When things don't quite go right...

Here's a new way of making lemonade out of life's lemons. haha!

I recently volunteered to take dinner to a family who was moving, and I was also supposed to make two treats for a baby shower the next day. I thought No Bake Cookies would be great since I only stand over a hot stove for a few minutes and don't use the oven at all. Perfect!
...only. ...the cookies were still not set after about two hours. hmm....
I had made a nice, big double batch so that my family got some, along with all the sharing...and it was like picking up oatmeal.
what. was I supposed to do with a big old mixing bowl full of chocolatey oatmeal???

I called my husband {the foodie} to see if he had any ideas and he said "sure, throw in some eggs, flour and baking powder and bake them."
...Really? you can do that??

Yup. Guess ya can!
Behold! Baked No Bake Cookies!

They taste much more like oatmeal cookies than No Bake cookies, and they are quite flat. I added the following before baking:
2 eggs
1 tsp baking soda
3/4 cup flour
and baked them about 12 minutes each pan.

Also, I only put about a tbsp of batter on the pan and some spread to be as much as 3 inches across...!

Meatloaf from meat balls!

Remember my meatballs post? I really like those meatballs. My kids both like them now too. We have eaten them at least once a month since that first post, sometimes much more often. I've made them for my parents at least three times, and we actually don't have a nice dinner together all that often! lol!

Well. it is hot here, and I am very, very busy (as so many of us are) and I didn't want to take the time to shape out a bunch of meatballs. I just wanted to eat it. I asked my husband-the-cook if the mixture could be made into a meatloaf..? (my mom didn't make meatloaf one single time until after I was married so this is not a staple I grew up with. but since I do love those meatballs, I bet I'd like the meatloaf just as well...!) He thought it absolutely could, so that is what I did!

Since we used to watch Good Eats every night (until food network got so competition-heavy), I had vague memories of AB not liking square pans because casseroles get dry corners and uncooked centers...and something about dry meatloaf being bad...so I put the meat into a foil lined loaf pan for the first 45 minutes...

and then I turned it out into a rounded baking dish,smothered it in sauce and let it bake that way for the last 15 minutes. I added the extra five minutes to make extra sure the meat in the middle was totally cooked (I like my cows goooood and dead thanks).

As far as meatloaf goes, it was perfect! But it turns out I like the sauce in all three bites of meatloaf and unless you have the end slice, its hard to get the sauce in every bite. But that's okay, it was quicker, less messy and soo tasty!

While I'm on the subject, I should mention the alterations that my-husband-the-cook made to the meat mixture. He added minced garlic, Worcestershire sauce and a drop or two of liquid smoke. He might have changed up a couple other things, but at this moment I don't know what... if I think of them I will add them, so feel free to check back!

Barbacoa Pork

Sunday was one of those days we'd managed to run out of grocery staples. That meant it was time to get creative for dinner, and my husband did an awesome job!! Doesn't this look dreamy good??

He started with the meat that is wrapped inside that tortilla. Here's what he did....
Thaw 2 lbs of boneless, country-style pork ribs. Put about a quart of water in a large pot and add the following:
2 tbsp taco seasoning
1 8oz can tomato sauce
3 tbsp minced garlic
1 large bay leaf
1 tbsp lime juice
1 tbsp rice wine vinegar OR red wine vinegar OR apple cider vinegar
1 tsp hot sauce paste OR 1 tbsp liquid hot sauce

Boil/simmer until liquid is reduced to 1/4 volume, and has become a good thick sauce, and pork can be shredded and falls apart.
Remove the meat and shred, then return it to the sauce until meat is completely coated.
So that's the meat filling, which we put into a tortilla, topped it with cheese and rolled/folded it up burrito style.
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Then he made a side dish of honey lime rice:
Put a pat of butter into the pan and toast the dry rice. Then add the water, boil/cook til the rice is done. He drizzled on a little lime juice and a little honey, and a dash of the rice wine vinegar. Use way less than you think!
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And a side dish of refried beans.... which are simply a can of refried beans dumped into a pot, and add a tbsp or two of milk and a small handful of cheese, and heat through!
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The burrito was then smothered in enchilada sauce and some cheese, cheese on top of the beans, and it went under the broiler for about 3-4 minutes. And came out looking like this:

oh yes. it was THAT good!

Nacho Skillet Dinner

I'm sorry there's been a lack of posts...it was really cold all spring and it just turned really hot so I don't really want to stand at the stove or use the oven. Not to mention the summer festivities and everything going on! But tonight I made a real dinner (hee hee) and tried a new recipe that we think is a keeper!

here's what it looked like:

and the recipe can be found HERE.

of *course* there are edits! :) For one thing, I didn't like the idea of putting the chips in the pan while it simmered....that sounded like they'd get soggy and I really don't care for soggy chips. So we ate the dinner as a dip, which always makes my kids eat better. Also, I will use black beans next time, instead of kidney beans. And my husband added salsa and sour cream to his. All in all? its a keeper!

Edited 10/14/12:
We had some left overs of this mixture and we were out of chips. So I made a quesadilla out of it!

Just laid down a flour tortilla, spread the mix on it, sprinkled it with more cheese, topped it with another quesadilla and there was dinner!

Boiled-Raisin Oatmeal Cookies

This is one of my husband's favorite treats his mom would make when he was a kid. He made them once before and then again this weekend. So here's the recipe, photo and my notes/thoughts!
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2 cups Sugar
4 cups rolled oats
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp nutmeg
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp salt
4 eggs, beaten
1 1/2 cups shortening
1 1/2 cups raisins
2 3/4 cup flour

Preheat oven to 350*.
Boil raisins in 2 cups water with 1 tsp soda for five minutes. Drain raisin water into a 2 cup measuring cup (add, if necessary enough water to make 1 cup liquid). Pour raisin water into a small pan and add shortening to it so it becomes all liquid. Remove from heat and pour into mixing bowl. Allow it to cool to a warm state and add sugar, oats, flour, spices and salt. Beat eggs and add them, and raisins. Mix well.
Drop large teaspoonfull on greased cookie sheet.
Bake 15 mins or until browned.

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I have no idea why some ended up all flat and spread out and other stayed snug and in a ball...they were put on the pan exactly the same!
I must add that we ran out of raisins after about 1 cup worth so he topped it off with craisins. He also put in 1/2 a cup or so of chocolate chips this time, which were a really nice touch.
They are sooo good warm, straight out of the oven!! The ones we put in the cookie jar stayed super soft, moist and crumble very easily. I like them firmer so I'm leaving the rest on the counter.

Ants on a Log!

Here's a quick and healthy little snack, perfect for summer!

just cut some celery stalks, fill it with peanut butter and stick little raisins on for ants!
(one of my kids don't really like ants....)

Waffles!

This recipe comes straight out of the Betty Crocker cook book, except tonight I remembered a variation! The recipe I have is this:

2 eggs
2 cups buttermilk (or soured milk)
2 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup plus 2 tbsp shortening or vegetable oil

Heat waffle iron. Beat eggs, beat in remaining ingredients until smooth. Pour batter onto hot waffle iron, bake about 5 minutes, remove carefully.
Makes about eight 7-inch waffles

But! You can also toss in a soft banana! or tonight's version- 1/4 cup of apple sauce!
We have a small Belgian waffle maker (two squares - size) and it takes 4.5 minutes to look like this:

Italian Cheesy Crepe Pillows

Here's a fabulous dinner my husband created last night! Its a twist on one of our favorites actually- stuffed manicotti shells! We didn't have any shells but since we had the ricotta he thought up something new and scrumptious!

So first he made the cheese filling, which again is what we put in manicotti shells usually.
15 oz ricotta cheese
1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1 egg
1/2 tsp onion powder
1 clove pressed garlic
8oz frozen chopped spinach (squeeze it as dry as you can)
3/4 cup shredded parmesan cheese
2 tsp minced fresh parsley
1/2 tsp black pepper

Then he made the spaghetti sauce, minus the meat, which you can find HERE.
And then he made the crepes, which you can find HERE.
He put a little sauce on the bottom of an 8x11 baking dish. The cheese mixture went into a large ziploc bag and piped a few tablespoons into the middle of a crepe, wrapped it up burrito style and laid it in the sauce.

Ten fit into the pan, and then he put a little more sauce and topped it with cheddar cheese.

And here it is, yummy and fabulous!

lemon bars!

This is one of my favorite treats! My family doesn't really like it tho so I don't make them more than a couple times a year. Eating an entire 13x9 pan of lemon bars on your own is not so great for the tummy or the waist, no matter how great it is on the tongue! hahaha!

The recipe comes off the Imperial Margarine box! I'll save you a trip to the store* to look for it, here you go: (oh and pay attention to the measurements in the different steps...you can easily mess this up with tiny mistakes)

"Lemon Triangles"
2/3 cup margarine
2 1/2 cups granulated sugar - SEPARATED
2 1/3 all purpose flour - SEPARATED
4 eggs
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
2 tbps grated lemon peel
confectioners sugar

Preheat oven to 350*. Line 13x9 inch baking pan with foil (so that I can lift the whole treat out at once, and then cut it into squares...or triangles) and spray with cooking spray.

In large bowl, with electric mixer, beat margarine, 1/2 cup granulated sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in 2 cups flour until fine crumbs. Press into pan, bake uncovered for 20 minutes.

I use the same bowl, spatula and beaters for the next step. 

While it's baking, with electric mixer, beat eggs, remaining 2 cups of granulated sugar, remaining 1/3 cup flour, lemon juice and lemon peel for 4 minutes or until light and fluffy. Pour over the hot baked crust.
Bake an additional 25 minutes or until the lemon mixture is just set. Set pan on wire rack to cool completely. Spray knife with cooking spray to cut into bars or triangles. To serve, sprinkle generously with confectioners sugar.

My edits? I leave off the confectioners sugar, and leave out the lemon peel. Also, I use lemon juice from a bottle in the fridge!

*yes, I went to the store once just for that recipe- couldn't find it anywhere online and it wasn't the recipe on any of the boxes I had! hee hee!

ETA: I no longer use margarine, at all, and butter works great. 

Healthy Morning Muffins!

Okay so my favorite stranger-blog Meg (mentioned before) asked for ideas on feeding children during the summer. I know I've got one kid who is constantly claiming hunger (and her jeans are adjusted as tiny as they'll go!) so I was alllllll over these suggestions! One of her readers, Ariel, listed this recipe that was totally worth a try since I had everything in the house!
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Healthy Morning Muffins

1 1/4 cups All Purpose Flour (spooned and leveled)
1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg (I personally like a little bit more, and I add 2 tsp. cinnamon as well)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup old fashioned rolled oats
1/2 cup raisins
3 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil (or veg. oil)
1 large egg
1/3 cup skim milk
4 medium carrots, shredded
1 ripe banana mashed up
Preheat oven to 400
Coat a 12 cup muffin pan with cooking spray
In a large bowl, whisk together flour, brown sugar, b.s., b.p., nutmeg, (cinnamon) and salt until blended.
Stir in oats and raisins. Add oil, egg, milk, carrots and banana and stir till blended.
Fill each muffin cup with 1/4 cup batter...Bake for 20-23 minutes or till toothpick comes clean out of the center.
Serve warm or at room temp.

I add in about 2 tablespoons of wheat germ....just for kicks!
I want to try some variations of this recipe...like shredded pear, ginger and dried cranberries sounds good to me! Let me know if you try anything new!!
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*however, another reader responded that they use the same recipe BUT! she halves the brown sugar content, drop the raisins and throw in another banana. I had five bananas that needed used, and no raisins (tho I do have craisins) so I was totally good with the fruit change. Besides, I am truly trying to improve my eating so nixing sugar is a really good thing. Oh, and I used 1% milk because that's what we have.

Here's what they look like!

My thoughts?
They are drier than I expected but they are sweet and good.
This is a fabulous breakfast!
It totally smells like autumn in my kitchen (which is my favorite season).
I just wish it would come completely out of the muffin cup...next time I'll use foil cups. Will that make a difference??
Also, I think these would freeze well and can be taken out as needed, which is a great thing!

Burgers without a grill!

We do not own a grill. yet. but summer means burgers, so here's what we've got!

Pan-fried burgers with a slice of cheese melted on top, baked beans, chips, carrot sticks, and strawberries! mmmmmm!

Layered Bean Dip!

So this isn't typically DINNER, but on hot summer nights when no one is in the mood to cook, it works! It has protein, calcium, and a bit of produce if you make it right. Serve it with chips and some kind of fruit and you've got a meal!

This time my layers are as follows:
Refried beans (16 oz can)
home-mixed taco seasoning
little shredded cheese
3/4 cup-ish frozen corn, which I boiled in the microwave
homemade salsa
Black Beans, rinsed (16 oz can size)
sour cream
shredded cheese
(my actual recipe calls for other things like green onions, lettuce, chopped black olives, but I used what was in the house, and I think you could use any thing you like)

When I ate it, I added a dollop of some nuclear guacamole my husband had made, and just ate it all with tortilla chips! YUM!

To make the taco seasoning, I followed the link and used the same ingredients but I eye-balled it all. Also, I think the entire total seasoning wasn't a whole tablespoon. It was just fine like that.

Here's the finished product!

Another day, another layer: 

refried beans,
taco seasoning,
cheese,
black beans,
salsa,
avocado mash,
sour cream,
olives,
cheese,
tomato