Sweet Stuff

Okay, so this hasn't been the healthiest week of our lives. What can I say? I love to bake. Breakfast, snack time, dessert... it's all good. :-) So if you're craving something sweet, here's a few recipes that just may satisfy.

Melting Moments

Our Rating: 6/10

[In all fairness to these cookies, they would have been a TON better had I flattened them into a cookie shape prior to baking. We definitely still recommend them!]

1 1/2 c. flour

1/2 c. cornstarch

1/4 t. salt

1/4 c. powdered sugar

1 c. butter

1 t. vanilla

1 c. powdered sugar for topping

In a medium bowl, whisk together four, cornstarch, powdered sugar and salt. In a separate bowl, beat butter and sugar together until creamy (approx. 2 min.), then add flour mixture and beat until homogeneous. Refrigerate for one hour.

Preheat oven to 350. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper (or just grease them if no paper is available). Form the dough into one inch balls (I definitely recommend shaping in a flat cookie form instead) and space about one inch apart. Bake 12-14 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 3-5 min.

On a separate plate or cookie sheet, spread powdered sugar topping. Roll each cookie in sugar, then allow to finish cooling. Makes about 2 1/2 dozen cookies.

Chocolate Chip Scones

Our Rating: 7.5/10

[These quick and yummy treats are perfect for breakfast! Switch the chocolate chips with dried fruit or other goodies to make a variety of treats on-the-go.]

2 c. flour

1/4 c. powdered sugar

1 T. baking powder

6 T. butter, cut into chunks

1 egg

1/2 c. milk

1/2 c. chocolate chips

1 T. granulated sugar for topping

Preheat oven to 450. In a medium bowl, mix flour, powdered sugar, and baking powder. Cut in butter until the mixture reaches the consistency of fine crumbs.

Break egg into a bowl or measuring cup. Add milk and mix thoroughly. Add to flour mixture, along with chocolate chips. Pat the dough into a ball. Remove to a floured cutting board and knead 6-8 times until dough holds together well.

On a greased baking sheet, pat the dough into a rectangle (approx 6x9 in). Sprinkle with granulated sugar. Cut into squares (should be able to make 6-10), then cut squares diagonally to form scones. Separate and bake for 12-15 minutes. Allow to cool before serving.

Sugar Cookies

Our rating: 9/10

[This is definitely the best sugar cookie recipe I've found yet!]

2 3/4 c. flour

1/2 t. salt

2 t. baking powder

1 c. butter

1 1/2 c. sugar

2 eggs

1 t. vanilla

1/4 c. sugar for topping

Preheat oven to 375. In a medium bowl, mix flour, salt and baking powder together. In a separate bowl, beat butter and sugar until creamy. Add eggs and vanilla. Gradually add in flour mixture until smooth.

Place cookies on an ungreased baking sheet approx. 1 in. apart. Sprinkle with sugar. Bake 8-10 min. Makes approx. 5 dozen cookies.

We've had one other sweet addition to our home this week, though not in the food sense... I ordered this cute bench to go in our living room a few weeks ago, and it finally arrived! :-)

I know, I know, it's nothing fabulous, but I've been pretty stoked about it all week... and excitement, my friends, is always sweet. :-)

Happy Baking!

Oh, Granola!

I tried out this super-easy granola bar recipe last weekend, and it was definitely a winner! Although not uber-healthy, they're quick and they're yummy, and great for lunches or a party treat!

Enjoy!

Easy Oatmeal Granola Bars

Our Rating: 7.5/10

3 c. oats

1 14-oz. can sweetened condensed milk

2 Tbsp. butter

1 c. sliced almonds

1 c. chocolate chips

1-1/2 c. dried fruit, coconut, or other mix-in (I used peanut butter chips)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease a 9x13 pan.

2. In a large bowl, mix all ingredients together until well blended. Press into pan until flat.

3. Bake for 20-30 minutes, depending on desired crunchiness (the longer they cook, the crunchier they will be). Let cool 5 minutes, then cut into squares and cool completely before serving.

Everyone Loves a Sloppy Joe

I was pretty excited to whip up this tasty dish with some roasted potatoes (my current obsession) for lunch this past Sunday. With a few simple ingredients I already had in my fridge and 20 minutes of not-so-hard labor, we had more than our fill of deliciousness.

Move on over, Manwich!

Scrumpdiliumpcious Sloppy Joes

1 lb. ground beef

1/4 c. chopped onion

1/4 c. green bell pepper

1 tsp. garlic powder

1/3 c. ketchup

1/3 c. BBQ sauce

2 tsp. mustard (I just eyeballed it)

1 Tbsp. brown sugar

Salt and pepper to taste

Brown hamburger meat with onion and bell pepper. Drain meat, and add in remaining ingredients. Allow to simmer for approx. 10 minutes. Serve on hamburger buns with your favorite side.

Just Stir... and Fry!

So let's face it - stir fry is nothing new. I know tons of people who were raised on it, lived on it through college, would swear by it.

But not this lady.

My family's always pretty much avoided the oriental arena of foods. I seriously don't think I ever stepped foot in a Chinese restaurant until I was at least 16. And sure, my friends liked going to Chen-Chens in college; but you can bet I'd never eat more than some chicken (with ketchup, not sweet and sour sauce) and an egg roll.

I'm southern to the bone. That's all there is to it.

But, despite my general aversion to Asian food, stir fry is something I can handle. The great thing about it is that you really don't have to use a set recipe - grab some soy sauce (or teriyaki, or whatever's on hand), whatever meat and veggies you have in your fridge, and within 30 minutes, you have a great, semi-healthy meal. It's easy, it's quick, and, best of all, it's completely tailored to your own tastes.

So follow this recipe, find another one, or just make something up yourself; clean out your fridge, and stir-fry it up!

Here's how I made it through my first stir-frying experience:

Ingredients used (aka, what I had in my fridge):

2 chicken breasts, chopped into chunks

3 Tbsp. corn starch

1/2 lb. carrots, thinly sliced

1/2 green bell pepper, sliced

1/2 onion, sliced

2 tsp. garlic powder

2 tsp. ginger

1 Tbsp. Basalmic vinegar

1/4 c. soy sauce

3 Tbsp. brown sugar

3 Tbsp. EVOO

1) Pour cornstarch into a medium-size bowl; add chicken and toss. Add in soy sauce, basalmic vinegar, garlic powder, ginger, and brown sugar. Mix well, and make sure that chicken is evenly coated. Let sit for about 10 minutes.

2) Heat a medium-sized skillet or wok on stove to medium-high heat. Add 2 Tbsp. EVOO and allow it to heat up. Add chicken mixture. Stir fry the chicken until it is cooked through, about 3 minutes.

3) Remove chicken from the pan and add in vegetables and the remaining EVOO. You may also wish to add a little extra soy sauce. Allow vegetables to cook until tender (times will vary depending on what veggies you use -- carrots take about 10 minutes, onions take about 3).

4) Add chicken mixture back in and stir together, once again adding more soy sauce if desired. Remove from pan and serve with rice or pasta (I used brown rice).

Enjoy!

The Plan

For the past several months, I've been trying to make a point of trying as many new recipes as possible. I figure that eventually I'm going to be way too busy to try new things all the time, so I should build up a good recipe book now. That way, when I'm 35 and Eric is working some ridiculous shift while I'm trying to clean house and feed the kids, I have somewhere to turn for a quick meal fix.

The biggest barrier to my trying various recipes, though, is the massive amount of ingredients that are often called for. We live on a pretty tight budget, or try to anyway. I can't exactly justify spending $25 on ingredients for one meal. Rachel Ray, I appreciate your creativity, but your books are just not for the working class (or schooling class, in our case).

So I'm challenging myself -- to make at least one, hopefully two, new recipes each week that involve ingredients that I typically keep on hand... "Low Budget" recipes, if you will.

I know food blogs have been done and done again, but I just think that this will give me a way to keep myself on track. If I can try 50-75 new recipes in the next year, I might end up with a seriously thick cookbook! And, who knows? Maybe someone else will find a delicious idea. :-)

Here are two things I've tried in the last week:

Better Homes & Gardens Banana Bread (slightly altered)

Our Rating: 9/10

"Make banana bread when your bananas get brown polka dots on them.

If you wait until they're too dark, the bread will be bitter."

2 - cups All-Purpose flour

1 1/2 - tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

2 - tsp. cinnamon (or half cinnamon, half nutmeg)

1/4 - tsp. salt

1/4 - tsp. ginger

2 - eggs, lightly beaten

4-5 - bananas, mashed

1 - cup sugar

1/2 - cup oil or melted butter

1/4 - cup walnuts (optional -- I left them out)

Streusel Nut Topping (also optional, but I highly recommend it!):

1/4 - cup brown sugar

3 - Tbsp. flour

2 - Tbsp. cold butter

To make topping: Mix brown sugar and flour in a small bowl.

Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.

May stir in 1/4 c. chopped walnuts if desired.

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Grease bottom and sides of a loaf pan and set aside. In a large bowl combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, and ginger.

2. In a medium bowl, combine eggs, bananas, sugar, and oil. Add egg mixture all at once to flour mixture. Stir just until moistened. Fold in nuts, then spoon batter into prepared pan. If desired, sprinkle streusel-nut topping over batter.

3. Bake 55 to 60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in

pan for 10 minutes, then remove from pan.

The recipe recommends cooling completely,

then storing overnight before slicing.

We dug right in, and it still tasted great!!

Chicken Fajita Crescent Braid

Our rating: 8/10

1	1 - can (8 oz) crescent rolls, refrigerated
1	1 - tablespoon vegetable oil
	2 - small boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1x1/2x1/2-inch strips
1	1- teaspoon chili powder
1	1 - teaspoon salt
1	1 - clove garlic, finely chopped
1	1 - small onion, thinly sliced
	2 - cups green or red bell pepper strips (2x1x1/4 inch)
1	1 - cup salsa
2	2 - cups shredded Cheddar-Monterey Jack cheese blend
1	1 - egg white, beaten
1.	Heat oven to 375°. Spray large cookie sheet with cooking spray. Unroll dough onto cookie sheet; press to 8x12 inches.
2.	In 10-inch skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add chicken; stir in chili powder, salt and garlic; cook 3 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned. Add onion and bell pepper strips; cook 2 to 3 minutes longer or until chicken is no longer pink in center and vegetables are crisp-tender.
3.	Spoon chicken mixture in 4-inch strip lengthwise down center of dough. Top with salsa; sprinkle with cheese. With scissors or sharp knife, make cuts 1 inch apart on long sides of dough within 1/2 inch of filling. Alternately cross strips over filling; press edges to seal. Brush with egg white.
4.	Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until deep golden brown. Cool 5 minutes. Cut crosswise into slices.

Anyway, that's all for today. Happy cooking! :-)