This week in class  we had the pleasure of practicing our measuring and baking skills together and made Oatmeal Blondies and Silver dollar pancakes.

I think everyone had a blast  and the kids really enjoyed making and eating their creations!

The cool thing about these recipes is they use a  convenient baking mix we call Everyday Baking Mix.

It is easy to make and can be used for several different recipe variations.

I’m posting it here for all of you to try out……..it stores for up to 3 months in an airtight container.

Just be sure to mix it up before measuring out for your recipes.  Enjoy!

Everyday Baking Mix

v 6 Cups all purpose flour

v 3 Cups sugar

v 2 Tablespoons baking powder

v 1 Tablespoons salt

In a large bowl, whisk together 6 c. flour (spooned and leveled), 3 c sugar, baking powder and salt.  Store in an airtight container at room temperature up to 3 months. Whisk before using.  Makes about 9 cups

Use it to make the following 3 Recipes

Chewy Oatmeal Blondies

• 1 stick butter room temperature
• ½ Cup  packed light brown sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 ½  Cup Everyday baking mix (spooned and leveled)
• 1 Cup old fashioned oats/ not quick oats

Preheat oven 350. Brush 8’’ square baking pan with butter. Line bottom and 2 sides with parchment paper letting 2’’ overhang on both sides.

Using an electric mixer beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy.  Add egg beat until combined with mixer on low, gradually and slowly add baking mix.  Mix until combined.  Mix in ¾ cup of oats.  Pour batter into pan.

Using a butter knife, smooth batter evenly in pan, and sprinkle remaining oats on top pressing gently.   Bake for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.  Using overhang on sides of pan, transfer brownies to a wire rack to cool.

Toothpick test:  The toothpick test is one of the best and most accurate ways to judge the doneness of baked items such as cakes and brownies.  One simply takes a clean toothpick and gently pushes it into the middle of the pan.  If the toothpick comes out clean without any batter attached to it, you will know that the cake is done.  If it comes out still gooey and sticky more time is needed in the oven.

Silver Dollar Pancakes with chocolate sauce

WE made these with chocolate chips instead of chocolate sauce! Just put a  handful of semis sweet chips in the batter before you  cook them .  They are great either way.

• 2 teaspoons unsalted butter, melted, plus more for skillet
• 1 large egg
• 1 cup milk
• 1 ¼ cups everyday baking mix
• 1/3 cup store bought chocolate sauce or chocolate hazelnut spread
• ½ cup vanilla ice cream

Caution hot stove or griddle!  Adult Supervision required for young children!

1. 1. In a medium bowl, whisk together butter, egg and 2/3 cup milk. Add baking mix, whisk lightly just until moistened.

IMPORTANT ( DO NOT OVERMIX; a few small lumps are fine).

1. Preheat oven to 200. Heat a large nonstick skillet or griddle over medium, very lightly butter the bottom of the pan.
2. Drop 2 -3 tablespoons of batter onto the hot skillet or griddle.  Cook until surface of pancakes have some bubbles and a few have burst, 1 to 2 minutes. Flip pancakes with a thin spatula, and cook until browned on the underside another 1 to 2 minutes.
3. Transfer pancakes to a baking sheet, cover loosely with foil and put into the preheated oven to stay warm. Continue to make pancakes with remaining batter, adding more butter to skillet as necessary.
4. Recipe should make about 12 pancakes.
5. In a small saucepan combine chocolate sauce with 1/3 cup milk. Bring to a simmer over medium low, and whisk until smooth.

Serve pancakes topped with chocolate sauce and ice cream.

Jam Sandwich Cookies

4 cups Everyday baking mix

1 cup (2 sticks ) butter cold unsalted , cut into pieces

½ cup milk

¾ cup seedless jam or jelly any flavor

(Recipe makes 36 cookies/  18 sandwiches)

1. Preheat oven to 350. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.. In a food processor, pulse baking mix and butter until mixture resembles coarse meal.  Add milk; pulse until a thick dough forms.
2. Drop dough by heaping tablespoons on to cookie sheets, 4 inches apart.
3. Bake until cookies begin to turn golden but center is still pale, approx 12-14 minutes. Rotate sheets halfway through.
4. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
5. Spread flat side of half of the cookies with 2 teaspoons jam each
6. Sandwich cookies with the remaining cookies.

Greetings my friends! Yes, the  Holidays are almost here!

Quick update:  for those of you who have read any of my previous blogs and listened to me whine about my old clunker stove,  I am happy to announce that my landlord had mercy on me, and after mentioning my concern about a possible explosion, he agreed to purchase a brand spanking new shiny black gas range! I am so excited to have a new stove I can hardly contain myself.  Not only is it nice to look at, it has a timer, and 2 high powered burners!  Now I can boil water and fry up some yummy pot stickers without having to find the matches:)  I must admit it is truly the best gift this girl could have received this holiday! So I am now happily back in the kitchen and baking away!

The weather here in New Mexico has blown in some chilly days and my daughter and I have been hunkering down trying to keep warm during our recent cold spell. I mean …cold for Albuquerque is when it drops below 40f during the daylight hours!  This is when transplanted folks from the East coast and Midwest like mom and dad whine that they moved from Boston (circa 1973) to NM to get out of this cold weather and “it’s not supposed to snow here anymore.”

So when a small crop of white flakes fall from the sky and start to gather on the ground and stick for more than an hour a lot of folks start to panic and run indoors.  I myself think that the sight of snow is euphoric. It warms my heart and reminds me of my childhood days in Chicago and Boston.   We kids bundled up in assorted hand me down sweaters and jackets, mis- matched mittens and gloves,  old hats and scarves that we usurped along the way from friends and neighbors.  I could hardly move as I tumbled through the snow with my friends spending hours outside building snow forts, and rolling snowballs and turning them into giant snowmen!

I reminisce and wonder what it would be like to once again live in a part of the country where it actually snows all day and the white stuff sticks to the ground and doesn’t melt by noon when the sun comes out?

Yet now instead of the East coast I think of the western slopes like Silverton, Colorado where my little brother and his family live year round at 9000  ft elevation.  Yep,  up in the mountains where the sky opens up and snow seems to cover the earth in a white blanket!  Great  place for skiing, snowboarding , drinking micro brewed beer from Silverton Brewery silvertonbrewing.com , and………………warmer indoor activities like playing in the kitchen!

I have found that the cold weather is a great time to fix some soup and bake some cookies and sip hot chocolate! Currently I am focusing on my holiday baking and doing my best to keep things easy this year.

I ran across a great recipe for a basic cookie dough that can make 4 different kinds of cookies.  Its easy to prepare and great fun for kids of all ages to get their hands dirty in the baking process. So with that being said, I am posting my new favorite cookie dough recipe for you and your family to play with over the winter break!   Bake some cookies and have some fun as you gather indoors and take time to enjoy

All in One Cookie Dough:  (courtesy of Everydaycooking.com)

I really enjoy this rich buttery cookie dough. Its simple to make and can be used to make several different  cookies.  Just change the shapes and add different toppings and you have an assortment of delicious cookies!

Ingredients

• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 large egg yolks
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)

Directions

1. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat butter, sugar, and salt until light and fluffy. Add yolks, one at a time, scraping the bowl after each addition. Add vanilla. With mixer on low, add flour; mix just until combined. Wrap in plastic; chill until firm, about 1 hour. To make ahead: Refrigerate up to 2 weeks, or freeze up to 3 months.
2. Citrus or Spice: Whisk 1 tablespoon grated lemon, lime, or orange zest (or a combination), or 1 tablespoon pumpkin-pie spice into the flour before adding it to the butter mixture.

• Make thumbprint cookies by rolling into tablespoon size balls and pushing a spoon in the middle to create a hole and fill with preserves or  chocolate.
• Pretzel cookies: Roll into 8 inch snakes and twist into pretzel shapes and decorate with nuts, coconut or colored sprinkles
• Make refrigerator cookies by carefully shaping into a 8 inch log and rolling into plastic wrap and rolling in your desired topping ( we like crushed pecans or walnuts)  refrigerating for 2 hours. See directions below:

1. On a large piece of parchment or waxed paper, gently form 1/2 recipe all-in-one cookie dough into an 8-inch log.
2. Fold one short end of paper over log; wedge a baking sheet against log. Holding other end of paper at an angle, push baking sheet against log while pulling on paper, creating a smooth, compact log.
3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Gently roll log in desired topping to coat; wrap in parchment. Refrigerate until firm, at least 2 hours.
4. Unwrap log, and place on a cutting board. Using a serrated knife, slice into 1/4-inch-thick rounds.
5. Place rounds on parchment-lined baking sheets, 1 inch apart. Bake until pale golden, 13 to 15 minutes, rotating sheets halfway through.

From Everyday Food, December 2008

Tapas are  small snacks and appetizers that are served throughout  Spain and come in many different forms,  both cold and hot.  I have tried several different recipes  and all are delicious!  Tapas are usually made with local fresh ingredients depending on the region of Spain they are from are a great way to start a meal. I hope you can find a local Tapas restaurant near you and try some tasty treats.  Its a great way to introduce new  flavors to your family and open up the door to a new culinary experience!    Get in the kitchen and be sure and try one of the tapas recipes below.

Interesting Info:   The Origin of Tapas

According to an article from About.com the origin of Tapas is sketchy but interesting. Here are several stories about the origin of tapas, which are a part of the folklore:

It is told that King Alfonso X, el Sabio or “the Wise One,” made sure that Castilian taverns serve wine accompanied by something to eat, so that the wine would not go straight to the clients’ heads.

Another story claims that while on a long trip, King Alfonso had stopped to rest in the town of Ventorillo del Chato in the province of Cádiz, and he ordered a glass of jerez or sherry. There was a gusty wind, so the inn keeper served him his glass of sherry covered by a slice of ham to prevent the sherry from getting dirty. King Alfonso apparently liked it, and when he asked for a second glass, he requested another tapa or “cover” just like the first.

Whatever the true origin of tapas, prepare one or several, then enjoy them like the Spanish do – with a relaxed attitude !

Here are a couple of recipes for some popular tapas that are  easy and delicious ! Youngsters can surely help mom an dad peel and mix the ingredients.

(Papas )PATATAS Alioli

• 3/4 pound potatoes, preferably red potatoes

• 1/2 Cup mayonnaise

• 3  cloves garlic, mashed to a paste or put through a garlic press

• 2 Tablespoons minced Italian parsley

Bring the potatoes to a boil in salted water, mixed with a little chicken broth if you wish, cover and simmer for 15 minutes. Turn off the heat and leave the potatoes in the water, covered, until the potatoes are tender, about 15 minutes.

Drain and cool the potatoes in a colander.

Cut the potatoes into 3/4 inch chunks.

In a bowl, combine the mayonnaise, garlic and parsley, The mayonnaise should be a little thin to combine smoothly with the potatoes, stir in a  little fresh lemon juice ,1 or 2 tsp to dilute.

Fold in the potatoes gently, season with salt and let sit for about 20 minutes at room temperature before serving. Or make ahead and refrigerate, then return to room temperature before serving.

Enjoy!!

Ensalada de Judias Blancas  (White Bean Salad)

• 3/4 pound cooked white beans or chickpeas  (good quality canned beans rinsed work well)

• 1 medium organic tomato, cubed

• 1 hard boiled egg, sliced and cut in half

• 4 pitted cured black olives, each cit in 4 pieces

• 1 tablespoon minced parsley

• 2 tablespoons fruity olive oil

• 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar

• salt and 1 clove of garlic mashed

In a bowl gently combine the beans, tomato egg, olives and parsley.  In a separate bowl whisk the oil , vinegar, salt and garlic.

Carefully fold the oil and vinegar dressing  into the bean mixture and let marinate in the refrigerator for several hours.  Serve with toasted bread and enjoy!

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Funny how quick the summer months seem to pass us by.  Why is it that the warm breeze, and sunny months  always fade so quickly?  I never notice when the other seasons come to an end, but summer always seems too short.

Theres an ad I recently looked at from a local pizza chain : ” Pizza has never been more in Season!  School, Football and Family! “  Yep…..that said it all.  Once school starts, and football begins we know fall is on the way. It marks the end of summer and the beginning of fall for families all across the nation.   Of course, those of you on the east coast still mark Labor day  as the end of the summer  so we  technically  have a couple weeks left, but for those of us here in the SW……once school starts it feels like summer has died, and we in NM prepare for the colder nights ahead.

I hope all of you out there have had a lovely summer.  Enjoy these last lingering weeks and make sure and check out this easy  recipe for  some yummy PIZZA Sticks that both you and your kids  will surely enjoy!

PS:   My Ebook will soon be available for purchase so keep an eye out for some yummy  new recipes.

Try my recipe for homemade pizza dough when you have time and taste the difference of making dough by scratch!

They are easy for young ones to make on their own using  pre made refrigerated bread sticks!

Pizza Sticks

Ingredients:

• 1 (11 ounce )package of refrigerated bread sticks

• 1 package of presliced pepperoni

• 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

• 1 tablespoon parmesan cheese

• 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning

• 1 teaspoon garlic powder

• 1 jar of marinara sauce any brand for dipping

Heat oven to 350 degrees.

Roll out bread sticks on an ungreased cookie sheet. Lay pepperoni slices on the end and sprinkle with some mozzarella cheese.

Fold over bread stick and twist.

Mix together parmesan, Italian seasoning, and garlic powder and sprinkle over top of twisted bread stick.

Add more mozzarella if desired and bake for 5 to 8 minutes or until golden brown.

Dip in warmed pizza sauce to eat.

In honor of this National Day of Independence I am informing all my friends of a new and upcoming holiday that will soon be upon us!

National Zucchini Day!  For all of us who know what its like to have a garden overrun with many shapes and sizes of summer squash and zucchini…….this ONES For YOU!  Some suggestions to help you celebrate this day are below and I have also added some delightful easy recipes for you to try with or without your little ones!@

I hope you and yours have a very Happy 4th of JULY……remember to Celebrate the Independence and Freedom we have here in the good old USA!

Thank you to Allrecipes Staff

Celebrate this fun holiday on August 8!

Established by Pennsylvanian Tom Roy, this day encourages sharing.

“Due to the overzealous planting of zucchini, citizens are asked to drop off baskets of the squash on neighbors’ doorsteps.”

About the Holiday

Inspired by the “Submit an Entry” form in a copy of Chase’s Calendar of Events, Roy and his wife, Ruth, have launched several creative holidays.

A few suggestions from Tom Roy’s “Top 20 List for successful sneaking of Zucchini or otherwise ridding yourself of unwanted surplus summer squash:”

(Note: Allrecipes does not endorse any of these activities.)

• Look for out-of-the-way places which have signs posted, “Clean Fill Wanted.”

• Under light of full moon, either stark naked or wearing full army camouflage, carrying a machete or any garden implement, run amuck in your zucchini patch, cutting and slashing. Be sure to thank Mother Nature for her bounty before and after this cathartic experience.

• Buy a large roll of freezer paper–the kind that sub shops use. Then proceed to wrap each zucchini that has managed to grow to a foot or more in length. Next time your child has a fundraiser, send him or her out supplied with these phony subs. Tell child to drop them off with neighbors or relatives and leave quickly. It’s advisable that a responsible adult hover nearby in a get-away car.

• Gather all available plastic containers and freezer bags. Drink a vat of your favorite caffeinated beverage, in preparation for staying up ’round the clock to purée large quantities of zucchini.
  

• This can then be packaged neatly and artistically labeled: “For Zucchini Nut Bread Recipe.” These packages can be freely given, along with copies of recipe, to anyone on your Christmas list.

Rich Chewy Zucchini Bread

INGREDIENTS

• 3 eggs
• 3/4 cup unsweetened apple sauce
• 1 2/3 cups packed brown sugar
• 2 cups grated zucchini
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 3 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup raisins
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts

DIRECTIONS

1. In a large bowl, beat eggs well. Add applesauce, brown sugar, zucchini, and vanilla; stir well. Blend in flour, cinnamon, baking powder, soda, and salt. Stir in raisins and nuts. Pour batter into a greased and floured 9 x 5 inch loaf pan.
2. Bake at 350 degrees F for 1 hour. Cool.
   
3. Enjoy!!!!

Baked Zucchini Chips

INGREDIENTS ( makes 4 servings)

• 2 medium zucchini, cut into 1/4-inch slices
• 1/2 cup seasoned dry bread crumbs
• 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp tabasco – or red pepper flakes ( optional, but adds some nice spiciness )
• 1/3 cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 2 egg whites or whole eggs

Healthy Snacks: Quesadillas

Quesadillas  a tasty, healthy kids’ snack.

More Healthy Snacks for Kids

No one can quite agree on a definitive definition of a quesadilla, but the elements most descriptions have in common is it’s a tortilla stuffed with cooked meat and cheese, then cooked until the cheese melts and the outside of the tortilla is crisp and toasty!

Such simple ingredients, but they add up to something simply delicious kids will be happy to make and eat!

Quesadillas are usually made with flour tortillas which come in 8″ or 12″ sizes.  Some folks enjoy corn tortillas but then you are making soft tacos.

Depending on how many little mouths you have to feed, this snack can be as easy as tossing some cheese and pre-cooked chicken and veggie mixture between two tortillas and heating it in a skillet.

Slice it like a pizza and the kids have a utensils-free food to enjoy. If you have more than a couple kids to feed, double up on everything and put the quesadillas on a baking sheet in the oven at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C.) until the cheese is melted.

Quesadillas

There are two camps…for making quesadillas, or cheese crisps like the folks in Arizona call them.

1.    The fold over camp.  Those who prefer to put their cheese and fillings on one side of the tortilla and fold over the other half so that the tortilla is baked or grilled in a half moon shape.

2.    The stacking camp.

The concept is the same except that with this style you put your fixings on one tortilla and then place another tortilla on top so you have 2 tortillas that are grilled on each side and the gooey cheese in the middle helps them stick together. These are best for slicing into pizza slices and serving in wedges with a nice side of salsa, sour cream and guacamole!

You choose what works best for you!

MIXIN’ suggestions for delicious quesadillas!

1.    Cheese glorious Cheese!  Experiment! Any kind of cheese will do…..something that will melt and stick together…..cheddar, mozzarella, pepper jack.

2.    Veggies choose one or all!

• Sliced or chopped tomatoes

• Green ,red or yellow peppers

• Green chile for those who like a spicy snack!

• Diced onions fresh or grilled

Refried Beans or Black beans

3.    Turkey

4.    Ham

5.    Diced cooked chicken

6.    Sliced beef or fajita steak

Toppings and dipping sauces:

1.    Homemade Salsa (recipe  see other blog)

2.    Sour cream

3.    BBQ sauce

4.    Guacamole

Quesadillas are an easy and healthy snack and the best part is you can make them any way you choose!

Spring Cooking classes are under way and I am so excited about what we are going to be creating over the next 6 weeks!  Its a multicultural cooking class and I have a vibrant group of students who are excited to be in the kitchen.

Last week we made a wonderful Middle Eastern Mezza spread!  Yummy Hummus, homemade pita chips and a savory Greek cucumber salad. 

I am going to include the recipes here for those of you who would like to try out these simple yet tasty recipes.  I think you will agree…………its hmm, hmmm Good !  Make a splash with your friends and family and check out these cultural recipes that will make your mouth spin!   Enjoy the flavors of the Middle East and Greece, until next time when we visit the Orient and some Asian Flavors next week!

Middle Eastern Hummus

• 15 oz can of chickpeas
• 3-4 tbsp of tahini
• 2 small lemons or 1 large lemon juiced
• 3 garlic cloves ( roasted garlic works really well)
• 1 tsp of coarse salt
• 2 Tbsp of Olive Oil
• Pinch of paprika

Peel and chop the garlic and squeeze the juice from the lemons into a bowl. Careful there are no seeds when you squeeze the lemons. Remove seeds with a spoon if they get into your bowl. Drain the chickpeas, saving the juice from the can for later.

Put all the ingredients except the paprika into a blender and blend until smooth.

Add a little water from the can if  its too thick.

Pour into a shallow dish and sprinkle with paprika and a dash of olive oil.

Serve dip with pita wedges or home made pita chips!

Home Made Pita chips

Preheat oven to 350,  cover a baking sheet with aluminum foil and spray with canola cooking spray.

Ingredients:

• 4 pita bread rounds (split in half)
• 4 tbsp of melted butter
• 2 cloves of crushed garlic ( or 2 tsp of garlic powder)
• Salt and pepper and dash or oregano

Cut each pita in half and then into 3 wedges per side.

Melt butter in a glass bowl in the microwave for 20 seconds.

Add, garlic and spices to the melted butter and mix.

Place pita wedges cut side up on a lightly sprayed baking tray covered in foil.  Brush with butter and garlic mixture.

Bake in preheated over on 350 for about 12  minutes until golden and crisp.

To make cheese chips……..add 4 Tbs. of grated parmesan cheese  mixed with 2 tbsp of chopped fresh basil to the top of these chips before baking……..great snacks for after school! Save extras in a sealed plastic bag for later!!

Fresh  Greek Salad with Cucumber

• 1 medium cucumber
• 1 med. Red onion, Thinly sliced
• 1-2 c. grape tomatoes
• 1 red pepper, diced
• 1 c. pitted kalamata olives
• ½ c. shredded basil
• ½ lb. crumbled feta
• 1/4 c.extra virgin olive oil
•  ½ tsp. Ground pepper
• 1/4 tsp coarse salt

Directions

• 1. Mix the first 5 ingredients in medium bowl and top with the feta, olive oil and fresh pepper and toss together in a bowl.
• 2. Take a break and buy yourself pitted black olives. Extra virgin olive oil is a must – use a good quality one and the flavor will be amazing. Once you blend the ingredients let the salad stand for a few minutes in the refrigerator so the flavors mingle. Yummers!

I found this recipe  for a light carrot cake on allrecipes and wanted to pass it on. It is quite a bit healthier than the traditional version and still tastes delicious! I made some adjustments and it is awesome .

So its a brand New Year. A time when many of us look at ourselves and consider making some resolutions to start the year out right .  Many of us  begin the year determined to make changes to our diet and exercise routine in a desire to shed unwanted pounds that we have gained over the holidays.  Healthy eating is an important part of the process, and making even small changes to our diet can make all the difference in getting results!  I’m no scientist, but we have all read about the benefits of eating healthy natural foods and adding more fruits and vegetables to our diets and cutting back on fats and sugar.

Sometimes just a few changes like portion control and substituting different types of foods to our diet can result in lots of healthy benefits including weight loss, and lower blood pressure.

So…….. on that note, I have printed down a list of 7 easy changes you can make to your diet this year and added a couple of healthy recipes for you and your     kiddos to enjoy!   Happy 2009.

Reprinted from: Allrecipes.com

Replacing high-calorie items with lower-fat and lower-sugar versions is a good place to start.

1. Think baked tortilla and potato chips instead of fried ones

2. Use low-fat or nonfat sour cream, mayonnaise, cheese, cream cheese and salad dressing instead of full-fat versions

3. Substitute evaporated skim milk or fat free half and half in place of cream (for everything except whipping)

4. To thicken soups, gravies, and sauces, use puréed vegetables, mashed potatoes, or a slurry of cornstarch and cold water instead of cream or roux.

5. Its a painless sacrifice to use leaner cuts of meat too: skinless chicken breast, pork loin, ground turkey breast and beef round and flank steak are all good choices.

6. Start turning to non-meat sources for some of your protein needs, too: beans come in all kinds of interesting varieties, as do tofu and soy-based meat substitutes.

7. Try whole grains in place of refined ones more often. You just may find that you prefer the taste of whole wheat bread, brown rice, bulgur, barley and quinoa instead of white bread and white rice.

Changing our eating habits takes some effort, but it is definitely possible to make great strides in weight management by simply making some changes in our eating habits and substituting  some ingredients in your recipes like the ones mentioned above~!

Apple Broccoli Salad:Easy to make and yummy to eat!

Makes  2 servings:

• 2 Cups chopped broccoli

• 1 large organic  apple chopped

• ½ cup plain low fat or vanilla yogurt

• ¼ cup raisins or dry cranberries

• ¼  cup chopped walnuts (optional)

• 1 tbsp chopped red onion

Directions:

In a medium bowl combine all ingredients and refrigerate until  ready to serve.

Honey Mustard Chicken

This is another easy, healthy and tasty recipe that I enjoyed as a kid.  I think your kids will enjoy it too!

INGREDIENTS:

• 6 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
• salt and pepper to taste

• 1/2 C honey

• 1/2 C prepared yellow mustard

• 1 tsp basil

• 1 tsp paprika

• 1/2 tsp parsley

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350.  Sprinkle salt and pepper to taste over chicken breasts.  Lightly spray a glass baking dish 9×13 with cooking spray. Place chicken breasts in pan.

In a small bowl combine the honey, mustard, basil, paprika and parsley.  Mix well. Pour half of the glaze over the chicken and brush to cover.  Bake for 30 minutes uncovered.

Remove from oven, turn the chicken and coat the chicken with the remaining honey/ mustard mixture and let cook another 10-15 minutes, or until it is no longer pink in the middle.

Crunchy Orange-Almond Salad

Okay…….so this one isn’t totally low cal, but it is healthy and delicious !

Its easy to make and the kids can do this with a little help from mom or dad for sure!

Remember: You can add diced cooked chicken breast if you desire to make this salad into a great meal!

Makes 8 servings:

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1/2 cup sliced almonds
• 4 cups torn iceberg lettuce
• 4 cups torn romaine
• 1 (11 ounce) can mandarin oranges, drained
• 1/2 cup diced celery
• 2 green onions, sliced
• 1 3oz bag of ramen noodles crushed or 1/2  cup of chow mein noodles for garnish
• Optional (2 Cups of diced cooked chicken breast )

DRESSING:

• 1/4 cup canola oil
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 2 tablespoons cider vinegar
• 2 teaspoons minced fresh parsley
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper

DIRECTIONS

1. In a small skillet over medium-low heat, cook sugar, without stirring for 12 minutes or until melted. Add almonds; stir quickly to coat. Remove from the heat; pour onto waxed paper to cool.
2. In a large serving bowl, combine the two lettuces, oranges, celery, onions and almonds. In a jar with a tight-fitting lid, combine the dressing ingredients; shake well. Drizzle a small amount over salad; toss gently to coat. Top with cooked diced chicken if you desire  and if you aren’t watching your calories, go ahead and sprinkle some chow mein noodles over the top and serve.

Greetings all my friends!

Another year gone by and again its time to celebrate the Season of Giving.  How thankful I am that I have been blessed with so many wonderful opportunities to share with others. Just as we finish up our Thanksgiving turkey and all the left overs…….its time for another celebration feast to begin! If only I could just eat my way through the Holidays without feeling so guilty for all the pumpkin spice cake, and toasted apricot and almond baked brie that I plan to consume !

So this week I decided it would be a great time to put up a couple of my favorite Holiday recipes.  There are so many fun holiday recipes we could go for days and days cooking fantastic stuff.  I am eating up recipe blogs and magazines right now looking for new spins on old recipes. There ares so many wonderful cookies and cakes to bake, yum!  Incredible side dishes and appetizers, and of course delicious holiday Cheer!   , but seeing as I don’t have that much time and energy I will just put up  some of the best for you to check out at your leisure.

Being from Jewish heritage I do have a few traditional Holiday recipes up my sleeve.  I must admit my mother is actually a very good cook.  Although she isn’t as quick as she used to be, she still does a great job during the holidays.  Mom does a mean potato latke and delicious meat blintzes from scratch.  Heres one of our family recipes.

TRADITIONAL (LATKES)  POTATO PANCAKES

Serves 4 to 6

• 4 large russet potatoes, peeled
• 1 small white onion, finely grated
• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 3-4 tablespoons matzo meal
• 1 tablespoon coarse salt
• Freshly ground pepper
• Vegetable oil, for frying
• Serve with applesauce and/ or sour-cream or creme fraiche

Traditionally matzo meal is what makes a potato latke taste different from a regular potato pancake.  You can usually find it in the specialty area of your grocery store, otherwise you can substitute flour.   We always used a hand grater as kids to grate the potatoes, but many folks prefer to use a food processor with the shredder attachement which works fine and is quick and simple.

DIRECTIONS :  

1. Have the kids carefully peel and grate the potatoes on a hand grater into a large bowl of cold water.  Watching fingers so that they don’t get to close .
2. Allow the potatoes sit in the water for about 10 minutes to allow the starch to separate to the bottom.  
3. Meanwhile finely grate onion and set aside.
4. Drain the potatoes in a cloth lined collander  and reserve the liquid. Drain off the water and leave the starch in the bowl.  (This is the thick, milky white substance that settles to the bottom of the dish that  is a natural glue.) 
5. Put potatoes back into the starch bowl and mix.
6. In a seperate bowl, mix onions, salt, and pepper. Add eggs and whisk . Add matzo meal and stir.
7. Pour wet mixture over the potatoes and combine until potatoes are evenly coated.
8. Parents:  Heat oil in a frying pan about 1/2 inch deep on medium heat,  (carefully test pan by dropping a small bit of batter into the pan, it should sizzle upon contact. )
9. Carefully drop about a 1/3 cup  of batter  into the hot pan.  I use a  measuring cup with a handle to scoop out the mixture . Make sure that you have room between the pancakes in the pan so they can cook evenly.
10. Lightly pat  the pancake in the pan and let them fry about 6 minutes per side.  Flip  with a slotted spatula , and cook until both sides brown and crispy.
11. Line a tray with paper towels to allow pancakes to drain and cover with foil and keep warm in oven at 200f.
12.  Serve immediately……with organic applesauce and sourcream.  

This is a very easy recipe that looks beautiful on the table and tastes great !  

  Baked Brie with apricot jam and toasted almonds

Ingredients: Serves 10-12 people 

1 sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed

1 (8 ounce) round Brie cheese

1/3 cup apricot or raspberry preserves

1/4 cup sliced almonds toasted

1 egg  and 1 tsp water (for egg wash)

DIRECTIONS:

 Freeze the brie for an hour prior to starting the process.  Preheat oven to 400 degrees

1. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and lightly spray with cooking spray.
2. Carefully roll out a piece of thawed pastry dough and set on the prepared baking sheet.
3. Remove the brie from the freezer and cut in half vertically so you have two  disc shapes.
4. Set one half onto the pastry dough skin side down and spread the apricot preserves on top the brie.
5. Top the preserves with the toasted almonds . ( If you have raw almonds toast them in a pan on the stove top for a few minutes on low heat, and turn continually with a spatula until crisp.)
6. Carefully set the other disc on top of the open brie so the skin side faces up.
7. Wrap the  dough around the brie tucking the loose ends around the cheese and closing it up on top.
8. Carefully turn the brie over so the smooth side is facing up
9. To decorate cut out leaf shapes with extra dough and lay on top of the puffed pastry.
10. Beat egg  and water in a small bowl and carefully brush on to the top of the puffed pastry.
11. Bake in the oven 20-25 minutes until brown and puffy.

Remove from oven and serve on a decorated platter with an assortment of crackers or thin cut baguettes.