Thursday, December 6, 2012

At our table this week 12/7 ~12/13



Menu planning tip:  Make up a menu for the week and have a list of ingredients that you need for that menu.  This is my favorite list and you can find this free printable here.

Weekday Breakfasts:

Bananas
String cheese
Bread
Honey nut cheerios
Oatmeal
Leftover breakfast from the weekend

Lunch to go:

Spilt pea soup, carrot sticks, clementines, Ina's ranch dressing, triscuits, dark chocolate square
Leftovers


Weekday Dinners:

Dinner out with the kids
Baked Tacos
Left overs
Indian Fish Coconut Curry
Black Bean and Toasted Corn Tacos




Weekend Brunch:

Simple Churros, fruit, Orange juice
Egg nest and bacon


Weekend Dinners:
Homemade Macaroni and Cheese



Sunday, December 2, 2012

Pannekoeken (dutch pancake)


I got this recipe from a church cookbook I purchased when Brian and I were engaged.
It was probably one of the first recipes that I made as a young wife.  Although Brian does love this recipe.  Our little breakfast king is in love with this recipe. He requests it, whenever he gets the chance. Many recipes come and go in our little family, but this one has stuck around and I am sure I will be making it for years to come.  I hope it becomes a family favorite for you too.

Pannekoeken

2 Tbs. butter
1/2 cup of skim milk
2 eggs
1/2 cup of flour

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Put the butter in a pie plate or a cast iron skillet and melt it in the oven while it is preheating.  Watch this closely, you don't want your butter to burn.
While you are melting the butter.  Mix together the milk, eggs, and flour in that order.  Pour the mixture into your buttered pan.  Bake until golden and puffy 12-15 mins
Serve immediately with powdered sugar and warm maple syrup.  Fresh fruit served on top is really nice too.

Source: Open door church cookbook

Tuesday, July 24, 2012

Oven roasted corn on the cob


I just love corn on the cob in the summer.  What I don't love is preparing it.  Husks and silk everywhere, huge pots of boiling water etc, etc... I'm not opposed to it on the grill but sometimes, I'm just not in the mood for that charred flavor.
When Brian came home from the farmer's market last weekend with some great corn, I was determined to find a better way to prepare it.  I searched the web, and came up with this recipe.
I will never ever prepare corn any other way again.  This was so simple and easy and the corn was out of this world delicious.  The husks and silk slipped off with very little effort from me.  My new go to way to prepare corn.  I'm a happy girl.

Oven roasted corn on the cob

Ingredients:

Fresh ears of corn

Directions:

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.  Place the corn in the husks directly on the oven rack and roast for 30 minutes or until the corn is soft.  Remove from the oven and place on a wire rack until the corn is cool enough to handle.  Remove the husks and silk, serve immediately.

Enjoy!
Rachel

Monday, July 23, 2012

Light and fluffy waffles


Everyone loves waffles, and we really aren't any different.  We have some keepers in our recipe file, Chocolate waffles, Cake waffles, and Yeasted waffles (you can find them all over in Young Adventures). When my dear friend Colleen pinned a recipe for waffles that her Dad made her when she was growing up, I had to try them.
These were light, fluffy and had a delicate flavor.  Everyone loved them, and we will be adding this recipe to our waffle collection.

Light and Fluffy Waffles

Ingredients:

1 3/4 cups all - purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
2 egg yolks
1 3/4 cups milk
1/2 cup canola oil
2 egg whites

Directions:

1.  In a large mixing bowl stir together flour, baking powder and salt.  Make a well in the center of the mixture.

2.  In a small bowl mix egg yolks slightly, stir in milk and oil.

3. Add the egg yolk mixture all at once to the dry mixture.  Stir just until moistened, there will be lumps.

4.  In another bowl mix egg whites until stiff peaks form.

5.  Gently fold whites into flour and egg yolk mixture, leave a few streaks of egg white.  Do not over mix.

6.  Spoon waffle batter onto your waffle iron and cook according to  manufacturer's directions.

Enjoy!
Rachel

Source: Colleen via Better Homes and Gardens

Sunday, February 12, 2012

Chocolate Banana "ice cream"


Why is it whenever I want to lose a couple of pounds to fit into a certain outfit, I get intense cravings for chocolate?!?
Does this happen to anyone else?
I was looking around on pinterest this past week and came upon this little treat.  I had heard of similar recipes and decided to come up with my own twist.
This hit the spot.  Now, it's not real ice cream, but if you are trying to watch your weight it is really good.  Creamy, chocolaty goodness.

Chocolate Banana ice cream

2 frozen bananas, peel removed
2 tbs. regular cocoa powder

I put my bananas in the microwave for 20 seconds to thaw them out a bit.  They were still frozen, pretty solid. Place bananas and cocoa powder in a food processor or blender (I used my mini processor).  Blend until combined.  Scoop out and serve immediately.

Source: Young Adventures

Monday, January 2, 2012

Refrigerator Raisin Bran Muffins


Brian and I are big fans of bran muffins.  The problem is the Mr. likes them warm.  During the week, I just can't make that happen.  Well, that's what I thought until I came across this recipe from A Little Bit Crunchy a Little Bit Rock n' Roll.  You mix up the batter the night before and bake the next day.  Even better you can keep the batter for up to two weeks...sweet!  I added a few ingredients to suit our taste, and we loved these muffins.  They are a new favorite.  Thanks for sharing Mama J.

Refrigerator Raisin Bran Muffins

1 1/4 cup buttermilk
1/4 cup canola oil
1 egg
1 1/2 cup raisin bran cereal
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup unbleached all purpose flour
1/2 cup white whole wheat flour
1/4 cup fine milled flax seed
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1/8 tsp. cloves
3/4 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt

In a medium bowl mix together buttermilk, oil, and egg.  In a large bowl mix together the remaining ingredients.  Add the wet ingredients to the dry and stir until combined.  Cover and refrigerate over night.  You can keep the batter for up to two weeks covered in the refrigerator.

When you are ready to bake pre heat your oven to 400 degrees.  Grease your muffin tins and fill with batter. Place your oven rack in the middle position and bake the muffins for 20-25 minutes.

Yield: 9-12 muffins
Source: Slightly adapted from, A Little Bit Crunchy a little Bit Rock n' Roll