tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36763912771736241652024-03-12T21:53:17.873-05:00Two novice chefs, one tiny kitchenJulia & Tylerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13814958827344385644noreply@blogger.comBlogger75125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3676391277173624165.post-1939863699102432122007-11-06T14:55:00.000-05:002007-11-06T14:57:59.459-05:00Change of address...Well after over 6 months here at blogger we've decided to make the move over to Wordpress. I hope you like the new layout and find the blog easier to navigate! I think the search tool will be especially helpful. See you over there! <br /><br /><a href="http://juliatylerfoodblog.wordpress.com/">http://juliatylerfoodblog.wordpress.com/</a>Julia & Tylerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13814958827344385644noreply@blogger.com77tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3676391277173624165.post-78126115363152529482007-11-04T21:05:00.001-05:002007-11-04T21:17:00.953-05:00Lettuce WrapsWell we were finally able to get together all the right ingredients together to make this recipe properly. Last time I tried to make it I couldn't find ground turkey or water chestnuts (Super Target is somewhat lacking as far as groceries go, but it's so close and so convenient!) Tyler made this for us, I tend to shy away from all asian-inspired recipes. He makes all the stir frys for us, and come to think of it, all the fajitas too...couldn't really tell you why, that's just how we do it! I enjoyed this recipe, but it wasn't really rave worthy. Despite lots of cornstarch we just couldn't really get the liquid to thicken, so they were very messy and juicy lettuce wraps! We served them with rice to try to soak up some of the liquid. I think this is a good base recipe that could be tweaked to be made even better, I just don't really know how since I'm not very experienced with these kinds of dishes!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDBTvyTEKOyUnwmet0YM6hPjIBPi64nqypZNjVutNckyk0Hpw15CICY8hW7Rp_DVXhoz3Pe4-iGK4r6hTDq0gRjuB7Jl93C-YY9o4AwycXtV9gid9eBtW_T72lZf56dVHZtBf9zwmGKsU/s1600-h/003.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDBTvyTEKOyUnwmet0YM6hPjIBPi64nqypZNjVutNckyk0Hpw15CICY8hW7Rp_DVXhoz3Pe4-iGK4r6hTDq0gRjuB7Jl93C-YY9o4AwycXtV9gid9eBtW_T72lZf56dVHZtBf9zwmGKsU/s400/003.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5129172394219068498" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Ground Turkey Lettuce Wraps (from sparkpeople.com)<br /><br />Ingredients<br /><br />Ground Turkey, 4 patty (4 oz, raw) (yield after cook (remove)<br />Cabbage, fresh, 1 cup, chopped (remove)<br />Onions, raw, .5 cup, chopped (remove)<br />Carrots, raw, .5 cup, chopped (remove)<br />Waterchestnuts (water chestnuts), 0.5 cup slices (remove)<br />*Canola Oil, 1 1tsp (remove)<br />*Kikkoman Lite Soy Sauce, 4 tbsp (remove)<br />Teriyaki Sauce, 100 grams (remove)<br />Green Peppers (bell peppers), .5 cup, strips (remove)<br />Chicken Broth, .5 cup (8 fl oz) (remove)<br /><br /><br />Directions<br />Brown the ground turkey in 1tsp oil. Add onion, carrot, and pepper. Add sauces and chicken broth. Let simmer for 5 minutes. Add cabbage and water chestnuts, reseason if needed with more soy. The longer it simmers, the more flavor it will have.<br />Add 1T cornstarch slurry (with 1T water) if you'd like to thicken the sauce.<br />Serve with lettuce or rice.Julia & Tylerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13814958827344385644noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3676391277173624165.post-74721443839377077852007-10-29T17:12:00.000-05:002007-10-29T17:29:45.971-05:00Another new cookie recipeThe urge to bake struck me on Sunday afternoon but I didn't have any entire bag of anything sweet. I had partial bags of chocolate chips, white chocolate chips, coconut, and macadamia nuts. I remembered a yummy looking cookie recipe that called for coconut and with a bit of searching I found the <a href="http://bakingblonde.blogspot.com/2007/10/sometimes-you-feel-like-nut.html">original recipe</a> I was looking for. Wow these cookies were <span style="font-style: italic;">delicious</span>. One of my new favorites. I ate a few and took some to work and sent the rest to work with Tyler. That's a first, he's always resistant to take food to work, I think it's because he's shy and is worried the cookies will attract attention. I think he probably dropped the bag of cookies in the break room and ran, but there were none left at the end of the day so I presume they were a hit! <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHdlpg-rmFV3eaELAO8zHOyK5Hc1vyUlljsaL17OSKYZAfBIL7MXq_WmfeZdJJIcSTsgx5cB4r15znG-Y-v5K51zLMSNvqaKpOHjSmpUjWqAMZC1lYayMNGZ1aFSpEqezexTGSnd2RwuM/s1600-h/005.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHdlpg-rmFV3eaELAO8zHOyK5Hc1vyUlljsaL17OSKYZAfBIL7MXq_WmfeZdJJIcSTsgx5cB4r15znG-Y-v5K51zLMSNvqaKpOHjSmpUjWqAMZC1lYayMNGZ1aFSpEqezexTGSnd2RwuM/s400/005.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5126886127292832802" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><strong style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Coconut Nut Chipsters<span style="font-weight: bold;"> </span><span style="font-weight: normal;">(original recipe from <a href="http://bakingblonde.blogspot.com/">BakingBlonde's blog</a></span><span style="font-weight: normal;">)<br /><br /></span></strong>1 1/2 sticks butter, softened<br />3/4 cup brown sugar<br />1/4 cup sugar<br />1 1/2 tsp Vanilla<br />1 egg<br />1 2/3 cup flour<br />1/2 tsp baking soda<br />1 tsp baking powder<br />1/4 tsp salt<br />1 cup semi sweet chocolate chips<br />1/2 cup White Chocolate Chips<br />1 1/3 cup Coconut (lightly toasting is optional)<br />1 cup macadamia nut pieces (or other fave nut)<br /><br />Preheat oven to 375.<br /><br />In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Whisk to combine. Set aside.<br /><br />In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter, sugars and vanilla until light and creamy. Beat in egg. Slowly add flour mixture and mix just until combined. Gently fold in chips, coconut and nuts by hand just until combined.<br /><br />Refrigerate dough for about 30 minutes to keep cookies from spreading. Form dough into balls using medium scoop and place on parchment lined baking sheets. Flatten dough balls with a fork. <em></em><br /><br />Bake for 8-12 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool on sheets for 2 minutes and transfer to cooling rack to cool completely.Julia & Tylerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13814958827344385644noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3676391277173624165.post-51282916809447172322007-10-28T19:35:00.000-05:002007-10-28T19:47:26.765-05:00It doesn't get much easier...Tacos. Why do we never make tacos? Why am I always trying to make complicated meals?! On the way home from church today I realized I was craving tacos, and since we spent the last of our October dining out budget at chick-fil-a the other night (mmmm I love you forever chick-fil-a) it was make tacos myself or let my craving go unfulfilled. Tyler actually made the tacos, while I watched 40 First Dates for the millionth time (oh how I love that movie!) Tacos are truly a 30 minute meal (if that).<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTjLt6TiNE2_ZzzSWG8rHSfg7SX07djL4hlFbckWFXBKuix-3DbxaaTp6N7IdYL_7g2z8C5JhhF3dXX0arRMGqlwB0ToNMuW7nSAFBGk8uQRGis2s2oZ0SwUWoF-pK5pvAarsXDUos1Ow/s1600-h/002.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTjLt6TiNE2_ZzzSWG8rHSfg7SX07djL4hlFbckWFXBKuix-3DbxaaTp6N7IdYL_7g2z8C5JhhF3dXX0arRMGqlwB0ToNMuW7nSAFBGk8uQRGis2s2oZ0SwUWoF-pK5pvAarsXDUos1Ow/s400/002.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5126552043261713426" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">Taco Seasoning I (from <a href="http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Taco-Seasoning-I/Detail.aspx">allrecipes.com</a>)</span><br /><br /><h2 style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size:100%;">INGREDIENTS</span></h2> <ul><li>1 tablespoon chili powder</li><li>1/4 teaspoon garlic powder</li><li>1/4 teaspoon onion powder</li><li>1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes</li><li>1/4 teaspoon dried oregano</li><li>1/2 teaspoon paprika</li><li>1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin</li><li>1 teaspoon sea salt</li><li>1 teaspoon black pepper</li></ul> <!-- DIRECTIONS --> <h2 style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size:100%;">DIRECTIONS</span></h2> <ol><li><span> In a small bowl, mix together chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, red pepper flakes, oregano, paprika, cumin, salt and pepper. Store in an airtight container. </span></li></ol><br />We cooked 1lb of ground beef, then drained the fat. Added 1/2 cup water with the taco seasoning and half a can of black beans. Let it simmer over medium heat for about 15 minutes. Served with cheese, lettuce, and <a href="http://www.whollyguac.com/">spicy guacamole</a>. (FYI to KC area girls, the wholly guacamole can be found in the produce section and is on sale at HyVee this week, 1.87 each, and I used a coupon I clipped a couple of weeks ago for $1 off). On soft taco shells (heated the tortillas on the stove top for about 2 minutes each.)Julia & Tylerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13814958827344385644noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3676391277173624165.post-53366532195090198352007-10-23T18:48:00.000-05:002007-10-23T18:59:36.803-05:00Blue Cheese PleaseI love a good burger. My latest favorite burger place is Ted's Montana Grill, I'm especially fond of their blue cheese burger. Tyler always gets a salad there, weird, but he claims it's an amazing salad. We decided to recreate these burgers at home, it was quite simple and very tasty! To make this WW core friendly, use fat free blue cheese (or reduced fat and count the points, I think fat free cheese is terrible) and serve w/o a bun (obviously I did not follow my own advice!) And obviously count the points for the beer ;) Blue Moon is my favorite! <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxAv3XdEvKuL12sAVWy7k0MFDyeE-UUa7g7Gc_Bo-896PiYgZzk8XslJHC6WMkOdchI06NJWXwU4J15tWjL0dIM6nkvzrmNb8BFJvcp4vLozrmh4HjElwCIt9pzGpBqMA-bKvwjUhRXa0/s1600-h/009.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxAv3XdEvKuL12sAVWy7k0MFDyeE-UUa7g7Gc_Bo-896PiYgZzk8XslJHC6WMkOdchI06NJWXwU4J15tWjL0dIM6nkvzrmNb8BFJvcp4vLozrmh4HjElwCIt9pzGpBqMA-bKvwjUhRXa0/s400/009.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5124685595182893122" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><br />Blue Cheese Burgers (original recipe from <a href="http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Blue-Cheese-Burgers/Detail.aspx">allrecipes.com</a>) </span><br /><br /><h2><span style="font-size:85%;">INGREDIENTS</span></h2> <ul><li>1 pound lean ground beef</li><li>1-1/2 ounces blue cheese, crumbled</li><li>2 tablespoons and 2 teaspoons minced fresh chives</li><li>1/8 teaspoon hot pepper sauce</li><li>1/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce</li><li>1/4 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper</li><li>1/2 teaspoon salt</li><li>1/4 teaspoon dry mustard</li><li>4 French rolls or hamburger buns</li></ul> <!-- DIRECTIONS --> <h2><span style="font-size:85%;">DIRECTIONS</span></h2> <ol><li><span> In a large bowl, mix the ground beef, blue cheese, chives, hot pepper sauce, Worcestershire sauce, black pepper, salt, and mustard. Cover, and refrigerate for 2 hours. </span></li><li><span> Preheat grill for high heat. Gently form the burger mixture into 4 patties. </span></li><li><span> Oil the grill grate. Grill patties 5 minutes per side, or until well done. Serve on rolls. </span></li></ol>Julia & Tylerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13814958827344385644noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3676391277173624165.post-59769804835332524852007-10-14T16:54:00.000-05:002007-10-14T17:11:33.886-05:00cranberry hooty-whats?You can't hide from it, Christmas will be here sooner than you think. I love the Christmas season, the baking, the buying, the family, the giving. It's all great. I plan on giving cookies and other baked goods to friends and co-workers this holiday season. I haven't figured out exactly what I'll make yet but I'm trying out some new recipes. One idea I really like is the "cookie in the jar" mixes you can put together. I already knew that they looked great, but I wanted to make sure they actually tasted good before handing them out to everyone I know! I'm glad I gave them a try because there were some things that needed tweaking. Also, Tyler loved them and I think these will replace the other cranberry white-chocolate cookie recipe I have used in the past.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifFLyoEZt13Rwy7rV7AU3kWiEk79Gow1DjhHQW3myZJBS55ObjRXBamQu0JQ_YayfWQPpJTvY0VXz4hUQvKREgCUmQB_6jEw5EvlYJs2aV7KLx4zTXZoVi8b1W8itj2nvQSCerGJL70xA/s1600-h/016.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifFLyoEZt13Rwy7rV7AU3kWiEk79Gow1DjhHQW3myZJBS55ObjRXBamQu0JQ_YayfWQPpJTvY0VXz4hUQvKREgCUmQB_6jEw5EvlYJs2aV7KLx4zTXZoVi8b1W8itj2nvQSCerGJL70xA/s400/016.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5121316755979896850" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Cranberry Hootycreeks (from <a href="http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Cranberry-Hootycreeks/Detail.aspx">allrecipes.com</a>)<br /><br /><h2 style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size:85%;">Ingredients</span></h2> <ul><li>1 cup + 2 T all-purpose flour</li><li>1/2 cup rolled oats</li><li>1/2 teaspoon baking soda</li><li>1/2 teaspoon salt</li><li>1/3 cup packed brown sugar</li><li>1/3 cup white sugar</li><li>1/2 cup dried cranberries</li><li>1/2 cup white chocolate chips</li><li>1/2 cup chopped pecans</li></ul><br /><h2 style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size:85%;">Directions</span></h2> <ol><li><span> Layer the ingredients in a 1 quart or 1 liter jar, in the order listed. </span></li><li><span> Attach a tag with the following instructions: Cranberry Hootycreeks<br />1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a cookie sheet or line with parchment paper.<br />2. In a medium bowl, beat together 1/2 cup softened butter, 1 egg and 1 teaspoon of vanilla until fluffy <span style="font-style: italic;">(Thanks to the advice of an allrecipes.com reviewer, I found out it takes 5-7 minutes in the electric mixer to get the butter, eggs, and vanilla to become fluffy</span>). Add the entire jar of ingredients, and mix together by hand until well blended <span style="font-style: italic;">(If dough is dry and crumbly, sprinkle with a bit of water so it sticks together better, I also refrigerated the dough about 30 minutes before baking)</span>. Drop by heaping spoonfuls onto the prepared baking sheets.<br />3. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, or until edges start to brown. Cool on baking sheets, or remove to cool on wire racks. </span></li></ol>Makes about 2 dozen cookies (depending on how much dough you eat!)Julia & Tylerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13814958827344385644noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3676391277173624165.post-39980277988470206912007-10-10T21:56:00.000-05:002007-10-10T22:11:26.570-05:00Falafel FunSorry for the serious lack of posting again. Tyler has been doing most of the cooking for us and we've been eating some tried and true meals, nothing new until last night. This recipe is from the "best of" Cooking Light magazine from last month. We love falafel but haven't really figured out a place where we could get the good stuff here in Kansas City. Next time I make this I'll experiment with other kinds of beans. I think black beans or garbanzo beans would be equally good. This was also a very fast meal to whip up, which is always nice on a busy day!<br /><br />I don't count this as a Core recipe (but it could be if you used FF cheese, no chips, and ate it without a pita). On the Flex system it is 6 pts per serving, and the recipe makes 4 servings. If you are thinking about joining Weight Watchers I really encourage you do to it before the holiday season is in full swing, WW is a great program for learning portion control and having some accountability during the tough holiday season! I've lost about 7lbs in the last 3 weeks, so I am clearly a fan! I'm already down a pant size!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqBo9qtwKzUknffGgIB_9L6T5zNkOrTR3VKKZptbyll2CBxEoNaFspEdyCdqwKjEZLDFn_OS9-Ne6tMYkL3HWaO8xZphxqOybgcKyjhv_Lfx9q-luEbeCizdi-jWgMLw9DkYfKi9pDGDc/s1600-h/007.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqBo9qtwKzUknffGgIB_9L6T5zNkOrTR3VKKZptbyll2CBxEoNaFspEdyCdqwKjEZLDFn_OS9-Ne6tMYkL3HWaO8xZphxqOybgcKyjhv_Lfx9q-luEbeCizdi-jWgMLw9DkYfKi9pDGDc/s400/007.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5119909153500400642" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Southwestern Falafel with Avocado Spread (from <a href="http://find.myrecipes.com/recipes/recipefinder.dyn?action=displayRecipe&recipe_id=1087057">Cooking Light</a>)<br /><h2><span style="font-size:100%;">Ingredients</span></h2> <p class="ingred"> <core:ifnotequal object1=""></core:ifnotequal><span class="vrsmbk"><span class="allCaps">Patties:</span></span><br /> <core:ifnotequal object1="">1 </core:ifnotequal>(15-ounce) can pinto beans, rinsed and drained<br /> <core:ifnotequal object1="">1/2 </core:ifnotequal>cup (2 ounces) shredded Monterey Jack cheese <span style="font-style: italic;">(I used pepperjack)</span><br /> <core:ifnotequal object1="">1/4 </core:ifnotequal>cup finely crushed baked tortilla chips (about 3/4 ounce)<br /> <core:ifnotequal object1="">2 </core:ifnotequal>tablespoons finely chopped green onions<br /> <core:ifnotequal object1="">1 </core:ifnotequal>tablespoon finely chopped cilantro<br /> <core:ifnotequal object1="">1/8 </core:ifnotequal>teaspoon ground cumin<br /> <core:ifnotequal object1="">1 </core:ifnotequal>large egg white<br /> <core:ifnotequal object1=""> 1 1/2 </core:ifnotequal>teaspoons canola oil<br /> <core:ifnotequal object1=""></core:ifnotequal><br /><span class="vrsmbk"><span class="allCaps">Spread:</span></span><br /> <core:ifnotequal object1="">1/4 </core:ifnotequal>cup mashed peeled avocado<br /> <core:ifnotequal object1="">2 </core:ifnotequal>tablespoons finely chopped plum tomato<br /> <core:ifnotequal object1="">1 </core:ifnotequal>tablespoon finely chopped red onion<br /> <core:ifnotequal object1="">2 </core:ifnotequal>tablespoons fat-free sour cream<br /> <core:ifnotequal object1="">1 </core:ifnotequal>teaspoon fresh lime juice<br /> <core:ifnotequal object1=""> 1/8 </core:ifnotequal>teaspoon salt<br /> <core:ifnotequal object1="">2 </core:ifnotequal>(6-inch) pitas, each cut in half crosswise<br /> </p> <!-- end class="rcpdetail" --> <!-- PREPARATION --> <div class="rcpdetail"> <h2><span style="font-size:100%;">Preparation</span></h2> To prepare patties, place pinto beans in a medium bowl; partially mash with a fork. Add Monterey Jack cheese and next 5 ingredients (through egg white); stir until well combined. Form into 4 (1/2-inch-thick) oval patties.<p>Heat canola oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add patties; cook 3 minutes on each side or until patties are browned and thoroughly heated.</p><p>To prepare spread, while patties cook, combine the avocado, plum tomato, red onion, sour cream, lime juice, and salt. Place 1 patty in each pita half. Spread about 2 tablespoons avocado spread over patty in each pita half. </p></div>Julia & Tylerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13814958827344385644noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3676391277173624165.post-30563265120863128072007-09-30T22:53:00.000-05:002007-09-30T23:03:34.793-05:00Husband chefMy husband is too good to me. I've been stressed and worn out the last few weeks working all day and then training at my second job at night. Plus I'm trying to change the way I eat and it's just so...tiring. Tyler volunteered to make dinner tonight plus he's been cooking for himself when I'm not here in the evenings. It's a fantastic arrangement :)<br /><br />Tonight's dinner was pretty easy. We tried another recipe from <a href="http://www.freewebs.com/hwc1973/">Heather's Core blog</a> and were very happy with it. I love me some mushrooms! And of course mashed potatoes, I can never have enough mashed potatoes. I could make them (and eat them) in my sleep at this point :) So glad they are a Core food!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglZR-UIq2eUNuS9Epcp_SH0V0z5UHHD2fPHI7mCP3wH3lXj4MFnjN1s3-mmQly-7s3sOJXN4EhPZwtuxKa5CUTf05WU19eyAl7BGWGzJ5fOcnIQPgmIR91CClkn35gPLCL5r5AlI-eI6M/s1600-h/015.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglZR-UIq2eUNuS9Epcp_SH0V0z5UHHD2fPHI7mCP3wH3lXj4MFnjN1s3-mmQly-7s3sOJXN4EhPZwtuxKa5CUTf05WU19eyAl7BGWGzJ5fOcnIQPgmIR91CClkn35gPLCL5r5AlI-eI6M/s400/015.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5116212083806610994" border="0" /></a><br /><br /> <p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Balsamic Chicken with Mushrooms<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">2 tsp canola oil</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> 3 TBS balsamic vinegar</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> 2 tsp Dijon mustard</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> 1 garlic clove, crushed</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> 1 lb uncooked boneless, skinless chicken breast (four 4-oz pieces)</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> 2 c mushrooms, small, halved</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> 1/3 c chicken broth</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> 1/4 tsp dried thyme, crumbled</span><br /> <br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> Heat 1 tsp oil in a nonstick skillet. In a medium bowl, mix 2 TBS vinegar, the mustard, and the garlic. Add chicken and turn to coat.</span><br /> <br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> Transfer chicken and marinade to skillet. Saute chicken until cooked through, about 3 minutes on each side. Transfer chicken to a platter and keep warm <span style="font-style: italic;">(We seem to be incapable of getting chicken to cook all the way through in a skillet, so we stuck it in the oven for 10 minutes at 350 degrees after cooking it for 3 minutes on each side on the stove top)</span>.</span><br /> <br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> Heat remaining tsp of oil in skillet. Saute mushrooms for 1 minute. Add broth, thyme and remaining TBS of vinegar. Cook, stirring occasionally, until mushrooms are deep brown, about 2 minutes longer.</span><br /> <br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> Serve chicken topped with mushrooms.</span><br /> <br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> Serves 4 (each serving contains 1/2 tsp healthy oil)</span><br /> <br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"></span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"></span><o:p></o:p></span></p>Julia & Tylerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13814958827344385644noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3676391277173624165.post-59352201161645814902007-09-30T16:10:00.001-05:002007-09-30T16:24:43.072-05:00Pumpkin lures me out of my baking hiatusWell, I successfully went one month without baking. It was a long month, lol. I feel like I've gotten ahold of my compulsion to bake bake bake and eat eat eat. I'm trying to cut back to just doing it for special ocassions and focus on baking for others. This week we are celebrating a birthday at work as well as the first day of our new boss. I volunteered to make cornbread and pumpkin bars. I'm still trying to choose the perfect cornbread recipe but I made the pumpkin bars this afternoon. I just tried one and they are great! Thanks to <a href="http://bakingblonde.blogspot.com/">bakingblonde</a> for sharing her aunt's recipe with me. I made one batch for my sister and my parents and then I made a double batch in a 9x13 pan to take to work and share. These squares are not as fluffy as a sheet cake, but not as dense as a cookie bar or brownie. Somewhere in between I guess you'd say.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkhGiXawCF1VSVARByNAc_rMbyYWFWNLjfCik18Ex3t5oiKdF3F9Dek2EMWAOckbj0ewv4VKqCw6Tjyf7QS3eFHr5hJFBvH7_rdGe2tNz2lM5FoKzl0FPzXn1qmzGTt7bIZg77SLBQzPM/s1600-h/013.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkhGiXawCF1VSVARByNAc_rMbyYWFWNLjfCik18Ex3t5oiKdF3F9Dek2EMWAOckbj0ewv4VKqCw6Tjyf7QS3eFHr5hJFBvH7_rdGe2tNz2lM5FoKzl0FPzXn1qmzGTt7bIZg77SLBQzPM/s400/013.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5116109760505751074" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><strong><u>Pumpkin Squares</u></strong><br />1/3 cup oil (vegetable or canola)<br />2 eggs<br />1 cup sugar<br />1 cup canned pumpkin<br />1/4 tsp ground ginger<br />1/4 tsp ground nutmeg<br />1/8 tsp ground cloves <span style="font-style: italic;">(I didn't have any cloves so I went without, but I'm sure it would add a great kick)</span><br />1/2 tsp cinnamon<br />1/2 tsp salt<br />1 tsp baking powder<br />1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour<br /><br />Cream cheese frosting <span style="font-style: italic;">(I used store bought instead of making it from scratch)</span><br />Chopped walnuts <span style="font-style: italic;">(I used candy corn instead, it's so festive! The candy corn pumpkins would have been fun too)</span> <p>Preheat oven to 350<span style="font-style: italic;"> (I used a dark non stick pan for my double batch so I lowered the temp 25 degrees to keep the bars from getting too dark).</span><br /></p> <p>Lightly spray with 9X9 baking pan with Pam.<br />In a medium bowl, cream together the oil, eggs, sugar, pumpkin, spices, salt, and baking powder <span style="font-style: italic;">(I did this step in my KA mixer).</span><br />Gently fold in the flour, just until combined <span style="font-style: italic;">(I did this by hand).</span><br />Evenly spread the mixture into the prepared pan.<br />Bake bars for 22-30 minutes, or until a toothpick placed in the center comes out clean.<br />Frost cooled bars with cream cheese frosting and top with walnuts <span style="font-style: italic;">(or candy corn or whatever you choose!)</span><br /></p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCTaw6z1Skb-9VAIxsyL9wcoleiAWxFkMd-VbEDI8eh_hShCdxpJE4_SB4qgvltNN6qN40l9n_sHdaSVbDtON3fOdlOFp7RQ_gNuGDwp46QUpwR5pHceP6OcSXs6V9FONKXcAA-KznpBw/s1600-h/003.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCTaw6z1Skb-9VAIxsyL9wcoleiAWxFkMd-VbEDI8eh_hShCdxpJE4_SB4qgvltNN6qN40l9n_sHdaSVbDtON3fOdlOFp7RQ_gNuGDwp46QUpwR5pHceP6OcSXs6V9FONKXcAA-KznpBw/s400/003.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5116109395433530898" border="0" /></a>Julia & Tylerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13814958827344385644noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3676391277173624165.post-39897446350663141172007-09-23T19:43:00.000-05:002007-09-23T21:22:50.862-05:00Celebrate Chili Season!Tyler was nice enough to whip up this batch of white chicken chili while I made the beef and bean chili tonight. Honestly I'm not sure where I got the original recipe and it's driving me nuts. If you know please jog my memory! I just have a copy of it that I printed out ages ago, probably off an old email account so I can't really trace the origins! Actually it looks like a photocopy...omg I'm going to drive myself crazy. Here's the recipe!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicAxgnnCOI3i-3bgU4_eQQgM7eAaS_8YgNSjZ9ZIYDvIpV9bZiD8nMR72PfYHN266Cbxy5Ps2AeHW2ioODDcxwt7Gn3vyH0rLXDS5XW9GKf8KcRdiQs0f2Sg6DP30Wp09DgBE-fIrDyNg/s1600-h/002.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicAxgnnCOI3i-3bgU4_eQQgM7eAaS_8YgNSjZ9ZIYDvIpV9bZiD8nMR72PfYHN266Cbxy5Ps2AeHW2ioODDcxwt7Gn3vyH0rLXDS5XW9GKf8KcRdiQs0f2Sg6DP30Wp09DgBE-fIrDyNg/s400/002.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5113565426174567906" border="0" /></a><br /><br />White Bean Chicken Chili<br /><br />Ingredients:<br />1 onion, chopped<br />1 T olive oil<br />2 tsp chopped garlic<br />1-2 cups chopped chicken breasts<br />14.5 oz can diced tomatoes (do not drain)<br />1 cube chicken bouillon<br />15 oz can white beans<br />1 pkg taco seasoning (we were out so we used <a href="http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Taco-Seasoning-I/Detail.aspx">this </a>recipe instead)<br /><br />Saute onion in olive oil. Add garlic, chicken, and 1/2 tsp taco seasoning. Cook until chicken is no longer pink. Add canned tomatoes (can be run through the food processor to chop into smaller pieces if desired), chicken bouillon cube, rest of taco seasoning and if necessary some water if too thick. Simmer and then eat! Serve with tortilla chips or tortillas, cheese, sour cream, whatever you like! Tyler adds Tabasco sauce because he loves more heat.<br /><br />I believe this recipe is WW core friendly.Julia & Tylerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13814958827344385644noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3676391277173624165.post-56461963702558573442007-09-23T19:29:00.000-05:002007-09-23T21:23:14.423-05:00Officially Chili Season!Today is the first day of fall, which means I can now make chili without getting yelled at by my dad! (although I heard a rumor that he made a batch last weekend, tsk tsk!) We made a couple of chili's tonight and will freeze quite a bit of it for easy grab n go lunches. First up: traditional beef and bean chili. This is the recipe that has been perfected by Tyler's dad, and it is wonderful chili! We will likely never make another version, this one is just perfect and fits my WW Core diet.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4Snkg5b5FJImQipr-SAggWy-RrvONyT4_6NHoBSMmBuITgSK3XyOW5CdgglmAkVCWeMBaFlOGf4TgdCMN0fUC0kixzMDMVsJDQhIkzJC6tiIbOONE5mIE2lLr2AeJ_YCCGRdygyAPu8M/s1600-h/004.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4Snkg5b5FJImQipr-SAggWy-RrvONyT4_6NHoBSMmBuITgSK3XyOW5CdgglmAkVCWeMBaFlOGf4TgdCMN0fUC0kixzMDMVsJDQhIkzJC6tiIbOONE5mIE2lLr2AeJ_YCCGRdygyAPu8M/s400/004.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5113562497006872018" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><span id="st" name="st" class="st">My Father-in-Law's </span><span id="st" name="st" class="st">Chili</span><br /><br />Ingredients:<br />1lb ground beef<br />1/2 medium sized onion, chopped<br />1 clove garlic, chopped<br />1 can diced tomatoes<br />1 can tomato sauce<br />1 can kidney beans<br />1 can black beans<br />2 tsp. <span id="st" name="st" class="st">chili</span> powder<br />1 beef bullion cubes<br />1/2 tsp. cumin<br />1 tsp. oregano<br />1 Bay Leaf<br />1 TBS parsley flakes<br />1/2 TBS sugar<br />red pepper flakes or tabasco sauce to taste<br />salt if needed<br /><br />Directions:<br /><br />1. Brown ground beef then drain off grease.<br />2. Saute onion and garlic with the meat until onion is translucent.<br />3. Transfer meat/onion/garlic mix to crock pot, add the rest of the ingredients (do not drain any of the beans!) let cook on low 2-3 hours. This could also be done on the stovetop in a stockpot, simmer on low for a couple of hours with the lid on.<br />4. Serve with cheese, sour cream, crackers, etc.Julia & Tylerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13814958827344385644noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3676391277173624165.post-57725685465609837212007-09-23T16:18:00.000-05:002007-09-23T16:41:48.945-05:00Who doesn't love a man in the kitchen?So I confess Tyler actually made this meal 2 weeks ago but I've been dragging my feet about posting it. I'm not really busy...just trying to keep my mind off of food as much as I can, lol. I'm still eating and cooking though, just nothing terribly exciting. We are making 2 kinds of chili tonight, I'll share those recipes later!<br /><br />We were at the <a href="http://www.kc-citymarket.com/farmersmarket.html">City Market</a> over Labor Day weekend and bought some fresh produce and some unique pasta at a booth that sold <a href="http://www.pappardellespasta.com/content/locations.php">Pappardelle's Pasta</a>. It took us FOREVER to decide which pasta to buy but we eventually settled on <a href="http://www.pappardellesonline.com/servlet/Detail?no=66">Tunisian Harissa Fettucine</a> and Tyler was kind enough to offer to make the meal (with each pasta there is a recommended recipe that they give you). It took him 3 hours. Yeah. 3 hours. He is a bit meticulous in the kitchen, so I don't really think that's the average cooking time for this dish. Roasting the peppers was a lengthy process and since it was his first time he had to stop and look at the directions a lot. After 3 hours of cooking we ate dinner around 9 P.M.<br /><br />It's a different kind of dish for me because I'm used to pasta with some kind of sauce on it. This has no sauce because the pasta itself is flavored and the meat and peppers provide the rest of the flavor. Very tasty, and perhaps a healthy-ish meal (if you use low fat sausage). Not a Core recipe though, but could be made into one with whole wheat pasta and some lean meat. We may try roasting peppers again now that we know what we're doing! We'd also be interested in buying more pasta from Pappardelle's. They had so many delicious looking flavored pastas, and I think they would make great gifts! You can even order online, something to think about as the holidays slowly creep closer.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4uSsN9cAHg0K5NSaKAxv6T_C842nXs1cza7T-vgyhdWXxx0z-ilsQ0mSO0JvtLCC2lVXE8WWAc9BtDREOHWrg3OA_tU1jRObtVh5Ir_B1iBh5Bp7M7tCdcBGgaJ24ZZTSAdtIi-dGN_M/s1600-h/005.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4uSsN9cAHg0K5NSaKAxv6T_C842nXs1cza7T-vgyhdWXxx0z-ilsQ0mSO0JvtLCC2lVXE8WWAc9BtDREOHWrg3OA_tU1jRObtVh5Ir_B1iBh5Bp7M7tCdcBGgaJ24ZZTSAdtIi-dGN_M/s400/005.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5113512585191925170" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><i><b>Tunisian Harissa Pasta with Sausage, Peppers & Tomatoes</b></i><br /><br /> 1 lb. Pappardelle’s Tunisian Harissa Pasta<br />6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil<br />1 medium onion, chopped<br />4 ripe plum tomatoes, peeled and chopped<br />10 oz. sweet Italian sausage, skinned/crumbled<br />1 each: roasted red, green and yellow peppers, peeled and cut into long strips (we followed the Food network directions found <a href="http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/ck_culinary_qa/article/0,,FOOD_9796_1696137,00.html">here</a>)<br />Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste<br /><br />1. Heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and sauté until lightly golden, stirring frequently, about 5 minutes. Add the peppers and continue to sauté for 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes, season to taste with salt and pepper, cover skillet with lid slightly ajar, reduce heat to low and simmer until the liquid evaporates, about 40 minutes, stirring occasionally.Julia & Tylerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13814958827344385644noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3676391277173624165.post-60870823810106004982007-09-18T18:34:00.000-05:002007-09-18T18:46:26.899-05:00I'm still here!Sorry for the post-less week, I haven't really been cooking much. Mostly because I was eating out or making some of my favorite guilty pleasures before I started back on Weight Watchers this week :) Real smart, huh? We had sushi, cheese dip, potstickers, Chipotle, chick-fil-a....ahh such food debauchery. Now I am back on the wagon and back in the kitchen. We are following the Weight Watchers Core plan, which so far I am <span style="font-style: italic;">loving</span>. So brace yourselves for healthier recipes! One of my greatest discoveries was <a href="http://www.freewebs.com/hwc1973/">this</a> <a href="http://www.freewebs.com/hwc1973/"><span style="font-weight: bold;"></span></a>food blog. Thank you Heather for sharing so many great Core recipes with those of us that have no clue what to make! She is my new food blog goddess.<br /><br />This meal was so quick to whip up and tasted great. LOVED the guacamole sauce. I will definitely be using that recipe for many other dishes. It'd be great on fajitas! The chicken was a little sweet, which makes sense since there was brown sugar in it, I might cut back on the sugar and increase the spices next time. I served the chicken with corn and a side of black beans simmered in lime juice, cumin, and red pepper flakes. Should have thrown some cilantro in but I spaced it. It feels good to be cooking and eating well again!<br /><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1inoV03GyJ1ebpgdlCECDRovbcGKZdptp7Z0TfT7yZZ2AIvilP-wAx12osCkn2663s21DmoD-1rRQJgtJHAuEd_Y2elXwitSNz5q1QXGHERKhXPcCcRYDVOmNULvPZxhr9X_QG1hfOEY/s1600-h/006.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1inoV03GyJ1ebpgdlCECDRovbcGKZdptp7Z0TfT7yZZ2AIvilP-wAx12osCkn2663s21DmoD-1rRQJgtJHAuEd_Y2elXwitSNz5q1QXGHERKhXPcCcRYDVOmNULvPZxhr9X_QG1hfOEY/s400/006.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5111693138380522546" border="0" /></a><br /> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:georgia;"><span style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);font-size:10;" ><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p style="font-family: georgia; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:georgia;" class="MsoNormal" ><span style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);font-size:100%;" >Cumin-dusted Chicken Breasts with guacamole sauce<o:p></o:p><br /><br /><br />Sauce:<br />1/4 c finely chopped green onions<br />1/4 c finely chopped cilantro<br />1/4 c fat-free sour cream<br />2 TBS fresh lime juice<br />1/4 tsp salt<br />1/8 tsp ground cumin<br />1/8 tsp ground red pepper<br />1 ripe peeled avocado, seeded and coarsely mashed<br /><br />Chicken:<br />2 TBS brown sugar (not Core, but 0 WPAs per serving of this recipe)<br />1 tsp ground cumin<br />1/2 tsp salt<br />1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper<br />4 (6 oz) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves<br />Cooking spray<br /><br />To prepare sauce, combine first 8 ingredients; set aside. Preheat oven to 400°.<br /><br />To prepare chicken, combine sugar, 1 tsp cumin, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp black pepper; sprinkle evenly over chicken. Heat a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add chicken; cook 3 minutes or until browned. Turn chicken over. Place pan in oven; bake at 400° for 10-20 minutes or until done. Serve chicken with sauce.<br /><br />Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 breast half and about 3 tablespoons sauce)<o:p></o:p></span></p><br /><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);font-size:10;" ><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:arial;font-size:85%;" ></span><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>Julia & Tylerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13814958827344385644noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3676391277173624165.post-67288470389009531672007-09-10T19:41:00.000-05:002007-09-10T19:56:30.350-05:00Corny corn casseroleCorn is an iffy vegetable for me. I don't like eating it on the cob because it gets stuck in my teeth, and the canned/frozen stuff isn't that tasty. I bookmarked several recipes from the latest issue of Cooking Light and am slowly knocking them off my "to try" list. This recipe was first published in the magazine in June of 1996 and was submitted by a reader from Kansas, who knows, it could be someone just down the road :) I baked it in my Pampered Chef deep dish pie plate, which I think I'd only used once before. It looked so pretty in that pie plate :) I'm all about pretty serving dishes, they are one of my many downfalls. I have far too many pretty serving dishes for my small kitchen. This casserole was much better than plain corn muffins or corn bread, very sweet in taste, but pretty healthy as far as casseroles go. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjM1jCnIAeGiIszZgskMx8Hfk1MW9j4ezeU2nuijT4pJwGJpV6PmTpKOGzkXvBMx6AjrXv6vf-WJ_bp1GBtFeXHmJg_wfmhpPmV4HlPTwBPccxim9X0qtGIEsmDwbyyUes5Jq_5T_4B5s/s1600-h/006.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjM1jCnIAeGiIszZgskMx8Hfk1MW9j4ezeU2nuijT4pJwGJpV6PmTpKOGzkXvBMx6AjrXv6vf-WJ_bp1GBtFeXHmJg_wfmhpPmV4HlPTwBPccxim9X0qtGIEsmDwbyyUes5Jq_5T_4B5s/s400/006.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5108743637630596258" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Easy Corn Casserole (from <a href="http://find.myrecipes.com/recipes/recipefinder.dyn?action=displayRecipe&recipe_id=1654623">Cooking Light</a>)<br /><br />Ingredients:<br />1/4 cup egg substitute (or 1 large egg)<br />1/4 cup butter, melted<br />1 (8 3/4 oz) can no-salt added whole-kernal corn, drained<br />1 (8 3/4 oz) can no-salt added cream-style corn<br />1 (8 1/2 oz) package corn muffin mix<br />1 (8-oz) carton plain fat free yogurt<br /><br />Directions:<br />Preheat over to 350 degrees<br />Combine ingredients in a medium bowl; stir well. Pour into an 8-inch square baking dish coated with cooking spray (or a deep dish pie plate or other medium sized casserole dish). Bake for 45 minutes or until set. Yields 8 servings.Julia & Tylerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13814958827344385644noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3676391277173624165.post-44116518206228955502007-09-10T19:29:00.000-05:002007-09-10T19:40:29.398-05:00A cold day in SeptemberWell I was trying to hold off on making soup until the first day of fall but it is 59 degrees outside right now and the sun hasn't even gone down yet! I am so pumped :) I am slowly letting fall creep into our apartment, I put out my fall pillows and plugged in a nutmeg air freshener yesterday. The rest of the fall decor WILL wait until the 23rd though! <br /><br />So for dinner tonight I made broccoli cheddar soup, a kind of soup I love to eat but had never made before. I was a little skeptical about the noodles in the soup, but they were perfect and made it a much heartier soup. I would like to figure out a way to make it a bit thicker/creamier next time. Maybe I won't use skim milk or I'll try adding cornstarch or something. Overall I really enjoyed the soup, Tyler said it was good but kind of "plain" (I don't really know what that means but I think he prefers soups with some kind of meat in it). I will make this soup again on another chilly day!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYrrnMXaIZlDlZTbCvpZtCzJEastBAit8kIJpiN9s_6fMBf_NQWxDEPU53ojbfmrdN1T0EbH9BguXIbt2-WZocHwDHFbQiEEWFrJfnjjP479fUpIVgKJenF3NXEJWgJGgXtkkDYvVhN6Y/s1600-h/009.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYrrnMXaIZlDlZTbCvpZtCzJEastBAit8kIJpiN9s_6fMBf_NQWxDEPU53ojbfmrdN1T0EbH9BguXIbt2-WZocHwDHFbQiEEWFrJfnjjP479fUpIVgKJenF3NXEJWgJGgXtkkDYvVhN6Y/s400/009.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5108738225971803282" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Broccoli Cheddar Soup, from JMitchKC-another KC real bride. <br /><br />3/4 c. chopped onion<br />2 tbsp. olive oil (or vegetable, canola)<br />6 Chicken Boullion cubes<br />6 c. water<br />1 pkg. Egg Noodles (8oz)<br />2 - 10oz pkgs. of frozen broccoli (I used mini florets)<br />6 c. milk (I used skim, but the soup may have been creamier if I'd used 1 or 2% instead)<br />1/8 tsp. garlic powder<br />1 tsp. salt<br />1 tsp. pepper<br />1 lb. Velveeta Cheese (cubed)<br /><br />Directions:<br />Add oil and sautee onions, not brown. Add water and dissolve Boullion cubes.<br />Bring to a boil and add noodles. Cook until noodles are soft, then add<br />broccoli. When broccoli is thawed and not hard, add milk, garlic powder,<br />salt and pepper. It is very important the milk DOES NOT BOIL.<br />Add cubed velveeta and stir frequently until melted. You will cook<br />this slow, so that it doesn't boil or the milk & cheese will curdle.Julia & Tylerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13814958827344385644noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3676391277173624165.post-32425057038713299162007-09-05T20:08:00.001-05:002007-09-05T20:14:02.868-05:00Another popular recipeI know everyone and their mom has made this orzo recipe by now (at least in my small food blogging circle) but I always come in late in the game :) Tyler offered to make dinner tonight but we ended up cooking together so we could eat sooner. We make a pretty good team most of the time! He prepared the chicken (<a href="http://juliatylerfoodblog.blogspot.com/2007/05/favorite-standby.html">parmesan dijon chicken</a>, one of our faves) and I whipped up the orzo and the green beans. Both of which I oversalted, whoops. Still yummy though, just needed a big glass of water to wash it down!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs8c4gZ6JjfD32h7l_p-piSrHiUOhObXZKH4zDoKwo_xOJt0miCahHWvVJKNuAo8AWDlE8W7PBJDStG1jj2T2rTj7b2yQ4t8Q-ol-8Eem9V8PJe2qzdtazoyIEWlvLthnO5jRTAdBVOHM/s1600-h/006.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs8c4gZ6JjfD32h7l_p-piSrHiUOhObXZKH4zDoKwo_xOJt0miCahHWvVJKNuAo8AWDlE8W7PBJDStG1jj2T2rTj7b2yQ4t8Q-ol-8Eem9V8PJe2qzdtazoyIEWlvLthnO5jRTAdBVOHM/s400/006.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5106892459481379954" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Orzo with Parmesan and Basil (<a href="http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Orzo-with-Parmesan-and-Basil/Detail.aspx">original recipe</a> from allrecipes.com)<br /><h2><span style="font-size:85%;"> INGREDIENTS</span></h2> <ul><li> 2 tablespoons butter\</li><li> 1 cup uncooked orzo pasta</li><li> 1 (14.5 ounce) can chicken broth</li><li> 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese</li><li> 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil</li><li> salt and pepper to taste</li><li> 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil</li></ul> <!-- DIRECTIONS --> <h2><span style="font-size:85%;"> DIRECTIONS</span></h2> <ol><li><span> Melt butter in heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Stir in orzo and saute until lightly browned.</span></li><li><span> Stir in chicken stock and bring to boil. Cover. Reduce heat and simmer until orzo is tender and liquid is absorbed, about 15 - 20 minutes.</span></li><li><span> Mix in Parmesan cheese and basil. Season with salt (<span style="font-style: italic;">go easy, especially if you didn't use low sodium chicken broth)</span> and pepper. Transfer to shallow bowl. Garnish with basil sprigs.</span></li></ol>Julia & Tylerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13814958827344385644noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3676391277173624165.post-27195846615001728582007-09-05T20:03:00.001-05:002007-09-05T20:07:31.798-05:00Feast your eyes!Made the peach-raspberry cobbler again last weekend (had to find some way to use up the 12 peaches crammed in that little bag at the store!) Since I didn't have a picture last time I figured I'd share it now. Here's the original entry with the <a href="http://juliatylerfoodblog.blogspot.com/2007/08/yum-cobbler.html">recipe</a>. I used frozen raspberries this time and it tasted just as good!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjonZRzt-SSbmGxgG-bfYvb9PihRydsj-lx-ScWXlFoR7ruwh9lhs4uPTkdq_tYBpQtyV61hLtsJ1ogDEKyvi5ph2o_zUGyKHQtL8ooUEWrRMlRYWLi9yHWO1zLFhCIkPUphQjn8MGk-3I/s1600-h/003.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjonZRzt-SSbmGxgG-bfYvb9PihRydsj-lx-ScWXlFoR7ruwh9lhs4uPTkdq_tYBpQtyV61hLtsJ1ogDEKyvi5ph2o_zUGyKHQtL8ooUEWrRMlRYWLi9yHWO1zLFhCIkPUphQjn8MGk-3I/s400/003.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5106891437279163490" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><img src="file:///C:/Users/Julia%20&%20Tyler/Pictures/2007-09-05/004.JPG" alt="" />Julia & Tylerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13814958827344385644noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3676391277173624165.post-66837519240061409422007-09-02T15:41:00.001-05:002007-09-02T15:52:34.611-05:00Too easy, too yummyI needed a dessert that I could whip up fast and I didn't want to go through the whole "from scratch trash my kitchen with flour and sugar" mess so I went the easy route. All you need are some peanut butter cups and a box of brownie mix with its required ingredients. The end result: yummy peanut butter cup brownies.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtz87_-iRkOe8d0bgzBIk4c1pZ4C2VSxKaiE9MsXkiQdjlBYKDfb_HvOV2ZhpL7Lfs58JJmOb4l1RssS6qdoXPztGwFfHYjsEkRmtrdbY7WNCU0YJm-LCN8HHotrVMgihquhcw6gGEBfY/s1600-h/008.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtz87_-iRkOe8d0bgzBIk4c1pZ4C2VSxKaiE9MsXkiQdjlBYKDfb_HvOV2ZhpL7Lfs58JJmOb4l1RssS6qdoXPztGwFfHYjsEkRmtrdbY7WNCU0YJm-LCN8HHotrVMgihquhcw6gGEBfY/s400/008.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5105710836668838914" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Peanut Butte<span style="font-weight: bold;"></span>r Cup Brownies (from <a href="http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Peanut-Butter-Cup-Brownies/Detail.aspx">allrecipes.com</a>)<br /><br />Ingredients:<br />1 box brownie mix<br />any ingredients that the box of brownie mix calls for + an extra egg<br />1 bag mini peanut butter cups<br /><br /><br />Directions:<br />Mix up brownie batter with an extra egg for fluffier brownies.<br />Pour brownie batter into muffin cups lined with paper or foil wrappers.<br />Stick one peanut butter cup (all wrapping removed of course) in the center of each brownie<br />Bake at 325 degrees for 30-35 minutes or until brownies are fluffy but not gooey inside.<br />Cool and then eat!<br /><br />I used a box of pillsbury chocolate chunk brownie mix and it yielded a dozen brownies in a regular sized muffin tin. A mini muffin tin could also be used for bite sized brownies.Julia & Tylerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13814958827344385644noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3676391277173624165.post-70258793804497119562007-08-28T20:33:00.000-05:002007-08-28T21:19:56.607-05:00More butter please...It's strange to think that a year ago I could NOT make a batch of cookies from scratch without seriously screwing them up, getting frustrated, and pitching them into the trash can. I have learned several tricks of the trade and feel much more confident now. By the holidays I will have many cookie recipes under my belt (and uh..literally as well I suppose, heh). I'm working my way up to Tyler's favorite cookie recipe, to be revealed at a later date (probably in December). These cookies don't look like <a href="http://amberskitchen.blogspot.com/2007/06/buttery-sugary-nutty-cookies.html">Amber's</a>, but they taste great. This was a "recipe of the week" ages ago, but I bookmarked them from Amber's blog because I loved her presentation. A word to the wise, although the cookies taste great the dough basically just tastes like butter, not so good for snacking on!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwT2vqcnCbKP8hJCSfTZqp5C0T8mz-0598qPydOiKkxn675a2OAROaBabPjS21zVqr6bocQu-Tuf-6jhK6vvc4FRaP37L02EIRnQcC4RmPnOIE1FBodyPn1bvRGgPjlHWnYf783o5TMvo/s1600-h/003.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwT2vqcnCbKP8hJCSfTZqp5C0T8mz-0598qPydOiKkxn675a2OAROaBabPjS21zVqr6bocQu-Tuf-6jhK6vvc4FRaP37L02EIRnQcC4RmPnOIE1FBodyPn1bvRGgPjlHWnYf783o5TMvo/s400/003.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5103931719480914930" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><strong><span style="font-size:130%;">Buttery Pecan Cookies</span></strong><br />(Source: <a href="http://www.williams-sonoma.com/">www.williams-sonoma.com</a>)<br /><br /><em>These buttery cookies are very easy to make. Just roll the dough into a log, slice and bake.</em></span></div><br /><div><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"></span></div><div><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">16 tablespoons (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature</span></div><div><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">2/3 cup sugar</span></div><div><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Pinch of salt</span></div><div><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">1 teaspoon vanilla extract</span></div><div><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">2 cups all-purpose flour</span></div><div><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">1/2 cup chopped pecans </span><span style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><em></em></span></div><br /><div><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"></span></div><div><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">In a large bowl, combine the butter, sugar, salt and vanilla. Using an electric mixer, beat the mixture on medium speed until it is smooth. Turn off the mixer a few times so you can scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Add the flour and nuts. Continue mixing until the dough looks like moist pebbles, then turn off the mixer. (<span style="font-style: italic;">Note, I think I overmixed the dough until it was creamy, which may explain why my cookies came out so thin and crispy, not thick like Amber's). </span><br /></span></div><br /><div><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"></span></div><div><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Gently squeeze the dough together with your hands. When the dough comes together in a mass, place it on a large piece of plastic wrap. Using your hands, shape it into a log 10 inches long and about 2 inches in diameter. Wrap the log in the plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, about 3 hours. </span></div><br /><div><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"></span></div><div><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Preheat an oven to 350°F. Line 3 baking sheets with aluminum foil. </span></div><br /><div><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"></span></div><div><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Unwrap the dough and place it on a cutting board. Using a sharp knife, cut the log into slices 1/4 inch thick. Arrange the slices about 1 inch apart on the foil-lined baking sheets. </span></div><br /><div><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"></span></div><div><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Place 1 baking sheet in the oven and bake the cookies until their edges are golden brown, 14 to 16 minutes. Using oven mitts, remove the baking sheet from the oven and set on a wire rack to cool completely. Repeat with the second and then the third baking sheets. </span></div><br /><div><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"></span></div><div><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Lift the cooled cookies off the baking sheets with your fingers. Store the cookies in an airtight container. Makes about 40 cookies. </span></div><br /><div><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"></span></div><div><em><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Adapted from Williams-Sonoma The Kid's Cookbook, by Abigail Johnson Dodge (Time-Life Books, 2000). </span></em></div>Julia & Tylerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13814958827344385644noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3676391277173624165.post-88171753148512428472007-08-26T19:17:00.000-05:002007-08-26T19:31:19.964-05:00Indoor grillingI have to be careful not to go overboard on new kitchen tools and gadgets since our kitchen has such limited space. We were disappointed when we moved into our new apartment earlier this summer and discovered that grills are not allowed. Our George Foreman grill is limited in its abilities, plus it's a pain to clean, so we decided a couple of weeks ago to get a good ol fashioned <a href="http://www.smartbargains.com/go.sb?pagename=prod&sp=All%2BProducts%252f%252f%252f%252fUserSearch%253dgrill%257c%257c%257c%257c%257c%252f%252f%252f%252fAttribSelect%253dDepartment%253d%27Kitchen%2B%2526%2BDining%2BBargains%27%252f%252f%252f%252f&amp;amp;dk=grill&deptid=54&catid=141&prodid=3010382142&t=Search...prod.2">grill pan</a> and use that on the stovetop. I got some steaks on sale last week and Tyler cooked them up tonight while I whipped up some green beans and mashed potatoes. Very delicious meal!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-0qxHtX5LywqN5H0xoFYxXYVrWa9eMlVEhUKDcYUkTQaJuLRQx-SaKPm9XLc3oxVJbb5-SPuYasPbEE1t9fSqjyB33O5eOltjtu_Puao0VlK3NLdAp7dxSsM97lOkwwumiIF-tdY_sXY/s1600-h/005.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-0qxHtX5LywqN5H0xoFYxXYVrWa9eMlVEhUKDcYUkTQaJuLRQx-SaKPm9XLc3oxVJbb5-SPuYasPbEE1t9fSqjyB33O5eOltjtu_Puao0VlK3NLdAp7dxSsM97lOkwwumiIF-tdY_sXY/s400/005.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5103171097952662434" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">Steak marinade (from allrecipes.com)</span><br /><br /><h2><span style="font-size:85%;"> INGREDIENTS</span></h2> <ul><li> 1/4 cup soy sauce</li><li> 1/4 cup sliced green onions</li><li> 2 tablespoons packed brown sugar</li><li> 1 garlic cloves, minced</li><li> 1/8 teaspoon ground ginger</li><li> 1/8 teaspoon pepper</li><li> 1-1/4 pounds beef rib eye steaks</li></ul> <!-- DIRECTIONS --> <h2><span style="font-size:85%;"> DIRECTIONS</span></h2> <ol><li><span> In a large resealable plastic bag, combine the soy sauce, onions, brown sugar, garlic, ginger and pepper. Add the steaks. Seal bag and turn to coat; refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight.</span></li><li><span> Drain and discard marinade. Grill steaks, uncovered, over medium-hot heat for 8-10 minutes or until the meat reaches desired doneness (for medium-rare, a meat thermometer should read 145 degrees F; medium, 160 degrees F; well-done, 170 degrees F).</span></li></ol><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">Loaded mashed potatoes (by Julia)</span><br /><br />4 large russet potatoes, washed, peeled, cut up, boiled, then drained.<br />2 T butter<br />1/3 cup warm milk<br />1/3 cup sour cream<br />1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese<br />1/3 cup diced green onions<br />salt and pepper to taste<br /><br />Combine cooked potatoes with other ingredients in mixer, mix to desired consistency.Julia & Tylerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13814958827344385644noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3676391277173624165.post-83486351995314880542007-08-26T15:58:00.000-05:002007-08-26T16:08:48.001-05:00Better than a trip to the food courtWell I'll be darned, these really do taste just like the soft pretzels you'd buy at the mall! Don't know what I was expecting, but these are darn good! Check out <span style="text-decoration: underline;"></span>Amber's blog for the <a href="http://amberskitchen.blogspot.com/2007/04/pretzels-anyone.html">original recipe</a> as well as some ideas on variations. I'm still getting the hang of the oven in our new apartment, next time I will turn the heat down so they don't get so dark (and black on the bottom).<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHlCb-3LtarL0cIPJ8AzqZyuf4xYrCtlAzD8pmuE1PZdul4HTrBAAueiOiB51ybnR8qaDjK6NrQ0v0BrvIT24W2weHfCMkRuqRm3x_RijoPwaagk_xOyctSWrisnqMRg4jnqM3-BgjNCM/s1600-h/001.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHlCb-3LtarL0cIPJ8AzqZyuf4xYrCtlAzD8pmuE1PZdul4HTrBAAueiOiB51ybnR8qaDjK6NrQ0v0BrvIT24W2weHfCMkRuqRm3x_RijoPwaagk_xOyctSWrisnqMRg4jnqM3-BgjNCM/s400/001.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5103117561185317778" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-size:130%;" ><strong>Soft Pretzels<br /></strong><span style="font-size:100%;">(Source: <a href="http://amberskitchen.blogspot.com/">Amber's Delectable Delights</a>)</span></span> <p><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><u>Ingredients</u>: </span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">1/8 cup hot water<br />1 package active dry yeast </span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">1 1/3 warm water </span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">1/3 cup brown sugar </span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">4+ cups flour </span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Coarse kosher salt </span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Baking soda </span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Butter or shortening (to generously grease cookie sheets) </span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"></span></p><p><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><u>Directions</u>: </span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">In a large bowl mix together hot water and yeast until the yeast dissolves. Stir in the warm water and brown sugar and stir until the brown sugar dissolves. </span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Slowly add 4 cups of flour, stirring constantly. Continue stirring until the mixture is smooth and does not stick to the sides of the bowl. </span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Lightly flour counter. Dip your hands into extra flour. Knead the dough until it is stretchy and smooth. (Push it down and away from you with the palms of your hands, turning the dough as you work) </span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Grease cookie sheets generously with butter or shortening. Sprinkle greased cookie sheet(s) with kosher salt. Preheat oven to 475. (It is very important that you grease the cookie sheets very well) </span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Using liquid measuring cup fill a large saucepan at least 1/2 full of water. For each 1 cup of water, add 1 tbls baking soda. </span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Divide the dough into equal sized pieces. </span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Using the following 4 steps shape each dough ball into a pretzel shape <span style="font-style: italic;">(obviously I opted to make pretzel sticks instead, I was in a hurry)</span>... </span></p><p><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">1). Roll the dough into a rope 14" long and as thick as your thumb. Bend the dough into a U shape. (if you have trouble rolling the dough into a rope slightly wet your hands and try again). </span></p><p><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">2). Cross one end of the rope over the other one. The ropes should cross about three inches from the tips. </span></p><p><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">3). Twist the crossed ends, making a full turn. Fold the ends back, towards the middle of the U. </span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"></span></p><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">4). Open the ends slightly to form a pretzel shape. Press the ends into the dough firmly. </span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Bring water into saucepan to a gentle boil (not to many bubbles) Use pancake turner to lower each pretzel into the saucepan. Count slowly to 30. Then lift the pretzel onto the greased and salted cookie sheet (shaking off excess water back into the saucepan). Repeat until all the pretzels are done. </span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Sprinkle some kosher salt on top of the pretzels and put them in preheated oven. Bake for 8 minutes or until the pretzels are golden. </span>Julia & Tylerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13814958827344385644noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3676391277173624165.post-28695941673200404792007-08-23T19:13:00.000-05:002007-08-23T19:30:25.769-05:00A no shop dinnerWell it's almost the end of the month and I'm pushing it as far as keeping within our grocery budget (but we were still restocking our pantry from our move...at least that's one excuse!) So I'm trying to cook with what we have and do minimal grocery shopping. I will of course go get more milk and fruit and Dr. Pepper as needed, but otherwise I'm going to try not to buy a lot of new food items. I'm glad I chose a simple meal for dinner tonight because somehow I managed to get lost on my way home from work tonight. I thought I was taking a shortcut but it took me twice as long to get home, ugh. I should just stick with what I know! I swear Kansas drivers are so much worse than D.C. drivers though, I have seen some manuevers on the highway this week that literally made my jaw drop. But anyways, you're here to see what I made for dinner, so back to that :)<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPA_OWO9Yrm-lydxwZsiNJOSO2rtwM133Q1ZmXOqUD8uiOuXn4M8xIVS0IL2MQZPJXrpS34t4wWyn0PYNly34K5MNXiSTgYcjUBL_lm2GAc_S4w8ltuhiSAc4RkXWYW65Q6b4TKZQyznk/s1600-h/002.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPA_OWO9Yrm-lydxwZsiNJOSO2rtwM133Q1ZmXOqUD8uiOuXn4M8xIVS0IL2MQZPJXrpS34t4wWyn0PYNly34K5MNXiSTgYcjUBL_lm2GAc_S4w8ltuhiSAc4RkXWYW65Q6b4TKZQyznk/s400/002.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5102054599729230722" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">French Toast, originally from <a href="http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/French-Toast-I/Detail.aspx">allrecipes.com</a></span><br /><br /><h2><span style="font-weight: normal;font-size:85%;" >Ingredients</span><br /></h2> <ul><li> 6 thick slices bread</li><li> 2 eggs</li><li> 2/3 cup milk</li><li> 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional)</li><li> 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg (optional)</li><li> 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)</li><li> salt to taste</li></ul> <!-- DIRECTIONS --> <h2 style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size:85%;">Directions</span></h2> <ol><li><span> Beat together egg, milk, salt, desired spices and vanilla.</span></li><li><span> Heat a lightly oiled griddle of skillet over medium-high flame.</span></li><li><span> Dunk each slice of bread in egg mixture, soaking both sides. Place in pan, and cook on both sides until golden. Serve hot.</span></li><li><span>I like to sprinkle mine with powered sugar and drizzle with syrup. <br /></span></li></ol><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">Scrambled Eggs for Two</span> (how I throw them together, by no means an exact science)<br /><br />3-4 eggs<br />some salt<br />some pepper<br />a little bit of milk (maybe a 1/4 cup? I just eyeball it)<br />some cheese, usually I have Mexican blend on hand.<br /><br />Whisk together eggs, salt, pepper, and milk. Pour into skillet over medium heat, stir constantly until eggs cook up and are the texture you desire. Sprinkle with cheese, allow it to melt over eggs and then serve. Eat promptly unless you like cold eggs!Julia & Tylerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13814958827344385644noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3676391277173624165.post-3532134762454246772007-08-23T18:56:00.000-05:002007-08-23T19:25:56.073-05:00A classicI accidentally bought sausage links (dogs?) the other day thinking they were brats. Whoops. So I decided to make meatballs for the first time, and they turned out great! I actually bought the "hot" Johnsonville sausage that has red pepper flakes in it, delicious! We love spicy food and with sausage that flavorful I didn't have to add much seasoning to the mix. Tyler and I really loved these meatballs! They had a lot of zip to them, next time I might try mixing in some ground beef if we had it on hand, my father in law does the beef/sausage mix and it's very tasty! So without further adieu, I give you spaghetti and meatballs...err rotini and meatballs actually since I ran out of spaghetti!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSU0-xpkpvkRMomKOdxB6ZTklLVfZV-SdPqNMMCiX9hlNQgIQQNlLi2xRXN5sd5CIbSI9RfvL-M2xOoBbtoaWAJ9vAy5gJvkJvtvVLM4zZQ_JkSoT9nV3KiKFQVS10-9akkLSeR_aw9vg/s1600-h/001.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSU0-xpkpvkRMomKOdxB6ZTklLVfZV-SdPqNMMCiX9hlNQgIQQNlLi2xRXN5sd5CIbSI9RfvL-M2xOoBbtoaWAJ9vAy5gJvkJvtvVLM4zZQ_JkSoT9nV3KiKFQVS10-9akkLSeR_aw9vg/s400/001.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5102049836610499442" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Pasta with Italian Meatballs, another experiment brought to you by Julia<br /><br />1 lb sausage (I used Johnsonville hot sausage)<br />1/2 cup breadcrumbs<br />1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese<br />1/2 cup white onion chopped finely<br />1 egg<br /><br />Mix sausage, breadcrumbs, parm cheese, onion, and egg in a bowl (I use my hands). Form into small round meatballs, I made about 25 if I remember correctly. Saute in a large skillet with a little bit of oil, when browned drain the grease from the pan and then add a jar of spaghetti sauce, I used Spicy Tomato and Basil by Classico. Allow meatballs to finish cooking through as they simmer in the sauce, about 20-30 minutes.<br /><br />Meanwhile, boil water and cook whatever pasta you prefer, we used rotini since we were low on spaghetti. Serve sauce and meatballs over pasta, sprinkle with grated parmesan cheese (and seriously buy a block and grate it yourself, it tastes so much better than the canned Kraft stuff!)<br /><span style="font-style: italic;"></span>Julia & Tylerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13814958827344385644noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3676391277173624165.post-71406714835174496102007-08-19T21:06:00.000-05:002007-08-19T21:19:01.506-05:00Yum, cobbler!So I'm about to commit a big sin in the sphere of food blogging, I am not posting a picture with my recipe! The recipe is just too good not to share and I may not make it again until next summer, so I don't want to deprive you until then! I took this peach-raspberry cobbler to dinner at my in-laws this evening and forgot my camera and then we gobbled the whole thing up! Check out the original recipe <a href="http://find.myrecipes.com/recipes/recipefinder.dyn?action=displayRecipe&recipe_id=1634719">here</a>, it's from Cooking Light. I made some changes, the big one was adding raspberries, my favorite fruit! When I make it again I will probably use a little less milk (maybe 3/4 cup) since the cobbler came out pretty juicy and it was hard to tell when it was done cooking.<br /><br />Peach-Raspberry Cobbler<br /><div class="rcpdetail rcpdetailTopSpace"><!-- END DEK --> <!-- INGREDIENTS --> <h2><span style="font-weight: normal;font-size:100%;" >Ingredients:</span><br /></h2> <p class="ingred"> <core:ifnotequal object1=""></core:ifnotequal><span class="vrsmbk"><span class="allCaps">Filling:</span></span><br /><core:ifnotequal object1="">3 </core:ifnotequal>cups sliced peeled ripe peaches (about 2 pounds) <core:ifnotequal object1=""><br />1 cup raspberries<br />2 </core:ifnotequal>tablespoons granulated sugar<br /> <core:ifnotequal object1="">1 </core:ifnotequal>teaspoon fresh lemon juice<br /> <core:ifnotequal object1="">1/4 </core:ifnotequal>teaspoon vanilla extract<br /> <core:ifnotequal object1=""></core:ifnotequal><br /><span class="vrsmbk"><span class="allCaps">Batter:</span></span><br /><core:ifnotequal object1="">3 </core:ifnotequal>tablespoons butter<br /> <core:ifnotequal object1="">1 1/4 </core:ifnotequal>cups all-purpose flour<br /> <core:ifnotequal object1="">3/4 </core:ifnotequal>cup granulated sugar<br /> <core:ifnotequal object1="">2 </core:ifnotequal>teaspoons baking powder<br /> <core:ifnotequal object1="">1/8 </core:ifnotequal>teaspoon salt<br /> <core:ifnotequal object1=""></core:ifnotequal>Dash of ground cinnamon<br /> <core:ifnotequal object1="">1 </core:ifnotequal>cup milk (I prefer skim)<br /> <core:ifnotequal object1="">1/2 </core:ifnotequal>teaspoon vanilla extract<br /> <core:ifnotequal object1=""> 1 </core:ifnotequal>tablespoon white or turbinado sugar for topping.<br /> </p></div><!-- end class="rcpdetail" --> <!-- PREPARATION --> <div class="rcpdetail"> <h2><span style="font-weight: normal;font-size:100%;" >Directions:</span><br /></h2> Preheat oven to 350°.<p>To prepare filling, combine first 5 ingredients in a medium bowl; set aside.</p><p>To prepare batter, place butter in an 8-inch square baking dish. Place dish in oven 5 minutes or until butter melts. Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour and next 4 ingredients (through dash of cinnamon) in a medium bowl. Combine milk and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla; add milk mixture to flour mixture, stirring just until moist. Spoon batter over butter, spreading evenly (do not stir with the butter at the bottom of dish). Spoon fruit mixture over batter, gently pressing the fruit into the batter. Bake at 350° for 40 minutes. Sprinkle with turbinado sugar (or white if you don't have turbinado on hand), and bake for an additional 10 minutes or until crust is golden. </p></div><!-- end class="rcpdetail" --> <!-- YIELD --> <div class="rcpdetail"> <p>yields: 8 small servings or 6 good size servings!<br /></p> </div>Julia & Tylerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13814958827344385644noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3676391277173624165.post-4369469380432096102007-08-15T16:39:00.000-05:002007-08-15T17:16:32.266-05:00A lazy day?<span class="bodytext">So I attempted to make this several weeks ago only to discover one of my ingredients had gone bad (now I make sure to check all my dairy products before I purchase them, the expiration date is not always a good indicator, check cheese for green stuff!) I was able to successfully pull this recipe off the other night with some non-moldy ricotta. I really liked it, but Tyler was kind of ambivalent. Maybe he doesn't like ricotta? I think he was not impressed with the semi-homemadeness of this meal. I'm not really up for making ravioli and tortellini from scratch just yet. I foresee a week of him cooking every night in the very near future, then we'll talk about taking shortcuts when cooking! ;)<br /><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUTvt_ZtyFEjWHHOjQBsdUq3PuYYmony3Xu2VQyrWnFMtmtd8amt4bhgX3uMtFqR6YR_D4PfQCxEcMOCdx5Im41xfwMDBWh13iw9ssxH9qMYSz0YgJhtPgeyXWtLISzzar_aRODU4N81c/s1600-h/006.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUTvt_ZtyFEjWHHOjQBsdUq3PuYYmony3Xu2VQyrWnFMtmtd8amt4bhgX3uMtFqR6YR_D4PfQCxEcMOCdx5Im41xfwMDBWh13iw9ssxH9qMYSz0YgJhtPgeyXWtLISzzar_aRODU4N81c/s400/006.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5099050023715767746" border="0" /></a><br /><span class="bodytext"><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">Tortellini with Creamy Tomato Sauce (<a href="http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,,FOOD_9936_29499,00.html?rsrc=search">original recipe</a> from Giada's Family Dinners)</span><br /><br />Ingredients:<br />1/4 cup plus 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil<br />1 1/2 pounds tortellini or ravioli<br />3 cups marinara sauce (I used one jar of Classico spicy tomato sauce)<br />1.5 cups ricotta cheese (I used part skim, and next time I will use less ricotta, I tripled the original recipe but it was too cheesy for Tyler)<br />Salt and freshly ground black pepper<br />3 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan<br />2 tablespoons thinly sliced fresh basil leaves</span><span class="bodytext"><br /><br />Directions:<br />Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add about 1/4 cup olive oil to the water to help prevent pasta from sticking. Add the tortellini and cook until al dente, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Drain the tortellini, reserving 1/2 cup of the cooking water. Toss the tortellini with the remaining oil to coat. <p>Meanwhile, bring the marinara sauce to a simmer in a medium saucepan over medium heat, whisking often. Whisk in the ricotta and enough reserved cooking water to thin the sauce to desired consistency. For a thicker sauce, use less pasta water; for a thinner sauce, add more water. Return the sauce to a simmer. Season the sauce to taste with salt and pepper. </p><p>Spoon 1/2 cup sauce on plate. Arrange the tortellini over the sauce. Drizzle another 1/2 cup sauce over the tortellini. Sprinkle with the Parmesan and the basil, and serve.</p><p><br /></p><span style="font-size:130%;">Garlicky Green Beans (experiment by Julia, and a tasty one at that!)</span><br /><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjli7t1ORYdtRIcrzCJADXRftoRdS5lpmAN23xBXMFAnCHQiJkspdqRj4TEs1grELWj6ZVVsOdSBb9xHyBhL6RYCgdr5IF92mgHdmtCbuz5Qeg1YEyyejBB4A0NpUl7GYArIETQVLWarLg/s1600-h/008.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjli7t1ORYdtRIcrzCJADXRftoRdS5lpmAN23xBXMFAnCHQiJkspdqRj4TEs1grELWj6ZVVsOdSBb9xHyBhL6RYCgdr5IF92mgHdmtCbuz5Qeg1YEyyejBB4A0NpUl7GYArIETQVLWarLg/s400/008.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5099052755314968018" border="0" /></a><br /><span class="bodytext"><br />Ingredients:<br />2-3 cups fresh green beans, ends trimmed, washed thoroughly.<br />2 gloves minced garlic (I'm lazy so I put them through my garlic press instead of chopping them with a knife myself)<br />1-2 tablespoons butter.<br />Dash of salt and pepper<br /><br />Directions:<br />Saute green beans with butter and garlic in a large skillet until tender crisp. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, serve hot.<br /><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">Olive Oil Dipping Sauce (another Julia experiment)</span><br /><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo7J-N7scAm9cWwZLampjlFv5BTgoZ5q01ianBHYCRyiVCtvpVRAe9qD5ztPs-XHTWHwn6AMuLgPSQj6kRsm9h8Metz3icT2dLbwXwklRmR_FN5qh0V9AOzGlf5z5pmQD0TWlZU7Zx2WM/s1600-h/003.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo7J-N7scAm9cWwZLampjlFv5BTgoZ5q01ianBHYCRyiVCtvpVRAe9qD5ztPs-XHTWHwn6AMuLgPSQj6kRsm9h8Metz3icT2dLbwXwklRmR_FN5qh0V9AOzGlf5z5pmQD0TWlZU7Zx2WM/s400/003.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5099054060985026018" border="0" /></a><br /><span class="bodytext"><br />On a small plate mix together some salt, pepper, basil, oregano, Parmesan cheese, and thyme. Add extra-virgin olive oil and serve with your favorite bread!<br /></span>Julia & Tylerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13814958827344385644noreply@blogger.com4