Thai Curry

 This recipe is from my friend Rachanee. Her mom is actually from Thailand! The funny thing is, she said that growing up she didn't really like Thai food, so her husband became the main Thai cooker once they got married, but now she does like it.

100 grams Mae Ploy curry paste (we use red, green or panang, can usually find it at harmons, we made red the other day) 2 cans coconut milk 1lb chicken breast cubed/sliced 2 bell peppers (any color you like) 1 small can sliced bamboo 1/2 cup water 1 Tbsp brown sugar 2 Tbsp canola (or similar) oil 2 tsp fish sauce 1/4-1/2 cup fresh basil, torn

[I also added some sliced onion]

Heat oil in a large skillet, medium heat, add curry paste and fry for a couple minutes (stir constantly) Add 1 can coconut milk and cook for 5-10 minutes (stirring frequently) Add bamboo (i add early to soften it up a bit) Add chicken and cook for 5 min or so Add 1 can coconut milk, fish sauce, brown sugar, and 1/2 cup water Cook for 10 min Add bell peppers and cook until desired softness (~5min, depending on how crisp you want them) and check chicken to make sure it's fully cooked stir in basil and cook for 1 more minute Serve over jasmine rice.

Cinnamon Jumbles

 

I remembered a cinnamon cookie mom made when we were kids, and she found the recipe for me! I remember liking them, but after making them recently, I do like snickerdoodles better, but it's still fun to save this childhood memory.

1/2 C shortening (butter/margarine)

1 C sugar

1 egg

3/4 C buttermilk

1 t vanilla

2 C flour

1/2 t soda

1/2 t salt

1/4 C sugar

1 t cinnamon

Mix shortening, sugar, egg thoroughly. Stir in buttermilk and vanilla. Blend flour, soda, salt. Stir in. Chill dough.

Bake 2" apart at 400 on greased baking sheet. Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar mixture. Bake 8-10 min until set but not brown. Makes about 4 doz 2" cookies.

Oatmeal Chcolate Chip Cookies

 I have no idea where this recipe was from, but it was in an e-mail I sent to Holli Moore back in 2008!

1 C. sugar
1 C. Brown Sugar
2 sticks butter softened
1 1/2 C. Oatmeal
2 1/2 C flour (sometimes I use a little more if the dough sticks to the beaters)
1 tsp. baking soda
8 Oz. Chocolate chips. (I like to use the peanut butter and chocolate swirled chips)
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. vanilla
2 eggs
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. almond extract
Mix everything in a Kitchen Aid Mixer and drop onto a cookie sheet.

Bake at 375 for 10 min. Remove from oven when they are still doughy. Leave on cookie sheet for a couple of min. to set up then remove to cooling racks.

Chocolate Crinkle Cookies Recipe

This was from the Preppy Kitchen https://share.google/yIjVDIf0HFY7DdzgB  Soooo good. I used half olive oil and half coconut oil

• 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (100g)
• 1¾ cups granulated sugar (350g)
• ½ cup vegetable oil (120mL)
• 4 large eggs room temperature
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour (240g)
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• ¾ teaspoon salt
• 1 cup powdered sugar (120g)

• In a large mixing bowl using a hand mixer or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the sugar, cocoa powder, and oil. Beat on medium speed until well combined and shiny.
• Add the eggs one at a time, beating until well combined. Beat in the vanilla.
• Combine the flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl, stirring to combine. Add the flour mixture to the cocoa mixture and mix on low speed just until combined.
• Cover the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or up to overnight.
• Once the dough has chilled, preheat oven to 350°F. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper. Place the powdered sugar in a small bowl.
• Using a small ice cream scoop or tablespoon, scoop the chilled dough and roll into roughly one-inch balls. Roll the dough balls in powdered sugar until well coated and place on the prepared baking sheet about 2 inches apart. (Only coat as many dough balls as you can fit on the baking sheets at one time. Refrigerate the remaining dough balls and roll in powdered sugar just before baking.)
• Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until the edges of the cookies are firm and the center is puffed but still appears slightly wet. Let them cool on the baking sheets for a few minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Notes

• Don't rush the chilling time. This dough is quite sticky when it's first made, so it needs time to firm up before you can roll and coat the balls. Also, a warm dough will result in flat cookies, so don't let it sit out too long either.
• The cookies will naturally deflate in the center when cooling. Don’t let this send you into a panic that they are underbaked! This means the cookies will be deliciously fudgy in the center.
• Add other extracts. You can add 1 teaspoon of peppermint extract or orange extract to the cookie dough for a twist on flavors!

Homemade Brownie Mix

 

This is from I Am Baker. Double for a 9 x 13. Will make a dozen if you bake them in muffin tins. These are very chocolatey (plus we added 1/2 C dark chocolate chips into the mix). I gave one to Eli to take to school. Decrease cocoa if desired.

Dry Ingredients

• 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
• ⅓ cup (40 g) unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted
• ½ cup (64 g) all-purpose flour
• ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
• ¼ teaspoon baking powder

Wet Ingredients

• ½ cup (1 stick / 113 g) unsalted butter, melted, then cooled
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 350°F and spray an 8x8-inch pan with non-stick spray.
• Sift (or whisk) together granulated sugar, cocoa powder, flour, salt, and baking powder in a large bowl.
• Melt butter and set aside to cool.
• In a medium bowl, beat two eggs and vanilla extract with a hand-held mixer.
• Add the egg mixture and melted butter to the dry ingredients. Stir until just incorporated.
• Pour batter into the prepared pan and bake for 20-22 minutes.

Notes

HOW TO GIFT BROWNIE MIX

Sift together all dry ingredients. Place into a jar or airtight container.On a gift tag or label write the wet ingredients and quantities and then directions. "Melt butter and set aside to cool slightly. In a medium bowl, beat two eggs with the vanilla. Add in and gently stir dry ingredients. Pour the melted butter into brownie mixture and mix until just incorporated. Spread batter in a prepared 8-inch square pan and bake for 20-22 minutes at 350 degrees."

Easy Homemade Pancake Mix Made from Scratch

From The Recipe Critic https://share.google/stGcrjiyxQqTn35tN. I sent some of this to Sarah on her mission in Nauvoo, and it's so easy I wanted to save it.

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons baking powder
• ⅓ cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt

Instructions

• In a large bowl, add 3 cups all-purpose flour, 2 tablespoons baking powder, ⅓ cup granulated sugar, and 1 teaspoon salt.
• Whisk the pancake mix ingredients together until combined. Store in a sealed container and keep in a dry cool place.

Notes

How to Use the Mix to Make Pancakes

1. In a medium-sized bowl, combine ¾ [a little less] cup of milk, 1 egg, and 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil. Add 1 cup of pancake mix and stir until combined.
2. Drop ¼ cup of the pancake mixture onto a heated, buttered skillet on medium heat. Cook until golden brown on both sides and enjoy!

 

How to Use the Mix to Make Waffles

1. In a bowl, mix ¾ cup milk, 1 egg, and 3 tbsp oil. Add 1 cup pancake mix and stir. The extra oil creates a crispier texture.
2. Pour batter onto a heated, buttered waffle iron and follow its instructions. Adjust batter based on waffle iron size.

Baked Oatmeal

 This is originally from Fit Foodie Finds under the name Dark Chocolate Berry Baked Oatmeal, and I love it. I put in less fruit and less chocolate than the original recipe, and a couple other potential changes.

Wet Ingredients

• 1 medium ripe banana, smashed
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup maple syrup*
• 3/4 cup unsweetened almond milk

Dry

• 2 cups rolled oats
• 1/2 cup white whole wheat flour any kind of flour will work*
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 2 C frozen berries
• a couple tablespoons mini dark chocolate chips
• pinch of salt (opt)

Optional: Drizzle almond butter on top before baking

*It would also work to substitute at least some of the flour with vanilla protein powder, then you would cut down on your flour and your maple syrup. 

Combine the wet ingredients, combine the dry ingredients, mix the wet and dry together. Spread into a small casserole dish (7x10 - serves 6), bake 350 for 30 minutes. Doubling this will fit into a 9x13.

Greek Burritos

 We tried this when we were doing e-meals and really liked it!

• 1 pint grape tomatoes, halved
• 1 red onion, thinly sliced
• 1½ cups roasted red pepper hummus
• 6 burrito size flour tortillas
• 1 (5-oz) pkg baby spinach
• 1 English cucumber, chopped
• 1 (6-oz) pkg crumbled feta cheese
• ¾ cup chopped kalamata olives

Instructions

1. Cook tomatoes and onion in a large skillet coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat 6 to 8 minutes or until tender.
2. Spread hummus on tortillas; top with spinach, cucumber, tomato mixture, cheese, and olives. Fold in sides of tortillas; roll up to completely enclose filling.

Peanut-Coconut Quinoa

 I originally got this on Chow, maybe as far back as 2012. I'm not even going to post a picture because it looks so gross, but it tastes so yummy. The original recipe calls for tofu, but we just leave that out. Here is the simplified version I like to make.

Cook Quinoa:

2 C quinoa

1 - 14 oz can unsweetened coconut milk

1 1/3 chicken broth

1 t salt

8 oz chopped carrots

1 lb. chopped broccoli

Bring all but the vegetables to a boil for around 15-20 minutes. Cook the broccoli and carrots separately until crisp-tender then add to the quinoa (OR, you can also just add them raw into the quinoa mixture while it's cooking so they will cook too---this may cause the quinoa to take a little longer to cook, though).

Sauce:

1 2/3 C cilantro (around 1/2 bunch)

1/2 C natural, chunky peanut butter

1/4 - 1/3 C Sriracha sauce

2 T lime zest (from 3 limes)

1/4 fresh lime juice (from 3 limes)

1/4 C sesame oil

1 T brown sugar or honey (opt)

2 garlic cloves

3/4 t salt

Blend the above ingredients together.

Pour the sauce over the hot quinoa and vegetables and serve with fresh cilantro, peanuts, and green onions, if desired. 

Lebanese Lemon Garlic Chicken

I found this recipe online, but can't remember from where! It's so flavorful! When I make this for our family I should probably double it.

2 lbs chicken (2 chicken breasts?)

1/4 C fresh lemon juice (approx 2 lemons, but you could use bottled)

6 minced garlic cloves

3 T olive oil

1 t cround cumin

1 t ground coriander

1/2 t paprika

1/2 t ground turmeric (opt)

Salt and pepper to taste (1/2 t each?)

2 T chopped fresh parsley (for garnish)

Lemon slices (for baking or serving)

Whisk together the lemon juice, garlic, olive oil, cumin, coriander, paprika, turmeric, salt, and pepper. Add the chicken to the bowl and coat well. Cover and let marinate for 30 min to 4 hours. Place chicken in a single layer in a baking dish or sheet pan. Add lemon on top if desired. Bake at 400 for 35-40 minutes until skin is golden and crispy. Sprinkle with fresh parsley and serve.

You can also cook this on the stove top in a pan until cooked through. You could probably cook it in a crock pot, too... maybe 4 hours on low or 6-8 hours or so on high?

We served this with rice, but you could also serve with couscous or a salad.

Mediterranean Recipes

 We've really been enjoying some Mediterranean Recipes lately. In fact, I wrote one on a card twice! haha.

GREEK CHICKEN MEATBALLS

1 lb ground chicken (or turkey)

1/4 C breadcrumbs (opt)

1/4 C parmesan

1/4 C chopped parsley

1 clove garlic

1 egg

1 t oregano

Salt and pepper

Combine above ingredients into balls. Bake at 400 for 20-25 minutes

And, if you want to add Tzatziki sauce, here's a good recipe. We just don't usually eat much of it.

1 C Greek  yogurt

1/2 grated cucumber

1 clove garlic

1 T olive oil

1 t lemon juice

Salt to taste

GREEK CHICKEN BOWLS from All Nutritious.com: serve with basmati rice, salad, and tzatziki sauce (Serves 4)

2 lb cubed chicken

1/4 C olive oil

1/3 C Greek yogurt

1 lemon, juiced

1 T red wine vinegar

8 cloves garlic

1 T oregano

Salt and Pepper

Marinate chicken in other ingredients, 20 min to 12 hours. Cook in a skillet 7-9 minutes.

Serve with SALAD:

2 Cucumbers, chopped

1 lb. cherry tomatoes

1 red onion, chopped

1/2 lemon, squeezed

2 T olive oil

1 T red wine vinegar

2 garlic cloves

1/2 t oregano

TZATZIKI SAUCE

1/2 C Greek yogurt

1/2 English cucumber, diced

2 cloves garlic

1 T fresh dill

1 t lemon juice

1 t chopped mint

Salt & pepper

PITA BREAD (so good!) - makes 10

3 1/4 C flour

1 1/2 C warm water

1 T yeast

1 t salt

1 T olive oil

Combine yeast and water. Add other ingredients to make dough. Divide into ten balls, rise one hour, let rest. Roll flat. Bake in a skillet like a pancake.

JENNIFER ANISTON SALAD - Serves 6

We've tried several versions of this salad, but this one is my favorite. It's fun to make it as a salad in a jar (makes 6 of them). Just put the heavier ingredients and liquids on the bottom.

1 C uncooked quinoa, cooked with 2 C water*

1 C chopped cucumber

1/2 C chopped parsley

1/2 C mint

1/3 C chopped red onion

1/2 C pistachios

1 can chickpeas

Feta

Dressing**: Combine 2 juiced lemons with 1/4 C olive oil, salt, pepper

Fresh dill, chicken, avocado, dijon mustard (optional)

*Toasted Quinoa Option: Take 1 C cooked quinoa combined with 1 T olive oil and 1/2 t salt and bake at 375 for 20 min stirring half way (Kale Junkie).

**Tahini Balsamic Dressing option - 1/2 C olive oil with 1/4 C tahini, 3 T Balsamic vinegar, 1/4 C lemon juice, 2 T maple syrup, 2 cloves garlic, 1/2 t salt, 1/2 t pepper

GREEK SHEET PAN CHICKEN - Serves 6 (Downshiftology) So much flavor!

• ½ cup olive oil
• 1 lemon juiced (about 3 tablespoons)
• 4 garlic cloves minced
• 2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 6 chicken thighs bone-in, skin-on
• 1 medium zucchini halved lengthwise and sliced
• 1 yellow bell pepper chopped into 1-inch pieces
• ½ large red onion thinly sliced into wedges
• 1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes
• ½ cup kalamata olives pitted
• ¼ cup feta cheese
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley

Instructions

• Make the marinade. Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C). In a small bowl, whisk together the oil, lemon juice, garlic, oregano, thyme, Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper.***
• Marinate the chicken. Place the chicken thighs in a bowl and pour ⅔ of the marinade on top, then use your hands to toss the chicken in the marinade and make sure it's well coated. Marinate the chicken for 10 to 15 minutes.
• Prep the vegetables. While the chicken is marinating, spread the zucchini, bell pepper, red onion, and tomatoes onto the baking sheet and drizzle the remaining marinade on top. Toss together to coat the vegetables.
• Bake. Add the chicken thighs the baking sheet, nestling them around the veggies, and bake for 30 minutes.
• Add the final touches. Remove the baking sheet from the oven, add the olives and feta and then place it back in the oven for another 10 to 15 minutes, or until the vegetables are softened and the chicken is cooked through to 165°F.
• Sprinkle the chicken and vegetables with chopped fresh parsley before serving.

***I just spread these on top of the chicken and let it sit in the fridge during the day until I baked it in the oven.