French Toast Sticks

My mom had the great idea of making a boatload of pancakes and french toast sticks and freezing them. This has been a lifesaver for me since she had to go home and leave me to fare in the mornings with my newborn and toddler. My son loves these and it has been so great to be able to pop a few in the microwave and run out the door when we are running late. I know you can easily buy these at the store but I like knowing exactly what's in them, plus saving money is always nice. 

Ingredients:
1 loaf of Texas toast
8 eggs
2/3 cups granulated sugar
1/3 cup heavy whipping cream
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon 
Butter 


Directions:

Heat a griddle to medium or around 350 degrees F.

Beat the eggs, vanilla, sugar, cream and cinnamon in a large bowl. 

Cut the Texas toast into fourths. 

Dip enough of the bread pieces into the egg mixture to cover the pan while leaving about in inch between sticks.

Consider not submerging the tips of the sticks in the mixture since that portion will not be grilled directly on the pan. 

Butter the grill and grill each side of the sticks until golden brown.

Place cooked sticks on a cookie sheet and allow to cool completely at room temperature. 

(Only place 1 layer of sticks on the sheet)

Place the uncovered cookie sheet in the freezer. Allow the sticks to freeze completely. Place sticks in a large freezer bag. Best to enjoy within a month.

Chicken Tortilla Soup

This is a great recipe that I got off the website skinnytaste.com. The website was recommended to me by my friend Jemma. Thanks Jemma! I usually don't like low-fat dishes but this one was filled with flavor. I also added freshly fried tortilla strips and fresh avocado. It is very filling and can be served as a meal or as a starter (much smaller portion). I ended up adding 3 tsps of chipotle pepper to give it an extra kick. If you want a guilt-free and delicious soup to try, this is it!


Ingredients:


2 teaspoons olive oil
1/2 cup onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
3 cups low sodium fat-free chicken broth
8 ounce can tomato sauce
2 teaspoon chipotle chile in adobo sauce (more or less to taste)
1/2 cup chopped cilantro (plus more for garnish)
15 ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained
2 cups frozen corn
14.5 ounce can petite diced tomatoes
1 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
2 8 ounce skinless chicken breasts 
1/4 cup chopped scallions, for topping
3/4 cup shredded reduced fat cheddar cheese
sour cream, for topping (optional)
sliced avocado, for topping (optional)
tortilla strips, for topping (optional)


Yields 6 meal sized servings


Time: 10 minutes prep and 4-6 hours cook time (crock-pot)


Directions:

Heat oil in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Add onion and saute until soft, about 3 minutes. Add garlic and saute for 30 seconds.

 Add chicken broth, tomato sauce, and chipotle adobo sauce and bring to a boil. 

Add cilantro and remove from heat.

To crock-pot add beans, tomatoes, corn, cumin, oregano and stir. 

Pour in chicken broth mixture. Add chicken. Cover and cook on low heat for 4-6 hours. 

Remove chicken and shred with two forks. Add chicken back into soup. 

Adjust salt and cumin levels to taste. 

Serve with low-fat sour cream, cheese, scallions and cilantro. You can also add avocado and tortilla strips. Yummy!

Sugar Cookie Recipe

This post is a little late since Christmas is over but I thought I would share it anyway. This was my first attempt at making sugar cookies and it was a bit more difficult than I thought it would be. I was happy when they turned out well. The dough was dry and cracked, making it hard to roll out. After they baked they looked like normal. They were buttery, crunchy and only slightly sweet. They tasted great after we frosted them up. I liked them so much that I ate the majority of them before I took a picture of them. That's why only two are pictured after we frosted them. :)

Ingredients:

2 & 1/4 cups of unbleached all-purpose flour

3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, cold and cut into 1/2 inch pieces

2 large egg yolks

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Yields about 2 dozen cookies

Time: 45 minutes prep (which includes 30 minutes of chilling) and 20 minutes cook time.

Directions:

Place 3/4 cup of the sugar, flour and salt in a bowl. Mix with hand mixer to blend ingredients.

Add butter and mix on low until butter is broken in tiny pieces, about 2 to 3 minutes.

 Turn mixer on medium and mix until small clumps are about the size of peas, about 2 to 3 minutes. 

In a small bowl whisk together egg yolks and vanilla.

Add egg mixture to the butter mixture and blend on medium-low until dough comes together in large clumps. Using your hands knead dough until it comes completely together. Divide dough into half. 

Form dough into disks and cover tightly in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

You can chill in the refrigerator for up to 3 days and freeze for up to 2 months before using.

Place one disk of dough between two sheets of parchment paper and roll until 1/8 inch thick. If dough cracks it is too cold and needs to warm up a bit (although my dough continued to crack even after it was room temperature). If the parchment paper wrinkles while rolling it out, make sure to smooth out the wrinkles before continuing to roll it out. 

Use cookie cutters to cut the dough into desired shapes and transfer to a parchment lined cookie sheet, spacing the cookies 1 1/2 inches apart from one another. Scrapes of dough can be gently kneaded and re-rolled until all the dough is used. Be careful though because the more you work the dough the tougher the cookies will be. 

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F and place oven rack in the center. Before putting cookies in oven sprinkle them with the remaining sugar (if desired). Bake one pan at a time, rotating the sheet halfway through cooking. Cook anywhere from 8-13 minutes, or until light golden brown. 

Transfer to wire cooling rack and cool completely. Decorate as desired.

There is no extra sugar on top of these cookies.

Cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week. 

The Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe

When I was pregnant with my son I loved eating chocolate chip cookies. My favorite were the Pillsbury ones you get in the refrigerator section at the store. I was sooo sad to find out that they contain trans fats. I tried the natural alternatives but they just didn't taste the same. Thus I began my mission. I must have tried a dozen different combinations to figure out they best chocolate chip cookie recipe to suite my tastes. The one listed below is what I came up with. I figured out that not only are the quality of ingredients and proportions important but a couple other tricks really help make the perfect cookie. You will have to read the rest of the post to find out what those tricks are. :) I have had almost everyone who has tried these cookies ask for the recipe. I have also had someone ask me to bake them for a party they were throwing and another person ask me to bake them for their daughter's bake sale. Give them a try and let me know how they turn out for you.


Ingredients:


2 & 1/4 cups bread flour or unbleached all-purpose flour
1 cup salted butter (good quality), melted
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 cup granulated sugar (or baker's sugar)
3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
1 large egg, 1 egg yolk
2 tablespoons milk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
12 ounces semisweet chocolate chips (good quality, like Ghirardelli)

*This recipe makes  soft and chewy cookie (pictured above), if you want more of a crunchy Chips Ahoy type cookie (pictured at the bottom of post), half the butter, reduce the flour to 2 cups and add 1/2 teaspoon of salt to the dry ingredients!


Yields 2 dozen cookies


Time: 1 hour & 10 minute prep (an hour in chilling in the fridge) and 30 minute cook time


Directions:

Melt butter, set aside. In a medium bowl mix flour, salt and baking soda.

In a large bowl mix butter and sugar with an electric mixer until creamy and even in consistency.

Slowly add eggs, vanilla and milk to the creamed mixture. Mix with mixer for about 30 seconds. Add dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Mix well. Fold in chocolate chips.

Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, up to overnight.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line cookie sheet with parchment paper and place a generous dollop of cookie dough about 1 1/2 inches apart.

Bake for 6 minutes, then turn baking sheet to ensure even baking. Bake for an additional 5-7 minutes. Keep an eye on the cookies because they can burn easily. You want the sides to be be golden brown and the tops to not appear "wet".

Place cookies with parchment paper on a wire cooling rack. These cookies are best served fresh and slightly warm. 

Tricks I have learned....

• Only use top quality butter (never use margarine) and chocolate chips.
• Make sure the cookie dough is cold when you put it on the pan. It keeps the cookies from becoming flat.
• Always use a silicon baking mat or parchment paper to keep cookies from sticking to baking sheet. 
• Always turn cookie sheet halfway through cooking to make sure they cook evenly.
• Use a small ice cream scoop to place dough on cookie sheet so they will be the same size and shape (I didn't do this to the cookies pictured above).
• If using a baking stone- Place stone in oven while it is preheating. Place cookie dough on parchment paper on the counter and then place that directly on the hot stone. 

If using a stand mixer- Place butter and sugar in mixing bowl. Using the paddle attachment mix on medium speed, about 2 minutes.While still mixing add vanilla, eggs and milk. When well incorporated mix in salt, baking soda and flour. Mix until blended then turn the speed down to stir. Add chocolate chips and mix for an additional 15 seconds. 

Zesty Pizza Sauce Recipe

When I first mixed this sauce I thought that the flavors were very overpowering. The taste of raw garlic numbed my mouth. However, after baking it on the pizza it came out great. It had a very nice flavor and added a lot of depth to the combination of the crust and toppings. I recommend giving this a try. If anyone has another great recipe for pizza sauce please leave a comment and share it with me. I am always on the look out for the perfect recipe. :)


Ingredients:


1 (6 ounce) can of tomato paste
6 ounces of warm water
3 tablespoons of freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon minced garlic
2 tablespoons honey
3/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon dried marjoram
1/4 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/8 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes
Salt to taste


Yields: Sauce for 1 large pizza


Directions:

Mix all ingredients in bowl. Let sit for at least 30 minutes to let flavors mix together. Serve.

Homemade Alfredo Sauce Recipe

My all time favorite pasta sauce is Alfredo. Sometimes when I go to Olive Garden all I want is the Alfredo sauce and bread sticks. This is a great recipe. It is flavorful and light. I usually make a large batch and freeze some for later. It turns out just as fresh and tasty when it is reheated.


Ingredients:


6 tablespoons of butter
2 cups of heavy whipping cream
2 garlic cloves, minced
pinch of nutmeg
salt to taste
1/2 cup of freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for garnish
1/2 cup of freshly grated Romano cheese
2 egg yolks


Yields 4 servings


Time: 5 minute prep and 10 minute cook time.


Recipe:

Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add minced garlic and saute for 30 seconds to 1 minute.

 Add cream, stirring constantly with whisk. Stir in nutmeg, salt and cheeses. Whisk constantly until melted.

 Temper yolks by adding a 1/2 cup of sauce to a small bowl then add eggs and mix. Return egg mixture to the rest of the sauce.

 Simmer over medium heat for 3 to 5 minutes. Garnish with Parmesan cheese. 

To store, wait for the sauce to cool completely and store in airtight container. Can be refrigerated or frozen very well. To reheat from fridge simply place in saucepan and whisk constantly over medium low heat. To reheat from frozen let defrost on counter then follow the directions above. If the sauce starts to separate just whisk vigorously until it comes back together. 

Best Tasting Homemade Lasagna Recipe Ever

This is an updated pic from 11/1/11- after making the changes listed below.

Update: 11/2/11- I made this again and technically it was exactly how I wanted it to be. The cheese-to-sauce-to-pasta ratio was great. It had great body and was very soft and moist. However, the taste was different. This time I used pre-shredded cheeses and generic tomato products. I have to tell you that these changes completely altered the taste of the lasagna. It was still good and my husband loved it, but just tasted like ordinary lasagna to me. If you are going to go through all the trouble of making this, you should really stick to quality ingredients. It makes the all the difference in the world.


This is by far the best tasting homemade lasagna I have ever had. Okay, I may be a little biased here since I made it, but I don't think so. Normally I don't like lasagna, so I  would never make one but my husband requested that I do. Like usual, I scoured the internet for recipes and advice on techniques on how to make it great. I settled on this recipe because I liked all the ingredients and because it had so many rave reviews. I got it off of allrecipes.com from John Chandler.


Right off the bat I changed a couple things. I added a little more cheese and switched from regular sweet Italian sausage to a sweet turkey Italian sausage. I used crushed tomatoes with basil instead of regular (because that's all they had all the store) and I also added a pinch of nutmeg to the cheese mixture. Besides that I kept everything the same. When making a recipe for the first time I really try not to mess with the ingredients too much because if it tastes "off" for some reason I won't really know why.


I highly recommend this lasagna recipe and don't even feel compelled to try another. Next time I make it I will make a few more adjustments. I am going to list the recipe exactly how I made it this time but before I do, I will list the suggestions I have to make it even better.

• Make sure the ground meat is broken up well so there aren't any large chunks.
• Start by adding only a little salt at a time, tasting each time  you do. It can get very salty, very fast.
• Increase the amount of cheese by at least 1/2 cup on all cheeses. 
• Shred the mozzarella instead of slicing it to make a more even layer. 
• Add at least 2 cups of sauce mixture on each layer. 
• Try to have at least 3 sauce layers.
• Make sure the last layer of noodles is covered with sauce.
• Top with a generous portion of cheeses.

Ingredients:

1 pound sweet turkey Italian sausage

3/4 pound lean ground beef

1/2 cup minced onion

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 (28 ounce) can of crushed tomatoes with basil

2 (6 ounce) cans of tomato paste

2 (6.5 ounce) cans of tomato sauce

1/2 cup of water

2 tablespoons of granulated sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons of dried basil leaves

1/2 teaspoon of fennel seeds

1 teaspoon of Italian Seasoning

1 tablespoon salt

1/4 teaspoon for fresh ground black pepper

4 tablespoons of fresh chopped parsley

12 lasagna noodles

16 ounces of ricotta cheese

1 egg 

a pinch of nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 pound of mozzarella cheese, sliced

1 cup of freshly grated aged Parmesan cheese 

Recipe:

In a large pot or Dutch Oven cook sausage, ground beef, onion and garlic over medium heat until well browned. Stir in crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, tomato sauce and water. Season with sugar, basil, fennel seeds, Italian seasoning 1 tablespoon of salt, pepper and 2 tablespoons of parsley. Cover and simmer for about 1 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally.  

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook lasagna noodles in boiling water for 8 to 10 minutes. Drain noodles and rinse with cold water.

In a mixing bowl combine ricotta cheese, egg, nutmeg, parsley and 1/2 teaspoons of salt.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees f. 

To make layers spread 1 1/2 cups of meat sauce in the bottom of a 9 x 13 baking dish. 

Arrange noodles lengthwise over meat sauce

 (I put one on the end too). 

Spread 1/2 of the ricotta cheese mixture on top of noodles. 

Top with a third of mozzarella cheese slices. 

Spread 1 1/2 cups of meat sauce over mozzarella then 1/3 cup of Parmesan cheese.

Repeat layers, making sure to top with remaining mozzarella and Parmesan cheese. 

Cover with non-stick foil or spray foil with non-stick cooking spray to prevent cheese from sticking to it. 

Bake in preheated oven for 25 minutes, remove foil and bake for an additional 25 minutes. Let cool 15 minutes before serving. 

It tastes even better reheated the next day!!

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Twice Baked Potatoes Recipe

Twice baked potatoes are amazing. Creamy, fluffy, salty and crunchy all at the same time. They go good with steak, chicken or with a side salad. They are very easy to make, and reheat well, even from frozen. Yesterday I made 10 potatoes worth so that I can freeze the leftovers and have them as a quick and delicious side dish anytime.


Ingredients:


10 russet potatoes (the potatoes I used were small so increase other ingredients accordingly depending on size of potatoes used)
1 8 ounce package of cream cheese
1/2 cup of butter
1 cup of sour cream
1/3 cup heaving whipping cream
1 1/2 cups of sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
1 cup thinly sliced green onions
1 1/2 cup crispy bacon (or roughly two packages), chopped 
2 garlic cloves, minced
Kosher salt 
Fresh ground pepper
Paprika


If you are feeling fancy try substituting crispy prosciutto for the bacon and diced chives instead of the green onions. This is a more gourmet version, just not cost effective. 


Recipe:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Place butter, cream cheese and sour cream on counter to soften.

Start by washing and scrubbing your potatoes. Let dry completely. Pierce with fork 2x's on each side. Rub with olive oil and generously sprinkle salt and pepper all over (a lot will come off when handling the potatoes later). Do not wrap in foil. 

Place potatoes on the center of the middle rack in oven. Put a cookie sheet underneath to catch the juices and salt that will fall off. Bake for 1 hour to 1 1/2 hours depending on oven.  Potatoes should be soft and indentations should remain after squeezing them. 

Let cool for several minutes (to make handling easier). Cut potatoes in half so they look like little canoes. Using a spoon scrape out the insides of the potato into a large bowl containing sour cream, cream cheese and half the butter. Leave enough potato on skin so that it doesn't fall apart. 

In a small saute pan melt remainder of butter and saute minced garlic for about 30 seconds. Add to the rest of the potato mixture. 

Mash potatoes using a masher or large spoon. Mix ingredients well. Add cream. Using a mixer, mix on low for 30 second to a minute to make the potatoes fluffy. There should still be some lumps. 

Whatever you do, DO NOT OVER MIX. This can quickly give your potatoes a glue-like texture because it releases too much starch. 

Mixture should be thick enough to stay on spoon when held upside down.

Add 1 cup bacon, 1 cup cheese and 2/3 cup of chives to potato mixture. Fold in gently. Using a spoon,  fill potato shells until they are level. Sprinkle the remainder cheese, chive and bacon on top.

Return to oven and bake for 20 minutes or until cheese is melted and they are slightly golden brown. Sprinkle with paprika and serve with ranch or sour cream.

Store in air tight container for up to three days. To freeze, wait until they are completely cool.  Place in freezer safe Tupperware, making sure to separate with wax paper if stacking. To reheat, use toaster oven or conventional oven on low heat (300 degrees F) for about 15-20 minutes.