Basic Pizza Sauce

Since pizza night is pretty common in our house we go through a lot of pizza sauce.  I have my homemade pizza dough recipe down but I really hadn't tried to make pizza sauce.  I just happened to have a couple of cans of tomatoes in my panty and decided to try this recipe out while my dough was rising.

Pizza Sauce:
(adapted from Martha Stewart's Baking Handbook)

1/4 cup olive oil
2- 28 ounce cans of whole, peeled tomatoes
1 small onion, diced
2 cloves of garlic, diced
1 1/2 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
salt
pepper

Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat.  Add the onion and garlic, cook for a minute.  Crush the tomatoes over the pan.  Add the Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper.

Cook over medium-low heat for 40-50 minutes, breaking up the tomatoes as it cooks.

French Onion Soup

French onion soup is my all time most favorite soup. When I was a kid it was because of all of the cheese on top, now I really just love the rich flavor of the broth. (the cheese is still great though)

This soup did take a little bit of time to make but it wasn't hard at all and the broth freezes really well.

French Onion Soup [Soupe à l’Oignon]:
(Smitten Kitchen; Adapted from Mastering the Art of French Cooking)

1 1/2 pounds (about 5 cups) thinly sliced yellow onions
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon table salt, plus additional to taste
1/4 teaspoon granulated sugar
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 quarts (8 cups) beef stock
1/2 cup dry white wine or dry white vermouth
Freshly ground black pepper

Cheesy Top (Not Optional):
1 tablespoon grated raw onion
1 to 2 cups (to taste) grated Swiss (I often use Gruyere) or a mixture of Swiss and Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon butter, melted
12 to 16 1-inch thick rounds French bread, toasted until hard

Melt the butter and oil together in the bottom of a 4- to 5-quart saucepan or Dutch oven over moderately low heat. Add the onions, toss to coat them in oil and cover the pot. Reduce the heat to real low and let them slowly steep for 15 minutes.

After 15 minutes, uncover the pot, raise the heat slightly and stir in the salt and sugar. Cook onions, stirring frequently, for 30 to 40 minutes until they have turned an even, deep golden brown.

After the onions are fully caramelized, sprinkle them with flour and cook, stirring, for 3 minutes. Add the wine in full, then stock, a little at a time, stirring between additions. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer and simmer partially covered for 30 to 40 more minutes, skimming if needed.

Cheesy Top:
Preheat oven to 325. Arrange six ovenproof soup bowls or crocks on a large, foil-lined baking sheet. Bring the soup back to a boil and divide among six bowls. To each bowl, add 1/2 teaspoon grated raw onion and a tablespoon of grated cheese. Stir to combine. Dab your croutons with a tiny bit of butter and float a few on top of your soup bowls, attempting to cover it. Mound grated cheese on top of it; how much you use will be up to you.

Bake soups on tray for 20 minutes, then preheat broiler. Finish for a minute or two under the broiler to brown the top lightly.

Chicken Rollatini with Spinach alla Parmigiana

I'm trying new recipes!  Yay for me. 

This is a recipe from Gina's Skinny Taste blog.  I didn't wrap my chicken because I didn't get any chicken cutlets this week.  I just cut into a regular chicken breast and stuffed it with the spinach.  It probably made a difference as far as the points are concerned so take that into account when shopping/making this. 


















Chicken Rollatini with Spinach alla Parmigiana:
(Gina's Weight Watcher Recipes)

Servings: 8
Points: 4 pts • Points+: 5 pts

8 thin chicken cutlets, 3 oz each
1/2 cup whole wheat Italian seasoned breadcrumbs
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese, divided
6 tablespoons egg whites or egg beaters
5 oz frozen spinach, squeezed dry of any liquid
6 tbsp part skim ricotta cheese
6 oz part skim mozzarella
Olive oil non-stick spray
1 cup pomodoro sauce or your favorite marinara sauce
salt and pepper to taste

Wash and dry cutlets, season with salt and pepper.  Preheat oven to 450°. Lightly spray a baking dish with non-stick spray.

Combine breadcrumbs and 2 tbsp grated cheese in one bowl and 1/4 cup egg beaters or egg whites in another.

Shred or finely chop 1.5 oz of mozzarella cheese and combine with remaining grated cheese, spinach (make sure you squeeze it dry), 2 tbsp egg beaters, and ricotta cheese.

Lay chicken cutlets down on a working surface and spread 2 tbsp of spinach-cheese mixture on each cutlet. Loosely roll each one and keep seam side down.

Dip chicken in egg mixture, then in breadcrumbs and place seam side down in a baking dish (no toothpicks needed). Repeat with the remaining chicken. When finished, lightly spray with olive oil.

Bake 25 minutes. Remove from oven, top with sauce then cheese.

Bake until cheese is melted and bubbling, about 3 more minutes. Serve with additional sauce on the side and grated cheese.

Turkey Meatballs

I'm not Italian so it is not a requirement that I make amazing meatballs, however, these were pretty good. The taste was great and I love having another use for turkey in my recipe box.  I did have some trouble getting them to stay together but I think that has more to do with my lack of meatball skills and not the recipe.  If you make this let me know how yours turned out, I need pointers.

Turkey Meatballs:
(Food Network- Giada de Laurentiis) 

Ingredients:
1 small onion, grated
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 large egg
1/4 cup dried bread crumbs
3 tablespoons ketchup
1/4 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves
1/4 cup grated Parmesan
1/4 cup grated Pecorino Romano
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 pound ground turkey meat
3 tablespoons olive oil
26 ounces marinara sauce

Directions:

Add the onion, garlic, egg, bread crumbs, ketchup, parsley, Parmesan, Pecorino, salt and pepper to a large bowl and blend. Mix in the turkey. Shape the turkey mixture into 1 1/4-inch-diameter meatballs. Place on a large plate or baking sheet.

Heat the oil in a heavy large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the meatballs and saute until browned on all sides, about 5 minutes. Turn off heat. Transfer the meatballs to a plate. Pour off any excess oil. Add the marinara sauce, about 3 cups. Return all the meatballs to the pan. Turn the heat to medium-low and simmer until the sauce thickens slightly and the flavors blend, 15 to 20 minutes. Season the sauce, to taste, with salt and pepper.

Jackie's Chex Party Mix

Everyone makes Chex Mix during the holidays.  This is how I make it.

Jackie's Chex Party Mix:
(adapted from Chex cereal)

3 cups rice, corn, and wheat Chex Cereal

1 package of the pretzel and cheddar Goldfish crackers (there is a bag of them mixed)
1 small can of mixed nuts
1 package of garlic bagel chips
7 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 teaspoons black pepper
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon season salt

Mix the cereal, Goldfish crackers, mixed nuts, and bagel chips together in a bowl. In a small saucepan melt the butter.  Add the Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, pepper, and salt to the butter.  Pour over the cereal mixture and toss well.  I use a large wooden spoon so I won't break the cereal bits.

Bake at 250 degrees for 1 hour.  Stir every 15 minutes and let cool before storing in an air tight container.

Mexican Chicken Soup

It's been cold and rainy here which makes me want soup.  Mr. T and I have both been sick so I decided to make something easy.  Thank you Mr. Crock-Pot inventor!  This was really easy and I think it turned out pretty well.

Mexican Chicken Soup:

3-4 large boneless, skinless chicken breast
1 can of diced tomatoes with green chilies
1 can of reduced sodium black beans
8 oz frozen corn (about half a bag)
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 can fat free chicken broth
1 white onion, chopped
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper 
1 tablespoon Mrs. Dash Chipotle

Combine everything in the crock pot.  Cook on low for 10 hours or high for 6 hours.  About 30 minutes before serving take the chicken breast out and chop into bite size pieces.  Add back into the crock pot and let cook for an additional 30 minutes.


Garnish with some additional fresh cilantro.

Cranberry White Chocolate Cookies

Cranberries are awesome. These cookies are awesome.  They're a basic cookie recipe and perfect for sharing. The batter for these cookies also freezes really well.  I like to go ahead, make an entire batch of batter and just cook off what I need.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cranberry White Chocolate Cookies:
(adapted from Ocean Spray)

Ingredients:

2/3 cup butter or margarine, softened
2/3 cup brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups old-fashioned oats
1 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup dried cranberries
2/3 cup white chocolate chunks or chips

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375ºF.

Using an electric mixer, beat butter or margarine and sugar together in a medium mixing bowl until light and fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla, mixing well. Combine oats, flour, baking soda and salt in a separate mixing bowl. Add to butter mixture in several additions, mixing well after each addition. Stir in dried cranberries and white chocolate chunks.

Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on wire rack. 

Makes approximately 2 1/2 dozen cookies.
 

Sweet Thai Chili Chicken

I invented this recipe!  Well, it's based off a basic breaded chicken... but I chose the flavor combinations.

Sweet Thai Chili Chicken:

2-4 Boneless-skinless chicken breast
2-3 tablespoons egg whites (or 2 egg whites)
2 tablespoons Sweet Thai Chili sauce
1/3 cup unseasoned bread crumbs
1/3 cup panko bread crumbs
1 teaspoon garlic powder
salt
pepper

In one bowl/dish combine the egg whites, chili sauce, salt, and pepper.  In a second bowl combine both bread crumbs, more salt, pepper, and garlic powder.

Dip each chicken breast into the egg mixture, then into the breadcrumb mixture, making sure that the chicken is covered with breadcrumbs.

Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes or until cooked through.

Meal Plan: Week of December 18th

I have been putting thing off all week.  I have had no motivation and have really been just looking forward to this weekend and being with my family for Christmas.

1) Turkey-Black Bean Soft Tacos with Southwest Spiced Rice

2) Soup and Sandwich night. Tomato Basil and French Onion Soup

3) BBQ Beef Roast or Red Beans and Rice

4) Blackened tilapia with broccoli and maybe cheese grits

5) Pizza!

Baked Sweet Potato Fries

I love sweet potatoes.  I will eat them pretty much anyway I can.  I've had a bunch of sweet potatoes to use up since Thanksgiving and this is one of the ways I've been eating them.

Baked Sweet Potato Fries:
(Ina Garten- Barefoot Contessa)

2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled
2 tablespoons good olive oil
1 tablespoon light brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus extra for sprinkling
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper


Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.

Halve the sweet potatoes lengthwise and cut each half into 3 long spears. Place them on a sheet pan and toss with the olive oil. Spread the potatoes in one layer. Combine the brown sugar, salt, and pepper and sprinkle on the potatoes. Bake for 15 minutes and then turn with a spatula. Bake for another 5 to 10 minutes, until lightly browned. Sprinkle lightly with salt and serve hot.

Chicken with Mushrooms

I've been trying new recipes recently and this is one of the recent winners.  Mr. T and I both really enjoyed this meal. 

Chicken and Mushrooms:
(skinny taste)

8 chicken tenderloins, 16 oz total
2 teaspoon butter
2 teaspoon olive oil
1 tablespoon flour
3-4 cloves garlic, minced
12 oz sliced mushrooms
1/4 cup white wine
1/3 cup fat free chicken broth
salt and fresh pepper to taste
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley


Preheat oven to 200°. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Lightly dredge in flour.

Heat a large skillet on medium heat; when hot add 1 tsp butter and 1 tsp olive oil. Add chicken to the skillet and cook on medium heat for about 5 minutes on each side, or until chicken is no longer pink. Set aside in a warm oven.

Add additional oil and butter to the skillet, then garlic and cook a few seconds; add mushrooms, salt and pepper stirring occasionally until golden, about 5 minutes.

















Add wine, chicken broth, parsley; stir the pan with a wooden spoon breaking up any brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Cook a few more minutes or until the liquid reduces by half. Top the chicken with the mushroom sauce and serve.

Apple Cider Caramel Cookies

It's time for Christmas Cookie Exchanges!  I love participating in them and enjoying what others bring.  Here is one of the cookies I'm bringing to a cookie exchange this year. I found in on pinterest through the Six Sister's Stuff blog.

Apple Cider Caramel Cookies:
(Six Sister's Stuff)

Ingredients:

1 cup unsalted butter, nearly melted
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 (7.4 ounce) box Alpine Spiced Apple Cider Instant Original Drink Mix *Not sugar free*
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 (14 ounce) bag Kraft Caramels

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper.

In a stand mixer, cream together butter, sugar, salt, and all 10 packets of apple cider mix until smooth and fluffy. Beat in eggs and vanilla extract, then mix in the baking soda and baking powder. Add the flour and mix until just combined.

Using a cookie scoop, scoop the dough scrapping off the excess as you go up the bowl. Flatten the dough slightly in your hand and place a caramel in the center. Work the dough around the caramel sealing well. Place the cookies two inches apart on the sheets.

Bake 12 to 14 minutes or until golden brown around the edges. After baking, carefully slide the parchment with the cookies onto the counter. Let cool until they are no longer soft but still slightly warm. Twist gently to remove, and cool the rest of the way upside down on the parchment or on a cooling rack.

Red Velvet Cookies

Everyone loves Red Velvet cake (well, a lot of people do at least).  I found this recipe for gooey butter cookies through Food Network and Paula Deen.  Her original recipe uses a box of chocolate cake but since it's a box of cake I decided to go with red velvet.

Red Velvet Cookies:
(Paula Deen)

Ingredients:
8oz. (1 brick) cream cheese, room temperature
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 (18-ounce) box red velvet cake mix
Powdered sugar to roll the cookies in.

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  In a large bowl with an electric mixer, cream the cream cheese and butter until smooth.  Beat in egg, then the vanilla.  Beat in the cake mix.

Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours to firm up.  Roll batter into tablespoon-sized balls and then roll them in powdered sugar.  Place on ungreased cookie sheet, 2 inches apart.

Bake 12 minutes. The cookies will remain soft and "gooey."

Beef Tenderloin Steaks with Red Wine Sauce

I tried a new recipe tonight!!  (YAY me!)  I found the recipe online on the Cooking Light webpage and I will definitely be making this again.  It took almost no time and only used 5 ingredients.

Beef Tenderloin Steaks with Red Wine Sauce:
(Cooking Light)

4 (4-ounce) beef tenderloin steaks, trimmed (about 1/2 inch thick)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Cooking spray
1 package baby portobello mushrooms (sliced or just cut in half)
1 cup dry red wine
2 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary

Directions:
Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle steaks with salt and pepper; coat with cooking spray. Add steaks to pan; cook 3 minutes on each side or until desired degree of doneness. Transfer steaks to a serving platter; keep warm.

Add mushrooms to pan. Coat mushrooms with cooking spray; sauté 3 minutes or until browned. Stir in wine, scraping pan to loosen browned bits. Cook until liquid almost evaporates. Remove pan from heat; add butter and rosemary, stirring until butter melts. Pour sauce over steaks.

Cinnamon Apples

My grandma made us cinnamon apples all the time when I was a kid.  They were awesome and I still enjoy them.  Plus, they make the house smell wonderful!

Cinnamon Apples:

1 apple (whatever you have around the house), cut into cubes
1 tablespoon butter or margarine
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1 teaspoon sugar or 2 packets of Splenda

Heat a skillet over medium heat.  Melt the butter.  When the butter has melted add the apples, spices, and sugar/Splenda to the pan.  Stir everything together and cook until the apples are soft.  Stir throughout the cooking time to make sure nothing sticks or burns.

Cornbread Dressing

Stuffing and dressing are the same basic thing.  Stuffing is actually stuffed into the bird.  Dressing is baked off in a casserole dish and served as a side.  There are a million and one different recipes out there for the best dressing/stuffing in the world.  I'm not going to say that this is "The World's Best Cornbread Dressing!!!" but it's good and it's what I make every year for Thanksgiving.

Cornbread Dressing:

Cornbread Ingredients:

2 cups cornmeal
1/2 cup flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
2 eggs beaten
1-2 cups buttermilk
2 tablespoons bacon drippings, melted

Dressing Ingredients:

3 stalks celery, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
1/3 cup butter or margarine, melted
12 slices day old bread, crumbled
2 1/2 cups turkey or chicken broth
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
1/2 teaspoon sage
1/4 teaspoon pepper

1/3- 1/2 cup dried cranberries (optional)

To make the cornbread:

Combine cornmeal, flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda. Mix well. Add eggs, buttermilk, and melted bacon drippings and stir into a batter.

Heat a well-greased 10-inch cast iron skillet in a 450 degree oven for 4 minutes or until hot.  Remove skillet from oven and pour batter into skillet. Bake at 450 for 35 minutes or until cornbread is lightly browned.

To make dressing:

Cool cornbread then crumble into a large bowl.

Place celery and onion in a large frying pan with a spoon of cooking oil and cook until tender.  Transfer cooked celery and onion, with all remaining ingredients, to crumbled cornbread, stirring well.  Spoon dressing into a lightly greased 13 x 9 x 2-inch pan or casserole dish.

Bake at 350 degrees F. for 25 to 30 minutes.

Pumpkin Cake Mix Cookies

Cake mix cookies have been seen all over the place.  A quick google search will give you a million different recipes.  I decided to make some the other night, because I could.

Pumpkin Cake Mix Cookies:

1 can of pumpkin
1 box of yellow cake mix
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

Preheat oven to 350.  Mix everything together.  Spoon batter onto a cookie sheet and bake for 15-25 minutes.

Sweet Potato Casserole

I love sweet potatoes and Thanksgiving and fall are the perfect time to make them.  This is a basic recipe for sweet potato casserole, which is perfect for all of the holiday get-togethers that happen during this time of the year.

Sweet Potato Casserole:

5 sweet potatoes
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter, divided (1/4 cup softened)
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoons heavy cream
3 tablespoons flour
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
3/4 cup chopped, toasted pecans

Heat oven to 350 degrees.  Spray a casserole dish with non stick spray (or rub butter on it).

Bake the sweet potatoes for 35 minutes.  Once they're out of the oven and cool mash the potatoes.  Put them in a bowl and add the salt, 1/4 cup butter, eggs, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, sugar, and heavy cream.  Transfer to the prepared casserole dish.

In another bowl combine the rest of the butter, flour, brown sugar, and chopped pecans.  Mix together with a fork and spread over the sweet potato mash.

Bake for 30 minutes, until the topping in crisp and lightly browned.

Gorgonzola Cream Sauce

This is the sauce that was served with the chipotle steak with gorgonzola cream sauce.  I wanted to go ahead and post it in another section alone so that it was easy to find.

Gorgonzola Cream Sauce:
(Queen of Points)

1 teaspoon olive oil
1/2 white onion, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 teaspoon all-purpose flour
2/3 cup 2% milk
1 oz. (1/4 cup) gorgonzola cheese, crumbled
1 teaspoon unsalted butter


Directions:

Heat oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the shallots and saute for a minute. Add the garlic and saute for another minute. Add the flour and cook for 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Add the milk and bring to a low boil.

Cook until reduced by half. Remove from heat and stir in the cheese and butter. Keep warm, but don’t let it boil.

Meal Plan: Week of December 4

It's December in Florida... it's also around 80 degrees right now.  I think it might drop down to 60 at some point this week.  Who knows.  I want to start making come chili and different soups so I can stock my freezer, but I don't really want to have soup/chili when it's hot outside.

It looks like I'm keeping the poultry industry going this week.  :)

1) Pizza Night- I have some dough in my freezer that's calling to be used.

2) Pasta with Turkey Meatballs

3) Chicken Soft Tacos

4) Honey Chicken with vegetables and brown rice

5) Chicken and Mushrooms with roasted broccoli

6) Chicken Rollatini with Spinach

Dry Pancake Mix

I think it's always a good idea to keep pancake mix in the house.  You never know when you're going to have an overnight guest or just want to have breakfast for dinner.  This is easy to make and keeps in the pantry for up to 6 months.

Dry Pancake Mix:
(all recipes)

4 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups whole wheat flour
2/3 cup sugar
2 tablespoons baking powder
1 tablespoon baking soda


To make the pancakes:
1 egg
3/4 cup milk


Directions:

In a bowl, combine the first five ingredients. Store in an airtight container in a cool dry place for up to 6 months.

To prepare pancakes:
In a bowl, combine egg and milk. Whisk in 1 cup pancake mix. Pour batter by 1/4 cupfuls onto a lightly greased hot griddle; turn when bubbles form on top of pancakes. Cook until second side is golden brown.

Butter Pecan Pound Cake

I hope the person that invented pound cake was given a medal.  It's really good and can be changed around to suit any flavor need.  This recipe was given to me by my mom, who got it from a friend.

This recipe takes the basic pound cake and adds pecans (awesome) and rum (more awesome!).  The flavors work really well together and the cake just tastes awesome.  You can feel free to stop with the cake, but the glaze adds a lot and doesn't take much time.

Butter Pecan Pound Cake:
(My mom's friend Nan)

3 cups flour, sifted
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
2  sticks butter, room temperature
3 cups sugar
6 large eggs
1 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons rum
1 cup pecans, toasted and chopped     

GLAZE:    

1 1/2 sticks of butter
1 1/2  cups of sugar
1/3  cup of water
3/4 cup of rum

In a bowl measure the flour and sift it together with the baking soda.  Set the bowl aside.

In the bowl of a mixer cream together the butter and the sugar.  Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.  Stir in the flour and sour cream, alternating between each.  Add the vanilla, rum, and toasted pecans.

Bake in a greased and floured bundt pan at 325 degrees for 1 hour and 30 minutes.  Remove from oven and let cool for 10 minutes.

For the glaze:
In a sauce pan mix together the butter, sugar, and water.  Melt and stir, then add the rum.  Let the mixture come to a light boil and continue stirring for about 5 minutes.

Poke holes in the bottom of the cake while it is still in the pan, about 1 inch apart.  Loosen the cake from the side of the pan.  Pour all but 3/4 cup of the glaze on the cake.  Let it sit for 1 hour then turn the cake out onto a plate and drizzle with the rest on the cake.