Homemade Shamrock Shakes!

Now that we're almost to St. Patrick's Day, who wants SHAMROCK SHAKES?!?

2 C vanilla ice cream
1-1⁄4 C 2% low-fat milk
1⁄4 tsp. mint extract
8 drops green food coloring

Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend on high speed until smooth. Stop blender to stir with a spoon if necessary to help blend ice cream.

Pour into 12-ounce cups and serve each with a straw.

Pasta e Fagioli that's almost as good as Mom's

My mom was an amazing cook! Growing up, she'd make just about everything from scratch and it would be just perfect. Since she passed in 2001, I've been trying to find recipes for all her "regular" meals. While I've found (and perfected) my own recipes for pasta sauces, chicken soup, beef stew, and fried chicken, I hadn't found a good substitute for one of my favorite soups that she made all fall and winter - Pasta e Fagioli - until now.

1 lb. ground beef
1 C diced onion
1 C julienned carrot
1 C celery, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 (14-1/2 oz.) cans diced tomatoes
1 (15 oz.) can red kidney beans (with liquid)
1 (15 oz.) can great northern beans (with liquid)
1 (15 oz.) can tomato sauce
12 oz. tomato soup (or you can substitute V8)
1 tsp. vinegar
1-1⁄2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. oregano
1 tsp. basil
1⁄2 tsp. pepper
1⁄2 tsp. thyme
1⁄2 lb. ditali pasta

Brown beef in a large stock pot over medium heat; drain off fat. Add onion, carrot, celery and garlic and saute for 10 minutes. Add remaining ingredients, except pasta, and simmer for 1 hour.

After 50 minutes, boil pasta to al dente. Drain well. Add pasta to the large pot of soup and simmer for 10 minutes.  

Cranberry/White Chocolate Chip Cookies

Looking for a little something different than just your standard, run of the mill chocolate chip cookie?  How does dried cranberries, white chocolate chips, and macadamia nuts sound?  Yeah, I thought so...

Cranberry/White Chocolate Chip Cookies
Makes (at least) 4 dozen cookies

2 1/4 C unsifted flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 C (2 sticks) butter, softened
3/4 C sugar
3/4 C brown sugar, packed
2 tsp. vanilla extract
2 eggs
2 C white chocolate chips
2 C dried cranberries
1 C chopped macadamia nuts (optional)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Stir flour with baking soda and salt; set aside. Beat butter with sugar and brown sugar at medium speed until creamy. Add vanilla and eggs, one at a time, mixing on low speed until incorporated.

Gradually blend dry mixture into creamed mixture. Stir in chocolate chips, cranberries, and nuts (if using.) Drop by tablespoon onto parchment-lined baking sheets. Bake for 9 to 11 minutes or until golden brown.

**Note: You can also add 2 C semi-sweet chocolate chips to make them extra special!

Homemade "Cream of" Soup Base

You know how most "quick" casseroles have cream of chicken/mushroom/whatever soup in them? I usually try to avoid using these canned soups because of the excess sodium, MSG, and other ingredients that I know my grandmothers wouldn't recognize. (BTW, that's my standard when buying canned or pre-made items. If there are ingredients that my grandmothers wouldn't recognize, I don't usually buy it.)

Anyway, I was reading the comments on a blog (sorry, I didn't write down the blog's name - bad MDG! lol) and someone posted a recipe for homemade "cream of" soups. You make the base, then add the flavoring you want/need. GENIUS! I'm going to have to give this a try.

HOMEMADE CREAM SOUP SUBSTITUTE
2 C instant nonfat dry milk
3/4 C cornstarch
1/4 C instant chicken bouillon
2 tsp dry onion flakes
1 tsp each basil and thyme
2 tsp pepper

Combine ingredients and mix well. Store in jar in cupboard. Makes the equivalent of 9 cans of soup.

To flavor: Add mushrooms, celery or onion when cooking to make whatever cream-of-soup you are replacing.

To make the equivalent of one can of soup, use 1/3 cup of the mix and 1.5 cups water and cook until thickened.

Knock-off Starbucks Lemon Pound Cake

Someone shared a knock-off recipe of the lemon pound cake from Starbucks. As that's my favorite thing on their entire menu (drinks included), I just had to share!

Pound cake ingredients:
1-1⁄2 C flour
1⁄2 tsp. baking soda
1⁄2 tsp. baking powder
1⁄2 tsp. salt
3 eggs, room temp
1 C sugar
2 Tbsp. butter, softened
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tsp. lemon extract
1⁄3 C lemon juice
1⁄2 C oil

Icing ingredients:
1 C powdered sugar
1 Tbsp. powdered sugar
2 Tbsp. milk
1⁄2 tsp. lemon extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 9 x 5 loaf pan.

In a large bowl, combine flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt.

In a medium bowl, cream the butter and sugar, then add eggs, vanilla extract, lemon extract and lemon juice with a mixer until blended.

Pour wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and blend until smooth. Add oil and mix well.

Pour into loaf pan and bake for 45 minutes until toothpick comes out clean.

Remove from oven and cool in pan on a rack.

Making the icing: In a small bowl, combine powdered sugar, milk and lemon extract with a mixer until smooth.

When loaf is cooled, remove from pan and frost top with icing. When icing has set, slice loaf into slices (should get about 8 good slices).

This weekend is the unofficial start of summer? Bikini ready? No... well, here's a great chickpea salad to help you get there!

Middle Eastern Chickpea Salad

Serves 4

6 WW points per serving

3 sprays olive oil cooking spray
1 large whole-wheat pita, split open
3/4 tsp. kosher salt, divided
1/2 tsp. ground cumin, divided
3 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
2 Tbsp. water
1-1/2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
2 C canned chickpeas, rinsed & drained
2 C halved or quartered grape tomatoes
1/3 English cucumber, cut lengthwise, sliced into 1/2" thick pieces
1/4 C diced red onion
1/2 C coarsely chopped fresh parsley
6 C thickly shredded romaine lettuce

Place oven rack in middle position. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with foil.

Coat both sides of the pita with cooking spray; place rough side up on baking sheet. Sprinkle tops with 1/4 tsp. each salt and cumin. Bake until crisp, 5 to 7 minutes. Remove to a wire rack to cool.

Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk together lemon juice, water, oil, remaining 1/2 tsp. salt, remaining 1/4 tsp. cumin, and pepper.

Add chickpeas, tomatoes, cucumber, onion, and parsley; toss to coat. Let stand, tossing occasionally, at least 10 minutes for flavors to blend.

To serve: line each of four plates with 1-1/2 C lettuce; top with slightly heaping 1-1/4 C chickpea mixture. Break 1/2 of each pita into small pieces over each salad. Drizzle any dressing left in bowl evenly over salads. Serve.

Need something to bring to a picnic? How about homemade cole slaw?

It's almost picnic season. I love, love, LOVE cole slaw but have never attempted to make it myself. That is, until I found this recipe. Guess it's time to give it a shot.

8 C finely diced cabbage (about 1 head)
1⁄4 C diced carrot
2 Tbsp. minced onions
1⁄3 C granulated sugar
1⁄2 tsp. salt
1⁄8 tsp. pepper
1⁄4 C milk
1⁄2 C mayonnaise
1⁄4 C buttermilk
1-1⁄2 Tbsp. white vinegar
2 1⁄2 Tbsp. lemon juice

Finely dice the cabbage and carrots (easiest way to do this would be using the fine shredder disc on a food processor.) Pour cabbage and carrot mixture into large bowl and stir in minced onions.

Using the regular blade on a food processor, process remaining ingredients until smooth. Pour over cabbage mixture and mix thoroughly.

Cover bowl and refrigerate several hours or overnight before serving.

NOTE: I've been told that you can substitute a bag of cole slaw mix from the produce section for the cabbage and carrots and get the same results. This cole slaw is supposed to be very much like the stuff from KFC.

Dessert: Key Lime Pie

This could be the easiest recipe for Key Lime Pie anywhere... and it's so good! Enjoy!

2 C sweetened condensed milk
6 egg yolks
2⁄3 C key lime juice
1 graham cracker pie crust

Garnish:
whipped cream
thin lime slice

Preheat oven to 325*.

With an electric mixer, combine sweetened condensed milk, egg yolks, and lime juice. Mix just until ingredients are well-combined.

Pour filling into graham pie shell and bake on middle rack for 20 minutes or until filling jiggles only slightly when shaken.

Cool on a rack for 15 minutes. Then, cover and chill in refrigerator for at least a couple hours before serving.

Garnish with whipped cream and lime slices, if desired, before serving.

PLEASE NOTE: It's VERY important, as with any key lime pie, to use actual key limes or key lime juice, as the flavor is quite different than regular limes.

What's for Dinner? Maple Mustard Grilled Chicken

Broiled maple mustard (and bacon!) glazed chicken and salad with maple-balsamic dressing.

(And a mental note to remember to refill the tank on the grill, so I can grill this next time.)

3 Tbsp. olive oil, divided 

2 shallots, diced
⅓ C maple syrup
3 Tbsp. spicy brown mustard
1 tsp. apple cider vinegar
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper, divided
1/4 tsp. sea salt, divided
1 slice of bacon, cooked and diced
1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts

In a small saucepan over medium heat, heat 1 Tbsp. olive oil and saute shallot until translucent. Add maple syrup, mustard, vinegar, garlic, 1/8 tsp. black pepper, and 1/8 tsp. salt. Cook on medium heat, stirring occasionally, until glaze just comes to a boil, then remove from heat. Stir in bacon pieces.

Pat chicken dry with paper towel. Brush both sides of each piece with 1 Tbsp. olive oil and season both sides generously with remaining salt and pepper.

Brush grill grates with remaining 1 Tbsp. olive oil. Place chicken on the grill over medium high heat, cover and cook undisturbed until grill marks appear, about 2-3 minutes. Turn the breasts over and brush with some of the glaze. Cover the grill and continue to cook until the chicken is cooked through. Turn again and brush with more glaze just turning off heat. Transfer to a serving plate and serve immediately, with remaining glaze on the side.

Salsa Fresca!

This weekend, one of our local grocery stores had a HUGE sale on fresh tomatoes. So we made SALSA FRESCA! (Which I then spent pretty much all weekend eating.)

12 plum tomatoes, cored and coarsely chopped
1 medium red onion, finely chopped
2 jalapenos, ribs and seeds removed, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 C lightly packed fresh cilantro stems and leaves, coarsely chopped
1-3/4 tsp. coarse salt
2 Tbsp. red-wine vinegar
2 tsp. sugar

Stir together tomatoes, onion, jalapenos, garlic, cilantro, salt, vinegar, and sugar in a bowl. Refrigerate, covered, for an hour or two. Enjoy!

Freezer Meals - Mongolian Beef

This is my American take on one of our favorite beef stir-fry recipes. I don't usually precook this recipe. I put the prepared beef and seasoned sauce into a Ziploc bag, and freeze it. When I'm ready to use it, I take the bag out of the freezer, empty it into my Crock Pot (if you like, you can move it to the refrigerator the night before and it'll come out of the bag easier), and cook on low all day. When I get home from work, I add a bag of frozen broccoli to the beef which cooks while I'm cooking the brown rice I serve it over.

1-1/2 lbs. beef flank steak, sliced into thin strips
1/4 C cornstarch
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 C soy sauce
3/4 C water
3/4 C brown sugar
1/2 C carrot, shredded
2 green onions (scallions), sliced thinly

Coat flank steak in cornstarch. Combine remaining ingredients and place into a Ziploc freezer bag. Add steak to indicated number of freezer bags. Label and freeze.

To cook: Put contents of bag into a Crock Pot, and cook on low for 6 - 8 hours.

I'm BACK!

After forgoing my blog for a Facebook group, I've decided that I'd rather be here.  I may not get as many readers here but I don't really care.  I like the flexibility of a blog.

In the time since I last wrote, DD#1 decided to change majors... and moved back home.  DD#2 graduated high school and... decided to not go away for her freshman year of college.  So, yes, both of my college-age kids are back home.  :\  DD#3 joined her middle school's Science Olympiad team... and they went to Nationals (came in 23rd) this month.  And DD#4 may be ADHD... just like everyone else in our family.  (No big shock there.)  DH is still the same goofy, happy guy he's always been.

And me, well, I rejoined Weight Watchers and lost 50 lbs. in less than 10 months... and kept it off for almost a year.  *fingers crossed*

Actually I can't afford to gain the weight back.  I gave away all my old clothes and I've spent WAY too much money on my new, cute wardrobe.

Anyway, I'm back and am still cooking, cleaning, and trying to keep my sanity.  Well, whatever little bit of sanity I ever had but still, I'm not really ready to give it up.  lol

Look for lots of food posts.  Since I'm on Weight Watchers, I've become obsessed with finding healthier alternatives to my beloved fatty, highly caloric foods.

Oh well, gotta get some sleep.

M

Quick Update: One Day I'll Learn to Relax on Saturdays

Today was spent running around, hitting two different grocery stores to get our weekly shopping done.  Oh, did I mention I did this with the two youngest in tow?  Yeah...  Thankfully my sister was able to go with us and that helped keep the "Oh Mommy I've GOTTA have this!" whines to a minimum.  In fact, the only things they asked for (and I caved in on) were bananas, Greek yogurt, and organic bunny-shaped pretzels.  Not too bad, if you ask me.  It could have been much worse (thank you, Whole Foods, for NOT having huge candy displays at the cash registers!)

So then we came home and I spend the rest of the afternoon "prepping".  I don't know if anyone else does this but I find it makes my life a little easier during the week.  I start off by rinsing all the fresh fruit and vegetables.  Then I assemble bags of pre-cut salad greens (I store them in the reusable produce bags found in the $1 bins at Target) for quick weeknight salads, hull the strawberries and pop the grapes off the stems and put them in kid-friendly plastic boxes (they're plastic and look like the cardboard strawberry containers at the farmer's market, again from the $1 bins at Target), separate the broccoli crowns into good size pieces and store them in reusable produce bags, etc.  I find that, by doing all this right when I get home, that:

1. I actually use all the produce I buy because I've taken away the "oh but I still have to clean, chop, etc. before using it" excuse.
2. The kids actually eat the easy to access fruits and veggies, and they don't ask for junk food.  Seriously, this happens in our house!  All they might ask for is a small container of ranch dressing for dipping the celery, carrots, or broccoli.  Love this!

After that, DD#3 and I decided to make oatmeal/peanut butter energy balls (see recipe below.)  It takes about 5 minutes to prepare them and the kids LOVE them!  They're all natural and are comprised of things we usually have on hand, so they're convenient.  Plus they're healthy enough that they can be a quick morning breakfast on hectic school mornings.  (Our kids go back on August 21st this year, so I'm already in "back to school" mode.)  They're so good that the kids don't even realize they're healthy and good for them.

Well now I'm going to relax a bit, grab a couple of strawberries, and get ready for tonight's dinner (meatloaf, macaroni & alfredo cheese side dish from Whole Foods - a nice grown-up take on macaroni & cheese, and a big salad.)

Hope everyone's having a great day!

Mary

RECIPE:  Oatmeal/Peanut Butter Energy Balls
1 C dry oatmeal
1/2 C peanut butter (you could substitute sunflower butter, if there's an issue with nut allergies in your home)
1/2 C ground flax seed
1/2 C chocolate chips
1/2 C raisins or dried cranberries (or you can mix them, if you like)
1/3 C honey or maple syrup (I used maple syrup because I just bought a couple of bottles from the kids' summer camp, where they make their own syrup - super awesome stuff!)
1 tsp. vanilla (optional, but I do tend to use it)
2/3 C toasted coconut flakes (optional)

Mix all ingredients together in a medium bowl.  Put the bowl in the refrigerator until chilled and firm.  When firm, take out and roll the mixture into 1" to 1 1/2" balls, and enjoy!

Mirror, Mirror on the Wall. I Am My Mother After All.

It’s official.  I have become my mother.  I’m not sure how (or even when) it happened but it happened.  I’ve turned into my mother.  Now don’t get me wrong.  My mother was an awesome, amazing woman who lived through so much that I sometimes shake my head that she even lived as long as she did (my mother passed in 2001 at the age of 68.)  However, my mother was your typical Irish/Italian woman.  She was the one who yelled if you didn’t eat enough.  She yelled if you ate too much.  She complained if I had my hair in my face but, when I would cut it short, she would say “It looked better longer.”  Always with the contradictions.  The main thing about my mother, though, was food.  She was ALWAYS cooking.  Granted, I come from a blended family and am the youngest of 8 children, so there was a time where it would be only natural for my mother to be cooking all day.  But, even after everyone moved out, she still did so.  And still cooked in the same, absurd amount (enough to feed a small army.)

Yesterday was Independence Day here in the US and where was I?  In the kitchen, at the stove, just like her.  And that was where I spent most of my day, just like her.  Baking two batches of buttermilk biscuits (the first batch didn’t rise enough and definitely weren’t flaky enough for me to be happy, so I had to make a second batch), making potato salad, baked beans (well, doctoring up a can of Bush’s baked beans but I like theirs and, well, I didn’t feel like making them from scratch), corn on the cob, corn/pepper relish (which I made and canned last weekend) and fried chicken.  Keep in mind, I’m using a modified version of my mother’s recipe, which is a "little piece of heaven" on a plate.  Actually, it’s more like a "little heart attack waiting to happen" on a plate.  (The stuff is fried in lard.)  And, by the time it was done, I made enough food to feed at least a dozen people… and there were only the six of us, and two of us are under 10 years old.

I know by today’s standards, I have a large family.  Not too many families are having four (or more) kids.  But I know I’m not alone in this.  Every mother I talk to does the same thing.  We cook like there’s no tomorrow.  Why?  Granted, I like having leftovers and homemade always tastes better than buying it pre-made or getting takeout.  But why do I feel this need to constantly feed people?  Am I going to be like my mom and continue going at this level even when my kids start moving away from home.  DD#1 is moving to college 500 miles from home next month.  What about next year when DD#2 leaves for college? Am I going to keep cooking for six (or more) people at every meal, even though I can’t just pack it up and ship it to them at school?  Like I said, I like having leftovers but, in 15 years, am I going to want to eat leftover fried chicken and potato salad for lunch every day for a week?

Maybe I’ve inherited the “show ‘em you love ‘em by feeding ‘em” gene from Mom.  In high school and college, all my friends loved coming to my house because my mom would feed them like no one’s business.  (She’d also kick their butts playing “quarters” but that’s a different post all together.)  Perhaps I’ll do the same with my kids’ friends.  I’ve already had one of my daughter’s friends ask if I can send her care packages when she leaves home.  And maybe one of my kids will inherit this gene from me, and the legacy of taking care of the ones you love with food will continue.  In the meantime, I’ll just keep feeding my family and friends (as an expression of love), one piece of juicy southern fried chicken at a time.  Pass the biscuits, please.