Apple Crisp

An easy and delicious dessert perfect any time of year!


Apple Crisp - Hot and delicious from the oven!

Cook time: 1 hour Prep time: 30 min.

Ingredients:

5 large Granny Smith or Fuji apples (NOTE: Any firm, tart baking apple will work just fine!)
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1 stick unsalted butter, softened
1 cup flour
1 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed
1/2 cup old fashioned oats

Peel, core, and slice the apples into bite-sized pieces, roughly 1/2" thick. Place apple slices in an even layer in an oven-safe baking dish approximately 8" X 12" X 2" in size. Sprinkle apples evenly with the granulated sugar and the cinnamon.

In a medium bowl, combine the butter, flour, light brown sugar, and oats and, using a pastry blender or two forks, cut together these ingredients until they resemble a coarse meal (about the size of small peas) to prepare the crisp topping.

Evenly distribute the crisp topping over the apples, sugar, and cinnamon.

Place the crisp in a 350 degree preheated oven and bake for one hour until the topping is browned and the apples are tender and bubbly. Allow to cool at least 30 minutes prior to serving.

Serving suggestion: Serve in small bowls while still slightly warm along with a generous scoop of vanilla bean ice cream. The ice cream will melt slightly and make a yummy sauce for the dessert!

I hope you all enjoy this simple dessert at your next fall gathering. Be sure to share your feedback as a comment to this post! And stay tuned for some unique Halloween treat ideas coming soon along with a recipe for Slow Cooker Beef Stew! YUM!

Slow Cooker Creamed Chicken and Biscuits

A comfort food favorite as we head into fall!

Cook time: 8 hours Prep time: 15 min.

Ingredients:

2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breasts

2 tbsp. vegetable oil

1 10 3/4 oz. can cream of chicken soup

1 1/4 cups chicken broth

3/4 tsp. poultry seasoning

2/3 cup finely diced onions

2 cups frozen mixed vegetables

2 tbsp. milk

2 tsp. cornstarch

Salt and pepper to taste

Season chicken breasts on both sides with salt and pepper. In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat and brown seasoned chicken breasts (usually takes 3-5 minutes per side).

Turn slow cooker on low and allow to heat while chicken is browning.

In a medium bowl, mix soup, chicken broth, and poultry seasoning. Using a small wire whisk will help to mix together well.

Place two chicken breasts on the bottom of the preheated slow cooker, followed by half the onion and half the mixed vegetables. Repeat this process with the remaining chicken, onion, and mixed vegetables. Pour the soup mixture over the chicken and vegetables. Cover slow cooker and allow to cook on low for 8 hours.

Approximately 30 minutes prior to serving, using two forks, shred chicken in slow cooker. In a small bowl, mix the milk and cornstarch well and stir into chicken and vegetables and allow to cook for final 30 minutes.

To serve, simply prepare your favorite refrigerated biscuits according to instructions. Split a biscuit in half and spoon chicken and vegetables over biscuit. Add salt and pepper to taste, if needed.

Serves 5-6

Enjoy this comforting dish with a fresh green salad on the side! We love this dish because it is simple and requires little to no cooking at all.

I hope you all enjoy this dish as the weather starts to chill a little. Be sure to share your feedback as a comment to this post! Who's ready for Halloween?

Fiesta a la Mexicana!

Here's a fun party idea for the upcoming weekend! Better yet, it's easy and you can even enjoy the fiesta yourself!

No, This isn't my photo. But I had to include something to inspire!

Tip #1 - Be sure to plan a versatile menu. For example, grilled steak and chicken for tacos or fajitas, all the fixins (grilled peppers and onions, shredded cheese, chopped tomatoes, sour cream, salsa, soft flour tortillas and hard corn taco shells), Easy Fiesta Rice (recipe below), and Fiesta Black Beans (recipe below).

Tip #2 - Decide whether the fiesta will be kid-friendly or adult-only so you can plan beverage selections accordingly. Popular kid's beverage selections are limonada (lemonade) or Mexican soda (Jarritos is a popular Mexican soda available in many fruit flavors and found in the international foods section of your local grocery retailer). Popular adult beverage selections are traditional or strawberry margaritas or sangria.

Tip #3 - Spring a little on some decorations to create the perfect ambience! Your local party store is sure to have some Fiesta-themed items that are fairly inexpensive, such as piñatas, paper lanterns, and chile pepper lights. You can also include some floral elements that you can keep around even after the party is over. My favorite is a big vase full of sunflowers! They are relatively inexpensive and usually last up to seven (7) days after the party ends. Another great table decoration is a Mexican serape blanket. These come in many bright, inviting colors and really add to the party theme! You can find them relatively inexpensively at local home décor stores like Pier 1 or Home Goods or, if your in Texas or Southern California, pick one up! We got one on our last trip to San Diego for only $15 - $20...best part, it's reusable as a blanket!

Tip #4 - It's your fiesta - make sure you get to enjoy it! Be sure to plan your snacks, meal, and drinks accordingly so that you are not stuck in the kitchen or at the grill the entire time while your guests live it up. Some helpful suggestions--prepare all your fixins in advance (day before, if possible), have your serving table decorated ahead of time, have drinks in a tub full of ice where everyone can help themselves and enlist a friend to be the designated "bartender" for drinks like margaritas or sangria, and even grill your meats ahead of time and keep covered and warm in a low (250 degrees) oven. You'll be doing the Mexican Hat Dance before you know it!

Now for the promised side dish recipes!

Easy Fiesta Rice

Cook time: 10 min. Prep time: 15 min.

Ingredients:

1 tbsp. vegetable oil
1 medium green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1/2 of an Anaheim chile pepper, seeded and chopped
2 cups reduced sodium chicken broth
1 cup water
1 cup prepared thick and chunky salsa
3 cups instant long grain rice (MINUTE brand works best)
1 - 10 oz. package frozen corn, thawed

Directions:

In a large 3-quart saucepan, heat oil on medium-high heat. Add bell pepper and Anaheim chile pepper and sauté for 3-4 minutes until peppers are soft.

Add chicken broth, water, and salsa to the saucepan with the pepper and stir well to blend all ingredients. Bring to a boil.

Stir in instant rice and corn. Reduce heat to low, cover, and continue cooking 5-7 minutes until rice is tender and corn is heated through.

Serving suggestion--cheese never made anything bad! Transfer fiesta rice to a serving dish and sprinkle the top with 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese before serving!

Fiesta Black Beans

Cook time: 45 min. Prep time: 15 min.

Ingredients:

1 tbsp. vegetable oil
1/2 of a small white onion, finely diced
1/2 of an Anaheim chile pepper, seeded and chopped
3/4 tsp. Goya (R) Adobo seasoning (without black pepper)
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1/4 tsp. ground ancho chile powder
1/8 tsp. ground black pepper
2 - 30 oz. cans frijoles negros (black beans), drained and rinsed
2 cups water

Directions:

In a large 3-quart saucepan, heat oil on medium-high heat. Add onion and Anaheim chile pepper and sauté for 3-4 minutes until soft. Stir in all spices and cook for 1-2 minutes.

Add black beans and water and stir well to blend all ingredients. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer approx. 40 minutes.

As they would say in Spanish, "Tener una gran fiesta!" Be sure to share your feedback (as a comment to this post) and also share any other fiesta ideas you may have tried in the past!

Labor Day Weekend Rush!

Hello, Recipe Revolutionaries!

Sorry...I did not forget about our 08/31/2013 recipe! The Labor Day Weekend came on so quickly and we had so much going on that I simply did not have the time to put together a recipe last week. However, I'm working on a special mid-week party idea that I think many of you will find inspiring as we look for more easy entertaining ideas.

I've got a quick and easy Mexican Fiesta party idea that I'll be sharing later today, including two quick recipes for Easy Fiesta Rice and Fiesta Black Beans as well as a couple of table decoration ideas!

Stay tuned...more coming soon!

Italian Meatballs and Marinara Sauce

A versatile, great make-ahead recipe that can be used for meatball hoagies, spaghetti and meatballs, or even as a side dish to another Italian favorite! The recipe suggestion for meatball hoagies is included with this recipe!

Italian Meatballs and Marinara Sauce

Cook time: 30 min. Prep time: 30 min.

Ingredients:

Meatballs:

1 lb. ground beef (73/27 ground beef or 80/20 ground chuck is best)
1 lb. ground pork sausage
1/2 cup plain dry bread crumbs
1/2 tsp. onion powder
1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
1/2 tsp. salt
3/4 tsp. Italian seasoning blend
1 egg
1/2 of a small white onion, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1 tbsp. olive oil

Marinara Sauce:

1 15-oz. can tomato sauce
1 14.5 oz. can diced tomatoes
1/2 of a small white onion, diced
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1 tbsp. olive oil
1 tsp. Italian seasoning blend
Salt and ground black pepper to taste

To prepare the marinara sauce, heat the olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat approx. 1-2 minutes. Add diced onion and chopped garlic and sauté for 1-2 minutes, stirring constantly, until onions are translucent and soft. Add tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, Italian seasoning, and salt and pepper, stirring until mixture begins to bubble all over. Reduce heat to low and simmer 20-30 minutes.

To prepare meatballs, heat the olive oil in a small sauté pan over medium-high heat approx. 1-2 minutes. Add finely chopped onion and garlic and sauté for 1-2 minutes, stirring constantly, until onions are translucent and soft. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly.

In a large bowl, measure bread crumbs, onion powder, cayenne pepper, black pepper, salt, and Italian seasoning and stir together these dry ingredients. Add ground beef and ground sausage, cooled onion and garlic mixture, and egg. Using hands, mix together all ingredients until combined well—be as gentle as possible as over-mixing or over-working the meat mixture will result in tough meatballs.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large, oven-proof baking dish, spoon approx. ¼ of the marinara sauce on the bottom of the dish. Using a large (#20) ice cream scoop, form meat mixture into 18 meatballs; after taking a scoop of meat mixture, gently form into neatly rounded meatballs. Place the meatballs in the baking dish and then spoon another ¼ of the marinara sauce over the meatballs. Cover the baking dish tightly with aluminum foil. Bake the meatballs for 30-35 minutes.

Cooked meatballs can then be served with spaghetti or sliced in half to make delicious Italian meatball subs. To make meatball subs, place an Italian hoagie roll, split in half, on an oven-safe tray, place 4 sliced meatball halves on one side of the roll, spoon a small amount of remaining marinara over the meatballs, and then place two slices of mozzarella cheese on top. Broil the sandwich for 3-5 minutes, just until the cheese is warm and bubbly and the bread is slightly toasted. This meatball and sauce recipe will make 9 hearty Italian meatball subs.

 

ENJOY! I hope you try some different variations with this recipe. Be sure to share your feedback (as a comment to this post) and also share if you try a different variation from meatball hoagies, spaghetti and meatballs, or as a side dish to an Italian favorite!

Back-to-School Time-Saving Tip!

Happy Wednesday, Recipe Revolutionaries!

Since today happens to be the first day of school for many here in Ohio, I thought this would be an appropriate mid-week tip for all of you looking to save a little time now that the kids are back in school! So, here are just a few ways to make your kids happy when you pack their lunch or when they get home looking for a snack...

Tip #1 - Do you ever wonder how you can send your kids to school with their favorite deli-meat sandwich, but you don't have one of those handy-dandy freezer pack thingys that keeps it cold (or, as in my case, you don't want to pay the money to buy one) until lunchtime?

Problem solved! Simply make their favorite sandwich, including cheese and condiments if they like it that way the night before. Put the sandwich into a sandwich bag and then wrap tightly in aluminum foil. Write your child's name on the outside with a marker and pop it into the freezer overnight. Then, simply pull it out when you pack their lunch in the morning and it will be defrosted and delicious by lunchtime! NOTE: If they want veggies like lettuce or tomatoes on their sandwich, don't put those on before freezing as they will wilt and be less than delicious when they unfreeze...simply put those in a separate bag and pack with the sandwich so they can put those healthy elements on before eating.

Tip #2 - Do your kids love apple slices for lunch but hate eating them when they have turned brown?

Helpful and fun hint! When slicing the apple up for your child while packing their lunch, simply dip the sliced apple pieces into their favorite lemon-lime soda (like Slice, Sprite, or 7-Up). Doing so will help prevent browning of the fruit longer and your kids will thank you for crisp, tasty apples slices!

Tip #3 - Do you want your kids to eat more vegetables, but they refuse to do so because they just taste "too healthy"?

Along with carrot sticks, celery sticks, broccoli, or whatever ever vegetables you are sending, pack a small container of their favorite, low-fat salad dressing for dipping! Those veggies will be sure to disappear now.

Tip #4 - Would you like to have an easy, no-fuss treat ready when your kids come home from school?

Well here are two simple ideas! One, take your child's favorite pudding cups, insert popsicle sticks (DO NOT remove foil seal), place them on a flat, freezer-safe tray, and freeze until solid (usually at least overnight)! When they get home from school, they can simply pull off the foil seal, loosen the plastic cup, and ENJOY!

Two--you'll need small Dixie cups and popsicle sticks for this one! Prepare your child's favorite flavor of Kool-Aid. Then, on a flat, freezer-safe tray, arrange 12 Dixie cups. Fill each cup approx. 3/4 full of the prepared Kool-Aid. Place in the freezer for approx. 1-2 hours, until the mixture is slushy (until popsicle sticks inserted will stand on their own), and insert a popsicle stick into each cup. Return to the freezer until frozen solid. When ready to eat, your child can pull one out of the freezer and just tear away the Dixie cup to enjoy!

Tip #5 - How about a quick and easy snack mix they can enjoy, either packed in their lunch or when they get home from school?

Ingredients:

3 cups of rice squares cereal
3 cups of mini pretzels (sticks or braids)
3 cups of cheese cracker bites

6 tablespoons unsalted butter or margarine
2 tablespoons Worchestershire sauce
1 teaspoon seasoning salt (may need to adjust to your child's taste)
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 cup of honey roasted peanuts
1 cup of sesame stick snacks

In a large mixing bowl, combine the rice squares cereal, pretzels, and cheese cracker bites.

In a small saucepan, melt the butter or margarine over low heat. Remove from the heat and stir in the Worchestershire sauce, seasoning salt, and pepper. Pour this mixture over cereal/pretzel/cheese cracker combination and, using a large flexible scraper, toss to coat the cereal mixture with the butter mixture.

Preheat oven to 250 degrees. Spread the coated cereal mixture onto two large baking sheets and place into the preheated oven. Bake for approximately one (1) hour, stirring/tossing the mixture every 15 minutes--cereal mixture should be nicely baked and no longer moist from the butter mixture. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely.

Before storing in an airtight container, toss cereal mixture with the honey roasted peanuts and sesame stick snacks. Your kids will love this yummy snack mix!

I hope you each find this mid-week edition helpful in getting your kids back to school and keeping them satisfied with healthy lunches and snacks! Be sure to share with me (as a comment to this post, please) how these tips and ideas work for you!

Stay tuned for this week's recipe, Italian Meatballs and Marinara, coming Saturday!

Party Pasta Salad

An easy, family-friendly (and kid-friendly) side dish that pairs well with almost any lunch or dinner! Great as a summer picnic or potluck side!



PARTY PASTA SALAD


Cook time (pasta only): 8 min. Prep time: 30 min.

Ingredients:

1 - 16 oz. box of rotini pasta, uncooked
1 - 3.5 oz. package of sliced pepperoni
1 - 8 oz. block of marbled cheddar cheese

1 medium orange bell pepper

1 bunch green onions

2/3 cup prepared Italian salad dressing

 

Directions:

 

Cook pasta according to package instructions. Drain and rinse.

 

Reserve 12 whole pepperoni slices for garnish later. Cut remaining pepperoni slices into quarters and place into a large serving bowl.

 

Cut block of cheese into 1/2 inch slices and then cut cheese slices into 1/2 inch (bite-sized) cubes. Add diced cheese to bowl with pepperoni.

 

Wash bell pepper and remove stem, core, and seeds. Cut pepper into 1/2 inch strips and then dice pepper strips into 1/2 inch (bite-sized) pieces. Add diced bell pepper to bowl with pepperoni and cheese.

 

Reserve 2-3 green onions to be used for garnish later. After removing ends and approx. 2-3 inches of green onion tops, slice green onions thinly and add sliced green onions to bowl with pepperoni, cheese, and bell pepper.

 

Add well-drained pasta to the bowl with pepperoni, cheese, bell pepper, and green onions. Using a scraper, toss ingredients to combine. Drizzle with approximately 1/2 cup of the Italian dressing and toss well to combine.

 

To garnish, slice the remaining green onions (after removing ends and approx. 2-3 inches of green onion tops) and sprinkle evenly over top of pasta salad. Drizzle remaining Italian dressing over salad; DO NOT MIX. Arrange reserved pepperoni slices around edge of bowl. Cover tightly and refrigerate a minimum of 2-3 hours (salad is even better when prepared a day in advance).

 

Lightly toss salad before serving and enjoy! (NOTE: Salad will have absorbed most of the dressing while resting in the refrigerator. If you like a moister pasta salad, simply drizzle 1-2 additional tablespoons of Italian dressing over the salad before tossing and serving.)