Tuna salad is a summer staple in our house. Lunch, Dinner, Snack you name the time Tuna salad works! This can be made with relatively few ingredients on hand too! I usually make quite a large portion of it and we eat it for a couple days so keep that in mind when following this recipe, you may want to fraction depending on the size of group you are feeding and how much left over you like. We also prefer to eat this with chips, Ruffles or Sun chips are our favorites. I also like eating it with toast, but I am in the minority there in my house.
2 cans chunk light tuna in water
2 cups salad roni or macaroni
Sauce:
1 cup miracle whip
1 tblspoon lemon juice
3 tblspoons milk
1 tspn Nature's Season
1/2 tspn Onion salt
1 tspn Celery Flakes ( if you are not adding fresh celery)
3/4 tspn Garlic salt
1/2 tspn Curry powder
1/4 tspn Paprika
Extra optionals:
Celery
Green Bell Peppers
Sweet peppers red, yellow, orange
Green Onions
Tuesday, May 31, 2011
Friday, May 27, 2011
Teriyaki Chicken
I think it might be nice to include some meal combinations that are not necessarily involved recipes, just dinner ideas. In that vein I want to tell you about a pre-prepared food that I buy at Sam's Club that we just love and is sooo easy and quick for those nights I just don't get to cooking something from scratch.
The nutrition for this convenience food is still quite good, and they are calorie friendly if you are watching calories. Both my kids like these, so that is a huge plus! The price is very good for the convenience too!They are about $12.00 per bag before tax and we usually get 4-5 meals per bag, so around $3.50 per meal, and that is all 4 of us! In a pinch you can heat them in the microwave (they are fully cooked so you are just warming them through) and if you have time you can cook them in the oven in about 25 minutes. I think they are a bit better in the oven but yesterday at lunch I used the microwave! In the winter I will make pasta and/or warm veggies and apple slices with it and in the summer I often have a tossed salad and some cold fruit.
Monday, May 23, 2011
Taco Salad
Time for a nice cool summer meal! We love this recipe it requires no cooking at all and is quite filling!
I got this recipe from a Kraftfoods Magazine, it was called Southwest Layered Salad, but we just call it Taco Salad.
6 cups torn romaine lettuce ( we actually prefer baby spinach leaves for this salad )
1 can (15 oz) black beans, rinsed/drained
1 can mexicorn, drained
3/4 cup salsa
1/2 - 1 cup shredded cheese ( we like the Kroger Mexican blend )
1/4 cup ranch dressing ( we actually don't put this in the bowl but let everyone add it at will )
Tortilla chips
Place leaves in the bottom of the bowl add layers of beans, corn, salsa, and cheese. Repeat until bowl is full. We like to put the corn chips on our plate and cover them with the salad and then add the ranch dressing. Enjoy!
I got this recipe from a Kraftfoods Magazine, it was called Southwest Layered Salad, but we just call it Taco Salad.
6 cups torn romaine lettuce ( we actually prefer baby spinach leaves for this salad )
1 can (15 oz) black beans, rinsed/drained
1 can mexicorn, drained
3/4 cup salsa
1/2 - 1 cup shredded cheese ( we like the Kroger Mexican blend )
1/4 cup ranch dressing ( we actually don't put this in the bowl but let everyone add it at will )
Tortilla chips
Place leaves in the bottom of the bowl add layers of beans, corn, salsa, and cheese. Repeat until bowl is full. We like to put the corn chips on our plate and cover them with the salad and then add the ranch dressing. Enjoy!
Sunday, May 22, 2011
Making Buttermilk- minus the cow
A lot of recipes call for buttermilk, now in many recipes you can substitute regular milk, but really if a recipe is calling for it, it will really taste the best with buttermilk. So what do you do if you don't keep buttermilk on hand, and you don't have a cow? You can create it, or more accurately soured milk. Many of you may know this trick, but it was one my mom told me that I have found useful on many occasions, so I thought I would share here. By adding lemon juice to regular milk (2%, whole doesn't matter I don't think the fat free would work.....) Anyway. It creates a equivalent for butter milk. The ratio is 1 cup milk to 1 tablespoon of lemon juice.
Texas Sheet Cake
It is time for a dessert. And as I have had a special request for this dish for the upcoming Memorial Day Holiday I am going to post it now. Not diet friendly, but for those days declared calorie free!
Sift together: 2 cups sugar
2 cups flour
Bring to Boil: 2 cubes butter
1 cup water
4-6 tblspns baking cocoa ( I use 6 the recipe says 4, we like our a little on the dark side )
Add to flour/sugar mixture and stir gently.
Add: 1/2 cup buttermilk
2 eggs beaten
2 tspn vanilla
1 tspn baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
Mix Well
Poor into greased and floured baking sheet. Cook at 400' for approximately 20 min. (until a knife comes out clean.)
The frosting should be poured on while the cake is still quite warm. Begin preparing with about 10 minutes of baking left.
Frosting:
Melt all ingredients together in sauce pan until just boiling stirring consistently to prevent lumps or scorching. When boiling occurs pour over warm cake.
1 cube butter
6 tblspns buttermilk
2 tspn vanilla
4-6 tblspns cocoa (again the recipe calls for 4, we preferre 6)
2 cups powdered sugar
This cake is best if you let it cool completely before trying to cut it. The frosting will get a crusty sugary texture that is oooh soooo good! I often make it the day before we plan to eat it. Enjoy!
Sift together: 2 cups sugar
2 cups flour
Bring to Boil: 2 cubes butter
1 cup water
4-6 tblspns baking cocoa ( I use 6 the recipe says 4, we like our a little on the dark side )
Add to flour/sugar mixture and stir gently.
Add: 1/2 cup buttermilk
2 eggs beaten
2 tspn vanilla
1 tspn baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
Mix Well
Poor into greased and floured baking sheet. Cook at 400' for approximately 20 min. (until a knife comes out clean.)
The frosting should be poured on while the cake is still quite warm. Begin preparing with about 10 minutes of baking left.
Frosting:
Melt all ingredients together in sauce pan until just boiling stirring consistently to prevent lumps or scorching. When boiling occurs pour over warm cake.
1 cube butter
6 tblspns buttermilk
2 tspn vanilla
4-6 tblspns cocoa (again the recipe calls for 4, we preferre 6)
2 cups powdered sugar
This cake is best if you let it cool completely before trying to cut it. The frosting will get a crusty sugary texture that is oooh soooo good! I often make it the day before we plan to eat it. Enjoy!
Thursday, May 19, 2011
HomeMade Pizza
This is pretty self explanatory i suppose but I am putting it up anyway because we really like to make it and if you have the ingredients on hand it is a quick one for those nights you are running and forget to plan. All the ingredients can be stored dry or frozen.
Flat bread (homemade or we found good bread at Walmart Bakery for just a couple bucks and they freeze well.)
Pizza Sauce (I just buy Ragu premade, then it is in the cupboard when I want it.)
Pepperoni (stay good a really long time in the fridge and freeze well)
Mozzarella Cheese finely grated (we did not like the Pizza blend. and this also freezes well.)
Pineapple (we do fresh when it is on sale but canned works great too, we just cut up the rings.)
Preheat oven to 350'
Place bread on cookie sheet add sauce then cheese then other toppings then a little more cheese. Place in oven until the pineapple looks a little translucent or is soft. (about 15 minutes) Remove from oven and cut and serve.
Flat bread (homemade or we found good bread at Walmart Bakery for just a couple bucks and they freeze well.)
Pizza Sauce (I just buy Ragu premade, then it is in the cupboard when I want it.)
Pepperoni (stay good a really long time in the fridge and freeze well)
Mozzarella Cheese finely grated (we did not like the Pizza blend. and this also freezes well.)
Pineapple (we do fresh when it is on sale but canned works great too, we just cut up the rings.)
Preheat oven to 350'
Place bread on cookie sheet add sauce then cheese then other toppings then a little more cheese. Place in oven until the pineapple looks a little translucent or is soft. (about 15 minutes) Remove from oven and cut and serve.
Naan Flatbread-from allrecipes.com
We just love this bread! We eat it with salads and other items with sauce to dip in, but our favorite use is to make homemade pizza! ( I will put that in a separate post.)
Prep. Time 1.5 hrs
Cooking Time 4 minutes each side
1 1/2 tblspn yeast with 1 tblspn sugar with 1 cup water - let proof while preparing other ingredients
1 egg - beaten
3 tblspns almond milk (rice or dairy if preferred)
1/4 cup sugar
4 cups flour
1 tspn salt
Mix: egg, milk, sugar
Add: Yeast, blend well
Add: 1/2 flour and mix well, add salt and remaining flour. Dough should be slightly sticky. Place dough ball in a well greased bowl and rub dough with margarine. Cover with damp cloth place in warm location to rise, about 1 hour.
Knock down and divide into balls ( I get about two medium pizza crust size out of this recipe or two small ones to munch and one larger pizza.) Let rise again for about 30 minutes. Heat grill to just above medium while dough rises second time. Roll dough out with rolling pin to very thin circles or rectangles. Sprinkle flour on rolling pin and counter top. Place dough on grill and cook til it takes on a breadish look, then flip and brown other side. Remove from grill and place on cooling rack.
Prep. Time 1.5 hrs
Cooking Time 4 minutes each side
1 1/2 tblspn yeast with 1 tblspn sugar with 1 cup water - let proof while preparing other ingredients
1 egg - beaten
3 tblspns almond milk (rice or dairy if preferred)
1/4 cup sugar
4 cups flour
1 tspn salt
Mix: egg, milk, sugar
Add: Yeast, blend well
Add: 1/2 flour and mix well, add salt and remaining flour. Dough should be slightly sticky. Place dough ball in a well greased bowl and rub dough with margarine. Cover with damp cloth place in warm location to rise, about 1 hour.
Knock down and divide into balls ( I get about two medium pizza crust size out of this recipe or two small ones to munch and one larger pizza.) Let rise again for about 30 minutes. Heat grill to just above medium while dough rises second time. Roll dough out with rolling pin to very thin circles or rectangles. Sprinkle flour on rolling pin and counter top. Place dough on grill and cook til it takes on a breadish look, then flip and brown other side. Remove from grill and place on cooling rack.
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
The Yeast of the Problem
Yeast can make you or break you! It is the difference between bread like a rock and bread like a feather! The most critical thing I learned is that Salt controls the yeast!! That's right if you put in too much salt it will kill it! and if you put in the right amount of yeast but you put it directly on the yeast it will also kill it. But on the upside, if you forget to put the salt in all together your bread will rise quite fast! =) So, when making bread add the salt after you have added some of the flour to protect your yeast. It also bears saying that water temp is a huge factor. Too warm or too cold either one will kill the yeast. I try to get mine just warmer than room temp. and I also warm my ingredients slightly so that the yeast doesn't get shocked when added. One more important note. It needs to be room temp before you add the water, this is assuming you are keeping your yeast in the fridge, and you should as it will last longer and stay fresher. Okay, I think that completes my dissertation on yeast. I hope it makes sense. Please add if you have more info!
Honey Wheat Bread
I think the preliminaries are pretty well covered! So on to the recipes!
This is without a doubt the most used recipe in my house. I do not buy store bought bread but once in a great while anymore thanks to this bread recipe. I found it in my Fiddler's Canyon Ward Cookbook. What you see posted here is significantly adapted from the recipe found above so I feel fairly comfortable calling it my own.
I make it pretty sweet, but the honey can be adjusted down for a less sweet flavor with out really affecting the out come of the bread (though you may need less yeast with less honey). It will also be important to note that I use quite a lot of yeast. I am at a very low altitude and moist climate so extra yeast is necessary. Those of you in drier and high altitudes will probably need less yeast. (I think I will create a post dedicated to yeast and what I have learned about this tricky little substance, if you have some experience please add!)
Honey Wheat Bread
-makes two good sized loaves
2 tblspns yeast with 1/2 cup warm water and 1 tblspn sugar
1/4 cup oil (can use butter)
1 1/4 almond milk (rice and dairy milk also work great)
1/2 cup warm water
1 cup honey
1tspn salt
3 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
3 1/2 cups unbleached wheat flour
Preheat oven to 350' (I find this helps my yeast proof and bread rise)
Yeast: put in a bowl on stove top to allow to warm to room temp. once warmed add water and sugar, stir well to ensure dissolved completely. Let proof about 10-15 min.
Mix: Oil, Milk, Water, Honey in electric mixer. (warm slightly milk, water, and honey). When yeast is nice and tall add to bowl and mix well.
Add: 1/2 flour and mix well. Add salt and remaining flour gradually. (I alternate one cup of each type of flour to keep it balanced.) Knead until well mixed and smooth yet still a little sticky.
Place in well greased bowl, rub the dough ball with margarine to keep it moist while rising, cover with a damp cloth and let rise 30-60 minutes or until doubled. Knock down, divide into loaves, place in well greased loaf pans, again rub with margarine, let rise another 30-40 min.
Bake: 30 minutes middle rack or until the bread has a hollow sound when you thump it lightly on the top.
Remove from oven and let cook just a few minutes in the pans and then dump out and place on wire cooling racks.
Happy Baking! let me know if you have any problems or questions! And remember, bread is one of those things that takes practice, at least it is for me!
I will try to take pictures the next time I make it and then add them. :)
This is without a doubt the most used recipe in my house. I do not buy store bought bread but once in a great while anymore thanks to this bread recipe. I found it in my Fiddler's Canyon Ward Cookbook. What you see posted here is significantly adapted from the recipe found above so I feel fairly comfortable calling it my own.
I make it pretty sweet, but the honey can be adjusted down for a less sweet flavor with out really affecting the out come of the bread (though you may need less yeast with less honey). It will also be important to note that I use quite a lot of yeast. I am at a very low altitude and moist climate so extra yeast is necessary. Those of you in drier and high altitudes will probably need less yeast. (I think I will create a post dedicated to yeast and what I have learned about this tricky little substance, if you have some experience please add!)
Honey Wheat Bread
-makes two good sized loaves
2 tblspns yeast with 1/2 cup warm water and 1 tblspn sugar
1/4 cup oil (can use butter)
1 1/4 almond milk (rice and dairy milk also work great)
1/2 cup warm water
1 cup honey
1tspn salt
3 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
3 1/2 cups unbleached wheat flour
Preheat oven to 350' (I find this helps my yeast proof and bread rise)
Yeast: put in a bowl on stove top to allow to warm to room temp. once warmed add water and sugar, stir well to ensure dissolved completely. Let proof about 10-15 min.
Mix: Oil, Milk, Water, Honey in electric mixer. (warm slightly milk, water, and honey). When yeast is nice and tall add to bowl and mix well.
Add: 1/2 flour and mix well. Add salt and remaining flour gradually. (I alternate one cup of each type of flour to keep it balanced.) Knead until well mixed and smooth yet still a little sticky.
Place in well greased bowl, rub the dough ball with margarine to keep it moist while rising, cover with a damp cloth and let rise 30-60 minutes or until doubled. Knock down, divide into loaves, place in well greased loaf pans, again rub with margarine, let rise another 30-40 min.
Bake: 30 minutes middle rack or until the bread has a hollow sound when you thump it lightly on the top.
Remove from oven and let cook just a few minutes in the pans and then dump out and place on wire cooling racks.
Happy Baking! let me know if you have any problems or questions! And remember, bread is one of those things that takes practice, at least it is for me!
I will try to take pictures the next time I make it and then add them. :)
Labels
Okay, so I think it maybe helpful to set up in advance some categories for our recipes. Then each time we post a recipe we can add a corresponding label. Then if you come to the site looking for a new recipe you can just look under the labels on the side bar and find one that works for you. I am going to make a list here of come categories, please make suggestions in the comment bar. Once we have a final list I will post it with a label link on the side bar, so if you are wondering what to label a certain recipe you can look here to find where it fits. I am not sure if we want by type of food or by part of meal. Such as Chicken, or Main Dishes etc. I suppose we could do both, then one could find it either way.
Salads:
Pasta
Greens
Soups:
Stew
Chili
Soup
Bread:
Sandwich
Sweets
Meal Side
Main Dishes:
Vegetarian
Poultry
Beef
Pork
Fish
Breakfast
Desserts:
Cakes
Cookies
Brownies
Candy
Frozen (ice cream, sorbet)
Additional labels that we may want to add to any of the above for convienience for those with specific dietary needs:
Gluten free
Dairy free
Sugar free
Salads:
Pasta
Greens
Soups:
Stew
Chili
Soup
Bread:
Sandwich
Sweets
Meal Side
Main Dishes:
Vegetarian
Poultry
Beef
Pork
Fish
Breakfast
Desserts:
Cakes
Cookies
Brownies
Candy
Frozen (ice cream, sorbet)
Additional labels that we may want to add to any of the above for convienience for those with specific dietary needs:
Gluten free
Dairy free
Sugar free
Authors
It appears that in order to add authors I will need an email address. If you have one associated with Blogger I think that would be best. Once I have those then I can send you an author invite! If you would like to email me your email address that would be great or you can leave it in a comment here. My email is erinparker81@hotmail.com. I am also happy to create posts if you do not have time but would like to contribute just email me the info and I will put it up. Thanks Friends!
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
My Fitness Pal
Okay, so here is the first little thing I am going to share. It is not a recipe, but I think we may all find it useful. It is a website or application called My Fitness Pal. It keeps track of calories and nutrients taken in and burned. It has quite a few features I think, I mostly use it to log calories and exercise. It has a feature like Facebook were you can invite friends and then you can see each other's wall and activity. One of my favorite things about it is you can enter your own recipes in to it and it will give you nutritional information and caloroies per serving. Some people are looking for this blog to be a support tool for creating a healthier lifestyle, some are just going to stop in occasionally for new recipes. Both are great, and I will hopefully have good posts for all!
www.myfitnesspal.com Check it out and let me know what you think!
www.myfitnesspal.com Check it out and let me know what you think!
Monday, May 16, 2011
Welcome!!
Welcome to my newest Blog! Food, Friends, and Family! The three F's of Life! This little blog is hopefully going to be authored by more than just me, but I am going to get it rolling. This will be a forum for us to share recipes and all things healthy family and friends! To get started I think all those interested in contributing to this little blog should leave me a note, and if you are comfortable you can leave an email address, if not find me on FB and send it to me there via inbox (this is open to the public right now, but I am not opposed to making it invite only once we know who is in!). I cannot wait to get this going, we all need a little love right!
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