blender wheat pancakes...

We are breakfast people. I don't usually make breakfast, but we do have breakfast for dinner about once a week. These pancakes are a childhood FAVORITE! They come together so easily. The whole thing is done in the blender and can be poured right on to the griddle. We have always eaten these with boysenberry syrup (store bought), but whatever strikes your fancy!

1 cup milk

3/4 cup whole wheat kernels (wheat berries)

2 eggs

1/4 cup oil

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp baking soda 

2 tsps baking powder 

1 Tbsp sugar or honey 

Put milk and wheat in blender and blend for a few minutes or until wheat is completely broken up. (In my Blendtec it took less than a minute) Add remaining ingredients. Blend well. Cook on lightly greased griddle; turning once. Keep warm in 200 degree oven until ready to serve. Makes approximately 12 pancakes. I usually double and freeze leftover pancakes.

waffles...and the BEST buttermilk syrup you've ever had...

This is good. Oh, so very good. These waffles are so easy to throw together, just as easy as a mix, but soooo much tastier. I double the recipe and get about eight thick waffles. One batch would make about 4 Belgian waffles and 5-6 in a regular waffle iron.

 And let me just go on about this syrup for a minute...I've been making this for years for my family and it is unbelievably delicious. Like, lick the spoon/bowl/plate delicious. I usually make it with vanilla extract, but you can substitute for coconut extract and it is just as good. The leftover syrup stores well in the fridge, and makes a fabulous ice cream topping, as well. 

Waffles:

3 Tbsp butter

1 1/2 cups flour 

1 1/2 tsp baking powder 

Pinch of salt 

2 Tbsp sugar

1 1/2 cups milk

2 eggs

Preheat oven to 200 degrees. Preheat waffle iron. Melt butter in microwave. In a large bowl combine dry ingredients. In another bowl beat together milk and eggs. Whisk liquid mixture into dry ingredients until just combined. Stir in melted butter. Spoon approx. 1/2 cup batter onto iron and cook until golden brown and crisp around edges. 

Remove from iron and keep warm on baking sheet in oven while making the rest.

Buttermilk syrup:

1 cup white sugar 

1/2 cup buttermilk 

1/2 cup butter 

1 Tbsp light corn syrup 

1 tsp baking soda 

1 tsp vanilla extract or coconut extract 

Heat first four ingredients in a saucepan over medium heat until mixture starts to boil. Let boil 5-7 minutes. Remove pan from heat and stir in baking soda and vanilla. NOTE: the mixture will bubble up when baking soda and vanilla are added and it is HOT. Stand back until it settles down and stir until combined 

oatmeal muffins...

I have a picky eater at my house. She doesn't "do" sandwiches. She loves muffins, though, so when I saw this recipe I thought it might be a good addition to her lunchbox. One batch makes 18-24 muffins so I freeze them and pop a frozen muffin in her lunch. 

These are perfect for a weekend breakfast/brunch, as well. 

The recipe has a lot of steps but each one is easy. Plus, when you get so many for your efforts it's worth it.

2 T butter

2 cups oats 

Melt butter over medium heat and toast oats until golden, 6-8 min.*

*(I usually skip this step)

Place oats in food processor and process to flour. Add:

1 3/4 cup flour 

1 1/2 tsp salt

3/4 tsp baking powder 

1/4 tsp baking soda 

Pulse to combine and set aside.

In a large bowl mix 1 1/3 cups brown sugar and 6 Tbsp melted butter. Stir until lumps are gone.

Add 1 3/4 cups milk and 2 beaten eggs. Mix to combine. 

Add dry ingredients in two stages (folding in with a whisk), turning and shaking off of whisk as you go. Let batter sit for 20 min.

Topping:

1/2 cup oats 

1/3 cup flour 

1/3 cup brown sugar 

1 1/4 tsp cinnamon 

Pinch of salt 

4 Tbsp melted butter 

Stir to combine 

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray muffin tins really well. Fill muffin cups to the top with batter. Top each with 2 Tbsp topping. Bake 18-25 min. Rotate pan halfway through baking. Let cool in pans for 10 min on top of cooling rack.

If freezing, let cool completely and place 9 muffins in a gallon sized freezer bag.

Recipe source: Americas Test Kitchen 

frozen pie...

*Symphony pie*

1 giant milk chocolate Symphony bar

1 pre-made graham cracker crust (or 12 individual)

1 8oz tub cool whip

1/4 cup water

Break up candy bar into small pieces and melt with 1/4 cup water in microwave about 30 seconds. Let cool a little. Fold in cool whip and put in crust(s). Freeze for a couple of hours before serving. Delicious with fresh whipped cream or a little chocolate syrup drizzled over the top.

*Cookie dough pie*

1 pkg regular Chips Ahoy cookies (or Oreos, Nutter Butter, etc.)

1 8oz tub cool whip

chocolate syrup for drizzling

Put one layer of cookies (breaking to fit if necessary) in the bottom of a 9 or 10 inch pie pan. Spread 1/3 of cool whip over cookies. Repeat this two more times. Drizzle with chocolate syrup. Freeze for 1-2 hours. Slice & serve.

Cake shmake. My boys wanted pie for their birthday! They each picked the kind they wanted and after some very easy assembly and a little freezer time the candles were on & we were good to go! The Symphony pie (recipe courtesy of Real Mom Kitchen!) is so rich and soooo good! The cookie dough pie was good, as well. The cookies soften from the cool whip...hence the name. (recipe from Big Red Kitchen)

Both of these are great for a cold Summer treat!

lemon cakes...

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, room temp

1 1/4 cups flour

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 cup buttermilk or plain low-fat yogurt

1 tsp vanilla

finely grated lemon zest and juice of 1 lemon, plus 2 Tbsp juice for the glaze

1 cup sugar

2 eggs

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour a 6-cup jumbo muffin tin. (I used six regular and the rest in a mini muffin tin) In a med bowl, whisk the flour with the baking powder and salt. In a small bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, vanilla, and lemon zest and juice. Set aside.

With an electric mixer, cream the butter and granulated sugar until light. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. With the mixer on low speed, add the flour mixture in three batches, alternating with two additions of the buttermilk mixture.

Divide evenly among the muffin cups. Bake 20-25 min (less for mini muffins) until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool completely before topping with glaze.

In a small bowl, stir powdered sugar with the remaining 2 Tbsp of lemon juice until smooth. Pour over the cakes, spreading to the edges with a small knife. Let glaze set before serving.

I actually made these a while ago and forgot to post them...I certainly have not forgotten how amazing they tasted, though. I love lemon desserts, but do think there is such a thing as too much lemon. The glaze was a little too tart for me with the lemon juice. Next time I will just make the glaze with milk...but that's just me. If you LOVE the extra tartness of lemon juice, leave it as is. I also wanted to get more than 6 cakes, that's why I made them in 6 regular size muffin cups and the rest in a mini muffin tin. Just watch the cooking time. It will definitely cut down on the cooking time so watch them closely if you make them into mini cakes.
Recipe from Everyday Food's Great Food Fast cookbook (my new favorite cookbook!)

almond poppy seed bread/cake...

1/4 cup butter, melted

3 1/3 Tbsp canola oil

2 eggs; room temp

1/2 cup milk

3/4 cup sugar

1/2 tsp vanilla

1/2 tsp almond extract

1 cup flour

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp poppy seeds

Grease and flour an 8X4-inch loaf pan and set aside. In a large mixing bowl cream together butter, oil, eggs, milk, sugar, vanilla, and almond extract. In a separate bowl mix together flour, salt, baking powder, and poppy seeds. Add this mixture to the first and mix until well blended, be careful not to over mix. Pour into loaf pan and bake at 325 degrees for 45 minutes. Cool completely and top with icing.

powdered sugar icing:

1 cup powdered sugar
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
1 tablespoon milk

Combine sugar and extract and add milk a little at a time until pouring consistency. Pour or drizzle over cake.

DELISH!!

4 bean chili...

12 oz extra lean ground beef

1 small onion, minced

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 can kidney beans; drained & rinsed

1 can black beans; drained & rinsed

1 can great northern beans; drained & rinsed

1 can chili beans (do not drain)

2 15oz cans tomato sauce

2 Tbsp chili powder

1/2 tsp pepper

Brown ground beef & onions. Add garlic & cook about 30 seconds. Add beans & tomato sauce & stir to mix well. Add chili powder and pepper. Simmer over med-low heat 20-30 min until beans are tender. Serve with grated cheese, sour cream, green onions, etc.

Make a little cornbread, cozy up by a fire & enjoy!

Perfect for Fall!

(1 1/2 cups-7pts)

jr. sloppy joe's...

1 lb extra lean ground beef

minced onion

1 15 oz can tomato sauce

1/2 cup ketchup

2 tsp mustard

1/3 cup brown sugar (you can add less)

small rolls or hamburger buns

Brown ground beef and onions and drain off excess fat. Add remaining ingredients and cook over low heat about 10 min. Serve on hamburger buns.

I love to serve these on "dollar" rolls (little 1 oz rolls). Many grocery stores make their own version of these in their bakery. If not, potato rolls or hamburger buns work just fine. There is something about eating a mini version of anything that just grabs my kids (I eat less as well...) Serve these up with a little corn on the cob, watermelon, etc. This is a great recipe for a crowd, the recipe can easily be doubled, tripled, etc.

cranberry orange scones...

No "Tuesdays with Dorie" for me this week. I admire the rest of the TWD gang for tackling the "Brioche Raisin Snails"!! Way to go guys! Click here to check out the TWD blogroll for some pretty fabulous takes on this recipe.

My offering this week, instead is another amazing Barefoot Contessa recipe...cranberry orange scones...

4 cups plus 1/4 cup flour

1/4 cup sugar, plus additional for sprinkling

2 Tbsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

2 Tbsp grated orange zest

2 sticks cold butter, diced

5 large eggs, lightly beaten

1 cup cold ½ & ½

1 cup dried cranberries

1 egg beaten with 2 tablespoons water or milk, for egg wash

icing:

1/2 cup powdered sugar, plus 2 tablespoons

4 teaspoons freshly squeezed orange juice

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
In the bowl of an electric mixer, mix 4 cups of flour, 1/4 cup sugar, the baking powder, salt and orange zest. Add the cold butter and mix at the lowest speed until the butter is the size of peas. Combine the eggs and 1/2 & 1/2 , with the mixer on low speed, slowly pour into the flour and butter mixture. Mix until just blended. The dough will look lumpy! Combine the dried cranberries and 1/4 cup of flour, add to the dough, and mix on low speed until blended.
Dump the dough onto a well-floured surface and knead it into a ball. Flour your hands and a rolling pin and roll the dough 3/4-inch thick. You should see small bits of butter in the dough. Keep moving the dough on the floured board so it doesn't stick. Flour a 3-inch round plain or fluted cutter and cut circles of dough. Place the scones on a baking pan lined with parchment paper. Collect the scraps neatly, roll them out, and cut more circles. Brush with egg wash & sprinkle with sugar. Bake 10-15 min, until golden brown. Drizzle with icing when cool.

meatballs 101...

If you're going to make them...you might as well just make a lot!

*meatballs*

4 lb Lean ground beef

2 eggs slightly beaten

1 cup dry Italian bread crumbs

1/2 cup finely chopped onion

1 Tbsp salt

1 tsp pepper

1 3/4 cups milk

1/4 cup worchestershire sauce

Preheat oven to 375°F. Combine all ingredients. Blend well. Shape mixture into 1-1/2" balls. Place on ungreased cookie sheet and bake 25-30 minutes until brown. Remove immediately and drain on paper towels. When cooled put into ziploc bags. Freeze and use within 3 months. Makes about 80 meatballs.

Take the phone off the hook, put the kids in front of the tv (what?) and dive into this little project!

This is such a great recipe. A tip on freezing them is to line them up (after baked and cooled) on a parchment or wax paper lined baking sheet and place in the freezer for about an hour. Once they are frozen, put in plastic bags and store in freezer. This is called "flash freezing" (are you impressed that I knew the technical term?..I kind of am). This is so they don't freeze in a giant clump and makes it easier to use as many as you want at one time.I love that I can freeze them and have something for a quick dinner. In the upcoming weeks I will post recipe ideas to use these little babies up. Oh, and they taste goooood! As long as I had a few meatballs on hand...

parmesan chicken strips...

these are a keeper..my kids will happily eat these any day. i may even make them too often (just ask my husband).

2 cups seasoned croutons; crushed

1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

1/2 tsp garlic salt

2 lbs chicken strips

whisk together:

2 egg whites

1 1/2 Tbsp water

Combine croutons, cheese and garlic salt. Dip chicken strips in egg mixture, then in breading. Bake on greased baking sheet at 450 degrees for 15 min.

roasted red potatoes:

red potatoes, cubed

chopped onion

olive oil

salt

pepper

combine everything and roast at 400 degrees for 20-30 min., turning occasionally.

*you can do this with just about any vegetable