giardiniera and italian cheese scones

 I had half a jar of giardiniera in the fridge and was craving a spicy snack, so I modified a cheddar and jalapeno scone recipe from The Black Peppercorn to use giardiniera and mozzarella instead. Cael and I both loved them!

Ingredients

• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 3 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup cold butter cut, grated on a box grater
• 1 cup mozzarella cheese, grated
• 1/2 cup hot giardiniera, drained of as much oil as possible
• 3/4 cup whole milk
• parmesan

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400F.
2. In a bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt.
3. Grate cold butter into the flour mixture and stir gently to just incorporate Stir in the grated mozzarella and migiardiniera.
4. Pour the milk into the flour and stir together until just combined. Work gently and be careful to not over-mix the batter.
5. Spread a little flour on a flat work surface. Dump the batter onto the floured work surface and pat down to make a 7 inch square. Cut into 4 quarters. Cut each quarter into 4 more quarters.
6. Place wedges on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Sprinkle with parmesan. 
7. Bake for 14-16 minutes. The scones should be just starting to brown on top.

smoked mozzerella pasta salad

Kory, Gage, and I love this pasta salad from the Whole Foods deli, but found this copycat recipe from Made in a Day to make a bigger batch for much cheaper at home.

Ingredients

• 16 oz organic rigatoni pasta
• 9 oz roasted bell pepper strips
• 8 oz smoked mozzarella, cubed
• 2.5 oz shredded parmesan cheese
• 1 oz white wine vinegar
• 1 pinch cayenne pepper, or more as needed
• 5.5 oz mayo
• 5-6 oz fresh baby spinach
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tbsp dried parsley
• salt & pepper 

Instructions

1. Boil water in a large saucepan and cook rigatoni as directed. While pasta is cooking, place fresh spinach in the colander When pasta is al dente, pour hot pasta and water over the spinach to blanch it. Rinse, drain and run cold water over noodles and spinach to cool .
2. Whisk together in a large bowl (big enough to hold pasta salad), vinegar, garlic, parsley, cayenne pepper, and mayo.
3. Add rigatoni noodles, spinach, peppers, smoked mozzarella, and parmesan cheese. Toss with a large spoon until blended. 
4. Chill for 30 min to 1 hour. Tossing every 15 minutes to blend. Serve as a side dish with your favorite summer meal! 

crepes

I love the flexibility of options with crepes-- kids have add fruit and syrup, I can add ham and cheese, but will admit I do get stressed out every time I make this recipe from foodnetwork.com. I have to remember to use cooking spray (and lots of it) instead of butter to keep them from sticking  seeing I don't own any non-stick pans, and somehow I always forget that step. Maybe writing it here will help me remember!

Ingredients

• 2 large eggs
• 3/4 cup milk
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 cup flour
• 3 tablespoons melted butter
• Butter, for coating the pan (USE COOKING SPRAY!)

Directions

1. In a blender, combine all of the ingredients and pulse for 10 seconds. Place the crepe batter in the refrigerator for 1 hour. This allows the bubbles to subside so the crepes will be less likely to tear during cooking. The batter will keep for up to 48 hours.
2. Heat a small non-stick pan. Add butter to coat. Pour 1 ounce of batter into the center of the pan and swirl to spread evenly. Cook for 30 seconds and flip. Cook for another 10 seconds and remove to the cutting board. Lay them out flat so they can cool. Continue until all batter is gone. After they have cooled you can stack them and store in sealable plastic bags in the refrigerator for several days or in the freezer for up to two months. When using frozen crepes, thaw on a rack before gently peeling apart.

carrot cake coffee cake

With a continued abundance of carrots from the garden, we decided to incorporate them into breakfast too with this Pinch of Yum recipe.

carrot cake coffee cake

INGREDIENTS

Carrot Cake Coffee Cake:

• 2-4 large carrots
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup Butter, melted
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• pinch of salt

Streusel Topping:

• 4 tablespoons Butter, melted
• 1/2 cup flour
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• pinch of salt

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Prep: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Peel and grate the carrots (I use my food processor). You should have about 1 1/2 cups.
2. Cake Batter: Whisk sugar, melted butter, and eggs. Stir in carrots. Add flour, baking soda, and cinnamon. Mix until just combined. The batter will be very thick.
3. Streusel: Mix ingredients for the streusel until you get a texture that looks like pebbles (sometimes I use my hands to mix it all together).
4. Bake: Spread batter into a greased 9-inch round baking pan (see notes). Sprinkle with streusel. Bake for 30 minutes, until the center is just set.

sweet potato fries

With lots of sweet potatoes in the house, sweet potato fries were an obvious choice. These Mark Bittman fries were good, but could have used an extra five minutes in the oven to crisp up.

INGREDIENTS

• 2 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• PREPARATION
• Heat the oven to 400.
• Cut the sweet potatoes into sticks 1/4 to 1/2 inch wide and 3 inches long, and toss them with the oil.
• Mix the spices, salt and pepper in a small bowl, and toss them with the sweet potatoes. Spread them out on 2 rimmed baking sheets.
• Bake until brown and crisp on the bottom, about 15 minutes, then flip and cook until the other side is crisp, about 10 minutes. Serve hot.

peanut butter oat breakfast bites

A quick and easy breakfast/snack based on a recipe from allrecipes.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups oats
• 1/2 cup chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup peanut butter
• 1/3 cup honey

Instructions

1. Mix all ingredients well.
2. Roll into about 1 inch balls.
3. Store in the refrigerator at least 8 hours before enjoying!

Potato Salad

I can’t imagine ever needing more than a half recipe of this potato salad from www.aspicyperspective.com. I upped the mustard to taste (we like lots of mustard in potato salad) and Kory and I both really liked it.

Ingredients

• 5 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes or Klondike Goldust potatoes
• 2 cups mayonnaise (your favorite brand)
• 1 cup refrigerated sweet pickle relish
• 2 tablespoons yellow mustard, or 1 part yellow + 1 part dijon
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon celery seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• 4-5 hard boiled eggs, peeled and chopped
• 3 celery stalks,  diced
• 1/2 cup sweet onion,  diced
• 1 tablespoon fresh chopped dill
•  Salt and pepper

Instructions

• Cut the potatoes into quarters and place them in a large stock pot. Fill the pot with cold water until it is 1 inch over the top of the potatoes. Set the pot over high heat and bring to a boil. Once boiling, add 1 tablespoon salt and cook the potatoes for 13-15 minutes, until fork tender.
• Meanwhile, in a medium bowl mix the mayonnaise, sweet pickle relish including juices, mustard, apple cider vinegar, celery seeds, paprika, 1 teaspoon salt, and pepper to taste. Stir until smooth. Then chop the eggs, celery, onions, and dill.
• Once the potatoes are very tender, drain off all the water. Remove the loose peels and chop the potatoes into 1/2-inch chunks. It's okay if they are soft and crumbly. Place the potatoes in a large bowl. Gently mix in the dressing until it coats the potatoes well. Then stir in the eggs, celery, onions, and dill. Taste, then salt and pepper as needed. Garnish with fresh dill and paprika.
• Cover the potato salad and refrigerate for at least 4 hours. If you have time to make it ahead, it tastes even better on day two! Keep refrigerated in an airtight container for up to one week.

creamed spinach

Kory was grilling steak for dinner, so I tried to hunt down a creamed spinach recipe to relive our days of Chicago steakhouse dinners. The best reviewed recipe turned out to be a copy-cat of our favorite steakhouse-- Morton's (cajun ribeye!). I made some modifications to this dinnerthendessert.com recipe to downsize it for our family. Kory, Elle, and I loved it and the boys ate it without complaint, but said it was "just ok."

Morton’s Steakhouse Creamed Spinach (Copycat)

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 2 teaspoons Kosher salt divided
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• 1/8 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cups half-and-half (or 1/2 cup cream, 1/2 cup whole milk)
• 12 ounces fresh leaf spinach or one pound frozen
• 1/3 cup mozzarella cheese
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions

1. Bring a medium pot of water to a boil with a teaspoon of salt.
2. Add the spinach and cook just until wilted, about 1 minute.
3. Drain the spinach in a strainer or colander.
4. Rinse with cold water until cool and squeeze the water out of each fistful of spinach.
5. In the same pot, melt the butter with the garlic.
6. Cook on medium low for 3-5 minutes or until the garlic is starting to brown.
7. Add in the remaining kosher salt, black pepper and nutmeg.
8. Add in the flour and mix with a wooden spoon over low and cook for 2-3 minutes until the aroma is a bit nutty.
9. Add the half an half and cook until boiling and starting to thicken.
10. Turn off heat and add in the mozzarella cheese and stir until melted and smooth.
11. Add in the spinach and the Parmesan cheese and stir to combine.

slow cooker minestrone

I adapted this recipe from allrecipes.com slightly to cook the noodles right in the soup and served it with cheesy garlic bread for a veggie-packed meal that the kids ate without too much complaining.

Ingredients

• 6 cups vegetable broth
• 1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
• 1 (15 ounce) can kidney beans, drained
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 2 ribs celery, diced
• 2 large carrots, diced
• 1 cup green beans
• 1 small zucchini
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley
• 1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup elbow macaroni
• 4 cups chopped fresh spinach
• 1/4 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese, or more to taste

Directions

1. Combine vegetable broth, tomatoes, kidney beans, onion, celery, carrots, green beans, zucchini, garlic, parsley, oregano, salt, thyme, and black pepper in a 6-quart slow cooker.
2. Cook on Low for 6 to 8 hours.
3. 
   
4. Stir spinach and macaroni into minestrone; cook another 10 minutes. Top with Parmesan cheese.

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rhubarb cake

A breakfast favorite from all recipes. This easily lasts all week for the kids' breakfast.

 

Oma's Rhubarb Cake

• Prep
  30 m
• Cook
  45 m
• Ready In
  1 h 15 m

Recipe By:Alea

"Oma always makes this for her grand kids after she picks through her garden. Probably not good for the thighs but Oma's cooking is always good for the taste buds."

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 cups white sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1 cup sour cream

 

• 3 cups diced rhubarb
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1/4 cup butter, softened
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• ground cinnamon, for dusting

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour a 9x13 inch baking dish.
2. In a large bowl, stir together 1 1/4 cups sugar, baking soda, salt and 2 cups flour. Stir in the eggs and sour cream until smooth, then fold in the rhubarb. Pour into the prepared dish and spread evenly. In a smaller bowl, stir together the remaining 1 cup sugar and butter until smooth. Stir in 1/4 cup flour until the mixture is crumbly. Sprinkle the mixture on top of the cake then dust lightly with cinnamon.
3. Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 45 minutes.

mushroom wild rice soup

A great hearty soup from ATK for cold winter lunches at work! I use veggie broth to keep it vegetarian.

dutch baby

This Taste of Home recipe might be the kids' very favorite breakfast for dinner recipe,

INGREDIENTS

• 1 tablespoon butter
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3 eggs, lightly beaten
• 3/4 cup 2% milk

  DIRECTIONS

  Place butter in a 9-in. pie plate. Place in a 400° oven for 5 minutes or until melted. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar and salt. Stir in eggs and milk until smooth. Pour into prepared pie plate. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown.

chile relleno soup

Another of my favorite work lunches from houseofyumm.com. I so love poblanos! I usually use veggie broth to make this recipe vegetarian and of course I'm always too lazy to make the topping...

Chile Relleno Soup. A creamy poblano soup topped with an open faced chile relleno.

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Ingredients

• 5 poblano chiles
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 onion chopped
• 4 cloves of garlic minced
• 1/4 cup of cilantro chopped
• 1/2 cup of flour
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 cup milk
• 1 teaspoon salt

Chile Relleno Topping

• 2 eggs
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 1/2 cup cooking oil
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1 cup shredded jack cheese

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Instructions

1. Clean and dry the poblano chiles. Places them on a cookie sheet covered in foil. Place under the broiler for 5 minutes. Turn the chiles over and broil for another 5 minutes. Chiles should be roasted with black skin. Remove from the oven and place the chiles in a sealable plastic bag. Set aside
2. In a large saucepan heat the olive oil and butter over medium heat. Add the onions and cook for about 2 minutes until softened. Add the garlic and cilantro. Cook for about 3 minutes.
3. Add the 1/2 cup of flour to the saucepan and stir to coat the veggies. Cook for about 2 minutes. Then add the chicken broth, cream, milk, salt and pepper. Bring to a low simmer.
4. Once the chiles have cooled to the touch, remove from the plastic bag. Cut off the top, remove the seeds, and then remove the skin. (I found it easiest to use a paring knife to remove the skin)
5. Set one of the chiles aside for the chile relleno topping. Chop up the other 4 chiles and add to the soup. Allow the soup to continue simmering approximately 15-20 minutes.
6. While the soup simmers make the chile relleno topping. Slice the remaining chile in half (should already have the seeds and skin removed). This will give you two large pieces of chile.
7. Set up two small bowls. Using the two eggs separate so that whites are in one bowl and yolks are in the second bowl. Beat the egg whites for about a minute and add the 2 tablespoons of flour. In the other bowl beat the egg yolks. Set up a small frying pan and heat the cooking oil over medium heat. Dip one of the chile slices into the egg yolk, then into the egg white/flour mixture. Add to the cooking oil and fry on each side about 1-2 minutes until golden. Repeat with the other chile slice.
8. Just before serving the soup, add 1/2 cup of shredded Jack cheese and stir until completely melted. Serve the soup into bowls, top with the chile relleno and extra shredded jack cheese. You can place the bowls under the broiler if desired to melt the cheese on top, however, this step is not required.

grape, avocado, and arugula salad

I make variations of this salad from gimmesomeoven.com fairly regularly for lunch. Often it's just arugula, grapes, goat cheese and candied cashews with a quick homemade balsamic vinaigrette, but I like to keep the full recipe on hand for when I'm feeling ambitious enough to consider the original ingredients.

GRAPE, AVOCADO AND ARUGULA SALAD

This grape, avocado and arugula salad is fresh and light, and it makes for the perfect meal or side salad.

TOTAL TIME: 10 MINS

 

PREP TIME: 10 MINS

INGREDIENTS:

SALAD INGREDIENTS:

• 6 cups fresh arugula, loosely packed
• 2 cups halved seedless grapes, red or green or a mix
• 1 avocado, peeled, pitted and diced
• 1/2 cup crumbled goat cheese
• 1/2 cup chopped toasted walnuts or pecans
• half a small red onion, peeled and thinly sliced
• balsamic vinaigrette (ingredients below)

WHITE BALSAMIC VINAIGRETTE INGREDIENTS:

• 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 3 Tablespoons white balsamic vinegar (or traditional balsamic vinegar)
• 2 Tablespoons honey or agave nectar, to taste
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/8 teaspoon freshly-cracked black pepper

DIRECTIONS:

TO MAKE THE SALAD:

Add salad ingredients to a bowl, and drizzle with vinaigrette. Toss to combine. Serve immediately.

TO MAKE THE VINAIGRETTE:

Whisk all ingredients together for 30 seconds until combined.

honey mustard brussells sprout slaw

I love this salad from Cookie and Kate as lunch with grilled chicken and we used it as a Thanksgiving side as well. I usually buy a bag of cruciferous crunch from TJ's instead of shredding my own sprouts.

Honey Mustard Brussels Sprout Slaw

• Author: Cookie and Kate
 
• Prep Time: 20 mins
 
• Total Time: 20 mins
 
• Yield: 4
 
• Category: Salad

★★★★★

5 from 20 reviews

This delicious slaw recipe features crisp, shredded Brussels sprouts tossed with tangy honey mustard dressing, toasted almonds and dried cherries (or cranberries). This is a great gluten-free salad or side dish, perfect for potlucks or holiday meals.

INGREDIENTS

Coleslaw

• 1 pound Brussels sprouts
• ⅓ cup slivered almonds, toasted (hickory smoked almonds would be great if you can find them)
• ⅓ cup tart dried cherries or cranberries, chopped
• ⅓ cup finely shredded Parmesan cheese

Honey mustard dressing

• ¼ cup olive oil
• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1 garlic clove, pressed or minced
• ¼ teaspoon sea salt

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Shred the sprouts: First, cut off the tough ends of the sprouts and any browning outer leaves. Then shred them in a food processor using the slicing blade, pressing the sprouts against the blade with the provided plastic pusher. If you don’t have a food processor, slice them as thinly as possible using a sharp chef’s knife, then give them a few extra chops for good measure.
2. If you are using raw almonds, toast them over medium heat for three to four minutes, stirring frequently, until they are fragrant and turning golden on the edges.
3. Whisk together the olive oil, vinegar, honey, mustard and garlic until emulsified. In a medium serving bowl, toss the shredded sprouts with the almonds, chopped dried fruit, Parmesan and dressing. Serve.

hungarian mushroom soup

From genius kitchen

INGREDIENTS

• 12ounces mushrooms, -sliced
• 2cups onions, chopped
• 2tablespoons butter
• 3tablespoons flour
• 1cup milk
• 2teaspoons dill weed
• 1tablespoonHungarian paprika
• 1tablespoon tamari soy sauce
• 1teaspoon salt
• 2cups stock
• 2teaspoons lemon juice, -fresh
• 1⁄4cup parsley, chopped
• fresh ground black pepper, -to taste
• 1⁄2cup sour cream

DIRECTIONS

1. Saute onions in 2 Tbsp stock, salt lightly.
2. A few minutes later, add mushrooms, 1 tsp dill, 1/2 cup stock or water, soy sauce, and paprika.
3. Cover and simmer 15 minutes.
4. Melt butter in large saucepan.
5. Whisk in flour and cook, whisking, a few minutes.
6. Add milk and cook, stirring frequently, over low heat about 10 minutes - until thick.
7. Stir in mushroom mixture and remaining stock.
8. Cover and simmer 10-15 minutes.
9. Just before serving, add salt, pepper, lemon juice, sour cream, and, if desired, extra dill (1 tsp).
10. Serve garnished with parsley.