Breakfast of Champions

This is by far my favorite breakfast:  homemade yogurt, honey, and granola.  Preferably homemade granola, but it doesn't have to be.  I just like granola.

Here's the granola recipe I made Monday morning.  It's my favorite granola recipe, but I do like to change things up now and then.

Power Granola

from Cooking Light

(original recipe via link; modified recipe below)

Ingredients

2 cups regular oats

1/3 cup ground flaxseed

1/2 cup chopped nuts (walnuts, almonds, pecans, etc., or a combination)

2 tsp ground cinnamon

1/3 cup orange juice

1/3 cup honey

1/4 cup packed brown sugar

2 tsp canola oil

1 tsp vanilla extract

cooking spray

1/3 cup dried fruit (cranberries, blueberries, golden raisins, etc.)

Preparation

1.  Preheat oven to 300°.

2.  Combine first 4 ingredients in a medium bowl.

3.  Combine orange juice, honey, and brown sugar in a small saucepan.  Cook over medium heat just until sugar dissolves, stirring frequently.  Remove from heat; stir in oil and vanilla.

4.  Pour honey mixture over oat mixture, stirring to coat.  Spread mixture in a thin layer onto a jelly-roll pan coated with cooking spray.  Bake at 300° for 27 minutes total, stirring at 9 minute intervals, or until golden brown.  Spoon granola into bowl; stir in dried fruit.  Cool completely.

Store completely cooled granola in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks.

What I absolutely love about this recipe is how many variations there are.  I've done walnuts and cranberries, almonds and blueberries, walnuts and almonds and golden raisins (my favorite), and many others, just depending on what I have on hand.

Your cooking time may vary, just so you know.  The reviews on the original recipe suggested the cooking method I use, and it works best for me.  My oven tends to cook hot, though.

Let me know if you make this granola and what combos you try.  I'm always looking for new, yummy variations.

Recipe--Shepherd's Pie

This is what we had for dinner this last week:

It's unbaked at this point, though.

Shepherd's Pie. 

Yummy goodness of meat, veggies, and mashed potatoes, all thrown together into one baking dish.

Yum.

2/3 of the kids loved it!  The other one is picky and his opinion doesn't really count on how good something is.  Unless he loves it, of course.

It's a Cooking Light recipe I got from myrecipes.com, though I modified it.  It has quite a bit of prep work, but it's totally worth it.  Try making more than one and freezing the rest.  It makes all the work even more worth it.

Cozy Shepherd's Pie

(actual recipe through the link; modified recipe below)

Ingredients

Potato topping:

2 pounds peeled baking potatoes, cut into 1-inch pieces

1/2 cup low-fat sour cream

1/4 cup 1% low-fat milk

1/2 tsp dried rubbed sage

1 tsp butter

1/2 tsp salt

1/8 tsp black pepper

Filling:

1 1/2 pounds ground beef

2 tsp olive oil

2 cups diced carrot

6 cups quartered mushrooms (about 1 1/2 pounds)

1 tsp dried rubbed sage

1 garlic clove, minced

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1 1/4 cups low-salt beef broth

1/2 cup dry red wine

2 tbsp tomato paste

1 tbsp red wine vinegar

1/2 tsp paprika

Preparation

To prepare potato topping, place potatoes in a saucepan; cover with water.  Bring to a boil; cook 20 minutes or until very tender.  Drain.  Place potatoes, sour cream, and next 5 ingredients (through pepper) in a large bowl, and beat with a mixer at medium speed until smooth.  Keep warm.

Preheat oven to 375°.

To prepare filling, brown beef in a large nonstick skillet and drain off fat.  Remove from pan and set aside.  Heat oil in same skillet over medium-high heat.  Add carrot; sauté 7 minutes.  Add mushrooms; sauté 5 minutes.  Add 1 tsp sage and garlic; sauté 2 minutes.  Sprinkle with flour; cook 2 minutes, stirring until well-blended.  Add broth and wine; bring to a boil.  stir in tomato paste and vinegar.  Add beef and mix thoroughly.  Spoon meat mixture into a 2-quart casserole.

Spread potato topping over meat mixture; sprinkle with paprika.  Bake at 375° for 45 minutes or until golden brown.

If frozen, thaw in fridge overnight then bake according to directions above.

Homemade

I love baking bread.

It was one of the many things that intimidated me, as far as cooking, when I first got married.

Over the years, I have slowly gotten past my intimidations, and have been baking my own bread for dinner quite often, now, for a couple of years.

I have 4-5 go-to recipes, depending on what else is for dinner, and this one is pretty close to making that list.

Homemade White Bread

from Cooking Light via My Recipes

Ingredients 

• 1 package dry yeast (about 2 1/4 teaspoons)
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 2/3 cups warm fat-free milk (100° to 110°)
• 2 tablespoons butter or stick margarine, melted
• 4 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, divided
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• Cooking spray

Preparation

1. Dissolve yeast and sugar in warm milk in a large bowl; let stand 5 minutes. Stir in butter. Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Add 4 1/4 cups flour and salt to yeast mixture; stir until blended. Turn dough out onto a floured surface. Knead until smooth and elastic (about 10 minutes); add enough of remaining flour, 1 tablespoon at a time, to prevent dough from sticking to hands (dough will feel tacky).
2. Place dough in a large bowl coated with cooking spray, turning to coat top. Cover and let rise in a warm place (85°), free from drafts, 1 hour or until doubled in size. Punch dough down; let rest 5 minutes. Roll into a 14 x 7-inch rectangle on a floured surface. Roll up rectangle tightly, starting with a short edge, pressing firmly to eliminate air pockets; pinch seam and ends to seal. Place roll, seam side down, in a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan coated with cooking spray. Cover and let rise 1 hour or until doubled in size.
3. Preheat oven to 350°.
4. Uncover dough. Bake at 350° for 45 minutes or until loaf is browned on the bottom and sounds hollow when tapped. Remove loaf from pan, and cool on a wire rack.

The Difference Between Boys and Girls--Play Dough

Now that M is two, the differences between him and his sisters are becoming ever more apparent. The usual differences are there (M likes cars and trucks and making noise and destroying things, E and C like dolls and princesses and singing and building things), but some other, less predictable differences have come to light lately.

For example:

C and M are currently playing with homemade play dough (recipe below). Although, with M, "playing with play dough" is a relative phrase.

C: squishes play dough, rolls play dough, cuts play dough, shapes play dough, plays with play dough.

M: squishes play dough, places play dough back in canister, calls play dough "coffee," plays with play dough toys, ignores play dough.

And this happens every. single. time M "plays" with play dough. But he loves it! He asks for it weekly. He enjoys it.

I guess I have a lot to learn about having a boy.

Kool-Aid Play Dough

Mix:

2 packages of unsweetened kool-aide

1/2 cup of salt

2 1/2 cups of flour

1 tablespoon cream of tartar

Add:

2 cups of boiling water

3 tablespoons of oil

Stir, cool and knead for 5 minutes.

A Recipe You Probably Don't Want to Taste

I make my own laundry soap, and have for the best part of a year. I find it works really well (even with my extremely hard water) and is very easy and inexpensive to make.

Laundry Soap

1 bar of soap (you can use any bar soap you want, but I prefer Fels Naptha)

1 cup of washing soda (you need actual washing soda, not baking soda)

1/2 cup of Borax (this isn't necessary, but I find it adds that little extra oomph)

4 cups plus approximately 4 gallons of water

Container(s) of some sort, either a 5-gallon bucket or 4 milk jugs (I've used an old, clean cat litter bucket, and I've used old, clean milk jugs. I prefer the milk jugs. Costco jugs are the best because they're slightly larger in volume than a gallon.)

essential oils (optional, but they give the soap a nice smell. Use about 10-12 drops per every two gallons.)

1. Grate soap (I use a cheese grater I bought specifically for soap making) and add to 4 cups of hot water. "Cook" over medium heat until soap is completely melted. Remove from heat.

2. Add washing soda and Borax and stir until completely dissolved.

3. If using a bucket, pour mixture into the bottom of the bucket and add 4 gallons of warm water. Stir to mix. Add oil if you want. If using milk jugs, divide mixture evenly among the 4 jugs (so, about a cup per jug). Fill jugs with warm water (no need to measure). You may need to fill them several times as the soap will foam up. Fill almost to the top, but make sure you leave enough room to be able to shake the contents. Add oil if you want (5-6 drops per jug). Shake.

4. Let soap sit 24 hours. When ready to use, mix/shake thoroughly. It will probably be lumpy and slimy, but that's normal.

5. When ready to use, pour soap in washing machine before adding clothes. It works best this way.

I use 1/2 cup of homemade soap per load. I also throw in some Oxy Clean for a little extra boost. When I remember, I pour half a cup of distilled white vinegar into the rinse cycle instead of using dryer sheets. If I forget, I still don't use dryer sheets.

This recipe will last me about 3 months, so it's very cost-efficient!

One extra note:

If you're going to make your own laundry soap and wait until you're completely out before making more, don't enjoy your laundry-free 24 hours too much. Because if you do, you'll be paying for it when those 24 hours are up. Believe me. I had to wash 5 loads of laundry yesterday to make up for not doing any on Tuesday. And today, I have another 3. All because I waited until I was completely out. Oh, well. I sure enjoyed Tuesday!

Another Recipe--Green Beans with Roasted-Onion Vinaigrette

In honor of Thanksgiving coming up NEXT WEEK (can you believe it?), I thought my recipe posting for this week should be something I make every year for the holiday.

I have a confession to make, first: I'm not a huge fan of the traditional green bean casserole. Canned green beans don't do anything for me. My green bean dish is a refreshing change from the usual green bean fare that seems to be universally served.

This is yet another Cooking Light recipe. Surprisingly, these beans are served chilled, which is a nice compliment to the other dishes that are yummily, piping hot.

Green Beans with Roasted-Onion Vinaigrette

2 red onions, peeled (about 1 pound)
4 teaspoons olive oil, divided
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 sprigs fresh thyme
1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill
3 tablespoons Champagne vinegar or white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon stone-ground mustard
2 pounds green beans, trimmed, steamed, and chilled

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Cut onions in half vertically. Drizzle the cut side of each onion half with 1/4 teaspoon oil. Sprinkle halves evenly with salt and pepper. Place one thyme sprig on 1 onion half; top with other half. Wrap in foil. Repeat procedure with the remaining thyme and onion halves. Bake the wrapped onions at 400 degrees fr 1 hour or until tender. Cool to room temperature. Discard thyme, and chop onions. Combine 1 tablespoon olive oil, onion, dill, vinegar, and mustard in a small bowl.
3. Toss the beans with the vinaigrette. Yield: 8 servings.

Here's how I make it:
*I only use fresh thyme if I happen to be buying it for my turkey. Dried thyme works well.
*I use white wine vinegar. I'm not even sure I could fine champagne vinegar out here.
*I use dried dill; it works well.
*I'm not sure if my mustard is stone ground or not, but I use dried, ground yellow mustard. It tastes fine.

Seriously, though. This is a wonderful green bean recipe. It has a kick to it, but it's not spicy. It really does compliment the mild, creamy flavors of turkey, mashed potatoes, and sweet potatoes very well.

Okay, I'm drooling now. I can't wait to make this next week!

Another Recipe--Sweet Corn Muffins

If I were willing to make these muffins every day, Prince Charming would eat them for every meal. They are fantastic! And they compliment so many different types of meals.

Goodbye, Jiffy!

These muffins are from Cooking Light.

Sweet Corn Muffins

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (about 6 3/4 ounces)
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup yellow cornmeal
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup plain low-fat yogurt
1/4 cup butter, melted
3 tablespoons fat-free milk
1 large egg, lightly beaten
2 tablespoons turbinado sugar (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 375°.
2. Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour, granulated sugar, cornmeal, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl, stirring with a whisk. Make a well in center of mixture. Combine yogurt, melted butter, milk, and egg, stirring with a whisk; add to flour mixture, stirring just until moist.
3. Place 12 paper muffin cup liners in muffin cups. Divide the batter evenly among cups. Sprinkle batter evenly with turbinado sugar, if desired. Bake at 375° for 20 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack. Yields 12 muffins.

Here's how I make them:
*You probably don't want to cook these muffins for the entire 20 minutes; they're a little dry if you do. 17 minutes is usually good, especially if you're using paper cup liners.
*I use silicon cup liners. They make for a moister muffin, and I can cook them for the entire 20 minutes.
*I don't have turbinado sugar. I've never seen it. I don't think my little town even carries it. Regular sugar works just fine.
*Sometimes I don't sprinkle the tops with the extra sugar. The muffins are sweet enough without out it. I usually only add it for the crunch factor.
*I have substituted the following for the yogurt if I don't have it on hand: sour cream, buttermilk, or vanilla yogurt. Each of these works just fine, and doesn't really impact the overall taste or texture of the muffins.

These muffins are the absolute best corn bread muffins I have ever tasted. I will probably always use this recipe from now on. The muffins are just that good.

Enjoy!

Once Again, Another Recipe

This is what we had for dinner last night. It's one of my favorites and again, oh so easy! This recipe is also from Cooking Light.

Udon-Beef Noodle Bowl

8 oz uncooked udon noodles or wheat noodles or spaghetti
1 1/2 tsp bottled minced garlic
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper
2 (14 1/2-oz) cans low-salt beef broth
3 tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
3 tbsp sake or dry sherry
1 tbsp honey
Cooking spray
2 cups sliced shiitake mushroom caps (about 4 oz)
1/2 cup thinly sliced carrot
8 oz top round, thinly sliced
3/4 cup diagonally cut green onions
1 (6-oz) bag prewashed baby spinach

1. Cook noodles according to package directions; drain.
2. Place garlic, pepper, and broth in a large sauce pan. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes.
3. Combine soy sauce, sake, and honey in a small bowl; stir with a whisk.
4. Heat a large nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms and carrot; saute 2 minutes. Stir in soy sauce mixture; cook 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Add vegetable mixture to broth mixture. Stir in beef; cook 2 minutes or until beef loses its pink color. Stir in noodles, green onions, and spinach. Serve immediately. Yields 5 servings.

Here's how I make it:
*I use the precooked, heat-and-serve udon noodles you can find with the tofu. I cook them according to the package directions.
*Since this meal is slightly spicy, I add the seasoning packet when I reheat the noodles and reserve the broth for my daughter. I take some chunkies from the big pot, rinse them off, and add it to the reserved broth for her dinner.
*I don't usually have sake on hand, so I use sherry.
*I can never find 8-oz of top round, so I just use whatever kind of beef is available in around 8 oz. More beef works well, too.

That's about it! It's kind of like a soup, but more like a runny, chunky stew. So yummy!

Enjoy!

Yet Another Recipe--Baked Potato Soup

Okay. I'm addicted to sharing recipes. I admit it. I suppose that's the first step to recovery, right?

Only, I don't think I want to recover from this addiction.

Am I in denial? You bet!

This recipe is the ultimate comfort food. It's super easy and absolutely melt-in-your-mouth delicious! This one is also from Cooking Light.

Baked Potato Soup

4 baking potatoes (about 2 1/2 pounds), baked and cooled
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
6 cups 2% reduced-fat milk
1 cup (4 ounces) reduced-fat shredded extra-sharp cheddar cheese, divided
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 cup reduced-fat sour cream
3/4 cup chopped green onions, divided
6 bacon slices, cooked and crumbled

1. Peel baked and cooled potatoes; coarsely mash. Discard skins.
2. Lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Place flour in a large Dutch oven; gradually add milk, stirring with a whisk until blended. Cook over medium heat until thick and bubbly (about 8 minutes). Add mashed potatoes, 3/4 cup cheese, salt, and pepper, stirring until cheese melts. Remove from heat.
3. Stir in sour cream and 1/2 cup onions. Cook over low heat 10 minutes or until thoroughly heated (do not boil). Sprinkle each serving with cheese, onions, and bacon.
Yield: 8 servings.

Here's how I make it:

*I don't have a Dutch oven, so I just use a large, deep pan.

That's it. This one is so easy, I don't modify it any more than that.

Enjoy!

Another Recipe--Chicken Souvlaki Salad

I love to cook.

I love recipes.

I love to share recipes, so I thought I'd share this one with everyone. It's super easy and so yummy! It makes a great all-in-one meal, especially with some pita bread and humus. This one is from Cooking Light.


Chicken Souvlaki Salad

2 tsp bottled minced garlic, divided
1 tsp fresh lemon juice
1 tsp extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 lb skinless, boneless chicken breast
3 cups cubed peeled cucumber (about 3 cucumbers)
1/2 cup vertically sliced red onion
1/2 cup (2 ounces) crumbled feta
2 tbsp chopped pitted kalamata olives
2 ripe tomatoes, cored and cut into 1-inch pieces (about 1 lb)
1/2 cup plain fat-free yogurt
1/4 cup grated peeled cucumber
1 tsp white wine vinegar
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground red pepper
1/4 tsp black pepper

1. Preheat grill or broiler
2. Combine 1 tsp garlic and the next 6 ingredients (through chicken breast) in a large zip-top plastic bag. Seal the bag and shake to coat. Remove chicken from the bag. Grill or broil chicken 5 minutes on each side or until done. Cut chicken into 1-inch pieces.
3. Combine chicken, cubed cucumber, and the net 4 ingredients (through tomatoes) in a large bowl. Combine yogurt and remaining ingredients in a small bowl. Pour over chicken mixture; toss well. Yields 4 servings.

Here's how I make it:

*I'm lazy. I cut the chicken up and place it in a pan with the 1 tsp garlic through black pepper; I add a little water, and cook until done. Drain, and add to other ingredients.
*I find the red pepper to a be a little intense, especially for Cinderella. I usually cut back on the red pepper and supplement paprika for whatever I cut out. This makes the dressing a little sweeter.
*I have never bothered to grate cucumbers for this salad and it turns out just fine.
*I double the feta. Sometimes I use flavored feta.
*I used whole kalamata olives, sometimes with pits intact. I also don't measure how many and buy way more than the recipe calls for.
*Bottled lemon juice works just fine.
*If you have leftover chicken, it substitutes just fine instead of the marinaded chicken in the recipe.

This recipe is a staple in our house. In fact, we're having it for dinner sometime next week.

Enjoy!

My Infamous Chili Recipe

I've gotten quite a few requests for my chili recipe, so I thought I'd just post it here.

If you try it, let me know how it turns out.

I love this recipe! It's from the Fix-It and Forget-It Cookbook: Feasting with your Slow Cooker, by Dawn J. Ranck and Phyllis Pellman Good.


Colleen's Favorite Chili

2 medium onions, coarsely chopped
1-1 1/2 lbs. ground beef, browned and drained
2 garlic cloves, minced
3/4 cup finely diced green pepper
2 14 1/2-oz. cans diced tomatoes, or 1 quart home-canned tomatoes
30-32 oz. beans--kidney, or pinto, or mixture of the two
8-oz. can tomato sauce
1/4 tsp. beaumonde spice, optional
1 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 tsp. seasoned salt
1 Tbsp., or more, chili powder
1 tsp. dried basil

1. Combine all ingredients in slow cooker.
2. Cover. Cook on Low 8-12 hours, or High 5-6 hours.

Here's how I make it:
*I use 1 1/2 lbs. ground beef because I like meaty chili.
*I use kidney beans instead of pinto beans.
*I omit the beaumonde spice because I don't even know what it is.
*I use regular salt because I don't have seasoned salt.
*I only use 1 Tbsp. chili powder because I can't handle anything spicier.
*I usually cook it on High because I can't seem to remember to get it ready early enough to cook it on Low.

This recipe can be easily doubled; just make sure you have a very large (6-quart) slow cooker. I doubled the recipe this last time and my pot was literally filled to the brim. It naturally cooks down, but it was still incredibly full.

This recipe also freezes really well. Just reheat on the stove for even heating.

If you like this recipe, I've got plenty of others (not slow cooker) that are tried and true favorites in my family. I'll gladly share them, if anyone is interested.

Enjoy!