Category Archives: Definitely Making it Again

January 16, 2012 · 8:19 am

Lemony Green Beans

We eat a LOT of salad around here because it’s the only veggie that everyone in our house will eat without a whole lotta crying and whining. Last week our oldest was begging for a different veggie, so he was very happy to find these on his plate last night.

Ingredients:
1 lemon
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
3/4 lb green beans, trimmed (frozen or fresh)

Instructions:
Zest the lemon into a large bowl using a fine grater or zester. Cut the lemon in half and squeeze in the juice from one half. Add in the extra virgin olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Mix well.

Put a pan of water on to boil. Boil beans until tender. Drain well, then put the cooked beans into the bowl with your dressing and toss everything together, making sure all the beans get coated.

We had this with salmon, a baguette and fruit salad.

What did the family think? 3/4 of us liked them.

Where did this recipe come from? jamieoliver.com

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Filed under Definitely Making it Again, Easy, Side Dish, Six Ingredients or Less, Super Easy to Make, Vegetarian

January 13, 2012 · 12:40 pm

Super Easy Carrot Bread

This recipe was actually supposed to be a carrot cake, but cake implies there will be icing involved and in an effort to reduce the amount of sugar my children eat I decided to make it into carrot bread instead.

Ingredients:
2 c. flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 c. sugar
3/4 c. oil
1/2 cup applesauce
2 jars (jr. baby food) carrots
4 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla

Instructions:
Mix together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. Set aside.

Mix sugar and oil together. To this sugar and oil mixture add applesauce, carrots, eggs and vanilla. Mix thoroughly.

Add the dry ingredients and mix well. Bake in an ungreased standard-sized loaf pan for about 45 minutes (or until done) in a 350 degree oven.

What did the family think? Everyone who has had some so far loves it.

Did I change anything? I reduced the amount of sugar and oil. I also had run out of cinnamon so I used apple pie spice instead. It worked just fine. All of the changes I made are reflected in the recipe above except for the apple pie spice part.

Where did this recipe come from? Cooks.com

photo from Food People Want

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Filed under After School Snacks, Bread, Breakfast, Definitely Making it Again, Desserts, Easy, Everybody Ate It, Super Easy to Make, Vegetarian

January 12, 2012 · 12:31 pm

Homemade Maple Cinnamon Granola

I love making my own homemade granola. It’s great to eat like cereal and it’s a great addition to yogurt as well.

Ingredients:
3 cups oatmeal (uncooked)
1 cup chopped or slivered almonds
1 cup raisins
1 tablespoon vanilla
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1 cup pure maple syrup

Instructions:
Mix ingredients together in a large bowl. Transfer onto a large baking sheet sprayed with non-stick spray.

Bake at 325°F for 35 minutes (stirring once halfway through cooking time). Allow to cool completely on tray.

Store in airtight jars or containers.

What did the family think? I am the only granola eater in the family. I liked it. It was a lot crunchier than other granolas I have made.

Where did this recipe come from? Cooking on the Side

photo from thekitchn.com

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Filed under After School Snacks, Breakfast, Definitely Making it Again, Easy, Make Ahead of Time, Super Easy to Make, Vegetarian

January 5, 2012 · 8:40 am

Sausage and Broccolini Risotto

I love risotto and this looked like it might be a good dish for a chilly night, too. I am so glad we gave this a try. It was SO good and pretty easy too.

Ingredients:
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
1 bunch broccolini, roughly chopped (about 8 ounces)
12 ounces sweet Italian sausage, casings removed
1 1/2 tsp Italian seasoning
1/2 medium onion, finely chopped
1 medium carrot, finely chopped
1 cup arborio rice
1 clove garlic, minced
1/3 cup dry white wine
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 14-ounce can diced tomatoes
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.

Heat 1 tablespoon butter in a Dutch oven or ovenproof pot over high heat. Add the broccolini and stir-fry until just tender, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer to a plate using a slotted spoon. Add the sausage, Italian seasoning, onion and carrot to the pot and cook, breaking up the meat, until browned, about 5 more minutes. Add the rice and garlic and cook, stirring, 1 more minute.

Add the wine to the pot and cook until evaporated, about 2 minutes. Add the chicken broth, tomatoes and 1 cup water; cover and bring to a boil.

Transfer the pot to the oven and bake until the rice is tender, about 15 minutes.

Remove the pot from the oven. (Don’t worry if the risotto seems wet; it will thicken when you add the cheese.) Vigorously stir in the remaining 2 tablespoons butter and the cheese until creamy, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in the broccolini and divide among bowls.

Did I change anything? I added the Italian seasoning and I changed the cheese in the recipe from fontina to Parmesan.

What did the family think? Everybody ate it, even our youngest,even after he had spent a good 15 minutes telling us all the reasons why he couldn’t/shouldn’t/wouldn’t eat it.

Where did this recipe come from? Food Network

Photo from Food Network

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Filed under Definitely Making it Again, Everybody Ate It, Italian

January 2, 2012 · 10:11 am

Baked Spaghetti

The other day my good friend, Candy, had said that she was going to make baked spaghetti and chocolate chip cookies for dinner. That just sounded so good to me, so I went searching for a baked spaghetti recipe. This is an adapted version of Paula Deen’s baked spaghetti.

Ingredients:
4 cups pasta sauce
1 1/2 pounds ground beef, turkey or chicken
8 ounces uncooked angel hair pasta
1 cup grated cheddar
1 cup grated Monterey Jack

Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Cook the pasta according to the package directions.

Heat pasta sauce over medium heat in a medium sauce pan.

Crumble the ground beef in a large skillet. Cook over medium-high heat until fully cooked, with no pink color remaining. Drain the fat from the meat, and then add the ground beef to the sauce.

Cover the bottom of a 13 by 9 by 2-inch pan with sauce/meat mixture. Add a layer of pasta and then a little less than 1/2 of each cheese; repeat the layers, ending with the sauce. Bake in the oven for 30 minutes. Top the casserole with the remaining cheese, return it to the oven, and continue to cook until the cheese is melted and bubbly, about 5 more minutes.

Did I change anything? This recipe has been greatly simplified by using jarred pasta sauce.

What did the family think? They really liked it. I thought it might be a bit disappointing because I thought it might taste too much just like plain spaghetti, but it was different enough to be interesting.

Where did this recipe come from? adapted from Paula Deen

photo from about.com

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Filed under Definitely Making it Again, Easy, Everybody Ate It, Italian, Six Ingredients or Less, Super Easy to Make

January 1, 2012 · 11:39 am

New Year’s Morning Brunch Buttermilk Waffles

These were a great addition to our New Year’s morning brunch. They are crispy and buttery with just a hint of vanilla…so good!

Ingredients:
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 eggs
1 1/2 cups buttermilk (shake before pouring into measuring cup)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions:
Preheat waffle iron.

Melt the stick of butter in a heat-proof measuring cup. Set aside to cool. You might even want to stick it in the freezer of refrigerator to speed up the cooling process.

In a large batter bowl, measure out the flour, baking powder, baking soda, sugar and salt, stirring well to combine ingredients. Create a depression in the center of the dry ingredients for the buttermilk mixture.

Beat the eggs in a medium-sized mixing bowl until frothy and well-combined. Add the vanilla extract, buttermilk and cooled butter. Beat until well-combined.

Pour the buttermilk mixture into the dry ingredient’s depression and stir rapidly with a wooden spoon until well combined.

Using the wooden spoon, push 1/4 to 1/5 of the batter onto your waffle iron and bake until steam stops rising from the waffle iron or your personal degree of doneness is achieved.

What did the family think? Thumbs up!

Where did this recipe come from? Food. com

photo from Becoming Lola

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Filed under Breakfast, Definitely Making it Again, Everybody Ate It, Vegetarian

December 22, 2011 · 10:16 am

Crock Pot BBQ Brisket

This is the first brisket I have ever made and it turned out perfect! It was moist and flavorful and it was SO easy! The only trick is remembering to put it in your CrockPot in the morning because it has to cook for at least 9 hours. This would be perfect for a Christmas or New Year’s dinner, too. Happy eating!

Ingredients:
5 1/2 pounds beef brisket
1 3/4 cup barbecue sauce
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
2 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoons garlic salt
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard

Instructions:
Combine all ingredients, coating the brisket well. Marinate overnight.

Place brisket and marinade in in crock-pot on low for 9 to 10 hours.

Slice into thin strips, across the grain and serve on rolls or buns.

We had this with applesauce, creamed corn and 7-Up biscuits. We also had some extra BBQ sauce on the side for dipping.

Did I change anything? Well, I forgot to marinate it overnight. Oops. It still turned out perfect. We also didn’t have ours on rolls.

What did the family think? Husband and I thought it was FABULOUS. The kids were less impressed.

Where did this recipe come from? About.com

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Filed under Definitely Making it Again, Easy, Make Ahead of Time, Sandwich, Super Easy to Make

December 20, 2011 · 10:36 am

Crock Pot Apple Butter Pork Loin

Anything that has apple butter in it has got to be good and this is no exception.

Ingredients:
2 pound boneless pork loin roast
2 cups apple juice
1/2 cup apple butter
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons water
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

Ingredients:
Put pork loin in Crock Pot. Pour the rest of the ingredients on top of the pork loin and cook on high for 6 hours.

We had this served on potato buns with BBQ sauce with a green salad and fruit salad on the side. If I could do it over though, I would have added a little cornstarch and water to the broth that was left over from cooking and put it all in a saucepan to make some gravy to serve over mashed potatoes. Yum!

What did the family think? Everybody ate it! The kids just didn’t have it with the BBQ sauce.

Where did this recipe come from? Allrecipes.com

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Filed under Definitely Making it Again, Easy, Everybody Ate It, Pork, Super Easy to Make

December 19, 2011 · 11:40 am

Red Velvet Cheesecake Cookies

This is the only recipe on this whole blog that I have not personally tasted, but it didn’t make a ton of cookies and I was making them for the teachers at the kids’ school. So I just crossed my fingers and hoped they were good. They must have been because my cookie tray was returned to me with a post-it on it that said “Delicious!”. Not only are they delicious, but they are also very festive since they’re red.

Ingredients:
For the cookies:
1 box red velvet cake mix
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 large eggs
1/2 cup canola oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the cheesecake filling:
4 oz cream cheese, at room temperature
2 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the white chocolate drizzle:
1 1/2 cups white chocolate chips, melted

Instructions:
To make cookies, in a large bowl combine cake mix and flour. Whisk until clumps disappear. In the bowl of a stand mixer, mix together cake mix, flour, eggs, oil and vanilla extract. Mix until smooth. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap. The dough will be oily. Refrigerate for at least two hours.

While the dough is in the frig, make the cheesecake filling since it needs to hang out in the freezer for a while. To make the cheesecake filling, using a mixer, combine cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract. Mix until smooth. Using a teaspoon, scoop out cheesecake filling and place on a plate. Continue scooping out cheesecake filling into teaspoon balls until you have 10. Place plate in the freezer and freeze for at least two hours.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. To assemble the cookies, take about 1/4 cup of red velvet cookie dough and flatten in your hands. Place a teaspoon of cheesecake filling in the center and wrap the cookie dough around the filling. Gently roll into a ball and place on prepared baking sheet. Scoop onto lightly greased or parchment lined baking sheets. Only bake 3 cookies at a time. The cookies are large and will spread. Bake for 11-13 minutes or until the cookies begin to crackle. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes. Remove from baking sheet to a wire cooling rack and cool completely.

Melt the white chocolate chips in a microwave safe bowl or over a double-boiler. Drizzle the white chocolate over the cooled cookies. Let the cookies set until the chocolate hardens. Serve and enjoy!

Did I change anything? No, but take note that these cookies take a while to make. If I had read the whole recipe ahead of time I would have noticed that they have to sit for two hours before you can actually bake them.

What did the family think? No one here got to eat any, but the teachers thought they were great. 🙂

Where did this recipe come from? Two Peas and their Pod

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Filed under After School Snacks, Definitely Making it Again, Desserts, Everybody Ate It, Make Ahead of Time, Vegetarian

December 18, 2011 · 11:39 am

Cinnamon Apple Granola

Now that I’ve discovered that granola is actually very easy to make, I have been trying all kinds of different varieties and variations. I made this one yesterday and it turned out great.

Ingredients:
3 cups rolled oats
3/4 cup wheat germ
1/4 cup flax seed
2 medium apples , chopped
1 cup honey
1/4 cup oil
1 teaspoon nutmeg
2 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon

Instructions:
Heat oven to 350 degrees.

Line a 8×10 pan with aluminum foil and lightly oil.

In a large bowl, mix all ingredients thoroughly.

Evenly spread oat mixture on pan.

Bake 20 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes.

If you like crunchier granola, cook an extra 5 minutes.

Let cool and store in an airtight container.

Did I change anything? I added the wheat germ and the flax seed. Those can be left out if you don’t have them.

What did the family think? No one eat the granola in this house except me.

Where did this recipe come from? Adapted from a recipe from Food.com

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Filed under After School Snacks, Breakfast, Definitely Making it Again, Easy, Vegetarian