Roasted Cauliflower

Roasted Cauliflower

I am always on the hunt for great sides to add to dinner, so when I saw this recipe in Pioneer Woman's cookbook, Food From My Frontier, I knew I had to try it.

It was such a different recipe, we rarely eat cauliflower, but I am so glad that I found it and now you can all try it too!

You will need:

1 cauliflower head, cut into bite size pieces

1/4 cup EVOO

salt and pepper

1 1/2 cups panko bread crumbs

4 Tbsp (1/2 stick) butter, melted

To make:

Preheat the oven to 400 degree's F.

Spread the cauliflower on a large sheet pan and drizzle it with EVOO.

Then toss the cauliflower to coat it evenly. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Roast the cauliflower for 15-20 minutes.

Add the bread crumbs to a bowl.

Then pour in the melted butter and toss the bread crumbs to combine.

Place the cauliflower in a medium baking dish or little individual dishes then mound the bread crumbs on top.

Roast for 5 minutes and you have yourself a yummy side dish!

Source: Pioneer Woman Food from my Frontier

Quote Friday

Listen to the mustn'ts, child.

Listen to the don'ts.

Listen to the shouldn'ts, the impossibles,

the won'ts. Listen to the never haves,

then listen close to me....

ANYTHING can happen, child.

Anything can be.

-Shel Silverstein

Quote Friday

Do not wait for life.

Do not long for it.

Be aware, always and at every moment, that the miracle is in the here and now.

Chicken and Cornmeal Dumplings

I love a good crock pot meal and this my dear is one! Pardon the not so great photo, but all I had available today was my phone. This recipe was delicious and super easy.
Just through everything into the crock pot and then at dinner time, you're all set to go! Serve with a side salad or crusty bread even and you've got a home run recipe!

You will need:

2 medium carrots, thinly sliced

1 stalk celery, thinly sliced

1/3 cup fresh or frozen corn kernels

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon snipped fresh rosemary or 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary, crushed

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

2 chicken thighs, skinned

1cup  chicken broth

½ cup  milk

1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

1 recipe Cornmeal Dumplings (see recipe below)

Coarsely ground black pepper (optional)

In a 1 1/2- or 2-quart slow cooker, combine carrots, celery, corn, onion, garlic, rosemary, and 1/4
teaspoon pepper. Top with chicken. Pour broth over mixture in cooker.

Cover and cook on low-heat setting for 7 to 8 hours or on high-heat setting for 3 1/2 to 4 hours.

Transfer chicken to a cutting board; cool slightly.
When cool enough to handle, cut chicken off bones; discard bones.
 Chop chicken; return to mixture in cooker.
 In a small bowl, combine milk and flour until smooth.
Stir into mixture in cooker.

Cornmeal Dumplings

¼ cup flour

¼ cup cornmeal

½ teaspoon baking powder

Dash salt

1egg white

1 tablespoon milk

1 tablespoon canola oil

1.In a medium bowl stir together flour, cornmeal, baking powder, and salt.

In a small bowl combine egg white, milk, and oil. Add egg mixture to flour mixture; stir just until moistened.

Using two spoons, drop Cornmeal Dumplings dough into four mounds on top of hot chicken mixture.
 Cover and cook for 20 to 25 minutes more or until a toothpick inserted into a dumpling comes out clean. (Do not lift cover during cooking.) If desired, sprinkle each serving with coarse pepper.

Source: http://www.diabeticlivingonline.com

Quote Friday

It is essential to our well-being, and to our lives, that we play and enjoy life. Every single day, do something that makes your heart sing.

Creamy Tomato Pasta

I found this recipe on Pinterest and I was a little skeptical because it seems like my track record for pinterest recipes is pretty low. BUT i have to say that this one was WORTH it. 

Wowie. It was a little prep work, but SO SO SO SO worth it.

I made enough and froze the rest for another time (that always makes me happy!)

This recipe turned out so delicious. It was light, full of flavor, and the entire household was raving.

Try it yourself and see!

creamy tomato pasta

For the tomato sauce -

1 1/2 pounds fresh tomatoes (about 9 medium)

1 small onion, finely diced

3 garlic cloves minced

1/4 cup minced fresh basil

olive oil

For the alfredo sauce -

1 tablespoon  butter

2 teaspoons flour

3/4 cup  milk

1/4 cup half & half

2 garlic cloves peeled and crushed

1 cup grated parmesan cheese

1/2 pound farfalle or other short cut pasta

  

Bring a large pot of water to boil for the pasta.

Start the tomato sauce-bring a large pot of water to boil. 

score the bottom of the tomatoes, blanch in the boiling water for about a minute, cool and peel.

For those of you won't don't know what blanching is (me) all you do is slice the tomatoes like this...

and then place them in boiling water for just 1 minute and then pull them out to cool.

Then the skins will come right off!

Next you discard the tomato skins and roughly chop tomatoes to set aside.

In a small saucepan, sweat the minced onion and garlic in about a tablespoon of olive oil over medium low heat for about 5 minutes, until soft.

Add the tomatoes to the onion and garlic. 

While the tomato sauce thickens, add the pasta to the boiling water and cook according to the package directions.

While the pasta and tomato sauce are cooking, make the alfredo sauce. 

Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the flour until smooth and cook about 2 minutes, until brown.

Whisk in the milk, half & half, and garlic and season with salt & pepper.

 Continuously whisking, bring to a simmer and cook about 2 minutes until thickened.

 Fish out the garlic with a slotted spoon and discard.

Whisk in the parmesan. the sauce will be very thick, so add 1/3 cup of the hot pasta cooking water (if needed) to the alfredo sauce to thin it out a bit. Remove from heat.

Drain the pasta and add to the alfredo sauce.

Mix the basil into the tomato sauce and add the tomato sauce to the pasta. 

Mix it all up and eat up!

Source: http://kitchentrialanderror.blogspot.com

Coconut Butterscotch Fudge Cookies

If you love coconut, then you will love these!

Coconut Butterscotch Fudge Cookies

You will need:

1 pouch (1 pound 1.5 oz) Betty Crocker Sugar cookie mix

1/2 cup butter, melted

1-1 1/2 cups flaked coconut

1/2 cup butterscotch topping

3/4 cup hot fudge topping

To Make:

Heat oven to 375 F.

In a large bowl, stir cookie mix, melted butter, and egg until a soft dough forms. Shape dough into 1 inch balls.

Roll balls in coconut. 

On greased cookie sheets, place 2 balls inches apart.

Bake 9-11 minutes or until edges are light golden brown and coconut starts to toast. Cool 3 minutes; remove from cookie sheets to waxed paper.

Drizzle each warm cookie with butterscotch topping. 

In a small microwavable bowl, heat the hot fudge topping uncovered on high 15-30 seconds or until spreadable.

Carefully spread on top or drizzle on top of each cookie.

Serve warm or cool.

Store loosely covered.

Source: Bettycrocker.com

Party Ideas

I found these great party food ideas that we've used around our house.

I love the fruit on a stick, it is so easy and yet so beautiful!

Then I saw this idea for veggie cups. You just put the dip in the bottom of the cup and then add veggies!

Perfect and no one has to wait in line to scoop dip on their plate!

We did burgers with chips, veggie cups, and fruit sticks.

Perfect for a get together or BBQ!

Quote Friday

You gain strength, courage, and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face...you must do the thing you think you cannot do.

-Eleanor Roosevelt

Egg in the hole

So I was watching Pioneer Woman on tv and she was making these delicious breakfast things called "Egg in the Hole" and it looked so tasty. 

So I gave it a go the other morning and it was a hit, even the kiddos liked it!
So here is what you will need:

1 slice Of Your Favorite Kind Of Bread
1 Tablespoon Butter
1 whole Egg
Salt To Taste
Pepper To Taste

Preparation Instructions

With a biscuit cutter or the rim of a glass, press a hole in the center of the slice of bread. (I just used a glass)

Next, heat a skillet over medium-low heat and melt a Tablespoon of butter in it.

 When the butter is all spread out, place the piece of bread in the skillet and crack the egg straight into the center of hole.

Cook for at least 30 seconds or so before attempting to move the bread or things could get messy. Sprinkle the egg with salt and pepper to taste. After about a minute, flip it over with a spatula and salt and pepper the other side.

Let it cook until the yolk feels, to the touch, still soft without feeling over-jiggly.

Then you're all done & ready to eat!

Then the middle parts that you took out....watch out! They are everyone's faves!

The kid's always stole them from me!

There you have it....egg in the hole!

Source: Pioneer Woman

kid food

So I saw this online and wanted to try it. 

All you do is cut up hot dogs and place uncooked spaghetti through it,

then cook in a pot of boiling water.

It was super easy and fast and the kid's thought it was really cool.

Honey Chicken

I love chinese food and it is only in the last 8 years that I've found such an appreciation for it. 

I never liked it until college.

It is hard to find a good Chinese dish that doesn't require too much work and that tastes better than takeout.

See, it is just so easy to order the takeout and it's usually super cheap, which is why I rarely have any decent chinese recipes to post.

BUT that has all changed when I found this recipe and fell in love with it!

It has a light taste, isn't too overwhelming, and really great flavor.

Here's the recipe:

Chinese Honey Chicken

Ingredients:

1 ½ lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts (cut into 1” chunks)

Oil (for deep frying)

Batter-

4 tablespoons cornstarch

¼ cup flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

½ cup water

½ teaspoon salt

1 egg

1 egg white

Sauce-

1 ½ tablespoons oil

2 teaspoon ginger (minced)

3 tablespoons garlic (minced)

1 teaspoon salt

3 tablespoons honey

1 teaspoon rice wine vinegar

½ cup water

1 teaspoon cornstarch (mixed with 1 teaspoon water)

Sesame seeds (for garnish)

To Make:

 In a large bowl mix all batter ingredients together until smooth Cover and allow the batter to site for at least 30 minutes.

Add the chicken to the batter tossing to coat.

 Heat a deep fryer to 350 degrees. 

Fry chicken bits in patches for 2 minutes or until batter becomes firm. 

Drain on paper towels.

 To make the sauce. Heat 1 ½ tablespoons of oil in your wok. 

Add garlic and ginger and stir fry for 30 seconds.  

Add salt, honey, vinegar, and water.

 Mix well. 

Combine 1 teaspoon of water with 1 teaspoon of cornstarch. 

Add to the sauce and Simmer for 2 minutes.

Then coat the chicken with the sauce and garnish with sesame seeds.

Serve with rice!

Source: blogchef.net

Pasta Carbonara

I love pasta dishes, just love them. So, I tried this Pasta Carbonara recipe and it turned out really well! I forgot to add the peas, but will do that next time. The taste is really different and hearty because of the bacon and garlic, which I'm not gonna lie, are 2 of my favorite things!

Try it yourself!

Pasta Carbonara

Ingredients

·        12 ounces, weight Pasta, Any Variety

·        8 pieces Thick Cut Bacon (diced Small)

·        ½ whole Medium Onion, Diced Small

·        2 cloves Garlic, Minced

·        3 whole Eggs

·        ¾ cups Finely Grated Parmesan

·        ¾ cups Heavy Cream

·        Salt & Plenty Of Black Pepper

·        ½ cups Peas

Preparation Instructions

Cook pasta according to package directions.

While the pasta is cooking, fry the bacon until just barely crisp. 

Remove from the pan and drain on paper towels. 

Pour off all of the bacon grease, but don’t clean the pan. 

Return the pan to the stove over medium-low heat and throw in the onions and garlic. 

Cook until golden brown. Set aside.

In a bowl, mix together eggs, Parmesan, cream, and salt and pepper until smooth.

When the pasta is done, reserve a cup or two of the pasta water. 

Drain the pasta and place it in a bowl. 

While the pasta is still really hot, slowly drizzle in the egg mixture, stirring the pasta the whole time. 

The sauce will become thick and should coat the pasta. 

Splash in a little hot pasta water if needed for consistency.

Halfway through, add the peas, bacon, and sauteed onion/garlic. 

Finish adding the sauce, stirring until it’s all combined.

Serve immediately with extra Parmesan. 

Delish!

Quote Friday

Feeling gratitude and not expressing it is like wrapping a present and not giving it.

Lemon Blueberry Pancakes

I am at it again....I found another Pioneer Woman's recipe that I am in love with!

She made these lemon blueberry pancakes on her show and I fell in love and knew I had to make them!

They were mouthwatering and because we don't ever have time due to busy schedules to all sit down as a family for breakfast, we did breakfast for dinner!

It was easy to make, easy clean-up, and the kid's were happy to have pancakes for dinner!

To make these delicious pancakes you will need:

1-1/2 cup Flour

1 Tbsp (additional) Flour

1/4 tsp Salt

1 Tbsp(heaping) Baking Powder

3 Tbsp Sugar

1-1/2 cup Evaporated Milk (more If Needed)

1 whole Lemon (more If Needed)

1 whole Large Egg

1-1/2 tsp Vanilla

2 Tbsp Butter, Melted

Zest From 1 Lemon

1 cup Heaping Blueberries

Extra Butter

Maple Or Pancake Syrup

Preparation Instructions

Heat heavy skillet or grill over medium low heat.

In a medium bowl, mix flour, salt, baking powder, and sugar. Set aside.

In a separate bowl, mix evaporated milk, juice of 1 lemon (more if lemon isn't very juicy), and lemon zest. 

Allow to sit for five minutes, then add egg, vanilla, and melted butter. Mix to combine.

Pour wet mixture into dry ingredients. 

Stir gently to combine. 

Splash in more evaporated milk if mixture is overly thick. 

Stir in blueberries. 

Melt butter in heated skillet.

 Drop batter by 1/4 cup measures and fry pancakes on both sides until golden.

Serve with softened butter and warm syrup.

Source: Pioneer Woman