Recipes Part XV: Bran Muffins (may5, 2008)

Today I made Bran Muffins for our trip (great on the go breakfast), and decided to post the recipe. I think I got it off of a package of bran years ago.

Bran Muffins

Ingredients
1/4 cup shortening
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup molasses
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups wheat bran
1 cup milk
1 cup flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
pinch salt
1/2 cup raisins or blueberries (optional)

Preheat oven to 400 F.
Mix flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together and set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, cream shortening and sugar. Add molasses and eggs, beat well. Add milk and bran. Add flour mixture. Add raisins or blueberries if desired. Bake 18-20 minutes.
Makes 1 dozen large muffins.

And my fave, serve with chopped fruit and yogurt. Mmmmm.

Recipes Part XIV: Zesty Shrimp Pasta (may5, 2008)

We made this one a while back, and I forgot to post it. It's pretty good, as it's really different from normal. However, I got tired of it pretty quick (Chuck really liked it though). I think it would have been better served with a salad rather than alone, or with garlic toast rather than plain. I got this recipe from Kraft as well.

Zesty Shrimp and Pasta
Prep: 10min Total: 25min

Ingrediants

300g linguine, uncooked (I used spegghetti)

1/3 cup Italian dressing, divided

2 cups sliced fresh mushrooms (didn't have these, used one can)

1 small onion, thinly sliced

1 14oz can artichoke hearts, drained and quartered (I got a cheaper can and it had hard leaves in it... not so appetizing)

1 lb cleaned uncooked large shrimp (or however much you want)

1 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley (or just add dried stuff... again, however you want)

1/4 cup Parmesan grated cheese

Cook pasta as directed on package

Heat 1/4 cup dressing in a large skillet on medium heat. Stir in mushrooms, artichokes and onions. Cook 3 minutes or till onions are crisp-tender.

Add shriimp and parsley. Stir; cook 2 minutes or until shrimp are pink and veggies tender, stirring occasionally.

Drain pasta; return to pot. Add shrimp mixture and remaining dressing. Sprinkle with cheese.

Makes 6 servings, 1 cup each.

Substitute: Instead of artichokes, add 1 large red pepper, chopped.

Recipes Part XIII: Roasted Potatoes (april 21, 2008)

Here's another recipe I made last week that was really good! Great with burgers, hot dogs, steak, or anything barbeque. (got this recipe from Kraft)

Roasted Potatoes with Bacon and Cheese
Prep: 15min
Total: 1hour 10min


Ingrediants
1/2 cup Ranch dressing
1/2 cup mozza shredded cheese
1/4 cup bacon bits
2 lb (900g) small red potatoes, quartered (we used regular potatoes chopped)
1 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley (or enough dry for your tastes)

Preheat oven to 350 F. Mix dressing, cheese and bacon bits in large bowl. Add potatoes; toss lightly.
Spoon into lightly greased 13x9 inch baking dish. Cover with foil.
Bake 40 min. Remove foil; bake an additional 15 min, or until potatoes are tender. Sprinkle with parsley.
Makes 8 servings, 2/3 cup each.

Recipes Part XII; Skillet Salmon (april 21, 2008)

We decided to try something new today for supper. It was really good! I love salmon. We served it with brown and wild rice, and salad. (got this recipe from Kraft)

20-Minute Skillet Salmon
Prep: 10min
Total: 20min

Ingrediants
2 tsp oil
4 salmon fillets (1 lb)
125 g (1/2 250g tub) herband garlic cream cheese
1/2 cup chopped cucumber
2 Tbsp chopped fresh dill (or dry dill to your tastes)

Heat oil in a large skillet on med-high heat. Add salmon; cook 5 min each side or until salmon flakes easily with a fork. Remove from skillet; cover to keep warm.
Add milk, then cream cheese to the skillet. Cook and stir until cream cheese is melted and mixture is well blended. Stir in cucumbers and dill.Return salmon to skillet. Cook 2 min or until heated through. Serve salmon topped with cream cheese sauce.
Makes 4 servings.

Recipes Part XI: Hamburger Biscuit Bake (feb 28, 2008)

I know, it's been awhile since I "published" any recipes. I decided to put up one of my faves which I just made 2 nights ago.

Hamburger Biscuit Bake

Ingredients
- 1lb lean ground beef
- 1/4 cup onion, chopped
- 1 cup shredded mozza cheese
- 1/4 cup mayo (I like to add a little more... last time I doubled it
- 2 Tbsp parsley
- Biscuit dough

Preheat oven to 375 F.
Cook beef and onion. Stir in cheese, mayo, & parsley.
Make biscuit dough (see recipe following). Roll out into two circles. Put one in a round casserole dish (should come up sides of dish, like a crust), place meat inside it, and place the second circle over top (smaller circle usually).
Bake 20-25 minutes. Serve with Sauce (recipe below)

Biscuit Dough
Ingredients
- 3 cups flour
- 2 Tbsp baking powder
- 1 Tbsp sugar
- 1 Tbsp lard
- salt
- 1 1/4 cup milk

Cut lard into dry ingredients (till resebling fine crumbs). Stir in milk so that dough leaves the side of the bowl and forms a ball. Knead dough on slightly floured surface. Roll out 1/2 inch thick. (continue with recipe above. To bake on their own, cut, place on pan and bake at 425F for 10-12 minutes)

Sauce
- 1 tin cream of mushroom soup
- 1/3 to 1/2 cup milk (depends how thick you like it)
- 1 cup (or more) frozen veggies.

Boil soup and milk. Add veggies (you can cook them seperate. I microwave them for 5 minutes in a plastic container).

Recipes Part X: Cheesy Tortilla Bake (Jan 16, 2008)

I just made these today and they are quite tasty! Chuck loved them so much he stuffed himself! Ha ha.

Easy Cheesy Tortilla Bake
serves 2
a little oil
1/2 cup Miracle Whip dressing
2 Tbsp flour
1 cup milk
shredded cheese
4 flour tortillas
chicken strips (2 breasts)
salsa
veggies of your choice (mushrooms, peppers, onions, zucchini, or whatever you wish... I used mushrooms and celery)

COOK chicken in a little oil in a frypan until almost cooked. Stir in a few spoonfuls salsa and a handful per person of sliced vegetables. Set aside.
MICROWAVE Miracle Whip dressing, flour and milk for 4-6 minutes, or until heated through, stirring after 3 minutes. Add in a few handfuls shredded cheese and stir until melted. Pour into frypan with meat and vegetables, reserving a little sauce for topping.
FILL tortillas with mixture, wrap and place in a baking dish. Top with reserved sauce and a little more cheese.
Bake at 375° F for 25 minutes.

Recipes Part IX: Everyday Easy Brownies and Spinach Artichoke Dip (Jan 10, 2008)

Yup, I finally decided to add recipes again. It's been awhile. These are two of the recipes I made for my Tupperware party! I love them!

Everyday Easy Brownies

1. Partially melt 4 squares of chopped bakers unsweetened baking chocolate with 3/4 cup butter in the microwave on MED for 3 minutes. Stir until completely melted
2. Add 3 eggs and stir till well blended. Stir in 1 1/2 cups sugar, 1 cup flour, and 1 cup chopped nuts (optional)
3. Spread in a greased 9x13 inch pan. Bake at 350 F for 30 minutes.

I added peanut butter and chocolate chips on the top after baking, letting them melt, then swirled them together. You can do similar with creamcheese (mix 1 pkg with 1/4 cup sugar, 1 egg, and some jam) but put this on the top of the unbaked brownies before putting them in the oven (swirl/cut in with a knife). Or you can make them rocky road with chocolate chips and mini marshmallows, putting back in the oven for about 5 minutes.

Baked Triple Veggie Dip

1 1/2 cups parmesan grated cheese

2 cans asparagus spears, drained and chopped (I omitted this as they are expensive)

1 pkg frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained

1 can artichoke hearts, drained and chopped

1 container herb and garlic cream cheese spread

1/2 cup mayo

Preheat oven to 375 F. Reserve 1/4 cup parmesan cheese. Mix remaining ingrediants till blended

Spoon into 2L baking dish, sprinkle with reserved parmesan

Bake 35 minutes or till lightly browned. Serve with corn chips, crackers, or veggies!

Makes 4 1/2 cups

Recipes Part VIII: Cream Cheese Cookies (aug 17, 2007)

I recently made these cookies again. I love this recipe. They taste kinda like white cookies, but are made with cream cheese. If you have a good blender, you can add all the ingrediants as listed, and just let it go! I've made these for baby showers (the pics are from one in 2005), bake sales (I like to use heart cutters, or daisies and butterflies), and just for at home. You can eat them plain, add some icing, or dip them in chocolate pudding. Not the healthiest of recipes, but who says we can't have a bit of unhealthy stuff once in awhile!

Cream Cheese Cut-Outs
Ingrediants
1 pkg (250g) cream cheese, softened
3/4 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
2 tsp vanilla
2 1/4 cup flour
1/2 tsp baking soda

Preheat oven to 350 F.
Beat cream cheese, butter, sugar, and vanilla in a large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed till well blended. Add flour and baking soda; mix well.
Roll dough to 1/8 to 1/4 inch thickness on floured surface. Cut into shapes. Place on greased baking sheets.
Bake 10-12 minutes or until edges begin to brown slightly (I tend to do it a bit less than 10 minutes, unless I cut them a bit thick). Transfer to wire rack and cool.
Makes about 3 1/2 dozen, 3" cookies.

These cookies freeze really well! I like to make double or triple batches and freeze them. You can eat them frozen too!

Recipes Part VII: Zucchini Bread and cake (aug 6, 2007)

Today's recipe is Zucchini bread. Really good stuff too. The recipe I got that I modified is from the internet somewhere. It called for more oil and double the sugar, but I like things with a bit less sugar, and quite honestly didn't think the recipe needed 1 cup per loaf. So, here you go.



Zucchini Bread

Ingrediants
- 1 cup walnuts/pecans, chopped (I omitted these, as I didn't have any)
- 1 1/2 cups shredded zucchini (about 1 medium)
- 1/3 cup veggie oil
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 2 tsp vanilla
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp baking powder
- 1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour

Preheat oven to 350 F. In a mixing bowl, combine oil, sugar, eggs, vanilla, baking soda, cinnamon, baking powder. With a hand mixer on medium speed, beat till ingredients are blended (30 seconds).
Add flour; mix till moistened. Stir in nuts and zucchini. Pour batter into a greased and floured (I didn't bother flouring mine) loaf pan.
Bake 65-75 minutes, or till a toothpick inserted comes out clean.


Here is another recipe. I didn't make it this time, but I've made it before.

Chocolate Zucchini Cake

Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
- 3/4 cup butter
- 2 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1/3 cup cocoa
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- 3 eggs
- 2 cups shredded zucchini
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1 Tbsp vanilla

Combine flour, baking powder, soda, cinnamon, and cocoa. Set aside. Beat butter and sugar until creamy. Add eggs and vanilla. Beat until smooth. add zucchini. mix in dry ingredients alternately with milk. Mix well. Pour into bundt cake pan or tube pan (greased and floured or sprayed with cooking spray).
Bake at 350 F for 60 min or until firm on top. Frost with melted chocolate.

Recipes Part VI: Salmon with Brown Rice Pilaf (jul 27)

Today's recipe is salmon and brown rice. It is really good, and since I didn't think there was enough veggies, I served it with some mixed veggies, about 1/2 cup. It tasted REALLY good, mostly due to the garlic and ginger in the salmon, and the peppers and onion in the rice.

Asian Salmon with Brown Rice Pilaf

Brown Rice:

- 1 tablespoon olive oil

- 1/2 onion, chopped

- 1/2 red or green bell pepper, chopped

- 2 cups water

- 1 cup short grain brown rice (I used brown long grain mixed with wild rice)

- 1/4 cup finely chopped parsley

- Salt and freshly ground black pepper (optional)

Salmon Ingredients:

- 2 skinless salmon fillets (about 4 ounces each)

- 1 tablespoon olive oil

- 1 clove garlic, pressed or minced

- 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger root

- 1 teaspoon soy sauce

- 1 teaspoon maple syrup

- 2 green onions, chopped (I omitted this because I had none)

For rice, heat oil in a medium saucepan. Add onion and bell pepper; cook 3 minutes. Add water and rice; bring to a boil.

Reduce heat; cover and simmer 50 minutes or until rice is tender and liquid is absorbed (or, if you have a steamer, follow the directions on the steamer for 1 cup dry rice, and add the cooked rice and bell pepper).

Fluff with fork; stir in parsley. Season with salt and pepper, if desired.

Meanwhile, place salmon in a pie plate or shallow dish. Combine remaining salmon ingredients; mix well. Pour marinade over salmon; let stand 15 to 20 minutes.

Heat a ridged grill pan over medium heat until hot. Add salmon, discarding marinade; cook 3 to 4 minutes per side or until salmon is opaque and firm to the touch. Serve with brown rice.

Makes 4 servings, takes 1 hour

Nutritional Information

Calories - 467

Fat - 20 g

Fiber - 2.7 g

Carbs - 42.5 g

Sugar - 2.4 g

Protein - 27.25 g

Sodium - 155 mg

Calcium - 48.6 mg

Magnesium - 49.2 mg

Potassium - 613.7 mg

Recipes Part V: Cabbage Soup (jul 23, 2007)

This is an actual diet recipe. I remember my mom making this one a long time ago, and I found it again online. It's supposed to really help clean out your system and help you burn fat. It's super low on calories, and high in fiber. And it's not bad! It reminds me of cabbage borsht, without the sausage.


Cabbage Soup


Ingredients
1 head of cabbage
2 onions
2 green peppers
1 celery
1 can of peeled tomatoes
2 vegetable bouillon cubes


Chop all the vegetables in small pieces, and put them in a pot with the bouillon and enough water to completely cover the vegetables.
Heat and boil for 10 to 20 minutes, until the vegetables are done.
Add any spices you like (I really like pepper, but you can add whatever. Just try not to add too much salt)
Makes about 15-17 cups of soup. Estimated at 10 servings of 1.5 cups each


Nutritional Information

Calories - 53.6
Fat - 0.6 g
Carbs - 11.9 g
Protein - 2.3 g
Fiber - 3.3 g
Sodium - 202 mg

Recipes Part IV: Spegghetti Squash and Meatballs (jul 19, 2007)

Today's supper was really good. I made a recipe I saw on tv while flipping through channels. Spegghetti squash and for meat, meatballs! It was really good! Unfortunetely, I forgot to take a picture of it, so I don't have one. Sorry.

Spegghetti Squash

-1 medium spegghetti squash
-14oz can stewed tomatoes (diced tomatoes work too)
-1 tsp oregano
-1 can mushrooms (recipe asked for 1/2 cup chopped pimento stuffed olives, but I prefer mushrooms)
-little salt and pepper

Take a medium spegghetti squash, cut down the center lengthwise. Scoop seeds out of center, and place the halves in a slow cooker. Mix remaining ingrediants, and place into the scooped out centers of the squash.
Cook on low for 6-8 hours.
To serve, cut each in half again and pull the spegghetti squash from the peel, trashing the peel.
Makes four servings

Nutritional Information
Per serving
Calories - 128
Protein - 5.5 g
Fat - 0.6 g
Carbs - 27 g
Fiber - 5.3 g
Sodium - 631.8 mg

Meatballs

-1lb ground beef
-2 slices bread, in crumbs
-1/3 cup finely chopped carrots
-1/2 cup chopped onion
-1 egg
-1/4 cup bbq sauce
-pepper

Mix all ingrediants, roll into 1 inch balls (about 30), bake 20 minutes at 400 F.
1 serving is 5 meatballs (or total makes 6 servings). I baked 1/3 of the recipe and froze the rest on a baking sheet before bagging.

Nutritional Information
Calories - 172
Protein - 18.4 g
Fat - 5 g
Carbs - 5.1 g
Fiber - 0.7 g
Sodium - 86.9 g

Recipes Part III: Granola Bars (Jul 18, 2007)

Today I decided to add a recipe for something sweet... granola bars. These are pretty adaptable, as you can add almost anything you want as extras. This recipe has been adapted from a website, as I've added less than half the sugar, omit the salt, and change what I add into the bars.

Granola Bars
Ingrediants
-1/2 cup brown sugar
-1/2 cup butter
-2 Tbsp honey
-1/2 tsp vanilla
-1 egg
-1 cup whole wheat flour
-1 tsp cinnamon
-1/2 tsp baking soda
-1 1/2 cups rolled oats
-1 1/4 cups rice krispies

Add ins (add as many or few as you want)
1/2 cup choc chips
3/4 cup coconut
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup nuts
1/2-1 cup raisins (or other dried fruit)
1/2 cup wheat germ
3/4 cup all bran

1. In a large bowl, cream sugar and butter. Add honey, vanilla, and egg. Mix well.

2. Blend in flour, cinnamon, and baking soda. Stir in remaining ingrediants.

3. Press firmly into the bottom of a greased 9x13 pan. Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes. Or, in the microwave, nuke on medium power for 7-9 minutes, and rotate dish every 3 minutes (unless, your microwave does that for you).

4. Cool, and cut into 24 bars.

Nutritional Information per bar
This info is based on the addition of the all bran, peanut butter, coconut, and chocolate chips.
Calories - 182
Fiber - 2g
Fat - 10g
Protein - 4g
Carbs - 22.5

Note: A large amount of carbs and calories (about 40 calories per piece) is due to the chocolate chips alone. The peanut butter is a great source of protein... although also a large source of fat (but it's all the good kind), and contributes about 35 calories per peice. Butter... another38 calories per piece... due solely to fat. I'm thinking of seeing how apple butter works...

Enjoy!

Recipes Part II; Black Bean Soup & Greek Salad (jul 17, 2007)

Hello once again. I attempted something new for lunch today, and both of us found it quite tasty! I got the recipe from "You: On a Diet", and modified it a bit to suit what we had in our kitchen, and what I was willing to do. Anyway, here it is... Black bean soup and Greek Salad (with homemade dressing... Yummers!)


Black Bean Soup

-1/2 tablespoon olive oil
-1/2 onion, chopped
-1 garlic clove, sliced
-1 carrot, chopped
-1 stalk celery, chopped
-1 quarts (4 cups) low salt vegetable stock or broth (I used 4 cups boiling water and one cube of Knorr veggie boullion)
-1 can (15 or 16 ounces each) black beans, rinsed and drained
-1/2 teaspoon ground coriander (if you have whole, just crush them)
-1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
-1/2 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
-1 bunch cilantro leaves, chopped (I didn't use fresh...)


1. Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion; cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
2. Add garlic, carrot and celery; cook until soft, about 5 minutes.
3. Add stock, beans, coriander and cayenne pepper; simmer uncovered 10 minutes. Stir in vinegar.
4. Transfer to blender or food processor; process to desired consistency (I used a hand blender right in the pot). Reheat if necessary. Ladle into shallow bowls; garnish with cilantro (or not).
Makes 4 servings



Greek Salad

Dressing Ingredients:
-1 tablespoon olive oil
-1 tablespoon red wine vinegar (Apple cider vinegar works too)
-1 tablespoon lemon juice
-1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
-1 clove garlic, minced
-1/2 teaspoon honey
-Salt and freshly ground black pepper (optional)



Salad Ingredients:
-1 head romaine lettuce, torn
-1 tomato, quartered (I didn't use a full tomato)
-4 pepperocini peppers (didn't have this... not on the salad then)
-1 small cucumber, sliced
-1/2 cup (2 ounces) crumbled low fat feta cheese (I used cottage cheese and added it on my plate)
-Several sprigs fresh dill, chopped
-1/2 green bell pepper, sliced into rings (I didn't feel like chopping any more... so I didn't add this)
-8 calamata olives (didn't have any... so I omitted them)



1. Combine all dressing ingredients except salt and pepper; mix well. Season to taste with salt and pepper if desired; let stand 5 minutes.
2. Combine all salad ingredients in large bowl; toss with dressing
Makes 2 servings (in our case, more like 3 or 4)


Nutrition Facts


Now for the nutrition facts, which are for the entire meal (if you only have one serving of each)
Calories - 305 (Wow! Not a whole lot, huh!)
Total fat- 16.3 g
Saturated - 3.75 g
Healthy fats - 11 g
Fiber - 10.6 g (Check this! Over 1/3 of your recommended fiber!)
Carbs - 33 g
Sugar - 11 g
Protein - 13 g
Sodium - 1260 mg
Calcium - 193 mg
Magnesium - 43 mg
Selenium - 1 mcg
Potassium - 968.4 mg

Recipes Part I: Cheesy Burritos mix'n'match (Jul 16, 2007)

As many of you may or may not know, I've been attempting to improve the health of both myself and my husband through diet and exercise. One of the many things I wish to delve a bit deeper into is finding ways to eat more veggies and fruits, both of which are lacking in the North American diet. I also aim to eat more fish... which I've had a hard time with due to cost.

I decided I will post some of these recipes up for all to enjoy! I like meals that are quick to prepare and don't require a whole lot of strange ingrediants... although I'm willing to try new stuff. This evening I made an interesting dish for supper. It's kinda like burritoes, only it had no meat in it. There are different variations I'd like to try in the future, but since I forgot to thaw the meat (oops), I opted for the meatless variety.

Cheesy Burritos

Ingrediants:
Shredded cheese, any flavor (one cup plus extra for the top)
4 whole wheat large soft tortillas
1 1/2 cups salsa (I used mild, it depends on how spicy you want it)
extra vegetables (frozen or fresh. I used fresh cucumber and carrots)

PLUS any one of the following
- chicken cut into strips (about 1 lb)
- Ground beef (about 1 lb)
- refried beans
- vegetables (I used one yellow onion and one green pepper, chopped)

1 - Brown meat (or beans, or onion/green pepper) and a handful (per person) of veggies over medium-high heat. Drain any fat. Stir in 1/2 cup salsa and 1 cup cheese.

2 - Spread 1 cup salsa in 9x13 inch baking dish. Spoon 1/4 of the meat mixture down the center of each tortilla and roll up. Place each tortilla, seam side down, on top of the salsa. Top with more salsa and cheese.

3 - Bake at 350 F for 20 minutes (or until they are heated through)

Notes: Chuck absolutely LOVED this dish. The mild salsa got spicier upon heating (I use PC brand), and he loves that. We had one burrito left over when we finished, so this will serve 2-4 people, depending on how much you eat. If you are pressed for time in the evening, you can prepare this in the morning, place it in the fridge, then pop it in the oven for 30 minutes before you wish to eat.

This recipe is from Kraft Kitchens cookbook, "Dinner on Hand"

Time to Cook

I finally decided to take all the recipes I've posted on facebook and organize them into one spot... here! I will first post all the recipes I had on facebook... including the pictures I had with them, then I will continue to post any favorite recipes and new ones that we make that we enjoy. I hope this page will help you in your quest for different recipes. Hopefully I will be able to divide the recipes later into different categories for easy browsing. Enjoy!