christmas potpourri

 

Every year the Youngs bring us a pretty cellophane bag filled with fresh Christmas potpourri.  I put it into the refrigerator and decided to bring it out this morning so we could enjoy it during home church.  This will be last year we'll be delivered such a sweet gift because we are moving in 2021. 

christmas potpourri (my friend Mandy)

1 orange, sliced

1 lemon, sliced

1 tablespoon whole cloves

2 bay leaves

2-4 cinnamon sticks

1/3 cup cranberries

Combine ingredients in a small pot on the stove.  Cover with water.  Heat on a low simmer.  Enjoy as long as it smells good.

gingersnap cookies

 

Our friend Karen delivered these gingersnaps yesterday and my husband said they aren't your average gingersnap which prompted me to snap a photo and ask for the recipe!  They really are pretty too.

gingersnap cookies (our friend Karen)

Combine then set aside:

2 cups flour

1 tablespoon ginger

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon salt

Cream:

3/4 cup crisco (or 1/2 cup butter flavored Crisco with 1/4 cup butter)

1 cup sugar

Add:

1 egg

1/4 cup molasses

Combine the flour mixture with the other mixture. Roll into 1-inch balls.  Roll in sugar.  Place 2-inches apart on a baking sheet.  Bake at 350 degrees for 12-15 minutes.

m&m chocolate chip cookies

 

My family enjoyed m&m chocolate chip cookies during the First Presidency Christmas Devotional this evening.  It should be a tradition.  They were delicous!!

m&m chocolate chip cookies (iheartnaptime)

1 cup butter

1 cup brown sugar

3/4 cup granulated sugar

2 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup chocolate chips (I used mini chocolate chips)

1 cup M&Ms

Preheat oven to 375 degress.  Cream butte and sugar.  Add eggs and vanilla.  Add flour, baking soda and salt.  Fold in chocolate chips and M&Ms.  Refrigerate dough 15-30 minutes (I refrigerated mine for a couple hours).  Bake 7-10 minutes depending on the size.

nutcracker nordic ware

 

A dear friend of mine gave me my first Nordic Ware cake mold for my birthday.  My daughter's birthday was coming up (last month) and her two favorite things are Christmas and ballet so we smashed the two togther and she made each of her friends a chocolate nutcracker and surrounded each with candies and put them in really fun boxes we ordered form Amazon.com.  The mold has 4 different nutcrackers and they are so handsome! The molds come with instructions on how to make eggnog cake but we decided to go with chocolate in case eggnog is an aquired taste among teens (you never know).

I highly recommend these molds!  So fun and festive.

jalapeno popper pigs in a blanket

I'm currently encouraging my kids to cook more so my youngest daughter went to Pinterest and found this recipe she wanted to make.  It's combines all the good things in life and literally bundles them together.  They were a hit.
Note:  I wish I'd have purchased 2 cans of crescent rolls to use up the big bag of jalapenos I purchased and the little smokies.

jalapeno popper pigs in a blanket (adapted from host the toast)
4 jalapenos
16 little smokies or cocktail wieners
4 ounces whipped cream cheese at room temperature
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 can Pillsbury crescent rolls
1 egg
sea salt for sprinkling
marinara sauce, optional for serving

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.  Set aside.
Cut off the tops of the jalapeno peppers and then cut each pepper in half lengthwise.  Scoop out the seeds and membranes and discard them.  Slice each half in half vertically.  Place a little smokie on each of the scooped out pepper pieces.  Set aside.
In a medium sized mixing bowl mix together the cream cheese and cheddar cheese until well combined.  One at a time, remove the little smokie from each pepper segment and fill each jalapeno pepper segment with the cheese mixture.  Top each one with the little smokie.  Set aside.
In a small bowl, whisk the egg.
On a lightly floured surface, unroll the crescent rolls.  There will be 4 rectangles with cut marks diagonally through each one.  Press through the diagonal marks to "erase" them so you have four solid pieces of crescent dough.  Make 4 vertical cuts through each rectangle so each rectangle has 4 strips.  Roll each stuffed pepper piece in 1 piece of dough then seal with the egg wash.  Place the wrapped jalapeno pieces on the prepared baking sheet.  Repeat until you have used all of your jalapeno pieces and dough.
Brush the tops with the remaining egg and sprinkle lightly with sea salt.  Bake until browned, about 25 minutes.

mexican stuffed peppers

These were sooo good!  I used leftover cilantro lime rice and some of the best green salsa I've ever had from a local restaurant.  We'll be having these again the next time we have leftover cilantro lime rice!

mexican stuffed peppers (me!)
3 large green bell peppers (or whichever color bell peppers you prefer)
1 pound ground chicken
2 teaspoons taco seasoning
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups cooked cilantro lime rice (see recipe on this blog)- I used leftovers
1 cup mild green salsa (you could use your favorite green enchilada sauce)
handful of shredded mozzarella cheese
handful of shredded cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Lightly coat a 9x13-inch baking dish with nonstick spray.  Slice the bell peppers in half form top top bottom.  Remove the seeds and membranes then arrange cut side up in the prepared baking dish.
Spray skillet with nonstick cooking spray and heat to medium high.  Add the chicken, taco seasoning, garlic powder and salt.  Cook, breaking apart the meat, until the chicken is browned and cooked through.  Stir in the rice and salsa.  Heat through.  Take off the heat then add the shredded mozzarella.  Stir until combined.  Mound the filling inside of the peppers, then top with the shredded cheddar cheese.
Pour a bit of water into the pan with the peppers- just enough to barely cover the bottom of the pan.  Bake uncovered for 30-35 minutes, until the peppers are tender and the cheese is melted.  Serve hot.

the best grilled chicken for burritos, tacos and salads

This grilled chicken was awesome.  My youngest daughter made some fiesta beans and Mexican rice and I threw this chicken on the grill.  We had the best burritos ever. 

the best grilled chicken for burritos, tacos and salads (gimme delicious)
2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon lime juice
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon cornstarch

Add the chicken, garlic, olive oil, lime juice, spices and cornstarch to a zip-seal bag.  Place in fridge and let marinate for at least 15-30  minutes or up to 24 hours.  Remove chicken from marinade and grill until done.  Serve chicken in tacos, burritos, on salads or over rice.

jalapeno, cheese & onion foccacia

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This foccacia was a hit!  It made two rounds and all but two slices were eaten.  I'll be making this again very soon.

jalapano, cheese & onion foccacia (adapted from Better Homes & Gardens New Cookbook)
3 1/4 to 3 3/4 cups bread flour or all-purpose flour
1 package active dry yeast or 2 1/4 teaspoons
1 1/4 cups warm water
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 1/2 cups chopped onion
2 cloves garlic
1/2 cup sliced jalapeno rings from the jar (mine were "tame")
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

In a large mixing bowl combine 1 1/4 cups of the flour and the yeast.  Add the warm water, the 1 tablespoon oil and 1 teaspoon salt to the dry mixture.  Beat with an electric mixer on low to medium speed for 30 seconds, scraping sides of bowl constantly (I did this by hand).  Beat on high speed for 3 minutes (I stirred by hand).  Stir in as much of the remaining flour as you can.
Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface.  Knead in enough remaining flour to make a stiff dough that is smooth and elastic (8 to 10 minutes total).  Shape dough into a ball.  Place in a lightly greased bowl; turn once.  Cover and let rise in a warm place til double in size, about 1 hour.
Punch dough down.  Turn onto a floured surface.  Divide in half.  Shape each portion into a ball.  Place on 2 lightly greased baking sheets.  Cover; let rest 10 minutes.
For topping, in a medium skillet cook onion and garlic in the 2 tablespoons oil, covered over low heat 3 to 5 minutes or till onion is translucent, stirring occasionally.  Uncover; cook and stir just till onions begins to brown.  Remove from heat.  If using olives, stir into onion mixture; set aside.
Using your hands, flatten each ball to about 12 inches in diameter.  Make 1/2-inch deep indentations over 2 inches.  Place jalapeno rings onto the dough, spreading them around. Spoon onion mixture on top.  Top with 1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese per foccacia.
Bake in a 375 degree oven 25 minutes or until golden.  Use a pizza cutter to slice.

cilantro and lime refried beans

I had Mexican Bowls on the menu for this evening but I was out of black beans so we went a new route and I loved it!  I made cilantro lime brown rice, shredded chicken with green chiles then made these beans, corn and put out all the other fixings.  It was a slightly different twist on our usual bowls and they were so good!!!  It's fun to mix it up sometimes.

cilantro and lime refried beans (closet cooking)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small white onion, diced
1 clove garlic, chopped
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced (I had to use jalapeno slices from a jar)
1 (15 ounce) can Great Northern Beans
salt and pepper
handful of cilantro, chopped
1 lime, juiced

Heat the oil in a pan.  Add the onion and saute until soft.  Add the garlic, cumin and jalapeno and saute until fragrant, 1 minute.  Add the beans (undrained) and salt and pepper.  Simmer until beans begin to break down a bit.  Add the lime juice and cilantro.  Allow cilantro to wilt before serving.

cilantro lime brown rice

I really should make this rice every time we have bowls but I forget!  It's so easy- I make the rice in my rice cooker and pour the sauce on top and stir.  It's so simple but packs a flavor punch!

cilantro lime brown rice
Cook 2 cups of brown rice in a rice cooker by putting 2 cups rice plus 5 cups water in a rice cooker and turn on high.
While the rice is cooking make the sauce to pour over the sauce:
2 tablespoons lime juice
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
Combine well and serve.  We love to use this rice when making Mexican Bowls.

breakfast wrap

Look how good this looks!  I used a whole wheat tortilla and mine was so stuffed it was more of a fold-over than a wrap.  My other family members used huge white tortillas so they were able to wrap theirs.  These wraps were a big hit.  The sauce of course was what made them extra yummy. 

breakfast wrap
They're pretty easy so I'll just tell you what we put in them-
turkey bacon, baked (we love the kind from Trader Joes)

scrambled eggs
sauteed sliced mushrooms and sliced onions
wilted spinach (we used the microwave to it)
sliced tomatoes
cheese (we used sharp white Tillamook)
tortillas

sauce:  light sour cream mixed with your favorite salsa

Melt the cheese in a tortilla then stack it with delicious toppings.  Wrap it all up and enjoy!

three ingredient tomato soup

My kids cheer when I tell them we're having homemade tomato soup and grilled cheese sandwiches for dinner...and it's the easiest dinner EVER especially because for the grilled cheese sandwiches I use our sandwich maker. (I'll be sending each of my kids to college with a sandwich maker!)  We loved this soup.  I think this will be my go-to tomato soup recipe.

three ingredient tomato soup (adapted from inspiredtaste.net)
2 tablespoons unsalted butter or vegan option (this is much less than what the original recipe calls for)
1 onion, cut into large wedges
2 (28 ounce) cans crushed tomatoes
3 cups vegetable stock
1/2 teaspoon- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt or more to taste

Melt butter over medium heat in a Dutch oven or large saucepan.
Add onion wedges, water, tomatoes and 1/2 teaspoon salt.  Bring to a simmer.  Cook, uncovered for about 40 minutes.  Stir occasionally.
Blend the soup (I used an immersion blender) then season to taste.

olive focaccia bread

We had a delicious Father's Day dinner.  Peruvian Beef Kabobs, Grilled Vegetable Kabobs, fresh veggies with hummus, fruit and olive focaccia bread.  For dessert we had store bought cheesecake with fresh berries and Hershey's triple chocolate cake.  It was a lot of food and tasted so good.

olive focaccia bread (adapted from the pioneer woman)
makes 2
1 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast
1 1/2 cups warm water
3-4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/3 cup olive oil
1 cup olives (any variety or combination roughly chopped and blotted dry)
olive oil for drizzling
kosher salt for sprinkling

Sprinkle yeast over 1 1/2 cups warm water.  Let stand for a few minutes.
Add salt, olive oil and 3 cups flour and mix together with a spoon until you need to use your hands.  Knead, adding flour as necessary until a nice soft dough forms.
Coat dough with a little olive oil and put back into the bowl and cover bowl with plastic wrap.  Set aside for 1-2 hours or store in the refrigerator until needed.
To make focaccia, remove dough from bowl and place on a lightly floured surface.  Place chopped olives on top of the dough then very gently knead the olives into the dough.  Divide dough in half and roll each half into a large, thin oval/rectangle.  Place on separate sheet pans or cookies sheets drizzled with olive oil.  Drizzle more olive oil on top of the ovals.  Let sit for up to an hour.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Press dimples into the surface of the dough.  Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with kosher salt.  Bake 30-40 minutes until focaccia is golden brown.  Cut into pieces with a pizza cutter or sharp knife.  Serve right away.

the best ground chicken burgers

This chicken burger was awesome.  It beat my expectations even though I baked them and enjoyed mine without cheese.  YUM.  It was perfect after an afternoon at the river.

the best ground chicken burgers (slightly adapted from allrecipes.com)
1 pound lean ground chicken breast
1/2 cup Italian seasoned bread crumbs
1/2 small onion, finely grated
1 egg
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Mix all ingredients in a bowl.  Take a half-cup scoop and scoop 4 patties.  Turn into thick, round patties and place on a cookie sheet lined with aluminum foil and sprayed with non-stick cooking spray.
Bake patties for 30 minutes.
For cheeseburgers, place a slice of cheese on top of the burgers and cook for an additional minute or two or until cheese melts.
Place each patty into a hamburger bun and top with your favorite toppings.

simple barbecue sauce

Last night my plan was to make some grilled BBQ chicken and some grilled Asian chicken.  I went to marinate the BBQ chicken and there were only a few drops left!  Gasp.  So I made some.  It was delicious.  Sweet, tangy and smoky.  I'd definitely make it again.  It only took 5 minutes.

simple barbecue sauce (Cooking NY Times)
2/3 cup ketchup
1/2 cup cider vinegar
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 teaspoons smoked paprika
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Combine in a small saucepan and cook over medium heat for a few minutes.

100% whole wheat french bread

I decided to try a bread recipe I love but a whole wheat version since I avoid refined grains as much as possible (my family is another story).  This bread is so soft and delicious!  I pulled out my homemade strawberry jam and sunshine jam and the family really enjoyed it.  They prefer the white french bread but with jam they'll eat whole wheat! :)
Note:  With the leftover loaf I think I'll make a big hoagie sandwich.  My kids will love that.  They love big, long Subway-type sandwiches and won't mind the whole wheat at all with all the fixings!

100% whole wheat french bread
makes 3 loaves
2 1/2 cups very warm water
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon salt
2 tablespoons oil
5 1/2 cups whole wheat flour (I used King Arthur brand)
2 tablespoons yeast

Note:  You can make this bread using a standing mixer but I like to make it by hand.
Pour yeast into a large bowl.  Slowly pour very warm water over the top.  Add sugar, salt and oil.  Let stand 5-10 minutes until yeast softens.  Add flour 2-ish cups at a time until you've added 5 cups and stir well.  When you are unable to stir well with a spoon, begin kneading in the bowl until dough is soft and flour is well incorporated and you can take the blob of dough out of the bowl and knead it on the counter top.  Continue to add flour until a soft dough forms.  Place back into the bowl and let rest 10 minutes.  Punch dough then let rest 10 minutes.  Repeat until you have punched the dough 5 times.  After the final 10 minutes divide the dough into 3 balls.  Use your hands to roll the balls into long rectangular bread shapes.  Brush tops with olive oil.  Bake at 375 degrees for 20-25 minutes.

sunshine jam

Anyone in need of a little liquid sunshine?  This pineapple jam turned out GREAT and I am so excited about it!  I got the idea because a friend's birthday was coming up and she loves all things tropical because she lived in Hawaii during her college years so the idea of pineapple jam came to me and I had to go with it.  My family thought it was pretty great on crackers with cream cheese, by the way.  I ended up making three batches.  Each batch made 4 jars with a little left over...to eat right away of course!

sunshine jam (pineapple jam) (keyingredient.com)
1 (20 ounce) can of crushed pineapple
6 to 8 ounces unsweetened pineapple juice
3 cups white sugar
1.175 ounce box Sure Jell pectin powder (pretty sure my box was 2 ounces)
1 tablespoon unsalted butter (I used 1 teaspoon and all batches turned out great)

Prepare steamer or water bath.
Prep the jars by cleaning them (I put them in the dishwasher and timed it right so the jars were hot as I needed to till them).  Set them on a large baking sheet.
Empty the undrained can of crushed pineapple into a large measuring cup and add enough pineapple juice to equal 3 1/4 cups.
In a large pot, add the pineapple and juice and pectin and bring to a rolling boil.
Add all of the sugar at once and stir.
Bring to a rolling boil, stirring constantly.  Add the butter and continue stirring for 1-3 minutes.  
Using a ladle, fill the clean canning jars and with a clean, damp cloth quickly wipe off the rims of the jars and put the two piece lids on.  Process the jars in a steamer or water bath for 10 minutes.  Remove and cool on the counter.

chicken avocado burgers

An hour before dinner I didn't know what was for dinner but I had some ground chicken to use.  I found this recipe and it was great!  A great way to use ground chicken.  My son wondered why his burger was green but he ate it and seemed to enjoy it. That's a win.

chicken avocado burgers (delish)
1 pound ground chicken
1 avocado, mashed
1/3 cup seasoned breadcrumbs
1 clove garlic, minced
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (I used 1/2 teaspoon)
kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper
buns- we used sliced french bread, toasted or whole wheat english muffins 
lettuce
tomato
sliced pickles
sliced red onion
your favorite condiments

In a large bowl, combine chicken with avocado, breadcrumbs, garlic and red pepper flakes.  Stir well to combine and season with salt and pepper.  Form the mixture into 4 patties (I used an ice cream scoop and made 5 patties). 
In a large skillet sprayed with nonstick cooking spray, over medium-high heat,  add the patties and cook until golden brown on one side 4-5 minutes.  Flip the patties and cook another 3-5 minutes until cooked through.
Serve on a bun with lettuce, tomato and onion.

fresh strawberry apricot crumble

This crumble was a hit!  I had purchased some apricots the other day and they just weren't getting eaten so I found a fun recipe and threw some fresh strawberries in with the apricots.  It was easy to make and with a scoop of milk & honey ice cream over the top it was a pleaser for sure! (I made it vegan by substituting the butter and not serving it with ice cream for one of my kids.)

strawberry apricot crumble (adapted from boulderlocavore)
10-12 ripe apricots
handful of fresh strawberries
1/4 cup granulated sugar (if you serve it with ice cream you can cut it in half, I think!)
1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon cinnamon

crumble topping:
3/4 cup flour
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 cup unsalted butter, cold, cut into slices

Preheat oven to 350 F.  Slice apricots in half and remove the pits.  Slice each half into quarters.  Hull the strawberries and slice into quarters.
Place fruit in a large bowl and toss with sugar, cornstarch and cinnamon.
Pour coated fruit into a small casserole dish.
To make the crumble layer, combine flour, brown sugar, salt and oats.  Cut in the butter until the mixture is coarse and crumbly.
Sprinkle topping over fruit mixture.
Bake for 35-40 minutes or until the juices are bubbling and the topping is golden brown.  Serve warm or at room temperature with a scoop of ice cream, if desired.

homemade strawberry jam

We picked strawberries yesterday and put them to good use today!  My third daughter and I were like pioneers in the kitchen- we made 4 loaves of bread, 7 jam jars full of strawberry jam and strawberry apricot crumble. 

homemade strawberry jam (mrs. wages recipe on the back of the fruit pectin box)
5 cups pureed strawberries, stems removed and washed
1/4 cup water
1 package Mrs. Wages Fruit Pectin Home Jell Package
7 cups sugar

1.  Prepare home canning jars and lids according to manufacturer's instructions.  Keep jars hot until filled (I put mine in the oven on "warm").
2.  Measure sugar into a dry container and set aside.
3.  Place measured strawberries into a big pot.  Stir in fruit pectin.
4.  Put on the stove on medium high heat and start to cook.  
5.  When mixture comes to a full boil quickly add sugar and boil for 1 minute.  Do not overcook pectin.
6.  Remove from heat and skim off foam.  Quickly ladle into hot jars.  Leave 1/4 inch head space at the top of the jars.  Use a clean damp cloth to wipe any spilled jam from rims and threads of jars.  Cover with hot lids and tighten rings firmly.
7.  Process your jam with either a water bath or steam method (we used the steam method).
8.  Process using the steam method for 5 minutes.  
9.  Remove jars from steamer.  Set on a rack to cool.
10.  When cool, check seals.  (A popping sound is a good sound!).  Label, date and store in a cool, dark place.  Unsealed jars should be refrigerated and used within 3 weeks.

general tso tofu recipe

This is SO GOOD!  My daughter made this while I was out picking strawberries (and sent me this picture) and I was so sad not to get a taste of it hot and fresh.  However, I found the leftovers in the fridge and had a bite of two.  It's delicious!!

general tso tofu recipe (slightly adapted from instantveg.com)
one package (13 ounce) extra-firm tofu
3 large cloves garlic
2 teaspoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon chili flakes
1 teaspoon water
1/2 teaspoon ginger powder
2 tablespoons cornstarch
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 head of steamed broccoli or bunch of asparagus
6 cups cooked rice

for the sauce:
2 tablespoons sugar (my daughter used less than half that amount)
1 tablespoon white vinegar
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1/4 cup water
1 teaspoon cornstarch

Drain tofu 30 minutes by setting it in a colander.  Set a plate with a heavy can on top for extra weight to help it drain.
Mince the three cloves garlic finely and put them in a large bowl.  Add the chili flakes, water and ginger and stir to combine.
Cut drained tofu into bite-sized cubes and gently mix it into the garlic sauce until tofu is completely coated.  Cover and let rest in fridge for 1 hour.
In the meantime, make the sauce.  Mix all the sauce ingredients together EXCEPT the cornstarch.  Cover and let rest in the fridge until you're ready to cook the tofu.
Heat oven to 400 degrees F.  Sprinkle 2 tablespoons cornstarch over the tofu and shake to coat evenly or gently stir.  Spread marinated tofu cubes onto a parchment lined baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes.
Heat 3 tablespoons oil in a frying pan over medium heat.  Add the tofu from the oven and stir to coat in the hot oil.
Remove sauce from fridge and whisk in 1 teaspoon cornstarch.  Pour into the frying pan and stir gently until sauce is boiling then turn off heat.
Garnish plated tofu with sesame seeds and serve with steamed vegetables and rice.

spanakopita (spinach pie)

My 6th grader has been craving this since Greek Fest at her school.  She was so busy at her own booth she didn't have a chance to try the spanakopita and was sure to be her favorite sample.  My college kid made this for her and it is DELICIOUS!  My husband said it's the best he's had.  I have to agree that it's probably the best I've had too.

spanakopita (spinach pie) (adapted from tina's chic corner)
3 teaspoons olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
3 packages (10 ounces each) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
3 eggs
3 tablespoons dried parsley
2 tablespoons dried dill (we purposefully omitted; not everyone in the family likes dill)
3/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon pepper
12 ounces feta cheese, crumbled
16 sheets phyllo dough, thawed (I couldn't find it so used puff pastry and just worked it differently)
3/4 cup butter, melted

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Butter a 9x13 pan and set it aside.
In a skillet over low/medium heat add the olive oil and finely chopped onion and cook it until it is slightly browned.
Thaw the frozen spinach and squeeze out the water. Add the spinach to the skillet and stir.
Remove the spinach mixture from the heat and set it aside.  Let this rest to get to room temperature.
In a medium bowl, mix together the egg, parsley, dill, salt, pepper and feta cheese.
Add in the spinach mixture and stir everything together and set this aside.  Make sure the spinach mixture is not hot because you don't want to cook the egg.
Make sure that the dough is completely thawed (the puff pastry I used was refrigerated).
My directions with puff pastry:
Cut the rectangle into two pieces.  Use a rolling pin to roll each piece into 9x13.
Brush one rectangle with butter and place in the 9x13.
Pour spinach filling over the rectangle of dough.
Brush the other rectangle with butter and place over the spinach filling.
Bake in a preheated oven for 45-50 minutes or until the top is golden brown.
Let sit for about 5 minutes before serving.

easy picked onions

I love picked onions.  Makes my mouth water just thinking about them.  I needed some pickled onions for some tacos I was making and found this simple recipe which is better than the recipe I had been using.  So quick and easy!!

easy pickled onions (shared appetite)
1 medium red onion, thinly sliced
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
1 cup warm water
1 tablespoon sugar (I used 1 1/2 teaspoons)
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt

Combine vinegar, water, sugar and salt in a medium bowl or large liquid measuring cup.  Whisk together until sugar and salt is fully dissolved.
Place onion in a jar or bowl (I used a mason jar).  Pour vinegar mixture over and let sit at room temperature for at least 1 hour if you're in a rush.  Preferably, cover and refrigerate for at least a day.  Pickled onions will last a few weeks stored in the refrigerator.

spinach artichoke wonton bites (vegan)

So delicious!  My youngest daughter was mentioning wanting to make spanakopita so my oldest thought she should try a spin-off vegan recipe.  We even made an extra stop so we could pick up some vegan cream cheese.  You could easily make this recipe with regular cream cheese.  I promise to never post a vegan recipe that tastes all-out vegan!  I've tasted a few questionable vegan recipes recently.

spinach artichoke wontons (slightly adapted from bianca zapatka)
(makes 24-40 wontons)
2 garlic cloves
1 onion
10 ounces spinach
won ton wrappers
1 (8 ounce) can artichoke hearts without oil
2 teaspoons oil
3/4 cup cream cheese, vegan
1/4 cup sour cream or mayo, vegan
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated, vegan (we used vegan mozzarella)
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup hot water

filling:
Heat a little water in a pan.  Add the onion and saute for 2-3 minutes until translucent.  Add the spinach and cook for 1-2 minutes longer until wilted, stirring occasionally.  Add the minced garlic and cook for an additional 30 seconds until fragrant. 
Transfer the spinach, onion, and garlic to a mixing bowl and squeeze to remove excess liquid.  Add the artichoke hearts, cream cheese, mayo, parmesan, salt and pepper to taste and stir to combine.

wrap wontons:
Place a wonton wrapper on a floured surface.  Scoop a tablespoon of the spinach artichoke mixture into the center.  Brush the outside edges with a little water.  Gather the four corners of the wrapper and bring them to the center, pressing them together using your fingers.  Make sure to seal the wonton bites completely.
Repeat with remaining ingredients until all of the mixture is used.

bake the wontons:
Place the wontons on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and lightly spray the wontons with a little oil from all sides.  Bake in a preheated oven at 400 degrees for about 10 minutes until golden and crispy. 

or you can fry the wontons

morning glory muffins (vegan)

My husband made these and they are one of the best recipes that he makes.  They are so soft and full of goodness.  AND they happen to be vegan!  It's so nice when a recipe we already like is vegan.  I wish it happened more often.  You'll love these muffins.

morning glory muffins (my husband found the recipe at Baker by Nature)
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1/2 cup all purpose flour
3/4 cup brown sugar, packed
1 tablespoon baking powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/2 cup coconut oil, melted
1 apple, shredded
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 cups grated carrot
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup flaked coconut (my husband threw in a handful of dates instead)
1/2 cup walnuts, optional

Line a muffin tin with paper liners and set aside. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
In a large bowl add the flours, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger and salt; whisk well to combine.  Add the applesauce, oil, apple and vanilla; whisk just until combined.  Fold in the carrot, raisins, coconut and walnuts; stir until ingredients are combined.  Divide batter evenly among prepared muffin cups.
Bake at 400 degrees for 10 minutes then reduce the heat to 350 degrees and bake for an additional 10 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool muffins in the pan for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack.  Serve at room temperature.

vanilla crepes

This is my husband's recipe but I made them this morning since he was in a meeting and our kids have been asking for crepes for weeks.  They are wonderful and the kids never walk down to breakfast- they run!

vanilla crepes
1 1/2 cups milk
3 egg yolks
2 tablespoons vanilla extract (yes, 2 tablespoons!)
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons melted butter

Put all ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth.
Heat a medium sized pan over medium heat until hot.  Coat with butter or cooking spray.  Pour about 1/4 cup of batter into the pan and swirl around until the batter covers the bottom of the pan.  Once the underside is golden brown, flip the crepe and cook until golden.
Fill crepes with a variety of fruit and top with drizzled chocolate and powdered sugar or whipped cream!

black pepper tofu (vegan)

I've been entranced in a family history project so my oldest made lunch for everyone.  She found this recipe on Pinterest and brought me a little bowl to sample before she ever tried it.  It's amazing!  Seriously!!  Bursting with flavor.  I like tofu when I've had it in restaurants but it never tastes quite right when I try to cook with it.  GREAT RECIPE.  You'll love the sauce.

black pepper tofu (vegan) (simple veganista)
1 block tofu, super firm or extra firm, cubed
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup water or veggie broth
3 tablespoons pure maple syrup (I think she used 2)
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1-2 tablespoons fresh cracked pepper
3-4 cloves garlic, minced or 1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 inch knob ginger, minced
1 bunch green onions, cut into 1-inch pieces
1-2 chili peppers, sliced and seeds removed or 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 bunch cilantro, roughly chopped to serve

Stir-fry sauce: In a small bowl, combine the soy sauce, water, maple syrup and cornstarch.  This will be your slurry ensuring your tofu will be coated nicely.
Cook tofu: Heat oil in a large wok or skillet over medium high.  Add tofu and cook, stirring occasionally for about 10 minutes, or until golden on all sides.
Add remaining ingredients:  Add your slurry mixture, ground pepper, garlic and ginger.  It will sizzle at first when adding the liquids.  Stir fry another 3 minutes or so.  Add hot peppers and scallions.  Liquids should start to thicken a bit, cook another 5 minutes or until the scallions are just softened.
Serve:  Pair with brown rice, brown rice/quinoa mix, basmati or jasmine rice.  My daughter made some brown rice noodles from Costco and it was delish!  Add a large handful of chopped cilantro on the side.

peach coffee cake (made vegan)

I made this for breakfast this morning so it's already a great day!  This was the first square out of the pan so it didn't hold its shape but maybe that's a good thing.  You can see the yummy glossy peaches inside.  I took a regular recipe and made a couple easy swaps to make this recipe vegan.  You can add an egg, use real butter and real milk if you prefer...but you won't notice a difference.  This is a great recipe!

peach coffee cake (made vegan) (Better Homes and Gardens New Cook Book)
1 1/2 cups chopped, peeled, apple, apricots, peaches, pineapple or blueberries (I used frozen diced peaches to make it easy!)
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 cup Earth Balance plant based buttery spread
1/2 cup almond milk mixed with 1 teaspoon vinegar (to make a "buttermilk")
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons Earth Balance

In a medium saucepan combine fruit and water.  Bring to boiling; reduce heat.  Simmer, covered 5 minutes or till fruit is tender.  Combine the 1/4 cup sugar and cornstarch; stir into fruit.  Cook and stir over medium heat till mixture is thickened and bubbly.  Cook and stir 2 minutes more; set aside.
In a mixing bowl combine the 1 1/2 cups flour, 3/4 cup sugar, baking powder and baking soda.  Cut in the 1/4 cup butter till mixture resembles coarse crumbs.  Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients; set aside.
In another bowl, combine buttermilk and vanilla.  Add all at once to dry mixture.  Using a fork, stir just till moistened.  Spread half of the batter into an ungreased 8x8x2 inch baking pan.  Spread fruit mixture over batter.  Drop remaining batter in small mounds atop filling.
Stir together the 1/4 cup flour and 1/4 cup sugar.  Cut in the 2 tablespoons butter till mixture resembles coarse crumbs.  Sprinkle atop coffee cake.  Bake at 350 degrees for 40-45 minutes or till golden.  Serve warm.  Makes 9 servings.

heart healthy vegan buddha bowls

We get a heart to heart magazine in the mail from time to time from our health care provider and noticed this recipe was submitted by someone we know- a cardiology fellow.  My husband made these bowls for us on Mother's Day and they were quite a treat!  He made some Disneyland Bengal Beef and Chicken Kebabs too.  It was the perfect meal and satisfied everyone at the table.  The sauce from the kebabs went perfectly with the bowls too.

heart healthy vegan buddha bowls (presented by Tyler E.)
1 1/2 cups quinoa (can substitute brown rice or other grain)
about 3 cups water
2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and diced
1 red onion, peeled and diced
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
salt and black pepper
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 tablespoon finely minced fresh ginger or ginger paste
1 seedless English cucumber, peeled and diced
3 cups baby spinach
1 (15 ounce) can chickpeas, washed and drained
diced avocado
chopped, fresh cilantro

peanut sauce:
1/3 cup fresh lime juice
1/4 cup creamy peanut butter (or tahini)
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon sesame oil or toasted sesame oil
1 teaspoon honey
1 teaspoon chili garlic sauce, optional
1 clove garlic, finely minced

Cook the quinoa according to package directions.
While the quinoa cooks, preheat the oven to 425 degrees.  Toss the sweet potatoes and onion on a large sheet pan with 1 tablespoon oil and a sprinkle of salt and pepper.  Roast in the oven until tender, 20 minutes or so, flipping once or twice.
Heat a nonstick skillet over medium heat with 1 tablespoon oil.  Add the garlic and ginger, saute and set aside.
For the dressing, whisk or blend all the ingredients together until smooth (this can be done several day sin advance and kept in the refrigerator).
Add a scoop of cooked quinoa to serving bowls.  Add roasted sweet potatoes, onions, chickpeas, a handful of spinach, diced avocado, chopped cucumbers, garlic, ginger and a sprinkle of cilantro.  Drizzle a little dressing over the top and dig in!

the best vegan blueberry muffins

Outstanding muffins!  My family LOVED these muffins and wouldn't have guessed they are vegan.  Each got two muffins and were hoping for more. I've never made so many hot breakfasts as I have during this covid-19 pandemic and my family is okay with that. :)  I made the muffins with my oldest in mind because she had her 4 wisdom teeth out earlier this week and has eaten close to nothing the past two days. It's time to get her jaw moving again!

Note:  I'm putting this recipe in my emergency preparedness binder.  Great recipe if you don't have eggs.  We can use our powdered milk and freeze dried fruits!

the best vegan blueberry muffins (slightly adapted from mydarlingvegan.com)
1 cup soy milk (or almond milk or oat milk- I used oat milk)
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
2 cups all purpose flour
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons canola oil
1 teaspoon orange extract (you can use vanilla extract or lemon extract)
1 1/2 to 2 cups fresh blueberries

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.  Line muffin tins with paper liners or spray with cooking spray.
In  small bowl or liquid measuring cup combine soy milk and apple cider vinegar.  Set aside to allow the milk to curdle.
In a larger bowl, combine sugar, oil and lemon extract.  Add baking powder, baking soda and salt and combine thoroughly.  Add soy milk/vinegar mixture and stir to combine.  Add flour.  Combine but be careful not to over-mix.  Gently fold in the blueberries.
Use a cookie scoop to fill muffin cups 3/4 full.  Bake for 20-25 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.  Remove from heat and allow muffins to cool before removing from pan.