Ingredients for the Cake
1/2 box yellow cake mix
1/2 cup of oil
1/2 cup milk
2 eggs
Ingredients for Crumb Topping
2 cups of flour
3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp cinnamon
confectioners' sugar for dusting
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350. Grease a 7 x 11 pan
2. In a large bowl, use an electric mixer (or your stand mixer) to combine all cake ingredients. Beat on medium speed for 2 minutes. Spread batter in pan and bake for 10 minutes or until partially set. Set the pan aside until ready for topping.
3. Combine the all crumb topping ingredients except the confectioners' sugar in a large bowl. Mix until it forms a crumb consistency. Sprinkle crumbs over the cake pan, pressing lightly and ensuring full coverage of the cake batter. Bake 20 minutes or until light brown. Let the cake cool for at least an hour.
4. Before serving, dust the entire cake with confectioners' sugar. Cut the cake and serve!
Notes
This cake doubles beautifully and uses the entire cake mix. Double all the ingredients including the crumbs - the whole point of NY style crumb cake is to have a HUGE crumb layer. If doubling, use two 7 x 11 pans.
Wednesday, February 11, 2026
Sunday, January 31, 2021
January 31, 2021
We were all so glad to see 2020 head out the door, and have welcomed in the new year! Hard to believe it has been months and months since I have posted here on the blog! One of my resolutions was to get back to trying new recipes and posting, so, here I am! I know, I know... it's the last day of the first month but I am getting this post up! Woohoo! Thrilled to be back at it! Fingers crossed I can keep it up this year; I plan to post from time to time.
Although it has been a while since posting, I will tell you we are on the blog often because we use the archive of keeper recipes all the time. While Hannah was home for her long holiday break (Thanksgiving through late January) she mentioned that there are some of our traditionally classic family recipes that she really wants on the blog. She wants to make sure all her favorites will be in the same place in the future when she needs to start cooking. Since she is second semester sophomore that will probably sneak up on her sooner rather than later. Good idea to plan ahead!. To help out her future self I will probably start to post more "tried and trues" along with the new keepers to make sure they all get into the repository. One of the first ones we had to include was our spin on Aunt Marge's Turkey Meatballs! We love to make these on Sunday and eat them all week for lunch! You have got to try them!
Owen has started cooking on Saturday nights when he can. This weekend he made sheet pan jambalaya and it was outstanding! He had made it for us one other time back in the fall, and it earned keeper status by the first bite. Even Finn loves it! This jambalaya sits at a medium spice level, so you can add more or less creole seasoning to suit your taste. I can confirm that this is a very easy recipe and I can clearly see this fitting into the regular rotation, even hitting our dinner table on a busy weeknight! Give it a try!
Speaking of trying things, Owen and I also made up a totally new recipe this week! We made a little cheesy zucchini side dish, and it was outstanding! It was born out of necessity...we had 2 zucchini in the fridge that were looking a little past their prime and we knew we had to come up with a plan - fast! We shredded it up, found we had exactly one cup. Added in some cheese and seasonings, baked it for about 20 minutes and crossed our fingers. It was quickly devoured, which was good, since I don't think it would have reheated all that well. Keeper status for sure, and I am thrilled to have a small side dish to share with you!
It's looking like a busy week ahead! The slow cooker will definitely be put to good use!
Happy Cooking!
New Recipes
Tried & True
Peanut Butter Buckeyes
Turkey Meatballs
Recipes we've cooked from the blog recently
Baking Powder Biscuits
Bacon Pepper Mac & Cheese with Chicken
Crispix Chicken
Sheet Pan Jambalaya
Ingredients
* 1 medium yellow onion, sliced
* 1 each red, yellow and green bell pepper, sliced
* 2 cups chicken sausage, sliced into coins
* olive oil, to taste
* 2 1/2 tsp creole seasoning, divided
* 1 lb, raw shrimp
* 1/2 tsp paprika
* 1 1/2 cups tomato, diced
* 4 cups rice, cooked (brown or white)
* scallions, sliced, for garnish (optional)
Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 400 F.
2. On a large baking sheet arrange the onion, peppers and sausage. Drizzle with olive oil and season with 1 1/2 teaspoons of creole seasoning (more or less to your taste). Use your hands and mix everything well.
3. Bake for 8 minutes, or until chicken sausage begins to brown.
4. While the vegetables and chicken are cooking, place the shrimp in a small bowl. Season with 1 teaspoon creole seasoning and the paprika. Stir to coat.
5. Remove sheet pan from oven. Add the seasoned shrimp and tomatoes to the sheet pan. Mix everything together on the pan.
6. Cook for another 6 minutes, or until the shrimp is cooked through.
7. Remove pan from oven and add the cooked rice. Mix everything together.
8. Garnish with scallions. and serve immediately,
Notes
Owen's uncle suggested this recipe, and he made it the next weekend for us. We loved it! Hannah wasn't home either time we made it, but the rest of us really enjoyed it! The prep is pretty easy and all together is a quick recipe. This can definitely be made during the work week - love it!
Easy Roasted Potatoes
Ingredients
* 4 medium potatoes (should have about 5 cups after chopping)
* 2 tbsp olive oil
* 1 tsp chili powder
* 1 tsp paprika
* 1 tsp garlic powder
* 1 tsp onion powder
* 1 tsp salt
* 1 tsp dried parsley
Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 425 F.
2. Chop your potatoes into small chunks and place them in a large bowl. Do not dice them, but don't leave them too large.
3. Add in all the other ingredients and mix well to coat and combine.
4. Spread potatoes onto a parchment lined baking sheet. Cook for 25 minutes. Remove the pan and flip all the potatoes. Cook for another 10-15 minutes, or until you feel they are ready and look good to you.
Notes
While staying home as much as possible we got creative in the kitchen. Owen looked up a new potato recipe for us and it was a hit! Instant keeper status! When we make these we sometimes get a bit lazy and just let them cook about 35- 40 minutes without flipping. Still so good - so feel free to skip that step!
Herb - Rubbed Pork Roast
Ingredients
* 1.5 tsp salt
* 1.5 tsp celery salt
* 1 tsp onion powder
* 1 tsp garlic powder
* 1 tsp paprika
* 1 tsp pepper
* 1/2 tsp dll weed
* 1/2 tsp dried rosemary, crushed
* 1/2 tsp rubbed sage
* 1 boneless pork loin roast (4 lbs)
Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 350.
2. In a small bowl, combine all the seasonings. Rub all over the pork roast.
3. Place roast on a rack in a shallow roasting pan coated with nonstick cooking spray.
4. Bake, uncovered, for 1 3/4 - 2 hours, or until a meat thermometer reads 160 degrees.
5. Let stand for 10 minutes before slicing.
Notes
My family is crazy for this pork roast. I have definitely used the same recipe with a smaller roast and just adjust the time and keep an eye on it with thermometer. This year we made it for Christmas dinner, but is also easy enough for a weeknight. Pull it together, put it in the oven, and then get a few things done while it cooks! I originally clipped this recipe in 2007 back when I used to get a cooking magazine called Light & Tasty (a spin off of Taste of Home) but we never made it until this summer in quarantine. Too bad we waited so long to make it! Keeper status was unanimous! This is easy and delicious - you should try it!
Cheesy Zucchini Casserole
Ingredients
* 1 cup shredded zucchini
* 1/4- 1/2 cup parmesan cheese, plus more for sprinkling
* 1 tsp pizza seasoning or Italian seasoning (whatever you have on hand)
* 1/2 cup pepper jack cheese
* 1 clove garlic
* salt and pepper to taste
Directions
1. Mix all the ingredients together.
2. Grease a small 7 x 5 glass dish. Spread the mixture into the dish. Sprinkle some additional parmesan on top.
3. Bake in a 400 F oven for 20 minutes. Serve hot.
Notes
We had some zucchini in the fridge that was starting to look less then great for zoodles, which is our go to way to eat zucchini as a side dish. Liam lobbied for us to make chocolate zucchini muffins or chocolate zucchini cake, but Owen won the debate by looking up some zucchini casserole dishes. In the end we used what he found as inspiration and tossed this together with what we had on hand and what sounded good to us. It came together so quickly.
This recipe as presented here is worked for us using a small, 7x5 glass pyrex dish. This could easily be scaled up to make more, but this small one was a great little side dish; we will definitely be making this again! It was tasty!
Peanut Butter Buckeyes
Ingredients
* 3/4 cups creamy peanut butter
* 1/2 cup unsalted softened butter
* 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
* pinch salt
* 2 cups powdered sugar
* 2 cups chocolate chips
* 1/8 cup (2 tbsp) vegetable shortening
Directions
1. Line cookie sheet with wax or parchment paper. Set aside.
2. In a large bowl, stir together the peanut butter, butter, vanilla and salt. Gradually add the powdered sugar, stirring until the entire mixture is uniform in consistency.
3. Roll the mix into 1 inch balls. Set them on the prepared cookie sheet and insert a toothpick into the top of each ball. Chill in the freezer until hard, approximately 30 minutes.
4. Combine the chocolate and shortening and melt, either over low heat on the stove or in the microwave (follow the directions for melting on the bag of the chips if choosing this method).
5. Using the toothpick as a handle, dip each peanut butter ball into the chocolate. Place the balls back onto the cookie sheet; remove the toothpick. Refrigerate until set, approximately 2 hours. Store in the fridge.
Notes
Yum!!! The toothpicks were a great help! Not sure how long these will last in your house, but they don't last too long over here. They freeze well in case you want to use that as a way to deter yourself from eating them all!
Turkey Meatballs
Ingredients
*1 cup plain panko * 1/4 cup chopped flat leaf parsley *2 large eggs, slightly beaten * 2 tbsp whole milk * 3/4 cup grated parmesan cheese * 1/2 tsp salt * 3/4 tsp ground pepper * 1lb group turkey * 1/4 cup olive oil * 5 cups marinara sauce
Directions
1. In a large bowl stir together the panko, parsley, eggs, milk, the cheese, salt and pepper. Add the turkey and stir to combine. Do not overwork the meat. Shape the meatballs into bite size balls.
2. If desired, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Brown the meatballs 3 minutes a side. Add the marinara sauce after all sides are browned. Reduce heat and simmer the meatballs, making sure they get cooked all the way through.
3. Alternatively, heat the oven to 400. Place the meatballs into a glass baking dish spaced apart (about 15 meatballs in a 9 x 11 dish). Bake meatballs for 20 minutes.
Notes
We had these at Aunt Marge's house while on spring break a few years ago, and they have since become a family favorite! Sometimes we make the sauce from chicken parmesan meatball subs to use with these meatballs!
And, we do a mix of the methods described above! We brown them, and then pop them in the oven to finish cooking. Yum!
Saturday, March 28, 2020
Saturday March 28, 2020
If you can believe it we have three new keeper recipes to post during these rocky times! Owen celebrated his birthday right after we all started staying home and we made a new dessert that he had picked out weeks before. It was VERY peanut-buttery and the kids loved it! I am a sucker for hot fudge, so when I saw that on the ingredient list I was happy. I enjoyed having it for a few nights as well. Liam has already asked if he can have this same dessert for his birthday next year!
We have been using everything we have on hand before we head out to the store. You should see the grocery list we've been working on as we run out of ingredients or think of things we'd like to have available. One day the older kids looked at what we had in the pantry and then found a new ground beef rice dish that matched up. We had to make a few alterations to the recipe to fit what we had in our home and in the end it was voted a keeper! In fact, we've already had it twice!
As for the flat bread, we used our pizza dough recipe as the base and turn it into flat bread. Yum! Everyone devoured it; it's a keeper for sure!
This week I think we'll make some cookies, and I am sure we will be trying out some new dishes as we get creative in the kitchen. Have you made anything new? Let me know!
Happy cooking (and keep up social distancing)!
New Recipes
Italian Beef & Rice Skillet
Peanut Butter Ice Box Dessert
Flat Bread
We have been using everything we have on hand before we head out to the store. You should see the grocery list we've been working on as we run out of ingredients or think of things we'd like to have available. One day the older kids looked at what we had in the pantry and then found a new ground beef rice dish that matched up. We had to make a few alterations to the recipe to fit what we had in our home and in the end it was voted a keeper! In fact, we've already had it twice!
As for the flat bread, we used our pizza dough recipe as the base and turn it into flat bread. Yum! Everyone devoured it; it's a keeper for sure!
This week I think we'll make some cookies, and I am sure we will be trying out some new dishes as we get creative in the kitchen. Have you made anything new? Let me know!
Happy cooking (and keep up social distancing)!
New Recipes
Italian Beef & Rice Skillet
Peanut Butter Ice Box Dessert
Flat Bread
Italian Beef & Rice Skillet
Ingredients
* 1 small onion, diced
* 1 lb ground beef
* 14.5 oz can petite diced tomatoes or crushed tomatoes
* 3/4 cup uncooked white rice
* 2 cups beef broth
* 1/2 tsp Italian seasoning
* 1/4 tsp poultry seasoning
* 1 tsp garlic salt
* 1 tsp oregano
* 1/2 tsp pepper
* mozzarella cheese or parmesan cheese, for serving (optional)
Directions
1. Brown the ground beef and onion in a large skillet. Drain the fat.
2. Add everything to the beef and rice except the cheese. Stir to combine and bring to a light boil. Reduce heat and simmer for about 17-20 minutes (taste to see when your rice is finished cooking).
3. Serve, and pass with optional cheese if anyone wants to add it.
Notes
The kids were looking through the pantry and using the internet to see if we could make anything new. The recipe they found had some seasonings and ingredients we didn't have on hand, so we did some improvising. The kitchen smelled good while it was cooking, but to be honest I wasn't expecting much when I brought it over to the table. I was so surprised - Ryan and the kids loved it, and I thought it was pretty good. It was especially nice that it was a true one pot meal and didn't create too big of a mess in the kitchen. We've actually had it twice during these times already, once with diced tomatoes and once with crushed. The flavor was the same both ways, but we felt that when it had crushed tomatoes it was a little more soup like.
Peanut Butter Ice Box Cake
* 4 sleeves of graham crackers
* 1 bottle of hot fudge sauce (we used Smuckers, but any brand should work), heated in the microwave according the the bottle directions
* 1 cup whipping cream
* 10 oz of cream cheese (regular or Neufchatel)
* 1/4 cup peanut butter
* 1/4 cup powdered sugar
* 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
* Reese's cups (full size or miniature), chopped, about 1/2 - 1 cup (optional)
* 1 cup graham cracker crumbs
* 2 tbsp melted butter
* 2 tbsp sugar
* 1 container of Cool Whip
Directions
1. Lay graham crackers to cover the bottom a 9x13 pan (we used a Pyrex). Cut the graham crackers so you can cover the bottom as much as possible.
2. Pour half the bottle of fudge on the graham crackers, doing your best to smooth it all over the crackers. (I used a small offset spatula to help with this). Set aside.
3. Using a mixer (stand or hand), whip the whipping cream until stiff peaks form. Set aside.
4. In a separate bowl, beat the cream cheese for 2 -3 minutes on medium high speed until light and fluffy. Add in the peanut butter and beat until combined. Add in powdered sugar and vanilla and beat until well combined. Add in the chopped candies and beat one last time.
5. Fold the whipped cream into the peanut butter cream cheese mix.
6. Spread half the peanut butter whipped cream mixture on top of the fudge layer.
7. Reheat the fudge. Lay graham crackers all over the cream layer to cover as much as possible. Pour the remaining fudge on the graham crackers and spread again. Set it aside to cool for 3-4 minutes.
8. Spread the remaining whipped cream mixture on the fudge, then a final layer of graham crackers.
9. Combine the butter, graham cracker crumbs and sugar in a small bowl until it is a sand like consistency.
10. Spread the container of Cool Whip on the top layer of graham crackers. Sprinkle the graham cracker crumbs on the top. Refrigerate for 6-8 hours.
11. Serve and enjoy! Keep leftovers in the fridge.
Notes
Owen LOVES peanuts and peanut butter. For his birthday this year he sent me a link to a peanut butter ice box cake. We altered it a little and the final dessert was a huge hit! It made a 9 x 13 pan and we would have definitely shared it with some friends and family, but given the circumstances we had to eat it ourselves over 4 nights. Must say that the kids did not complain about that! The picture above doesn't do it justice; it was much better looking in person. We can assure you, if you like peanut butter you will like this dessert! Liam thinks he wants to have it in January for his birthday!
Flat Bread
Use this recipe for pizza dough to make the flat bread.
Additional ingredients needed
* flour for dusting
* olive oil
* garlic salt
* Italian seasoning
* parmesan cheese
* corn meal
Directions
1. When you are ready to make the flat bread, heat up your oven to 500 F. If you have a pizza stone, place that in the oven to heat up at the same time. Try to heat the stone for about 45 minutes.
2. Tear off about 1/3 of the dough and place it on a lightly floured cutting board or pizza paddle. Roll it out using a rolling pin to make it into a rough circle.
3. Lightly brush on a little olive oil. Sprinkle on some Italian seasoning, garlic salt and parmesan cheese.
4. Open the oven door and pull out the rack with the pizza stone. Sprinkle on a little corn meal. Carefully move the flat bread onto the pizza stone.
5. Close the door and let the bread cook for about 5-8 minutes. Keep an eye on it so it doesn't burn. It is ready when it has some color and you think it looks good!
6. Cut it with a pizza cutter or large knife.
Additional ingredients needed
* flour for dusting
* olive oil
* garlic salt
* Italian seasoning
* parmesan cheese
* corn meal
Directions
1. When you are ready to make the flat bread, heat up your oven to 500 F. If you have a pizza stone, place that in the oven to heat up at the same time. Try to heat the stone for about 45 minutes.
2. Tear off about 1/3 of the dough and place it on a lightly floured cutting board or pizza paddle. Roll it out using a rolling pin to make it into a rough circle.
3. Lightly brush on a little olive oil. Sprinkle on some Italian seasoning, garlic salt and parmesan cheese.
4. Open the oven door and pull out the rack with the pizza stone. Sprinkle on a little corn meal. Carefully move the flat bread onto the pizza stone.
5. Close the door and let the bread cook for about 5-8 minutes. Keep an eye on it so it doesn't burn. It is ready when it has some color and you think it looks good!
6. Cut it with a pizza cutter or large knife.
Saturday, March 14, 2020
Saturday March 14, 2020
Hello! We've had Hannah home on her Spring Break which is why we missed posting last week! We thought she was heading back tomorrow, but now, as with nearly all universities, she will begin on-line classes and will be staying here. She is excited about the dining hall here at home! Ha! I should be happy that she likes my cooking, but having eaten at her actual dining hall I can't even tell you how nice it is! Compared to what I had when I was in college it is outstanding. But I digress...
While she was home she requested so many of her favorite dishes that we only made one new dinner. But it was fabulous and easily earned keeper status. As you know I am not a red meat lover. However, flank steak, if sliced paper thin, is delicious. Ryan found a great marinade and when we tasted the steak at dinner we were absolutely blown away. (We loved it so much and ate it so quickly we forgot to take a picture! Whoops!) It will be requested often, I am sure. We tried a few new side dishes that were okay, but didn't earn keeper status. I personally loved a spicy cucumber vegetable salad, but Ryan and the kids only thought it was fine and did not think they would suggest we have it again. I got to enjoy the leftovers with my lunch for a few days!
We will be working and learning from home for the next couple of weeks. I will be curious to see how teaching science to my students will go as we move to the e-learning environment. Wish me luck that I can keep it lively and engaging for my students! I am so curious to see how the experience is at all levels of education. Under our roof we have a preschool student, 4th grader, high school sophomore and a college freshmen. We have a teacher and 4 students. Such a unique situation we have and I am excited and interested to see how it goes and what we all think about it!
We have a stocked pantry and garage freezer, so for the next few weeks while we are home we are expecting to use what we've got on hand! I might post a bit more often to remind you about some of the keepers from the archives. I am not anticipating that we will try too many new recipes since I don't plan on heading out to the market. We might get creative as the pantry ingredients dwindle!
Happy cooking, and best of luck to all these next few weeks!
New Recipes
Garlic Chile Flank Steak
Tried & True
Bacon Pepper Mac & Cheese with Chicken
Swiss Chicken
Crispix Chicken
Just for fun since it is almost St. Patrick's Day
Leprechaun Trap Cake
While she was home she requested so many of her favorite dishes that we only made one new dinner. But it was fabulous and easily earned keeper status. As you know I am not a red meat lover. However, flank steak, if sliced paper thin, is delicious. Ryan found a great marinade and when we tasted the steak at dinner we were absolutely blown away. (We loved it so much and ate it so quickly we forgot to take a picture! Whoops!) It will be requested often, I am sure. We tried a few new side dishes that were okay, but didn't earn keeper status. I personally loved a spicy cucumber vegetable salad, but Ryan and the kids only thought it was fine and did not think they would suggest we have it again. I got to enjoy the leftovers with my lunch for a few days!
We will be working and learning from home for the next couple of weeks. I will be curious to see how teaching science to my students will go as we move to the e-learning environment. Wish me luck that I can keep it lively and engaging for my students! I am so curious to see how the experience is at all levels of education. Under our roof we have a preschool student, 4th grader, high school sophomore and a college freshmen. We have a teacher and 4 students. Such a unique situation we have and I am excited and interested to see how it goes and what we all think about it!
We have a stocked pantry and garage freezer, so for the next few weeks while we are home we are expecting to use what we've got on hand! I might post a bit more often to remind you about some of the keepers from the archives. I am not anticipating that we will try too many new recipes since I don't plan on heading out to the market. We might get creative as the pantry ingredients dwindle!
Happy cooking, and best of luck to all these next few weeks!
New Recipes
Garlic Chile Flank Steak
Tried & True
Bacon Pepper Mac & Cheese with Chicken
Swiss Chicken
Crispix Chicken
Just for fun since it is almost St. Patrick's Day
Leprechaun Trap Cake
Garlic Chile Flank Steak
Ingredients
* 1 flank steak (2 to 2 1/2 pounds)
* 1 tsp kosher salt
* 6 tbsp vegetable oil
* 2 scallions, minced
* 6 cloves of garlic, minced
* 1 tbsp minced canned chipotle chile in adobo sauce
* 1 jalapeno chile, stemmed, seeded and minced
Directions
1. Process the vegetable oil, scallions, chipotle, garlic and jalapeno in a blender or food processor until smooth. This should be about 30 seconds. Scrape down the sides of the blenders as needed.
2. Pat the flank steak dry with paper towels and prick each side about 20 times with a fork. Rub both sides of the steak with the kosher salt and then rub it with the paste.
3. Seal the steak in with the marinade (I use plastic wrap) and put it in the fridge for a minimum of one hour and up to 24 hours to marinate.
4. After marinading, wipe the past off the steak and season with pepper.
5. Cook the steak on a grill until it matches the desired level of doneness. We typically cook it about 6 minutes per side, but will go higher for a thicker steak.
6. Transfer the steak to a carving board and cover it loosely with tented aluminum foil and let it rest for 10 minutes.
7. Thinly slice the steak against the grain prior to serving.
Notes
This is UNBELIEVABLY DELICIOUS!!!!!! I am not a red meat fan, and I absolutely loved this. It got rave reviews and unanimous keeper votes from all of us. Do make sure you slice the meat very thin - but that is my advice for all flank steak recipes. The thinner the better, in my book.
The canned chipotle in adobo sauce typically comes with whole chipotle chiles in the can. A good estimate is using one chile. Mince the chile and add a little sauce to it when you put it into the blender.
* 1 tbsp minced canned chipotle chile in adobo sauce
* 1 jalapeno chile, stemmed, seeded and minced
Directions
1. Process the vegetable oil, scallions, chipotle, garlic and jalapeno in a blender or food processor until smooth. This should be about 30 seconds. Scrape down the sides of the blenders as needed.
2. Pat the flank steak dry with paper towels and prick each side about 20 times with a fork. Rub both sides of the steak with the kosher salt and then rub it with the paste.
3. Seal the steak in with the marinade (I use plastic wrap) and put it in the fridge for a minimum of one hour and up to 24 hours to marinate.
4. After marinading, wipe the past off the steak and season with pepper.
5. Cook the steak on a grill until it matches the desired level of doneness. We typically cook it about 6 minutes per side, but will go higher for a thicker steak.
6. Transfer the steak to a carving board and cover it loosely with tented aluminum foil and let it rest for 10 minutes.
7. Thinly slice the steak against the grain prior to serving.
Notes
This is UNBELIEVABLY DELICIOUS!!!!!! I am not a red meat fan, and I absolutely loved this. It got rave reviews and unanimous keeper votes from all of us. Do make sure you slice the meat very thin - but that is my advice for all flank steak recipes. The thinner the better, in my book.
The canned chipotle in adobo sauce typically comes with whole chipotle chiles in the can. A good estimate is using one chile. Mince the chile and add a little sauce to it when you put it into the blender.
Saturday, February 29, 2020
February 29, 2020
Leap Day....hard to believe March arrives tomorrow. My academic year is 2/3 of the way over - that is really tough to wrap my head around. And Hannah comes home from college for spring break on Friday! The year is rushing by!
It was a busy week here, full of therapy appointments, meetings, and lots of fun things nearly every evening. I am glad it is the weekend and the pace is a bit lighter Saturday, Sunday and Monday. Yes- Monday is included in this weekend! It's the icing on the cake - Monday off of school. Although I don't have work, we still have a full day off planned - therapy, hair cuts, dentist, board meeting. And Owen and I hoping to cook another batch (maybe 2) of the best enchiladas ever!
This week I tried a few new recipes and found 2 keepers! One flop, chili mac, was fine and Owen really enjoyed it, but the rest of us couldn't vote it a keeper. So, not everything I make earns keeper status and a home here on the blog. We do try to be choosy!
The first keeper is a pancake mix. If you love pancakes but want the ease of a mix, this pancake recipe is for you! We tried is last Sunday and are using it again this Sunday. And even better - we will still have two batches left! Nothing better then cooking once and making a mess in the kitchen when it produces multiple batches.
The second keeper is a new side dish. My family loves potatoes of all varieties and in various preparations. I tried a new twice baked potato recipe and it was fantastic! They are a bit of work, of course, but all twice baked potatoes are! It's in the name, after all; you cook the potatoes two times! In my opinion they were well worth the effort and easily earned keeper status from all of us.
We are planning on grilling out tomorrow since the weather is forecasted to be beautiful! Maybe we will find another keeper - fingers crossed!
Happy Cooking!
New Recipes
Pancake Mix
Twice Baked Potatoes
It was a busy week here, full of therapy appointments, meetings, and lots of fun things nearly every evening. I am glad it is the weekend and the pace is a bit lighter Saturday, Sunday and Monday. Yes- Monday is included in this weekend! It's the icing on the cake - Monday off of school. Although I don't have work, we still have a full day off planned - therapy, hair cuts, dentist, board meeting. And Owen and I hoping to cook another batch (maybe 2) of the best enchiladas ever!
This week I tried a few new recipes and found 2 keepers! One flop, chili mac, was fine and Owen really enjoyed it, but the rest of us couldn't vote it a keeper. So, not everything I make earns keeper status and a home here on the blog. We do try to be choosy!
The first keeper is a pancake mix. If you love pancakes but want the ease of a mix, this pancake recipe is for you! We tried is last Sunday and are using it again this Sunday. And even better - we will still have two batches left! Nothing better then cooking once and making a mess in the kitchen when it produces multiple batches.
The second keeper is a new side dish. My family loves potatoes of all varieties and in various preparations. I tried a new twice baked potato recipe and it was fantastic! They are a bit of work, of course, but all twice baked potatoes are! It's in the name, after all; you cook the potatoes two times! In my opinion they were well worth the effort and easily earned keeper status from all of us.
We are planning on grilling out tomorrow since the weather is forecasted to be beautiful! Maybe we will find another keeper - fingers crossed!
Happy Cooking!
New Recipes
Pancake Mix
Twice Baked Potatoes
Pancake Mix
Ingredients
* 10 oz AP flour (2 cups)
* 8 oz cake flour (2 cups)
* 2.5 ox nonfat dry milk powder (1 cup)
* 3.3 oz malted milk powder (3/4 cup)
* 12 tbsp unsalted butter, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
* 2.3 oz sugar (1/3 cup)
* 2 tbsp baking powder
* 1 tsp baking soda
* 1 tbsp salt
Directions to make the mix
Process all the ingredients in a food processor until no lumps remain and mixture is the texture of wet sand, about 2 minutes.
Directions to store the mix
Store in the fridge or freezer. (I stored mine in 2 cup batches, since you need 2 cups per recipe)
Directions to use the mix
* 2 large eggs, beaten
* 2 cups of pancake mix
* 1/2 cup buttermilk
Mix the ingredients until smooth. Cook your pancakes on a griddle or in a skillet! Serve and enjoy!
Notes
We have a few pancake recipes we really love on the blog: Diner style pancakes, overnight pancake batter, apple pancakes, yogurt pancakes, banana pancakes, pumpkin pancakes, but I decided to try another recipe because it was a make ahead pancake mix. And I am so glad I did! They were delicious pancakes, and I have 3 more batches of it in the fridge! I can just pull one container out and whip up a new batch so easily when pancakes are requested!
And a quick tip - when baking, if your recipe has ingredients listed in cups or ounces, use the ounces if you have a scale! Weighing your ingredients for baking is a really good idea. Baking is a science and the more precise you can be, the better your results!
Twice Baked Potatoes
Ingredients
* 4 russet potatoes (7-9 oz each), washed and unpeeled.
* vegetable oil
* 4 slices bacon
* 1 onion, chopped fine
* 6 oz shredded sharp cheddar cheese, divided
* 1/2 cup sour cream
* 4 tbsp butter, softened
* salt & pepper, to taste
* 2 scallions, sliced thin (if desired)
Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 400 F.
2. Rub the potatoes lightly with vegetable oil and prick each with a fork in three places.
3. Place the potatoes directly on the oven rack and bake until a fork or skewer easily pierces the flesh (approximately 1 hour total). Flip the potatoes over after 30 minutes and then continue cooking for the additional 30 minutes. Let potatoes cool on a wire rack for about 10 minutes.
4. While potatoes are baking, cook the bacon in a 12 inch skillet over medium-high heat until crispy, about 5-7 minutes. Transfer the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate, leaving the fat in the skillet. Once bacon has cooled, crumble.
5. Add the onion to the skillet that still has the bacon fat and cook over medium heat stirring often. Cook until the onion is softened and lightly browned, about 10 minutes. Set onion aside.
6. Cut each cooled potato in half lengthwise. Scoop the flesh, leaving a thin layer left in the skin, into a bowl. Place each potato skin shell into a baking dish.
7. Mash the potato flesh until smooth. Add to the bowl 4 oz of cheddar, sour cream, butter, and onions. Stir to combine. Taste and season with salt & pepper. Scoop potato mix into the potato shells. Sprinkle each potato with remaining cheddar and bacon. Cook right away, or store in the fridge for up to 2 days, or freeze the potatoes for up to 1 month.
8. Heat the oven to 500 F. Place a wire rack on a foil lined baking sheet. Place potato halves on the rack and bake until the shells are crisp and the filling is heated through, 15 minutes if from the fridge or 25 minutes if straight from the freezer. Sprinkle with scallions before serving, if desired.
Notes
Yum! I made them in the morning and cooked them at dinner time from the fridge. We used 4 potatoes for dinner and the other 4 we had as leftover lunch for the next few days. Next time I make them I will freeze 4 to be able to use as an easy side dish for a future dinner. Each of us only needed 1 of the potato shells and we were all very satisfied. Super delicious and we will make these again!
Friday, February 21, 2020
February 21, 2020
I arrived home Tuesday night after a great long weekend away, and as a result (no surprise here!) I didn't try any new recipes! Tuesday we had the chicken and rice casserole that we had tucked away in the freezer for just such an occasion; it was fabulous! Owen took it out of the freezer 24 hours ahead to let it thaw in the fridge. Then when I got home from the airport I whipped up a batch of the crumb topping and popped it in the oven. Easy, delicious, and without any stress, fuss or extra dishes to wash!
Wednesday night I made lasagna roll-ups after work, and then pulled pork for a busy Thursday evening. It is fabulous to throw dinner in the crock pot before heading out for work, and walk back in between activities and meetings with it ready to go! And everyone loves it! Quick tip - I buy the huge pork loin at Costco and put it up and freezer it in about 2 - 2.5 lb portions which is perfect for the crock pot. There isn't a real recipe I follow. Here is what I do: I place the pork on a bed of sliced onions, add 32 oz of beef broth and then add some barbecue sauce to cover the top of the pork. Let it cook on low until I get home and then shred. My family likes it on a roll topped with coleslaw mix (raw cabbage and carrots) and more barbecue sauce. Yum!
Here's a trick I learned recently from a friend - add one extra tablespoon of butter when you are making Rice Krispies Treats! I used to follow the regular recipe - 3 tablespoons of butter, 1 regular bag of marshmallows (10 oz) and 6 cups of cereal, and they were totally fine. But my friend let me in on her secret when I asked how she made THE BEST Rice Krispies Treats. So now you know as well! Upping the butter from 3 to 4 tablespoons really does make a difference, but then, of course it does! Extra butter makes so many things better! (And if you need convincing about that you can ask my dad or niece!)
Here it is Friday evening already and we are at horse therapy. Friday mornings Finn wakes up and tells us about the afternoon plans - horses and pizza! Some routines just can't be beat! We have quite a few things to attend and do this weekend, but I am still hoping to get some cooking in and try a few new recipes. Fingers crossed I can fit that in! No new keepers this week, but hopefully next!
Happy Cooking!
Wednesday night I made lasagna roll-ups after work, and then pulled pork for a busy Thursday evening. It is fabulous to throw dinner in the crock pot before heading out for work, and walk back in between activities and meetings with it ready to go! And everyone loves it! Quick tip - I buy the huge pork loin at Costco and put it up and freezer it in about 2 - 2.5 lb portions which is perfect for the crock pot. There isn't a real recipe I follow. Here is what I do: I place the pork on a bed of sliced onions, add 32 oz of beef broth and then add some barbecue sauce to cover the top of the pork. Let it cook on low until I get home and then shred. My family likes it on a roll topped with coleslaw mix (raw cabbage and carrots) and more barbecue sauce. Yum!
Here's a trick I learned recently from a friend - add one extra tablespoon of butter when you are making Rice Krispies Treats! I used to follow the regular recipe - 3 tablespoons of butter, 1 regular bag of marshmallows (10 oz) and 6 cups of cereal, and they were totally fine. But my friend let me in on her secret when I asked how she made THE BEST Rice Krispies Treats. So now you know as well! Upping the butter from 3 to 4 tablespoons really does make a difference, but then, of course it does! Extra butter makes so many things better! (And if you need convincing about that you can ask my dad or niece!)
Here it is Friday evening already and we are at horse therapy. Friday mornings Finn wakes up and tells us about the afternoon plans - horses and pizza! Some routines just can't be beat! We have quite a few things to attend and do this weekend, but I am still hoping to get some cooking in and try a few new recipes. Fingers crossed I can fit that in! No new keepers this week, but hopefully next!
Happy Cooking!
Friday, February 7, 2020
February 7, 2020
Woohoo! 2 keepers this week! Last weekend's work in the kitchen has paid enormous dividends all week long! Owen and I cooked a few new recipes last Sunday, as well as a few staples like meatballs. As a result, dinners all this week came together without much effort! And extra bonus - both new recipes made enough for 2 dinners, so my freezer still has a few fabulous pre-made meals at the ready for busy nights in the future! Fantastic!
One of my sisters had given me the Cook's Illustrated All Time Best Make-Ahead Recipes magazine-style cookbook and told me that she'd tried a few of the recipes. I'm intrigued by so many and decided to start off with the recipes for enchiladas and a chicken & rice casserole. To say that the title of the periodical lived up to its name is an understatement. The enchiladas we were not only the best I'd ever made at home, but clearly were the best I'd ever eaten. Period. Full stop. Outstanding is not an exaggeration. They were a bit on the spicy side, so Liam and Finn thought them too hot, but that is within your control when you make them; you can alter the amount of jalapeños to be more or less depending on the tastebuds of your family members.
While we were cooking we decided to make the chicken & rice casserole. I honestly did not have huge expectations for this recipe, but it sounded like it would yield both an acceptable dinner and result in 2 dinners with the prep time of one. All reasons enough for me to move ahead and try this new recipe. I was completely shocked when I not only enjoyed the casserole, but was blown away by the flavor. We all enjoyed this one and we will certainly be making it again.
In case you were curious about my lemon bread quest...still no lemon bread keeper. But it is out there; I know it! 2 friends have suggested recipes to try, so they are on the docket.
Next weekend I won't be able to post, but don't you worry, the blog will be back later in February!
Happy Cooking!
New Recipes
Make-Ahead Enchiladas
Chicken & Rice Casserole
One of my sisters had given me the Cook's Illustrated All Time Best Make-Ahead Recipes magazine-style cookbook and told me that she'd tried a few of the recipes. I'm intrigued by so many and decided to start off with the recipes for enchiladas and a chicken & rice casserole. To say that the title of the periodical lived up to its name is an understatement. The enchiladas we were not only the best I'd ever made at home, but clearly were the best I'd ever eaten. Period. Full stop. Outstanding is not an exaggeration. They were a bit on the spicy side, so Liam and Finn thought them too hot, but that is within your control when you make them; you can alter the amount of jalapeños to be more or less depending on the tastebuds of your family members.
While we were cooking we decided to make the chicken & rice casserole. I honestly did not have huge expectations for this recipe, but it sounded like it would yield both an acceptable dinner and result in 2 dinners with the prep time of one. All reasons enough for me to move ahead and try this new recipe. I was completely shocked when I not only enjoyed the casserole, but was blown away by the flavor. We all enjoyed this one and we will certainly be making it again.
In case you were curious about my lemon bread quest...still no lemon bread keeper. But it is out there; I know it! 2 friends have suggested recipes to try, so they are on the docket.
Next weekend I won't be able to post, but don't you worry, the blog will be back later in February!
Happy Cooking!
New Recipes
Make-Ahead Enchiladas
Chicken & Rice Casserole
Make Ahead Chicken Enchiladas (straight from the freezer)
Enchiladas ready for the quick freeze!
Forgot to take a pic before we started to serve - we just couldn't wait!
Ingredients
*2 28oz cans tomato sauce
* 1 12oz can chipotle chile in adobo sauce
* 1 cup chicken broth
* 1 onion, chopped
* 6 garlic cloves
* 2 tsp ground cumin
* 2 tsp ground coriander
* 1/2 tsp salt
* 2 tbsp vegetable oil
* 6 cups of cooked bite size or shredded chicken (from 2 rotisserie chickens or cooked yourself)
* 4 cups (from 2 8oz blocks) of Monterey Jack cheese, shredded (divided)
* 2/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
* 1/3 cup minced jarred jalapeños (or less if you'd like less heat in your final dish)
* 20-24 corn tortillas (6 inch size)
* vegetable oil spray
Directions
1. Combine the tomato sauce, chipotles and adobo sauce, broth, onion, garlic, cumin, coriander and salt in a bowl. Working in batches, process the mixture in a blender until smooth (40-50 seconds). Transfer the pureed tomato mixture into a separate bowl. (I put about a quarter of the mixture in the blender at a time)
2. Heat 1 tbsp of oil in a 12 inch nonstick skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add half the pureed tomato mixture to the skillet, bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 8-10 minutes. Transfer the cooked sauce to a bowl or very large measure cup bowl. Repeat with the remaining half. You should end up with at least 7 cups of sauce. Set aside 1.5 cups of the sauce and let it cool for at least 10 minutes.
3. In another bowl, combine the chicken, 2 cups of the cheese, cilantro, jalapeños, and 1.5 cups of sauce.
4. Heat the oven to 300 degrees. Place 5 tortillas on baking sheet and spray both sides lightly with cooking spray. Bake the tortillas until pliable, about 2 minutes.
5. Working quickly, transfer 1 tortilla at a time to a cutting board or work surface, fill with 1/3 cup of the chicken mixture and roll tightly. Transfer to a baking sheet. Repeat until you have filled 20-24 tortillas with chicken mixture.
6. Place plastic wrap over the baking sheet and quick freeze the enchiladas. When frozen, use a spatula to pry the enchiladas off the sheet and store them in zipper storage bag. Freeze for up to one month. You must freeze these enchiladas before cooking and serving!
7. Store the enchilada sauce in the fridge for up to 4 days, or freeze for up to one month. You will need 2.5-3 cups of sauce per 10-12 enchiladas. If you will be using only part of the enchiladas for a meal, freeze your sauce in partial quantities as well. For example, I made 24 enchiladas, but planned to only serve 12 at a meal. I froze my sauce in 2 containers so I would only thaw the amount of sauce needed for one meal.
8. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Spray glass baking dishes that you will be using. Arrange the frozen enchiladas in a single layer in the dishes. 10 enchiladas fit well in one 9 x 13 dish. You may be able to squeeze in 12. (When I was cooking 12 enchiladas, I used one 9 x 13 and then a smaller pyrex for the additional 2). Spray the tops of the frozen enchiladas with additional cooking spray.
9. Bake the enchiladas for 30-35 minutes, until the tops of the tortillas are just beginning to flake.
10. Remove the dishes from the oven and top each 10-12 enchiladas with 2.5-3 cups of enchilada sauce. Bake for 10 minutes.
11. Remove the dishes from the oven and top with one cup of cheese for every 10-12 enchiladas. Bake for 5-10 minutes or until the cheese melts. If desired, broil the enchiladas for the last 1-3 minutes to get the cheese golden.
12. Serve and enjoy!
Notes
WOW! We were so impressed by the flavor of these enchiladas! They were better then most we'd eaten out at restaurants! I will say that they are fairly spicy, but you can alter that by decreasing (or even omitting) the jarred jalapeños if your family does not enjoy spicy dinners; the meal was too spicy for Liam, but the rest of us LOVED it! Owen and I each enjoyed some as leftovers the next day for lunch as well.
While these enchiladas do take a some time in the kitchen to make, I would say they are well worth the effort. And the fact that we got 2 dinners worth out of it again was a pro in my book. Using rotisserie chicken for the chicken definitely saves you time. I bought 2 from Costco, and they yielded much more than the 6 cups of chicken I needed to make this recipe.
Also - next time I make them I will add a silpat to my baking sheet before quick freezing the enchiladas. When I took them out to place into zipper freezer bags, I initially had a hard time getting them off the baking sheet! But, in the end, I did get them off, but next time I will use a silpat and hope to save myself a few moments of panic!
We are excited that we can eat them again next week without much effort at all, I am definitely adding this recipe to the rotation of meals I can make ahead! They are outstanding - and if you at all are interested by the recipe, I absolutely suggest you make them. You will not be disappointed!
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