Sugarless Apple Butter Yogurt - TO DIE FOR

OK, so let me tell you that if you are not making your own yogurt you must.  Why not?  It is so incredibly easy to do in a crock pot and it's SO GOOD.   Here is my tutorial, now go do it.  (Then come back and do the apple butter).  I cannot believe how much sugar is even in the "good for you" yogurt, and let's not even talk about the ones with artificial sweetener.  Homemade yogurt is amazing and paired with this Crock Pot-No Sugar Added-Apple Butter it is TO DIE FOR.  Make your yogurt with skim milk, and the whole thing is fat free.  I make mine with 2%...I like a little fat :)

The hardest part of the apple butter is reducing down the apple cider.  For this, you put 6 cups of no sugar added apple cider in a saucepan and slow boil it until it's about 3 cups.  Can you handle that? Then chop the apples (no need to peel!), add some spices and the reduced cider and let your crock pot do all the work.

 

When you get this beautiful brown mess (and your house smells of cinnamon apples) you put it in the blender to puree.

 

That's it.  Honestly.  Get that crock pot out and make the yogurt.  The next day make the apple butter.  The next day email me and tell me how much you love it.  Just trying to make the world smile a little more, one simple recipe at a time :)

 

Fall Recipes Archives

I can't wait to start making some of my fall favorites.  Here is a list of some I've made in previous years.

Pumpkin

Pumpkin Crumb Cake
Pumpkin Spice Scones (my favorite)
Pumpkin Spice Latte
Pumpkin Waffles
Pumpkin Whoopie Pies (a very close second)
Sugar and Spice Pumpkin Seeds

Apple

Gingerbread Apple Crisp (favorite apple recipe)
Raw Apple Pie Fruit and Nut bar 
Creamy Apple Cranberry Crisp
Easy Apple Turnovers

How to Make an Oreo Cake

The birthday boy requested an Oreo soccer cake and this is what I came up with.

It's not much of a tutorial because it's so easy :)

The Oreos are all anchored with buttercream. 

I didn't mind if the buttercream was sloppy for this one because it was a soccer field and I was going to have grass coming out of all the seems anyways.  If you wanted a cleaner edge presentation, don't use as much buttercream.  Simply a dab on the bottom of each will hold it in place. 

Spread the top with a layer of buttercream.  I wanted to be able to see the Oreo layer so I didn't go all the way to the edge.

I added the soccer field lines as well as "grass" to the sides using the Wilton grass tip.

The players were purchased from a cake supply store.

The Oreos were slightly softened by the buttercream so we could cut into it like a slice of cake.  The presentation made for a very pretty slice of cake! 

Kale Chips

Kale chips. Who knew?  Have you tried them?  I've seen several recipes for these and when I saw kale in the produce department it was time to give them a try.  They took all of a minute to prepare.  Eight minutes to cook.  Two minutes to snarf almost all of them down.  I couldn't help myself. Gotta get my green leafy veggies :)

Kale Chips

Wash and dry. 

Cut into chip sized pieces. 

Spray with olive oil. 

Sprinkle with garlic salt.  

Arrange in a single layer on a pan.

Bake at 400 degrees for 8 to 10 minutes.

Honestly, you are not going to screw them up so no need for an exact recipe.

My Version of Ratatouille

Ratatouille is a French stewed vegetable dish.  I've never had it and I'm sure this dish isn't the same, but I was at a loss what to call my dish and it IS a stewed vegetable dish.......so, here is my ratatouille; a comfort food of all veggie proportion.

Saute onion, carrot, celery, and broccoli in the olive oil for 10 minutes.  I like to get some of these veggies a little brown and crunchy.

Cut tomato, tear spinach, and mash lentils.

Add the above, along with the spices and water.  Cover and cook for 35-45 minutes, depending on how soft you like your carrots.

Enjoy!  It's not the prettiest dish but it's comfort food that is healthy and sort of tastes like stuffing without the bread. 

My Ratatouille (which is probably nothing like ratatouille)

1 large onion, sliced

2 or 3 carrots, sliced

2 stalks celery, sliced

1 cup broccoli, chopped into little pieces

4 cups spinach

1 tomato, diced

1 cup lentils, cooked and mashed

1 tsp basil

1 1/2 tsp sage

1/2 to 1 tsp salt

1/2 cup water

Saute onion, carrot, celery, and broccoli in the olive oil for 10 minutes.  Add tomato,spinach, and lentils, along with the spices and water.  Cover and cook for 35-45 minutes, depending on how soft you like your carrots.

Go check out Blessed with Grace for more Tempt My Tummy Tuesday recipes!

Taco Pita Pizza

Did you see the Taco Pizza recipe on The Pioneer Woman last week? I couldn't get it out of my head and knew I couldn't get the entire family to eat it. SO, in comes the pita pizza, which is always my personal size pizza fallback. I used a whole wheat fluffy pocketless pita, but a regluar pita sliced in half would work just as well. This was amazing. I made one for breakfast the following day as well. Who says taco pizza can't be for breakfast?

Taco Pita Pizza for One

1 pita, sliced in half or a pocketless pita
black beans, seasoned (mine were already seasoned but if yours are not, use chili powder, cumin, garlic, etc. until they taste good to you)
cheddar cheese, shredded
lettuces, finely chopped
tomato, finely chopped
creamy sauce (I used a mixture of ricotta, sour cream, and taco seasoning)
olives? jalepenos? salsa? cilantro? All options!

Top the pita with black beans (you can mash them first or leave them whole) and cheese. Bake at 350 degrees until the cheese is melted. Top with whatever taco toppings you like! Eat! Enjoy!

This post has also been linked to:
Mouthwatering Monday at Southern Fairytale
Tempt My Tummy Tuesday at Blessed with Grace
Tuesday at the Table at All the Small Stuff
Hearth and Soul at A Moderate Life
Recipe Swap at Prairie Story
Full Plate Thursday at Miz Helen's Country Cottage

Blueberry Breakfast Bread Pudding

I am loving The Part-Time Vegan cookbook by Cherise Grifoni. The first recipes I made was Cuban Black Beans, Sweet Potatoes, and Rice. Yum!! I have also tried the Garlic Quinoa. EASY and so good! The first breakfast recipe I tried was the following bread pudding. The original recipe used twice as much honey, which I through was too sweet.

Easy Breakfast Blueberry Bread Pudding
(adapted from The Part-Time Vegan)

2 slices whole wheat bread

1/2 cup almond milk

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup blueberries (mine were frozen)

1/2 tablespoon honey

1 teaspoon jam

Toast the bread and tear into small pieces, add to a small saucepan.

Add almond milk and vanilla. Heat on medium so the milk is warmed but not simmering. Stir often. Add blueberries, honey and jam, continue heating for 10 minutes until bread is saturated with milk and excess is mostly evaporated. Serve hot.

This post has also been linked to:
Mouthwatering Monday at Southern Fairytale
Tempt My Tummy Tuesday at Blessed with Grace
Tuesday at the Table at All the Small Stuff
Hearth and Soul at A Moderate Life
Recipe Swap at Prairie Story
Full Plate Thursday at Miz Helen's Country Cottage

German Chocolate Cupcakes

I have a TON of select cooking magazines that I save but never go back to once I've looked at them (Penzey's ONE, Taste of Home, and Cooking Club) so when a friend ordered German Chocolate Cupcakes instead of heading towards the Internet, I headed for my magazines. I remembered seeing this recipe in Penzey's. If you never heard of Penzey's ONE, it's worth checking out. Good recipes and stories. These turned out perfectly. I ate one for breakfast so am on a bit of a sugar rush right now. I had to test them before giving them to my friend, right??

Raw "Oatmeal"

I find raw food very intriguing. I know that it is great for you. We eat too much highly processed foods. I know there is a nice variety that I could make. I know that I wouldn't get any buy-in from the rest of my family (except for smoothies). But because we all eat different breakfasts, I can definitely do raw breakfasts for myself. This morning I made a raw oatmeal and was very pleased. I am not subjecting you to a picture of it because it looks like a bowl of brown mush.....but yummy brown mush none the less!

Raw "Oatmeal"

1 Tablespoon flax seeds
1 teaspoon chia seeds
2 apples, pealed and chopped
1 banana
2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 cup almond milk or water

Soak flax and chia seeds overnight. Drain seeds and put everything in the food processor or blender. Blend until desired consistency (I left the apples a little chunky) and enjoy! Then eat the apple peel because it's good and good for you :) This is supposed to make 2 servings but each serving is only 170 calories, not enough to sustain me until snack, so I ate the whole thing.


I made a raw apple pie over the weekend and while it was very good, I still want to work on making the filling a little less wet. Here is a picture of it without the cranberry/red grape/blueberry topping. The crust was like a Larabar. YUM!!!

This post has also been linked to:
Mouthwatering Monday at Southern Fairytale
Tempt My Tummy Tuesday at Blessed with Grace
Tuesday at the Table at All the Small Stuff
Hearth and Soul at A Moderate Life
Recipe Swap at Prairie Story
Full Plate Thursday at Miz Helen's Country Cottage

Carmelized Onion Pita Pizza

I made caramelized onions in my crock pot last week and they are so easy and yummy. I have heard caramelized onions are great on pizza so I tried them on my pita pizza. THEY are right! SO good and less than 3 minutes prep time. Seriously. Cut a pita in half (to make a full circle but with half the pita). Spread a little pizza sauce, cheese, spices, and caramelized onions. Put under the broiler in the oven and bake until your cheese is a little melty and golden. Enjoy!

To make the caramelized onions, slice 4 or 5 big onions into your crock pot. Add a stick of butter and cook on low for 12 or so hours until they are golden brown. Save for all the little things that would be so much better with caramelized onions (which is a lot of things, if you think about it).

This post has also been linked to:
Mouthwatering Monday at Southern Fairytale
Tempt My Tummy Tuesday at Blessed with Grace
Tuesday at the Table at All the Small Stuff
Hearth and Soul at A Moderate Life
Recipe Swap at Prairie Story
Full Plate Thursday at Miz Helen's Country Cottage

The Part-Time Vegan Cookbook Review - Cuban Black Beans, Sweet Potatoes, and Rice

I try to incorporate meatless dishes into my menu plan so was very excited to be able to review the cookbook, The Part-Time Vegan: 201 Yummy Recipes That Put the FUN in Flexitarian by Cherise Grifoni. I read cookbooks like novels and this one was is well written and funny so it was a joy to read. The first chapter is entitled, Veganism 101 and gives a background on the vegan lifestyle and ingredients that are typical in the vegan pantry.

The chapters are broken down into Dips and Appetizers, Easy Breakfasts, Salad Dressings, Salads, Super Soups, Vegetable Dishes, Rice, Pasta Dishes, Grains, Tofu, Seitan, TVP, and Tempeh, and Dinner Plans (which plans your meal of appetizer, main course, and dessert), and Desserts. As I went through I had several recipes in each category that I bookmarked to try (I have even used TVP before so that chapter wasn't completely out of my mindset....although I'm not really on board with the Tofu, Seitan and Tempeh, which you could do a little meaty substitutions here).

I can't wait to try the Homemade Tahini, Easy Breakfast Blackberry Bread Pudding, Cranberry Apple Stuffing, Pumpkin Cream Pasta, Easy Garlic Quinoa, and Raw to Die for Apple Pie with Berry Topping (among MANY others). Most recipes are very easy to make and easy to substitute out ingredients you don't have.

I am not interested in a vegan diet but know that many of the recipes in this cookbook will become family favorites. I recommend this to anyone trying to get more veggies into their diets. You will not be disappointed!

Here is the first recipe I tried from the cookbook. Amazing! Healthy! Incredibly easy!

This book was sent to me by the Thomas Nelson Publishing company through their BookSneeze program in exchange for honest review.




Cuban Black Beans, Sweet Potatoes, and Rice
Serves 4


3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup onion, chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 grande sweet potatoes, chopped small
2 (15 oz) cans black beans, drained
2 cups brown rice, cooked
1/4 cup vegetable broth (I used chicken broth because that is what I had, I know, not vegan and also used 1 and 1/2 cups......it was burning to the bottom of the pan)
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon cumin
1 Tablespoon lime juice (I used 2 to 3 Tablespoons)
splash hot sauce

1. In a large pot set on medium-high, saute the garlic and onions in the olive oil for about 3 minutes.

2. Lower the heat to medium low. Add all other ingredients except the lime juice and hot sauce. Simmer, covered, for 25 minutes.

3. Add in lime and hot sauce and serve while still all warm and steamy.

Rice and Lentils - a quick pantry meal

I found this recipe tucked away somewhere I knew I would find it (from years ago) and threw it together for lunch last week. I forgot how easy and how tasty it was!

Rice and Lentils
1 cup lentils (whatever color you have)
1/2 rice (I used white although you could alter the cooking time for brown)
6 cups water
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp garam marsal
1 tsp curry powder
2 tsp salt
caramelized onions (optional, I just finished caramelizing onion in the crock pot so had some on hand)

Mix lentils, rice and water in a medium saucepan. Heat until boiling, cover, turn down to low and cook 30 minutes. Take off  heat and add spices and onions, if using.

Easy. Filling.

This post has also been linked to:
Mouthwatering Monday at Southern Fairytale
Tempt My Tummy Tuesday at Blessed with Grace
Tuesday at the Table at All the Small Stuff
Hearth and Soul at A Moderate Life
Recipe Swap at Prairie Story
Full Plate Thursday at Miz Helen's Country Cottage

Spaghetti with Fried Egg and Bread Crumbs

I have been wanting to try this recipe for awhile now and I'm sorry I waited so long. One of my favorite tastes is runny egg yolk soaked up with toast, and if that makes you squirm, you don't want to read any further. This recipe cost about $2.50 TOTAL for my family of 5 with plenty of leftover garlic noodles. Bonus - everyone liked it (or at least a part of it :)!

Speghetti with Fried Eggs and Bread Crumbs
(adapted from America's Test Kitchen Cookbook)
3 slices of bread
6 Tablespoons evoo
2 Tablespoons butter
salt and pepper
4 garlic cloves. minced
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
1 pound speghetti
1/2 cup parmesan cheese, grated
1/4 cup fresh parsley, minced
7 eggs (adjust accordingly - the recipe says 4, one for each serving but I used two eggs for each adult and 1 for each child, and it fed us all with lots of leftover pasta)

 Preheat oven to 375. Pulse the bread in a food processor or blender to get course bread crumbs. Toss crumbs with 3 tablespoons evoo and season with salt and pepper. Spread crumbs over a baking sheets and put in the oven until golden brown - 8 to 10 minutes. You want them nice and crispy - browner the better. Set aside. Don't try them or you'll risk eating them all before dinner is ready.

In a small sauce pan combine 3 T evoo, butter, garlic, pepper flakes (if you are using), and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Warm over low heat about 8 to 10 minutes. You want to make the oil nice and flavorful.

Cook pasta according to the package directions and reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta water. Drain pasta, transfer back to pot, add reserved pasta water, 3/4 teaspoon salt, most of the parmason, and garlic evoo mixture. Toss pasta well. Cover to keep warm.

Fry your eggs (however you prefer, but the yolks must stay runny). I spritz evoo in my cast iron skillet on medium high heat. Cook on one side for about 2 minutes, flip and immediately turn off the burner. Some of you probably think it's unheard of to flip. Do it however you like but keep those yolks runny.

Plate the pasta, top with an egg, left over parmesan cheese, parsley, and lots of bread crumbs. Poke your yolk and use that for the sauce to mix this wonderful plate of goodness together.

I'm drooling. It's really easy and yummy. I had an egg over the leftover pasta for two breakfasts in a row and was sorry I didn't save any bread crumbs. They were delightful. I also put my pepper flakes on at the end because I was the only one who wanted some heat.

This post has also been linked to:

Mouthwatering Monday at Southern Fairytale

Tempt My Tummy Tuesday at Blessed with Grace

Tuesday at the Table at All the Small Stuff

Hearth and Soul at A Moderate Life

Recipe Swap at Prairie Story

Full Plate Thursday at Miz Helen's Country Cottage

Let's break Bread together at Wit, Wok, and Wisdom

Banana Cream Pie

I made this banana cream pie yesterday and could hardly wait for the overnight waiting for it to be done! I really enjoyed it but would probably use a little less corn starch next time. The custard was plenty thick. A good alternative to cake :)

Banana Cream Pie with Caramel Drizzles and Chocolate Sauce

(from Emeril's recipe on Food Network)

Ingredients 4 cups heavy cream

1 1/2 cups whole milk

1 1/2 cups plus 2 teaspoons granulated sugar

1 vanilla bean, split in half lengthwise and seeds scraped

3 large egg yolks

2 large eggs

1/2 cup cornstarch

1 recipe Graham Cracker Crust, recipe follows (I used a premade crust - gasp!)

3 pounds (about 9) firm but ripe bananas, peeled and cut crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick slices

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Caramel Sauce, recipe follows (I didn't make this - so sweet already although it would have been yummy!)

Chocolate Sauce, recipe follows (I used some left over chocolate fondue)

Shaved chocolate, for garnish

Confectioner's sugar, for garnish

Instructions:

Combine 2 cups of the cream, the milk, 1/2 cup of the sugar, the vanilla bean, and the vanilla seeds in a large heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a gentle boil, whisking to dissolve the sugar. Remove from the heat.

Combine the egg yolks, eggs, cornstarch, and 1 cup of the sugar in a medium bowl, and whisk pale yellow in color. Set aside.

Whisk 1 cup of the hot cream mixture into the egg yolks. Gradually add the egg mixture to the hot cream, whisking constantly. Bring to a simmer, stirring constantly with a large wooden spoon to cook out the cornstarch and the mixture thickens, about 5 minutes. (The mixture may separate slightly. If so, remove from the heat and beat with an electric mixer until thick and smooth.) Strain through a fine mesh strainer into a clean bowl. Cover with plastic wrap, pressing down against the surface to prevent a skin from forming. Chill in the refrigerator for about 4 hours.

To assemble, spread 1/2 cup of the custard over the bottom of the prepared crust, smoothing with the back of a large spoon or rubber spatula. Arrange enough banana slices (not quite one-third) in a tight, tiled pattern over the custard, pressing down with your hands to pack them firmly. Repeat to build a second layer, using 3/4 cup of the custard and enough bananas to cover, smoothing down the layer evenly. For the third layer, spread 3/4 cup of custard over the bananas and top with the remaining bananas, starting 1-inch from the outer edge and working toward the center. Spread 1 cup of custard evenly over the bananas to prevent discoloration. Cover with plastic wrap and chill for at least 4 hours or overnight.

In a medium bowl, whip the cream until soft peaks form. Add the remaining 2 teaspoons of sugar and the vanilla extract and whip until stiff peaks form.

Remove the pie from the refrigerator. With a sharp knife dipped in hot water, cut the pie into 10 equal slices. Transfer the slices to dessert plates. Fill a pastry bag with the whipped cream and pipe onto each slice. (Alternately, spread the whipped cream evenly over the pie before cutting.)

Drizzle each slice with the caramel sauce and chocolate sauce, sprinkle with the chocolate shavings and confectioners' sugar, and serve.

Graham Cracker Crust: 1 1/4 cups graham cracker crumbs 1/4 cup sugar 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Combine the graham cracker crumbs and sugar in a medium bowl and mix well. Add the butter and mix well. Press the mixture into a 9-inch pie pan. Top with aluminum pie tin and with a circular motion, press the crust tightly into the pan. Bake until browned, about 25 minutes. Cool for 10 to 15 minutes. Yield: 1 (9-inch) crust

Caramel Sauce: 3/4 cup sugar 2 tablespoons water 1/2 teaspoon fresh lemon juice 1/2 cup heavy cream 2 tablespoons to 1/4 cup whole milk

Combine the sugar, water, and lemon juice in a medium, heavy saucepan over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring, until the sugar dissolves. Let boil without stirring until the mixture becomes a deep amber color, 2 to 3 minutes, watching closely so it doesn't burn. Add the cream, whisk to combine, and remove from the heat. Add the milk, 2 tablespoons at a time, until the desired consistency is reached. Remove from the heat and cool to room temperature before serving with the pie. (The sauce will thicken as it cools.) Yield: generous 3/4 cup

Chocolate Sauce: 3/4 cup half-and-half 1 tablespoon unsalted butter 1/2 pound semisweet chocolate chips 1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Scald the half-and-half and butter in a small, heavy saucepan over medium heat. Remove from the heat. Place the chocolate and vanilla in a medium, heat-proof bowl. Add the hot half-and-half and let sit for 2 minutes, then whisk until smooth. Serve slightly warm. (The sauce can be kept refrigerated in an airtight container for several days, but it must be returned to room temperature before serving. Yield: generous 3/4 cup

This post has also been linked to:

Mouthwatering Monday at Southern Fairytale

Tempt My Tummy Tuesday at Blessed with Grace

Tuesday at the Table at All the Small Stuff

Hearth and Soul at A Moderate Life

Recipe Swap at Prairie Story

Full Plate Thursday at Miz Helen's Country Cottage

Cheerios Peach Crisp

The folks at Cheerios asked me to come up with a breakfast or springtime experience my family will love using Original Cheerios and seasonal ingredients. I made a Carmel Apple Cheerios Picnic Mix and then couldn't accept that I made it using fall ingredients (even though it is great for spring picnics).  The next thing I came upon were peaches.  Our family drives through Georgia each year, stops at a roadside stand and loads up on peaches.  I freeze them just for peach crisp and they are still so pretty when spring roles around.  So on my second attempt I came up with a peach crisp using a ground Cheerio topping.  YUM!!  We all love this.  The Cheerios give the streusel topping so much more depth of flavor than a regular white flour base.  This will be my go-to peach crisp.  So, can we all get on board with peaches as a spring ingredient?  LOL, probably not.  I missed the mark again with the seasonal ingredients but I sure didn't miss the mark with the recipe!  I even ate it the next morning for breakfast, you know, just to be in line with the given theme :)  Try it!

Peach Crisp with Cheerio Streusel

Filling:

9 ripe peaches, peel and pit, sliced

1/2 cup sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 Tablespoons wheat flour (or ground Cheerios)

Topping:

1 stick cold butter

3 1/3 cups Cheerios, divided

1/3 cup sugar

1/3 cup brown sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

Combine peaches, sugar, cinnamon, vanilla, and flour in a 9x13 pan.

Put 3 cups of Cheerios in a blender and blend until it's the consistency of flour.

Combine ground Cheerios, butter, sugars and cinnamon in a large bowl.

Using your hands (or a pastry cutter) rub through your fingers until the topping is a coarse texture.  Add remaining 1/2 cup of Cheerios and blend well (smoosh the butter mixture all around the whole Cheerios)

Place topping on top of peaches.

Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.  The topping will be golden brown and peaches will be bubbly.

Eat it warm topped with vanilla ice cream. 

Skip the ice cream when eating it for breakfast the next morning (or not :).

Have you visited the Cheerios Facebook page yet?

Caramel Apple Cheerio Picnic Mix

The folks at Cheerios asked me to come up with a breakfast or springtime experience my family will love using Original Cheerios and seasonal ingredients.  Mine turned out a little fall like but is a GREAT addition to picnics or park outings - which are certainly spring like!  My girls couldn't get enough of this!

 

 Caramel Apple Cheerio Picnic Mix

6 cups Cheerios

1 cup caramel bits (or regular wrapped caramels)

½ cup dried apples, diced

3/4 cup dry roasted peanuts, lightly salted

1 cup powdered sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 Tablespoon + 1 teaspoon water

large paper bag for mixing

 In a large bowl, melt caramel with vanilla, and water in the microwave. Cook on high for 30 second intervals, stirring in between. Stop when all ingredients come together – about 1 ½ minutes.

 Add 4 cups Cheerios and ½ cup peanuts to the caramel mixture and stir to coat.  I like some of the ingredients not coated to balance out the sweetness but if you like it really sweet, you don't have to reserve any and coat it all.

 Put ½ cup powdered sugar in a brown paper bag. Put the Cheerio mixture on top of the sugar and the last ½ cup sugar on top. Fold the bag over may times and shake to coat Cheerio mixture.

Empty into a clean bowl, add remaining Cheerios, peanuts and dried apples. Stir gently and serve.

Bring on a picnic - it's yummy and portable!  Perfect for you next outing.

Have you checked out the Cheerios Facebook page yet?



Cauli with Curry Butter and Almonds

Cauliflower with Curry Butter and Almonds


from www.pinchmysalt.com

Serves 4.

1 medium head of cauliflower, about 2 pounds
4 tablespoons butter 1 shallot, peeled and finely diced (can use 1/2 a small onion)
2 teaspoons curry powder (Pinch My Salt used a Red Curry Powder, I used Madras - I would double it because Madras isn't spicy)
3 tablespoons fresh-squeezed lemon juice
1 teaspoon honey
3-4 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro leaves
1/2 cup slivered almonds, toasted**
salt, to taste

Rinse cauliflower under cold water and cut into small florets. Steam cauliflower in a basket over boiling water for 5-8 minutes, or until just tender. Remove the cauliflower to a plate or bowl and set aside.

Melt butter in a large skillet or saute pan over medium heat. Add shallot and cook, stirring, until softened. Add curry powder and stir for another 30 seconds. Stir in lemon juice, cilantro, and honey. Add steamed cauliflower and almonds and toss until well combined and heated through. Season to taste with salt.

Serve over steamed white or brown rice or alone, as a side dish.

**I put my almonds in a cast iron skillet and put them in the oven until they were golden brown.

This post has also been linked to:
Mouthwatering Monday at Southern Fairytale
Tempt My Tummy Tuesday at Blessed with Grace
Tuesday at the Table at All the Small Stuff
Hearth and Soul at A Moderate Life
Recipe Swap at Prairie Story

Full Plate Thursday at Miz Helen's Country Cottage

Meatballs Stroganoff

My mom made these and put them atop of spinach noodles. Spinach noodles must have been popular in the 80's and 90's because she got them at the big box grocery stores. It was hard for me to find spinach noodles in a mainstream grocery store but they now have "Garden delight" noodles that are partly spinach (party some other veggie flavors) and they do the job just fine. If your not weird like me and like nostalgic food, egg noodles would be pretty good as well.

Mom's Meatball Stroganoff
makes 24 meatballs

1/2 cup bread crumbs
1/3 cup milk
1/4 cup onion, minced
1/2 t salt
1/4 t pepper
1 pound ground beef

Mix the above ingredients and form into 24 balls. I used a cookie scoop for proportion then rolled them nicely by hand. Brown in a frying pan (I don't use oil when browning but you may). Take meatballs out of the pan.

Mix together 3 Tbs flour (I use wheat) and 2 cups beef broth (I use a salad dressing shaker or a jar to mix them well). Add to the pan you used to brown the meat. You may add a 1/2 cup dry red wine a this point or leave it out. I add a can or two of sliced mushrooms as well. Simmer for 15 minutes then add your meatballs back in. Simmer for another 15 minutes. Just before serving add 1/2 cup sour cream or plain Greek yogurt. You may want to add salt, pepper, or minced onion flakes to the sauce.

Serve over (spinach) noodles :)

Enjoy!

This post has also been linked to:

Mouthwatering Monday at Southern Fairytale

Tempt My Tummy Tuesday at Blessed with Grace

Tuesday at the Table at All the Small Stuff

Hearth and Soul at A Moderate Life

Recipe Swap at Prairie Story
Full Plate Thursday at Miz Helen's Country Cottage

Make Your Own Yogurt (in your crock pot!)

Make Your Own Yogurt

(in your crock pot!)

• Turn your crock pot to low and pour in 1/2 gallon of milk. Skim works well, whole is much creamier.

• Heat on low for 2 hours and 30 minutes.

• Turn your crock pot off (make sure it isn’t on “warm” setting). Let the milk cool in the crock with the lid on for 3 hours.

• After 3 hours remove 1-2 cups of the warmed milk and place in a bowl. To that add 6 ounces of plain yogurt with live active cultures and mix very well. I always save about a cup of my homemade yogurt in a glass container when I’m done so I always have a starter for the next batch – it keeps for at least a few weeks.

• Pour the yogurt-milk mixture back into the milk and whisk thoroughly.

• Place the cover back on the crock and wrap the entire crock pot in a thick bath towel or two.

• Place it in a warm place. I use my oven which is NOT preheated or turned on at all. I always put a sticky note that reminds me that yogurt is in there. Once I started preheating the oven, forgetting it was in there. Luckily I did not burn our house down (obviously, major point) or ruin my yogurt (I still would have been sad).

• Let it culture overnight, 8-12 hours.

• In the morning stir yogurt (if desired) and store in glass quart jars or a container of your choice.  Remember to set aside some to use as a starter for your next batch. 

• For better texture, refrigerate for at least 8 hours before using.

• For Greek yogurt or yogurt cheese (can get to as thick as cream cheese consistency)place colander in a large bowl, line colander with coffee filters, pour in yogurt, and place in the refrigerator. In a few hours much of the whey will be strained off. Leave it for 24 hours and you will have yogurt cheese. You can always mix some of the whey back in if you want it thinner.

• You’ll have a lot of whey that can be used in smoothies, in baking in place of buttermilk or other liquids, or I’ve even used it instead of water when mixing my Emergen-C. Be creative.

Read here about the Benefits of Yogurt Whey.



Leftover Whey

• Mix it with homemade sauces, use in smoothies, or top with granola.  

There are a ton of ways to enjoy your yogurt!

This post has also been linked to:
Mouthwatering Monday at Southern Fairytale
Tempt My Tummy Tuesday at Blessed with Grace
Tuesday at the Table at All the Small Stuff
What's on The Menu Wednesday at Dining With Debbie
Hearth and Soul at A Moderate Life
Recipe Swap at Prairie Story (Thursdays)
Colleen's Fall Recipe Swap at Colleen's Kitchen (Fridays)