Just a Mom, HA!

Thai Coconut Stir-Fry

I knew I had to try this recipe when I stumbled across it on the Better Homes and Gardens website.  With a couple of little tweaks it was SO Jay that I couldn’t wait to make it for him.

Which meant I made it while his Mom was in town visiting us.

This is kind of an “out there” recipe for down-home Ohio types, but the flavor was subtle enough to get great reviews from everyone (even Cee).

When you read this recipe over, you might not believe me when I say that it is subtle, but it really is!  I think I just might up the Chili Powder next time to take the flavor up a notch.

Thai Coconut Stir-Fry (adapted from Coconut Chicken Chili on BHG.com)

• 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut to bite size pieces
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 1/2 tsp chili powder
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 Tbs flour
• 1 can (14 oz) coconut milk
• 1 Tbs. Peanut Butter
• 1 c. water
• 1 can cannellini beans, drained, rinsed
• matchstick carrots (about half a bag, 2 c.)
• 2 celery stalks, sliced
• 5 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 Tbs fresh cilantro, chopped
• cooked rice

In a large saucepan combine the first 6 ingredients and saute until chicken is no longer pink (don’t worry about oil, just a little cooking spray will do).  Next stir in the flour and cook for 1 minute more.  After the minute is up add the coconut milk, water, and peanut butter, stir until blended in and bring mixture to a boil.  Add all remaining ingredients, mixing until blended.  Return to a boil, reduce heat to med-low and simmer for 10 minutes or until veggies have softened and liquid has thickened.  Serve over cooked rice.

Happy Cooking!

Pasta E Fagioli

I adore Pasta E Fagioli soup from the Olive Garden.  Ever since discovering the all-you-can-eat soup, salad, and breadstick combo there during high school, I’ve been hooked.

Lots of recipes online claim to have the exact Olive Garden recipe, but since most call for spaghetti sauce as an ingredient, I haven’t put a lot of stock in these claims.  However, as it is possibly my favorite soup, I took a stab at making it in my trusty crock pot, but Kim style (meaning no oil and extra veggies).  Jay and I loved it, it was great the second time around, and it will definitely be a repeat in our house.

Pasta E Fagioli

• 1/2 lb lean ground beef
• 1/3 of a large red onion, chopped
• 1 c. carrots, cut very fine (the larger the chunks the longer the cook time)
• 3 small-med celery stalks, cut lengthwise then chopped
• 1 can petite diced tomatoes, undrained
• 1/2 can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• 1/2 can white beans, drained and rinsed
• 3 c. low-sodium beef broth
• 3/4 of a 16.5 oz jar red pasta sauce
• 1 tsp. oregano
• 1/2 tsp salt (this was with low sodium broth and may not be necessary if using regular)
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1/2 c. dry ditalini (small tube pasta), other small pastas could be substituted if needed

Brown the meat, then drain well.  Chop veggies to desired sizes – the larger the carrots, the longer the cook time.  Add all ingredients except the pasta to your slow cooker.  Cook on low for about 6 hours, check veggies for tenderness.  If the veggies are just about ready, add the pasta and cook for one more hour.  Serve with grated Parmesan cheese if desired.

Picante de Pollo

Picante de Pollo is a classic Bolivian dish which I ate often while living there.  When I saw this recipe I knew I’d have to give it a try.  The name is deceiving, this IS NOT a SPICY DISH.  It’s savory with a touch of sweet underlying the salsa flavors.

It wasn’t like the Bolivian dish that I knew, but it has become a new favorite of mine.  I see HUGE potential here for making it as a taco/burrito filling, making it in the slow cooker and shredding it, or just serve it simply over rice as the recipe calls for.

Picante de Pollo (from Campbell’s Kitchen)

• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1 1/2 c. fresh salsa
• 3 Tbs brown sugar
• 1 Tbs honey dijon mustard

Place trimmed chicken breasts in a baking dish.  Mix remaining ingredients together until blended then pour over chicken.  Bake at 375 degrees for about 30 minutes or until cooked through.  Serve over rice.

Happy Cooking!

Pudding in a Cloud

Here’s an EASY dessert idea straight from my childhood that pleases both young and old.

Pudding in a cloud.

So simple, yet so stinkin’ good!  The idea is that you can’t see the pudding from the outside because it’s too well blocked by a layer of COOL WHIP!

Yum! (Or nummy nummy num, as Cee would say.)

My mom would make these on special family nights and line them out on the counter for all 5 of us.  My brothers and I would argue and shove until we were sure that we had the biggest or best serving.

It works with any pudding, any whipped topping, can be served up with a plethora of other goodies, or can be scaled back with low-cal Cool Whip, sugar free pudding, skim milk and you’ve got yourself a great low-cal alternative to ice cream!

Pudding in a Cloud

• 1 tub whipped topping
• Pudding – any flavor, I’ve only ever used instant which makes for a quicker dessert, but cooked pudding would be fine if you have the patience.
• Individual glass dishes (or at least a see through container if you don’t trust your kiddos with glass yet)

Mix up pudding according to package or recipe.  Allow to cool in fridge until set.  Using a spoon, heap and glob of whipped topping into a glass container, smearing it around until the glass is completely covered and you can’t see through (that would be the “cloud”).  Line all of the containers that you’ll use in this manner, then scooped the set/chilled pudding into the cloud.  Put a small final drop of whipped topping on the top.  Eat it alone, stash it in the fridge for a few hours, or serve it up with other goodies – goes great with graham crackers, nilla wafers, or anything else you want!

Happy Cooking!

Cranberry Vinaigrette Salad Dressing

THIS salad was by far the best thing that I “cooked” all through the holidays.  It beat the ham, it beat the spuds, it rocked.

Oh – and that’s some non-fat dressing you’re looking at to boot!

I’m putting up the dressing recipe, but the salad recipe itself can be whatever you like – suggestions follow…

Cranberry Vinaigrette

• 8 oz whole berry cranberry sauce (about half a normal can, or one small can if you can find it)
• 1/3 c. apple cider vinegar
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/8 tsp. pepper
• 1/2 tsp. sugar
• 1 Tbs. honey dijon mustard
• 3 Tbs. water

Add all ingredients to your blender and liquify.  Store in an air tight contain in the fridge until ready to serve.  Can store for several days.

The pictured salad is made of:

• Sweet baby lettuces
• Spinach
• red onion
• cheese
• cucumber
• candied almonds*
• tomatoes

Next time I’m absolutely adding fresh berries and dried cranberries too.

*Rather than buying tons of candied almonds which I knew I’d eat by the truck load, I bought natural almonds, chopped them, and then sauteed them with only a little cooking spray, sugar and cinnamon.  Wonderful taste, wonderful crunch, no butter and no commitment to eat a million candied nuts.

Sour Cream and Paprika Pork Chops

I love making pork in my slow cooker.  This is my 3 recipe of this genre and I’m falling even more in love.  Pork, creaminess, onions – wow it’s awesome.

I won’t even tell you how good this will make your house smell while it cooks.  I won’t say, because it is sure to make me drool all over my keyboard.

Though this recipe uses a chicken broth base, it does have a stroganoff feel to it and therefore it lends itself to being served with noodles, rice, or POTATOES!

That did it – I did drool a bit thinking about those potatoes.  And for a bit of extra veggie goodness I layered fresh spinach on my plate and then loaded it up. YUM!

Sour Cream and Paprika Pork Chops

• 1.5 lbs. boneless pork chops
• Pepper
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/3 c. flour
• 1 med onion, sliced in rings
• 2 cubes chicken bouillon
• 2 c. hot water
• 2 Tbs flour
• 8 oz fat-free sour cream (half an average container)
• 1 tsp. paprika

Season pork chops with pepper, then lightly coat them with the 1/3 c. flour (discard flour after use).  In a skillet, lightly brown the chops on each side until flour is well adhered.  Place chops in slow cooker, topping with onion rings. Add the garlic, hot water, and bouillon to the slow cooker as well.  Cook on low for 6 hours, or until pork is cooked through.

Once the pork is cooked, remove from slow cooker, cover and keep warm.  Strain excess fat or gristle from juices. Combine the sour cream, 2 tbs. flour and paprika, then add it to slow cooker juices. Turn the slow cooker to high allowing sauce to thicken for about 30 minutes.  Return pork chops to slow cooker, and reduce heat to warm until it’s time to serve.

Serve with sauce over potatoes, noodles, or rice.

Stuffed Zucchini Side Dish

I’ve got to say that I’m a little relieved to be done with Thanksgiving.  All recipe expectations are done for now and I can start sharing a few gems that I’ve been sitting on.  The first of which are these:

I took these pics the first time that I made these stuffed zucchini and I can honestly tell you that my mouth was watering while I took them.  They smelled THAT good.  Jay was a little skeptical at first, but ended up eating both of his servings.  This one will be repeated in our house.

Stuffed Zucchini Side Dish

• 2 medium zucchini (about a pound)
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 2 slices of bread, crumbed finely (just normal loaf size, adjust amount according to bread size and weight)
• 2 Tbs. grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 egg white
• ½ tsp. poultry seasoning
• ¼ tsp. onion powder
• 1/8 tsp. salt
• 1/8 tsp. pepper

Wash zucchini, remove ends. Using a frying pan so that they can lay flat, cover and boil the zucchini whole in a small amount of water for about 8 minutes, turning once. While the zucchini cook, combine all other dry ingredients in a mixing bowl. Remove zucchini from water and cut into halves lengthwise. Scoop out pulp, chop, then stir in chopped zucchini to the dry mixture. Add egg white and stir until all is evenly dispersed. Stuff zucchini with breading mixture. Place zucchini on a greased cookie sheet (or use foil or parchment paper like I did) and bake at 350° for 20 minutes.

Happy Cooking!

Pumpkin Cake with Cheesecake Pokes

It’s the season for pumpkin recipes, so I’m hoping on board too!  For his birthday cake this year, Jay wanted a pumpkin roll.  We both LOVE pumpkin rolls, but my average pantry doesn’t have all of the supplies needed to make one, and I couldn’t find one to buy, so I promised Jay that if he couldn’t have pumpkin roll, I’d find a away for him to have pumpkin roll flavored cake.

This cake recipe is a wonderful alternative for a seasonal pumpkin dessert – it’s oil free and SUPER easy to throw together.  Not to mention that just smelling it in the oven sent my taste buds through the ROOF with anticipation!

Just make the cake, and frost it as desired, or use cheesecake pudding to up the ante – it’s your call.

Pumpkin Cake (with cheesecake pokes)

{Cake recipe adapted from the Egg Beaters website}

• 1 pkg. yellow cake mix (a brand that has pudding in the mix)
• 1 (15 oz) can of solid-pack pumpkin (such as Libby’s)
• 3 eggs
• 1/2 c. water
• 1/4 c. fat-free sour cream
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp. ground ginger

If making with cheesecake pokes:

• 1 pkg cheesecake flavored instant pudding
• 2 c. skim milk
• Light whipped topping

Spray a 13 x 9 inch baking pan with cooking spray and set aside.  Combine all cake ingredients in a large mixing bowl and beat until well mixed and fluffy.  Pour batter into prepared pan and bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes (or until cake passes toothpick test).  Allow cake to cook on a rack until room temperature.

If just making the cake, frost or serve as desired.

For cheesecake pokes: Once the cake has cooled use the back of a spoon to poke holes into the cake.  The holes don’t need to have any reason to them, but do keep about an inch or so around them (putting them very close makes the cake fall apart when serving).  When cake is ready, mix together the pudding and milk until well blended.  Pour pudding over cake, trying to get as much into the holes as possible (some will pool at the sides and that’s fine).  Cover cake and refrigerate it for an hour.  Before serving, spread the whipped topping over the cake and garnish with sprinkled cinnamon.

Happy Cooking!

Banana Bread Trifle

This quick, throw-together and you’re done, dessert is simply creamy heaven!  I’ve always loved trifle, and when I tried a similar trifle at a party, I just knew that I had to make this for Jay (my Banana Bread Monster).  Since my Average Pantry doesn’t include a large trifle serving dish, I made individual trifles in glass goblets.  Making individual dishes is great for making desirable portions (health living) for you and your kids, but by using glass cups or goblets, the trifle layering still comes through.

I particularly love how the pudding takes on the flavor of banana in this dish, and that the number of possible add ins are endless.  Here’s what to do:

Banana Bread Trifle

• Cubed banana bread
• sugar-free vanilla pudding (trust me on the sugar free part, I was a little skeptical myself, but the sweetness of the bread really works well with it)
• 2 c. skim milk
• Light whipped topping
• Your choice of add-in for layering (The lady at the party used pomegranates, I used chocolate chips, but I think that Reese’s PB cups or any kind of berry would be divine.)

Have all ingredients prepared and at hand except for pudding.  You have to move quickly so that the pudding doesn’t set while you work.  First put in your glass dishes a few bite-sized cubes of banana bread (I’d say that the smaller the better).  Prepare pudding with milk, then pour over bread until just covered.  Top first with the add in of your choice then with whipped topping. Repeat layers as many times as you want, or stop there for a smaller serving.  Allow trifles to set in the refrigerator – the pudding really only needs 5 minutes, but giving it more time will let the flavors blend even better.

With one box of pudding and about half of the whipped topping I made three of the large goblets pictured.

Zucchini Bread Brownies

A college roommate and friend of mine is a baking genius. I’m lucky to have her.  I’m a baking bumbler.  I do it only for birthdays, when I want a treat, and when I feel at peace enough with myself to do it (since I generally end up laughing at my foolishness).

Her baking blog (And Now For Something Completely Delicious) is an inspiration and I’d highly recommend it for baking enthusiasts.  I saw her post about Chocolate Zucchini bread and knew I’d have to give it a try, but with a few switcheroos to make it a little more “Average Pantry.”

I was thrilled with the results, Zucchini Bread Brownies.  Jay claims their more cake-like than brownie-like, but that hasn’t stopped us all from gobbling them down.  The day that I baked these to surprise Jay, he came home with a little carton of ice cream to surprise me.  We ended up making a warm brownie sundae to split and it was out of this WORLD!

I just love it when fortune smiles on you like that.

Zucchini Bread Brownies

• 1 1/2 cup (about 1/2 pound) fresh grated zucchini
• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 1/2 cup cocoa
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon pumpkin spice
• 1/2 cup natural applesauce minus 1 Tbs
• 1 Tbs canola oil
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/2 cup chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease an 8×8 pan. In a medium bowl combine flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, and pumpkin spice.

In another mixing bowl stir together the zucchini, apple sauce, oil, sugars, eggs, and vanilla together until combined well. Add the dry ingredients in two additions, mixing between each until the batter is just combined. Add the chocolate chips.

Pour the batter into the greased pan and bake for about 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean. Let the bread cool in the pan, but on a rack at least 10 minutes before cutting into it.

86 calories per serving when cutting pan into 5×5 squares.

Happy Cooking!