A Cyber Thanksgiving Round-Up

 I cannot believe Thanksgiving is next week!  Honestly... where does the time go?  It is almost 2011.. which means I will be 20 a couple days later!  :) 

I am SO excited for Thanksgiving.  After Christmas, it is probably my favorite holiday.  (So, basically it's my second favorite)  This will be my first Thanksgiving where I am bringing a rather-serious boyfriend to the family get-together (not to mention I get to go to his as well!) which is making me even more anxious for next week to get here so I can fly home to see them all!

Anyway...I've been seeing a LOT of pumpkin pie, green bean casserole, stuffing and other Turkey day recipes on the blog world/Internet ever since it was socially acceptable (that would be the day after Halloween...)  Since all of the foods have already been divvied out to all of my family members, I don't have to worry about new recipes or anything, but I still love looking at the mouth-watering pictures and getting ideas for future holidays... so here is a round-up of some of the yummiest-looking Thanksgiving recipes I've seen.. I think they all sound and look amazing!

 

1.  Very Pumpkin Pie by the Blue-Eyed Bakers

2. Artichoke Parmesan Sourdough Stuffing by Our Best Bites

 

3. Green Bean Casserole by Brown-Eyed Baker

 

4. Deep-Dish Caramel Apple Pie by Sugar Plum

5.  Pecan Pie Squares at MyRecipes.com

 

6. Creamy Spinach Gratin by Mel's Kitchen Cafe

 

7.  Pumpkin Streusel Muffins by The Peppered Pantry 

8.  Cranberry-Lime Galette by My Baking Heart

 

9.  Traditional Sweet Potato Casserole at MyRecipes.com

10.  Cranberry Cinnamon Chip Bars by Our Best Bites

YUM.  Can't wait for Turkey Day!

Do the Monster Munch!

Yeah, yeah, I know! I can be a bit of a slacker when it comes to blogging.  Especially when college demands that all your waking hours be effervescently devoted to tests, papers, abstracts, quizzes, research applications, more tests, studying, busy work, study guides, ETC, ETC.  This last week has been probably the busiest, most insane, hectic, crazy, STRESSFUL week yet this year.  But, alas, I am almost through it! Tomorrow is Friday.  And, even better- it is almost Halloween!

Do you like Halloween? I'll be honest... I love it!  I'm not the biggest fan of all the crazy dance parties where everyone in sight is dressed... scantily (to say the least).  BUT, I love the feel of the fall, with the cool air, and yummy treats, and the fact that Thanksgiving and Christmas are just around the corner.  Plus, who doesn't love candy.  Don't even try to say you don't.

 This "Monster Munch" is courtesy of the blog, Our Best Bites- they've got a lot of really yummy-looking stuff!  It is super Halloween-y, YUMMY, and easy, easy, easy.

 

The reason some of it is white, and the some is brown-ish is because I tried to get creative and add chocolate chips to half of the batch while mixing (I doubled it).  I wasn't really thinking... the melted white almond bark definitely caused the chocolate chips to partly melt.  But taste-wise... both kinds are equally delicious and I kind of liked the addition of the caramel color!

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

Monster Munch

1 lb. almond bark

12 cups popped popcorn (I used natural, with no butter flavor)

1 cup candy corn

1 cup dry roasted, salted peanuts

1/2 cup Reese's Pieces

Pop popcorn (discard kernels) and place in a large bowl- the largest you have to make mixing easier.  Pour peanuts, candy corn, and Reese's Pieces on top.  Take a large knife and break up almond bark.  Melt according to package directions.  (Best to just chop up and microwave in intervals, stirring as it goes)  Pour over popcorn mixture.  Stir until everything is well coated and then spread out onto waxed paper, parchment, or foil.  Let sit until completely dry, and then break into clumps.   

OIAJ

Have you heard of the new blogging-world craze??  Well... let me tell you about it.  

OIAJ= Oatmeal in a Jar.  I've recently seen a lot of other bloggers raving about how amazing it is to cook your oats, pour them into an ALMOST-empty peanut butter, stir it around, maybe add some extra fix-ins, and then eat.  Frankly, I didn't see what was so fabulous about it.  I mean why not just put your peanut butter INTO your oatmeal?

Well about a week ago I had an almost-empty Skippy jar.  And since I love to eat oatmeal for breakfast, I thought I'd give it a whirl- I mean, peanut butter is, in fact, one of my favorite foods.  

I cooked 1/4 cup regular quick-oats with 1/2 cup water in the microwave, added a packet of Truvia sweetener, then added it to my jar that had about 1 1/2 tablespoons of peanut butter left in it.  OH. MY. GOSH.  This almost the best thing I have ever eaten!! It was the creamiest concoction my tongue has tasted and I could not get enough of it.

And regarding the part about just adding it to your bowl instead- well, a few days later I tried the same oatmeal base with a tablespoon of peanut butter stirred in, and it was NOT the same!  There's just something about the jar, using up every last bit of the peanut butter and eating it out of the jar... dreamy.  

Can't wait until I run out of peanut butter again.  *Sigh*

Cinnamon-Cream Cheese Pumpkin Bread

In case you weren't aware, it is almost mid-October.  Halfway through! It seriously blows my mind and I often wonder where the heck the time goes.  If you're any kind of baker at all, you know very well that the fall baking hype is in full swing- with pumpkin this, caramel apple that- not that I am complaining!

I LOVE fall desserts.  

Maybe I should have waited until farther until the fall season to post this recipe. I mean, the leaves are just barely starting to change colors.  But then again, who am I kidding?! It's not like this is the only seasonal baking I'll do this year.  This month.  This week.  (Okay, maybe not this week, but you get the point.)

My mom has a killer pumpkin bread recipe that she's made for as long as I can remember (and by killer, I mean the BEST I have ever and will ever have- I will have to post that later...) but I wanted to try this new, pumpkin bread infused with a cinnamon-pumpkin-spiced cream cheese from Jessica at How Sweet It Is.  Ummm can you say decadent?!

It was very delicious, however the only thing I think I'd change is: 

1.  Use my mom's pumpkin bread recipe instead of this one (even though it is a good, standard recipe)

2.  Add a little more sugar to the cream cheese than the recipe calls for (it needed just a touch of sweetness!)

Spiced-Cream Cheese Pumpkin Bread 
from How Sweet It Is

1 1/2 c. flour

1 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice

1/8 tsp. salt

1 cup canned pumpkin

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar

2 eggs

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1 tsp. vanilla

3/4 cup + 1 Tbsp. buttermilk

Preheat oven to 350.  Mix pumpkin and sugar together until fluffy.  Add eggs one at a time, oil, and vanilla and continue to mix.  

Combine dry ingredients in a bowl.  Alternate adding dry-ingredients and buttermilk to pumpkin mix- beginning and ending with dry ingredients.  Pour into 3 mini loaf pans or 1 regular loaf pan, just halfway to the top.  Spread cream cheese mixture over first layer, then cover with more pumpkin batter, leaving about 1/2 an inch to the top.  For mini loaves, bake 35-40 minutes.

Spaghetti Squash Marinara

You know what? Sometimes life gets really busy.  And I'm sorry that it has to be that way.  But if it wasn't, well, then... I might have more time to blog.

I think its all about... oh yeah- prioritizing?  Yeah.  First things first.  Well today is a first.  Not only am I actually being diligent and posting, but I am posting a recipe that I made TODAY.  As in a few hours ago! It is still in my stomach as I type.

I've never tried spaghetti squash before, but only heard pretty good things about it.  It's literally shaped like thin, noodley strands that resemble spaghetti!  I approve of anything resembling spaghetti and this is no exception.  Super easy, very healthy, and incredibly yummy. It tastes just like pasta! That's all I have to say about it, other than you should make this.

Spaghetti Squash Marinara


1 large spaghetti squash
1 cup marinara sauce
1/2 cup minced fresh parsley (or 1 tsp. dried)
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese (I used shredded Italian cheese)
salt and pepper

Preheat the oven to 400.  Use a large, sharp knife to cut the squash in half.  Scoop out the seeds and place the squash halves facedown on a lightly greased baking sheet.  Bake for 35-45 minutes, until the shells are tender enough that you can pierce them easily with a fork.  Remove the squash from the oven and lower the oven temperature to 350.  With a fork, scrape the squash strands from the shells into a large bowl.  Mix with the sauce, parsley, and about two-thirds of the cheese.  Season with salt and pepper.  Place the mixture in a casserole dish, sprinkle with remaining cheese on top, and bake for 15-20 minutes, until the squash mixture is heated through and the cheese topping is golden brown.

Makes 4 servings

Nutrition per serving: 90 calories, 3.5g fat, 3g fiber, 11g protein, 11g carbohydrate

Coconut Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

I'm sorry to do this to you, I really am.  

These aren't the least bit healthy.  I wish I could say that reduced-fat cream cheese or light butter was substituted for the fatty good stuff, but I just couldn't bring myself to do it.  Sometimes you just gotta indulge.  Smartly, of course.  I mean, it's not like you would ever over-eat on cupcakes... they're put into individual serving cups for a reason...portion control?

My mom makes these cupcakes a lot, and they are always, undoubtedly a hit with crowds, family, friends, pets, etc, etc...  I dare you to eat just one.  Yep.

Coconut Cupcakes

 

3/4 lb. (3 sticks) butter, room temperature

2 C. Sugar

5 extra-large eggs at room temperature

1 1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract

1 1/2 tsp pure almond extract

3 C flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1 C buttermilk

14 ounces sweetened, shredded coconut

 

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with paddle attachments, cream the butter and sugar on high speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. With the mixer on low speed, add the eggs, 1 at a time, scraping down the bowl after each addition. Add the vanilla and almond extracts and mix well.

 

In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In 3 parts, alternately add the dry ingredients and the buttermilk to the batter, beginning and ending with the dry. Mix until just combined. Fold in 7 ounces of coconut.

 

Line a muffin pan with paper liners. Fill each liner to the top with the batter. Bake for 25 to 35 minutes, until the tops are brown and a toothpick comes out clean. Allow to cool in the pan for 15 minutes. Remove to a baking rack and cool completely.

 

Cream Cheese Frosting

 

1 lb cream cheese at room temperature

3/4 lb (3 sticks) butter at room temperature

1 tsp. pure vanilla extract

1/2 tsp pure almond extract

1 1/2 lbs confectioners' sugar, sifted

 

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with paddle atachments, on low speed, cream together the cream cheese, butter, and vanilla and almond extracts. Add the confectioners' sugar and mix until smooth.

Frost the cupcakes and sprinkle with remaining coconut.

 

Delicious Ham and Potato Soup

What's up with the warm spell lately?  I mean, here I am living in Provo, Utah- an icebox compared to my hometown of Mesa, Arizona and the highs have been in the upper 80's the past couple of weeks!

Isn't it fall now? The trees are on track with the gradually-fading greens to burnt oranges and browns, and the morning air definitely has a crisp chill to it- but then mid-day is somewhat, really warm!  Not that I'm complaining, it could definitely be worse- could be 100 degrees in Mesa, or the alternative, it could already be freezing, like last year.

So, I think for now I will just be content with the weather.  Because I know that any day now, the temperature will randomly drop 20 degrees and then I'll be begging for the warmth I knew in a "distant past."

Anyway, I'm excited it's officially autumn.  So long fresh peaches, strawberries, burgers, and corn on the cob.  Hello apples, pumpkin pie, winter squash, and delicious ham & potato soup.  This will warm your soul, even if it's still warm outside.  Seriously, this was one of the best potato soups I've had.

Delicious Ham and Potato Soup
Yield: 8 servings

3 1/2 cups peeled and diced potatoes
1/3 cup diced celery
1/3 cup finely chopped onion
3/4 cup diced cooked ham
3 1/4 cups water
2 Tbsp. chicken bouillon granules
1/2 tsp. salt, or to taste
1 tsp. ground white or black pepper, or to taste
5 Tbsp. buter
5 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
2 cups milk

Combine the potatoes, celery, onion, ham and water in a stockpot.  Bring to a boil, then cook over medium heat until potatoes are tender, about 10 to 15 minutes.  Stir in the chicken bouillon, salt and pepper.
In a separate saucepan, melt butter over medium-low heat.  Whisk in flour with a fork, and cook, stirring constantly until thick, about 1 minute.  Slowly stir in milk as not to allow lumps to form until all of the milk has been added.  Continue stirring over medium-low heat until thick, 4 to 5 minutes.
Stir the milk mixture into the stockpot, and cook soup until heated through.  Serve immediately.


Nutrition per serving:  195 calories, 10.5g fat, 30mg cholesterol, 394mg sodium, 19.5g carbs, 1.9g fiber, 6.1g protein

Honey Glazed Carrots

My first memory of steamed/cooked/soft, yummy carrots is of my mom's weekly Sunday roast dinner.  Ever since I can remember, a juicy rump roast with potatoes and carrots aromatically simmered in the crock pot all Sunday morning and into the afternoon when we returned from church.  

The simple crock-pot meal is still today a family favorite. I mean, it's just pure comfort food!

These carrots reminded me a tad of the large cooked carrot halves my mom threw in with the roast; soft and tender and juicy.  Dare I say, however, that these glazed carrots are even better??

They are SO simple to whip up in five minutes and are a great way to jazz up your daily vegetable intake.  YUM!

Honey Glazed Carrots

1/4 cup water

3 cups chopped carrots (or baby carrots)

1 tsp butter

1 Tbsp honey

nutmeg to taste

In medium saucepan, bring the water to a boil.  Add the carrots and cook, covered, over medium heat for 10-15 minutes, until the carrots are tender.  Drain.  Add the honey and butter to the hot saucepan, and stir until they are melted together.  Add the carrots and gently toss.  Sprinkle with nutmeg.  

*Carrots can also be cooked in the microwave.  Cooking times will vary.

Creamy Grape Dessert

So I will admit... I have a thing for dessert.  We go way back, dessert and I, back to the good old times when I could inhale oreos by the sleeve in a single sitting and then run around for an hour or two afterward.

I miss those days.

Well, since then my love of oreos or anything with chocolate, peanut butter, frosting or fat for that matter has not changed one bit.  But, admittedly, my self-control has.  Thank goodness.

Yes, you CAN have your dessert and eat it too, if you are smart about it!  There are plenty of after-dinner snacks that are guilt-free and fabulous.  I think I might make a post about some of my favorites in the near future.

This yummy grape dessert is one idea- not too hard to make at all, and- TRUST ME- it's a lot better than it looks AND sounds! I know the picture is really suffering (after I make something I get really antsy to try it and, in all the excitement, I nearly forget to take a picture- thus the lack of quality photography skills on my blog- which I am working on!), but just take my word for it:  this is one recipe you've got to try!  The recipe is originally from recipezaar.com but i found it on Gina's Weight Watcher Skinny Recipes blog- a fabulous blog, by the way.

Creamy Grape Dessert
from Skinnytaste
Serves 8

• 1 lb green seedless grapes, washed and dried well
• 1 lb red seedless grapes, washed and dried well
• 8 oz fat free Chiobani Greek yogurt
• 4 oz light cream cheese, softened
• 1/4 cup agave syrup or honey
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Topping:

• 2 tbsp brown sugar, packed
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts (or pecans)

Cut grapes in half and set aside.

Mix yogurt, cream cheese, agave and vanilla until blended well. Stir grapes into mixture, and pour in large serving dish.

Combine brown sugar and crushed walnuts. Sprinkle over top of grapes to cover completely. Chill until ready to serve.



Nutrition per serving: 171.2 calories, 7.9g fat, 5.3g protein, 33.8g carbohydrate, 1.6g fiber

Carbs 101

There seems to be a lot of carb confusion nowadays in the media and in the everyday American household.  Carbs seem to get a bad rap because of "low-carb" dieting hype.  But are carbs really bad for you?  Will eating a piece of bread cause you to blow up like a balloon?

The answer is no; unfortunately there is frequent misunderstanding about the effect carbohydrates have on our bodies- complex, high-carbohydrate foods (fruits, vegetables, legumes & whole-grains) are necessary for health because not only do they provide ENERGY but they provide essential nutrients that our bodies need. Carbs should constitute more than half of the calories we eat every day!

Some carb facts:

• Carbs are the MAIN source of energy for our bodies; and adults need about 130g carbs per day to provide enough energy to function
• People have a misconception about carbs; when they think carbs, they think: "breads, pasta, baked goods, sugar, potatoes,  and other foods that are high in fat and sugar"  YES these are carbs, but not the ones we should be bulking up on.  Ironically, North Americans get half of their energy from processed carbohydrates (good) but from white bread, soft drinks, cookies, cakes, doughnuts, sugars, syrups, jams, and potatoes (bad).

• Low-carb diets like Atkins or South Beach DO make you lose weight fast- but its WATER WEIGHT and will come back once you stop dieting.
• Fiber is an element of complex carbohydrates that is essential for a healthy digestive system, decreasing cholesterol, and helping us to feel fuller longer
• Alternative sweeteners ( Splenda, Stevia, etc.) have been proved safe for consumption and the daily limit is higher than one person could ever consume in one day

So what should we do?

1. Have balanced eating habits that include nutritious carbohydrates including fruits, veggies, and whole-grain breads and cereals.
2. Choose fiber-rich foods (see picture below!)

1. Eat less highly-refined/processed carbs
2. Sugar-free is better than added, caloric sugars (natural sugars are the best though)
3. Don't deprive yourself; if you want a brownie- have one. Food is to be ENJOYED! But, control your portions and fuel your body each and everyday with the nutrients it needs so that a little splurge doesn't turn into a lifestyle habit!

Deep-Dish Taco Squares

Please forgive these photos for their lack of beauty.  Because this was sure delicious.

This was made quite a while ago, and by quite a while I mean only a month or two ago, but I never forgot about this meal and its lasting impression upon my taste-buds and memory.

This is another classic Betty Crocker recipe and I quite approve of its quality.  The crust/bottom is made from Bisquick- fancy that!- and topped with beef, onion, tomatoes, chilies, cheese and sour cream, then baked to as-healthy-as-you-can-get Mexican perfection.

Ole!

  

Deep-Dish Taco Squares

1/2	lb lean (at least 80%) ground beef
1/4	cup chopped onion (1 small)
2	tablespoons Old El Paso® taco seasoning mix (from 1-oz package)
1	cup Original Bisquick® mix
1/4	cup cold water
1/2	cup sour cream
1/3	cup mayonnaise or salad dressing
1/2	cup shredded sharp Cheddar cheese (2 oz)
1	medium tomato, chopped (3/4 cup)
1	can (4.5 oz) Old El Paso® chopped green chiles

1. Heat oven to 375°F. Spray 8-inch square (2-quart) glass baking dish with cooking spray. In 8-inch skillet, cook beef and onion over medium-high heat 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until thoroughly cooked; drain. Stir in taco seasoning mix until blended.
2. In medium bowl, stir Bisquick mix and water until soft dough forms. Using fingers dipped in Bisquick mix, pat dough in bottom and 1/2 inch up sides of baking dish.
3. In same bowl, mix sour cream, mayonnaise and cheese until blended. Layer beef mixture, tomato and chiles over dough; spoon sour cream mixture over top.
4. Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until edges of dough are light golden brown.

Nutrition:  330 calories, 23g fat, 50mg cholesterol, 820mg sodium, 11g protein

Orange, Walnut & Gorgonzola Mixed Greens Salad

Well, I'm back in my apartment in Utah now- back to my small kitchen and broken dishwasher- yep it leaked ALL over the kitchen floor today and needs to be fixed- so I will probably be cooking a little less.  Don't get me wrong, though- I will not revert to frozen "Lean Cuisines," Top Ramen, or even PB&J for every meal.... okay so maybe PB&J every once in a while...  :) but since I am only cooking for myself now, my cooking will be a lot simpler, easier, and quicker to fit my busy lifestyle!

However, I do still have some recipes from back home this summer when I cooked with my Mom almost every night for our family.  Good times that I will surely miss this coming semester. 

This salad screams summertime (whoa, way to alliterate!) and was absolutely delicious!  It's from allrecipes.com.  You must make the homemade citrus vinaigrette, though- it's super simple and really ties all of the flavors together!  

The only difference I'd make is to chop the onions into smaller pieces rather than slices so that they are not so over-powering.  I also carmelized the walnuts with a bit of sugar  which was very yummy!   This is definitely going to be one of my go-to recipes.

• 
  
• Orange, Walnut & Gorgonzola Mixed Greens Salad
• 
  
• 3/4 cup walnut halves
• 10 ounces mixed salad greens with arugula
• 2 large navel oranges, peeled and sectioned
• 1/2 cup sliced or chopped red onion
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 2/3 cup orange juice
• 1/4 cup white sugar
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup crumbled Gorgonzola cheese

1. Place the walnuts in a skillet over medium heat. Cook 5 minutes, stirring constantly, until lightly browned.
2. In a large bowl, toss the toasted walnuts, salad greens, oranges, and red onion.
3. In a large jar with a lid, mix the olive oil, vegetable oil, orange juice, sugar, vinegar, mustard, oregano, and pepper. Seal jar, and shake to mix.
4. Divide the salad greens mixture into individual servings. To serve, sprinkle with Gorgonzola cheese, and drizzle with the dressing mixture.

Makes 6 servings

Nutrition (per serving):  368 calories, 30.1g fat, 8mg cholesterol