Ok, so I received this recipe from the Care Connection this week - a milk-stimulating, healthy new mama breakfast option. (Too much information?) But, it's really, really good. And M and A like it, too. So, with school starting next week, I thought I'd share it because it's so easy, very tasty, and perfect for cool, autumn mornings when you need to get kids up, fed, and on the bus.
You need:
1/2 c. quick oats
1 c. milk
1 tbsp. maple syrup
1 fresh banana, mashed
Pour milk into a 4 c. microwaveable bowl (glass is best!). Add oats. Microwave on high for 4-6 minutes. Add maple syrup and banana. Stir well and serve.
Wednesday, August 31, 2011
Thursday, August 25, 2011
Veggie Pancakes
Got extra veggies sitting around? Are they "less than fresh" but still edible? This recipe ROCKS. It's SO tasty and super easy to make, especially if you can grate all the veggies in a food processor.
You need:
2 c. finely grated zucchini
1 c. grated carrots
1 c. corn kernels (frozen or fresh)
1 egg
2 tbsp. plain yogurt
1/2 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
1/2 c. flour
1/2 c. cornmeal
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 c. grated cheddar
vegetable or olive oil
1 tbsp. pesto
1/3 c. sour cream
Mix zucchini, carrots, and corn in a large bowl. Stir in the egg, yogurt, salt, and pepper until well blended. In a small bowl, mix flour, cornmeal, and baking powder. Add to the vegetable mixture, along with the cheddar and stir until well blended. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat, about 1 tbsp. Spoon 3 tbsp. of batter into the pan and flatten with a fork or spatula. Working in batches, cook the pancakes until golden brown, about 3 min. per side. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate and serve hot or at room temperature.
For a delicious sauce accompaniment, mix the pesto and sour cream and serve on the side.
You need:
2 c. finely grated zucchini
1 c. grated carrots
1 c. corn kernels (frozen or fresh)
1 egg
2 tbsp. plain yogurt
1/2 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
1/2 c. flour
1/2 c. cornmeal
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 c. grated cheddar
vegetable or olive oil
1 tbsp. pesto
1/3 c. sour cream
Mix zucchini, carrots, and corn in a large bowl. Stir in the egg, yogurt, salt, and pepper until well blended. In a small bowl, mix flour, cornmeal, and baking powder. Add to the vegetable mixture, along with the cheddar and stir until well blended. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat, about 1 tbsp. Spoon 3 tbsp. of batter into the pan and flatten with a fork or spatula. Working in batches, cook the pancakes until golden brown, about 3 min. per side. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate and serve hot or at room temperature.
For a delicious sauce accompaniment, mix the pesto and sour cream and serve on the side.
Wednesday, August 24, 2011
Rigatoni with Squash and Ricotta
Well, the baby is finally here! Baby C joined us early Sunday morning in the midst of a torrential thunderstorm. Yep, he came in with a bang! M wins major points for husband of the year - he has taken to doing EVERYTHING around the house (he gets six weeks paternity leave), including the COOKING! Now, for those of you who know M, he's no chef. He's not even a sous chef. He's kind of like Linguini from Ratatouille. He needs help. So I'm on the sidelines, helping him prepare meals that are not only healthy and kid-friendly, but will also nourish this nursing mama AND are husband-proof. Tonight's choice is super easy and wicked delish! It comes from Cookie magazine, a now defunct parenting magazine which used to have incredible recipes in it. However, if you like this type of meal, check out momfilter.com - a blog set up by the editors of Cookie!
You need:
1 butternut squash - peeled, seeded, and cubed (this works with both fresh and frozen)
1 lb. pasta of your choice
olive oil
1/4 sliced onion
thyme (fresh or dried)
salt
pepper
1 small container of rocotta cheese
basil (fresh or dried)
Start by roasting the squash. Toss cubed squash with olive oil, onion, thyme, salt, and pepper. Roast on a cookie sheet at 425 degrees for 40 min. Set aside. Cook the pasta according to package directions for al dente. Drain the pasta and toss with the baked squash mixture. Add spoonfuls of ricotta cheese. Toss with more olive oil (to keep it moist), salt, pepper, and a sprinkle of basil. Top with some parmesan cheese, if you wish.
You need:
1 butternut squash - peeled, seeded, and cubed (this works with both fresh and frozen)
1 lb. pasta of your choice
olive oil
1/4 sliced onion
thyme (fresh or dried)
salt
pepper
1 small container of rocotta cheese
basil (fresh or dried)
Start by roasting the squash. Toss cubed squash with olive oil, onion, thyme, salt, and pepper. Roast on a cookie sheet at 425 degrees for 40 min. Set aside. Cook the pasta according to package directions for al dente. Drain the pasta and toss with the baked squash mixture. Add spoonfuls of ricotta cheese. Toss with more olive oil (to keep it moist), salt, pepper, and a sprinkle of basil. Top with some parmesan cheese, if you wish.
Friday, August 19, 2011
Ham and Cheese Morning Muffins
This month's Disney Family Fun magazine arrived, and there was a selection of recipes aimed at making back-to-school meals more interesting. Our little A has become addicted to frozen waffles and cantaloupe for breakfast, so I've been looking for something a little different that I could make easily to mix things up, especially now that I'll be a stay-at-home momma for the year (if this little man EVER chooses to make his appearance!) I altered the recipe a bit - rather than dicing a thick slice of ham, I used Wegmans's Organic Uncured Ham from the deli, thinly sliced, and then chopped that into small cubes. It made for a smoother muffin, especially if your child is fussy about consistency in foods.
This is a great recipe to do with your kids, and you can also make them in mini-muffin pans. They freeze well for up to 3 months, so you can make a big batch and then take them out as you need them!
You need:
1 1/4 c. flour
3/4 c. fine cornmeal
1/4 c. sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 c. milk
2 large eggs
1/3 c. oil
1 c. finely diced ham
1/2 c. shredded cheddar
1/4 c. finely chopped chives
Heat the oven to 375 degrees. Coat a 12-c. muffin pan with non-stick spray or liners. In a large bowl, mix flour, cornmeal, sugar, powder, soda, and salt. In a medium bowl, mix milk, eggs, and oil and then pour into the dry mixture, stirring until blended. Fold in the ham, cheese, and chives. Fill each cup 3/4 full and bake 20 min, until lightly browned.
This is a great recipe to do with your kids, and you can also make them in mini-muffin pans. They freeze well for up to 3 months, so you can make a big batch and then take them out as you need them!
You need:
1 1/4 c. flour
3/4 c. fine cornmeal
1/4 c. sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 c. milk
2 large eggs
1/3 c. oil
1 c. finely diced ham
1/2 c. shredded cheddar
1/4 c. finely chopped chives
Heat the oven to 375 degrees. Coat a 12-c. muffin pan with non-stick spray or liners. In a large bowl, mix flour, cornmeal, sugar, powder, soda, and salt. In a medium bowl, mix milk, eggs, and oil and then pour into the dry mixture, stirring until blended. Fold in the ham, cheese, and chives. Fill each cup 3/4 full and bake 20 min, until lightly browned.
Friday, July 29, 2011
D's Stuffed Zucchini Boats
On Monday, D and I took the kids blueberry picking (which I think I already mentioned), and we bought some terrific produce as well. Here's D's fantastically delicious recipe for using those delectable zucchinis we picked up!
You need:
4 small-sized zucchini
3-4 plum tomatoes, seeded and diced
3 cloves of garlic, diced
5 tbsp. fresh basil, chopped
4 tbsp. fresh parsley, chopped
3 tbsp. olive oil
2-3 links of sausage, casings removed
1 c. breadcrumbs
1 egg
salt and pepper to taste
Halve and hollow the zucchini, reserving the flesh. Blanch the "boats" for two minutes in boiling water and set aside to cool. Combine, in a small bowl, the diced tomatoes, 2 diced cloves of garlic, 3 tbsp. basil, 2 tbsp. parsley, olive oil, and salt and pepper. Set aside at room temperature until ready to serve. Saute and brown the sausage. Chop the reserved zucchini flesh and add to the sausage. Cook until tender. Add the remaining basil, parsley, and garlic. When cooked, transfer to a large bowl. Add egg and breadcrumbs. Mix well and stuff "boats" with the filling. Grill 10-12 minutes until warmed through and browned on top. Remove from heat, top with tomato mixture and, if you like, a sprinkling of parmesan cheese. SO GOOD!!!!
You need:
4 small-sized zucchini
3-4 plum tomatoes, seeded and diced
3 cloves of garlic, diced
5 tbsp. fresh basil, chopped
4 tbsp. fresh parsley, chopped
3 tbsp. olive oil
2-3 links of sausage, casings removed
1 c. breadcrumbs
1 egg
salt and pepper to taste
Halve and hollow the zucchini, reserving the flesh. Blanch the "boats" for two minutes in boiling water and set aside to cool. Combine, in a small bowl, the diced tomatoes, 2 diced cloves of garlic, 3 tbsp. basil, 2 tbsp. parsley, olive oil, and salt and pepper. Set aside at room temperature until ready to serve. Saute and brown the sausage. Chop the reserved zucchini flesh and add to the sausage. Cook until tender. Add the remaining basil, parsley, and garlic. When cooked, transfer to a large bowl. Add egg and breadcrumbs. Mix well and stuff "boats" with the filling. Grill 10-12 minutes until warmed through and browned on top. Remove from heat, top with tomato mixture and, if you like, a sprinkling of parmesan cheese. SO GOOD!!!!
Monday, July 25, 2011
Smoky Chicken Corn Cakes
We went berry picking this morning with our favorite adventure family, and the farm also had a great selection of other types of fresh produce. Our little A really wanted to get some fresh corn, and I obliged, but I couldn't bring myself to eat corn on the cob AGAIN with dinner. I thought about an old recipe I had that used rotisserie chicken and frozen corn to make dinner corn cakes. I knew I had chicken breasts in the freezer, which I could simply grill and shred, so I improvised to make this delicious recipe with our fresh corn.
You need:
1 rotisserie chicken, shredded OR 1# grilled chicken breasts, shredded
1 tbsp. canned chipotle chiles, chopped
3 tbsp. fresh lime juice
1 tsp. salt
1 small red onion, sliced
4 roma tomatoes, diced
1/3 c. fresh cilantro (or 1 tbsp. dried), chopped
1/2 c. flour
1/2 c. cornmeal
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. black pepper
4 large eggs
1 c. ricotta cheese
4 ears of corn, husked and kernels removed (or 1 10oz. bag frozen corn)
2 tsp. olive oil
1/2 c. sour cream
Shred the chicken, discarding skin and bones (or simply shred boneless chicken breasts). In a medium bowl, combine the chicken, chipotle, lime juice, 1/4 tsp. of the salt, onion, tomatoes, and cilantro. Set aside. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, cornmeal, baking powder, pepper, and the remaining salt. Stir in the eggs and ricotta until no lumps remain. Fold in the corn. Heat the oil on a large griddle or skillet over medium heat. Spoon 1/4 c. batter onto the skillet and cook until golden brown and set on one side, about 2-3 minutes. Flip and cook 1 minute more. Divide the cakes evenly and top with the chicken mixture. Top with sour cream. Enjoy!
Serves 4
You need:
1 rotisserie chicken, shredded OR 1# grilled chicken breasts, shredded
1 tbsp. canned chipotle chiles, chopped
3 tbsp. fresh lime juice
1 tsp. salt
1 small red onion, sliced
4 roma tomatoes, diced
1/3 c. fresh cilantro (or 1 tbsp. dried), chopped
1/2 c. flour
1/2 c. cornmeal
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. black pepper
4 large eggs
1 c. ricotta cheese
4 ears of corn, husked and kernels removed (or 1 10oz. bag frozen corn)
2 tsp. olive oil
1/2 c. sour cream
Shred the chicken, discarding skin and bones (or simply shred boneless chicken breasts). In a medium bowl, combine the chicken, chipotle, lime juice, 1/4 tsp. of the salt, onion, tomatoes, and cilantro. Set aside. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, cornmeal, baking powder, pepper, and the remaining salt. Stir in the eggs and ricotta until no lumps remain. Fold in the corn. Heat the oil on a large griddle or skillet over medium heat. Spoon 1/4 c. batter onto the skillet and cook until golden brown and set on one side, about 2-3 minutes. Flip and cook 1 minute more. Divide the cakes evenly and top with the chicken mixture. Top with sour cream. Enjoy!
Serves 4
Sunday, July 24, 2011
Grilled Rib Eye Steaks and Panzanella Salad
This is a really great recipe to make when you've got leftover fresh bread and you aren't interested in throwing it away (but it has lost it's delicious fresh taste). Most of the time, when I make this, I actually use the bags of baguette rounds, already sliced, from Wegmans and cut those into cubes. Anyway, t's another hot day today, so I wanted to make something light and yet filling for dinner. We can finally get outside to eat (the heat index has been so severe that we've been eating in the finished basement), and that means that it's time to grill again! This is a really easy meal that requires little indoor cooking. For those of you, like us, without central air conditioning, it means that you can actually enjoy cooking without risk of heat stroke. Wait, maybe that's just what happens when it's 98 degrees and you're 36 weeks pregnant!!
You need:
2 small boneless rib eye steaks
1/2 loaf of day old Italian bread, cut into cubes
1/2 red onion, peeled and diced
1 c. fresh basil, torn into bite-sized pieces
2 pints cherry tomatoes, quartered
1 pkg. escarole blend salad mix
1/4 c. red wine vinegar
1/2 c. olive oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
4 oz. fresh mozzarella, cubed
Preheat the oven to 350. Toast the bread cubes for 12-15 minutes until slightly browned but still soft inside. Set aside. In a large bowl, combine tomatoes, onion, garlic, olive oil, vinegar, and basil. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Let set at room temperature for 1 hour. Right before serving, add mozzarella and bread cubes. Toss to combine. Serve over salad mix.
Meanwhile, right before putting the finishing touches on the salad, grill the steaks until cooked to your liking, at least 8 minutes on each side (more if you like it well-cooked). Slice the cooked steaks. Serve sliced steak atop or on the side of the salad. Enjoy!
You need:
2 small boneless rib eye steaks
1/2 loaf of day old Italian bread, cut into cubes
1/2 red onion, peeled and diced
1 c. fresh basil, torn into bite-sized pieces
2 pints cherry tomatoes, quartered
1 pkg. escarole blend salad mix
1/4 c. red wine vinegar
1/2 c. olive oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
4 oz. fresh mozzarella, cubed
Preheat the oven to 350. Toast the bread cubes for 12-15 minutes until slightly browned but still soft inside. Set aside. In a large bowl, combine tomatoes, onion, garlic, olive oil, vinegar, and basil. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Let set at room temperature for 1 hour. Right before serving, add mozzarella and bread cubes. Toss to combine. Serve over salad mix.
Meanwhile, right before putting the finishing touches on the salad, grill the steaks until cooked to your liking, at least 8 minutes on each side (more if you like it well-cooked). Slice the cooked steaks. Serve sliced steak atop or on the side of the salad. Enjoy!
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