Fresh and Crunchy

California Style Tuna Salad Rolls

Ingredients

2 cans albacore tuna, in water, drained and flaked
Mayonnaise, as desired, just enough to moisten (4-5 Tlbs)
10-inch flour tortillas (lg burrito size, I used the spinach/green tortillas to mimic seaweed)
Flat dark green leaf lettuce (Boston, red leaf, etc)
2 med zucchini, chopped julienne (long matchsticks)
2 medium carrots (can use several baby carrots), chopped julienne
1 red bell pepper, julienne
Flavored cream cheese like garden veggie (I used Laughing Cow)

Instructions

1. Combine the tuna with the mayonnaise in a small bowl and mix until blended.  Set aside.
2.  Lay the tortillas on a work surface and spread cream cheese over entire surface.  You can leave a bit of space on the right/left sides since those will be cut off, but spread clear to the edge of the top and bottom of tortilla.  This will help seal it when you roll it up.
3. Place one lettuce leaf on the lower middle 2/3s of the tortilla, press slightly and it will stick flat to the cream cheese.
4. Arrange the zucchini, carrots, and pepper sticks lengthwise in rows on top of the lettuce
5.  Spoon the tuna in a line next to/on top of the vegetables (away from the edge).
6.  Roll each tortilla up snugly into a cylinder.  You can cut crosswise in half or use a sharp, thin knife and slice into 1 1/2 inch rounds (like a California roll).  Arrange on plate and serve as an appetizer or as a light refreshing meal.


Variations:
Switch out or add the following veggies ~ 
   Avocado; peeled, pitted, and sliced 1/2-inch thick
   Seedless/English cucumber, chopped julienne


I got about 5 rolls per tortilla.  I made 4 tortilla wraps (cut up) and served them with fruit and salad for a light summer dinner.  Easy, crisp, and delicious!

Crunchy & Quick

Microwave Peanut Brittle 
(allrecipes.com)


1 cup white sugar
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1 cup salted peanuts
1 teaspoon butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon baking soda

Butter a cookie sheet. Combine sugar and corn syrup in a 2 quart glass bowl and microwave on high 3 1/2 minutes. Stir in peanuts and microwave on high 3 1/2 minutes more, then stir in butter and vanilla and microwave for 1 1/2 minutes.

Stir in baking soda until light and foamy. Pour onto cookie sheet and spread thin. Cool completely and break into pieces and serve.

This turned out really well and was SUPER easy!  Would be great to put on a Christmas plate, maybe paired with fudge.  I think you could also have fun experimenting with this:  different nuts, pretzels, etc.  I drizzled dark chocolate over mine, but I think I might like them best plain.

Dark and Decadent

Chocolate Truffle Tart

from Gourmet

Serves10

For crust

28 chocolate wafers such as Nabisco Famous (not oreos),

     finely ground in a food processor (1 1/2 cups) 

3/4 stick (6 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted and cooled completely

For filling

1/2 lb fine-quality bittersweet chocolate (no more than 60% cacao if marked), coarsely chopped 

   (I used Ghirardelli 60% chocolate chips)

3/4 stick stick (6 tablespoons) unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes  

2 large eggs, lightly beaten 

1/3 cup heavy cream  

1/4 cup granulated sugar 

1/4 teaspoon salt  

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

  

Garnish 

unsweetened cocoa powder for sprinkling

Make crust:

Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350°F. Wrap a sheet of foil over bottom of springform pan (in case of leaks). Lightly butter side of pan.  You can also use a tart pan, which is what I did.  I did not worry about buttering the pan and it turned out great.

Stir together ground wafers and butter in a bowl until combined, then pat mixture evenly onto bottom of pan and 1 1/2 inches up side. Bake until crust is slightly puffed, about 10 minutes, then cool completely in pan on a rack, about 15 minutes. Leave oven on.

Make filling while crust cools:

Melt chocolate and butter in a 2-quart heavy saucepan over low heat, stirring until smooth, then remove from heat and cool 5 minutes.

Whisk together eggs, cream, sugar, salt, and vanilla in a bowl. Whisk chocolate mixture into egg mixture until combined well.

Assemble and bake tart:

Pour filling into cooled crust and rap pan once on counter to eliminate any air bubbles. Bake until filling 1 inch from edge is set and slightly puffed but center trembles slightly when pan is gently shaken, 20 to 25 minutes. (Center will continue to set as it cools.)

Cool tart completely in pan on a rack, about 2 hours. Chill, uncovered, until center is firm, about 4 hours. Remove side of pan and sprinkle with cocoa to serve. 

This is my new favorite dessert!  Rich and dark and heavenly.  I like to serve it with fresh berries (raspberries) or with a fruit syrup drizzled over it.  Next time I may even add a little raspberry oil to the chocolate filling for another dimension.

Taste of Spring

Spinach and Walnut Pesto

1 1/2 cups firmly packed baby spinach

1 tsp dried basil

1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan or Romano cheese (not the powder stuff)

1/4 cup toasted walnuts (broil in oven or heat in microwave, but don't burn!)

1 lg clove garlic, minced

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 cup olive oil

Can also add a little lemon juice and pepper, if desired

Play with it and adjust the seasonings to your taste

In a good blender or food processor combine the spinach, basil, Parmesan cheese, walnuts, garlic and salt.  Cover and blend with several on-off turns 'til a paste forms.  Stop the machine several times and scrape down the sides.

With the machine running slowly, gradually add olive oil and blend to the consistency of soft butter.  You can add a little more oil if you want it more liquidy for pasta or whatever.

I usually end up using a bag of fresh spinach and just add in more accordingly.  Taste as you go! 

Enjoy!!

Chinese Take-out Made at Home

Baked Sweet and Sour Chicken

This recipe is super easy and Oh So Addicting!

Chicken Coating:

3-4 boneless chicken breasts

salt + pepper

1 cup cornstarch

2 eggs, beaten

1/4 cup canola oil

Sweet and Sour Sauce:

3/4 cup sugar

4 tbs ketchup

1/2 cup vinegar

1 tbs soy sauce

1 tsp garlic salt

   

Start by preheating your oven to 325 degrees. 

Rinse your chicken breasts in water and then cut into cubes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Dip chicken into the cornstarch to coat then dip into the eggs.  Heat your 1/4 cup oil in a large skillet and cook your chicken until browned but not cooked through.  (I actually used a little more oil and deep fried my chicken because I wanted that crispy texture and authentic taste.)

Place the chicken in a 9x13 greased baking dish. Mix all of your sweet and sour sauce ingredients in a bowl with a whisk and then pour evenly over the chicken. Bake for one hour and during the baking process you will need to turn the chicken every 15 minutes.  (**Note:  Because I deep fried my chicken it was cooked, unlike the recipe calls for so I only had it in the oven for about 20-30 minutes to blend and heat through and only turned it once) 

Add white or fried rice and a yummy vegetable and this is a great, easy Chinese meal!

Southwestern Flavor

Southwestern Egg Rolls with Avocado Ranch

(makes 48 mini rolls, or 24 regular rolls)

For the egg rolls:

2 cups frozen corn, thawed
1-15 oz can black beans, rinsed and drained (I mashed mine up a little bit to help it blend in)
1-9 oz package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry with paper towel (There was a lot of spinach, I will cut this back next time, maybe by half)
2 cups shredded Mexican or Cheddar cheese
1-7oz can diced green chiles, drained
4 green onions, finely chopped
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp chili powder (I used a little less)
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper (I used a little less)
1 package of egg roll or wonton wrappers

 **I added approx a cup of finely shredded chicken breasts that I had sauteed with salt, pepper, and a little onion powder.  This really helped pull everything together! If you wanted to keep this meat free, you could also try rice.

Instructions: 

Preheat oven to 425F. Line 2 baking sheets with aluminum foil and spray lightly with cooking spray.

In a large bowl mix together corn, beans, spinach, cheese, chiles, onions, cumin, chili powder, salt, cayenne pepper, and chicken. Using a small spoon, scoop a small amount of filling onto the wrapper. Starting at a corner, carefully start to roll the wrapper. When it’s slightly rolled, tuck in the two side and continue rolling to the last point. Wet your finger with water and dab a bit on the corner to seal the egg roll. Repeat with remaining wrappers and filling, placing them slightly apart on the baking sheet.

Lightly spray the tops of the egg rolls with cooking spray and bake for 15 minutes, flipping them at least once during baking. (It took at least 15 minutes on one side to start to crisp up so plan for a little extra time.  It might also help to put a cooling rack on the pan so that the egg rolls get heat on all sides.  I liked the low-fat aspect of baking, but these would be REALLY yummy deep fried!)

For avocado ranch:
3/8 cup mayonnaise
3/8 cup sour cream
3 Tbs buttermilk (I left this out because I didn't have any)
1/2 Tbs olive oil
1/2 Tbs lemon juice
1/2 green onion, chopped (I will substitute cilantro next time to add another layer of flavor)
1/4 tsp salt
1 avocado, peeled and pitted

Place all ingredients in a blender and pulse until smooth. Use immediately. 

You could also add in chopped/chunks of avocado after you've blended or just serve it with mashed avocado. I really liked this dressing, but I will also try putting some slices of avocado into the egg rolls before cooking.

Homemade Tai

Asian Peanut Noodles with Chicken 

found on Pinterest

Light Peanut Sauce:

14.5 oz fat free chicken broth, divided

5 tbsp creamy peanut butter

1 tbsp Sriracha chili sauce (I only used 1 tsp and it still had a nice kick)

2 tbsp honey

2 tbsp soy sauce

1 tbsp freshly grated ginger

2 cloves garlic, minced

16 oz chicken breast, cut into thin strips

salt and pepper (to taste)

1 Tlb Sriracha chili sauce (Again, I only used 1 tsp)

juice of 1/2 lime

5 cloves garlic, crushed

1 tbsp fresh ginger, grated

1 tbsp soy sauce

1/2 tbsp sesame oil

8 oz rice noodles

3/4 cup green onion, chopped

1 1/4 cups shredded carrots

1 1/4 cups cup shredded broccoli slaw 

1 cup bean bean sprouts

2 tbsp chopped peanuts 

1 lime, sliced

cilantro for garnish (optional)

For the peanut sauce: Combine 1 cup chicken broth, peanut butter, sriracha, honey, 2 tbsp soy sauce, ginger, and 3 cloves crushed garlic in a small saucepan and simmer over medium-low heat stirring occasionally until sauce becomes smooth and well blended, about 5-10 minutes. Set aside.

Boil water for the noodles cook pasta according to package instructions.

Season chicken with salt and pepper, sriracha, lime, garlic, ginger and soy sauce.

Heat a large skillet or wok until hot. Add oil and sauté chicken on high heat until cooked through, about 2-3 minutes; remove from heat and set aside.

Add 2 cloves crushed garlic, scallions, carrots, broccoli slaw and/or bean sprouts and salt, sauté until tender crisp, about 1-2 minutes.

Drain noodles and toss with peanut sauce and additional chicken broth if needed to loosen the sauce. When chicken is cooked, toss with noodles.

Divide noodles and chicken between 6 bowls, top with sauteed vegetables, bean sprouts, chopped peanuts (or you can toss everything together to hide the vegetables so your family members don't push them aside!) and garnish with cilantro and lime wedges.

This had great flavor!  Easy to make (requires a little planning) and very filling.  My kids liked the rice noodles and peanut butter flavor, but not the kick.  If I were to make it for them again, I would probably leave out the sriracha sauce even though hubby and I liked it.

Yummy breakfast

Dutch Babies
(all recipes)

Ingredients:

2 eggs

1/2 cup milk

1/2 cup sifted all-purpose flour

1 pinch ground nutmeg

1 tsp vanilla

1 pinch salt

2 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar for dusting

Directions:

Place a 10 inch cast iron skillet inside oven and preheat oven to 475 degrees F (245 degrees C).

In a medium bowl, beat eggs with a whisk until light. Add milk and stir. Gradually whisk in flour, nutmeg and salt.

Remove skillet from oven and reduce oven heat to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). Melt butter in hot skillet so that inside of skillet is completely coated with butter. Pour all the batter in the skillet and return skillet to oven.

Bake until puffed and lightly browned, about 12 minutes. Remove promptly and sprinkle with powdered sugar.

** If you do not have a skillet, you can use a 9x13 baking dish. Heat your oven to 425 F degrees. Double all the ingredients. Chop 1/3 cup butter up into your baking dish and let melt in your preheated oven. Once all of the butter has melted, take baking dish out and pour in batter, DO NOT STIR OR MIX just let it be. Bake for 20-22 minutes and enjoy! We topped ours with maple syrup, powdered sugar, fresh fruits (blueberries, blackberries, bananas, strawberries,etc.)

Great for Cold Weather

White Chicken Chili
(adapted from a Pinterest recipe)


Ingredients

1 large onion, diced

2-3 cloves, garlic

2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 2-inch pieces

4 (15 ounce) cans cannellini beans, or other white beans, drained and rinsed

2 (4 ounce) can green chilies

2 (14.5 ounce) can chicken broth

2 teaspoon cumin

2 teaspoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

cheese, sour cream, cilantro (optional, for serving)

Instructions

Add everything to slow cooker and give it a stir. Cook on low for 7-8 hours or high 3-4 hours. Serve nice and steamy, topped with cheese, sour cream, or cilantro if you like

(I added chopped cilantro to the chili before serving and set out sour cream and shredded sharp cheddar to put on top. Would also be nice with fresh avocado)

Vegetarian

Quinoa Burgers

Tip: Cooking quinoa

In a medium saucepan bring 2 cups of water and 1/2 tsp salt to a boil over high heat. Add 1 cup of quinoa, reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for 18-20 minutes, or until all the water is absorbed and the seeds are tender. Allow to cool for a few minutes before using in recipe.


Ingredients:

2 rounded cups cooked quinoa (see above)
3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 cup low-fat cottage cheese
1 medium carrot, finely grated OR 1 cup shredded zucchini, squeezed
3 eggs
3 Tlb flour
2 green onions, including white parts, chopped
1/2 tsp Splenda or sugar
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp ground cumin
1/8 tsp salt
1/8 tsp garlic powder
Olive oil for frying


Directions:

In a large bowl combine the cooked quinoa, cheddar cheese, cottage cheese, carrot, eggs, flour, green onions, sugar, pepper, cumin, salt, and garlic powder.

Heat a frying pan and a couple teaspoons of olive oil over medium-low heat. Mixture will be slightly sticky, but I found it best to form patties with your hands before depositing into the pan. Using a 1/4 measuring cup will help you keep the sizes uniform. Form patties about 1/2 inch thick.

Fry until golden-brown, about 4 minutes on each side.

We really liked these! It makes a lot. They were good on hamburger buns with lettuce and sauce, but were also really good by themselves. Made a great snack or lunch. I recently found the following variation, but have yet to try it.


Baked Bites variation

2 cups cooked quinoa
2 large eggs
1 cup shredded carrot
2 stalks green onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
2 Tlb flour
1/2 tsp seasoning salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Mix together all the ingredients in a large bowl.

Distribute mixture into a greased mini muffin tin, filling each cup up to the top (1 heaping Tlb each)

Bake for 15-20 minutes

Serve with your favorite dipping sauce