Artichoke Spinach Lasagna

It's been a while since I have posted anything.  I was trying so hard to walk daily and eat better.  I did lose sixty pounds.  I had some emotional and health issues that made me slide back into bad behaviors.  I have gained over half the weight back.  I am trying to get back on track.

I found this recipe at thescienceofeating.com.  I wasn't sure about it because I'm not a big spinach fan.  I gave it a try anyway.  It was pretty good.  Corey really liked it, I ate one piece and over the next day he ate the rest.

9 Whole wheat lasagna noodles
1 large onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 3/4 cups vegetable broth
1 Tbsp. fresh rosemary, chopped
14 oz. artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
10 oz. frozen spinach, thawed, drained and squeezed dry
28 oz. meatless spaghetti sauce
3 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded
4 oz. feta cheese in Mediterranean herbs or tomato basil crumbles
dash of extra virgin olive oil

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease 9x13 pan with olive oil.  Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil.  Add noodles and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente, drain.

Spray a large skillet with cooking spray and heat on medium high.  Saute onion and garlic for 3 minutes or until onion is tender yet crisp.

Stir in broth and rosemary then bring to a boil  Stir in artichoke hearts and spinach then reduce heat, cover and simmer 5 minutes.  Stir in pasta sauce.  Spread 1/4 of the artichoke mixture in the bottom of the prepared pan and top with 3 noodles.

Sprinkle 3/4 cup mozzarella over the noodles.  Repeat layers 2 more times, ending with artichoke mixture and mozzarella cheese.

Sprinkle feta over top.  Bake, uncovered, for 40 minutes.  Uncover and bake 15 minutes more, or until hot and bubbly.  Let stand 10 minutes before cutting.

**I used ready to use noodles, so skipped the noodle cooking step.

Beef Stuffed Crescents

This recipe was found at tasteofhome.com.  If I am remembering right it is supposed to be an appetizer.  Of course I cut the recipe in three to use just one can of rolls.  They were super easy to make.  They were good, Corey and I both liked them.  However I did make a couple adjustments to them.

When I added the cream cheese they only tasted like the cheese.  I added some of my taco seasoning and a blend of mild cheddar and mozzarella.

Beef Stuffed Crescents

1 pound ground beef
1 (4 oz) can green chilies
1 (8 oz) package cream cheese, cubed
1/4 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp chili powder
3 (8 oz) crescent rolls

Cook beef and chilies over medium heat, drain.  Add cream cheese, cumin and chili powder.  Cool slightly.  Heat oven to 375 degrees.  Separate dough.  Add 1 Tbsp mixture to the short side of the triangle.  Carefully roll up.  Bake 11 to 14 minutes on ungreased baking sheet.  Serve warm.

**Can replace chilies with jalapenos
**When I rolled them I pinched any open areas to help keep the mixture in.

Juicy Burgers

So Corey was complaining that our hamburgers are too dry.  So I searched for ways to keep them juicy.  Since I have been eating healthier I started using a 93/7 ground beef.  I know that without the fat it will become drier.  I found this recipe at thekitchn.com.  We both liked them.  They were juicier with extra flavor added.  Corey, who usually only eats one burger actually ate two.

Juicy Burgers

1 pound beef
1/4 small onion, chopped
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp soy sauce
1/2 tsp garlic powder
pepper
cheese (optional)

Form a log shape with your meat.  Make a well down the center of the log.  Sprinkle the onions down the center of the well.  Whisk the Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce and garlic powder.  Sprinkle over the onions.  Sprinkle pepper over sauce.  Close the well around the onions.  Divide into 4 portions.  Form into patties.  Rest about 20 minutes at room temperature.  Cook 5 to 6 minutes on each side.  In the last minute add cheese if desired.  Toast buns, top with favorite toppings and serve.

**Next time I think I will divide into portion sizes before making the well.  When I divided into portions, some of the onions fell out of the meat.  I think if I divide into portions first I can keep the onions more to the center and not lose them.

Chocolate Banana Chia Pudding

Chia seeds are supposed to be healthy.  I have sprinkled them into a couple smoothie, but didn't really know what to do with them.  I found several recipes for pudding using them.  The process does take a little time.  The final result didn't look very tasty, but it was pretty good.

If you have never used chia seeds, when soaked they form a gelatin feeling coating.  It reminded me of some sort of science experiment.  Your pudding will not be smooth because of the seeds.  If you don't mind a little crunch in your pudding, give it a try.

Chocolate Banana Chia Pudding

2 cups almond milk
2/3 cups chia seeds
2 ripe bananas, mashed
2 tsp vanilla
2 Tbsp honey OR agave OR syrup
2 to 3 Tbsp cacao powder OR cocoa powder

Mix the seeds and milk until seeds are wet.  Let rest 15 minutes.  Stir mixture, it will be thick at this point.  Let rest another 10 minutes.  Add the rest of the ingredients and mix well.  Into the fridge to set up.

**My bananas weren't quite ripe enough to mash really well.  I ate around them.  So in my opinion you could just leave them out if you wanted.

Slow Cooker Italian Meatball Stew

This recipe is from Skinnyms.com.  They have lots of healthier recipes and exercise routines.  I cheated and bought frozen meatballs.  It was good but a little spicy.  I used a yellow pepper instead of red, that is what I had on hand.  I didn't use whole wheat orzo, couldn't find at my store.  I used extra orzo to make it a little more filling for Corey.  Next time I will make the meatballs myself.

Italian Meatballs

2 pounds lean ground turkey or chicken
2 tsp dried oregano
2 Tbsp freshly chopped Italian parsley
1 tsp black pepper
kosher or sea salt to taste
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
4 cloves minced garlic
2 cups whole wheat Panko (or whole wheat bread crumbs)
1 cup reduced fat Parmesan cheese
2 eggs

Combine all.  Shape into 24 one inch balls.  Cook in 1 Tbsp olive oil until browned.

Slow Cooker Italian Meatball Stew

1 dozen Italian meatballs (above)
1 Tbsp olive oil
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
2 stalks celery, coarsely chopped
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 zucchini, coarsely chopped
1 (14.5 oz.) fire roasted tomatoes with liquid
1 (15 oz.) can cannelini beans, drained
2 cloves minced garlic
1 tsp dried oregano
2 Tbsp fresh chopped basil
1/4 tsp  crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp black pepper
kosher or sea salt to taste
2 cups low sodium fat free chicken broth
1/2 cup whole wheat orzo (or couscous or quinoa)

Heat oil in skillet, brown meatballs.  Add everything except orzo to slow cooker, stir.  Add meatballs.  Cook on low 7 to 8 hours.  In last 15 minutes add orzo.  Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese if desired.

Chocolate Avocado Pudding

  I haven't posted in awhile.  In the past few months I have changed jobs.  I am now on a set schedule but the first couple months I felt like I was working all day.  Another change I have made is how I eat.  I have started using myfitnesspal.com to count my calorie intake.  In the past four months I have lost over 40 pounds.  Some of the recipes I will be sharing will now be healthier.

  I still love desserts and snacks.  This first healthier recipe is a dessert.  I know the name may make you want to click this post closed, but don't.  I made this a couple weeks ago.  It is very good.  It makes four servings at 140 calories per serving.  Your calorie counts may be a little different depending on what brands you use.  This recipe comes from cookingwithjax.com.

Chocolate Avocado Pudding

1 ripe avocado
1/4 cup cocoa powder
3 Tbsp maple syrup (or liquid honey)
1 tsp. vanilla extract
6 Tbsp milk of choice
shaved chocolate or raspberries for garnish

Put all into blender until smooth.

**I used almond milk to cut some calories.
**I didn't use any garnish on mine.

Grilled Chicken Pasta Salad

  I found this recipe on pinterest but forgot to write the site it came from.  I need to start pinning the recipes to my boards instead of just writing them on my recipe cards.
  Corey and I both liked this.  Next time I will have to do it for a family get together or cut the recipe in half.  It did make a little much for just two people.

Grilled Chicken Pasta Salad

1 Lb rotini noodles, cooked
2 Lbs thin sliced chicken cutlets
2 Tbsp lemon juice
1 large red pepper, cored, seeded, diced
1 large green pepper, cored, seeded, diced
1 medium red onion, halved, thinly sliced
2 scallions, trimmed, thinly sliced
2 Tbsp fresh dill, minced

Dressing

1 cup light mayonnaise
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
1/2 cup honey
1 tsp mustard
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp dried parsley flakes
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/2 cup canola oil

For salad, cook noodles as directed on box.  Sprinkle lemon juice over chicken, grill until done.  Cut into bite sized pieces.  Toss with rest of salad ingredients.  For dressing, whisk all but canola oil until combined.  Gradually whisk in oil.  Pour over salad and toss to coat.

**The only thing I would change, is it is a little sweet so less honey next time.

Mexican Salad with Creamy Avocado Dressing

Tonight for dinner I made a recipe I found on pinterest. It comes from cookingwithkrista.blogspot.com. Of course the photo gets your attention first, it looked good. Then going over the ingredients it sounded good. Being a salad it was easy to make. Corey and I both really enjoyed it.
Mexican Salad with Creamy Avocado Dressing.

 Dressing
 1 large avocado
1 Tbsp plus 2 tsp fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 tsp hot sauce
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves
3/4 tsp salt

Combine all in food processor or blender, until smooth. Cover and refrigerate. Toss with salad just before serving.

 Salad

 1 1/2 to 2 heads Romaine, chopped
2 to 3 large OR 6 to 7 small tomatoes
2 cups corn chips, crushed
1/2 cup Mexican blend cheese
15 oz can black beans, drained and rinsed
5 green onions, chopped

 Combine all in a large bowl. Toss with dressing just before serving.

 **It was good but a couple changes I will make next time. First Corey and I both thought it had too many bean, so will only use half the can. Next I would add a little more corn chips.
**I didn't have a lemon so used juice from a bottle.
**There is a recipe for the dressing that calls for 1/2 cup Greek yogurt instead of the mayonnaise. I haven't tried it with the yogurt but that may be an option others would like to make.

Tex-Mex Steak with Pepper Salsa

This recipe is from mylifetime.com under cook yourself thin.

Thursday nights are rushed, I work nights and get home with just enough time to make a quick meal and get Corey fed before he leaves. I wanted to get as much done as possible this morning. I put the steak in the marinade this morning. I also made the salsa this morning. I also partially cooked the potatoes this morning. I knew when I got home all I would need to do is put the potatoes in the oven, and the steak on the grill.

Of course Corey messed up my dinner plans tonight. He was still in the bed when I got home. He slept all day. I handed him a plate with a good meal on it. He was really enjoying it, but had to leave. I felt bad that he didn't have a little more time. Guess I don't have to get up to make breakfast tomorrow, he has an awesome meal waiting on him. This one will for sure be on the menu again in the near future.

Tex-Mex Steak with Pepper Salsa

For the steak:
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 pound flank steak

For the salsa:
1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 orange bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 poblano or green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 jalapeño, seeded and finely chopped
1/2 red onion, chopped
Zest and juice of one lime
1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
Pinch of cayenne
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped

In a large, sealable plastic bag, combine olive oil, balsamic vinegar, cumin, and salt and pepper. Stir to combine all ingredients. Add steak, and massage the marinade into the meat. Seal the bag and place on a sheet tray or large plate. Marinate overnight or for at least 30 minutes in the refrigerator.

Meanwhile, in a large bowl combine all the ingredients for the salsa. Refrigerate until ready to serve. (Salsa can be made a few hours ahead and refrigerated.)

Once ready to cook, preheat broiler on high for 10 minutes. Remove steak from the marinade, place under broiler for 5 minutes per side for medium rare, 7 to 10 minutes per side for well-done. Allow the steak to rest for 3 to 5 minutes before slicing thinly, on the bias, against the grain.

Serve with salsa.

**I used a yellow pepper instead of green.
**I used a few small serano peppers instead of a jalapeno.
**I didn't use a flank steak. The steak I had was a little thick so I cut small slits across the meat so the marinade could soak in more.
**I cooked my steak on the grill.

Firehouse BBQ Grilled Chicken

I'm not sure where I found this recipe. I have made it a few times. Another easy marinated chicken recipe. Corey and I both like it. Even though it is called Firehouse, I don't find it too hot.

Firehouse BBQ Grilled Chicken

6 thawed boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/2 cup Frank's Red Hot sauce
3/4 cup BBQ sauce
4 Tbsp butter, melted
2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce

Place all in a large zip top bag. Marinate at least one hour. Grill 5 to 6 minutes on each side, until done.

**I'm not brand loyal, so my hot sauce wasn't Frank's.
**I cut slits down one side of the chicken before putting it into the marinade.

Spiced Chicken and Greens with Pomegranate Dressing

I signed up for something somewhere along the line and now receive emails from American Family. Most of the time I just click the delete. However, sometimes they have some recipes in the emails. This is one of those recipes.

Neither Corey nor I have ever had pomegranates or Gorgonzola cheese. I tried a taste of the cheese before adding it to the salad. Not for me, I couldn't get it out of my mouth fast enough. However, I sprinkled a tiny bit on Corey's salad, he liked it. We both thought the dressing was excellent. Along with the other salad ingredients there was a nice blend of sweet and tangy with a little kick from the red pepper.

Spiced Chicken and Greens with Pomegranate Dressing

Chicken:

Cooking spray
1 tsp chili powder
4 (6 oz) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves

Dressing:

1/3 cup pomegranate juice
3 Tbsp red wine vinegar
2 tsp sugar
2 tsp canola oil
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper

Salad:

1 (5 oz) package gourmet salad greens
1/2 cup thinly sliced red onion
3/4 cup orange sections (about 2 medium oranges)
1/3 cup dried cranberries
1/4 cup (1 oz) crumbled Gorgonzola cheese

To prepare the chicken, heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Sprinkle chili powder and salt over chicken. Add chicken to pan, cook 5 minutes on each side or until done. Remove chicken from skillet, let stand 3 minutes. Cut across grain into thin slices, set aside.

To prepare dressing, combine juice and next 5 ingredients (through crushed red pepper) in a small bowl, stir well with whisk.

To prepare salad, place greens on a serving platter, top with onion, orange, cranberries, and chicken slices. Sprinkle evenly with cheese, pour dressing over salad.

**I cooked my chicken on the grill.
**I just used a large bowl and tossed all the salad ingredients in.
**There was enough dressing that it pooled in the bottom of the bowl, so I added more greens and re-tossed.

Hamburger Soup

This recipe was sent to me by my mom. I'm not sure where she found it. It is a simple, throw everything in the pot meal. Corey and I both liked it. It filled my pot to the top, it was the biggest pot I have. Corey has requested a couple changes next time. He wants a little less corn and add some green beans. Since he has been sick for the past few days hopefully a bowl of hot soup will make him better.

Hamburger Soup

1 Lb ground beef
2 tsp minced garlic
1 cup carrots, chopped
1 cup celery, chopped
1 cup onion, chopped
6 beef bouillon cubes
6 cups water
15 oz (or close) tomato sauce
32 oz (or close) diced tomatoes
1 tsp salt
10 oz frozen corn
1 tsp basil
4 Tbsp ketchup

Brown beef with garlic, drain. Combine with all other ingredients in large stock pot. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 1 1/2 hours.

**I started the water with the bouillon cubes first. I used my Pampered Chef micro cooker to brown the beef. I chopped the vegetables while the meat was cooking.
**Corey doesn't like lots of tomato chunks, so I used my stick blender on the diced tomatoes.
**This would be an easy recipe to cut in half.

Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole

This recipe was found at sixsistersstuff.com. It is a very easy recipe. Corey and I both liked it. I used a 9 X 13 pan instead of a 2 quart pan. I also forgot the cooking spray, but it came right out, no problem. I didn't really taste the Dijon, next time I may add a little more.

Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole

1 (6 oz) package chicken flavored stuffing mix
1 (10 3/4 oz) can condensed cream of chicken soup
1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
3-4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite sized pieces
3 cups fresh broccoli florets
2 cups cooked, chopped ham
6 slices, extra thin Swiss cheese

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Prepare stuffing as directed on package. Mix soup and mustard in a medium bowl, stir in chicken, broccoli and ham. Spoon into a 2 quart casserole dish sprayed with cooking spray. Top with cheese slices and stuffing. Bake 35 to 40 minutes or until heated through.

**I boiled the chicken before cutting.

Caprese Chicken with Bacon

It's been a while since I have posted. After a little over three years I have finally found a job. After adjusting to Corey's schedule and shift changes I am now having to adjust to having my own schedule again. My new job is in a little restaurant. But for the first time in my life I am in the dinning room instead of the kitchen. I never thought, as I'm sure everyone who knows me, that I would ever be a waitress. I'm really liking the job and all the people are really nice so I'm really hoping it all works out and I can get some more hours.

I have still been searching for new recipes to try. I have found a few that I plan on trying within the next couple weeks. Tonight I made Caprese Chicken with Bacon. It was really good. I will for sure be making it again. Corey has never in the twelve years we have been together liked tomatoes. But recently he has decided to give them another try. Guess what, he likes them. So I made this recipe with the tomatoes and he enjoyed it, said it was really good.

Caprese Chicken with Bacon

8 bacon strips
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
2 plum tomatoes, sliced
6 fresh basil leaves, thinly sliced
4 slices part skim mozzarella cheese

Place bacon in an ungreased 15 X 10 inch baking pan. Bake at 400 degrees for 8 to 10 minutes or until partially cooked but not crisp. Remove to paper towel to drain. Place chicken in an ungreased 9 X 13 baking pan, brush with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper. Top with tomatoes and basil. Wrap each with chicken breast with two bacon strips, in a criss cross. Bake uncovered at 400 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes or until meat thermometer reads 170 degrees. Top with cheese, bake 1 minute or until melted.

**This recipe is from tasteofhome.com.
**I didn't wrap the bacon around, just draped it over the top.
**I cut the recipe in half.
**For those who don't know, plum tomatoes are sometimes called Roma tomatoes. The area I'm from they are called Roma. When I first saw them called plum I had to look it up to find out what kind of tomato I was looking for.

Worlds Best Chicken

My mom gave this recipe to me, I'm not sure where she found it. Trust me when I say I didn't come up with the name. In my opinion it is not the "Worlds Best Chicken". With the Dijon mustard and syrup as the sweetener, it had a honey mustard vibe. Of course it wasn't as good as a honey mustard chicken. I was a very easy recipe to make, with few ingredients. Corey felt the same way, it was ok, but nothing special.

Worlds Best Chicken

1 Lb boneless skinless chicken breast
1/2 cup Dijon mustard
1/4 cup maple syrup
1 Tbsp red wine vinegar
salt and pepper
rosemary

Pre heat oven to 450 degrees. Place chicken in a 9 x 13 baking dish. In a small bowl mix mustard, syrup, and vinegar, season with salt and pepper, pour over chicken. Bake 40 minutes, season with rosemary.

**I would suggest turning half way through the cooking.
**Forty minutes was too long. The chicken was dry and the sauce was starting to turn dark in spots. I would suggest checking for doneness after about 30 minutes.

Yeast Doughnuts

Corey has been going to the Village Pantry beside our apartment on Sunday mornings for a couple doughnuts. Of course with our work/sleep schedule it is more like really, really late Saturday night. Which is cheaper since from 4pm until midnight doughnuts are half price. Anyway, I've been telling him I would look for some doughnut recipes to try. I have tried two within the past couple weeks. One was more like a biscuit, the other was very close to the VP, but not quite. So I guess my search for a recipe that will satisfy Corey continues.

Glazed Yeast Doughnuts

1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup sugar
2 tsp salt
1/4 Lb butter
3/4 cup boiling water
4 packets yeast
2 beaten eggs
5 1/2 cups flour

Glaze

1 Lb powdered sugar
1 Tbsp flour
hot water

Melt butter in hot water. Add milk, add yeast, add remaining ingredients. Mix thoroughly. Pat onto floured pastry cloth in the thickness desired. Cut with a floured doughnut cutter and set on greased cookie sheet. Cover with a towel and set in a warm place for 1/2 hour. Heat grease to 350 degrees, two inches deep. Fry to golden brown. For glaze, mix powdered sugar and flour. Add water to desired consistency. Dip doughnuts.

**The glaze was good. I used the glaze recipe for the other doughnut recipe I tried.
**This recipe is the one that was more biscuit like. I think they would have been good cut open and smeared with butter. Of course that is just my opinion.

The next recipe was better. I found this recipe at foodandwine.com. If you try this recipe you will need lots of time, so plan ahead. There are two rises of two hours, and then another rise of 20 minutes right before cooking.

Fluffy Doughnuts

1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon solid vegetable shortening
2 packages active dry yeast
1/2 cup warm water
1/2 cup sugar, plus more for sprinkling
1/2 cup sour cream, at room temperature
2 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
1 extra-large yolk, at room temperature
2 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
About 5 cups sifted all-purpose flour, plus more sifted flour for dusting
Vegetable oil, for deep-frying
Chopped nuts, toasted coconut, and sprinkles, for decorating (optional)

In a small saucepan, warm the milk with the shortening over low heat until the shortening is almost melted. In a large bowl, stir the yeast into the warm water, sprinkle with a pinch of sugar and let stand until foamy, about 3 minutes. Stir the warm milk mixture into the yeast along with the 1/2 cup of sugar and the sour cream, the whole eggs, egg yolk, salt and vanilla. Gradually stir in 4 3/4 cups of the flour until a soft, sticky dough forms. Scrape the dough out onto a floured surface and use a pastry scraper to knead the dough until smooth, adding as much of the remaining flour as necessary. The dough should be soft and slightly sticky, but smooth and elastic.

Gather the dough into a ball, transfer it to a lightly oiled bowl and cover with a sheet of oiled plastic wrap. Let the dough rise in a warm, draft-free spot for 2 hours. Punch down the dough and turn it over in the bowl. Cover and refrigerate the dough for 2 hours or overnight.

On a lightly floured work surface, roll out the chilled dough 1/3 inch thick. Using a 3 1/2-inch doughnut cutter dipped in flour, cut out as many doughnuts as possible and transfer them to a sheet of floured wax paper. The scraps can be rerolled once to cut out more doughnuts. Loosely cover the doughnuts with wax paper and let rise until soft and billowy, about 20 minutes.

In a large, heavy skillet, heat 4 inches of vegetable oil to 365°. Line a rack with several paper towels. Working in batches, fry the doughnuts until golden brown, about 1 minute per side. Check the temperature of the frying oil to make sure it doesn't get too hot or cool. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the doughnuts to the paper towel-lined rack to drain. Serve warm or let cool before glazing with the Dark Chocolate Glaze or the Vanilla Glaze and decorating with chopped nuts, coconut and sprinkles.

MAKE AHEAD The recipe can be prepared through Step 2 and refrigerated overnight. The finished doughnuts can be made up to 4 hours ahead. NOTES VARIATION: To make jelly doughnuts, cut out 2 1/2-inch rounds of dough with a biscuit cutter. Fry as instructed above. Once the doughnuts are cool, use a piping bag to squeeze jelly into the sides of the doughnuts.

Dark Chocolate Glaze

2 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
2 1/2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
3/4 cup heavy cream
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
3/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Salt

Place the chopped chocolates in a medium bowl. In a small saucepan, combine the heavy cream with the sugar and cook over moderate heat, stirring, until the sugar dissolves. Pour the warm cream over the chocolate and let stand until melted, about 5 minutes; whisk until smooth. Whisk in the butter, vanilla and a pinch of salt. Let the dark chocolate glaze cool until slightly thickened, about 15 minutes.

Vanilla Glaze

5 cups sifted confectioners' sugar
1/4 cup milk
1/4 cup light corn syrup
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

In a medium bowl, whisk the confectioners' sugar with the milk and corn syrup until smooth. Stir in the vanilla. Variation: To make a frosting suitable for piping, stir 1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar into the glaze.

Sweet Potato Doughnuts with Maple Icing

It's been a long time since I have posted anything. We, well I, have sort of fallen back into a rut. Our schedule has changed twice in the past few months. With each new change comes adjusting meal times. So for awhile it was easier to just eat cheap and fast instead of trying new stuff that involves more time (and money).

Anyway, Corey has been wanting doughnuts (donuts, however you want to spell it) for a long time. He even started going next door to the Village Pantry and getting a couple doughnuts on Sunday mornings. I have been looking for a recipe that would be quick and fairly easy. I found this one on the foodnetwork site. It comes from Paula Deen.

They were really simple. All the ingredients were all pretty basic stuff. The only thing I didn't have on hand was maple extract. So I just a drizzle of maple syrup in its place. I don't think they had much of a sweet potato flavor, but Corey really liked them.

Sweet Potato Doughnuts with Maple Icing

3 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 cup sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup sour cream
1 cup cooked, mashed sweet potatoes
oil for frying

Maple Icing

2 2/3 cups powdered sugar
3 to 4 Tbsp milk
1/4 tsp maple extract

In a medium bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. In a large bowl, combine eggs, sour cream and sweet potatoes. Gradually add flour mixture, stirring to combine. Turn out dough on to heavily floured surface. Knead in flour with hands as needed, dough will be sticky. Roll out dough to 1/2 inch thickness. Cut out with a 2 1/4 inch round cutter. Cut out center of doughnuts with a 3/4 inch round cutter. Re-roll as needed. Heat oil over medium heat to 360 degrees. Cook in batches, about 2 minutes per side or until light brown. Drain on a paper towel. Glaze tops.

**She suggests adding chopped pecans to the top.
**I only made a half batch.

Pizza Pull Apart Bread

A couple months ago I posted the recipe for garlic Parmesan pull apart bread,(I have posted it again in this entry). I served it as a side with spaghetti and again with lasagna. Corey said he would like me to make it again but put some pizza stuff inside and have sauce for dipping. So today that is what I did.

I followed the instructions for the bread. Then at the point where I was rolling them to dip in the butter I added a pepperoni and a small cube of mozzarella cheese. Then dipped it into the butter. I also shredded some mozzarella and used it in addition to the Parmesan between the layers. It turned out really good.

Garlic Parmesan Pull Apart Bread

2 tsp active dry yeast
1 1/3 barely warm water
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 tsp salt
3 1/2 cup all purpose (or bread) flour
1/4 cup butter, melted
1 Tbsp dried parsley flakes
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

In a large mixing bowl, stir together the yeast and water. Let sit 5 minutes until yeast is foamy. Mix in the olive oil, salt and flour. If you have a stand mixer, attach the dough hook and knead 5 to 6 minutes, or until elastic. If doing by hand, knead on a lightly floured surface until elastic, 7 to 10 minutes. Transfer to a lightly oiled bowl and cover with a clean kitchen towel. Allow to rise 1 1/2 to 2 hours, or until double in size. In a small bowl combine butter, garlic and parsley, set aside. Punch down dough. Tear off small pieces of dough, coat in the butter mixture, and place in the bottom of bundt pan. Repeat until you have one layer of dough balls. Sprinkle with 1/3 of the Parmesan cheese. Continue layering the dough balls and cheese until you have 3 layers. Cover with a clean towel and allow to sit until double in size, 20 to 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake 25 to 30 minutes, or until golden brown. Serve hot with a side of marinara or tomato sauce.

**Next time I think I will cook it in a 9x13 instead of a bundt pan.
**I just added pepperoni and cheese. You could add some cooked and drained Italian sausage to some pieces and pepperoni to others to give it sort of a combination affect.

Homemade Sherbet

Once again I was browsing Pinterest. A photo of orange flavored sherbet was on the page. Under the photo is said homemade, so of course I had to click. The recipe was from mydailymoment.com. Although it was for orange flavored, I thought maybe some other flavors would be good. There are only three ingredients. It is very easy to prepare. The most time consuming thing is the wait while it is freezing.

The flavor was great, I used tropical punch. Corey enjoyed it also. It was a little sweet, but I think it was because of the flavor I used. Since we are not milk drinkers and I only buy it when I need it for a recipe, this will be a great use of the extra. Now I need to find some Kool-Aid coupons so I can restock and have different flavors for next time.

Orange Flavored Sherbet

1 cup sugar

1 (.13 oz) envelope unsweetened orange soft drink mix

3 cups milk

In a bowl, stir all ingredients until sugar is dissolved. Pour into a shallow freezer container, cover and freeze one hour or until slightly thickened. Transfer to a mixing bowl, beat until smooth. Return to freezer container, cover and freeze until firm. Remove from freezer 20 minutes before serving.

**I used a .16 ounce packet of Tropical Punch flavored Kool-Aid.

**I mixed, froze and beat all in the same bowl.

**You definitely want to take it out about 20 minutes before serving.

Sherbet Sandwiches

I have always called it sherbert, but according to my spell check and the dictionary it is sherbet. No matter what I call it, Corey and I both like it. Thank goodness it is fat free cause we can wipe out a container in about two or three days.

A couple weeks ago when I made some homemade ice cream sandwiches, I mentioned trying something similar with sherbet. Corey thought it was a good idea too. So I gave it a try and they turned out pretty good.

I used lemon cake mix. Mix according to package instructions. Cooked them on the waffle iron.Then filled with lime sherbet.Then topped and put into freezer to set.