Pocket Sandwiches

See this little tool? It's the cut and seal from Pampered Chef. When I got married, I knew this was a must have. So, with no kiddos, I still bought it. It has saved me many a day! Running out the door, hair slicked straight back I suddenly remember.."ARGGG. Kids need FOOD!" so, to my handy little freezer to snag a few bags of these with a couple cheese sticks (another must have cut up in the fridge at all times item...) and we're ready to roll! 

I think all moms should have one.

Whole wheat bread doesn't seal AS good as standard white bread, but I still use the wheat. Loves!!

Peppermint Patties

Short and sweet, these are super easy to make and amazingly addicting. I don't mind, so much, though, because they're a lot healthier then the store version of peppermint patties! These don't last long in our house! I like them straight out of the freezer...

1/2 cup coconut butter (how to make --> here <--)

1/4 cup honey

10 drops pure peppermint essential oil

1 cup dark chocolate chips

Soften coconut butter and stir in honey and peppermint oil. Form mixture into "patties" or flattened balls. Put on wax paper lined plate and put in freezer for about 20mins. Gently melt chocolate. When melted, remove patties from freezer and dip halfway in chocolate. Let harden and store in fridge or freezer.

Crescent Lasagna

Let me first go on record in saying I've no idea why it's called a lasagna. It looks, tastes, sets up nothing like lasagna but hey, that's what I've known it as!

Next, I would also like to say I know it's not the ultimate health food. But making it twice a year, I don't care =) All the spinach pear salads make up for a little less healthy meal.

Disclaimers over, my family loves this meal. It's one of Craig's favorites. I'd never made it until I met him and it's super easy! I make a double batch because the other half goes in foil to be re-heated on the stoneware a few days later. Bakes up new!!

Crescent Roll Lasagna

2 rolls crescent

1 lb beef

1 can tomato paste

1/2 chopped onion

1/2 tsp each, basil, oregano, salt, pepper

1 8oz cream cheese

1 cup shredded cheese

Brown beef with onion. Drain fat if any. Stir in paste and seasoning. Follow photographic instructions. Bake on 375 for about 25 minutes. 

Using one of the crescent roll packages..

 Cover using other crescent roll package. Sprinkle with parsley.

Grandma's Breakfast Cookies

As a kid, I remember sneaking into the freezer and opening a super icy cookie tin to sneak one of the BEST healthy cookies known to man. Whether I did it at home or at my Grandma's, it was no different. Always in the freezer. Always in a tin. They're so good, my grandma actually makes them as gifts! Every birthday, my dad gets his own tin. And woe unto the child who sneaks into HIS cookie tin. No way. 

So, you can imagine my excitement to get the actual recipe. I thought it was a secret or something! Now, I did a few things different because I didn't have all the "right" stuff, but it made no difference. They are fabulous! Substitutions in italic parentheses.

Grandma's Breakfast Cookies

1 cup softened butter

1 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup raw sugar (I used pure cane syrup)

2 eggs

2 tsp vanilla

1/2 cup each, sesame seed, flax seed, sunflower seed, chopped

1 cup each, raisins and cranberries (cover with boiling water for about 10 minutes, reserve 1 cup liquid)

1 cup walnuts (I used 1 c raw mixed nuts, chopped super fine..pumpkin-walnut-cashew-pecan-almond)

3 3/4 cup whole wheat or spelt flour

6 cups old fashioned oats

1/2 Tablespoon salt

1/2 Tablespoon baking soda

2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp each, cloves and nutmeg

Put raisins and cranberries in 2 cup measuring cup, add boiling water to cover and let sit while you do rest. (Save water, about 1 cup)
Beat together butter and sugars until light. Add eggs and vanilla, beat well. Combine flour, soda, salt and spices, add to mixture with raisins (with the 1 cup water from raisins), seeds, walnuts and mix well. Add oatmeal, mix well. Drop onto lightly greased cookie sheet, press down with fork dipped in water. Bake at 375* 12 minutes.

 

 The absolute best frozen with peanut butter and a hot cup of coffee!

Soft Pretzels

I was browsing through some old cookbooks I had got from my mom when I got married and found this recipe. Beings I didn't have much "going on" today (can I even say that with three toddlers?!) I figured I'd try them out.

I know my kids love soft pretzels but I've just never made them myself. These are easy enough that I will be re-making them hence the blog post. It's so much easier to read recipes on my phone then digging through stacks and stacks of cookbooks trying to find that one recipe. =) So, this is as much for you as it is for me!

Soft Pretzels By, Naomi Waineo

1 tablespoon yeast

1 1/2 cups warm, not hot, water

1 tablespoon sugar

1 tablespoon salt

4 cups flour

1 egg, beaten

salt

Mix yeast, warm water, and sugar in a bowl. Let sit ten minutes. Stir in salt and flour. Knead until as smooth as a baby's rash-free bottom. (and about as soft, too).... roll into ropes about the thickness of my thumb. =) or your thumb, I guess..I used mine as a gauge. Cut into 1-2 inch pieces. Line on a cookie sheet. Brush with egg. Sprinkle with salt. Bake on 425 for 15 minutes.

Not bad, hey? Pretty basic and they are perfect for little hands! Even Vienna (10 months now!) had her fair share!

Pumpkin Pudding Cake

Last night I had the privilege of going to a Pampered Chef party.
Obviously with my baking obsession, this is right up my alley. Before we got married, my dad's family got us one lump sum giftcard to Pampered Chef as a wedding gift so I have a pretty stocked kitchen. That doesn't stop me from wanting more, though!! I am so a 'gadgets' person...! Anyway, there was The. Most. Amazing. By. Far. Hands. Down. pumpkin dessert there. No lie, when people ate it, there were so many eyes rolling heavenward and the steady sound of 'MMMMMMM!!!!!!!!!!!" Yeah. I got the recipe!! So. Do YOURSELF a favor and make this! If you like pumpkin, you will NOT regret it. I think there were murmurs of making while husbands were away so as not to have to share at ALL.... ;-) Thank you, Carmelle, for hosting and sharing this recipe!!

Pumpkin Pudding Cake

1 large can pumpkin

1 12oz can evaporated milk

3 eggs, beaten

1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg

1/4 tsp cloves

1 box yellow cake mix

1 stick butter
cinnamon+sugar for dusting

Mix pumpkin, evaporated milk, eggs, cinnamon, and cloves in a bowl until well combined and pour into 9x13 pan. Evenly dump powdered cake mix on top of pumpkin. Melt butter and pour evenly over top. Sprinkle with extra cinnamon and sugar. Bake on 350 for 50-60 minutes. Serve warm. 

You will probably eat this all yourself, so make two pans if you're feeling nice and want others to have some ;-) Must be served with whipped cream!

Chicken Puff Pockets

A family favorite, I don't make these often..but when I do, they don't last long no matter how many I make! They're super easy and they reheat in the oven quite well....One of Craig's favorite recipes!

Chicken Puff Pockets

1 onion, minced

1/2 red pepper, minced

1 clove minced garlic

1 box cream cheese

2 chicken breasts, cooked and chopped

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

3 tubes crescent rolls

Saute onion and red pepper in 1-2 tablespoons oil of your choice until soft. Add garlic, cream cheese, chicken, salt, and pepper. Mix well. Follow photographic instruction and then bake on 375 for 12-14 minutes or until lightly browned. 

cut each rectangle down the middle and...

Yumm!!

Miniature Quiche

In the spirit of quick, easy, freezable, portable, make-ahead-and-forget-about-it meals, I present to you...Miniature Quiche.

Prep was done in about 20 minutes and I "forgot" about it in the fridge for awhile. Super easy to make and store in the fridge until you're ready dump into muffin tins and bake. My kids devoured these. Thankfully, I made a large batch!! It's all about freezability, you know? 

Miniature Quiche

8 oz sausage, cooked, crumbled, drained

1/2 cup finely chopped ham

8 eggs, lightly beaten

1/4 cup whole milk

1 cup shredded cheese

1 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

coconut or olive oil

1 bunch green onions, chopped thin

2 cups spinach, chopped small

1 cup cooked potato, chopped small (This is where canned potato comes in handy! You could use frozen hash, though, too.

Any other veg you might want. The "big" ones I made with diced red peppers...

Mix sausage, ham, eggs, milk, cheese, salt, and pepper in a bowl. Heat scant amount of oil in a pan and saute veggies until tender. Add veg to egg mixture and stir well. Fill greased muffin tins half full with mixture. Bake on 350 for 22-25 minutes for regular muffin tins and 15 minutes or so for mini muffin tins. This made 24 ultra mini quiche, and 8 regular muffin size quiche.

Pizza Cups

Pardon my incredibly long absence but I was knocked flat with a crazy virus that made me unable to walk for quite some time. Mom down = lots of easy, non-nutritious meals =). But, I'm back! And planning on blogging up a storm in the near future....

Pizza cups were a favorite when I was a kid. When my mom said they were for dinner, I don't think one person in the entire house groaned. We loved them! It was fun to re-make memories with this meal. My kids had such a blast trashing my table with biscuits, beef, and cheese. It was worth the cleanup, though, to see them so happy. I'm thinking I have a few budding chefs on my hands! 

This is a large recipe (40) because they freeze and reheat in the oven VERY well.

Pizza Cups

4 rolls (10 biscuits each) biscuits

2 lbs  ground beef  (I like 90/10 sirloin..)

3-4 cups pizza sauce

1 onion, chopped

2-3 cups shredded cheese

Brown beef with chopped onion. Drain excess fat. Stir in pizza sauce. Flatten biscuits. Lay into greased muffin tins. Fill with 2 spoonfuls beef. Top with a sprinkle of cheese. Bake on 450 for aprox 10 minutes or until sufficiently browned. Super quick!!

Flattening the dough~!

Pressed into pan and filled

What they lack in looks...they make up for in taste!!

The kids diving in! 

It's what's for dinner!! 

Easy Breakfast/ Chocolate Milk

100 posts! Imagine that..the big One Hundred. All in about one year. That makes me smile! And so does this recipe I'm about to share. What child doesn't love chocolate milk? My kids would have that be their dairy choice for life if I let them. But, instead, I limit the "treats" to on occasion or else it isn't special anymore! Of course we don't like to use refined sugar if at all possible (which it's quite possible to not!) so as with most everything, I sub sugar for honey. Some people don't like the taste of honey, but thankfully my kiddos are still young and getting "used" to things, so honey is something they are so down with! Aerro loudly proclaimed his chocolate milk is as good as rotten blueberries this morning. That's supposed to be a good thing....I think...! This paired with their fav breakfast of toast, cheese, and apples, it's a quick make and a healthy fare! Not bad at all...

(Warm) Chocolate Milk (for three people)

3 tablespoons cocoa

3 tablespoons or more of hot, hot water

2 (+) tablespoons of honey or sugar depending on how sweet you like it..

2-3 cups milk depending on how "rich" you like it

Start by mixing the cocoa with the water until it's all wet. You'll notice it super powdery and "poofy" until you stir it more...then it becomes wet like a runny mud. Cool visual, right? Continue to stir until you're certain it's all combined. Then add the honey. Stir well to combine. Heat milk until warm. Add chocolate to milk and serve! You can also cool it in the fridge for cold chocolate milk, but my kids like it warmed. Add more milk if you like the chocolate taste to be less strong....

Yummy!!

Honeyed Pear Crisp

I have jars and jars of canned pears just waiting to be used, so instead of my usual apple crisp/pie I decided to mix it up a little bit with pears. Now, my cooking time is quite low beings the pears were already "done", so I can only guess how long to cook it using fresh pears. All that aside, this was such a favorite I'm making it for the third time this week =) 

Honeyed Pear Crisp

(for an 8x8 pan)

2 quart jars pears (or around 6 cups)

Honey for drizzle

2 cups pretzels

1/3 cup butter or coconut oil

1/3 cup brown sugar or succanat

Start buy cutting pears into thin slivers. Put pears in a frying pan and drizzle with honey...probably about 2-3 tablespoons worth. Heat on medium for 5-7 minutes. This really helps get the honey into the pears. If using fresh pears, I would cook them with a little bit of water until the pears get at least a little bit soft. Transfer pears to an 8x8 pan. In a food processor or blender, pulse the pretzels, butter/coconut oil, and sugar. You could do this by hand with a pastry blender like I did the first time but really, it was worth adding another dish to my sink to use the processor. Pretzels are hard, dude! Evenly sprinkle crumble on top of pears. Bake on 350 for 20 minutes if using canned pears or around 35 or so if using fresh pears. You'll have to test partway through for done-ness as I really don't know exactly how long to bake using raw pears.

 

Yum!!

Three Cheese Rotini

End of summer and I'm quite tired of hamburgers, hot dogs, and grilled meats. I'm ready for fall and "comfort foods"! So, despite the balmy 91 degrees, I decided tonight was pasta night. This is a weeee bit spicy so if you're not all into that, decrease the pepperjack and up the sharp cheddar. Whatever you do, don't boil the cheese mixture. You will regret it. I sure did the first time I let a cheese sauce bubble over! 

2 boxes of rotini noodles
1 lb pepper jack cheese, cubed small

1 lb sharp cheddar, cubed small

1 cup shredded parmesan
2 cups sour cream 

1/3 cup butter

1 1/2 cup milk
2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper

Using large saucepan, melt on medium heat the cheese, sour cream, butter, and milk. I use a flat bottom whisk to make sure nothing burns on the bottom of the pan. Stir frequently until everything is melted. Whisk in salt and pepper. Meanwhile, cook pasta as directions on box state. Drain and pour into large greased oven-safe pot or casserole dish. Stir cheese sauce into pasta. Sprinkle with additional parmesan and seasoned breadcrumbs if desired. Cook on 350 for 15-20 minutes, uncovered. Let sit a few minutes before serving.

 

Canned Potatoes

Usually when I say I've canned potatoes people give me a really weird look. But, see, they don't know what I know now! Last year Sonja and I had the grand idea of experimenting with canning potatoes. we didn't invent the idea..just decided to try it out. So we labored over the pressure canner and made two batches hoping and praying they worked. Yeah, well, they did and I had very few things on my list this year to can and these were on top. I used them for everything. Any kind of chowder, soup, or stew calling for potatoes. Mashed potatoes. Skillet potatoes. Baked potato "fries". They were so incredibly perfect! S and I were super excited. And that's why, from now on, I envision myself canning potatoes every season. Especially when the garden yielded over 800lbs of them this year. Oh, and no, I'm not canning all 800 =) Just maybe 150 or 200. 

Nice and dirty =) 14lbs potatoes should fill 7 quart jars.

My kitchen happens to be very old-school and lacking a dishwasher. To sterilize my jars I wash and rinse them super good and "bake" them on 220 for 20 minutes. Sterile jars!

The instructions are pretty basic.
Scrub potatoes. I don't peel mine.
Cube into 1 or 2 inch cubes throwing away any green bits, eyes, or worm holes, obviously.
Bring a large pot to a rolling boil.
Dump potatoes in pot, return to boil, and wait 2 minutes. This is called blanching them.
Remove from pot with slotted spoon.
Stuff sterilized jars to a 1 inch heads pace.
Add 1/2 tsp salt (for quart jars)
Fill to 1 inch head space with hot water.
Clean rims.
Add lids (that have been heated thoroughly) and rings.
Process in a pressure canner at 10-12lbs pressure for 40 mins.

 Tis all, my friends! One day of work for a whole year's worth of potatoes. This makes my heart sing!

My Mom's Salsa

It truly is no secret that my mom makes the best salsa. Anybody who eats it wants the recipe and it's something to put on the TO DO list for the year. Can lots and lots of salsa. We drink it like water around here. It even has it's own name. Janine's Salsa. And it's not even a rocket science recipe! It's just a perfect combination of peppers, tomatoes, and cilantro. When planting our garden this year, I made sure there was everything I needed to make salsa. Except for the vinegar and tomato paste, of course. I'm much too lazy to make those things. So, without further ado, my mom's salsa.....

Janine's Salsa

24 regular tomatoes (or 2-3 roma per regular tomato, depending on how big the romas are)
4 green peppers (or a mix of green, red, orange)
4-6 jalapenos (or more depending on how much heat you like...)
1 bundle cilantro
4 onions
8 long banana peppers (I use hungarian wax)

2 cup white vinegar
2 tablespoon salt
2 1/2 tablespoon sugar
3 cans tomato paste


Some people like to remove the tomato skins. To do so bring a large pot to boil. Put tomatoes in pot until skins start to blister and pop. Immediately remove to a sink filled with ice cold water. The skins will peel off easily. I only remove the skin if I'm using regular tomatoes. This and last year I used roma tomatoes and didn't do anything to the skins. It turned out perfectly!


Chop all ingredients. The easiest way to do this is to pulse them in a blender or food processor. Simmer in large pot (or two or three) for a half hour. Process in waterbath canner for 25 minutes if using quarts, 15 mins if using pints. If your new to canning, this website has great step by step instructions on how to can!
---> Website <---

My fresh picked from the garden produce

 My mom and dad's fresh picked produce from Joe's Place

Freshly Canned Salsa!!

Grilled Corn

I probably won't ever make corn in a pot of boiling water again. Not since discovering how easy and delicious grilling corn is! Not that I haven't had it before, I just haven't done it yet. (With only 4 years of married cooking under my belt, I've still lost of things to try!) With fall approaching (tho with these 100 degree temps it sure don't feel like it!) corn is in season and we really like corn over here! This is our new favorite way to eat it. As a guest said, she was doubting the recipe..until she ate it. She was in love. (Hi, Sonja ;-) ) And we are, too! Apparently, the butter mixture is amazing on grilled salmon, too. I wouldn't know, though. I don't touch sea creatures =)

Grilled Corn

 5 cobs corn

1/2 stick butter, melted

1 tablespoon honey

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp chili powder

Peel pack husks on corn and remove silk. Fold husks back up. You need only about 3 layers of husk, so feel free to peel the rest off and discard. Soak corn for a good 10-15 minutes in water (obviously). grill on medium/high heat turning occasionally for 15 minutes. Mix melted butter with honey, salt, and chili powder. Baste grilled corn and enjoy!!

 

P.S. If you've never had Albino Corn before, try it! I found and heirloom variety at the Farmer's Market and it is super good!!!