our first hooligan started kindergarten, my GI Joe was deployed, so I was at home with 5-, 3-, and 1-year-old kids.  Why did I think it was a good idea to make school bus sugar cookies for the first day of school?  Who knows?  I was probably in a befuddled state from exhaustion.  Whatever the reason, the kids remembered…and have expected them every year since.  Fortunately, the first couple of years, they asked me that morning if I’d have their cookies after school, so I had all day to get them made!


These are last year’s…I had help from Princess Thindercloud, so they’re not too professional looking. But they were very tasty.


Here’s a photo from the first year I made them.  And look, she was a Thundercloud even at 16 months.
If you’d like to start a tradition, or just make some for fun, here’s the recipe. 

Rolled Butter Cookies

Cookies:

1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1 egg
2 tablespoons orange juice
1 tablespoon vanilla or almond extract
2- 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder

Frosting:

3 cups powdered sugar
1/3 cup butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 to 2 tablespoons milk
Food color, if desired

Directions:

1. Combine 1 cup butter, sugar and egg in large bowl. Beat at medium speed, scraping bowl often, until creamy. Add orange juice and 1 tablespoon vanilla. Continue beating, scraping bowl often, until well mixed. Reduce speed to low; add flour and baking powder. Beat until well mixed.
2. Divide dough into thirds. Shape each third into a ball; flatten slightly. Wrap each in plastic food wrap; refrigerate until firm (2 to 3 hours).
3. Heat oven to 400°F. Roll out dough, one-third at a time, on lightly floured surface (keeping remaining dough refrigerated), to 1/8- to 1/4-inch thickness. Cut with 3-inch cookie cutters. Place 1 inch apart onto ungreased cookie sheets.
4, Bake for 6 to 10 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Let stand on cookie sheets 1 minute; remove to wire cooling rack. Cool completely.
5. Combine powdered sugar, 1/3 cup butter and 1 teaspoon vanilla in small bowl. Beat at low speed, scraping bowl often and gradually adding enough milk for desired spreading consistency. Tint with food color, if desired. Frost and decorate cooled cookies as desired.

Click here for the printable version

Since I can’t find a bus cookie cutter, I draw a bus shape onto cardstock and cut it out.  Then I just trace around it with a very sharp knife to cut them out.  I only have to make three, after all!  I make them about 6” long and 3” high.

I make Royal Icing, using Wilton's recipe and meringue powder, for these cookies.  I love the buttercream recipe listed above, but this needs to harden for the hooligans.
 
Hope you enjoy them!

Time for Tea and Cookies!

When I found these side-of-the-cup cookie cutters at World Market, I had to have them.  Had to, I tell you.  I’ve seen cookies all over the internet, hanging on the sides of mugs, but they involve cutting that notch out yourself.  These cutters make it so much simpler!

I'm picturing gingerbread stars on a mug of marshmallow-topped hot chocolate after sledding, or some pretty pink frosted hearts on a mug of steaming coffee during a date night movie.  And did I mention they were only $1.29 each?  What a bargain!


I made some Lemon Sable Cookies from the King Arthur Catalog, iced them, and placed them on the side of a glass of yummy Iced Passion Tea. It makes for a perfect afternoon snack on a hot summer day!


Here's the recipe on King Arthur's website, if you'd like to print it.

Lemon Sable Cookies

Cookies

• 1 1/2 cups King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
• 3/4 cup almond flour or ground almonds
• 3/4 cup confectioners' sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt; Fleur de Sel is especially nice in this recipe
• 2 tablespoons lemon powder*
• 14 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, diced
• 1 large egg white
• grated rind (zest) of 1 lemon
• *Or, for a less zesty cookie, substitute 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice.

Glaze

• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
• coarse white sparkling sugar, for topping

Directions

1) Using a food processor or mixer, combine the flour, almond flour, sugar, salt, and lemon powder.
2) Add the butter, and process or mix until the mixture is crumbly.
3) Add the egg white, lemon juice (if you're using it) and grated rind, and process or mix until the dough comes together.
4) Shape the dough into a disk, wrap it in plastic, and refrigerate for 1 hour or more.
5) Preheat the oven to 350°F.
6) Roll the chilled dough 1/4" thick.
7) Using fluted cookie cutters about 2 1/2" in diameter, cut out as many cookies as possible, re-rolling the dough as needed. Space the cookies 1/2" apart on lightly greased or parchment-lined baking sheets — you'll need a couple of pans.
8) Bake the cookies for 12 to 15 minutes, until their edges begin to brown. Remove them from the oven, and transfer them to a rack to cool.
9) For the glaze, stir together the lemon juice and confectioners' sugar until smooth.
10) Brush a thin layer of glaze onto the surface of each cookie; garnish with sparkling sugar, if desired.

Yield: 3 dozen cookies.

I followed the recipe exactly, except that I dipped the tops of the cookies into the glaze, rather than brushing it on. The lemon powder is an amazing ingredient to keep in the pantry.  I love using it when I make shortbread, because it adds the zesty flavor without adding liquid, which would make your shortbread not so short.

These cookies are very much like shortbread, but not as dense.  They’re tender, crisp, and nice and lemony. Definitely a keeper!

Fake Out Watermelon

I’ve seen all these different fruits scooped out, then filled with Jello Jigglers, then sliced to look like regular fruit on….drumroll….Pinterest!  I had resisted making them because I can’t stand the thought of real Jello, all full of artificial flavors, colors, and sugar or sugar substitutes, which I think are even worse than the real thing. Now I’ll get off my soapbox.

I occasionally make Jigglers (because I can’t resist the molds they sometimes have at the grocery store) but I use plain gelatin and fruit juice.  I made Phineas and Ferb ones that way last week.  See, I’m not horribly depriving my hooligans.


So I decided to make watermelon fakeouts, using some form of red juice.  In hindsight, I should have tried the watermelon juice, making it myself, but I didn’t. I searched and searched for a juice that was all juice and didn’t contain cochineal (the red coloring made from ground up insect wings and shells).  I know, we’ve been consuming it for years, but now that labeling is required, I’m totally grossed out by it. And now I'm climbing off that soapbox, as well.

Finally, I found Hibiscus Cranberry Juice at Trader Joe’s with an ingredient list that didn’t make me cringe too much. While they were distracted by harassing their father when he got home last night, I finally found alone time to make these.
 
This one said how cool it was and praised my talent, and the other two didn’t, so he got to be in the blog post. So there.  They all thought it was tasty, but the others apparently expect that kind of stuff from me.

To make this, wash a small watermelon with soap and water and cut it in half.  Scoop all the flesh out of one half.  Try to get all the red stuff.  Then rinse it out and dry it as best you can.  Fill it with water, to about 1/2” from the top, then pour the water into a large measuring cup to figure out how much gelatin you’ll need.  I only needed 3 cups for my watermelon, so I made the following recipe (from the box of Knox gelatin).

Fruit Juice Knox Blox

Ingredients

• 4 envelopes knox unflavored gelatin
• 1 cup cold fruit juice
• 3 cups fruit juice, heated to boiling
• 2 tablespoons sugar (optional) or 2 tablespoons honey (optional)

Directions

1. Sprinkle gelatin over cold juice in large bowl. Let stand one minute.
2. Add hot juice and stir until gelatin completely dissolves, about 5 minutes.
3. Stir in sugar or honey if desired.
4. Pour into 13x9x2 inch pan.
5. Refrigerate until firm, about 3 hours.
6. Cut into 1 inch squares and serve.

Here's an online version from Food.com
Obviously, when I got to step 4, I poured it into my watermelon half.  I balanced the rind snugly in a plastic bowl to hold it level. Also, I did not add any sugar or honey. After chilling overnight, I sliced it up and fed it to my kids!

By the way, I didn't actually read the whole recipe, just the ingredients, so I added the gelatin and cold juice to the boiling juice at the same time and stirred until it dissolved.  It worked fine, and I had one less bowl to wash.

They spent most of dessert time discussing what other fruits I could do this to...perhaps they need to help out a little on the execution sometimes!

Peach Cherry Freezer Jam

We love strawberry freezer jam around here.  I like making it because it’s so quick and involves very little cooking, unlike the canning I remember doing with my mom many years ago.  My mom always scoffed at freezer jam as not being “real” jam, but I’ll take the tradeoff to keep the kitchen cool!

Unfortunately, with our mild winter and unseasonably hot and dry conditions, I completely missed strawberry picking season.  I could make freezer jam with store-bought berries, but it’s just not as tasty. I was thinking about one of our favorite pies, cherry-peach, because I generally make a star-spangled one for the Fourth of July but was in a hotel this year and didn’t. Those flavors would be fabulous in jam I decided. Then we can have it whenever we want, on scones or waffles, without the trouble of making a pie. 


The results were just as I had hoped…sweet, tangy, a lovely color, and perfect on our cherry-almond scones (from a King Arthur mix) this morning. 

I love using these antique canning jars for freezer jams.  They’re missing all their rubber gaskets, so can’t be used for real canning anymore.  I found a whole box of them at a flea market in Vermont about fifteen years ago, and my GI Joe still wonders why I needed them. Silly boy.

Cherry Peach Freezer Jam

3 cups peeled and cubed peaches
14 oz can tart pie cherries, drained
4 cups sugar
½ tsp nutmeg
2 tsp almond extract
1 package Sure Jell
¾ cup water

1. Mash the fruit using a potato masher, or pulse until finely chopped (but not pureed) in food processor. Be sure you measure the exact amount of fruit to have 4 cups crushed.

2. Place fruit in large bowl and stir in sugar, nutmeg, and almond extract. Let sit ten minutes while you go find and wash your canning jars. I like to use glass, just because I like seeing it, but 8 oz plastic freezer containers with lids are great and much more practical.

3. Bring water and Sure Jell to a boil, stirring constantly. Boil for 1 minute, then stir into fruit and sugar mixture. Stir continuously for about 3 minutes, until all the sugar is dissolved and it doesn’t feel grainy between your fingertips.

4. Pour into prepared jars , replace lids, and let sit at room temperature for 24 hours before freezing. Keeps up to nine months in the freezer, or one month in the refrigerator.

Makes 7 cups

I store ours in pint jars, because the hooligans can devour some jam, but you can use 12 oz or 8 oz instead. Also, the amount of sugar disturbs me, but the tart cherries really need it, as well as the pectin not working correctly without the right amount of sugar. Next time I’m going to try low-sugar pectin, though, and use less sugar.

Click here for a printable version of the recipe

Peanut Butter and Veggies…Yum?

Trust me on this…this sandwich rocks.  I like a good ol’ PB&J just as much as the next gal (ok, probably more than most), but I wanted a sandwich I could feel a little bit virtuous about eating.


Now, really, doesn’t that look good?  Instead of peanut butter, I slathered on a layer of Thai Peanut  Dip.  This stuff is fabulous with crackers, carrots, cucumbers, etc.  My hooligans love it, and, guess what?  It has tofu in it. Really.  Here’s the recipe:

Thai Peanut Dip

1/2 cup natural peanut butter
1/2 cup silken tofu
2 Tbsp lime juice (about 1 lime)
2 Tbsp soy sauce
2 tsp minced garlic
2 Tbsp brown sugar
1/2 tsp cayenne (I leave this out if making it for kids)

Whir it all up in the food processor until it’s smooth and refrigerate until serving.  It’s fine immediately, though…you don’t have to wait to enjoy it!

To make my favorite sandwich with it, I spread about two tablespoons on some twelve-grain bread, then top it with lettuce, sliced cucumbers, and shredded carrots.  If you’re a sprout lover, throw those on, as well.  I am not.

What makes this a great dip is that it has plenty of peanutty flavor, but the tofu cuts the intensity, as the lime, soy, cayenne, and garlic add a complex mix of flavors.  It all works. Enjoy!

Warning: Sugar Induced Coma Ahead

Last week, I tried a few new recipes to send in to my GI Joe’s office.  The potato chip cookies from Martha were only so-so…a bit bland, we thought. Then I made a couple of variations of Rice Krispy treats from Redbook magazine.

The Salted Caramel Treats were pretty tasty, but, again, not the contrast of flavors I expected.  You can find the recipe here. I’ll definitely try them again, perhaps with more salt.

Redbook also had another recipe, for a Rocky Road version of treats.  I modified it a bit by adding peanut butter chips and crushed potato chips to cut the sweetness.  These were proclaimed awesome by the hooligans and soldiers alike, and the middle kid even insisted they needed to be on my blog “to share with the world.”

He obviously has an exaggerated sense of my presence on the web. They are darned good, though.

Krispy S’Mores Squares

Yield: 24 squares Prep Time: 15 minutes
¼ cup butter
10 oz mini marshmallows
2/3 cup Nutella
½ tsp salt
6 cups Cocoa Krispies cereal
1 cup marshmallow fluff
1 cup miniature marshmallows
1 cup peanut butter chips
1 cup milk chocolate chips
1 cup crushed potato chips

1. Melt butter in large saucepan. Stir in marshmallows until smooth and melted. Add Nutella, salt, and vanilla. Stir in cereal.

2. Line a 13x9 pan with foil and spray with cooking spray. Pour cereal mixture into pan and press firmly into pan.
 
3. Spread marshmallow fluff on top, then sprinkle with remaining ingredients.

4. Preheat broiler. Broil treats for a couple of minutes, until marshmallows on top begin to brown. It doesn’t take long!

5. Let cool then cut into 24 squares.  These are super rich, so you may want to cut the squares in half. Or at least have a vat of black coffee standing by.

Click here for a printable recipe



Linking up to The Frugal Girls Chic and Crafty party

Sufferin’ Soybean Succotash!

Here’s a little known fact…my GI Joe’s favorite vegetable is lima beans.  I know, right?  I found a recipe in Everyday Food last summer for a succotash made from edamame rather than lima beans, and he was quite disappointed when all the hooligans and I liked it better than regular old lima bean succotash. Oh, well, that’s the way we roll.

Of course, when I wanted to make it again this year, I had misplaced the recipe.  And Martha didn’t have it online anywhere that I could find. So I recreated it as best I can remember, and it was amazing.  I’m pretty sure the hubs licked his plate, it was so clean when he finished.


I like the blend of flavors and, especially, how quickly this comes together.  Twenty minutes…really!  Everyone was so anxious to eat last night, I totally forgot to sprinkle a bit of feta or goat cheese on top…about 2 Tbsp per serving.  It’s excellent without, but even better with the cheese.

This seems like a long ingredient list, but it’s an entire dinner, with no sides necessary.  If you’d like, some crusty bread to dip in seasoned oil would be tasty alongside, though.

Chicken with Edamame Succotash

4 thin-sliced chicken breasts (or two regular, cut in half horizontally)
Marinade:
    1/4 cup soy sauce
    2 Tbsp brown sugar
    2 Tbsp lime juice
    2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
    2 tsp Montreal Steak seasoning
    2 Tbsp olive oil
Succotash:
    2 cups frozen edamame, shelled
    2 cups frozen corn kernels
    2 cups diced zucchini
    2 Tbsp olive oil
    2 tsp Italian seasoning
    Salt and pepper to taste
2 Tomatoes, sliced into wedges
1 avocado, peeled and thinly sliced
1/2 cup feta or goat cheese, crumbled

1. In quart size ziptop bag, mix marinade ingredients and add chicken.  Let it marinate for half an hour or so.  Don’t marinate longer than an hour, or it will be too salty. 
2. In large saute pan with a lid, heat olive oil over medium heat.  Add vegetables and Italian seasoning, cover, and let cook for about 8 minutes, then remove lid and let it crisp up a bit, 3 or 4 minutes longer.
3. While vegetables are cooking, heat a grill or grill pan until very hot.  Grill chicken for about 4 minutes per side, until cooked through. 
4.  To serve, slice chicken across the grain.  Top succotash with avocados and feta or goat cheese. Salt and pepper tomato wedges and serve alongside.

Click here for the printable recipe

And the Army Goes Rolling Along…

We attended a Change of Responsibility ceremony yesterday downtown at the War Memorial.  What a difference a year makes! People actually smiled during this one, including my GI Joe.

When the hubs took command last July, it was approximately the temperature of the surface of the sun with absolutely no breeze.  Yesterday was about 75 degrees with a refreshing light breeze.  Of course, it probably helped that I was doing naught but attending the ceremony and reception, unlike last year when I catered the reception and was a little stressed about it all.

Anyway, I made some Army mints as a welcome gift for the new Command Sergeant Major and his lovely family.  These mints are super cool-looking, and they taste delicious…like a Girl Scout Thin Mint. And did I mention how very simple they are to make? Just look and be amazed!


I lucked into some Army seal candy molds at a garage sale at Ft. Leavenworth a few years ago, but this would work with any circular design, such as a flower, as long as it’s larger than your cracker.  And you probably don’t need Army candy, anyway, right?


Here are the ingredients (you won’t need to make a list):  Andes Mint Chips and Ritz crackers. You can also use regular Andes mints, but then you have to unwrap each one. Who wants to do that?


Melt the chips for one minute in the microwave and stir until smooth.  Put a spoonful of melted mint chocolate in each mold, then top with a crackers.  I wiggle it down as far as I can without smooshing through the chocolate layer. That's a technical chef-type term, smooshing.


Spoon a little more melted chocolate on top and smooth it with a spoon until all the cracker edges are covered.  When you’re done with the whole tray, rap it sharply on the counter a few times to level it and get any bubbles out of the chocolate.


Chill them for about 15 minutes, then pop them out onto a dishtowel.  One bag of chips makes about 18 mints.  I really like using the Andes chips because they’re shiny when they harden again.  Regular chocolate chips would not be, unless you tempered your chocolate.  Then easy goes out the window for this recipe, and we don’t want that to happen!

I'm linking up to 

and at The Taylor House Thursdays

Welcome to Mumbai, Wisconsin

Okay, so I know the Indian food I make is not authentic in any way, shape, or form, but we do love it.  Our favorite Indian dish is Butter Chicken (Chicken Makhani) with freshly made naan (Indian flatbread) alongside.


Living in fairly rural Wisconsin, I feel the need to continue to broaden my children’s world view on food, so I try to make something ethnic at least once a week. We recently had Butter Chicken over Farro, Naan, and Watermelon-Cucumber Salad.  It rocked. And I made enough chicken to put a meal in the freezer for the future.

The butter chicken recipe can be found at Tasty Kitchen.  Although the recipe calls for cooking it on the stovetop, I’ve also just put all the ingredients except the cream in the crockpot and it’s delish. Without heating up your kitchen.  This dish is not at all spicy, but you could make it so if you wished.

Naan

1 (.25 ounce) package active dry yeast
1 cup warm water
1/4 cup white sugar
3 tablespoons milk
1 egg, beaten
2 teaspoons salt
4 1/2 cups bread flour
2 teaspoons minced garlic (optional)
1/4 cup butter, melted

1. In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Let stand about 10 minutes, until frothy. Stir in sugar, milk, egg, salt, and enough flour to make a soft dough. Knead for 6 to 8 minutes on a lightly floured surface, or until smooth. Place dough in a well oiled bowl, cover with a damp cloth, and set aside to rise. Let it rise 1 hour, until the dough has doubled in volume.

2. Punch down dough, and knead in garlic. Pinch off small handfuls of dough about the size of a golf ball. Roll into balls, and place on a tray. Cover with a towel, and allow to rise until doubled in size, about 30 minutes.

3. During the second rising, preheat grill to high heat.

4. At grill side, roll one ball of dough out into a thin circle. Lightly oil grill.

5. Place dough on grill, and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, or until puffy and lightly browned. Brush uncooked side with butter, and turn over. Brush cooked side with butter, and cook until browned, another 2 to 4 minutes.
Remove from grill, and continue the process until all the naan has been prepared.  I cook mine on a cast iron grill pan inside, but it can be grilled outside, as well.

This is best served fresh off the grill, but it can be stored, wrapped tightly, then reheated in the microwave or oven.


This Cucumber Watermelon Salad is one of those happy accidents in the kitchen.  I needed a refreshing salad to go along with our Butter Chicken, and only had a couple of cucumbers so couldn’t make a cucumber salad.  I added watermelon, and it was exactly what I had in mind.

Cucumber Watermelon Salad

6 cups cubed seeded watermelon
4 small cucumbers, cubed
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 tablespoon white sugar (optional)
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

Place the watermelon and cucumber cubes in a large bowl, and gently toss with the salt, pepper, and sugar. Drizzle with balsamic vinegar and toss to coat. Refrigerate for 15 minutes, then gently toss one last time before serving.

Click here to print recipes for naan and salad

Hooray for the USA…and Funnel Cakes!

Our family loves funnel cakes.  Oh, wait, that’s mostly me.  But that might be because I don’t share well. I generally decide whether a festival or fair is worth attending based on whether they have a funnel cake booth.  Really.  My GI Joe has even lured me to events with false funnel cake promises.

But no more wondering if my longing will be fulfilled, and at a cost of $5 or more (doesn’t that seem like a lot for a bit of fried dough and sugar?).  I can easily make these at home, and they’re just as delicious if not even more so. Oh, and bonus:  I can have one all to myself and not feel like a bad mom because I can’t share well.

And these are even the right colors for Independence Day!

Funnel Cakes

makes 8 (7”) cakes

·  about 2 cups vegetable oil, for frying

·  1 1/2 cups milk

·  2 eggs

·  2 cups all-purpose flour

·  1 teaspoon baking powder

·  1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

·  1/2 teaspoon salt

·  3/4 cup confectioners' sugar

·  2 cups raspberries

·  2 cups blueberries or blackberries

1. In a small cast iron skillet, heat about an inch of oil to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).

2. In a large bowl, beat milk and eggs together. Combine flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt. Stir into the egg mixture until smooth.  Pour batter into a gallon ziptop bag.

3. When the oil is hot, snip off the corner of the bag, making an opening about 1/2” in diameter.  Start from the center in a spiral, then back and forth a couple of times,  to make a 6 or 7 inch round. Fry on both sides until golden brown. Remove and drain on paper towels. Sprinkle with confectioners' sugar and top with fresh berries.  Serve warm.

Indulge, and celebrate your freedom to do so!

Click here for a printable version

Most Delicious Raspberry Limeade

Now, don’t be hater, but I can’t stand limeades made with Sprite or 7-Up.  I’d rather have no limeade than those. The best limeades in the whole wide world come from Braum’s, a dairy and ice cream chain that’s found in Oklahoma and a little bit of Missouri, Arkansas, and Kansas. I think their limeades perfectly combine tart, fizzy, and a bit of sweetness with cherries and syrup.

When I was in college in Colorado, I’d try to time my drives back and forth to pass through Salina at a time that would justify a limeade, since it was my first or last chance, depending on my direction of travel.

On Fathers’ Day, I was trying to come up with a festive drink to have with dinner, and found a can of limeade concentrate in the freezer. Obviously I had forgotten to use it to make another pitcher of margaritas. 
Anyway, I combined it with 48 ounces of sparking water (made with my Sodastream…best Mothers’ Day gift ever, last year!) and about 1/4 cup raspberry syrup (the Torani kind, for coffee or Italian sodas).  It was perfect and tasted almost exactly like Braum’s Cherry Limeades. Wahoo!

To serve it, I poured it over ice in pint Mason jars.  I used a cupcake liner in place of the metal lid, and tightened the metal band to hold them in place. After poking an “x” with a small knife, I popped in some straws. 


While not spill-proof exactly, it made it easier on the kids…and harder on the bugs to get into our drinks on the deck!  That’s not an original idea, by the way…I saw it on Pinterest. But I did copy and execute it well, dontcha think?

Limeade is the perfect summer drink, I think…and who doesn’t love a pink, icy drink, that’s what I’d like to know?!

Savory Cheesecake and Chips

This is one of those recipes that I’ve made for probably fifteen years.  The original was clipped from some newspaper, probably the Rocky Mountain News, since I think that’s where we were living when I started making this.  It calls for green chilis, Pepper Jack cheese, and chopped fresh tomatoes, green onions, green and red peppers, and some olives as a topping.

I wanted something red for Independence Day (and because I have a cool star-shaped insert for my springform pan that I completely forgot about until last week), so I made a few substitutions.  I found the red, white, and blue tortilla chips at World Market, but I really had just planned on using blue corn ones and maybe some white, since the star was already red.  The star platter was at the dollar store.


I took about fifty photos and just couldn’t get one that showed how very festive this turned out. SO you’ll have to use your imagination.  I made a half recipe, since I wasn’t filling the whole springform pan, but am giving the recipe for just a round one in a 9” springform pan.  It feeds a crowd as an appetizer and can be made a couple of days in advance.

Roasted Red Pepper Cheesecake

serves 16, easily

1 cup Crushed Tortilla Chips

3 Tablespoons Butter, Melted

16 ounces lowfat cream cheese, softened

2 eggs, beaten

1 Tbsp taco seasoning

1/2 tsp cumin

1/2 cup roasted red peppers, pureed

8 oz (2 cups) shredded sharp Cheddar

1/2 cup sour cream (regular or lowfat)

1 cup red salsa

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Spray a 9" springform pan with cooking spray.  In a medium bowl, combine the tortilla chips and butter. Press into the bottom of the prepared pan. Bake for 15 minutes, remove from the oven, and let cool. Usually I just let it sit while I make the filling and call it good.

2. In a large bowl, blend the cream cheese, eggs,taco seasoning, and cumin. Add the red pepper puree and both cheeses and blend well. Pour over the crust and bake for 30 minutes at 325 degrees. DO NOT OVERCOOK. Remove from the oven and cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Run a knife around the edge of the pan. Let cool to room temperature, then refrigerate until ready to serve.

3. When ready to serve, spread the sour cream over the top, then spread the salsa over that. Remove the sides of the pan and serve with tortilla chips.
 

Enjoy!

Click here to print

So This Margarita Walks Into a Bar…

…and makes a really yummy, cool and creamy treat, even without the tequila.

I recently hosted book club and made some delicious Strawberry Margarita Bars to serve as dessert.  Then we started drinking real margaritas and eating chips and salsa and I completely forgot to serve it. The family has enjoyed it for dessert, though!

This is my favorite kind of dessert for summer: No baking, very little prep time, and light in taste and calories.

Strawberry Margarita Bars

1-1/2 cups crushed pretzels
1/3 cup butter or margarine, melted
1/4 cup sugar
1 can (14 oz.) fat free sweetened condensed milk
1 cup pureed strawberries
1/2 cup lime juice(I used bottled)
1 tub (8 oz.) Cool Whip Free, thawed
1 cup sliced fresh strawberries

1. Mix pretzel crumbs, sugar, and butter in 13x9-inch pan; press onto bottom of pan. Refrigerate until ready to use.
2. Combine condensed milk, pureed strawberries and lime juice in large bowl. Gently stir in COOL WHIP; pour over crust.
3. Freeze at least 6 hours. Remove from freezer about 15 min. before serving; let stand at room temperature to soften slightly. Serve topped with sliced strawberries.

How easy it that, I ask you?  Enjoy!

Click here for a printable version


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and The Taylor House

Not Too Shabby for 237 Years

A question for all you non-Army types out there…what significance does June 14 have?  Flag Day?  Yes, that is correct, but more importantly (in our household’s opinion), it’s the Army’s birthday! And how do we celebrate every occasion, big or small?  With thematically appropriate food!


Ta-da!  I hope you’re more impressed with this than my hooligans were.  They just went, “Oh, that’s cool.” Not even with an exclamation point in their little hooligan voices.



So here’s what I did, for you eagle-eyes who noticed that the cut slice is not decorated with writing and blueberries…I’m sending this in with my GI tomorrow, but I wanted to brag  show you how cool it was.  So I took the photos, put the slice back in, and frosted over it.  Then I decorated with icing and blueberries.

Here’s the photo from Pinterest that inspired me…it’s from Kimmi Knippel at Just a Pinch.

I read her directions a couple of weeks ago and obviously didn’t follow them to the letter.  I made mine the same way I made the rainbow cake for First Communion.  I used 8” pans with a 5” pan in the middle of two of them for the blue.  You’ll see what I mean if you read Kimmi’s instructions.

I also made a batch of these stamped almond butter cookies. 

I bought this set of cookie cutters at Williams Sonoma last fall, and then I forgot I had them.  I was digging around in the corner cabinet for my small springform pans to use for the cake and found them.  They worked wonderfully.  I followed the recipe included, except that I used almond extract instead of vanilla.



I had planned to write U.S. Army under the Happy Birthday on each one, but my family decided they wanted to eat dinner tonight so I had to content myself with some festive dots that took less time.

You can always celebrate further by belting out the Army’s song, “The Army Goes Rolling Along.”  Here’s the version we favor, since we’re a Field Artilleryman’s family:

Over hill, over dale,

We will hit the dusty trail,

And those Caissons go rolling along.

Up and down, in and out,

Counter march and left about,

And those Caissons go rolling along,

For it's "hie-hie-hee",

In the Field Artillery,

Shout out your numbers loud and strong,

For wher-e'er we go,

You will always know,

That those Caissons go rolling along.

You can find the “official” version by Googling, but the original was written by a young field artillery officer, so we like to stay true to tradition! Hooah!

Linking up at The Taylor House