The first pantry challenge recipe for this month...banana muffins. With whole wheat flour. Honey. Really, really brown bananas. And of course, chocolate chips! Whole Wheat Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins Banana muffins with whole wheat flour, honey, really ripe bananas and of course, chocolate chips! 1 1/2 cup whole wheat flour1 tsp baking … [Read more...]
Slow Cooker Barbecue Chicken
The simplest, tastiest, feed-a-crowd barbecue I know of. Warms your tummy in the winter. Helps you avoid turning on the oven or even the grill in the summer. A frugal fast food for slow Sundays year 'round. Pair it with corn on the cob, watermelon and a side of slaw and you have yourself an Independence Day meal. Of course, the children can mix up some Cookies and Cream … [Read more...]
How to Season Chicken for the Grill (When You Forget to Marinate It!)
When life is flying by faster than you can keep up with, something is bound to fall through the cracks. For me, it's often getting the chicken out of the freezer and thawed in time to get it marinating. While I usually freeze chicken in a marinade in a freezer baggie, but sometimes I can't even manage to get that done when I get home from the grocery store. So when … [Read more...]
Spiced Strawberry Rhubarb Pie
So I actually made this pie last week, before our weekend berry picking adventure. And I'm tempted to make it again with the berries that I froze "fresh from the farm." For this, I cheated and used 2 pre-made pie crusts that I've had in the freezer since the holidays. And I say cheated, because I much prefer to use my own...but in a moment of weakness busyness over the … [Read more...]
Marinated Vegetable Pasta
This is a great light summer recipe that is loaded with vegetables from the garden or farmer's market. We make a version of this dish at the Cooking Class that I teach for our hospital. It is always delicious and is a great way to highlight summer produce. I used Ronzoni Smart Taste pasta for this dish. It is also great with whole wheat pasta for added fiber … [Read more...]
Turkey, Mushroom, Onion & Swiss Grilled Paninis
Panini. Yes, please. Panini on the grill. Yes, yes, yes please. I don't have a panini maker. While I've thought a time or two about how it would be nice to have one, I've never been able to justify buying one for every now and then, especially when I've got a perfectly functioning grill and a brick covered with foil. Huh?! Yes, you read that right! You can use a … [Read more...]
Grilled Citrus Tilapia Packets
I recently got some tilapia for $1.99/lb. It's rarely that price, so I got enough for 2 meals (a little over a pound for each meal)...and now I'm wishing I'd gotten more. I'm on a grilling kick right now and really wanted to grill up some of the tilapia. Tilapia is a very delicate and tender fish and I knew it wouldn't stand a chance on the grill grates...so foil packet it … [Read more...]
No Sugar Strawberry Freezer Jam
Got a Surplus of Strawberries from a Sale or a Trip to the You Pick Them Farm?! Make this Strawberry Freezer Jam! When you accidentally come home with 17 lbs. of strawberries from a morning at the pick your own berry patch, you have to do something. And you have to do it fast. I started to can the strawberry jam, but quickly saw that if I continued on the canning … [Read more...]
Grilled Pizza Pockets
I am on a grilled pizza roll! I love the stuff. The kids love the stuff. We just can't get enough!! (I've got gluten free crust to make for Tyler and then freeze the extras for him to eat for lunch.) This week's Friday Night Bite is all about the grilled pizza pockets. Making your own pizza pockets...then cooking them on the grill. Make a homemade crust, or … [Read more...]
Mocha Brownies
Before you say it, yes...brownies were dessert of the month in April...just a few short weeks ago. But Caramel Cashew Brownies and these Mocha Brownies are different. Very, very different. I know. I know. This is really an indication that I have a brownie problem. Please. Send help. Brownies anonymous, anyone?! So I served these to a group of ladies last week...and … [Read more...]