Independence Day Treats - a little inspiration

When Independence Day rolls around, I think we've all made a flag cake with berries for the stars & stripes, or dyed our pancakes red & blue, or decorated sugar cookies, or made cupcakes...

Sometimes it can feel redundant. Most times, I'm looking for something new to jazz up our festivities.

This year, I found a couple of things I think you might like - a little inspiration...




These skewers are adorable! Perfect for little hands at an Independence Day party. You can find them (and more!) at Sisters Stuff.




It's an oldy-but-goody, and it sure looks beautiful. I like to add granola to my fruit & yogurt parfaits. Theses are great for an Independence Day breakfast or snack. Much lighter than pancakes! (Though I do love me some pancakes!)





This one is adorable! What a great way to display breakfast muffins or cupcakes or mini-cheesecakes - anything, really.

The big splash is the topper, for me. Love another way to display a flag at the buffet table.


Finally, our traditional dessert while we watch the fireworks on Independence Day - Indoor S'mores.

They're AMAZING! :)

Happy Independence Day, everyone!

Enjoy!

Chicken Apple Walnut Salad

I've posted here before about how I like to prep big batches of chicken to keep in my freezer so they're ready for me whenever I want them.

Usually, I measure the prepped chicken into 4 cup quantities. I always seem to have 1 chicken breast leftover. I could add it to a bag in the freezer, but I'd much rather have this delicious salad for lunch! :)

This could be made in larger quantities, obviously. I like to make it just for me for a quick-n-easy & healthy lunch.

Chicken Apple Walnut Salad
(for one)

1 chicken breast, cooked & cut into bite-sized chunks
1 apple, peeled (if desired), cored & cut into bite-sized chunks
1 green onion, chopped
1 - 1 1/2 Tblsp. walnuts
1 - 1 1/2 Tblsp. mayonnaise
salt & pepper to taste

Stir all together in a bowl & enjoy!



You can add halved grapes to this salad too, if you like.

I like my salad drier so I use less mayonnaise. You can use fat-free or low-fat mayo too.

I love this on whole grain bread with lettuce & tomato, or with Triscuit crackers on the side. YUMM!!

The Best Potato Salad EVER

I LOVE potato salad!! But I'm picky. I really only LOVE mine. :)

I take this recipe with me whenever we're invited to a BBQ or picnic and the host asks us to bring "a salad". The main reason I bring it - so I can eat it! But the compliments I always get are pretty nice too.

My Uncle Lee, at a family picnic, once declared this "the best potato salad EVER", so that's been the recipe's title ever since. (I happen to agree with my Uncle Lee!)

Another Potato Salad recipe from this blog that is Janis' favorite can be found here.

http://dinnertimeideas.blogspot.com/2010/06/4th-of-july-salads.html

Enjoy!

The Best Potato Salad EVER

2 pounds (approx) red potatoes (or Yukon Gold) - washed, cubed & boiled until tender

4 hard boiled eggs, diced

1/2 cup red onion, chopped (about 1 medium onion or 1/2 large)

1 - 1 1/2 cups celery, chopped (2-4 stalks - I like more, my hubby likes less)

1 cup + 1 Tblsp. mayonnaise (not Miracle Whip!!)

1 Tblsp. white vinegar

1 Tblsp. yellow mustard

salt & pepper to taste

Place eggs in a saucepan, cover with cold water and bring to a rolling boil. Remove from heat & set aside (don't drain!), lid on, for 20 minutes. Drain, run cold water over cooked eggs for 1 minute. Move eggs to a towel or rack to cool.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Wash & dice about 2 lbs. red potatoes or Yukon Gold potatoes.

Dump diced potatoes into boiling water (watch out for splashes - ouch!). Cook until fork-tender. Drain & set aside to cool.

Wash & dice celery stalks. Dice red onion. Place both in a medium-sized bowl. Add mayonnaise, mustard, & vinegar.

Stir well to combine. (Cover bowl with plastic wrap & place in the refrigerator if your potatoes & eggs aren't cooled yet. You can prepare the onion/celery/mayo mixture the night before, if you want)

Dice the cooled eggs & add to cooled potatoes in a serving bowl. Sprinkle on about 1/2 tsp. pepper & 1/2 tsp. salt. (You might add it plus more later, after you've mixed everything. It's to taste so it's up to you.)

Pour celery/onion/mayo mixture over the potatoes & eggs. Mix well, until all the potatoes are covered with the mayo mixture.

Taste. (YUMM!!!) Add salt/pepper, if desired.

EAT! :)

NOTE: This is even better if it can sit in the fridge for a few hours before you serve it. You can top it with sliced hard-boiled eggs & paprika for "prettiness", but they're definitely not necessary.

Cheesy Garlic Drop Biscuits

I could easily eat an entire batch of these - YUMMM!!! They were perfect paired with our Grilled Steak Salad last night (recipe below). I got this recipe from a magazine at least 10 years ago. I think it was Family Circle??....

A quick stir, bake for 10 minutes, and they're ready to go.

Cheesy Garlic Drop Biscuits
Makes 10 biscuits

2 cups baking mix (I used Heart Healthy Bisquick)
2/3 cup milk
1/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
2 Tbsps melted butter or margarine
1/8 tsp garlic powder

• Preheat oven to 450*F.


• Stir baking mix, milk & cheese until soft dough forms. (I had to add about 2 Tbsps more milk to my dough.)


• Drop by 10 spoonfuls onto lightly greased cookie sheet.


• Bake 8-10 minutes or until golden brown.


• Stir together melted butter/margarine & garlic powder; brush over warm biscuits.

I dare you to eat just one...

Grilled Steak Salad

This one is a no-brainer - steak, hot off the grill, a lucious salad & Cheesy Garlic Drop Biscuits (recipe above). YUMMM!!!

I got New York strip steaks on sale at the grocery store in a value-pak of 4 steaks - just $13.96 for the 4-pack - and I always have salad greens on-hand in my fridge. Watch for steak on sale & take advantage of a great deal for this yummy summer dinner.

It's a perfect summer meal that's healthy too, ready in under 20 minutes.

Grilled Steak Salad
Serves 6

4 New York strip steaks, about 3 lbs
Montreal Steak seasoning
1 lb. pre-packaged salad greens (I used a "spring greens" mix)
2 green onions, chopped
2 radishes, sliced thinly
1 carrot, shredded or julienned (I used pre-packaged shredded carrots)
1/4 cup glazed walnuts
1/4 cup shredded mozzarella (or monterey jack or colby)
1/2 cucumber, chopped
1 tomato, chopped
2 Tbsps roasted, salted, shelled sunflower seeds

• 1/2 hour before grilling, place steaks, in packaging, on kitchen counter to warm up a bit.



• Heat grill to 400*F.



• Place steaks on hot grill to sear. (Once they're down, don't move them until you're going to turn them!)



• Turn heat down to medium.



• Cook steaks for 8 minutes.



• Turn steaks & grill for 4 minutes more.



• Remove from grill to a platter. Cover loosely with foil. Allow steaks to rest for 5 minutes.



• Slice steaks against the grain & return to platter.



• Serve a few strips per person over salad.

While steaks are grilling, assemble your salad. We used the ingredients noted above, but you can build your green salad to match your family's tastes.

We used ranch dressing on our salad 'cause that's what we like best. Your favorite dressing or a squeeze of lemon plus a drizzle of olive oil would be delicious too.

Don't forget the cheesy garlic biscuits! Recipe shown above.

Enjoy!!

Turkey & Bacon Sliders

I was browsing my favorite blogs the other day & I came across THESE on The Pioneer Woman's website. Holy moly. They looked SO good, I had to make some sliders ASAP!!

Hers are beef, wrapped in bacon & baked on a broiler pan. It was a warm day & I didn't want to turn on my oven so I just cooked the turkey patties on my stove-top grill pan and cooked the bacon in the microwave. (Do you have the Presto Microwave Bacon cooker?? You should!)

We shucked some corn & cooked it up, and sliced some ice-cold watermelon too. It felt & looked like Summer on a plate.

Enjoy! :)

Turkey & Bacon Sliders
Serves 6

2 lbs ground turkey
1 16oz pkg bacon, cooked & set aside (you can snap these in half to make it easier to place them on the sliders, if you want)
6 slices cheese, cut in half (white American, Provolone, Swiss, Pepper Jack, etc)
Emeril's Original Essence (or your favorite spice blend for burgers)
12 whole wheat dinner rolls

Toppings:
red onion, sliced very thin
lettuce
sliced tomato
1000 Island dressing (or ketchup, if you're my kids)

1. Shape ground turkey into patties about the size of your palm. Don't overwork the meat - just lightly shape them & then leave them alone.



2. Sprinkle with Emeril's seasonings (or your favorite). Don't work the seasoning into the ground turkey. This overworks the meat & makes your turkey patties dry. Just sprinkle it on the outside.



3. Place on grill over medium-high heat. Cook about 4 minutes each side, depending upon thickness. Make sure they're cooked through - No pink inside turkey burgers!!



4. Just before they're done cooking on the second side, lay 2 pieces of cooked bacon on top. Lay a half-slice of cheese over the bacon. The cheese will melt down & get all yummy & gooey. It also keeps the bacon in place.



5. Slice 12 dinner rolls in half. Place a turkey patty w/cheese on each roll's bottom half.



6. Build your slider with your favorite toppings. Serve & enjoy!

You can always make these with a different ground meat. Beef or lamb would be yummy! Experiment with seasonings & flavors: Greek with the ground lamb, or add some BBQ to beef-bacon sliders.

Blender Wheat Pancakes

To continue with the class on using your wheat. Here is another recipe that is good.

Blender Wheat Pancakes
http://www.everydayfoodstorage.net/
1 cup milk
1 cup whole wheat kernels. ( I used winter white wheat, not red)
2 eggs
2 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 tsp salt
2 TB oil
2 TB honey or sugar

Add milk and wheat kernels into the blender. Blend for 4-5 minutes until smooth. Add eggs, oil, baking powder, salt, and honey or sugar. Blend on low for about 1 minute. Cook on griddle. Enjoy!


OR from the gal Sue who taught the class, this is her recipe. I need to try this one and see the difference.


Blender Wheat Pancakes
1 1/2 cups milk
1 cup raw wheat kernels
*Blend in blender on high speed for about 4 minutes.

Add:
2 eggs
2 TB brown sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsp baking powder
*Blend for another minute. Optional. Let batter sit for a few minutes for wheat to absorb liquid. Blend again quickly. Cook pancakes on griddle.

Crepes

This is a recipe for Crepes that I learned at a class at church on "Using Wheat"

It tastes just like regular crepes. It is FANTASTIC!

Place in a blender and blend at highest speed for 3-5 minutes:
1 cup milk
1/2 cup WHOLE kernal wheat (I use winter white wheat verses red) You could also use Kamut, or oat groats

Add these ingredients and blend briefly:
1 TB melted butter
1 TB sugar
1/4 tsp salt

Add and continue blending for about 2 minutes:
2 eggs

Pour 1/4 cup into griddle for each Crepe. Cook for about 2 minutes on first side and then flip and cook for another 30 seconds.

You will be amazed.

**My mom used to fill crepes with honey sweetened cottage cheese and then folds them over and places a dallop of sour cream on top with strawberries.

How do you guys eat your Crepes??

Sweet & Sour Sauce for Chicken

**This is a sweet & sour sauce my mom made growing up that everyone loved. It was used with a breaded chicken that was cooked in the oven. I used it with meatballs, so I revamped it a little to use with meatballs. It seemed too sweet without being baked in oven with the chicken. I am going to give 2 recipes. One is my moms original, and another is this recipe re-vamped **

Moms Original Sweet & Sour

1 cup pineapple juice

1/4 cup ketchup

1 tsp salt

1 1/2 cups sugar

1/8 cup vinegar

Mix all ingredients together and pour over chicken .... see below

Chicken

1/2 cup flour

1/2 cup corn starch

1 tsp garlic salt

2-3 eggs

Chicken drumsticks and wings

In a bowl, place eggs and beat well. In a large baggie, mix together the flour, cornstarch and garlic salt.

Dip the chicken in the egg mixture, then shake the chicken in the flour mixture. Lay out on a jelly roll pan. Pour the sweet n sour mixture over the chicken. Bake at 350" for 45-60 minutes.

**Sweet & Sour sauce re-vamped*****

1 1/4 cup pineapple juice

3 TB vinegar

3/4 cup sugar

1/3 cup brown sugar

1 1/2 TB soy sauce

1/2 tsp salt

1/8 cup ketchup

3TB flour

Add all ingredients in a saucepan and whisk until thickened. Serve over rice with meatballs or chicken.

Peanut Butter Cookies

**This recipe came from either my friend Rachel or Erin....Cant remember. :( The thing I do know for sure is that they are good!**

Peanut Butter Cookies

1 cup butter
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup peanut butter
2 cups quick oats
1 ¼ cup flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
¼ tsp salt

Cream together butter, sugar and brown sugar. Add eggs, vanilla, and peanut butter. Mix until it is all incorporated.

In a separate bowl add oats, flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Mix together in bowl.

Slowly mix in to creamed mixture.

Drop by spoonfuls onto baking sheet.

Bake 350 degrees for 12-15 minutes.

French Dip Sandwiches tonight!

We're having these YUMMY sandwiches tonight! (originally posted here in March 2011)

Love that I can get the roast in the crock pot in the morning & have dinner done. It's busy-busy around here as the school year is ending. Prepare-ahead meals are a must for our little family right now.

French Dip Sandwiches with Au Jus

Enjoy!!

Sorry! I've been slacking!

It's been busy around here lately and I've been slacking off on the blog! Sorry about that!

We've been going back to our family favorites - our "go to" meals. Like breakfast for dinner, tacos & burritos, or favorite casseroles.

What are your family favorites? Your "go to" meals?

I'll be back soon with some yummy new recipes!

Thanks -

Here are some links to some of our "go to" meal ideas:

Breakfast ideas

Tacos & burritos

Favorite casseroles: here and here and here

Chocolate Chip Croissants

Y.U.M.


Warm & gooey, buttery & flaky - these are truly dangerous! And SUPER easy!

Whipped some up for the kids as they came home from school. We liked them so much, I made some more after dinner. They were gone in a flash!

Enjoy!!




Chocolate Chip Croissants

1 pkg (8 count) refrigerated ready-to-bake crescent rolls
Chocolate chips
Clear sugar sprinkles, if desired

• Preheat oven to 375*F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper or spray with cooking spray.




• Open & unroll all 8 crescent rolls. Place 10-15 chocolate chips on the widest part of the dough triangle. Carefully roll up crescent roll, rolling from widest part to tip. (see picture above)




• You can sprinkle these with candied sugar before baking, if desired. There's no taste difference, but they're pretty. :)

• Place about 2 inches apart on baking sheet.




• Bake 12-14 minutes, until golden brown.




• Let sit on baking sheet for 1-2 minutes after baking to allow the chocolate to fully melt.




• Serve warm.
  

Tortellini Spinach Bake in Creamy Lemon Sauce (by Our Best Bites)

Made this recipe last night - found it on www.ourbestbites.com - LOVED it!!

I changed a couple of things just because I didn't have exactly what they called for, but I doubt they made a difference in the taste. Delicious!!

I think you could use the sauce from this recipe over any pasta, not just tortellini. It would be great over angel hair (vermicelli) or rotini as a side dish.

I'm also wondering if I could substitute broccoli for the spinach... I'll have to try that later & let you know.

Enjoy!!


Tortellini Spinach Bake in Creamy Lemon Sauce
Recipe by Our Best Bites
Serves 4-6

12 oz bag Barilla Cheese & Spinach Tortellini (in the dry pasta aisle)
4 oz bacon or pancetta (about 4 strips of bacon)**
3 cloves garlic, pressed in a garlic press or finely minced
2 Tbsp flour
2 cups milk
3/4 tsp kosher salt
1/8 tsp black pepper
1 1/2 tsp dry basil
1/4 tsp red pepper (1/2 tsp or more if you like spicy)
1 medium lemon, zest & juice
2 cups loosely packed fresh spinach, roughly chopped
3/4 cup grated mozzarella cheese, divided
3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided

• Preheat oven to 350*F. Cook tortellini in large stock pot according to package directions.


• Meanwhile, cook bacon in a medium-sized skillet at medium-high heat. Cook until crisp. Remove bacon from pan & set on paper towels to drain. Crumble when cooled. Reserve 2 Tbsps bacon drippings in pan & discard the rest.


• Add garlic to pan & cook until fragrant & tender, about 1 minute. Add flour to pan & stir with whisk for about 1 minute. Slowly add milk & continue to stir with whisk until smooth. Add salt, pepper, basil & red pepper flakes. Bring sauce to a simmer.


• Zest lemon, then cut in half & juice. Add 2 tsps zest and 1 Tbsp lemon juice to sauce. Continue to stir until thickened, 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat.


• Drain tortellini when finished cooking & place back in stock pot. Reserve 1 Tbsp of cooked bacon & add the rest to the pasta. Add spinach, 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese & 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese. Add sauce. Gently stir to combine.


• Place pasta mixture in an 8x8" or 9x9" baking dish. Top with remaining 1/4 cup mozzarella & 1/4 cup Parmesan cheeses. Sprinkle with remaining crumbled bacon.


• Cover pan with foil. Bake for 20 minutes. Remove foil & bake for another 5-10 minutes, until cheese on top is melted & pasta is bubbly througout.


• Remove from oven & cool for 10 minutes before serving.

** For a vegetarian meal, omit the bacon. Replace the 2 Tbsps reserved bacon drippings with olive oil.

MY CHANGES:

I used refrigerated, pre-prepared tortellini from Costco.

I used dried Italian seasonings instead of dried basil.

I left out the red pepper flakes completely.

I also completely forgot to let it sit for 10 minute after baking. It was delicious anyway!

Easy Potato & Bacon Breakfast Casserole (Our Best Bites)

SUPER yummm!!! Have you seen this over at Our Best Bites?!?

Perfect recipe to send to hubby to make for Mother's Day. Also a good idea for dinner on a busy day. Make it in the morning, let it sit in the fridge, & pop it in the oven at the end of the day.

I can't wait to make this - I'll let you know how it goes...