Marsala Glazed Mushrooms & Onions


Looking for a really tasty and unique way to serve cooked mushrooms and onions?  Look no further than this recipe!  The basic recipe calls for just mushrooms, but I added some sweet Vadalia onion slices to up the flavor ante.  This combo makes an EXCELLENT side dish or for topping steaks, chicken, pork or for adding to a vegetarian meal.  It's supper quick (especially if you buy presliced mushrooms) and simple.  Give it a try, I think you're gonna love it, too!




Hot Wilted Kale and Lettuce Salad ~ Meatless Monday


The inspiration for making this Hot Wilted Kale and Lettuce Salad was a simple one ~ I had some iceberg lettuce and kale in my veggie bin that had seen better days and it was time to either use it, or toss it.  Since I'm not one to throw out food if it is still edible, I decided to assist the 'wilting' of my veggies...by chopping and chucking them into a hot skillet!  I sauteed the greens in some EVOO, along with a splash of Balsamic vinegar and Braggs, diced onions, minced garlic, a little chopped green apple, a handful of walnuts and some spices.  It was a wonderfully light, meatless lunch that was ready in a flash.  I love it when I can make a meal from seemingly nothing ~ like Grandma Bunni always said, "Waste not, want not!"



 

Mushroom Smothered Chicken Tenders


I rely on frozen chicken tenders when I want to make a quick and tasty meal.  I like them because they are easy to keep on hand and because I can cook them either when thawed or still frozen.  I sometimes smother them with various gravies or sauces to give them a different feel, for hardly any extra effort.  This time I smothered the tenders with sauteed mushrooms combined with undiluted condensed mushroom soup.  Looks and tastes impressive, but it's still quick and easy ~ I like it!


Pozole ~ Mexican Pork & Hominy Soup


I was cleaning out the fridge and freezer the other day and cooked up a hearty and soul-satisfying soup with what I had lurking about, one that my Mexican-food-loving-self just adores ~ Pozole.  I don't have a standard recipe for this classic pork and hominy soup, (but here is one that sounds good) I always wing it, I start out with the basics and then add-on as inspired.  This time I added in a can of black beans, used some homegrown  green chilies that I roasted and froze at the end of last summer, some Trader Joe's roasted corn , a huge can of diced tomatoes and a few other goodies.  I topped it some crushed tortilla chips (the last remnants at the bottom of the chip bag) and enjoyed eating it for a few days.  We've been having really cool weather lately.  I know it's almost summer, but some days it feels more like late winter here.  Maybe I should just hop on a plane and head south of the border for some warmer summer weather.  Get me some surf, sand, sun and cervezas ~ sounds like a plan to me!   Olé  :)






  

Tropical Cooler High Protein Shake ~ Meatless Monday


I'm in love with using unsweetened cranberry juice in my shakes and smoothies.  It gives them such a nice hit of flavor and makes them such a lovely color.  This time I whipped up a high protein shake with a tropical vibe, relying on Torani Sugar Free Coconut Syrup to up 'the island' flavor.  Yummmmmmy!!  Enjoy!

Tropical Cooler High Protein Shake
serves 1

Ingredients
  • 1/4 cup unsweetened cranberry juice
  • 1 cup cold water
  • 1 scoop vanilla protein powder
  • 2 Tbsp Torani Sugar Free Coconut Syrup (or to taste)
  • 1 cup frozen mixed fruit (my favorite is a mix from Walmart that has strawberries, peaches, mangoes & pineapples in it)
  • 1/4 cup frozen banana slices
  • 1 Equal packet (optional)
  • 6 ice cubes

Directions
Throw all ingredients into the blender and whirl away until smooth and frosty!


 

Double Cherry-Chocolate Chip Breakfast Cookies

Double Cherry-Chocolate Chip Breakfast Cookies ~ full of fresh & dried cherries, as well as a hint of chocolate.  The perfect Breakfast Cookie for right now, especially since we are smack-dab in the middle of cherry season!

Recipe Repost from July 29, 2012 ~ Since there are lots of fresh cherries in the market right now, I decided to repost one of my favorite ways to bake with cherries. ~ Enjoy!

This new spin on Breakfast Cookies came about because of all the fresh cherries that I keep seeing everywhere, as well as getting the inspiration / idea from one of the visitors to the blog who mentioned making Breakfast Cookies using fresh cherries. (you didn't leave your name, so I can't properly thank you ~ but you know who you are! :)   I just had to try making a cookie using fresh cherries, too.  Now is definitely the right time to try this recipe, since cherries are so cheap.   Cooking with the seasons does have its advantages!

I came up with a ~ Double Cherry-Chocolate Chip Breakfast Cookie.  It has a double hit of cherry flavor, calling for both fresh & dried cherries, as well as a hint of chocolate.  You could easily use frozen cherries instead of fresh.  If you're like me & you're looking for new ways to use/cook with all the fresh cherries that are everywhere right now, this just might be the Breakfast Cookie for you ~ Enjoy!




Double Cherry-Chocolate Chip Breakfast Cookies
makes 16 regular cookies

Ingredients
  • 1 1/2 cups old fashioned oatmeal ~ uncooked
  • 2 ripe bananas, mashed with fork until creamy 
  • 3/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
  • 12 fresh cherries, pitted & sliced into smaller pieces (or 12 frozen cherries, thawed & sliced/chopped)
  • 1/4 cup dried cherries, chopped
  • 3 Tbsp chocolate chips or carob chips (or more, to taste)
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 tsp cinnamon (or more, to taste
     

Directions
 
Preheat heat oven to 350 degrees.

Mix vanilla extract & cinnamon into the applesauce.

Combine the applesauce mixture with all other ingredients & let sit for 10 minutes

Drop cookie dough, by spoonfuls, onto a parchment paper lined cookie sheet & flatten cookies into rounds.

Bake approx. 30 minutes, or until golden & done.

Remove from oven & let rest on cookie sheet for 5 minutes, then move to cooling rack.  Cookies will firm/sweeten up as they cool.
 
When completely cool store in a covered container.



No-Bake Cool Summer Pies


I'm a big fan of no-bake pies and so is my family.  I usually get the inspiration to make one from the back of the Jello gelatin and pudding boxes,  Knox Gelatin boxes, the ready made graham cracker pie crust labels, some of Grandma Bunni's old 1960's cookbooks /recipe pamphlets and from surfing the 'Net.  Sometimes I follow the directions and sometimes I improvise and add my own spin.  It's all good!

I also find a lot of fun, old-time recipes from church and school fundraiser cookbooks.  Now that summer is here, we'll be enjoying a lot more of these quick and easy desserts.  I make them with low-fat ingredients and either sugar-free or regular, depending on what boxes of Jello or pudding that I have on hand.



Time to start searching for the next no-bake, cool and creamy treat ~ Let the desserts of summer begin!

 

Oklahoma Fried Onion Burger ~ a Depression-Era food classic that has stood the test of time...


A few weeks ago, I was watching the Travel Channel's show ~ Man v. Food Nation ~ and saw this segment on the famous Oklahoma Fried Onion Burger.  It looked and sounded so good, that I just knew I would have to try making that onion burger at home sometime.  

Well, lunch today was that 'sometime'.  Roy & J had theirs with cheese and I made mine 'low carb' (enjoying it without a bun).  It was a hit!  I used almost an entire large onion...but, next time I will add even more.  It is amazing how much onions will reduce and since the onion is the star of the show ~ the more the merrier!  Check out the backstory of this old-time, Depression-Era, most innovative of American burgers in ~ this Fried Onion Burger recipe.  More real-time cooking in my kitchen :)  


Homemade Strawberry Shortcake ~ from our homegrown strawberries...


Our spring has been lackluster and the garden has suffered for it.   The last time I had checked the strawberry bed, the little berries were small and green.  I had (quite frankly) forgotten about them, so imagine my surprise when my son & his friend came into the house with two big, red strawberries.  The kids said there were lots more out there.  When did this happen??  So, I gave them some bowls to pick whatever ripe strawberries they could find.  I was very pleased when they brought back enough to make a dessert ~ Nice!

I looked around and found this recipe for (a healthier) strawberry shortcake.  It called for basic ingredients which I always have on hand and the recipe was easy to make/follow ~ even for this challenged baker.  :)   I did try using the pastry blender to  combine the butter and flour, but got frustrated pretty quick and ended up just using my fingers.  (soooo much simpler!)  I made a few changes to the original recipe ~ I added an extra teaspoon of sugar to the shortcake batter, as well as a teaspoon of vanilla extract; I used fat free Greek yogurt and sweetened it with honey instead of sugar and used a splash of vanilla extract instead of the lemon zest (my guys like vanilla flavor more than lemon flavor).  I made the shortcakes bigger, so came up with three instead of four.  What a marvelous, light, rich and tasty shortcake.  More real-time baking in my kitchen tonight.  :)

School is now out for the summer ~ Let the games begin!


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