This recipe is absolutely amazing! I had been craving IHop for quite some time but never made it there when I stumbled across this recipe. Since trying it, my craving for IHop has been gone, but I have made these almost every single week since then. I had originally planned on simply adding blueberries to regular pancake mix and was looking online for a blueberry syrup recipe when I stumbled across this. They are the lightest pancakes I have ever eaten.
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 1/4 teaspoons white sugar
1 egg
1 cup milk
1/2 tablespoon butter, melted
1/2 cup frozen blueberries, thawed
In a large bowl, sift together flour, salt, baking powder and sugar. In a small bowl, beat together egg and milk. Stir milk and egg into flour mixture. Mix in the butter and fold in the blueberries. Set aside for 1 hour.
Heat a lightly oiled griddle or frying pan over medium high heat. Pour or scoop the batter onto the griddle, using approximately 1/4 cup for each pancake. Brown on both sides and serve hot.
Notes:
You can use fresh or frozen blueberries. Using frozen helps the flavor to go through more, but using fresh keeps the berries nice and firm and juicy. I have tried it both ways and love each one! But if using frozen, don't be surprised if your batter turns slightly green.
Also, there is no actual need to let the batter sit for 1 hour before using. It is fine to use it right away. However, letting it sit allows the batter to rise a little and produces incredibly light fluffy pancakes. Personally, I always let mine sit.
My personal topping preference with these is to spread butter on the hot pancakes and then sprinkle with a little brown sugar. Then I finish by adding a small dollop of whipped cream. You could also make a homemade blueberry syrup or top however you prefer to top fruit pancakes.
For variety, try adding strawberries, raspberries, or blackberries.
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
Crockpot Beef Roast
This recipe was shared with us a couple years ago by a coworker of my husband. It quickly became a family favorite. I love using my Crockpot and am especially excited when I come across such simple recipes like this that taste wonderful.
Beef Roast (I prefer rump)
2 packets Dry Italian Seasoning
1 jar banana peppers and juice
3-4 c. water
Set Roast in in Crockpot. Pour 1/2 jar of banana peppers and juice along with both packets of Italian Seasoning and water over roast. Cook on low 8 hrs. Shred with a fork.
Now here is where you can change the recipe a little. Personally, we don't like a lot of spice so we leave the recipe at that. There is a nice tangy flavor from the peppers but it isn't overpowering at all. If you like a lot of spice, then add the remaining peppers and juice to the shredded meat. This will really spice it up.
Another possibility is to turn it into stew. For that, simply add your choice of cut-up vegetables (potatoes, carrots, onions, green beans, mushrooms, possibly even barley - the possibilities are endless) for the last couple hours of cooking.
Beef Roast (I prefer rump)
2 packets Dry Italian Seasoning
1 jar banana peppers and juice
3-4 c. water
Set Roast in in Crockpot. Pour 1/2 jar of banana peppers and juice along with both packets of Italian Seasoning and water over roast. Cook on low 8 hrs. Shred with a fork.
Now here is where you can change the recipe a little. Personally, we don't like a lot of spice so we leave the recipe at that. There is a nice tangy flavor from the peppers but it isn't overpowering at all. If you like a lot of spice, then add the remaining peppers and juice to the shredded meat. This will really spice it up.
Another possibility is to turn it into stew. For that, simply add your choice of cut-up vegetables (potatoes, carrots, onions, green beans, mushrooms, possibly even barley - the possibilities are endless) for the last couple hours of cooking.
Monday, March 29, 2010
Spinach Pizza Roll-ups
Tonights recipe comes from my friend Meghan. These are quick, easy, cheap, and can very easily be made completely organic. Even my husband (who claims he does not like spinach) and toddler both enjoy these.
1 tube refrigerated pizza dough
1 c. Pizza Sauce
1 c. shredded Cheese
Fresh Baby Spinach
Roll out the pizza dough. Spread sauce on dough. Top with fresh spinach (as much or as little as you would like). Sprinkle with 2/3 of the cheese. Starting at one end, roll up as tightly as you can. Once rolled, cut into 8 pinwheels. Lay flat on a lightly oiled cookie sheet. Top each with a sprinkle of the remaining cheese. Bake at 400 degrees for 20-22 minutes.
1 tube refrigerated pizza dough
1 c. Pizza Sauce
1 c. shredded Cheese
Fresh Baby Spinach
Roll out the pizza dough. Spread sauce on dough. Top with fresh spinach (as much or as little as you would like). Sprinkle with 2/3 of the cheese. Starting at one end, roll up as tightly as you can. Once rolled, cut into 8 pinwheels. Lay flat on a lightly oiled cookie sheet. Top each with a sprinkle of the remaining cheese. Bake at 400 degrees for 20-22 minutes.
Sunday, March 28, 2010
Fudge Oatmeal Bars
This recipe came from my sister-in-law. They are excellent! But make sure not to overbake them. Enjoy!
12 oz. chocolate chips
15 oz. sweetened condensed milk
3 T. margarine
3/4 cup chopped walnuts
2 tsp. vanilla
Melt chocolate chips, milk and margarine in microwave. Add nuts and vanilla. Set aside.
1 cup margarine
2 cups brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
2 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp. soda
1 tsp. salt
3/4 cup oatmeal
Cream margarine with brown sugar. Add eggs and vanilla; beat well. Sift flour with soda and salt; add. Stir in oatmeal.
Press 2/3 of this mixture into a greased 10x16 inch pan. Spread fudge mixture over dough and sprinkle remaining dough over this. Dough is very thick so you will not be able to spread it with a knife. You will not be able to cover the chocolate entirely, which is OK. Bake at 350 degrees 20 to 30 minutes. Do not overbake.
Note: Instead of using Walnuts in the fudge, I use Heath Bits-O-Brickle Toffee Bits. Both ways taste great. But personally I don't like nuts in fudge so the toffee bits added a nice touch
12 oz. chocolate chips
15 oz. sweetened condensed milk
3 T. margarine
3/4 cup chopped walnuts
2 tsp. vanilla
Melt chocolate chips, milk and margarine in microwave. Add nuts and vanilla. Set aside.
1 cup margarine
2 cups brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
2 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp. soda
1 tsp. salt
3/4 cup oatmeal
Cream margarine with brown sugar. Add eggs and vanilla; beat well. Sift flour with soda and salt; add. Stir in oatmeal.
Press 2/3 of this mixture into a greased 10x16 inch pan. Spread fudge mixture over dough and sprinkle remaining dough over this. Dough is very thick so you will not be able to spread it with a knife. You will not be able to cover the chocolate entirely, which is OK. Bake at 350 degrees 20 to 30 minutes. Do not overbake.
Note: Instead of using Walnuts in the fudge, I use Heath Bits-O-Brickle Toffee Bits. Both ways taste great. But personally I don't like nuts in fudge so the toffee bits added a nice touch
Parmesan Crusted Chicken
1 lb Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast
1/2 cup Mayonnaise
1/4 cup fresh grated parmesan cheese
1/2 cup Italian Flavor Bread Crumbs
Mix mayo and parmesan together in a shallow bowl. Pour Bread crumbs into a separate bowl. Spread Mayo mixture on chicken and roll in bread crumbs. Place in greased cake pan. Cover with foil. Bake at 425 degrees for 45 minutes or until chicken is fully cooked.
Note: We personally prefer to cut our chicken into thin strips. That way each bite has more coating on it. If you do this, you will need to increase your amounts of mayo, cheese, and crumbs since you are covering more pieces. This dish goes great with Green Beans
1/2 cup Mayonnaise
1/4 cup fresh grated parmesan cheese
1/2 cup Italian Flavor Bread Crumbs
Mix mayo and parmesan together in a shallow bowl. Pour Bread crumbs into a separate bowl. Spread Mayo mixture on chicken and roll in bread crumbs. Place in greased cake pan. Cover with foil. Bake at 425 degrees for 45 minutes or until chicken is fully cooked.
Note: We personally prefer to cut our chicken into thin strips. That way each bite has more coating on it. If you do this, you will need to increase your amounts of mayo, cheese, and crumbs since you are covering more pieces. This dish goes great with Green Beans
Corn Casserole
This is another favorite request I receive. It sounds a little odd when you read the recipe. But it is a huge hit! It goes well with just about any meat selection and is also a wonderful dish for a potluck. It is quick and simple.
1 can Cream Style Corn
1 can Whole Kernel Corn (NOT drained)
1 stick butter, cut into small pieces
1 cup Elbow Noodles
1 cup Velveeta Cheese, cut into small cubes
Diced Onion, Salt & Pepper to taste
Mix all ingredients and pour into greased glass baking dish. Cover with foil. Bake at 320 degrees for 45 minutes. Remove foil, stir, and bake uncovered an additional 10-15 minutes or until the noodles are soft and most of the liquid is absorbed.
1 can Cream Style Corn
1 can Whole Kernel Corn (NOT drained)
1 stick butter, cut into small pieces
1 cup Elbow Noodles
1 cup Velveeta Cheese, cut into small cubes
Diced Onion, Salt & Pepper to taste
Mix all ingredients and pour into greased glass baking dish. Cover with foil. Bake at 320 degrees for 45 minutes. Remove foil, stir, and bake uncovered an additional 10-15 minutes or until the noodles are soft and most of the liquid is absorbed.
Homemade Baby Food
Ever wanted to make your own baby food but thought you didn't have the time? Well, if you cook for yourself, you have plenty of time to cook for you baby. You just need to know a few simple tips and know about an amazing website.
First, for more tips than I could ever list, along with recipes and guidelines of when to start various food with your little one, visit: http://www.wholesomebabyfood.com/
That website is amazing!!
Second, but a couple new ice cube trays. Reserve those for making baby food. You can also buy covered trays, but if you don't want to spend the extra money, you can cover your trays with plastic wrap or here is what we did: We had several thin cutting mats. We cut one to the size/shape of our ice cube trays and used that as our covers.
Third, have some type of blender available. For quick and easy clean-up, I would recommend a Magic Bullet style blender, or a hand blender.
Fourth, if you have a vegetable steamer hidden away that you thought you would never use, dig it out! It will be your new best friend! If not, you can easily steam your fruits and vegetables on the stove top using just a small amount of water in the bottom of your pan. (Note, if doing it on the stove top, you will need to keep a closer eye on your food. If you use a steamer, you can basically set it and forget it, which is great with a little one to keep up with!)
Fifth, decide when you will make your food. I usually did about a week in advance. Personally, I usually found an hour or so each weekend to make the food for the upcoming week. I would cut an acorn squash in half and put it in a cake pan with an inch of water and roast it in the oven for an hour. While that was going, I might throw green beans in the food steamer and apples in a pan on the stove. Then simply mash them up and put them in the ice cube trays.
Once your food cubes are frozen, simply pop out of the trays and store in labeled freezer safe resealable plastic bags.
If I noticed I was running low on something, I would simply make that food while I made dinner one night during the week.
Once you begin to make Baby Food Making part of your routine, it becomes just that: Routine.
As for reheating the food, it was also simple. If I thought about it in advance, I took one or two cubes out of the freezer and set them in a bowl in the fridge to thaw. Then I would set the bowl in some hot water just before serving to heat the food to the desired temperature.
I never once felt stressed about preparing food. But again, I referenced the above website on a regular basis for tips and ideas. I made all of my son's food, he never once had any pre-made, store-bought baby food. I figured that if I could cook for myself and my husband, then I should cook for our son as well.
If you have any questions, please let me know and I can give you any advice or support you need.
First, for more tips than I could ever list, along with recipes and guidelines of when to start various food with your little one, visit: http://www.wholesomebabyfood.com/
That website is amazing!!
Second, but a couple new ice cube trays. Reserve those for making baby food. You can also buy covered trays, but if you don't want to spend the extra money, you can cover your trays with plastic wrap or here is what we did: We had several thin cutting mats. We cut one to the size/shape of our ice cube trays and used that as our covers.
Third, have some type of blender available. For quick and easy clean-up, I would recommend a Magic Bullet style blender, or a hand blender.
Fourth, if you have a vegetable steamer hidden away that you thought you would never use, dig it out! It will be your new best friend! If not, you can easily steam your fruits and vegetables on the stove top using just a small amount of water in the bottom of your pan. (Note, if doing it on the stove top, you will need to keep a closer eye on your food. If you use a steamer, you can basically set it and forget it, which is great with a little one to keep up with!)
Fifth, decide when you will make your food. I usually did about a week in advance. Personally, I usually found an hour or so each weekend to make the food for the upcoming week. I would cut an acorn squash in half and put it in a cake pan with an inch of water and roast it in the oven for an hour. While that was going, I might throw green beans in the food steamer and apples in a pan on the stove. Then simply mash them up and put them in the ice cube trays.
Once your food cubes are frozen, simply pop out of the trays and store in labeled freezer safe resealable plastic bags.
If I noticed I was running low on something, I would simply make that food while I made dinner one night during the week.
Once you begin to make Baby Food Making part of your routine, it becomes just that: Routine.
As for reheating the food, it was also simple. If I thought about it in advance, I took one or two cubes out of the freezer and set them in a bowl in the fridge to thaw. Then I would set the bowl in some hot water just before serving to heat the food to the desired temperature.
I never once felt stressed about preparing food. But again, I referenced the above website on a regular basis for tips and ideas. I made all of my son's food, he never once had any pre-made, store-bought baby food. I figured that if I could cook for myself and my husband, then I should cook for our son as well.
If you have any questions, please let me know and I can give you any advice or support you need.
I recommend....
Non-stick Barbeque Kabob Baskets
Available at Bed Bath & Beyond for only $9.99
They are amazing for grilling kabobs. Unlike traditional skewers, your meat and vegetables will not stick to the grill and make turning much easier. A must have for any hard-core griller!
Grilled Shishkabobs
I found the following marinade recipe in the magazine Simple & Delicious (one of my favorite cooking magazines). As for the rest, it is just what I recommend for the kabob's. Feel free to try new combinations, or a family favorite. Share any ideas you might have to make this recipe better!
1 c. Ketchup
1/3 c. French Salad Dressing
1/3 c. Soy Sauce
1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 lb. Boneless Beef Sirloin, cut into small cubes
Carrots
Fresh Mushrooms
Red Potatoes
Vidalia Onion
Red and Green Pepper
Combine the ketchup, dressing, soy sauce, and worcestershire sauce in a small bowl. Pour 2/3 into a resealable plastic bag, and reserve the remaining marinade for dipping. Add the Sirloin to the bag. Turn to coat. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour (We prefer several hours)
When ready to grill, cut up vegetables into small cubes. Place carrots in a bowl with a small amount of water and microwave for 4-5 minutes to slightly soften. If using potatoes, pre-cook in the microwave for 4-5 minutes as well.
Place all ingredients on skewers, alternating each item.
Grill over medium-hot heat for 18-20 minutes, or until the meat reaches desired temperature. Baste with extra marinade while grilling.
Serve with hot rice.
Note: If you do not precook firm ingredients such as potatoes and carrots, they will not achieve a desired softness on the grill.
1 c. Ketchup
1/3 c. French Salad Dressing
1/3 c. Soy Sauce
1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 lb. Boneless Beef Sirloin, cut into small cubes
Carrots
Fresh Mushrooms
Red Potatoes
Vidalia Onion
Red and Green Pepper
Combine the ketchup, dressing, soy sauce, and worcestershire sauce in a small bowl. Pour 2/3 into a resealable plastic bag, and reserve the remaining marinade for dipping. Add the Sirloin to the bag. Turn to coat. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour (We prefer several hours)
When ready to grill, cut up vegetables into small cubes. Place carrots in a bowl with a small amount of water and microwave for 4-5 minutes to slightly soften. If using potatoes, pre-cook in the microwave for 4-5 minutes as well.
Place all ingredients on skewers, alternating each item.
Grill over medium-hot heat for 18-20 minutes, or until the meat reaches desired temperature. Baste with extra marinade while grilling.
Serve with hot rice.
Note: If you do not precook firm ingredients such as potatoes and carrots, they will not achieve a desired softness on the grill.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
