Tag Archives: egg-free

Vermont Whole Wheat Oatmeal Honey Bread

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Quick Post: I haven’t posted a yeast  bread recipe in a long time. Anyway, I owe someone a loaf of this, and I’m glad because I haven’t had an excuse to make this one since December. It’s so good and it is the perfect bread for toasting. I like that it makes two loaves so I still get to keep one 😉 The cinnamon and brown sugar are such a warm and comforting combination. While the oats soak in the butter/sugar/cinnamon mixture – try to stop yourself from licking the bowl. I kind of wish that maple sugar wasn’t so darn expensive and that it was easier to find because I would love to try it. I have only seen it available online, and I can’t justify the cost, especially the 8 dollar shipping! Blah… Thanks for reading, enjoy!
Vermont Whole Wheat Oatmeal Honey Bread – adapted from King Arthur Flour
Ingredients –
  • 2 cups boiling water
  • 1 cup rolled oats (*aka “old fashioned”)
  • 1/2 cup maple sugar (*I don’t have any of this but brown sugar is the best substitute)
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter
  • 1 tablespoon kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon Saigon-type cinnamon
  • 1 tablespoon instant yeast
  • 1 1/2 cups King Arthur 100% White Whole Wheat Flour
  • 4 cups King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour

Directions –

In a large mixing bowl, combine the water, oats, maple sugar, honey, butter, salt and cinnamon. Let cool to lukewarm.

Add the yeast and flours, stirring to form a rough dough. Knead (about 10 minutes by hand, 5 to 7 minutes by machine) until the dough is smooth and satiny. Transfer the dough to a lightly greased bowl, cover the bowl with lightly greased plastic wrap, and allow the dough to rise for 1 hour.

Divide the dough in half, and shape each half into a loaf. Place the loaves in two greased 8 1/2 x 4 1/2-inch bread pans. Cover the pans with lightly greased plastic wrap and allow the loaves to rise till they’ve crowned about 1 inch over the rim of the pan, about 1 hour.

Bake the loaves in a preheated 360°F oven for 33 minutes.* Remove them from the oven when they’re golden brown, and the interior registers 190°F on an instant-read thermometer. Yield: 2 sandwich loaves.

*If your oven can’t be set at 360°F, set it at 350°F and bake the bread for 35 to 40 minutes

Chocolate Fondue

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Quick Post: This was the dessert that my SIL requested for her birthday. It’s super simple – only two ingredients for this fondue. Serve this with strawberries, bananas, pineapple, pound cake, pretzels, marshmallows – anything that goes well with chocolate but wont easily fall apart. Next time I will use a combination of bitter and semi-sweet chocolate, because the bittersweet was just too bitter!;)

Chocolate Fondue – 

  • 8 ounces bittersweet chocolate (or which ever chocolate you prefer)
  • 3/4 cups of heavy cream, warm (plus more to thin the fondue as needed)
Directions –
1. Chop the chocolate and set aside in a bowl. Pour the warm cream over top and let it slowly melt the chocolate. Whisk until the cream and chocolate are incorporated. If you have a fondue pot – use it! Thin out the chocolate with more heavy cream as needed. Enjoy!

Three Ingredient Crock Pot Dinner…(and it’s good, too!)

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Quick Post: Easiest.Dinner.Ever. Crock Pot meals are so convenient and this one is no exception. If you want to use the store bought ingredients, it’s even easier. I had some carrots that I needed to use up so I roasted them in a 400 degree oven for 20 minutes seasoned with kosher salt, pepper, and some olive oil. I didn’t roast any garlic for the potatoes described on the blog, so I just mashed my potatoes with Parmesan, some butter, half and half, milk, salt and pepper. They’re really basic, but that’s okay because the pork makes its own gravy – yum! Thank for reading, enjoy!

Ranch House Crock Pot Pork Chops – adapted from Picky Palate

Directions –

Place all ingredients in a crock pot – cook on high for 4 hours or low for 6 hours.

Homemade Condensed Cream of Chicken Soup…(yes, I am a bit of a food snob)

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Why make this when you can just buy it, you ask? I’ll tell you why – after reading the ingredient list does it sound appetizing? Nope – so why not give your family the very best and make it at home? It’s quick, easy and cheap!

I’m using this for a crock pot meal that only has three ingredients and one of them is pork chops. I thought why not up the flavor and make sure I’m not giving my family something with way too much salt and chemicals. That thought inspired me to make the other two ingredients at home. This ranch mix smells fresh and this condensed soup tastes great and I can’t wait to try the end result. I used fresh onion and garlic for this which requires a little more cooking, but it will equal lots of fresh flavor. Thanks for reading, enjoy!

Yield: 3 cups (about 2 cans)

Ingredients – adapted from Tammy’s Recipes
  • 1 1/2 cups chicken broth*
  • 1/2 teaspoon poultry seasoning
  • 1/4 teaspoon onion powder**
  • 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder***
  • 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt (or less; taste to test)
  • 1/4 teaspoon parsley
  • dash of paprika
  • 1 1/2 cups milk
  • 3/4 cup flour
Instructions:

1. In medium-sized saucepan, boil chicken broth, 1/2 cup of the milk, and the seasonings for a minute or two (longer if using fresh onions or garlic).

2. In a bowl, whisk together the remaining 1 cup of milk and flour. Add to boiling mixture and continue whisking briskly until mixture boils and thickens.

Additional Notes:

*I use the broth from my oven-roasted chicken. Refrigerate broth and then take fat off the top. If you’re using chicken bouillon + water for your broth, you may want to add a little extra seasonings, such as lemon pepper, extra garlic, or seasoned salt, since my broth normally has bits of those in it. You can also add bits of chicken, but if you have good rich chicken broth, you probably won’t need any chicken in it.

**Or, diced onions (boil with broth for a few minutes)

***Or, fresh minced garlic (boil with broth for a few minutes)

Baked Teriyaki Chicken

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I have used this recipe so many times and we’re not sick of it yet. This time however, I served myself a lot less rice than I used to and tons more veggies instead. This picture was taken after I had already eaten some (oops) then I remembered I wanted to blog about it! Normally this is served over white rice and steamed broccoli then topped with some of the sauce the chicken cooked in – it’s so yummy! Thanks for reading, enjoy!

Baked Teriyaki Chicken Ingredients – adapted from Allrecipes.com

  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch
  • 1 tablespoon cold water
  • 1/2 cup white sugar
  • 1/2 cup soy sauce
  • 1/4 cup cider vinegar
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 12 skinless chicken thighs

Directions –

In a small saucepan over low heat, combine the cornstarch, cold water, sugar, soy sauce, vinegar, garlic, ginger and ground black pepper. Let simmer, stirring frequently, until sauce thickens and bubbles.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).

Place chicken pieces in a lightly greased 9×13 inch baking dish. Brush chicken with the sauce. Turn pieces over, and brush again.

Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes. Turn pieces over, and bake for another 30 minutes, until no longer pink and juices run clear. Brush with sauce every 10 minutes during cooking.


Puh-sketti and Meat Sauce

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Quick Post: Yum! I used this marinara sauce but before I started the marinara sauce directions, I browned three links of Italian sausage and one pound of lean ground beef. I knew M wouldn’t appreciate it unless there was meat in it…If the sauce becomes too thick for you, add tomato sauce or water if you’d like. I ended up adding two 8 ounce cans of tomato sauce and the same volume  of water to make it a little thinner. Once the spaghetti noodles were finished cooking, I ladled about five cups of the sauce along with parmesan and Pecorino Romano cheese. Thanks for reading, enjoy!

Buffalo Chicken Macaroni and Cheese

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Oh, this is too good! While searching for a recipe to use up leftover roasted chicken, I came across this. I had to buy the cheese but I had everything else on hand which is always good:) While reading through a few of the comments, I noticed that several people wrote that this recipe makes “a ton” but they successfully halved it. Well, that sounded like a good idea to me because I didn’t have enough chicken to make three cups anyway. The recipe also doesn’t seem so decadent when you halve the amounts of cheese and butter;) Everyone enjoyed this, but M still prefers this one over all others I’ve made. Honestly, I’m looking forward to eating leftovers;) Thanks for reading, enjoy!

Buffalo Chicken Macaroni and Cheese – adapted from Food Network

  • 7 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for the dish
  • Kosher salt
  • 1 pound elbow macaroni
  • 1 small onion, finely chopped
  • 2 stalks celery, finely chopped
  • 3 cups cooked chicken, shredded
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 3/4 cup hot sauce (preferably Frank’s)
  • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons dry mustard
  • 2 1/2 cups half-and-half
  • 1 pound yellow sharp cheddar, shredded
  • 8 ounces pepper jack cheese, shredded (about 2 cups)
  • 2/3 cup sour cream
  • 1 cup panko
  • 1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese (I used Gorgonzola)

Directions –

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and butter a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil; add the pasta and cook until al dente, about 7 minutes. Drain.

Meanwhile, melt 3 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and celery and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Stir in the chicken and garlic and cook 2 minutes, then add 1/2 cup hot sauce and simmer until slightly thickened, about 1 more minute.

Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the flour and mustard with a wooden spoon until smooth. Whisk in the half-and-half, then add the remaining 1/4 cup hot sauce and stir until thick, about 2 minutes. Whisk in the cheddar and pepper jack cheeses, then whisk in the sour cream until smooth.

Spread half of the macaroni in the prepared baking dish, then top with the chicken mixture and the remaining macaroni. Pour the cheese sauce evenly on top.

Put the remaining 2 tablespoons butter in a medium microwave-safe bowl and microwave until melted. Stir in the panko, blue cheese and parsley. Sprinkle over the macaroni and bake until bubbly, 30 to 40 minutes. Let rest 10 minutes before serving.



Homemade Ranch Dressing Mix

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Quick Post: Ranch dressing mix isn’t something I use often enough to warrant making, but I’ve become a bit of a food snob! When I think of the junk that is in that packet (like MSG for instance) my skin crawls. Now, yes it would have been much more cost-effective to just use the packet that I have (it’s at least four years old…no expiration date) but I decided to look for a recipe instead. A few bucks, and a flat of Mason jars later I have a mix full of flavor and no MSG! It smells fresh and I’m not afraid to use it!;) More on what I’m using this for later this week! Thanks for reading, enjoy:)

Ranch Dressing Mix – adapted from Everything’s Coming Up Daffodils

  • 1/3 cup dry buttermilk
  • 1 tablespoon dried parsley flakes
  • 1 and 1/2 teaspoons salt
  • 1 teaspoon dried dill
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1 teaspoon dried onion flakes
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
Directions –
Place all ingredients in your food processor and whirl for a minute just to blend and crumble those parsley and onion flakes.  Store in an airtight container.  Mason jars work great.

Taco Chicken

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This is so good, super simple but oh, so flavorful. While looking through Publix’s online ad, I discovered that boneless, skinless thighs were on sale this week and immediately I thought of this recipe. It’s marinated in some of my favorite flavors – lime, cumin and chili powder.

I’m serving these grilled with tortillas, this salsa (I was craving it) and my “orange” rice. I’m pretty plain when it comes to taco night because there is always rice, cheese and pico de gallo, or in this case salsa. My family is (thankfully) easy to please most times:) Thanks for reading, enjoy!

Taco Chicken – adapted from Our Best Bites

  • 1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken thighs
  • A couple of juicy limes
  • A splash of red wine vinegar
  • 2-3 cloves garlic, pressed or coarsely chopped
  • 1 tsp. chili powder
  • 1/2 tsp. cumin
  • 1/2 tsp. Kosher salt
  • 1/2 tsp. black pepper

Directions –

1. Combine all ingredients minus the chicken. Place the chicken in a gallon size Ziploc bag and pour the marinade over top. Mush the bag to coat all the chicken well. Place the plastic bag in another container to protect the rest of the fridge in case the bag leaks. Marinade for 4 but no longer than 8 hours.

2. Preheat outdoor grill and cook the chicken pieces for 7 minutes a side. Take off grill, cover with foil and let rest for about 5 minutes. Enjoy!

Spring Green Risotto

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I needed a side dish for my salmon in foil, so I immediately thought starch and vegetables, and this fits my needs perfectly because this risotto recipe is two sides in one. I came up with this by combining two risotto recipes that I found on FoodNetwork.com. I liked that Ellie Krieger used asparagus, peas and spinach and far less ingredients than Ina Garten’s; but I like that Ina uses butter, lemon zest, and more parmesan. I think I came up with a good mix of healthy with a little added richness by using more cheese, a little butter and brightness from the lemon.

This is definitely more fussy than the average rice recipe – but it’s not at all difficult to manage. Mine probably took more than 30 minutes, but it turned out great. Obviously, I left out the peas and spinach because once the asparagus was added, there was no room in my pan for anything extra. The lemon zest is a must to brighten up the flavor of the risotto or it would be a one note dish. I was tasting it before adding the zest and I was a disappointed because it was a little bland. The lemon woke up the flavors – even M noticed something different. He did like it though, which is always appreciated since he can be really picky and hard to please at times;) Thanks for reading, enjoy!

Spring Green Risotto – a mix of these two recipes

  • 1 TBSP butter
  • 1 TBSP olive oil
  • 1 medium yellow onion, diced
  • 1 1/2 cups arborio rice
  • 1/2 cups white wine
  • 5-6 cups chicken stock
  • 1 pound thin asparagus, steamed and cut into 3/4″ pieces
  • 10 ounces frozen peas (not enough room in the pan…maybe next time)
  • 1 TBSP lemon zest
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 TBSP fresh lemon juice
  • 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
  • 1-3 cups baby spinach (oops!)

Directions –

Bring the broth to a simmer in a medium saucepan. Heat the oil and butter in a heavy saucepan over moderately low heat and cook the onion, stirring occasionally, until soft, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the rice and cook, stirring constantly, 1 minute. Add wine
and simmer, stirring constantly, until absorbed, about 1 minute. Add 3/4 cup of the hot broth, the salt and a few grinds of fresh pepper and simmer, stirring constantly, until broth is absorbed. Continue simmering and adding hot broth, about 3/4 cup at a time, stirring constantly and allowing the broth to be absorbed before adding more, until rice is almost tender and creamy-looking, about 18 minutes.

Add the spinach and peas and cook until the spinach is wilted. Add the asparagus and cook just until the vegetables are hot. Stir in the Parmesan, lemon zest and more broth if the risotto seems too thick.