Cheesy Potato Corn Chowder

Here's another warm and filling soup for these cold winter days.

Ingredients:

• 1 Tbsp. olive oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 stalks celery, finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 6 russet potatoes, chopped
• 1 cup frozen corn (or one can of corn)
• 6 cups vegetable broth
• 4 oz. sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
• 1/2 cup half and half
• salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Heat olive oil in large stockpot.  Add onions and celery and saute until soft, about 5 minutes.  Add garlic and cook for one more minute, until fragrant.  Stir in potatoes, broth, and corn.  Heat to a boil, then lower to medium heat and simmer until potatoes are fork tender.  Add cheese and half and half.  Stir until cheese is melted in.

The second time I made this soup, I forgot the corn.  It's still good, but I was trying to figure out why it didn't make quite as much as the first time!

Crockpot Chicken Pot Pie Stew

We have been enjoying this Southern Stew recipe for quite awhile, but as the kids have grown and started eating more, that recipe just wasn't filling enough for our whole family.  So I kept adding things to it to make it a more substantial meal, and came up with this version, which makes enough to feed our family of six plus leftovers.

Ingredients:

• 16-20oz. chicken breast, cut into small pieces
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 stalks celery, chopped
• 6 carrots, chopped
• 4 potatoes, chopped
• 1/2 cup frozen green beans
• 4 cups vegetable or chicken broth
• 1/2 cup frozen corn
• 1/2 cup frozen peas
• 1/2 cup half and half
• salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Combine all ingredients except corn, peas, and half and half in crockpot.  Cook on low 6-8 hours, until chicken is cooked and potatoes are soft.  Add corn, peas, and half and half for last half hour of cooking time.  Serve alone or with biscuits.

This stew is perfect for a cold winter day!

White Chocolate Treat Mix

When we visited my parents over Thanksgiving, my mom gave me some extra almond bark that she wasn't going to use.  I knew I wanted to make some sort of treat, and one that the girls could actually eat (although we'll probably still make some more of these!).

So we came up with a popcorn Chex mix that is easy to make and really tasty.

Ingredients:

• about 10 cups popped popcorn
• about 3 cups Chex cereal
• about 1/2 cup M&Ms or candy of your choice
• about 1/2 package almond bark, melted

Directions:

Mix the first three ingredients in a large bowl.  Dump almond bark on top and stir to coat.  Pour onto a parchment lined cookie sheet (or two) and let cool/harden.  

You'll notice all the ingredients are approximate.  This is what I used for this batch.  You could add in other things to this mix too.

• pretzels
• peanut butter chips
• any kind of nuts
• chocolate chips
• small candies like rolos or mini reeses

You'd need more almond bark depending on what and how much you add.  The possibilities are pretty endless though!  What would you put in your treat mix?

Broccoli Fried Rice

Happy 5 year blog-o-versary to me!  Quite a bit has changed in the last 5 years, and I hope you've enjoyed the ride so far!

We've already turned our favorite chicken fried rice into homemade takeout, so I wanted to try a veggie version.  I took the same recipe, but switched out chicken for broccoli.  It turned out pretty good, although the kids definitely preferred the chicken version.

Ingredients:

• 2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
• 2-3 carrots, finely chopped
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 eggs
• 4 cups cooked rice (I used about 1 1/3 cups dry brown rice)
• 5-6 Tbsp. soy sauce
• 1 cup frozen peas
• 1-2 cups frozen broccoli

Directions:

Heat olive oil over medium heat in large skillet.  Add carrots and onion, and saute until soft, about 5 minutes.  Add garlic and cook for 1 more minute.  Move veggies off to the side and scramble 2 eggs, stirring occasionally until cooked.  Mix into veggies and add remaining ingredients, stirring occasionally, until broccoli is cooked.

Recipe Redo: Grandma Winter's Zucchini Bread

I snapped a quick picture of this bread before I ate some for a snack, because it disappeared in under two days!  This is one of those recipes from my cute pink recipe box that Grandma Winter gave all the granddaughters one year for Christmas.  A lot of the recipes are fun to reminisce about, but not necessarily the type of foods we eat too often any more.  Still, when I'm looking for something particular, I can usually find a recipe to start with from Grandma.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup butter, melted
• 1/2 cup applesauce
• 1-1/2 cups sugar
• 3 eggs
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 2 cups grated zucchini
• 3/4 tsp. salt
• 2-1/2 cups flour
• 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp. ginger
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 2 tsp. baking powder

Directions:
Mix butter, applesauce, and sugar.  Add eggs and vanilla and stir to combine.  Add salt flour, cinnamon, ginger, baking soda, and baking powder.  Mix just to combine.  Fold in grated zucchini.  Bake in greased loaf pan at 350° for 50-60 minutes.

Polish Sausage Stew

Growing up, this was my "peanut butter sandwich" dinner.  Whenever my mom made this, I was allowed to have a peanut butter sandwich instead, because I could not stand it.  I'm not sure if this was a rule she instituted beforehand, or if I was just so stubborn about not eating it, but I loved the peanut butter sandwich rule.

My kids are young enough that I still make them eat everything once, but I have a feeling before too long, I'll let them pick one meal that is their "peanut butter sandwich" meal too.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 pound Polish or smoked sausage, cut into pieces
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 small head cabbage, chopped
• 3-4 potatoes, chopped (I used baby reds, but russets work well too)
• 4 cups chicken broth
• sprinkle of salt and pepper
• 1 Tbsp. vinegar (optional)*
• 1 tsp. caraway seeds (optional)

*I'm pretty sure the vinegar is part of what I disliked so much as a child, so I left that out.  Feel free to experiment with it though.  It does add a certain tang to the dish.

Directions:

Combine all ingredients in a large pot.  Simmer over medium heat until potatoes are tender.

Gluten-Free Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins

Here's another recipe that I switched from whole wheat flour to oat flour with success!  This is quickly becoming another morning favorite for breakfasts and snacking.  I don't remember where I got the original recipe, but I think it was from my mom, because these are one of my dad's favorites!

First, make your oat flour.  You need 3 cups of this (measured before grinding).  I've found it easiest to do this 1 cup at a time in my blender, but if you have a fancier blender or use a food processor, you could probably do more at a time.

Add the remaining ingredients (except chocolate chips) and mix just until combined.  If your butter is still warm, mix everything a little bit first and then add it in, so you don't end up scrambling your eggs (ask me how I know that one). Fold in chocolate chips.

Scoop into greased muffin tin, filling until almost full (because they don't have gluten to help them rise), and bake at 400°F for 18-22 minutes.  Let cool completely before removing from pans.  If you take them out while they're still warm, they're a crumbly mess, but if you let them cool, they're moist and delicious baked goods.

Gluten-Free Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins
(makes 24 muffins)

Ingredients:

• 3 cups old-fashioned oats, ground into flour, plus additional 1/2 cup oats (unground)
• 4 eggs
• 1-1/2 cups sugar
• 16 oz. pumpkin puree
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup melted butter
• 1/2 cup coconut oil (can replace 1/4 cup with applesauce)
• 2 tsp. baking soda
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• 2 tsp. cinnamon
• 1 tsp. salt
• 3/4 cup chocolate chips

Directions:

Grind oats using a blender or food processor.  Mix with remaining ingredients (except chocolate chips) until combined.  Fold in chocolate chips.  Scoop into greased muffin tins, filling until almost full, and bake at 400°F for 18-22 minutes. Let cool completely before removing from pans.

Homemade Takeout: A Simple Dinner Recipe

Homemade Takeout 

(serves 4-6)

For a long time, Jesse and I have enjoyed getting Chinese takeout for a quick and easy dinner.  But eating out, even for just the two of us, adds up quickly.  Add in the kids and you're talking a lot of money for what is truly a simple dish.  Last week, I decided to see if I could recreate one of our restaurant favorites at home.  With a little prep ahead of time, this dinner came together quickly and easily!

Ingredients:

• 1 cup chicken, cooked and shredded ahead of time
• 4 cups cooked rice (I used about 1-1/3 cups dry brown rice)
• 2-3 carrots, finely chopped
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 eggs
• 4-6 Tbsp. soy sauce
• 1 cup frozen peas*

*You could also use a frozen peas and carrots mix and just skip cutting up the carrots yourself.

Directions:

Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large skillet.  Add the carrots and onions, and saute until starting to soften, about 5 minutes.  Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute.  Move the veggies off to the side, and scramble the 2 eggs.  Once the eggs are cooked, add the remaining ingredients, and stir everything to coat with the soy sauce.  Cook on medium low until everything is heated through.

Black Bean Burgers

This recipe has moved! Find it here: http://findinghomeblog.com/recipe-black-bean-burgers

Homemade Rice-a-Roni: Garlic Butter Rice

This is a quick and easy side dish that pairs well with many flavors.  With a simple list of ingredients, it comes together quickly to fill out the meal!

Ingredients:

• 2/3 cup dry brown rice
• 3 cups chicken broth
• 2-3 cups water
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 Tbsp. unsalted butter
• 1 tsp. salt (optional)

Directions:

Combine rice, broth, 2 cups water, and garlic cloves in large pot.  If using homemade chicken broth, add 1 tsp. salt.  Cook as directed on rice package, adding additional water if needed.  Once rice is tender, remove from heat and let stand for 5-10 minutes to soak up any remaining liquid.  Add butter and stir to mix in.  Serves 4.

Recipe Revamp: Gluten Free Peanut Butter Banana Oat Muffins

As many of you know, Hannah has a food sensitivity to gluten.  Sadly for her, that meant for awhile that she didn't get to enjoy baked goods.  As I've grown more comfortable experimenting in the kitchen, I've been able to find recipes or adapt them so that they are gluten free.  I'm so happy, because a life without muffins is just not quite complete.  I love baked goods. Tell me I'm not alone there!

Before Hannah's gluten issues, this Peanut Butter Banana Oatmeal Muffin recipe was one of our favorites.  Way back when this Zucchini Apple Carrot Bread/Muffin recipe was posted, I attempted to make them with all oat flour.  It worked!  Since then I've tried the all-oat-flour method with a few other recipes as well, with mixed results.  This Chocolate Banana one was the latest, and I think it was amazing! Definitely my new favorite.  But I digress...

For now, here's the Peanut Butter Banana Oatmeal Muffin recipe revamp, using all oat flour.

Ingredients:

• 1-1/2 cups oat flour, made by grinding oats in a blender
• 1-1/4 cups unground oats*
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 2 Tbsp. coconut oil or applesauce
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 2-3 bananas, broken into small pieces or mashed
• 6 Tbsp. peanut butter
• 1 cup milk

*Grinding 1 cup of oats yields slightly less than 1 cup of oat flour.  To make up for that, and to help hold everything together, I add an additional 3-4 Tbsp. of unground oats for each cup of oat flour. The original recipe calls for 1 cup of oats, so I added an additional 1/4 cup in this case.  

Directions:

Add all ingredients to mixer.  If you are opposed to banana chunks and want the bananas to disappear into the batter, mash those up first.  Otherwise, mixing them with the rest of the batter is fine. 

 Mix on medium until all ingredients are combined and bananas are mostly mashed.

Scoop into greased muffin pan.  Since these don't have the gluten to help them rise, fill them nearly to the top.  They won't expand too much.

Bake at 350F for 20 minutes.  You may need an additional 2-5 minutes depending on your oven.  Mine heats a bit hot for the temperature it says, but my previous oven was a bit cooler.

Cool completely before removing from baking pan. This is the other key thing I've found when making all-oat muffins.  If you try to take them out while they're warm, they get really crumbly.  Once they cool off, it's a lot better.

For ease of recipe making, here's the recipe again:

Ingredients:

• 1-1/2 cups oat flour, made by grinding oats in a blender
• 1-1/4 cups unground oats
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 2 Tbsp. coconut oil or applesauce
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 2-3 bananas, broken into small pieces or mashed
• 6 Tbsp. peanut butter
• 1 cup milk

Directions:

Add all ingredients to mixer, mashing bananas ahead of time if you prefer.   Mix on medium until all ingredients are combined and bananas are mostly mashed. Scoop into greased muffin pan, filling nearly to the top. Bake at 350F for 20 minutes.  You may need an additional 2-5 minutes depending on your oven.  Cool completely before removing from baking pan.

This recipe makes 12-16 muffins, depending on the size of your pan.  I usually get 15 in mine.  I also usually double the recipe, because my family is to the point that we can finish off 12 muffins in one breakfast.  These freeze well and are great for snacks also!

Jonah's Soup

A couple weeks ago, we had Matthew's Soup for dinner.  Jonah wanted a turn to pick as well, so this week we had Jonah's Soup.  He looks happy eating it, but this one actually didn't go over as well with the kids, although they all enjoyed the cheese on top.  Part of that may have been the texture of the shredded chicken, which they've sometimes had issues with.  I thought it was pretty tasty though!

Ingredients:

• 3 cups cooked shredded chicken
• 1 green pepper, chopped
• 1 onion, chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 8 oz. mushrooms, chopped
• 5 cups chicken or vegetable broth
• 1/2 cup dry brown rice 
• salt and pepper
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Directions:

Add all ingredients except cheese to large stockpot.  Heat to boiling, then lower to simmer for 30-40 minutes, until veggies are soft and rice is cooked.  Dish out into bowls, then top each with shredded mozzarella.

Recipe: Matthew's Soup

Earlier this week, we had Matthew's soup for dinner.  He came up with a list of ingredients, and I helped with the amounts.  It was similar to a few different soups we've had in the past, but the combination was all his idea, and he was very proud of the result.  Also, this kid doesn't always willingly eat all his veggies, and he gobbled down the whole bowl!  If that's not an argument for getting kids in the kitchen, I don't know what is.

Ingredients:

• 3 cups cooked shredded chicken
• 5 carrots, chopped
• 1 onion, chopped
• 8oz. mushrooms, chopped
• 1/3 cup barley
• 6 cups vegetable broth
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Mix all ingredients together in a large stock pot.  Heat to boiling, then lower to medium low heat and simmer about 40 minutes, until barley is cooked through and carrots are tender.

Crockpot Orange Chicken Recipe (Plus Bonus Easy Orange Marmalade!)

A few weeks ago, I made a small batch of orange marmalade with some extra oranges.  The problem with that is that even a small batch made 4 containers, and we don't eat something like orange marmalade often enough to use that up quickly.  (I didn't have any canning jars to can it and save it long-term).  So I wanted to find a recipe for orange chicken, ideally in the crockpot, and using the orange marmalade.

(Apologies for the not-so-stellar picture, but I almost forgot to even take one! Hopefully I'll remember next time and update)

The majority of the recipes I found on Pinterest using orange marmalade were chicken, marmalade, and a bottle of barbecue sauce.  I could have made homemade barbecue sauce and then done that one, but I wanted something easier with what I had on hand.  So I searched some more and combined a few common ingredients from other recipes. And if I do say so myself, it turned out really good!  Since we have two containers of marmalade left, it's safe to say we'll be having this again soon.

Ingredients:

• 20oz. chicken breast, cut up into small pieces
• 1 cup orange marmalade
• 1/3 cup soy sauce
• 1 tsp. ground ginger
• 1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes (I thought this was just the right amount of kick, but the kids thought it was too spicy, so next time I'll use 1/4 tsp. instead)
• 1 yellow pepper, chopped
• 1 onion, chopped

Directions:

Combine all ingredients in crockpot and cook on low 6-8 hours, until chicken is cooked through and veggies are soft.  Serve over rice.

Easy Orange Marmalade 

(makes about 1 cup per orange)

Directions: Thoroughly wash all oranges.  Cut off any yucky spots.  Puree oranges, peel and all, in a blender.  (My blender is pretty low-powered, so I had to halve mine and do one orange at a time).  Measure the amount of orange pulp you get.  Mix an equal amount of white sugar with the orange pulp in a medium size pot.  Heat over medium heat until bubbling, then lower heat and simmer 30 minutes, stirring often.  Lower the heat more if necessary (my first batch burned because it was too high of a heat and I didn't stir it often enough).  Cool and refrigerate.

Homemade Granola: A Recipe Update

I first posted this recipe way back at the beginning of 2011, and it's time for a few updates.  This is still our family's favorite granola recipe, and I usually make a batch every other week or so.  Since then, I've tweaked the recipe a bit, although the basics are still more or less the same.  

Ingredients:

• 6 cups old fashioned oats
• 1 cup nuts (we almost always use almonds, because they're the cheapest)
• 1/4 cup flaxseed (optional - this was in the original recipe, but we don't usually have it so I usually do without)
• 1/4 brown sugar
• 1 tsp. salt
• 2 tsp. cinnamon 
• 1 cup melted liquids* (see  below)
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract (optional - I leave this out a lot and can't really tell much of a difference)

*For the liquid part of the recipe, use any two of the following:

• Melted butter
• Coconut oil
• Honey
• Maple syrup
• Peanut butter

I usually do about half and half, and it truly is whatever we have at the moment.  Butter and honey is my go-to combination, but the others are also tasty, and each ones gives a slightly different variation on the flavor.

Directions: Mix dry ingredients in a large bowl.  In microwave safe dish, melt liquid ingredients together.  Stir into dry ingredients until coated.  Pour onto two cookie sheets, and bake at 300 degrees F for 25-35 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes or so (once you get to 25 minutes, start checking every 5 minutes so it doesn't burn).

We love this granola and have it with yogurt for breakfast once a week, plus for snacks.  One of my recent favorite ways to eat it is with a handful of craisins and some milk, like cereal.  I think it tastes like Kashi GoLean Berry Crunch, one of my favorite kinds of cereal!  Only, you know, much cheaper...

Veggie Pizza Recipe

Jesse was ordained this past Sunday (meaning he is officially a pastor), and there was a dinner afterwards to celebrate.  We ended up bringing home some of the leftovers, including a bunch of veggies from the veggie tray.  I already had some cream cheese in the fridge, and I knew I just had to make veggie pizza, probably my favorite appetizer besides pinwheels (a terrible for you but totally delicious concoction of tortillas filled with cream cheese, olives, chiles, and a few other things).  

Since we were already going to have pepperoni pizza muffins for dinner, I decided to make it an appetizer dinner, and did both.

Veggie Pizza

Ingredients:

• 1 package crescent rolls
• 8oz. cream cheese, softened
• 1-1/2 tsp. dill
• finely chopped veggies (I used carrots, broccoli, and cauliflower, and I used about 4 cups before chopping)

Directions:
Roll out crescent roll dough and bake 20 minutes at 350 degrees.  Let cool.  Mix together cream cheese and dill, and spread over cooled crust.  Top with chopped veggies.

That's it! This is a super easy appetizer, and it tastes amazing!

Tropical Traditions Coconut Oil Review (And Giveaway!)

If you've been following my food adventures for awhile now, you know I've been experimenting with coconut oil in my cooking, so I was really excited to have the opportunity to review Tropical Traditions Gold Label Virgin Coconut Oil.  First I used it in granola bars, and then replaced part of the butter in my favorite banana bread recipe (see below).  In both, the coconut oil added a bit of sweetness that was really good.  So good, in fact, that our family ate an entire loaf of banana bread in less than 12 hours!  It also seemed like the texture of the banana bread was a little bit smoother and fluffier.  All perfect qualities for baked goods. 

Banana Bread Recipe
(makes 2 loaves)

Ingredients:

• 4-5 ripe bananas
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1/3 cup coconut oil
• 1 3/4 cups sugar
• 2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 2 eggs
• 3 cups flour
• 2 tsp. baking soda

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In large bowl, smash peeled bananas. In microwave safe bowl, melt butter and coconut oil together.  Add to smashed bananas and stir to combine.  Mix in sugar, vanilla extract, and eggs.  Add dry ingredients and stir just until combined.  Pour into two greased loaf pans.  Bake for 45-55 minutes, until golden brown on top and knife inserted into bread comes out clean.

Since I'm kind of a coconut oil newbie, I've only tried one other brand.  However, the Tropical Traditions coconut oil seems smoother and more consistent than that other brand so far.  My next step is to try frying (and maybe even branch out into non-food uses, like homemade cosmetics), but I haven't gotten there yet.  There are so many uses for coconut oil besides baking - I've only just scratched the surface.

I also like how easy it is to order online from Tropical Traditions.  The coconut oil is offered in several sizes, so you can start small if you're just trying it out, and order bigger once you know you like it (and I really think you will).  They have an awesome referral program too - you get a $25 credit for each new customer who orders through your link!

Some of the links in this post are my referral links. If you order by clicking on any of my links and have never ordered from Tropical Traditions in the past, you will receive a free book on Virgin Coconut Oil, and I will receive a discount coupon for referring you.

And now it's your turn!  Tropical Traditions is generously giving away a jar of coconut oil to one of my readers!

 

Win 1 quart of Gold Label Virgin Coconut Oil!

Tropical Traditions is America’s source for coconut oil. Their Gold Label Virgin Coconut Oil is hand crafted in small batches by family producers, and it is the highest quality coconut oil they offer. You can read more about how virgin coconut oil is different from other coconut oils on their website: What is Virgin Coconut Oil?

You can also watch the video they produced about Gold Label Virgin Coconut Oil:

Tropical Traditions also carries other varieties of affordable high quality coconut oil. Visit their website to check on current sales, to learn about the many uses of coconut oil, and to read about all the advantages of buying coconut oil online. Since the FDA does not want us to discuss the health benefits of coconut oil on a page where it is being sold or given away, here is a website to read about the health benefits of coconut oil.

To enter to win, sign up for the Tropical Traditions email newsletter, and leave me a comment telling me you've done so.  This is the mandatory entry, as dictated by the giveaway sponsor.

For an additional entry, like Tropical Traditions on Facebook, and leave me a separate comment telling me you do.

This giveaway will close on Monday, May 6 at 12:00pm CDT.  The winner will then have 48 hours to respond to my email with contact information to get their prize.  If I do not hear from the winner within that time frame, I will choose an alternate winner.

Disclaimer: Tropical Traditions provided me with a free sample of this product to review, and I was under no obligation to review it if I so chose. Nor was I under any obligation to write a positive review or sponsor a product giveaway in return for the free product.  All opinions expressed are my own.

Menu Plan Monday and Apple Pear Muffin Recipe

My lunch one day last week: Open-faced jalapeno popper sandwiches (cream cheese, cheddar, bacon, and jalapenos toasted under the broiler for a few minutes until melty and delicious) and a strawberry pineapple smoothie (frozen strawberries, canned pineapple with a bit of the juice, apple juice, and strawberry yogurt).  These are the kinds of little splurges I make that help me not go out to eat, but still enjoy delicious food at home.

Breakfasts:

• Whole Wheat Chocolate Pancakes
• Oatmeal with Dried Fruit and Nuts
• Cereal
• Apple Pear Muffins (recipe below)

Lunches:

• PB&J/Soups
• Grilled Cheese Rollups
• Quesadillas
• Jalapeno Popper Grilled Cheese (pictured above - I had this last week already and it was really good!)

Dinners:
(Monday and Tuesday's are carry overs from last week. We had Potato Corn Chowder instead to use up some extra potatoes)
Monday: Bacon and Veggie Pizza
Tuesday: White Bean Burgers, Homemade Fries
Wednesday: Sausage Breakfast Scrambles
Thursday: Toscana Soup, Olive Garden Breadsticks
Friday-Sunday: TBD, since it's a new month and I haven't figured that out yet.

Snacks:

• Crispy Chocolate Chip Granola Bars
• Popcorn
• Yogurt
• Bananas, Apples, Oranges

Apple Pear Muffins
(makes 12-15 muffins)

Ingredients: 

• Pulp from juicing 3 pears and 3 apples, or 1-2 of each fruit, peeled, cored, and grated
• 3/4 cup milk
• 1/4 cup applesauce
• 1 egg
• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. ground cinnamon

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  In large bowl, mix grated fruit, milk, applesauce, and egg.  Add dry ingredients, and mix just to combine.  Scoop into greased muffin tins, and bake for 25-30 minutes, until knife inserted into center of muffin comes out clean and tops are slightly browned.

Recipe adapted from the Betty Crocker Cookbook.

Juicing, Muffins, and Tofu, Oh My! (Morning Glory Muffin Recipe Included)

If you haven't noticed a theme throughout a lot of my posting lately, we've been doing some experimenting with food.  For the past couple of years, we've been eating a 75% or so vegetarian diet.  After watching some food documentaries, most notably Forks Over Knives (go Netflix it!), along with some helpful advice from blogs like Kitchen Stewardship, we've switched that to about 90% vegetarian, and are working on other changes as well.

We got a juicer shortly after Christmas.  I was a little bit hesitant at first, because I wasn't sure A) that we were going to use it (we do juice 4-5 nights a week after dinner) and B) that we could afford it (The model we bought was $50, and I've designated $10/week of our budget to produce for juicing).

The juice is really tasty, and you can get a lot of the vitamins and nutrients from the veggies and fruits.  To get the fiber, most of which is "spit out" in the pulp, I've been using the carrot/apple mixture for muffins (recipe below), and the other veggie bits get added to our broth.  I don't save every little bit, because I haven't found other ways to use it all yet, and we can only eat/freeze so many muffins, but even using those bits helps to make the $10/week worth the money.  Plus, my veggie-hating almost-two-year-old thinks the juice is awesome, and he likes muffins, so any way I can get him some more produce is a plus!

In other food experimenting, we also tried tofu for the first time.  That was a less successful endeavor.  After pressing it, marinating it in a teriyaki sauce, and baking it, it was still fairly mushy and not that great.  Part of that was probably technique, and part was the marinade.  So we are trying again with a barbecue sauce we know we like, a longer marinating time, and a slightly longer baking time to see if we can get it dried out and a little crispier.  This has been more Jesse's project, because I have a mental block when it comes to tofu.  I'm not sure why - it's just beans, and we eat plenty of those!  But I have been trying what he comes up with and offering my suggestions.

Morning Glory Muffins
(makes 18-20 muffins)

Ingredients:

• Juicing pulp of 3-4 carrots and 2-3 small apples, about 2.5 cups grated
• 3 eggs
• 1/2 cup canola oil (for now)
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 cup applesauce
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1-1/4 cups whole wheat flour
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 2 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. salt

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In large bowl, mix grated fruit and veggies, eggs, oil, milk, applesauce, and vanilla.  Add dry ingredients and stir to combine.  Scoop into greased muffin tin and bake 22-25 minutes, until a knife inserted in the middle of a muffin comes out clean.

We've just done carrots and apples so far, but you could also add in zucchini, squash, or other fruits, depending on what you have available (or what you put in your juice!).  This recipe was adapted from My Baking Addiction's Morning Glory Muffins.

On the agenda for the next few weeks of food experiments:

• Coconut oil.  We bought a jar of coconut oil at the local co-op, and are going to try that in some of our baked goods instead of canola oil, which this post has me questioning.  If it works out well, I'll probably start using some of my Swagbucks money to pick that up online, where the prices seem to be a lot cheaper.
• Brownies with black beans. I cooked up some extra beans yesterday, and I'm curious to see what the flavor and texture ends up being.  These are gluten-free, which isn't an issue in our family, but it won't be bad to have a good gluten-free recipe in my arsenal, so I hope this works out.
• Reading through Better Than A Box and Easy.Homemade.  These are two ebooks I actually spent money on (as opposed to most of the free ones that I get), because they both are full of real food information and recipes.  I've only skimmed them so far, but I want to read through them and find some more goodies to try.

Menu Plan Monday and Southwest Chicken Casserole Recipe

This week is the Real Food Challenge.  Here is my plan for the week.  I think sticking with the breakfasts and the snacks will be the hardest part, but hopefully I can get a few things made ahead of time so we won't run into issues.

Breakfasts:

• Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins x2
• Oatmeal with Dried Fruit and Nuts x2
• Pancakes or Waffles x2
• Eggs & Toast or Another Muffin (if I get ambitious)

Lunches:

• PB&J for the boys/Soups for Jesse and me x2
• Ham Sandwiches x2
• Apple Quesadillas x2
• Muffin Tin Lunch

Soups will be Homemade Chili with some venison we got from my father-in-law, and Chicken Noodle.


Dinners:

Monday/Tuesday: Multi-Bean Soup, Homemade Bread (this is my favorite bread recipe)
Wednesday/Thursday: Veggie Pot Pie
Friday: Southwest Chicken Casserole with Corn (recipe below)
Saturday: Homemade Macaroni & Cheese
Sunday: Crockpot Beef & Broccoli for me and Jesse, leftover mac & cheese for the boys

Snacks:

• Fruits - Canned Pears, Peaches, and Pineapple, Sliced Apples and Oranges
• Strawberry Banana Smoothies
• Yogurt
• Peanut Butter Honey Nut Granola
• Cheese Slices
• Popcorn

Southwest Chicken Casserole
(serves 3-4)

Ingredients

• 4oz. cream cheese
• 1 packet taco seasoning (or the equivalent of the homemade version)
• 1/2 cup water
• 2-3 chicken breasts, cooked and shredded
• 6oz. elbow macaroni noodles, cooked

Directions
Cook pasta according to package directions.  In large pan, combine cream cheese, seasoning, and water over low to medium heat until melted.  Stir in chicken and pasta.  Simmer for 5 minutes over low heat, stirring occasionally.  Optional (but delicious!): add 1 cup frozen corn with the chicken and pasta.