Hot Shredded Wheat

I grew up eating hot shredded wheat on cold days. For me, it is a comfort food because it is a taste of my childhood, as well as my beloved grandfather who passed the idea on to my mom and then to me.

Wheat gets a bad rap these days, but I tend to be more middle of the road about it. We eat it whole (not white) and interspersed through our diet with a variety of other grains (oats, rice, quinoa, etc.) We don't have digestive issues that require avoiding it, so I consider small amounts healthy.

And while you see a tiny bit of butter & sugar on this, you'll also notice the larger amounts of almonds & apples. You can add berries, other nuts, whatever suits your fancy. My daughter loves this one, too.





Hot Shredded Wheat Bowl

Press 1 large Shredded Wheat biscuit into a bowl, crushing it.
Pour 1/4 c. vanilla almond milk over the biscuit.
Spread 1 tsp. butter or Smart Balance on top of the biscuit.
Sprinkle on 1 tsp. dark brown sugar, 1 Tbsp. chopped almonds, 2-3 Tbsp. chopped apples.

Put the bowl in the microwave for 30 seconds to 1 minute on 80% power.
You know it's done when it's steaming and the biscuit is soft & collapsed.


When made with Smart Balance, this is a 200 calorie bowl.

Yogurt Parfait

I met a friend at a coffeehouse recently when I happened to be hungry, but didn't want to blow it with a big carb load, i.e., muffin. I picked out a yogurt parfait, which is not usually my thing, but to my surprise I enjoyed it!

Of course, being my mother's daughter, I thought, "I could totally make this!"





Yogurt Parfait

2/3 c. vanilla Greek yogurt (I used Oikos)
1/4 c. mixed frozen berries
2 Tbsp. granola (I used Quaker)

Layer in a cup.

I like to stir it up and let it sit for just a bit so the granola softens & berries thaw.

If you want to make a few at one time to be prepared for the munchies later in the week, use 1 c. volume containers with lids (as you can see, I did this at the same time, too).

One parfait is 200 calories.

Making it healthier

I have a recipe for a delicious egg bake that I adore, but it is full of butter and cheese. The fat content plus the quantity that's large enough for a crowd makes it unsuited for every day breakfast.

So I came up with my own one-serving version.



Saute 1 Tbsp. finely chopped onion & 1 Tbsp. finely chopped red pepper in a skillet sprayed with nonstick spray over medium heat.

Mix 1 egg with 2 Tbsp. lowfat cottage cheese. Reduce heat to medium/low, pour the egg mixture in over the red peppers & onion. Roll pan to spread egg out into a circle. Cooking too hot will burn the cheese.

When the omelette is about half-set, sprinkle with 1 Tbsp. shredded cheddar cheese and use a spatula to fold in half.

Cook until fully set.

With the ingredients I used, this is 175 calories and tastes so much like the other egg bake that I may not ever need that old recipe again.

Pumpkin Bread

I've heard you can add pumpkin in place of oil/butter in baked goods to reduce the fat and calories while increasing the nutrition. Why then, I wondered, was there so much oil in my pumpkin bread recipe??

Yesterday I tried it with more pumpkin instead of the oil, along with a few other tweaks. Here's what I came up with:





Dense yet crumby, full of flavor, delicious!


Pumpkin Bread
makes one loaf

1 3/4 c. white wheat flour
1 c. sugar
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. allspice
1 1/2 c. pumpkin puree (either fresh or from a can - not the pumpkin pie filling in a can)
1/4 c. water
2 eggs, lightly beaten>
1/4 c. chopped pecans for topping (optional)

Stir together the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl.

Make a well in the center, add the pumpkin, eggs & water. Mix thoroughly.

Pour into a loaf pan sprayed with nonstick spray. Sprinkle with chopped pecans, press them down lightly.

Bake for 50-60 minutes at 350°, until cake tester comes out clean.

Cool in pan for at least 10 minutes.

12 slices, each slice contains: 159 calories, 2.7g fat, 32g carbs, 3g fiber, 4g protein

bright birthday

Nicole's 13th birthday was yesterday. She asked for a white cake with lime green frosting. Not being a cake artist, I decided to find some other fun ways to make her cake more creative! After all, you only turn 13 once.

She's a fan of bright, fun colors right now, so here's what I did:





To do this, I cut the 2 baked layers in half like a bagel, using a long bread knife.

I dyed about 1 cup of the white frosting aqua (using mostly blue coloring with a hint of green coloring), and 1 cup I dyed bright pink (with red coloring.)

I used 2/3 of the blue between the bottom layers, then 2/3 of the pink between the next layers.

I then mixed the remaining blue and pink together in one bowl, which made the purple color!

Finally, I did the rest of the frosting with mostly green and a hint of yellow to get bright lime, or at least the best I could get it. I used a spoon to create the swirl pattern after I had frosted the cake, which is a hint I found on Pinterest.





Happy 13 to our amazing Nicole!

Thyme Tea

Infuse a small handful of fresh thyme stalks in 2-3 cups boiling water.
In a mug, pour 2 Tbsp. lemon juice, 1/2-1 Tbsp. honey to taste.
Now finish filling the mug with the thyme infusion.
Stir & enjoy.





I came up with this thyme tea after spending the last two weeks researching & trying an endless parade of things for this chest congestion I've been fighting.

Thyme is supposed to be very good for the respiratory system, helping maintain clear breathing, actually helping accelerate the reabsorption of mucus out of the lungs.

Well folks, that is exactly what I needed. I have been drinking this tea for two days, and have noticed a marked improvement! Up until then, my improvement was marginal each day.


I love this tea infusing tea pot I found at Ikea! So much easier to use than those little tea infuser balls...

cookies & cream

Every year when my girls' birthdays roll around, I remind them that I am not a cake decorator, so they better choose their cake based on flavor, not appearance. For instance, one year, one of them asked for a rainbow on their cake - I used rows of colored M&M's to create said rainbow atop her cake. That's as good as it gets here, people.

This year, Claire asked for Cookies & Cream Cake, with Cookies & Cream ice cream on the side. Be still my heart.





I love this cake! It is easy to make, tastes fantastic, and if I may say so, it is a showstopper - my best looking cake that I make. And here I am, sharing it with you, so that if you're a non-decorator like me, you can still WOW them!


Cookies & Cream Cake

1 pkg. Oreo cookies
1 pkg. white cake mix
1 c. water
1/2 c. oil
3 eggs
2 cups whipping cream OR 1 12oz. tub of Cool Whip

Reserve 16 Oreos in a bag or container where your kids won't get to them and eat them. Process the remaining cookies in the food processor to make medium/coarse crumbs.

Preheat the oven to 350.

Mix the cake mix, water, oil & eggs with an electric mixer for 30 seconds, scrape the bowl, then 2 min. on medium. Stir in ONE cup of the Oreo crumbs. Divide between 2 9-inch cake pans, bake for 28 to 32 minutes (until toothpick comes out clean). Cool 10 minutes, remove from pans, cool completely.

In a chilled bowl, beat the whipping cream for 2 1/2-3 minutes, until stiff peaks form. (Of course, skip this if you're using Cool Whip, move on to the next step). Gently fold in the rest of the Oreo crumbs, chill until the cake has cooled completely.

Fill & frost the cake with the whipped cream. Garnish with the 16 reserved cookies. Store this cake in the refrigerator.


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spinach garlic whole wheat pasta

I've been watching my calories for the last few weeks, using a great app (myfitnesspal) and paying attention to my eating habits. I've learned a LOT. I am feeling better, too.

I've had friends ask me why I'm doing this, "you look great, you don't need to lose weight, why?" The answer is that I just plain didn't feel good. I didn't feel hungry at mealtimes (nothing sounded good to me), and between meals I was constantly snacking.

My wonderful husband gave me a tablet for Christmas, and while perusing apps for it, I ran across the myfitnesspal app. I installed it on a whim. Turns out God leads us even in our whims. This has answered my prayer for Him to help me discover what was going on with me.


Sooooooo, here's what I had for dinner last night: Chicken Parmesan (made with a Tyson Chicken Tenderloin), and the following pasta dish that I created (total = 505 calories). This dish has all the things I was in the mood for last night! It's not spicy, so you may wish to add spices or extra salt & pepper. Kids & husband really liked it - bonus!





2 cups (dry) whole wheat rotini
3 Tbsp. olive oil
5-6 garlic cloves (minced or pressed)
1 thin slice of onion, finely chopped
salt & pepper to taste
2 cups chopped fresh spinach
toasted pine nuts (optional)

Bring water to boil in medium pot & cook rotini according to package directions.

While pasta is boiling, in a large skillet warm the olive oil on a low temperature with the garlic and onion. The point is to impart flavor into the oil, not to cook the garlic & onion quickly. About 2 minutes before the pasta will be finished, turn the heat up to medium, to turn the garlic & onion golden.

Drain the pasta, add the the olive oil, and toss in the spinach. Keep the heat on medium, and stir for 1-2 minutes until everything is mixed and warmed through.

Serve onto plates, add 1 teaspoon pine nuts on top of each serving.

:: gingerbread trifle ::

I've had a string of cooking mistakes, flops and catastrophes lately! But here is one that turned out well in spite of a bad start.





I had made this gingerbread cake last Friday, ahead of time for a party, planning to serve it with lemon sauce. Except it did not turn out looking like it was fit for anything besides perhaps a demolition party...

I froze it, and vowed to figure out something - waste not, want not! And it hit me - we cut up cakes on purpose for trifles, so why not make one from a cake that fell apart? I brainstormed flavors that go well with gingerbread with my mom, and here is what I came up with...





Gingerbread Trifle

9" round Gingerbread Cake (find recipe here, or use a box mix from the store), cut up into 1" (or smaller) cubes
1 pkg. cheesecake pudding mix
1 1/2 c. milk
1 8 oz. container of cool whip (I made real whipped cream instead, because I had it on hand)
1 c. chopped pecans
1 small jar of caramel sauce, or melt down 1 14 oz. package of caramels with about 1/4 c. milk, in a small saucepan over low-med. heat stirring til smooth


Whisk the pudding and milk together, then fold in most of the cool whip (reserving 1/2 c. for garnish)

In a trifle dish or large serving bowl, layer as follows:
1/3 of the gingerbread cake (press down gently)
1/4 of the caramel sauce
1/4 of the pecans
1/3 of the pudding mixture

repeat this pattern 2x

Finish with the reserved cool whip, drizzle with remaining caramel, and sprinkle with the remaining pecans.

Chill. This is best when made at least 12 hours ahead of time, for the cake to soak up the moisture.







I've also used this for my Self Portrait Challenge photo this week, as December's theme is "Idioms"... my idiom of the week is, "When life gives you lemons, make lemonade." Or a trifle. Either will work!

I wish I could bake something every single day.

I'm a hopeless sucker for baking...
chocolate chip cream cheese bars today...
what could I do tomorrow?




(for Self Portrait Challenge - September's theme is Reflective Surfaces)


Chocolate Chip Cream Cheese Bars

Mix together:
1 box devil's food cake mix
1 egg
1/3 c. oil (I use applesauce to reduce the fat)

Spread in ungreased 9x13 pan. Bake 15 min. @ 350°.

Meanwhile, beat together:
8 oz. package cream cheese or neufchatal cheese
1/3 c. sugar
1 egg

Spread over baked layer, sprinkle with:
1 c. chocolate chips.

Return to oven for 15 min. more.
Cool before cutting.

{ apricot tart }

a new, one of a kind listing...

apricot tart






and now I'm in the mood to make this!



(photo by Taste of Home)

homemade granola bars

This recipe came from King Arthur Flour, and I modified it a bit. My version is below.


Homemade Granola Bars

1 2/3 c. quick-cooking rolled oats (dry oatmeal, for those new to cooking!)
3/4 c. brown sugar
another 1/3. c oats, put in a blender or nut grinder and pulse until turned to flour consistency
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1 1/2 c. nuts (I used a combination of pecans and almonds)
1 c. dried cranberries, chopped up in a food processor
1 tsp. vanilla
1/4 c. melted butter
1/4 c. honey or maple syrup
1 Tbsp. water

Stir together all the dry ingredients, including nuts and dried fruit.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients.

Toss the wet ingredients with the dry until the mixture is evenly crumbly. Spread evenly in a lightly greased 9x13 pan, then press the mixture firmly into the pan.

Bake for 25-30 minutes at 325°, until they're just starting to brown. Remove from the oven and cool for 10 minutes. Use a knife or spatula to cut into bars while they're still warm. Let cool most of the way before removing from the pan, or they'll crumble. However, if they stick in the pan, you can warm them back up a little to soften them for removing.


These can be customized to your own tastes, with different dried fruits (cherries, blueberries, apples, etc.), different nut combinations (don't forget coconut!), and less sugar. Next time, I'm going to try reducing the fat by substituting applesauce for half of the butter. These are gluten-free - bonus!

mini grilled cheese

whole wheat hoagie rolls cut into 1/2" slices

8 oz. whole milk mozzerella, divided into 12 slices
(other sliced or shredded cheeses are good, too)

olive oil in the pan

cook over medium heat until crispy and golden... mmm hmmmm....


serve with tomato soup (or your favorite soup)
for a heartwarming lunch on a cold day!

so-easy tomato soup

Forget the canned stuff! This takes 15 minutes at the most to make, and you control the salt & fat content. Make it a fast, easy, heart-warming dinner with some rolls and a salad!






So-Easy Tomato Soup

1 Tbsp olive oil
1 small sprig rosemary or thyme (or both!)
1/4 c. finely minced onion (yellow or red)
1/2 tsp. salt & 1/4 tsp. pepper
1 c. chicken broth (low sodium or homemade if you have it)
a 28 oz. can of whole peeled tomatoes
1/2 c. milk (skim, 2%, whole, or even cream is good if you don't mind the fat content)
shredded parmesan cheese

Heat oil in a 3 quart pot over medium/low heat, with the herb sprigs in the oil. After 2 or 3 minutes, the herbs will turn brown & you should be able to smell it - use a long-handled slotted spoon to remove the herb sprigs and toss.

Toss in the onion, salt & pepper. Turn the heat up to medium, saute' the onion for a minute or two until it's softened.

Add the broth carefully & slowly, it will boil fast when the first bit hits the hot oil, so stir it after all the broth is in the pot.

While the broth comes to a simmer, pour the can of tomatoes in a blender or food processor & process until it's all a liquid. Pour the blended tomatoes into the pot with the broth. Bring to a simmer, let simmer for 3 - 5 minutes to get it good and hot (use a lid to prevent spatters).

Stir in the milk, and return the soup to a simmer.
Serve with a generous sprinkling of parmesan cheese.
Serves 4.

easy toffee bars

A post a while back over on Beki's blog reminded me of this recipe I had. It's a great treat for the holidays... or anytime, for that matter!


Easy Toffee Bars

Break up graham crackers into the small rectangles, and lay them out tightly on a 10x15 jelly roll-type pan (pan needs to have sides). This takes about half a box of graham crackers.

Melt 2 sticks of butter with 1 c. of brown sugar in a saucepan. Stir constantly & bring to a boil. Boil for 2 minutes, still stirring. Pour over crackers in pan. Bake for 7-9 minutes at 350°.

Sprinkle with 2 cups of chocolate chips (one 12 oz. bag) and let sit a couple of minutes for them to soften. Spread them out like frosting with a knife once they're soft.

Finish with a sprinkle of finely chopped almonds or pecans (I used almonds here.) Let cool. These are easier to remove from the pan when they're not completely cold & hard.

popovers

What could be better than a recipe that you beat together in a bowl, fill a pan, and have results that taste like they came from a bakery?

I love making popovers! They're so easy, and so versatile. They are great with soup for dinner, fruit for breakfast, or with chicken (or turkey) salad as shown below.

If you have leftover turkey from the holidays, this would be a great way to use it up in a creative meal! I chop my turkey with some red onions, pecans, fresh herbs, and mayonnaise. Such a delicious lunch!






Martha Stewart's recipe for Popovers

2 Tbsp butter, melted
2 c. milk
2 c. flour
1 tsp. salt
4 eggs, lightly beaten

Whisk together the butter, milk, flour & salt until smooth. Whisk in the beaten eggs, a bit at a time, until incorporated. Do no over-beat the batter; it should have the consistency of heavy cream.

Fill a 12 count muffin tin that has been sprayed generously with nonstick spray. Bake 15 minutes at 450°. Without opening the oven, lower the heat to 350°, and bake 15-20 minutes longer. Best served hot, but still good the next day!

Pumpkin + Streusel = The Best Pumpkin Cake Ever

Thumbing through a baking catalog recently, I saw a mix for a Pumpkin Streusal Tunnel Cake... of course, I thought to myself, "I could make that without a mix!" and went looking for a recipe.

And oh, did I find a recipe - a really, really good recipe, which I am about to share with you - here on food.com.




This is half of the batter, with the "tunnel" of streusel around the center, before the other half of the batter was poured on top.


This was a fantastic cake, we ate a fourth of it before lunch, before I could make the glaze! Ended up not making the glaze since it was so good without it. This cake is not too heavy, not too pumpkin-y, just the right balance of spices and sweetness.





I substituted 1/2c applesauce for 1/2c of the butter, and I used plain yogurt instead of the sour cream, to significantly reduce the fat. I was very pleased with the results... so delicious!





Now I'm trying to decide if I want to make this cake again, or finally make an autumn apple pie!

Tired of shrinking cartons with rising prices?

I know I was! And I thought, "Why don't I try making it myself, then?" I ordered the ice cream maker attachment for my KitchenAid mixer, and after a bit of a learning curve, I have found it is a lot of delicious fun!





It may not be much more economical, but I can control what goes in it, and get some great flavors that can't always be found in the stores. Peanut butter with peanut butter cups? Thin Mints? Pumpkin Cinnamon? No problem!


Today I went for simple - French Vanilla made using this recipe.





I used an amazing new ingredient to my pantry - Vanilla Bean Paste. Tons of tiny black flecks give the ice cream that authentic look, and WOW does it taste good!





If you have a novelty homemade ice cream recipe that your family loves and you'd like to share, please let me know!

dinner and a dress

for dinner:





pecan crusted mozzarella salad

dredge whole milk mozzarella cheese rounds in flour, then egg, then a mixture of finely chopped pecans/parmesan cheese/breadcrumbs

fry in 1 tbsp olive oil for 2 min. each side

serve over spinach or salad greens with lots of chopped basil, tomatoes, and italian or vinagrette dressing


~.*.~.*.~.*.~.*.~.*.~.*.~.*.~.*.~.*.~.*.~





I also made this dress yesterday for baby Cloee, using the Itty Bitty Baby Dress from MadebyRae again. This is a great pattern for using up small bits of fabric for a lovely baby gift.

:: blueberry scones ::

If you have lots of seasonal blueberries right now, this is a yummy recipe to make! I love the molasses in the base, adds a richness to the dough. I think it is a great base dough to use with other varieties - I'm going to try pecan next, I think.

You'll notice I didn't bother with the whole rolling-out-the-dough-then-cutting-and-rolling-more-then-cutting-more which takes sooooo long... I just patted it into my stoneware deep dish baker (lined with parchment paper), cut it into eighths, then baked for 15 minutes. A 9 or 10 inch pie or cake pan would work too.

I also added a confectioner sugar/milk glaze just because I like glazes - yum!