Tag: food

Spring Time Lemon Bars

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Spring time calls for lemon bars! The perfect tart, sweet treat to enjoy in some beautiful weather! This is also a great recipe to make with your little ones! Especially when pressing the dough!

Let’s get started!

What You Need:

For The Crust:

8 tablespoons of unsalted butter softened

1/2 cup of white sugar

2 cups of flour

A pinch of salt

For The Filling:

6 eggs

3 cups of white sugar

2 grated lemons for lemon zest

1 cup of fresh lemon juice

1 cup of flour

Powdered sugar for dusting

Steps:

  1. Preheat the oven to 350.
  2. For the crust, mix together the butter and sugar with an electric mixer until combined. Then add the flour and salt. Mix well, don’t be afraid to get your hands dirty.
  3. Once all combined flatten the dough into a 9 by 13 glass baking dish.
  4. Bake the crust for 20 to 25 minutes, until lightly browned. While crust is baking prepare your filling.
  5. For the filling, mix together the eggs, sugar, lemon zest, lemon juice, and flour. Pour over hot crust and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until the filling is set and not wobbly. Let cool to room temperature. Then chill in the fridge for an hour.
  6. Dust with powdered sugar and cut into squares. Enjoy!

Tip: place lemon bars in freezer for 30 mins and once removed will be easier to cut squares!

Roasted Sweet Potatoes With Raw Honey

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What You Need:

4 sweet potatoes cut into cubes with skin

1/4 cup of raw honey

Salt, pepper, and cinnamon for seasoning

Olive oil (3-4 tablespoons)

Steps:

1. Lay out foil (optional) on a baking sheet. Scatter your sweet potatoes and drizzle on the olive oil and honey. Season the potatoes with the salt, pepper, and cinnamon.

2. Mix it all together and ensure all the potatoes are evenly coated with the oil, honey, and seasonings.

4. Bake at 375 for 30 to 45 mins.

Pairs so deliciously with chicken breasts covered in a hearty pesto sauce! Trust me!

German Pancakes With Powdered Sugar And Honey

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Servings: 2 large German Pancakes

What You Need:

4 eggs

1 tablespoon of sugar

1/2 teaspoon of salt

2/3 cups of flour sifted (I used a small strainer and it works just fine)

2/3 cup of milk

2 tablespoons of soft butter

2 tablespoons of powdered sugar and honey for drizzling (optional)

Would also be great with some fruit compote, maple syrup, or baked apples with cinnamon

Steps:

1. Heat oven to 400 and butter the cake pans well.

2. Best eggs well, and then add remaining ingredients.

3. Once mixed well pour evenly into the two cake pans.

4. Bake for 20 mins at 18 mins. Then open oven to release some heat and turn down to 350. Bake an additional 8 to 10 minutes or until golden brown.

Enjoy!

If it begins to expand in the middle that’s fine! It will go down some when it comes out and will still be delish!
When I took it out this is what I looked like.
Honey and powdered sugar is usually are go to but you can get really creative with it!

Spinach And Cheese Tortelloni With Roasted Broccoli, Salami, Parmesan Cheese, And Olive Oil

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Had one of those nights where I really just needed to use what I had. Threw all of this together and it was so flavorful and delicious!

When it comes to the ingredients you can always had less or more. You want more Parmesan cheese, add more! More garlic? Garlic it up! This is just the gist! Get creative and have fun!

What You Need:

1 family size bag of spinach and cheese tortelloni (20 oz found in the frozen food aisle)

2 heads of broccoli chopped and broken into smaller pieces

A handful of salami cut into strips (snack size work just fine)

1 tomato diced or a handful of cherry tomatoes (whatever you have)

Jarred minced garlic (3-4 tablespoons)

Parmesan cheese (1/4 to 1/2 cup)

Salt, pepper, chili flakes, fresh rosemary (fresh is best)

Olive oil

1-2 tablespoons of unsalted butter

Steps:

1. Place chopped broccoli on a pan sheet with foil. Drizzle about 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Season with salt, pepper, and crushed red chili flakes. Add 2 tablespoons of garlic. Mix well until all combined. Add more olive oil if necessary. Bake at 400 for 15 mins.

2. Cook the tortelloni as directed.

3. Once the broccoli is done, add the salami strips and tomatoes and cook for an additional 5 mins. Just so it’s warm and a little soft.

4. Place the tortelloni in a large bowl and add the butter. Once melted add the roasted broccoli mixture. Next add Parmesan cheese, fresh rosemary, and drizzle some more olive oil. (I also added just a bit of sea salt.)

Enjoy with a glass of red wine! Some crusty bread with butter would be so good with this too!

This is what the bag looks like. It’s so good!
About to go into the oven. Olive oil, minced garlic, salt, pepper, and chili flakes.
A lot going on, but believe me so many good flavors!

Enjoy!

Perfect Chopped Chicken On The Skillet – Never Overcook again

The Wild Gems2 Comments

What You Need:

1 1/2 lbs of chicken breast or tenders chopped up

Steps:

Here’s the secret:

1. Turn the skillet on low/med heat. Between a 3 and 4. Allow it to heat up while you chop your chicken up.

2. Once completely heated add your chopped chicken and makes sure it’s laid out evenly on the skillet. Allow the chicken to cook undisturbed for 2 minutes. (Set your timer, I’m serious.)

3. Once the timer goes off, grab your spatula and move around the chicken gently for 4 mins (once again, set your timer) .

4. Once the timer goes off immediately move your chicken to a plate to rest and then check it. Perfection!

After School Oatmeal Muffins With Flax Seed And Mini Chocolate Chips

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Servings: 20 to 24 muffins

Pan suggestion: original muffin pan size or mini muffin pan size with muffin liners

What You Need:

1 1/2 cup of oatmeal

1 cup of whole milk

1/2 -3/4 cup of brown sugar (light or brown)

1/2 cup of unsalted butter melted (1 stick)

1 cup of flour

1 teaspoon of baking powder

1/2 teaspoon of baking soda

1/2 teaspoon of salt

1 teaspoon of cinnamon

2 eggs beaten

1/4 cup of flaxseed

1/2 cup of mini chocolate chips

Steps:

1. In a medium bowl add the oatmeal and milk. Mix together and allow to sit and absorb for 30 mins.

2. In a separate mixing bowl add your flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and flaxseed. (The dry ingredients)

3. Once the milk and oatmeal have sat for a bit, add the beaten eggs, melted butter, and brown sugar. Mix well. (The wet ingredients)

4. Add your dry ingredients with your wet ingredients, combining your two bowls. Once everything is mixed together, add your mini chocolate chips.

5. Pour evenly into mini muffin pans or regular size muffin pans. Bake at 350 for 8 – 15 mins.

Note: the mini muffins cook a lot quicker. I set the time for 8 mins. While the regular size muffins cook in about 15.

White Enchilada Sauce With Green Chiles

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It’s all in the sauce. This enchilada sauce is so delish. There’s a bonus to this recipe as well. It can also make a great cheese dip for tortilla chips.

Typically I’ll use left over chicken or rotisserie chicken and mix in corn to use as the enchilada filling. If I don’t have chicken I’ll use white beans mixed with corn or spinach as the filling.

Once the sauce is complete, take about a cup of the sauce and mix it with your chicken filling or bean filling until all combined.

Roll your enchiladas in corn tortillas and pour the entire sauce over the enchiladas. Top with jack cheese and fresh chopped cilantro.

Enjoy!

Pan suggestion: a glass 9×13

Servings for: 10-12 enchiladas

What You Need:

4 tablespoons of unsalted butter

1/4 chopped sweet onion

1 tablespoon of jarred minced garlic

8 oz block of monterey jack cheese shredded

1/2 cup of parmesan cheese

8 oz of cream cheese

3/4 cup whole milk

1 cup of heavy cream

(2) 4oz cans of green chilies

1 teaspoon of paprika

Salt and pepper for taste

2 tablespoons of fresh chopped cilantro

Steps:

1. Begin with a medium sauce pan on a low heat (between a 2 and 4) and melt the butter. Add in your onion and garlic and sauté until onions are soft.

2. Add your heavy cream, milk, and cream cheese. Mix until cream cheese is completely melted.

3. Next add the parmesan cheese and add 3/4 cup of the jack shredded cheese. Once melted in, add both cans of green chiles.

4. Season with a couple of dashes of salt and pepper. Add the paprika and 1 tablespoon of chopped cilantro. Mix continuously on low for 5 to 7 mins.

5. Reserve a cup of the sauce and mix with your enchilada filling.

6. Once your enchiladas are rolled up and placed in your 9×13 pan, pour the remaining sauce over the enchiladas. Top the enchiladas with the remaining Monterey Jack cheese and chopped cilantro.

7. Bake your enchiladas at 350 for 25 mins.

Hope you enjoy the sauce!

Muffin Frittatas

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Servings: 12 muffin frittatas

What You Need:

8 eggs

1/2 cup of whole milk

4-5 pieces of chopped deli meat

1/3 cup of Parmesan cheese

1/4 teaspoon of salt

1/2 teaspoon of pepper

1-2 tablespoons of fresh parsley chopped

Steps:

1. In a medium size bowl whisk all ingredients together.

2. Spray a muffin tin pan with cooking spray and pour egg mixture into pans evenly.

3. Bake at 375 for 15 to 20 mins until slightly bubbly and a little golden on top.

Enjoy! Great to get your kids involved in and also kid approved. I like to enjoy these with a little salsa or hot sauce as well.

Easy Alfredo Sauce

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This Alfredo sauce is so yummy! Enjoy!

What You Need:

2 cups of Parmesan Cheese

1 (8 tablespoons) stick of unsalted butter

1 cup of heavy cream (8oz)

A few dashes of salt and pepper

1 teaspoon of fresh parsley finely chopped and a little extra chopped for garnish

Steps:

1. Melt the butter in a small sauce pan on medium heat, once butter is melted add heavy cream. Allow to simmer while mixing for 2 minutes seasoning with salt and pepper.

2. Add Parmesan cheese and parsley. Add a few dashes of milk or pasta water to thin sauce out a little. Allow to cook and very low heat until ready to serve.

Enjoy!

Eggless Pancakes

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Sometimes you want to make pancakes only to realize you don’t have any eggs! Which is exactly what happen to us. However delicious pancakes are still achievable even if you don’t have any eggs!

We hope you enjoy these eggless pancakes, courtesy of “eggless cooking”. You have to try these!

https://www.egglesscooking.com/eggless-pancakes-recipe/

What You Need:

  • 1 Cup All Purpose Flour
  • 1 Teaspoon of Sugar (give or take, I add a little more)
  • 1/4 Teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
  • 2 Teaspoons Baking Powder
  • 1/4 Teaspoon Salt
  • 1 Cup Milk ( 2%)
  • 1 Tablespoon Vegetable Oil
  • 1 Tablespoon Water
  • 1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
  • 2 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter

Steps:

  1. Whisk together the flour, sugar, cinnamon, baking powder, and salt. (The dry ingredients)
  2. In a small bowl whisk 1 cup milk, the vegetable oil, water and vanilla extract. (The wet ingredients)
  3. Stir in the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients. Set aside.
  4. Heat a skillet at a low medium heat. Once the pan is hot add the unsalted butter and let it melt.
  5. Add the melted butter to the batter and return the pan to the stove. Mix the butter into the batter well.
  6. When the pan is hot enough, pour a small ladleful of batter on the pan for each pancake. Cook until bubbles appear on the face of the pancake.
  7. Carefully flip the pancake and cook until golden brown on both sides.

Sidenote: keep your skillet on medium LOW. These do cook fast and can easily burn if the pan is too hot.