Skillet Vegetables over Rice

This is one of my favorite go-to dinners for a couple of reasons.  It's easy, it doesn't take long, my kid's really like it and it's healthy.  You can tweak it lots of different ways according to what you and your family like.  I've made it before with tomato sauce and also added diced tomatoes, but the recipe listed below is our favorite version.  This dinner actually reminds me a little of my mom - vegetables thrown into a skillet and wah-lah: a yummy meal.  I just wish I was growing these vegetables in a garden in my backyard and she was sitting at my table enjoying it with me.

Ingredients

1-2 tablespoons olive oil

1 medium onion, diced 

1/2 green bell pepper, diced

2 medium zucchinis, diced 

2 medium yellow squashes, diced 

2 chicken bullion cubes

1 teaspoon oregano

1 teaspoon basil

1 teaspoon parsley

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon onion powder

salt and pepper

rice

Directions

Heat 1-2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet.  Add onions and bell peppers and sauté them for 3-5 minutes.  Add zucchini, squash, about 1-2 cups of water and bullion cubes.  Bring everything to a boil.  Let it all boil over medium heat and add oregano, basil, parsley, garlic and onion powders, and salt and pepper to taste.  You can add more or less of any of the spices listed.  Stir and add water as needed according to the consistency you like.  We like there to be a little broth but not too soupy.  Boil for about 10-15 minutes until all is tender.  I don't like my veggies mushy so I make sure to not them them simmer for too long.  Serve over hot rice.

Source: tastyonmymind

Fudgy Brownies with the Perfect Chocolate Frosting

I think I've come to the conclusion that brownies just might be my favorite dessert.  Right out of the oven, chilled in the refrigerator, frosting, no frosting - you decide and I'll probably help you eat it!  I'm sure over time I will be sharing many a brownie recipes with you, I just wish my kids liked them more because when I glance over and see the 8x8 inch pan starring at me from the other side of the kitchen I have to go over and even it off just one more time.  Then Colby comes home and wonders who has eaten all the brownies I just made last night.  Ummm... the baby?

Now these brownies are a little rich.  My favorite way to eat them is after they've chilled in the fridge.  Chilling brownies is one of the best kept secrets that I'm so glad someone shared with me.  These go perfect with a glass of cold milk - just about the only time I drink milk.  And this frosting.  Oh my.  My daughter just yesterday said, "Can you just take the top part off for me and put it in a bowl?"  It's that good, and I'm not really a lover of frosting.  Now I'll try any frosting, but sometimes I have to scrape some off because it's just a little too much.  Not this frosting though.  Once you've spread it on these brownies please hand me over the spatula and bowl and mixers because well, I will just have to lick them clean for you.

The brownies start off a little gritty

but once you add the eggs it glosses right up

You just want to run your finger through that frosting don't you?  I do!

Fudgy Brownies
Yield: Between 9 and 16 - depending on how big you cut them ;)

Ingredients
10 tablespoons butter
1 1/4 cups sugar
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 large eggs
1/2 cup all-purpose flour

Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees and lightly grease an 8x8-inch pan with cooking spray.
2. Combine the butter, sugar, cocoa and salt in a medium microwave-safe bowl.  Microwave for one minute intervals, stirring between, until the butter is melted and the mixture is smooth.  Set the mixture aside until it cools slightly.  You want it warm, but not hot.  It will look gritty but will become smooth once the eggs are added.
3. Stir in the vanilla then add the eggs one at a time, stirring vigorously after each one.  When the batter looks thick, shiny and well blended add the flour.  Combine until you can't see the flour anymore.  Beat for another 40 or so strokes then spread evenly into the pan.
4. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out slightly moist with batter.  The recipe I got this from says 20-25 minutes but I usually have to cook mine 30-35 minutes.  Depending on your oven you'll have to start to watch it after about 20 minutes.  Let them cool completely on a cooling rack and if you'd like - place them in the refrigerator once they're completely cooled.  I think I've done this every time once I learned about chilling brownies.  It really is so super yummy this way.

Perfect Chocolate Frosting
Ingredients
6 tablespoons butter, at room temperature
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cups powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
3-5 tablespoons milk or cream

Directions
Using an electric mixer, cream together the butter, cocoa and salt on medium speed for about 2-3 minutes.  Scrape down the sides of the bowl and add the powdered sugar.  Mix on low speed until all the ingredients are combined.  Add the vanilla then starting with just a few tablespoons start to add the milk.  Add more as needed according to the consistency you like.  Mix on medium-high speed until smooth and fluffy.  Spread over cooled brownies and enjoy.

Source: modified slightly from smittenkitchen.com and melskitchencafe.com

Which Describes Your Sweet Tooth?

What kind of sweet tooth describes you?  More of the deep, rich, chocolate covering every nook and cranny or more of the ooey gooey caramely goodness with a slight crunch on top?  Comment below or leave a message on my Facebook feed and let me know!  The dessert that has the more likes will share it's recipe tomorrow!

Deep, rich chocolate covering every nook and cranny.

Ooey gooey caramely goodness with a slight crunch on top.

I'm anxious to see which one will be the winner!

Very Veggie Soup

There's nothing better on a cold rainy day than a nice warm bowl of delicious soup.  I came across this recipe over a year ago and it has become one of my family's favorite dinners since then.  Even my 18-month-old loves it and doesn't complain when he sees it in his bowl the next night for leftovers.  It's healthy, it's delicious, your wallet will love it and it's easy!  I love looking down and seeing all those vegetables.

We love to eat this with any kind of roll or cracker and cheese.  The French Bread Roll recipe I posted a few days ago goes perfectly. 

Very Veggie Soup
Yield: About 8 servings

Ingredients
2 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 cups chopped yellow onion (1 medium)
2 cups peeled and chopped carrots (about 4 medium)
1 1/4 cups chopped celery
4 cloves minced garlic
4 (14.5 oz) cans chicken or vegetable broth
3 cups peeled and diced potatoes (about 3 medium)
1 teaspoon dried parsley
2 bay leaves
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 1/4 cups frozen or fresh corn
1 cup frozen or fresh peas

Directions
Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat.  Add onions, carrots and celery.  Sauté for 3-4 minutes then add garlic and sauté another 30 seconds.  Pour in broth and add potatoes, parsley, bay leaves, thyme and season with salt and pepper to taste.  Bring to a boil then reduce heat to medium-low, cover and simmer until potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes.  Add corn and peas and cook for another 5 minutes.  Serve warm. 

Source: Adapted slightly from cookingclassy.com.  She also adds a few cans of diced tomatoes and green beans.  My family doesn't love diced tomatoes from a can and I don't love long great beans with all the chopped veggies.

Homemade Maple Syrup

So I'm not exaggerating when I say I make pancakes at least 5 times a week.  (I'll be adding my favorite pancake recipe to the site very soon!)  Pancakes 5 times a week for about 5 people each time, you do the math... that's a heck of a lot of syrup.  This maple syrup recipe saved my grocery budget, my tastebuds and my desire to stay away from ingredients like Sodium Hexametaphosphate.  After tasting this syrup and then going back to the store-bought brands lets just say, I haven't bought syrup from the store in probably 2 years.

This syrup feels light, tastes wonderful and is so easy to make.  It stores wonderfully and let's face it - you feel like a rock-star when you say, "Ha, I make my own syrup."  You probably leave out the "Ha" part but you still feel like a rock-star.  And you should.

I love the maple extract from Cooks.  The only non-natural ingredient is the caramel color.  It tastes pure - because it is!  If you can find an all-natural maple extract around you then even better.  Saves you the shipping fee.  I'm sure the maple extracts from the grocery store would work fine, but I have to say I've never tried them.  You honestly cannot go wrong with Cooks.  (Their 8oz bottle lasts me months and months so the cost is very efficient.)

Here's to wonderful, homemade, healthier, happier breakfast mornings.

Homemade Maple Syrup
Yield: About 10 cups

Ingredients
8 cups granulated sugar
1 cup brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup honey
5 cups water
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
2 teaspoons pure maple extract

Directions
1. In a large 5-6 quart pot, combine sugars, honey and water.  Bring the mixture to a boil then reduce the heat to low so the mixture gently simmers.  Cover and simmer for 15 minutes.  Remove the pot from the heat and let it cool for 20 minutes before adding the vanilla and maple extracts.  Let the syrup cool in the pot for another 40 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Fill the jars and allow the syrup to cool completely before placing the lids on top.
2. Store covered jars in the refrigerator.  This syrup will last up to 2 months in the refrigerator.  We like our syrup warm so we warm them up in the microwave before serving.

Source: modified slightly from Melskitchencafe.com

French Bread Rolls

I. Love. Bread.  And good for me (or not good for me) I love to make bread, too!  I wish I could say I've tried the Paleo diet or other "eat only vegetables and protein" diets, but well, I haven't and it's largely due to the fact that I love recipes like this one.  I love to make it, smell it, put it on a cute towel in a basket on my kitchen table and see tiny hands and big hands grab for them knowing it brings them happiness.

Not to mention... this recipe is pretty much fail free.  Every time I've made them they've always turned out.  So if you're a little hesitant with working with yeast - this is a great starter recipe.

These rolls are perfect all by themselves.  My three-year-old grabs them out of the bag and smiles as she eats them for a snack.  If she's not smiling then she's singing a song.  Or they are delicious as buns for hamburgers or sloppy joe's or any other sandwich of the like.  (The three rolls on the far right and the top one on the third column in the picture below are my hamburger buns.  I rolled them into a ball and then flattened them out a little.)

When I make rolls I like to use my kitchen scale.  Each roll weighs out at about 2 1/2 ounces.  When I use these rolls as buns I up the weight to 3 ounces.  The kind of flour you use will depend on how heavy you make your rolls. (See note below.)

*I like to use half whole wheat and half all-purpose flour for this recipe.  When I use wheat flour I usually have to add a little more flour to get the right dough consistency so that makes my rolls weigh a little more.  When I stick to 100% all-purpose flour, 2 1/2 ounces seems to be pretty spot on.  Don't ever go solely off the amount of flour called for in a recipe.  Altitude, humidity and other factors determine how much flour you need.  You want the dough to pull away from the bowl and be smooth and elastic without becoming too dense or still being too sticky.  Adding a little at a time after 3 1/2 cups is a good rule of thumb for these rolls.

French Bread Rolls
Yield: One Dozen

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups warm water
3/4 tablespoon instant yeast (or 1 tablespoon active dry yeast)
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 teaspoon salt
*4 cups all-purpose flour, give or take a little

Directions
1. In the bowl of a stand mixer combine the warm water, yeast, sugar, oil, salt and 2 cups of the flour. (If you are using active dry yeast let the yeast proof in the warm water and sugar for about 5 minutes until it is foamy and bubbly before adding the rest of the ingredients.  If using instant yeast there is no need to do this and go right on ahead with the rest of the recipe.)  Begin mixing and gradually continue to add the rest of the flour until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl.  (Refer to my note above and the pictures below.)
2. Knead the dough in the mixer for about 5 minutes, until it is very smooth and elastic.  Lightly spray another large bowl with cooking spray and place dough in the bowl.  Cover the bowl with lightly greased plastic wrap and let it rise until doubled in size.  This usually takes about an hour.
3. Lightly punch down the dough and turn it out onto a lightly greased countertop.  Divide the dough into 12 equal pieces and form each piece into a round ball.  Place the rolls on a lightly greased  baking sheet, silpat-lined baking sheet, or stone baking v sheet and cover the rolls with lightly greased plastic wrap again. (You want the wrap to lay loosely over the top of the rolls or they will flatten.)  Let the rolls rise until doubled in size (roughly 45 minutes).
4. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Bake for 12-14 minutes until lightly browned.

Here are some pictures about dealing with dough...

Here the dough is still too sticky.  It isn't coming together very well and still sticks a lot to the bottom and sides of the bowl.

See how it's still sticking a lot to my fingers.

This is much better.  It's pulling apart from the bowl (Most of the time once you've let it mix for a couple of minutes it will start to do this.  If it doesn't then you still need to add more flour.)

Perfect.  Not too sticky.  Not too dense.  Stays together well and lets me mold it easily.

Source: Melskitchencafe.com

Pasta Salad - the best, hands down.

When my youngest child was born a friend of mine brought me over this pasta salad for dinner.  I was lying up in bed recovering from a not very pleasant epidural experience when my husband brought a bowl of it up to me.  He told me to relax and not worry about anything downstairs.  The kids were all sitting quietly at the table eating dinner.  What?  Wait.  The kids were sitting quietly eating dinner?  No complaining, no making fun of each other, no he said, she said, "Mom, he's looking at me."?  Did my friend drug the salad?  Why did this have to be happening when I was in pain up in bed and not downstairs able to enjoy the moment?  I had to try it right away and holy moly, then I understood.  It was the best pasta salad I had ever had.  I called her after loving every bite-ful that was in my bowl and thanked her for one of the best post-having-a-baby dinners I had received.  Then I continued to say something like, "You are my hero.  You have provided a dinner to my family that is not just delicious to me but delicious to my kid's."  So of course I had to get the recipe!  Now I can't wait to share it with you.  And I'm not exaggerating when I say this recipe is on my menu every. single. month.

Pasta Salad

Yield: About 8 servings

*Note:  I omit the chicken most of the time.  If you include the chicken it can be cooked anyway you prefer.  I've even used leftover rotisserie chicken that was oh so yummy.  I also scoop out a portion of the noodles after setting them aside and put them in a tupperware for my kids to eat later since all my boys love plain noodles.  So I don't use all 16 ounces, it's probably more like 12-14 ounces.  You can also substitute the cheese for other kinds if you don't prefer cheddar.  Another reason I love this recipe - you make it for how it works for you and your family.

Ingredients

*16 ounces corkscrew-shaped pasta

3/4 cup Italian-style salad dressing

1/4 cup mayonnaise

*2 cups chopped, cooked chicken

8 ounces bacon, cooked and crumbled

1 cup cheddar cheese

1 cup chopped celery

1 cup chopped green bell pepper

8 ounces cherry tomatoes, halved

1 avocado - peeled, pitted and chopped

Directions

1. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil.  Cook pasta in boiling water until al dente (10-12 minutes).  I add a little oil to my noodles while boiling to prevent sticking.  Drain and rinse under cold water.  Set aside.

2. In a small bowl, whisk Italian-style dressing (the more robust the more kick this salad has) and mayonnaise together.  Set aside.

3. Combine pasta, chicken, bacon, cheese, celery, bell pepper, tomatoes and avocado in a bowl.  Pour dressing mixture over top and stir until pasta is evenly coated.

If you are making this ahead of time do not peel, pit or chop and add the avocado until right before serving.  You want it to still be green in your salad when you are ready to serve.  The salad tastes wonderful chilled.

Source: adapted from my friend, Crystal Curtis

   

Chocolate Molten Cake - crockpot style.

Who doesn't love a recipe that is easy and filled with chocolate?  Sign me up please.  My mother-in-law introduced this recipe to me a few weeks ago.  I fell in love with it so much I had to make it again.  And very soon.  So that I did.  This is a perfect recipe for when you have friends over and you need something fast and easy to throw in the crock pot while you're busy getting everything else ready, or in some cases, everyone else taken care of.  (Yes, four little children who are saying "Mom" every 38 seconds is my life.)  I actually just took a 5 minute break from writing this since one of my kids just fell down while playing in the empty bathtub so of course it was the end of the world and Mom had to do some reassuring that the world surely was not ending.  But back to this recipe...

Long story short.  It's delicious.  It's easy.  It's addicting.  And you don't have to wait to make it when you have friends over.  I make it for just my husband and I and we highly, very highly, enjoy leftovers for the next three or four days.  Trust me, you'll wake up in the morning thinking about when during the day you can have some alone time with just you and this molten loveliness.

Love me that pudding texture with the cake.

Ingredients
1 box Chocolate cake mix
All the ingredients on the back of the cake mix box
1 large box Instant Chocolate pudding mix
All the ingredients on the pudding box
2 cups Chocolate Chips

Directions
1. Spray your crock pot with non-stick cooking spray.
2. Make the cake according to the directions on the box and pour the batter into the crock pot.
3. Make the pudding according to the directions on the box and pour the batter on top of the cake    batter.  Do not mix.
4.  Sprinkle the chocolate chips on top.  You can use milk chocolate or semi-sweet.  Whichever you prefer.  Do not stir.
5.  Cook on high for 2 1/2 hours.  You'll want the cake to be done, but the pudding to still be gooey.  Eat right away and enjoy with a scoop of vanilla ice-cream on top.

Source: Heidi Park (my mother-in-law)

Classic Granola

If you're like me you love Granola.  You look at it at the store and love to hold the bag in your hands.  Okay, maybe that's just me?  But you can't get yourself to pay the ridiculous price that granola is so you put it back on the shelf.  Thank goodness making it at home is not only an option but the best option!  I love everything about homemade granola.  Not just the price, but how personal you can make it.  Not to mention - how easy it is.

This granola is simply wonderful in so many ways.  It's yummy.  There's no oil in it.  Excellent.  The cost is unbeatable.  And you can put as many add-in's as you'd like or leave it as plain as your tastebuds would prefer.  The possibilities are endless.  We love to eat it in our yogurt, with milk or just by itself.  It really is so versatile you may never want to go back to anything else.

In the oven...

Cooling... 

After my preferred add-in's...
(Just click on this picture to get a close up of those little seeded beauties.)

Classic Granola
Yield: About 6 cups

Ingredients
4 cups old fashioned oats (not quick oats)
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup honey
2 tablespoons water
1 1/4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 pinch nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
Any add-in's you would like: nuts, seeds, fruits, heck go crazy and add in chocolate chips!

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees.  Line a baking sheet with wax paper.
2. In a large mixing bowl combine oats and any nuts you may be adding.  Set aside.
3. In a medium saucepan, combine brown sugar, honey, water, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt.  Bring mixture to a boil stirring frequently.  Once mixture reaches a boil allow to boil for 1 minute while stirring constantly.  Remove from heat and stir in vanilla and baking soda and stir until mixture is foamy, about 10 seconds.  Carefully pour hot mixture over oats and nuts (if using) and toss to evenly coat.  Spread mixture evenly onto baking sheet.
4. Bake in preheated oven for 35 minutes.  You want to take it out right when it turns golden brown because granola can burn quickly so watch it closely towards the end. You may need to bake it up to 40 minutes if your oven isn't as hot.
5. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely before adding all the seeds and fruit you would like.  Granola won't be crisp until it has cooled.  Store in an airtight container up to 2 weeks.

*I used 1 tablespoon flax seeds, 3/4 tablespoon chia seeds and 1/2 cup Craisins infused with blueberry juice.  Very delicious.  My kids don't love nuts in their granola so I sneak in the extra nutrition with these marvelous little seeds.

Source: CookingClassy.com

Struesel-Topped Banana Muffins

These muffins have been in the Park household for over 8 years.  They have passed the test of time.  One of my kid's is a very picky eater but when it comes to these muffins he can devour them almost all in one sitting.  Sometimes we even omit the crumb topping and they are still just as satisfying.  Perfect for anytime, anywhere and with anyone.

Struesel-Topped Banana Muffins
Yield: 12 muffins

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (I prefer unbleached, always)
2 tablespoons wheat germ (optional)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 bananas, mashed
3/4 cup white sugar
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/3 cup butter, melted

Topping:
1/3 cup brown sugar, packed
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon butter

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease 12 muffin cups or line with muffin liners
2. In a large bowl mix together 1 1/2 cups flour, wheat germ (if using), baking soda, baking powder and salt. In another bowl beat together bananas, sugar, egg and melted butter.  Stir the banana mixture into the flour mixture just until moistened.  Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups.
3. For the topping; in a small bowl mix together brown sugar, 2 tablespoons flour and cinnamon.  Cut in 1 tablespoon butter until mixture resembles coarse cornmeal.  Sprinkle topping over muffins.
4.  Bake in preheated oven for 18 to 20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into a center of a muffin comes out clean.
5.  Let the muffins cool in the pan for about 5 minutes before transferring onto a cooling rack and allowing them to cool completely.

Source: Modified slightly from allrecipes.com