Eggnog "Latte" and Coco Wheats

In light of the Christmas spirit, I'm posting a couple "recipes" that include eggnog. Not everyone likes this creamy holiday drink, but I love it!

One of my favorite things to do around the holidays is to put eggnog in my cup of coffee as a creamer substitute. I usually add a teaspoon of sugar to it also because I find it not sweet enough for my liking with just the eggnog alone.

Coco Wheats are from back east, so not everyone will recognize them. Every year, my Grandmother from Ohio sends me boxes of them for Christmas because we cant get any in California (that I know of).  It's similar consistency to cream of wheat, but with a chocolatey flavor. Today I followed the recipe, but used half milk, half eggnog! :)

 

 

Sorry there's no recipe, but I thought I would post this as inspiration for using eggnog in more of your holiday cooking! Merry Christmas Eve!

Garlic Parmesan Potato Bites

I make these all the time when I'm craving something like french fries. It's very simple to do and I usually have all of the ingredients lying around... especially when those 10lbs bags of potatoes are on sale!

Ingredients
4 medium potatoes, any kind
3 Tbsp Olive oil
1/3 cup Parmesan cheese
1 tsp Paprika
1 1/2 tsp Garlic Salt

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

Start by slicing potatoes into small bite sized pieces and place in a large bowl. 

Add oil, cheese, paprika, and garlic salt and stir well until the potatoes are coated with the cheese and spices.

Spray a baking pan with cooking spray, (I use foil also) and dump out the seasoned potatoes onto the pan in a single layer. Bake at 425 for 20 minutes.

Take out the tray and flip over potato bites with either tongs or a spatula. Bake for another 15 minutes.

Serve alone, or with your favorite dipping sauce!

*Oh! I might just save some and have them with my eggs in the morning! Brilliant.

Mulled Wine Cranberry Sauce

I got a new camera!!!!!!!!!! I'm so excited about it! This will be my first entry with pics from it. Hope everyone had a great thanksgiving. I sure did, thanks to my cranberry sauce ;)

Ingredients
2 bags of fresh cranberries (12oz bags)
1 cup orange juice
1 1/2 cup red wine
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup cane sugar
1 tsp pumpkin pie spice

(This recipe can easily be halved also)

Place all ingredients in a large sauce pan and mix well. 

Heat over med/high heat until it comes to a boil. Reduce heat, and cook until all the cranberries have split open and the sauce thickens. Stir occasionally.

You can mash up the cranberries with a spoon while it's cooking. Let cool at room temp before transferring to a large bowl and refrigerating over night.

Soooo yummy!

Chicken and Rice Bake

Another super easy dinner!

Ingredients:
1 package of rice-a-roni (any flavor will work)
1 can of cream of mushroom soup
1 chicken breast, cut into bite sized pieces
1 cup of water
1/4 tsp paprika

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Combine all ingredients in a square glass baking dish and mix well. Start with the soup, then add, water, rice, seasoning packet and paprika, and lastly the chicken.

 

Bake for 45 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes. 

 

Roasted Cornish Game Hens

Ok ok... a break from pumpkin. Just a quick break though!

I found two Cornish game hens on sale at the grocery store so I grabbed them immediately!  This recipe can be done with a larger chicken, but I think that the hens are much juicier than a chicken.

you will need:
2 Cornish game hens
2 Tbsp margarine or butter
garlic salt
paprika
poultry seasoning

This couldn't be any easier!

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Place hens on a roasting pan. With your clean hands, rub 1 tbsp of margarine or butter on the outside of each hen, covering as much as possible. Season with spices right on top of the butter.

 Bake for 1 hour.

Tada!

Pumpkin Butter, Pumpkin Scones, and Pumpkin Mac & Cheese

Pumpkin, pumpkin, pumpkin!!

So today is 10/10/10, and I wanted to do something special. I woke up late, had a cup of tea, and began thinking about what I would make.  Aside from cooking, today could be considered a very lazy Sunday, but I'm satisfied with my dishes. Unfortunately, I forgot to take pictures of the mac & cheese, so the picture I'll post for it is one that I found online.


Pumpkin Butter
1 15oz can of canned pumpkin
1/2 cup apple cider
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice

Place all ingredients in sauce pan and cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly with a spatula or wooden spoon.  Cook until the butter is thick, about 30 minutes. Be careful not to let it burn on the bottom of the pan.  When it has cooled, place it in a jar and store in the refrigerator.

Pumpkin Scones
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour (plus more for dusting)
1/3 cup light brown sugar
2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
6 Tbsp cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1/2 cup buttermilk (or buttermilk substitute)
1/2 cup canned pumpkin
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
1/3 cup raisins (optional)

Preheat the oven to 425.

Mix together all dry ingredients in a large bowl. Add in butter (in pieces) and mix until it has turned coarse.  In a small bowl, mix together the wet ingredients.  Add the wet to the dry (along with raisins) in the large bowl and mix until it has formed a lump of dough. Take the dough and knead it on a floured surface, adding more flour as needed. 

Shape the dough into a mound and pat down until it is about 1 1/2 inches thick.  Cut into six pieces by slicing the dough with a knife the way you would a pizza.

Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until the rough edges have turned a toasted color.  Enjoy with cinnamon-sugar butter, or a cinnamon icing. Or plain!

Pumpkin Mac & Cheese
8 oz pasta (any small shape will do)
1 Tbsp butter
1 Tbsp Flour
1 cup milk
1 cup canned pumpkin
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp mustard
1/2 tsp salt
cayenne pepper (to taste, it's optional)
1 cup shredded cheese (I used a mixture of Italian blend and cheddar jack)
3 Tbsp Parmesan cheese
3 Tbsp bread crumbs

Preheat the oven to 375.

Cook pasta in boiling water for about 7-9 minutes.  In another larger pot, melt the butter and add the flour, and whisk until it clumps up. Slowly add in milk (a couple Tbsp at a time) while continuing to whisk until the mixture is combined. Add in pumpkin and stir well. Bring to a low boil, then add in Worcestershire sauce, mustard, and salt.  Also stir in shredded cheese.

Place the cooked pasta in the cheese sauce and stir well. Spray an 8x8 baking dish with non-stick spray and pour the pasta in. Sprinkle the Parmesan cheese and bread crumbs on top.  Bake for about 20 minutes, or until the top has turned golden brown.

Enjoy!

Pumpkin Beer Float

My friends and I hit up BevMo on its opening day and we found Pumpkin Spice Beer. Being someone that is in love with everything that is pumpkin, I thought I had finally found the beer for me! ...it wasn't so great. :( Many of you may know that I'm not the biggest fan of beer, but I do try!  I'm always down for tasting beers, in hope that one of these days, I'll find the right beer for me. Until then, I'll just put ice cream in it! (for suggestions, try this website which has reviews of how different beers pair with ice cream!)

Root Beer Float!
1 bottle of beer
2 small or 1 large scoop of vanilla ice cream

I feel dumb giving these directions, but whatever... Pour beer over ice cream that has been scooped into a tall glass. Enjoy! :)

Filet Mignon and Steamed Artichoke

Ok, don't freak out quite yet. This is probably my favorite dinner to make, not only because it is delicious... but because it's cheap!! Yes, I said it...cheap! The trick is to find the good deals. I shop at Albertsons, and when the Filet Mignon is on sale, you can find two good sized steaks for around $6.00. Now, artichokes are generally expensive, but knowing when and where to buy them is the key. Normally, they range from $3-5; however, I get them from Trader Joe's for $2, which is the price they are when they're on sale somewhere else. SO... total, the meal is $8.00, for two people. You can't beat that at any restaurant!

For the artichoke: rinse with water, cut off the stalk, close to the leaves.  Steam it for 30-45 minutes, or until the leave easily pull away with tongs. Pair with some mayo or melted butter! :)

And for the steaks: season both sides with any steak seasoning or seasoning salt. I use an indoor electric grill, but of course, you could always use a regular grill.

Grill on med-hi heat for about 5 minutes on each side, depending on how cooked you want them. Don't move them around too much, because you want to seal in the juices! mmmmm :)

Voila!

Rosemary Asiago Cornmeal Crackers

As if you couldn't tell by my last post and this one, I'm kind of in a cracker mood lately! I didn't realize they were so easy to make! I bought some roasted garlic hummus to eat them with...yummyyyyyy :) It looks like a lot of ingredients, but it's a real easy recipe.

Ingredients:
3/4 cup corn meal
3/4 cup flour (plus 1/4 cup for dusting)
1 tsp baking powder
1/3 cup grated Asiago cheese
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp dried rosemary
1/4 c butter (melted)
2 Tbsp milk...maybe more?


Preheat Oven to 325.

In a medium size bowl, mix together corn meal, flour, baking powder, cheese, salt, and rosemary.
Slowly add in the melted butter and keep stirring.
The mixture will be a bit clumpy, so add in the milk one Tbsp at a time, until the dough is firm enough to make a ball out of.
Dust some flour on a clean, flat surface, and roll out the dough until it is 1/4 inch thick.
Cut out small cracker shapes from the dough and place on a cookie sheet.
Bake for 15 minutes, then flip each cracker over and bake for another 10 minutes.

mmm...crackers!

Parmesan and Herb Crackers

This recipe is a lot easier than you would think! I feel sort of like "Sandra Lee" from food network, because the main ingredient is store bought! hehe :)

Ingredients:
1 packaged pie crust (thawed, if previously frozen)
1/2 tsp salt
dried herbs (I used poultry seasoning, which is a blend of thyme, sage, and a few others)
1 Tbsp melted butter
2 Tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
1 shot glass (for making the cracker pieces...or other fun things not listed in this recipe)

I don't have pictures for the instructions, but they're so easy, you'll hardly need them!

Preheat the oven to 350.

-Start by laying out the pie crust on a cutting board or solid surface.
-Brush the melted butter onto the dough, just enough to lightly cover it.
-Then, sprinkle on the salt, herbs and cheese until the top is evenly coated.
-Using a rolling pin, roll over the dough so that the cheese and salt are pressed down into the dough.
-Lastly, carefully cut out circles using the shot glass, or any other small circle cutter, wasting as little dough as possible.
-Lay the pieces on a cookie sheet (they wont spread, so you don't have to worry about them being too close)
-Bake for 18 minutes, or until the tops are a golden color.
(These crackers are very flaky, so be careful as you bite into them!)

Enjoy!

Pumpkin Spice Meringues with Eggnog

The reason I have linked these two recipes together is because one calls for 3 egg whites and one calls for 3 egg yolks. Why not make them both at the same time? hehe!

Pumpkin Spice Meringues

3 egg whites
1/4 tsp Cream of Tartar
pinch of salt
3/4 cup powdered sugar
1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice

Directions: Preheat the oven to 275

In a glass bowl (anything but plastic), beat egg whites, cream of tartar and salt until they form stiff peaks.

(not my picture, but good enough)

Slowly add in the powdered sugar and spice while continuing to whip with the beaters.  Place the mixture in a quart sized zipper bag and cut a small hole in one corner. Pipe small little droplets onto a greased baking sheet or one lined with parchment paper. Bake in the oven for about an hour, or until they seem to have stiffened (poke one!) Once these have cooled, they'll be much easier to pry off the baking sheet.  Store in the fridge, not on the counter, or they will get chewy!

Eggnog

3 egg yolks

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1 tsp vanilla

1/2 cup cream (I use fat free half & half)

2 cups milk

Cinnamon and nutmeg (to taste)

Directions: (so easy!!)

Mix the ingredients in a bowl with a fork in the order listed above.  Bring the mixture to a light bubble in a pan on the stove, no more than medium heat. Let cool, sprinkle with cinnamon, and serve in a mug with your meringue cookies!

Enjoy!

Chicken Adobo

So.... I've been a bit MIA for a while. Summer school and work has been keeping me busy lately! But rest assured, I have some new recipes to share! Also, you may have noticed the new color and layout. It's almost Autumn, and anyone that knows me knows that I adore Autumn. Some call it an obsession, including me.

Chicken Adobo

Ingredients:
4 Boneless, skinless, chicken thighs
1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
1/4 cup cider vinegar
1 clove garlic (chopped)
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1 bay leaf
pepper (to taste)...typically, Adobo calls for peppercorns, but I'm not a big pepper fan.
1 small onion (diced)
1 bunch of Swiss chard or Bok choy

 Start by marinating the chicken thighs in the soy sauce, vinegar, ginger, garlic, bay leaf, and pepper in a tightly sealed zipper bag.  Let stand in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.

Saute the onion in a large skillet with a small amount of oil until they are soft.

Next, add in the chicken and marinade and cook on medium heat until it begins to bubble. Turn the heat down and simmer until the chicken is cooked (about 15 minutes).

Meanwhile, chop up the greens into pieces, and add them in to the chicken

After the greens have wilted, plate the chicken on top of white rice with the veggies, and spoon the sauce from the skillet over the chicken.

 Enjoy!

Eggplant and Zucchini Parmesan Lasagna

This dish is somewhat time consuming (at least an hour), but it's very worth it once it's all done! I apologize for the lack of pictures...

Ingredients:
1 eggplant
1 large zucchini
1/2 - 3/4 cup flour (as needed)
3 eggs
2 Tbsp milk
1 cup bread crumbs
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
1 tsp Italian Seasoning
Salt
vegetable oil

AND
1 jar of spaghetti sauce
1 cup of shredded mozzarella or Italian cheese blend
Parmesan cheese for topping

Directions:
-Start by slicing the eggplant and zucchini into 1/4 inch circular slices. Set in a bowl under a paper towel for about 30 minutes to let the moisture out (putting a little salt on them helps too). Pat the vegetables dry and place in a large bowl.
-Create an assembly line for breading the vegetables:
1. Bowl of veggie slices
2. Bowl of flour
3. Bowl with eggs & milk mixed together
4. Bowl with bread crumbs and Italian seasoning
Do this one slice at a time: First, dip into the flour to coat. Second, dip into the egg mixture to coat. Third, dip into the bread crumb mixture and place on a plate to the side.
- Once all of the veggies have been breaded, heat up a couple Tbsp of vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium heat. (enough to coat the bottom). Fry the breaded vegetables a few slices at a time, flipping over once the oil side has turned golden brown. Set on a plate covered with a paper towel to dry. Repeat this until all the veggies are done.
-Line a 13x9 baking dish with foil and spray with cooking spray. Preheat the oven to 350.
-Arrange the lasagna with a layer of breaded veggies, followed by a thin layer of spaghetti sauce, followed by shredded cheese. There should be approximately 3 layers of this. On top, sprinkle some Parmesan cheese.
-Place in the oven for about 25 minutes or until the cheese starts to bubble.

Here's the finished product!

Roasted Chickpeas

This is a quick and easy snack that doesn't cost much. You can munch on them just as you would with popcorn :) Beware... they are addicting!!

Ingredients:
1 can of Chickpeas (Garbanzo Beans)
Garlic salt
Paprika (or chili powder if you like it spicy!)
Cooking spray

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

Drain a the garbanzo beans in the can and rinse once with water. Dump the beans onto a baking tray lined with foil or parchment paper.

Spray the beans with cooking spray until they are coated. Roll them around so all sides are lightly oiled. Sprinkle garlic salt and paprika on top. Place in the oven for 10 minutes.

After 10 minutes, take the pan out and stir the beans. Spray once again with the cooking spray and place back in the oven for another 10 minutes.  They should come out darker in color and a bit crispy.

Pineapple Teriyaki Chicken Skewers

After combining ideas that I found on the web, I decided to grill up some chicken tenders for my boyfriend and I tonight. Man, were they tasty! (I apologize for the lack of pictures)

Ingredients:
1 1/2 - 2 lbs. Chicken breast tenders
1/3 cup crushed pineapple or pineapple juice
2 Tbsp Soy sauce
2 Tbsp Soyaki (Teriyaki sauce)
1/4 cup Brown Sugar
1/8 tsp ground ginger
1/8 tsp garlic powder or 1 chopped garlic clove
1 tsp corn starch
1/4 cup White wine
Skewers!

Directions:
Pre-soak skewers in water. (I forgot to start with this step and my skewers burnt...opps!)
 
Create a marinate for the chicken breasts by combining pineapple, soy sauce, teriyaki sauce, brown sugar, ginger, and garlic. Add to a bowl with the chicken tenders and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 30 min.

Place one skewer in each chicken breast tender (length-wise) and grill on medium heat for about 5 minutes on each side.

Now, make the sauce: While the chicken is grilling, take the leftover marinade and pour into a pan. Add wine and corn starch to thicken the sauce. Cook over medium heat until it starts to boil or until it reaches a thick consistency. *It is important to cook the marinade because you had the raw chicken sitting in it earlier!*

Serve the chicken on a bed of white rice and top with the sauce!

Banana Nut Blueberry Cobbler

I had a guest cook for this one. Well, technically, I was the guest cook since I just did the stirring and adding of ingredients; but regardless, baking with Lindsey was a joy. (Not to mention, he has an amazing voice)

I decided to type the ingredients next to the pictures because we used a lot of ingredients. :)

1 1/2 cups blueberries (frozen)

1/2 cup sugar

1 Tbsp water

Heat in a pan until the sugar has dissolved and the blueberries start to bubble.

In a separate bowl, combine:

1/2 stick butter (melted)

Tsp vanilla

Next, add:

1/2 cup sour cream

1 egg

1 banana (mashed)

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Melt 1/2 stick of butter in a baking dish or in our case, an oven-proof pan. Take the pan out when the butter has melted (you don't want it to burn in there!)

Meanwhile, back to the batter....

In another bowl combine:

2 cups flour

1 Tbsp baking powder

1/2 cup sugar

cinnamon (just a dash)

salt (just a dash)

Add to the wet ingredients from earlier and add water or milk until creamy. (We added water)

Pour the batter into the pan (or dish) with the melted butter and then pour the blueberry sauce on top. Slowly mix in the blueberries so that it gives a marbled look.  Place in the oven for about 25 minutes

While the cobbler is in the oven, combine these ingredients to make the topping:

3/4 cup chopped peanuts

1/2 cup brown sugar

2 Tbsp flour

1 Tbsp oil

After the cobbler has baked for 25 minutes, pull it out of the oven and sprinkle on the topping.

Bake for another 20 min or until the topping has browned.

The end!