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If it has a Southwest or Mexican flair, my family will be all over a new recipe, and my new Southwest Confetti Stuffed Peppers (or Salad or Salsa) was no exception. I’m not a huge New Year’s resolution-maker. Especially with cooking and food, I will probably never be an all-or-nothing kind of girl. So, you [...]
If it has a Southwest or Mexican flair, my family will be all over a new recipe, and my new Southwest Confetti Stuffed Peppers (or Salad or Salsa) was no exception. I’m not a huge New Year’s resolution-maker. Especially with cooking and food, I will probably never be an all-or-nothing kind of girl. So, you won’t find me making far-reaching and exacting goals for 2013 like: I will lose 50 lbs or I will eliminate ALL processed food from my family’s diet. What I do aspire to accomplish is to make positive progress toward healthy weight-loss, and to change my family’s palates, so more of the nutrient-dense foods I’ve come to love, will make it onto THEIR own list of favorites. Creamy comfort-food casseroles, cookies and chocolate cake will never be completely eliminated from our diets, but I hope they will take more of a backseat, and assume an occasional treat role, rather than being center stage. All things in moderation is a good way to look at what I’d like to achieve. By integrating lighter, healthier dishes that taste fantastic, into the menus they are used to, the process for my husband and kids will be enjoyed, rather than resisted; and if I do it well, perhaps the subtle changes will go undetected. For this first venture, that’s exactly how it went. I’m really excited! We’ve already eaten this as a main dish, a side dish and as a salsa. Young and old, alike, have loved it and I’m excited that this new creation can be put into our regular meal rotation.
My Southwest Confetti loaded into Bell Peppers. Bake them for a hot, satisfying main dish; or serve them chilled as a refreshing salad. Either way, they're gorgeous and SOOOO good!
From a budget perspective, this is a meatless dish and so, less expensive than typical meals. Score! From a health perspective it’s intensely nutritious and it’s a powerhouse of textures and flavors that will leave your family wanting more. You could certainly add or subtract other veggies, to fit what you have on hand or want to introduce into your family’s diet. I originally developed the recipe as a way to use some Classico Pear Tomatoes from Heinz, (pick them up at Walmart), that I was trying. I was incredibly excited to pick up the can and see only 4 all-natural ingredients, each of which I could pronounce and recognize – tomatoes, tomato juice, salt, and fresh basil. They are packed fresh, with no preservatives and they were fantastic in this new dish!
Classico Pear Tomatoes with Basil
Four all-natural ingredients and no preservatives!
As I started working on the recipe, my first idea was to do a rift on a traditional stuffed cabbage roll, lightening it up and doing something unexpected with the flavor. I created the filling, then stuffed and baked the cabbage, only to discover we all scooped out and devoured the filling, but left the outer cabbage leaves on our plates. This was not because we don’t like cabbage. We do. And the filling is chock-full of it. Determined to turn my semi-success into a perfect ten, I changed things up and used the delicious filling to stuff sweet bell peppers, instead. That simple alteration made all the difference and sent this recipe over the top. The stuffed peppers can be baked and served as a main dish, served raw and cold as a salad or side dish, or you can simply set out bowls of the filling on an appetizer buffet, to be enjoyed with tortilla chips. It’s fabulous, each and every way! How can you beat that in a recipe? Versatility, crowd-pleasing delicious flavor; plus healthy, nourishing ingredients??? You can’t. Don’t even try. - lol – Seriously, it’s SO good! I can’t wait for you to try it. Enjoy!
When you start out to create a new recipe, do you have the whole thing planned out in your mind, from the beginning? I usually have a general direction I know I'm going in and then the "cast of characters" evolves as I begin working and tasting. These are the ingredients that I began the project with. You'll see from the recipe, below, that they inspired some tasty additions!
Ingredients
- 1 (28 oz) can Classico Pear Tomatoes with Basil, chopped and juice reserved
- 2 cups quinoa, cooked and cooled
- 1 cup lentils, cooked and cooled
- 1 (14 oz) can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 large red onion
- 2 - 3 large, or 10 mini bell peppers, diced
- 2 cups cabbage, chopped
- 2 cups kale, chopped
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
- 1 Tablespoon cumin
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 1 Tablespoon fresh garlic, minced
- 2 teaspoons sea salt (I used Hawaiian Red Alaea)
- 2 teaspoons fresh ground black pepper
- 2 limes, zest one and save juice from both
Instructions
- Wash and chop enough kale leaves to make 2 cups. (To chop kale, start at the top of the leaf and tear down to remove them from the tough center stem. Discard the stem and chop leaves.)
- Chop cilantro.
- Dice onion.
- Chop cabbage.
- Dice peppers. (I had these mini sweet bells, so used them, but you could easily use full-sized bell peppers.)
- Toss all your diced and chopped veggies into a large mixing bowl.
- Drain all the juice from the can of Classico Pear Tomatoes with Basil into the bowl with your chopped veggies.
- Dice the tomatoes and add them to the bowl.
- Add the quinoa, black beans, lentils, chili powder, cumin, salt, pepper and garlic to the veggie bowl and mix thoroughly.
- Zest one of the limes mix the zest into the confetti.
- Juice both limes, squeezing all the juice over the confetti. Stir it in.
- This is the moment where you will want to give everyone in the kitchen a spoon and all dig in and eat this delicious mixture, right out of the bowl, but if you resist that urge, you can use it in several different ways.
- Spoon Southwest Confetti into hollowed out Bell Peppers and bake for 20 - 30 minutes at 350 degrees, or until filling is heated through. A light sprinkle of Monterey Jack cheese could be sprinkled on top, if desired.
- Spoon Southwest Confetti into hollowed out Bell Peppers and serve plated with slices of fresh lime!
- Place a large bowl of Southwest Confetti on an appetizer buffet with corn tortilla chips and it will disappear in seconds.
- Spoon Southwest Confetti into hollowed bell peppers and arrange tortilla chips around the edible "bowl" to serve to each guest.
- Spoon Southwest Confetti into mini bell peppers that have been halved the long way, sprinkle with Monterey Jack cheese and place under broiler for 2 to 3 minutes or until cheese is melted and browning, slightly.
Hot Main Dish:
Cold as a Main Dish Salad or Side Salad:
Cold as Salsa:
Individual Appetizer Serving Suggestion 1:
Individual Appetizer Serving Suggestion 2:
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So flavorful! I can't wait to hear how you use this nutrition-packed Southwest Confetti in your New Year's healthier eating plan. Enjoy!
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I’m excited at how nutritious this dish is and how much my family enjoyed it. Even without heavy sauces, sour cream or any additions of fat or sugar, Southwest Confetti is a tantalizing burst of delicious flavors and textural variety! Quinoa, black beans and lentils provide some great proteins (Quinoa is the only plant-based, complete protein, I think, containing every amino acid.) and the fiber, antioxidants and vitamins provided from the veggies put Southwest Confetti on a nutrition overload! Shhhh! Don’t tell them! Just bask in the healthy glory and soak up all the applause. Enjoy!
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I am a member of the Collective Bias® Social Fabric® Community. This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias® and Classico. #cbias #SocialFabric #CookClassico
I’m always on the lookout for quick-fix breakfast options and ways to prepare tasty meatless meals. I’ve recently been experimenting with incorporating more quinoa (say KEEN – WAH) into our meal plans, so I’m pretty enthusiastic about blending all three goals into this yummy recipe. Switching up or adding even more veggies is going to [...]
I’m always on the lookout for quick-fix breakfast options and ways to prepare tasty meatless meals. I’ve recently been experimenting with incorporating more quinoa (say KEEN – WAH) into our meal plans, so I’m pretty enthusiastic about blending all three goals into this yummy recipe. Switching up or adding even more veggies is going to make this a completely customizable favorite for your family.
Cheesy Quinoa Veggie Bites - Yum! Don't they look like little sausage patties? Totally meatless and yet, loaded with complete protein!
Most people think quinoa is a grain, but it is actually the seed of an herbaceous flowering plant, called goosefoot (Chenopodium). Beets and spinach are other common chenopods. Quinoa was a valued staple as far back in history as the Incan Empire. It is protein-rich and nutrient-dense. A 1/4 cup serving of quinoa boasts 58.5% of the DV of manganese, 31.2% of tryptophan, 29.6% of magnesium, 28.1% of phosphorus, 20.7% of fiber, 19.4% of folate and 18% of copper. Quinoa isn’t just high in protein, it is a COMPLETE protein, meaning it contains all nine of the essential amino acids. This delicious, nutty-flavored seed is a powerhouse of nutrition that lends itself to all different types of recipes. I am only just beginning to scratch the surface of all the ways to use it.
Here's what quinoa looks like after it's cooked. You actually cook it a lot like rice, except it cooks so much faster. I did a giant batch in my pressure cooker in 8 minutes, but even on the stovetop, it's only about 12-15 minutes to cook.
IMPORTANT: It is important to thoroughly rinse and drain quinoa before cooking it. The outside of the seeds is covered in saponins, a naturally occurring substance that has a bitter taste. A quick rinse rids the seeds of this outer coating and leaves the yummy seed behind. Please don’t try to cook quinoa without rinsing it. You’ll decide you don’t like it, without ever tasting the real thing and be missing out on a delicious and healthy protein option for your family.
I got the inspiration for this recipe on one of my favorite foodie blogs, Iowa Girl Eats. Kristin created Ham and Cheese Quinoa Cups, and as always, her pictures were so deliciously inspiring, I had to get busy. I wanted to try to make a similar sort of breakfast or brunch option, but without meat. Here’s the trick. I still sort of wanted my carnivore family to think it TASTED like meat. I wondered what would happen if I included seasonings that are great for making sausage and then incorporated some healthy veggies, too. If I had had any color of sweet bell pepper in the fridge, I definitely would have added them. I think some grated carrot would be good, as well! As it was, I had a zucchini, some spinach, green onions and some fresh cilantro. I baked these up in muffin tins and this batch would have made 38 minis, but, I only have one mini muffin tin, so I got 24 minis and 7 regular size.
Here’s the cool thing we discovered. Not only do we love how these quinoa frittatas taste, they would be gorgeous used as appetizers and they would be tasty in salads. You could serve them in pitas, or with dip or with sauces. The possibilities are limitless. I would also bake this as filling in stuffed bell peppers. I think it could be formed into patties and served on English muffins or bagels for a breakfast sandwich on the go, too. The texture of the quinoa with the eggs, gives the mouth feel of ground meat, so with the right seasonings, you can really fool your tongue into thinking you may be eating meat! I haven’t tested this theory, yet, but I am also convinced that these little quinoa bites would freeze well, so they would be great candidates for a bulk/freezer cooking session. Enjoy!
Ingredients
- 2 cups cooked quinoa (about 3/4 cup uncooked)
- 4 eggs
- 1 1/2 cups zucchini, shredded
- 1 cup spinach, chopped
- 2 T. fresh cilantro
- 2 green onions, sliced
- 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
- 1 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon sage
- 1/2 teaspoon thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon allspice
- 1 Tablespoon paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon fennel seed
- 1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
Instructions
- Mix all ingredients, except for the eggs.
- Beat eggs lightly and then add to the veggie mixture. Combine thoroughly, so all ingredients are moistened and evenly distributed.
- Spray your muffin tin generously with non-stick spray.
- Spoon quinoa mixture into muffin tin. I used my cookie dough scoop and one scoop was perfect to fill the mini cups to just under the rim. (I used two scoops for the standard muffin tin.)
- Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes (minis). (For standard muffin tins bake 20 minutes)
- Allow frittatas to cool at least five minutes in the muffin tin, then remove to a cooling rack. You can serve these warm or cold, in a salad or a pita, on a bagel or an English muffin, as an appetizer, a side dish or a quick snack. They're incredibly versatile and whether you need breakfast-on-the-go or something for lunch, you'll find them to be a satisfying, nutrition-packed and delicious option! Enjoy!
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These are delicious any time of day and can be served in so many different ways!
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I’ve always heard such good things about SILPAT baking mats and have been terribly curious to try one out. I got the opportunity, this week, to test the SILPAT Petite Jelly Roll Mat, which fits a 9 x 13 pan. Now, I understand why people get so excited about SILPAT! What an excellent kitchen tool! [...]
Israeli Salad served in a Parmesan Crisp Bowl
I’ve always heard such good things about SILPAT baking mats and have been terribly curious to try one out. I got the opportunity, this week, to test the SILPAT Petite Jelly Roll Mat, which fits a 9 x 13 pan. Now, I understand why people get so excited about SILPAT! What an excellent kitchen tool! I used mine for two different savory recipes, but it’s obvious to me that these silicone covered mats would be perfect for just about any baking needs – especially cookies. No more messy sprays or baked-on grease on my cookie sheets and pans. Whether you’re roasting vegetables or baking a jelly-roll sheet cake, there’s a SILPAT in the perfect size to fit your project. I’d love to have the entire “ensemble” — one in every size!
Silpat Petite Jelly Roll Baking Mat
SILPAT is the original non-stick baking mat. Since 1965, Demarle has been committed to improving your baking experience by introducing top quality products. SILPAT products never need greasing and replace parchment paper. Using SILPAT products saves time, money and reduces waste in our environment.
SILPAT® products are great for working with sticky materials such as gooey batter, taffy, caramel, doughs and anything your imagination allows. Nothing sticks to SILPAT.
SILPAT® Non-Stick Baking Mats are made of fiberglass and food grade silicone. SILPAT products are completely food safe. Our products are FDA, NSF and Kosher certified.
Not only is the mat easy to use, but it’s also easy to clean! Just warm water and regular dish detergent and it’s ready for my next recipe. I love how food just slides off it, without needing any oils, sprays or grease. I have no doubt that it is going to be a regularly used tool in my kitchen. When you see the first two tasty recipes I made while using it, you’ll want to add at least one to your favorite kitchen tools, too!
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
- 1/2 cup Italian blend cheese, grated
- 1 English cucumber, diced
- 1/2 pint cherry tomatoes, quartered
- 1/4 cup red onion, minced
- 1/3 cup flat-leaf Italian parsley, chopped
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 lemon, juice and zest
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- salt and pepper, to taste
for the Parmesan Crisp Bowls
for the Israeli Salad
Instructions
- Mix both cheeses in a bowl.
- Place SILPAT on a baking sheet.
- Divide cheese into six equal portions and form each portion into a 3-inch circle on the SILPAT baking mat.
- Bake at 375 degrees for 6 - 7 minutes, until the outer edge begin to brown.
- Remove from oven and allow to cool on sheet for two minutes. They will still be warm and pliable in the centers, but will hold together enough for you to be able to easily lift them off the SILPAT with a silicone spatula or some other non-metal utensil. (This will prevent cutting or marring your SILPAT baking mat.) I love using the SILPAT for this recipe. The cheese slides off the baking mat with ease!
- As you remove each crisp from the pan, gently form and drape it over the bottom of one of the cups of your mini muffin pan.
- Allow the crisps to cool completely, so they will hold their ruffly "bowl" shape.
- When completely cooled, fill with salad, veggies, meatballs or any other appetizer food you can think of.
- They're so pretty and they taste delicious!
- Chop cucumber, onion, parsley and tomatoes.
- Mix veggies in a medium salad bowl.
- Add the zest and juice of 1/2 lemon along with the olive oil and paprika.
- Mix to combine.
- Add salt and pepper, to taste.
- Refrigerate at least 30 minutes, to allow flavors to meld. (This is definitely more salad than you need for the 6 crisp bowls, above, but it's great on it's own for lunch or you can make a double batch of crisps.)
- Serve.
- I served this salad as an appetizer, in the mini Parmesan crisp bowls. It was absolutely fantastic!
for the Parmesan Crisp Bowls
for the Israeli Salad
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http://busy-at-home.com/blog/parmesan-crisp-bowls-with-israeli-salad-and-a-silpat-review-and-give-away-plus-sweet-potato-chips/I tried out one more tasty and simple recipe when I was doing test-baking with the SILPAT — Sweet Potato Chips! You won’t believe how easy these are or how many chips you can make from just one sweet potato. You have to try this!
Ingredients
- 1 sweet potato
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- salt, to taste
Instructions
- Slice the sweet potato into very thin pieces. The thinner you slice them the crisper your chips will be.
- Drizzle the potato slices with olive oil and toss to coat. (As you can see, I had to switch to a larger bowl to manage this task.)
- Spread the potato pieces in a single layer on your baking sheet. (if you have a Silpat or some parchment paper, your clean-up will be super easy.) One sweet potato actually made so many chips that I had to use a baking sheet and my stoneware pizza stone and I still had potato slices left over, that wouldn't fit.
- Salt chips, to taste, before baking. This will help pull moisture out of the chips, more quickly.
- Bake in a 250 degree oven for 25-30 minutes, until crisp and edges are lightly browned. (The low heat is very important! The sugars in a sweet potato will burn before the chip is crisp, if you cook them at higher heat. So cook them low and slow. Your patience will pay off big time. I promise.)
- Remove from oven. Slide right off the baking sheet, into a serving bowl. Enjoy the chips warm or allow them to cool and serve them cold. Their delicious both ways!
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http://busy-at-home.com/blog/parmesan-crisp-bowls-with-israeli-salad-and-a-silpat-review-and-give-away-plus-sweet-potato-chips/You’ll love using SILPAT baking mats in your kitchen! You can visit the SILPAT website to find a retailer, near you, that carries them and be sure to enter our giveaway! You could win a SILPAT Petite Jelly Roll Baking Mat! You must be a resident of the U.S. and 18 or over to enter. It’s super easy. Visit the SILPAT website and look at all the great products they have to offer. Leave a comment on this post letting me know the name of one of their products that you would love to try. Click on DO IT in the Rafflecopter form, below, then ENTER! That’s it! Not only have you entered the drawing, but you’ve opened several additional optional entries, as well. Good luck!
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I received a SILPAT Petite Jelly Roll Baking Mat to test it in my own kitchen and conduct this review. No monetary compensation was received and a positive review was not required. As with all Busy-at-Home reviews, the views and opinions expressed are wholly my own and based on my personal experience with the product.
I wanted a fast side dish for a meatloaf supper. Potatoes are definitely my family’s first choice, at such times, with the resounding preference being “mashed with gravy”. I just wasn’t going to invest that kind of time, so I needed something new. No one was more shocked than me, when I created a dish, [...]
I wanted a fast side dish for a meatloaf supper. Potatoes are definitely my family’s first choice, at such times, with the resounding preference being “mashed with gravy”. I just wasn’t going to invest that kind of time, so I needed something new. No one was more shocked than me, when I created a dish, that everyone agrees, is an acceptable substitute for that favored traditional standby! It is comfort food with a twist; and we’ll be making these over and over, (especially when I’m not in the mood to peel potatoes. 
) They’re super simple to make.
Piping hot and ready to serve. DELISH! Potachos! Because they are sliced thin, the outside has a little crunch, but the insides are tender and yummy, like a baked potato.
The hardest time we had, was deciding what to call them. They sort of remind us of nachos, but there wasn’t anything spicy about this dish. The cool thing is that it is so versatile, you could use different toppings and they definitely COULD be more Tex-Mex. The possibilities are endless. Anyway, we decided the name had to be something that combined “potatoes” and “nachos”. We finally landed on Potachos, but Nachatos was a close second. -lol- Here’s the way I made them to accompany our meatloaf supper. I’m sure there will be many variations, in the future!
Ingredients
- 4-5 large russet baking potatoes, sliced very thin
- 1-2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, grated
- 1/4 cup bacon, fried crisp and chopped fine
- 2-3 green onions, sliced
- 1-2 tablespoons olive oil
- salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Scrub potatoes and slice thin, leaving skins on. I used a mandolin to get very thin, uniform slices, but you could just use a good sharp knife.
- Put the potato slices in a large bowl and cover them with cold, salt water. Let them sit for at least 30 minutes. (I left mine about an hour. The salt flavor will absorb into the potatoes and they will crisp up better when you bake them.) Drain the slices and then pour them onto a clean kitchen towel to pat them dry.
- Toss the potato slices in the olive oil, to make sure each slice is coated.
- Salt and pepper to taste. Actually taste them, before seasoning. Remember they have been soaking in salt water.
- Spread potato slices, evenly, across a large baking sheet.
- Bake at 425 degrees for 10 minutes.
- Stir and turn potato slices to help with even browning and crisping.
- Bake an additional 10 - 15 minutes, until potatoes are cooked through and some of the potatoes, on top, nicely browned.
- Sprinkle the potatoes with cheese, then bacon, then green onion.
- Place back in the oven for 2-3 minutes, until cheese is melted.
- Remove from the oven and serve.
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For color, nutrition and flavor veggies are at their best if they haven’t been cooked to mush before serving them. This recipe is one of those mix it up and use what you have on hand at the moment ones, but the cooking principle would be the same, regardless of what veggies you choose. Normally, green onions and garlic would be the first things I pulled out for this dish; and I almost always have both on hand. For this night, though, I had neither. While they would have packed a great flavor punch, the mix of veggies I chose were delicious on their own. Get creative and inventive. Use seasonal vegetables that are at the peak of their nutritional value and least expensive. Use veggies your family loves and then toss in something new, to get them to try it. Not only do vegetables cooked in this quick, high-heat method taste fantastic, they make the plate and everything else on it look beautiful!
Select the vegetables you want to stir fry. I had kale, red cabbage, zucchini, carrots, yellow squash and bell peppers, on hand. The colors were absolutely gorgeous!
Wash and slice your veggies into bite-sized pieces. (If you are using kale, be sure to remove the leaves from the thick center stems, discard the stems and slice or tear the leaves into bite-size pieces.) When all the vegetables are chopped, toss them with a little olive oil (maybe 1 or 2 Tablespoons depending on how many vegetables you are using. As you can see I filled my huge 12″ cast iron skillet to overflowing.). Be sure to add some salt and pepper, to taste.
Sliced and tossed with olive oil, salt and pepper.
Cook over high heat, stirring to prevent scorching and to allow the vegetables to quickly heat through. The veggies should intensify in color as they heat and be hot through, but tender crisp when they are done. It will only take 3 or 4 minutes, at most. Serve them alongside any main dish to create a beautiful and inviting plate!
Yummy oven "fried" chicken, penne alfredo and quick stir-fry veggies. Perfectly simple and delicious supper!
Have you ever had one of those days where you are busy, busy, busy – doing, doing, doing; and at the end of it you feel as though not much has gotten done? Have you ever been at the weary end of one of those days and been faced with putting a tasty meal on [...]
Have you ever had one of those days where you are busy, busy, busy – doing, doing, doing; and at the end of it you feel as though not much has gotten done? Have you ever been at the weary end of one of those days and been faced with putting a tasty meal on the table for your family, but not having anything prepared? Fortunately, that isn’t a frequent occurrence around here, but when it does happen, it is definitely unsettling. I have several go-to recipes to get the main dish/meat on the table in a hurry, but I am often challenged to come up with quick side dishes that will satisfy my meat and potatoes guy. Peeling, boiling and mashing potatoes for our crew definitely takes some time and doesn’t really fit with the idea of getting a “quick” meal on the table. Bob Evans Original Mashed Potatoes are a great option to have in the fridge for those hectic evenings.
These potatoes were creamy, smooth and buttery and ready to put on the table in 6 minutes! That’s speedy and though my sweet (and incredibly intelligent) guy says they’re not quite as good as my homemade 
, I noticed that he enjoyed seconds. They were a perfect accompaniment to my crispy baked chicken and spaghetti squash.
One lucky Busy-at-Home reader will get to experience the Bob Evans convenience for themselves! They will receive two coupons for a FREE Bob Evans product (up to $5 each). That means the winner can select any two from the Bob Evans line of refrigerated or frozen products at their local grocer - Mashed Potatoes, Macaroni and Cheese, Sausage Egg and Cheese Burritos, Sausage Links, Ground Sausage or Sausage Patties or one of the other fabulous Bob Evans products! It’s as easy as entering the giveaway, below. You just may win a “quick-fix” dinner surprise of your own!
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I received Bob Evans Original Mashed Potatoes, through BFPR, in order to test the product and write this review. No monetary compensation was received and a positive review was not required. As with all Busy-at-Home reviews, the views and opinions expressed are wholly my own.
When you were first married and budgets were tight (yes, even tighter than now), did you have favorite go-to recipes that you made and enjoyed often, but have somehow been weeded out of your menu rotations over the years? This simple, cottage cheese salad is one of mine. As newlyweds, it was one of David’s [...]
When you were first married and budgets were tight (yes, even tighter than now), did you have favorite go-to recipes that you made and enjoyed often, but have somehow been weeded out of your menu rotations over the years? This simple, cottage cheese salad is one of mine. As newlyweds, it was one of David’s favorites and he always asked me to make it when we were having company. Back then, company dinners usually consisted of meatloaf and potatoes, this salad and green beans. It was good. Why don’t we serve that to company anymore? Anyway, I made this salad for him, again last week, and the reaction was just the same. I love that smile!
Doesn't he have the best smile? How could you not want to cook for him?
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Hope you enjoy this salad as much as we do!
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Easy, easy, easy! Back in the day, bananas were the only fruit I ever used, but I had some frozen strawberries when I made this, last week. They were awesome!
Also, as you can see, the Cool Whip I was sure I had on hand, wasn't. :( No worries, I had real whipped cream in a can! I sprayed out what looked like a Cool Whip tubful and it was PERFECT! See how flexible this recipe is? You could change up the fruit and gelatin to make lots of different flavors.
We served this with a favorite family supper - fried chicken, mashed potatoes and pan gravy, cottage cheese salad and cucumbers from the garden. Delish!
Ingredients
- 1 large carton small curd cottage cheese
- 1 small box strawberry gelatin (use your favorite flavor)
- 2 sliced bananas (or fruit of your choice to coordinate with gelatin flavor)
- 1 small tub of Cool Whip (as you will see below, any whipped cream substitutions ARE possible)
Instructions
- Mix gelatin powder into cottage cheese.
- Stir in Cool Whip.
- Add fruit.
- Refrigerate until serving time.
- Serve.
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http://busy-at-home.com/blog/easy-cottage-cheese-salad/I love checking out new foodie blogs and finding recipes that put some variety and creativity into our family’s menu plans. That’s why Secret Recipe Club is such a blast for me. I get the challenge of cooking or baking something completely new and my family thinks I’m an amazing genius in the kitchen! [...]
I love checking out new foodie blogs and finding recipes that put some variety and creativity into our family’s menu plans. That’s why Secret Recipe Club is such a blast for me. I get the challenge of cooking or baking something completely new and my family thinks I’m an amazing genius in the kitchen! Right, guys? I’m an amazing genius in the kitchen?
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Zucchini Fritters served with sour cream and diced tomatoes.
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I was lucky enough to be assigned Cook Lisa Cook for the July edition of Secret Recipe Club. I’ll be making many trips back to Lisa’s blog, before I’ve exhausted the list of all the recipes I want to try, from her collection. For this particular assignment, I selected Zucchini Fritters, 1) because I have never eaten or made them and 2) because I love new ideas to use fresh garden produce. I didn’t change up very much with this recipe. It’s scrumptious, as is. I used a little less onion and a little more nutmeg. I know you’re going to love these as much as our family!
Super simple, fabulously frugal and absolutely delicious! Wonderful way to eat fresh produce from your garden.
Ingredients
- 4 cups grated zucchini
- 3 eggs
- 1/2 medium Vidalia onion, minced
- 3/4 cup King Arthur All Purpose Flour
- 1/2 tsp nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper to taste
- peanut oil
Instructions
- Mix the zucchini, onions and egg.
- Add flour, nutmeg, salt and pepper.
- Heat a very thin coating of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
- I used a 1/3 cup measuring cup about half full to dip batter into my skillet, flattening them as I poured them out.
- I fried the fritters 1-2 minutes per side until lightly browned.
- Drain on paper towels and while still hot, sprinkle with some additional salt & pepper to taste.
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Here’s how I put them together:
Shredded zucchini, diced onion and other fritter ingredients.
- I mixed the zucchini, onions and eggs, then added the flour, nutmeg, salt and pepper.
Nutmeg, flour and other dry ingredients added to batter.
- Heat enough peanut oil to cover the bottom of your skillet, on medium-high heat.
- I used my 1/3 cup measuring cup, filled about half full, to spread the batter into the bottom of my skillet. I spread them out fairly thin, probably about 1/4 inch thick.
Three zucchini fritters beginning to fry in my skillet.
- After 1-2 minutes, turn the fritters to cook the other side. The color will be golden brown when they are ready to turn.
When the bottoms are golden brown, flip the fritters to fry the other side.
- Drain the fritters on paper towels and then transfer to a plate. I got 15 fritters from this batch, counting the ones that were eaten before they could make it to the plate.
Our fifteen-year-old son, flipped for these and wanted to know if there was a way to take them in his lunch, when he’s detasseling in the fields, next week. Then my son-in-law stopped by and saw what I was making. He was super excited to try them, as he said his mom used to make zucchini fritters when he was a kid. These definitely passed muster and he asked that I get the recipe to my daughter, right away.
Yum! My plate of zucchini fritters with sour cream and diced, fresh tomato.
I ate my fritters with sour cream and diced tomatoes. I required myself to eat only two, but I’m not kidding when I tell you, it would have been nothing for me to polish off half a dozen! Nothing beats the freshness of summer produce for flavor and texture. I could eat these with fresh sliced tomatoes, cucumbers and onions, and some sweet corn,…oh and some watermelon. lol Mmmm….The fresh tastes of summer make a hearty delicious meal, any way you serve them up! How’s your garden coming?
Well, there’s no question this recipe is a keeper and that our family will be serving zucchini fritters, again. Thanks so much to Cook Lisa Cook and to Secret Recipe Club for helping us discover them!
Check out all the other fabulous Secret Recipe Club entries for July!
(This recipe is linked to Grocery Cart Challenge.)
One of my favorite memories of childhood is chopping apples in my grandma’s kitchen surrounded by my mom and all my aunts who were also working on various aspects of a family dinner. It was a big kitchen, but it was always crowded because there were LOTS of us. My dad was one of 11 [...]
One of my favorite memories of childhood is chopping apples in my grandma’s kitchen surrounded by my mom and all my aunts who were also working on various aspects of a family dinner. It was a big kitchen, but it was always crowded because there were LOTS of us. My dad was one of 11 siblings and it was not unusual for the majority of them and their families to be at Grandma’s for Sunday dinner. The women congregated in the kitchen to help with the meal and to visit. Being old enough to be allowed in there was a BIG deal. There were likely four or five different conversations going on at once and everyone was lovingly preparing something for a meal that would be shared with our very large, very hungry family. There would be sounds of laughter, spoons clanking against the sides of pans, knives chopping against the cutting boards and smells — oh, the wonderful smells.
Ingredients for a deliciously simple apple salad.
The apples I chopped would be for apple salad. Apple salad didn’t have an exact recipe, because depending on what grandma had in the kitchen, other ingredients, like sliced bananas, raisins or coconut, might be added to this basic recipe. There were parts of it that never really changed, though, and that’s what I’m sharing with you, today — just the basics — simple, pure and full of joyful memories. Moments like those are very likely responsible for my love of cooking and big family dinners. For me, food isn’t just something to eat. It’s something that draws family’s close — in the kitchen and around the table. It’s a memory maker.
Easy and delicious. Chock full of healthy fruits, nuts and even a veggie, PLUS one surprise ingredient! Other fruits and nuts can easily be added or substituted. You may need to mix up extra dressing to get that perfect creamy texture in your salad, if you add extra fruit.
Ingredients
- 4 or 5 apples, washed, cored and diced
- 2 or 3 stalks of celery, washed and sliced thin
- 1 cup of red or green grapes, washed and halved
- 1/2 cup chopped pecans
- 1/2 cup miniature marshmallows
- 1 (8oz) tub whipped topping, thawed
- 1/3 cup Miracle Whip (Not mayo, it just won’t be the same.)
Instructions
- Stir the fruit, celery and nuts together in a large serving bowl.
- Stir in the marshmallows.
- In a smaller bowl, mix the whipped topping and Miracle Whip. I can’t stress enough that to achieve the correct texture and flavor, substitutions are simply not acceptable here. Something magical happens to the whipped topping, when the Miracle Whip is mixed in. The texture thickens and the perfect tang is added to complement the sweetness of the fruit.
- Pour the whipped topping dressing over the fruit and mix thoroughly.
- Cover with plastic wrap and chill until ready to serve.
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Add marshmallows to the fruit and nuts mixture.
Miracle Whip stirred into the whipped topping is the secret to this easy recipe.
I wish I had gotten a better picture of the finished product. It's such a pretty, creamy salad and just the right accompaniment to any main dish or even on the plate, next to a sandwich, for a special lunch.
Congratulations to #459, Erin. She’s our winner in the Zojirushi Rice Cooker Giveaway!!!! I shared the beginning of my Zojirushi Umami Micom Rice Cooker review , last week. I hope you’ll read through it and learn all the features of this extraordinary kitchen tool. Today, I want to share more delicious ideas and [...]
Everything that came with my Zojirushi Umami Micom Rice Cooker.
Congratulations to #459, Erin.
She’s our winner in the Zojirushi Rice Cooker Giveaway!!!!
I shared the beginning of my Zojirushi Umami Micom Rice Cooker review , last week. I hope you’ll read through it and learn all the features of this extraordinary kitchen tool. Today, I want to share more delicious ideas and recipes with you, plus give you a chance to win one of these fabulous appliances for your own kitchen!
First of all, I have to know — does your whole family wake up at the same time, every morning? Ours definitely does not. We have early risers who pop right up the moment they’re awake, those who are definitely not morning people and the ones in between. Which category do you think I fit into? – lol-
A hot breakfast can be a challenge when everyone is wandering out to the kitchen at different times. Either everyone has to make individual breakfasts or someone is going to be eating it cold. Who would have thought that my Zojirushi Umami Micom Rice Cooker would solve this dilemma?!!! I was very excited at the idea of cooking grains with it and while I definitely want to branch out and try some of the ancient grains we hear so much about, now, i.e. quinoa, kamut, amaranth, I went with what I had on hand – rolled oats – and the results were marvelous. It was SIMPLE! I put all the ingredients in the Zojirushi Umami Micom Rice Cooker, turned it on and walked away. When the oatmeal was done, the cooker immediately switched to Keep Warm and whenever my blurry-eyed children decided they were ready for breakfast, it was warm and ready.
The oatmeal ingredients.
Rice Cooker Oatmeal
- 2 cups rolled oats
- 1 cup dried blueberries
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon allspice
- water up to the porridge line (approx. 4 cups)
Measuring rolled oats to add to the cooker pan.
I used the included measuring cup to measure the oats and blueberries into the cooker pan, and then added the spices right on top.
Adding the spices to the oatmeal and blueberries.
Next, I added water to the PORRIDGE (thick) line. (I do not like soupy oatmeal.)
Add the water to the appropriate fill line and then place the cooker pan back into the appliance.
Place the cooker pan back into the appliance and hit the MENU button until the arrow rotates around to the porridge setting.
Continue depressing the MENU button until the arrow points to the porridge cycle.
Depress the START button and walk away. The rice cooker will alert you when breakfast is done!
Depress the START button.
My perfectly cooked oatmeal cooked for a little over an hour ( I was able to get in my devotional time and start some laundry!) and then the rice cooker immediately switched over to the Keep Warm cycle, allowing those who were already up to have breakfast right away, while keeping the oatmeal fresh, warm and delicious for those who got up nearly 45 minutes later. Woohoo! No trying to reheat thick, gloppy leftover oatmeal. No matter when they arose, everyone had a hot, delicious breakfast.
Perfectly cooked, piping hot oatmeal.
I served up this wonderful hot cereal with brown sugar and chopped pecans. It was delish and a marvelous way to start the day!
Mmmmmm....Good morning!
I won’t take the time to go through the entire recipe, this evening, but I want you to know I also used my rice cooker, tonight to make a family favorite for dinner — Lentil Rice Casserole. I used the GABA Brown Rice setting and my husband has declared that texturally, this version is far superior to our original recipe. I made the whole dish in one pan and didn’t even need to heat up the oven. At suppertime, we enjoyed a delicous, nutritious meal and had the simplest clean-up ever! Win! Win!
Lentils and Rice Casserole topped with sour cream and chopped, fresh tomatoes. Yum!
Clearly, I’m not finished, yet! I am having so much fun exploring the myriad ways to use this appliance and finding recipes that are perfect to cook in it. And you can find fabulous recipe suggestions on their site. But, for tonight, I want to share something even more exciting! Zojirushi has generously agreed to award a Zojirushi Umami Micom Rice Cooker, to one very fortunate Busy-at-Home reader, as the prize in a fabulous giveaway!
Giveaway Rules:
You must be 18 or older and a resident of the U.S. to enter. Mandatory entry must be completed for any optional entries to be counted. Deadline for entry is midnight, Sunday March 20, 2011.
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Mandatory Entry:
Visit the Zojirushi website and pick a recipe you would love to see me demonstrate on the blog. Leave the recipe title in a comment below.
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Optional Entries:
- Visit Zojirushi and find another product you would like to own. Leave a comment below telling me what it is.
- Follow Busy-at-Home on Twitter. Leave a comment letting me know you’ve done it.
- Like Busy-at-Home on Facebook. Leave a comment letting me know you’ve done it.
- Follow Busy-at-Home on Google Friends Connect. Use the “Join” button in the right-hand sidebar. Leave a comment letting me know you’ve done it.
- Subscribe to the Busy-at-Home Newsletter with this link (or in the right-hand sidebar). You will receive an email confirmation with a link that must be clicked to confirm your subscription. Once you click the email link to confirm your subscription, leave me a comment to let me know you’ve done it.
- Post this giveaway on your Facebook page. Enter to win a fabulous Zojirushi Umami Micom Rice Cooker at Busy-at-Home. It’s for SO much more than rice! http://ow.ly/4aAnx Leave a comment below with a link to your post.
- Tweet this giveaway (1x daily) : Enter to win a fabulous Zojirushi Umami Micom Rice Cooker @busyathome. It’s for SO much more than rice! http://ow.ly/4aAnx #giveaway #review
Leave a comment below with a link to your tweet.
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————Additional Resources————
These are two rice cooker cookbooks, I own, that may be great resources for you and your family.….
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I received a Zojirushi Umami™ Micom Rice Cooker, in order to test it and conduct this review. No monetary compensation was received and a positive review was not required. Zojirushi supplied technical info and specs, but as with all Busy-at-Home reviews, the opinions and views expressed are true and wholly my own.
This post is linked to Tasty Tuesday.
