Fig Spread

Sorry, I don't have a picture of this one. We got figs in our CSA this week and I know a lot of people like to eat them straight up, but I've never enjoyed them that way. They also needed to be used ASAP so I made this spread and it was quite tasty. Had it on some toast tonight and looking forward to slathering it on my pancakes in the morning!

Fig Spread

Ingredients:

-20 fresh figs, stems removed.
-1/4 c water
-1/4 c lemon juice
-1 tsp brown sugar
-1/4 tsp vanilla

Put all ingredients into a food processor and process until smooth. Refrigerate and serve.

Simple Chicken Crockpot

I'm struggling with what to call this one. Is it bbq? Is it Asian fusion? Is it honey? The answer is a little of everything to create a delicious and super simple chicken crockpot so that is what I settled on! Either way, with the return of the school year and dance class on Wednesday nights, I'm happy to see my crockpot back on the counter for delicious, healthy, easy meals ready whenever we might be.

Simple Chicken Crockpot

Ingredients:
-1 lb boneless, skinless chicken (breasts or thighs work great)
-1/2 c ketchup
-1/2 c honey
-1/3 c soy sauce
-garlic, minced
-dried basil

1. Place chicken in the crockpot.
2. Mix all other ingredients in a bowl and pour over chicken.
3. Cook on low for 5-6 hours.
4. Serve. I served mine over sauteed peppers and kale and white rice.

It doesn't get much easier than that!

Make-It-Up Spaghetti

I had some veggies that needed to be used up and warm spaghetti just sounded good this week with the cooler temps. The whole family gobbled this one up :)

Make-It-Up Spaghetti


Ingredients:
-1 large zucchini, sliced and quartered
-6-8 tomatoes, roughly chopped
-olive oil
-garlic, minced
-kale
-garbanzo beans*
-small cut pasta
-shredded parmesan
-toasted sunflower seeds

1. Boil noodles to al dente. Rinse and set aside.
2. In a large pan, simmer olive oil and garlic.
3. Add tomatoes and zucchini, let simmer for 15 minutes.
4. Stir in kale and garbanzo beans and simmer for another 3-5 minutes.
5. Mix in pasta.
6. Serve topped with sesame seeds and parmesan.

*This was my source of protein for our meal, but it would also be great with grilled chicken or shrimp.

Cupcakes, Princess and the Frog

Frog Cupcake Toppers

You'll need:
-Green frosting
-White frosting
-Green dots candies, halved
-Yellow starburst candies
-Toothpicks
-Mini chocolate chips

1. Make the eyes: Place a dot of white frosting on the inside side of a halved green dot and then push a mini chocolate chip into the frosting, point side in.
2. Make crowns: Cut 2 triangles out of the top of a yellow starburst candy (see photo), then stick a toothpick into the bottom of the crown.
3. Frost your cupcakes green.
4. Place the eyes and crown.
5. Use white frosting to make a big smile.**

**I am not all that artistic, and I find Pampered Chef Decorate Set to be super easy to use and clean. Highly recommend!

Crown Cupcakes

Print this cupcake wrapper template and modify it to add crown peaks. Frost cupcakes with white frosting, add sprinkles, and cupcake wrappers.

Cupcakes, Baby Dedication

As I'm preparing for my son's 1st birthday, I've been getting lots of questions about my history with cupcakes. I have a huge phobia of baking cakes - they never turn out right. And then when I go to decorate, I much too much of a perfectionist to nail the ENTIRE cake surface without making mistakes that would bug me to no end. I know, it's not normal. But it is what it is and I have found my freedom in cupcakes! Easy to bake, fun to decorate, and if you make an uncorrectable mistake you've only lost one cupcake!

These are the cupcakes I made for my son's dedication at our church. The idea was a flock of sheep, but I still kind of think they look more like sheep dogs :)

Sheep Cupcake Tops

You'll need:
-Large marshmallows, quartered
-Large marshmallows, halved
-Mini marshmallows, halved
-White frosting
-Black frosting

1. Frost the cupcake with white frosting.
2. Stick half a large marshmallow in the middle of the cup cake top.
3. Then, cover the remaining top of cupcake with halved mini marshmallows.
4. Stick 2 quartered pieces of a large marshmallow on for ears (the stick on the inside of the marshmallow should be enough to hold them on, but you can always use a little white frosting as glue, if needed.)
5. Stick 2 halved mini marshmallows on top of the large marshmallow, but behind the ears.
6. Place small black dots for eyes and nose.

Not-So-Bad-For-You Blueberry Muffins

These have been a big hit around here this week. Combined with some yogurt or an egg and they make a decent breakfast. They also freeze well for future need-a-quick-breakfast mornings!

Whole-Grain Blueberry Muffins

Ingredients:
-1 1/4 c. whole-wheat flour
-1 c old fashioned rolled oats
-1/4 c flaxseed
1/4 c nuts (walnuts, pecans, almonds, etc.)
-1 tsp baking powder
-1 tsp baking soda
-1/2 tsp salt
-1 c plain low-fat yogurt (Greek yogurt would work, too)
-1/2 c brown sugar
-3 Tbs butter, melted
-1 Tbs grated orange zest
-1/4 c orange juice (or the juice from 1 orange)
-1 egg
-1 tsp vanilla
-blueberries, fresh or frozen

1. Preheat oven to 375.
2. Combine in food processor: flour, oats, flaxseed, nuts, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Process until finely ground.
3. Combine in a large bowl: yogurt, sugar, butter, orange zest, orange juice, egg, and vanilla.
4. Add flour mixture to wet ingredients and combine gently, do not overmix.
5. Fold in blueberries.
6. Divide batter into 12 greased muffin tins. Bake for 22-25 minutes.

My Turkey Chilli

I've been making this recipe for years. I still remember the first time I made it - Superbowl 2004 - but I can't for the life of me remember where I got it from! I'm not kidding when I say that everyone I share this recipe with makes it their new favorite chilli. I LOVE LOVE LOVE making the first batch of this when the weather starts to cool and the cooler temps combined with college football (and a win for the Hawkeyes!) made today the perfect seasonal debut for this dish.

Turkey Chilli

Ingredients:
-2 lbs ground turkey
-1 large onion, chopped
-3/4 c. red wine (can sub chicken stock)
-4 c. tomato sauce
-4 cloves of garlic, minced or chopped
-1 green pepper, diced
-3 15oz cans of black beans, drained
-7 oz. can chipolte peppers in adobe sauce, pureed*
-1 tsp. cumin
-1 Tbs. cocoa powder, unsweetened
-1 Tbs. peanut butter
-colby jack cheese

1. Brown turkey and onion until cooked through.
2. Add all other ingredients, cover and cook over low heat for 30 minutes
3. Serve topped with colby jack cheese.

*ALL of the heat of this dish lies in this ingredient. You can use a little, some, or none at all. The past couple of years, I've omitted this ingredient entirely, and served it on the side; this way my 5-year old will eat it and my hubby can add as much heat to his own bowl as he wishes. IF you omit the chipolte peppers/adobe sauce ALSO omit the cocoa powder; the powder is in there to balance the heat and isn't needed if you are leaving the heat out.

THIS DISH FREEZES WELL!!

Homemade Chicken Nuggets

This one is a mash up of of few different recipes I've tried over time. It is a surefire hit around here. My daughter's exact words were, "These are awesome!" I was a little uncertain what her reaction would be as she has had plenty of "real" chicken nuggets in her life (i.e. Morning Star, Tyson All Natural) but she gobbled them up and reported to want them again and again. I love that I know exactly what is in these and don't find myself trying to interpret an ingredient list that appears to be written in another language.

Homemade Chicken Nuggets

Ingredients:
-2 skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cooked and cut into cubes*
-1 onion, quartered
-1 apple, peeled, cored, and quartered
-1 c whole wheat breadcrumbs**
-whole wheat flour for coating**

1. Put all of the ingredients EXCEPT the flour in the food processor and blend until well mixed.

2. Put the flour in a shallow bowl. Shape the chicken mixture into 24 - 1" patties, and then lightly coat the patties in flour.

(At this point, you can stick the patties in the freezer. When you want to serve them, pull them out and proceed to step 3. I haven't baked them from frozen so I can't tell you exactly how long it takes to warm them through from frozen.)

3. Bake patties at 450 for 5-7 minutes until flour starts to crisp.

*I find the Foreman Grill works best for cooking in this recipe!
**Sub cornflake crumbs and Pamela's flour mix for GF version.

Making Cold Lunch Hot

Adding this Fogo Thermos in the mix blows wide open the options for packing my daughter's lunch! Today it's Annie's Organic Mac n cheese, CSA broccoli, and TJs all beef, uncured hot dogs. She's going to love it! Incidentally, it's what I'll be enjoying for lunch too :)

Thermos tip: If you put hot or boiling water in the thermos and let it sit for a couple of minutes, then dump the water and add the food contents, it will help warm up the thermos and hold heat longer into the day.

Overnight Oatmeal

Our oldest started all-day kindergarten this week and with the advent of this new season in our lives, one of the things I am most concerned about is getting good "fuel food" in my daughter to help her through her new, very hectic and stimulating day. I found a baked oatmeal recipe that sounded intriguing and then tweaked it to my liking. We had it this morning and it was a hit! I halved the recipe listed below to make enough to feed me and my two kiddos but feel free to adjust as it works for your family. I'm not sure leftovers of this would be any good.

Over Night Oatmeal

Ingredients:
-2 eggs
-1/4 cup maple syrup, honey, or agave
-1 tsp baking powder
-1 tsp vanilla
-1 tsp cinnamon
-1/4 c. salted butter, melted
-1/2 c. applesauce
-fresh or frozen fruit of your choosing, grated or finely chopped
-1 1/4 c milk
-3 c. Bob's Red Mill Rolled Oats

The Night Before...
1. Butter a 2 quart baking dish.
2. Mix all ingredients except the oats in a large bowl.
3. Fold in oats and combine well.
4. Pour mixture into buttered dish and pat in evenly.
5. Cover with plastic wrap, pressing the plastic directly on top of the mixture.
6. Refrigerate overnight.

The Next Morning...
1. Preheat oven to 375.
2. Bake for 30-35 minutes until oatmeal is set and browned on top.
3. Serve hot with a splash of milk and any other favorite oatmeal mix ins (brown sugar, nuts, dried fruit, etc.)

Popsicles, Chocolate Covered Strawberry

One last hurrah for the popsicle stand here at our house. This is a good one and plenty of good stuff inside makes a no-guilt treat!

Chocolate Covered Strawberry Popsicles

Ingredients:
-1 c. vanilla yogurt
-1 avocado*
-6-8 strawberries
-2 Tbs. cocoa
-Splash of milk

Dump all ingredients in a food processor and blend until smooth and creamy. Pour into popsicle molds and freeze for 6 hours. Enjoy and good-bye, Summer!!


*Yes, avocado. I promise you can't taste it, but there is so much good stuff added when you include it and it gives a creamier texture. This is a great way to use up an avocado that's gone a little brown, unappealing to look at but still perfectly fine for consuming!

Amy's Super Simple From-Scratch Granola

I straight up stole this recipe from a friend. She granted me permission to post and all I can say is try it. Seriously. Today. It's that good. Thanks, Amy!!

From-Scratch Granola

Ingredients:
-Nonstick cooking spray
-3 cups old-fashioned rolled oats (not instant or quick-cooking)
-3/4 cup wheat germ
-3/4 cup walnuts, coarsely chopped (You could sub other nuts or seeds here, too)
-1/2 cup frozen apple juice concentrate, thawed (Any frozen concentrate variety will do here. Change it up for a subtle difference in flavor.)
-1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
-2 tablespoons vegetable oil
-1/2 - 1 cup dried fruit, such as dried cherries, dates, raisins, blueberries, or a mixture, halved or chopped if large

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Lightly coat a 9x13 baking pan with cooking spray. Add oats, wheat germ and walnuts, stirring to combine. Spread in an even layer and toast until mixture is lightly browned, about 25 minutes, stirring halfway through. Remove from oven.
2. Raise oven temperature to 350 degrees. Stir together apple juice, brown sugar, and oil. Pour over oat mixture; stir to combine, and spread evenly in pan. Bake until oats are crisp, about 30 minutes, stirring halfway through.
3. Let cool in pan about 25 minutes; toss with dried fruit. Granola can be stored up to 1 month in the refrigerator in an air-tight container.

Makes 5 cups

NOTE: This easy, delicious treat makes a great gift. Dress it up in a fun container and add a ribbon - viola! Think hostess, teacher, neighbor, family, who wouldn't love it? :)

Garden Salsa

I played around with this recipe a lot last year, but ultimately discovered that keeping it simple was the way to go for flavor, at least that's my preference. There really isn't anything like fresh salsa, and served up top these restaurant fajita leftovers - yum!

Garden Salsa

Ingredients:
-tomatoes, seeded
-onion
-hot pepper
-juice of 1-2 limes
-cilantro

Roughly chop all ingredients and place in food processor. Pulse until items are finely chopped to your desired consistency. Chill before serving.

Start 'em Young . . .

Gazpacho-style Pasta

The cucumbers are literally taking over my world. The garden, the CSA, they just won't stop coming! Many people have recommended gazpacho to me, but I've tried it before and something about cold mush doesn't appeal to me at all. It's not the flavor so much as the texture - bleh! So . . . when I came across this recipe for gazpacho pasta salad, I thought hmmmmm.... I think this might work!!

Gazpacho-style Pasta

Ingredients:
-1 box of small shell pasta
-1 large cucumber, cut into 1" chunks
-1 red pepper, cut into large chunks
-1 yellow pepper, cut into large chunks
-1 sweet onion, quartered
-1 hot pepper, cut into large chunks (pablano, jalepeno, etc.)
-1 garlic clove, chopped
-5-6 tomatoes, cut into small pieces
-2 Tbs olive oil
-2 Tbs red wine vinegar
-salt

1. Cook pasta to al dente.
2. Pulse cucumbers, peppers, onion, and garlic until finely chopped, but NOT pureed.
3. Mix well in a large bowl: pasta, processor contents, tomatoes, oil, vinegar, and salt.
4. Chill and serve.