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Showing posts from October, 2011

Healthy Eggplant Parmesan

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I have made a variety of Eggplant Parmesan meals, over the years, each time seeking to find one healthier than the last.  I found the one, I just made, at readytoeat.com.  I had no real desire to make this one other than it looked healthy.  It also looked bland.  With a bit of seasoning, this was not bland, at all.  I did replace the diced tomatoes and the can of sauce with bottled Marinara, keeping this as an easy recipe, as well. To make it gluten-free, I subbed in crumbs from potato chips instead of the Italian style bread crumbs.  If you are on a regular diet, I suggest using the bread crumbs because of the seasoning, built right into it.  I added Italian seasoning to my "chip crumbs" and they had plenty of flavor. I did so with a heavy hand. Healthy Eggplant Parmesan Ingredients: 1 cup Italian-style bread crumbs 2  eggplant, peeled Olive oil cooking spray 1 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese  2 cups Marinara sauce  2 table

Baking Gals

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"Baking GALS (GALS stands for Give A Little Support) is a group of volunteer bakers from around the country who bake and ship homemade goodies to our heroic military men and women who are currently deployed in a war zone. Our goal is to show our support and send a little bit of home to remind them that we appreciate all that they do for our freedom." It is another month and I am baking once again through the group, Baking Gals.   This is not a big deal to do, but I can only  hope, it makes a difference to those receiving my cookies.  In selecting cookies, I look for quick, easy and delicious recipes.  QED means, I can bake more quickly and since I do this in a limited time frame, that is important.  The recipes, we send should be good to eat but those that are not going to melt if they end up in a hot area.  As a result, I leave out frosting or decorations.  I do include chips in the cookies as well as nuts and dried fruit, depending on the recipe.  This recipe is an

Apple Nut Cake without apples

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I got my ingredients out, was creaming the sugar and oil (instead of butter) and my husband said, he did not want apples.  OK, I am flexible but this cake called for 3 cups of diced apples.  I did some scurrying.  I added a cup of ground walnuts and upped the chopped nuts to a cup.  I added another tablespoon  of oil and then I hoped for the best. I am sure the results are no thing like the apple cake, Taste of Home aimed for but I have to tell you, it is delicious.  It is like toffee, nice and chewy in the inside. I am sharing with you the correct recipe for this apple-nut cake. Apple  Nut Cake Ingredients 3 tablespoons butter, softened 1 cup sugar 1 egg 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 cup all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg 3 cups diced peeled apples 1/4 cup chopped nuts Whipped cream  or  ice cream Directions In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light

Cure All Chicken Rice Soup - Paula Deen

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We eat lots of chicken soup.  After all, isn't chicken soup good for all that ails you?  We love it.  I have made soup by great chefs and they are always good.  I guess that has something to do with the chicken and all those veggies.  This week, I tried Paula Deen's recipe from  her new cookbook, Southern Cooking Bible . I want to write a review after I make some more recipes but just looking through it shows how much promise there is.  This recipe is extra special.  It has no butter in it.  I cut back on most of her recipes on her liberal use of butter.  I, most likely lose out on some of the taste but I won't eat sticks of butter. SERVES 6 TO 8 Ingredients: 1 whole chicken (31/2 pounds), rinsed, patted dry, and cut into 8 pieces 3 celery stalks, chopped 2 large carrots, halved crosswise 1 large yellow onion, halved through the root end 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped 2 bay leaves 2 1/2 teaspoons salt 3/4 teaspoon black pepper 3/4 teaspoon dried tarragon

Bake with Bizzy October 27, 2011

Now that so many of you add your savory bakes to the sweet bakes, I love Bake with Bizzy, even more. The only requirement for a recipe is that is a baked dish. I have not added requirements for this linky but I would appreciate it, if you would link your dish back to the post so more people will discover us and we will have more of a variety of baked goods. I am late posting this and I lost everything. I am not sure, I will remember who was to be featured. Thirty minutes later - my computer keeps shutting down so I am hopefully going to add the linky and see if later, I can add the photos.  My apologies.

Special Days

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What a special day!  I received two awards.  I am going to share them one at a time, to give them full credit for their generosity of spirit. Liebster Blog Award I received the Liebster Blog Award from  A Work-In Progress  and was surprised and pleased.      The  Liebster Blog Award  spotlights up and coming bloggers (those who have 200 or less Followers). My thanks to Julie who thought of me and presented this award.  Drop by her blog and see what she has to offer.  I think, you will enjoy what you see. Now I am more than happy to pass this award on to spotlight 5 great up and coming blogs: Cook With Sara Catz in the Kitchen Candy Girl Hezzi-d's Books and Cooks Of Muses and Meringues Upon reciept  of the Liebster Award, there are a few very simple rules: Copy and paste the award on your blog Thank the giver and link back to the blogger who gave it to you Reveal your top 5 picks and let them know by leaving a comment on their blog Hope

Mashed Potato Stuffed Peppers

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When, I was planning meals for the Jewish holidays, I knew I wanted stuffed peppers.  When, I looked at my list of main dishes, I could not fit in a meat filled pepper so I went for a vegetarian pepper.  I thought of filling it with couscous, quinoa, rice, even kasha but in the end, mashed potatoes appealed to me, the most.   This is a nice change for a stuffed pepper, especially with our cutting back on meat. Mashed Potato-Stuffed Bell Peppers   adapted from Food.com Ingredients: 4 large bell peppers 1/2 cup red onions, finely chopped 1/2 cup red peppers, finely chopped 2 tablespoons olive oil salt & freshly ground black pepper 1/4 cup fresh chives, chopped finely 2 cups mashed potatoes 1 cup mushroom soup Method: Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Split bell peppers in half. Seed them,& remove the spines. Gently parboil peppers for about 5 minutes, remove& drain upside down. Saute onion& red pepper in oil until onions are soft. Add salt

Mini Corn Dogs Using Ellie Krieger Corn Bread

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One of my favorite sites is Mother Rimmy's Cooking Light Done Right.   This is a place to get low calorie and healthy recipes which are delicious, yummy and scrumptious.  If you have not visited there, I suggest you check it out and I am betting, you will return. Mini Corn Dogs (adapted from Cooking Light, Done Right) Ingredients: 1 cup cornbread mix (I used an Ellie Krieger recipe which I will include beneath this recipe.) 2 tablespoons onion, finely chopped 1/2 teaspoon chili powder 1 large egg white ½ cup Rice milk 2 hot dogs, cut into 12 pieces Method: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Combine cornbread mix, 2 tablespoons onion, chili powder, egg white and Rice milk in a bowl. Mix until smooth. Spray a mini muffin tin with cooking spray and spoon cornbread mix into the muffin cups. Press one piece of hot dog into the middle of each cup. Bake for 10 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. I served this as a side dish. I m

Caramel Apple Cookies -

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  How would you like the first challenge of a new group to be baking or cooking with apples and caramel?  Yep, sounds pretty good.  In fact, it is absolutely delicious.  I made a cookie that truly surprised me.  I thought it would be rather bland and plain but it turned out to be chewy and delicious.   Caramel Apple Cookies   Adapted from Granny's Mountain Ingredients: 1/3 cup granulated sugar 1/3 cup brown sugar 1/2 cup margarine, at room temperature 1 egg 1-1/4 cups all purpose flour 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/2 cup dried apple pieces, chopped 1/2 cup caramel chips  Method: Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In medium bowl mix flour, baking soda and salt. In separate bowl, mix sugars and butter. Add egg, mixing just until blended. Add flour mixture and combine well. Mix in caramel chips and apple. Using a teaspoon size cookie scoop, drop batter about 2 inches apart on a cookie sheet, lined with parchment paper. Bake for 12-14 minutes or until ed

Bake with Bizzy

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I appreciate that many of you added  your savory recipes as well as your sweet baked goods.  I love to cook in the oven rather than on top of the stove.  For me, clean-up is easier and I tend to use less fat in my recipes.  A win-win situation.  Please come through again with both sweet and savory recipes.  Let's look at some of our savory dishes today. Ms. enPlace has this unbelievably delicious looking Sweet Potato bread with Praline Butter. Just look at this spinach and sausage quiche from The Traveling Spoon. Permanent Posies has this wonderful crock pot recipe, Glazed and Spicy Carrots. Yum. This is it, for now.  Please do link up with both your savory and sweet baked goods.

Menu Plan Mondays

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This is another week of Jewish holidays and I will try to give you a clear picture of what I am cooking.  There are so many meals, I may find, at the end, I can't keep up with my plans and do some subbing.  It is a challenge to make 7 complete meals for 3 days and keep it festive. I just got Ellie Krieger's new cookbook which I plan to use for CEiMB, Craving Ellie in My Belly.  The group has changed to your choice any time, any where.  If you have made recipes from Ellie Krieger, go on over and link up.  There are no requirements other than the recipe by Ellie's. Most of the recipes below, for Wednesday through Saturday are from the new book and I am excited about diving in and making them.  I will do a review of the book, after I cook some recipes but looking at it, is pure inspiration.  EK stands for Ellie Krieger and I put this after the recipes from her book. Sunday - leftovers ---- sweet and sour meatballs, squash rounds, creamy potatoes Monday - eggplant P