Spiced Peach Jam & Learn How to Can Giveaway!

     I am still so pumped after my HouseParty the other day.  Learning to can fruits and vegetables and to share that with others has been an amazing experience.  I recently made a spiced peach jam which was so good I was literally eating it with a spoon.  The peaches were sweet and the spices really added a special hint of flavor to this jam.  It was fairly simple to make and something I'll be enjoying all winter long!

    I'm also excited to share with one lucky reader a Learn How to Can prize pack!  Whether you are a seasoned canner or you just want to learn how to can, this prize pack will help you every step of the way!  Included in the prize is:

-1 Ball Blue Book Guide to Preserving

-1 Jar of Pectin

-2 Packets of Instant Pectin

-1 berry masher

-1 collapsible funnel
-coupons for Ball jars and pectin

     To enter this giveaway you must complete the mandatory entry. You may then do any (or all!) of the additional entries. Leave a comment telling me about each additional entry along with your contact information so that I can contact you if you are the winner.

Spiced Peach Jam (slightly adapted from Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving Cookbook)

4 c. chopped, pitted, peeled, peaches

2 T. lemon juice
1 t. cinnamon
1 t. nutmeg
1 package (1.75 oz) regular powdered fruit pectin
5 c. sugar

1.  Prepare the canner, jars, and lids.

2.  In a large stockpot, bring water to a boil and add the peaches.  Let them boil for 1-2 minutes.  Remove to a cold bath and remove the skins and pits.  Chop peaches.

3.  In a large stainless steel sauce pan combine the peaches, lemon juice, cinnamon, and nutmeg.  Whisk in the pectin until it is dissolved.  Bring to a boil over medium high heat, stirring frequently.  Add sugar all at once and continue stirring constantly.  Bring to a hard boil and stir for 1 minute.  Remove from heat and skim off any foam.

4.  Ladle the hot jam into the warm jars leaving 1/4 inch of headpace.  Remove the air bubbles and adjust the headspace.  Wipe the rim of the jars, center on the lid, and tighten the screwband to fingertip tight.

5.  Put the jars in the canner making sure they are completely submerged and put on the lid.  Boil for 10 minutes.  Remove the lid of the canner and wait an additional 5 minutes.  Remove from canner and let sit for 12 hours.  Check the seal and store for up to 1 year.

Note:  This makes 6 half pints of spiced peach jam.

This post linked to:

Meatless Mondays, Mangia Monday

Made from Scratch Tuesdays

Zesty Salsa and Discover You Can HouseParty



  I cannot tell you how excited I was to be a HouseParty host for the Discover You Can Party sponsored by Jarden Home Brands.  A few months ago I decided to plant a vegetable garden and finally learn how to can.  Being a host for this HouseParty sealed the deal!  About a month before the party, I canned my very first thing:  Strawberry Lemon Marmalade.  It was awesome!  A week later I canned 6 half pints of Zesty Salsa.  One week before the party I canned 6 half pints of Spiced Peach Jam.

My husband and cousin



    The party pack that I received from HouseParty and Ball was amazing!  I received a Discovery Canning Kit, 3 bottles of pectin, sample packets of pectin to share with my guests, 4 collapsible funnels, dissolveable labels, 3 Ball Blue Books, 2 berry mashers, gift bags, coupons, and tons of other things!  I got to keep some for myself, share some with friends and family, and I'm going to share with one of my readers as well! 

    I decided to host the party at my parents house as we were having a huge birthday party for the June birthdays in our family.  I made it birthday/canning party!  It was a huge success.  I'm not sure who had the most fun;  the adults, or my young cousins who liked being the "jam tasters"!  Together we made 9 half pints of Strawberry Lemon Marmalade. I had already made 9 half pints to give to the guests so they could each take one home.  I also gave out 5 jars of Zesty Salsa and 5 jars of Spiced Peach Jam as party favors in thegift bags along with coupons, pectin samples, and more.  My cousin ended up winning the Ball Blue Book prize for guessing the most secret ingredients, and my mom won a collapsible funnel.  I raffled off 2 other funnels and each guest went home with an awesome gift bag full of Ball goodies!



My brother, Kristin & Peyton



     Everyone had a great time at the party and I'm sure a few people will be canning on their own by the end of the summer!  I'd like to thank Jarden and HouseParty for this wonderful "gift" of teaching me how to can.  If you are interested in canning or preserving check back tomorrow for my Learn How to Can giveaway prize pack and another great canning/preserving recipe!  For more information on canning visit Ball's website.



Zesty Mild Salsa   (adapted from Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving)



Mom and Greg



5 cups chopped, cored, peeled tomatoes

1 1/2 c. green bell peppers, chopped and seeded

1 c. red bell peppers, chopped and seeded

2 c. chopped onions
1 c. chili peppers, chopped and seeded
2/3 c. white vinegar
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 T. cilantro, chopped
1 t. salt
1 t. ground cumin
1 t. black pepper

1.  Prepare the canner, jars, and lids.

2.  In order to peel the tomatoes use a large sauce pan to boil water.  Put the tomatoes in the water for 1 minute, flip them over and boil an additional minute.  Transfer to a colander and run cold water over top of them.  The skin should easily peel off the tomatoes.  Cut out the core and chop the tomatoes.

3.  Combine the tomatoes, green peppers, red peppers, onions, chili peppers, vinegar, garlic, cilantro, cumin, and pepper in a large saucepan.  Bring to a boil over medium-high heat stirring constantly.  Reduce the heat and boil gently for about 10 minutes, stirring frequently.

4.  Ladle the hot salsa into half pint jars leaving 1/2 inch headspace.  Use a tool to remove air bubbles and adjust headspace if needed.  Wipe the rims of the jars and center the lid on them.  Put on a screwband and tightened using your fingers.

5.  Process the salsa in the half pint jars in a boiling water bath for 20 minutes.  Remove the lid and let sit for 5 minutes.  Remove the jars and cool for 12 hours.  After 12 hours check the seals and store.

Makes 7 half pint jars.

This post linked to:

Seasonal Sundays, Not Baaad Sundays

Canning Week at From Mess Hall to Bistro

Vanilla Buttermilk Cake with Strawberry Lemon Filling

     This month I hosted the What's Baking? challenge.  The challenge was to make a layer cake.  For as many cakes, cupcakes, pies, etc., that I have made, I have never made a layer cake and it was high time I tried.  I was going to Pittsburgh for Father's Day so I figured this was the perfect time to make the cake.  I figured my dad would love whatever I made.

     I've recently gotten into canning and have made several types of jams and wanted to use one of those as the filling.  I finally settled for the strawberry lemon marmalade as the filling.  Next, I decided on a delicious looking vanilla buttermilk cake.  I then decided to cover the entire thing with my lemon buttercream to bring the flavors together.

     I think baking the cake was the easiest part of making this Father's Day Cake.  The recipe was easy and I had three 9 inch pans and was able to cook all three layers at the same time.  I love this cake.  It is firm but moist and has a delicious buttery vanilla flavor.  After doing some research I put a light crumb coating layer of buttercream on the top of both layer before putting the jam on so that it wouldn't seep into the cake.  I layered the three layers and then let it set in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. 

    The toughest part was frosting the cake.  It was hot and humid out and my buttercream was melting all over the place, causing the filling to run as well.  At one point the layers were slipping everywhere and I thought the cake was ruined.  However, after a few trips in the refrigerator and finally some buttercream modified with Crisco, I got the frosting to stay and got the cake decorated.

    This cake is delicious!  The vanilla in the cake paired with the strawberry lemon filling and topped with lemon buttercream was outstanding.  The whole cake tasted light and summery.  Everyone at the party seemed to enjoy it and my dad loved it.  I'd like to try this flavor combination as a filled cupcake next time.

Vanilla Buttermilk Cake with Strawberry Lemon Filling (cake recipe adapted from Smitten Kitchen)
For the cake:
3 3/4 c. cake flour
2 1/2 c. sugar
1 T. plus 2 t. baking powder
1/2 t. salt
2 sticks butter, at room temperature
1/4 c. applesauce
1 1/4 c. buttermilk
4 whole eggs
2 egg yolks
1/3 c. low fat sour cream
1 T. vanilla

1 jar of Strawberry Lemon Marmalade (recipe HERE)

For the Lemon Buttercream:
5 c. powdered sugar
10 T. butter
5-6 T. lemon juice
2 t. grated lemon peel

1.  Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.  Butter three 9 inch round cake pans then line the bottoms with parchment paper.  Butter the paper and top lightly with flour.  Set aside.

2.  In a large mixing bowl combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. 

3.  In a smaller bowl combine the butter, buttermilk, and applesauce.  Mix well.  Pour the butter mixture into the flour mixture and mix on low with a hand mixer for 30 seconds.  Adjust the speed to high and mix an additional 2-3 minutes or until the batter becomes light and fluffy.

4.  In a small bowl combine the eggs, egg yolks, vanilla, and sour cream.  Stir well to combine.  Slowly add the egg mixture to the batter mixing well.

5.  Divide the batter between the 3 cake pans.  Bake for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick stuck in the middle comes out clean.  Turn pans onto a wire rack and remove the parchment paper.  Let cool completely.

6.  Set the bottom layer of the cake on a cake board and put enough buttercream on top to make a crumb coating.  Spread the top with the strawberry lemon marmalade and top with the second layer.  Repeat this with the second and third layers.  Refrigerate for 30 minutes to set the marmalade.

7.  Make the buttercream icing while the cakes are setting.  With an electric mixer beat together the butter, lemon juice, and lemon peel. Slowly add in the powdered sugar until it is well combined and the icing is smooth. This may take several minutes.

8.  Frost the entire cake with the lemon buttercream.  Decorate using additional buttercream. 

**If not eating the cake right away it can be refrigerated**

This post linked to:
Friday Potluck, Fat Camp Friday
Foodie Friday, Sweet Tooth Friday
Sweets for a Saturday, Fresh Food Friday

Garlic Beef Enchiladas

     I bought a new cookbook this past week and I’ve been itching to make something from it. It’s The Taste of Home Cookbook-Cooks Who Care edition. There are so many awesome recipes and most of them have pictures so I know if what I’m making is close! The first recipe I ventured to try from this book was for the Garlic Beef Enchiladas.

    I was somewhat skeptical about making my own enchilada sauce, especially after reading the ingredients. It didn’t sound like it would be anywhere near my beloved canned sauce. However, after following all the steps I added in the tomato sauce and BOOM! It looked and smelled just like enchilada sauce, amazing!

    The enchiladas were pretty awesome as well. You start with the ground beef, onions, green peppers, and garlic. Then add in some spices. Finally you add in the stewed tomatoes, which give it a rich taste and helps the meat mixture stick together. These bad boys were slightly spicy and better then anything we get at the Mexican restaurant. Since it’s only the two of us at home, I was able to save some of the meat mixture for taco salads the next day and froze a batch of the enchilada sauce for next time.

Garlic Beef Enchiladas (adapted from Taste of Home Cookbook  )

For the Filling:
1 pound of lean ground beef
½ large onion, chopped
½ large green pepper, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
2 T. flour
1 T. chili powder
1 t. salt
1 t. cumin
1 can (14.5 oz) stewed tomatoes

For the Sauce:
3 garlic cloves, minced
3 T. butter
¼ c. flour
1 can (14.5 oz) beef broth
1 can (15 oz) tomato sauce
1 T. chili powder
1 T. cumin
1 t. sage
1 t. salt

8 flour tortillas
2 cups Colby-Monterey Jack cheese

1. In a large skillet heat the beef, onion, green pepper, and garlic over medium heat until the beef is no longer pink. Drain the beef and return the skillet to the heat. Add in the flour and seasonings; stir well. Mix in the stewed tomatoes and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and cook 15 minutes. Stir periodically while the meat and tomatoes cook in order to break up the tomatoes.

2. Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan melt the butter. Sauté the garlic 2-3 minutes or until fragrant. Slowly stir in the flour making a roux. Add the broth a few tablespoons at a time mixing until it’s all incorporated. Bring the broth to a boil and cook for 2-3 minutes or until thickened. Stir in the tomato sauce and seasonings. Cook an additional 5 minutes then remove from heat.

3. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Pour 1 ½ cups of the sauce into the bottom of a 13 x 9 pan. Spread a few tablespoons of meat on one side of a tortilla, top with cheese, and roll up. Place in the baking dish seam side down. Continue with the rest of the tortillas.

4. Top the enchiladas with the remaining sauce (I only used an additional cup and had plenty left over). Sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake for 15 minutes or until the cheese is melted.

This post linked to::

What's Cooking Wednesdays, Made it on Monday

Real Food Wednesday , It's A Keeper Thursday

Frugal Food Thursday, Party Mindie Style

Farm City: The Education of an Urban Farmer

     This year I decided to get into canning so I wanted to grow some of my own vegetables.  To get into the spirit of having my own garden I took the book Farm City:  The Education of an Urban Farmer by Novella Carpenter out of the library.  I wasn't sure what to expect out of this book but I ended up really enjoying her adventure.

      Novella lives in the city of Oakland, California.  The book opens with her and her boyfriend Bill moving into the top floor of a two story house in GhostTown, one of the worst parts of the city.  The bottom floor of the house is another apartment.  Behind the house is an abandoned lot whih Novella decides to turn into her urban farm.

     At first she starts with a couple of raised vegetable beds, trucking in loads of free horse manure from a friend who has a horse farm.  Then she buys a couple of fruit trees.  A year later Bill decides she is ready for bee keeping and buys her a beginning bee keepers kit which she puts of the porch of her house.  As her garden begins flourishing, her neighbors begin helping themselves to the fruits of her labor.

    After a time the fruits and vegetables aren't enough so Novella orders a box of birds for her farm.  She receives ducks, geese, chickens, and turkeys in the box.  She goes through the sorrows and joys of raising them as some of her birds perish at the jaws of ferral dogs, other birds get loose, and one particular turkey ends up on the Thanksgiving day table.

   Novella then moves onto breeding and raising rabbits, and finally to pigs.  This book is a heartfelt story of how Novella and Bill care for their animals but also their pride when they kill and cook the animals that they have nurtured since birth.  In between raising the rabbits, chasing the pigs, and harvesting the vegetables are tales of neighbors living in cars, an underground fish fry, and murder in the city.

    Novella becomes a true urban farmer and to this day has a farm in Oakland.  She has continued to grow fruits and vegetables and I've heard that she has added goats to her menagerie.  This is an inspirational book to everyone who lives in a city and has every wanted to grow their own foods or raise their own livestock.

I give this book 4 out of 5 stars.

Stuffed Shells

     I enjoy eating stuffed shells. I don’t like to make them, but they are always worth the effort. I usually stuff them with ricotta, spinach, and spices, but my husband doesn’t really like ricotta all that much. This time around I went with half mozzarella and half ricotta, and added in some onions and garlic for good measure.

     The result was a softer, cheesier filling. The spinach, onions, and garlic did their part to flavor the cheeses as well. It was really tasty, especially with all the spices I added to the mixture. The best part was that my husband, his friend, and I all ate the shells for dinner and I still had 20 left to freeze for another meal. This recipe easily makes enough for 6 adults.

Stuffed Shells (a Hezzi-D original)

1 box (12 oz) large shells-about 40 shells

1 T. olive oil

3 garlic cloves, minced
1 medium onion, chopped
1 (10 oz) package frozen spinach
2 ½ c. part skim ricotta cheese (we used Maggio)
2 c. part skim mozzarella cheese, shredded
1 t. pepper
1 t. salt
2 t. Italian seasonings
4 c. marinara sauce
Parmesan cheese
Chopped basil
1. Cook the shells according to the package directions. Drain in a colander and rinse with cold water. Pour 1 cup of marinara sauce in the bottom of a 9 x 13 baking pan and place the shells on top of the sauce. (I put half the shells in a baking pan and the other on a baking sheet to freeze.)

2. Heat olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and sauté for 1 minute. Then add in the onion and sauté for 5 minutes. Remove from heat to cool.

3. Defrost the spinach and squeeze the moisture from it. In a large bowl combine the spinach, ricotta cheese, and mozzarella cheese. Mix until well combine. Add in the warm garlic and onion mixture and stir. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and Italian seasonings. Mix well.

4. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

5. Begin filling the shells with 1-2 tablespoons of the cheese mixture. If there is any leftover put into shells that need more.

6. Top the shells with 3 cups of marinara sauce, enough to fill the bottom of the baking dish as well as on top of the shells. Bake for 35-40 minutes. Remove from oven and cool 5 minutes. Serve with parmesan cheese and chopped basil.

**If freezing shells, place them in the freezer on the cookie sheet for 3-4 hours. Remove from freezer and transfer the frozen shells to a freeze baggie. These freeze nicely for up to 6 months.**

This post is linked to:

Not Baaad Sundays, Seasonal Sundays

Meatless Mondays, Mangia Mondays

Dr. Laura's Tasty Tuesdays

Retirement Cake: Yellow Butter Cake with Buttercream Frosting

     Every year at work we have an end of the year luncheon.  This year it was in honor of our retiring guidance counselor.  I was asked if I would make and decorate a cake instead of buying one at the market.  I began struggling with what type of cake to make.  I initially thought of making a marble cake to make everyone happy, but after a stressful week I just went with a butter yellow cake. 

     The cake turned out great.  It was firm, moist, and buttery.  It held up well against the buttercream.  The buttercream was thick and rich.  It paired wonderfully with the butter yellow cake.  The toughest part of the cake was decorating it.  I poured over baking websites for days looking for a design.  I finally decided to make a clock and put all of the things she enjoys doing on the clock.  I sprinkled the entire cake with fat sprinkles and wrote a message on it.  I got a lot of compliments on the decorating of the cake.  I really enjoyed working on this cake and hope I get to make another one soon!

Yellow Butter Cake with Buttercream Icing (adapted from Annie's Eats )

For the Cake:
1 1/2 sticks butter
1/4 c. applesauce
3 c. flour
1 T. baking powder
1/2 t. salt
1 1/2 c. sugar
1/2 c. brown sugar
4 eggs
2 t. vanilla
1 1/4 c. lowfat milk

For the Frosting:
2 sticks butter
3 c. powdered sugar
1 t. meringue powder
1 t. vanilla

1.  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Line the bottom of a 9 x 13 pan or two 9 inch cake pans with parchment.  Butter and flour the edges of the pans and set aside.

2.  In a large bowl combine the flour, baking powder, and salt.  Sitr well and set aside.

3.  In a large bowl cream the butter and sugar.  Add in the applesauce and mix well.  Stir in the eggs one at a time.

4.  Stir in the vanilla and mix for 2 minutes.  Slowly take turns adding in the dry ingredients and the milk until everything is just incorporated.

5.  Pour the batter into the 9 x 13 pan or divide it into the 9 inch pans.  Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.  Put on a cooling rack and cool 20 minutes.

6.  Run a knife around the edge of the pan to help remove the cakes.  Invert the pans and peel off the parchment.  Let cool completely.

7.  Meanwhile, beat the butter with a hand mixer.  Beat in the vanilla and meringue powder.  On low, mix in the powdered sugar, gradually coming up to high speed and mixing for 3-5 minutes or until the mixture comes together as a thick frosting.

8.  Frost the entire cake and then decorate.

This post linked to:

Foodie Friday, Friday Potluck

Sweet Tooth Friday,  Fat Camp Friday 

Sweets for a Saturday, Party Mindie Style

Almost Cinnabons (Recipe Swap)

    This week my online cooking board did a recipe swap involving breakfast recipes.  Now I do not normally cook breakfast and rarely do I eat more then toast for breakfast.  However, when I got my recipe I was so excited.  The recipe is for Almost Cinnabons!  I absolutely love cinnamon rolls, especially at Cinnabon.  This recipe comes from Love Through the Stomach... and looked so incredible.

    I made the dough early in the morning, but it was a surprisingly chilly June morning so it took my dough about two and a half hours to rise.  I then spread on the butter and cinnamon/sugar goodness.  I rolled it up and then decided to let the rolls do a second rise for an hour.  As the rolls began their second rise the smell of cinnamon spread throughout the house.  My husband couldn't wait to have a cinnamon roll.

    Baking in the oven they smelled heavenly.  The cinnamon rolls came out slightly browned and dripping with cinnamon and sugar.  The cream cheese frosting was thick and lucious.  These cinnamon rolls taste very similar to the ones I've had before a Cinnabon.  They were warm, gooey, and sweet.  Perfect for breakfast or dessert.  I will definitely be making these again soon!

Almost Cinnabons (adapted from Love Through the Stomach)
For the Dough:
1/3 c. warm milk (110 degrees)
1 package of dry active yeast
3 T. sugar
1 medium egg
2 T. butter
1/4 t. salt
1 1/2 c. flour

For the Filling:
1/2 c. brown sugar
2 t. cinnamon
2 T. butter, softened

For the Frosting:
3 T. cream cheese (I used 1/3 less fat)
1 c. powdered sugar
1 T. butter
1 t. vanilla

1.  In a medium sized mixing bowl combine the warm milk, sugar, and yeast.  Mix and let it sit 5 minutes to activate the yeast.  After five minutes add the salt, egg, and butter.  Mix well to combine. 

2.  Slowly add in the flour and knead for 4-5 minutes.  Form into a ball, return it to the mixing bowl, and cover with a towel.  Sit in a warm place for 1-2 hours or until the dough has doubled in size.

3.  Once the dough has doubled, turn it out onto a floured surface.  Using a rolling pin roll it into a rectangular shape. 

4.  Quickly mix the cinnamon and sugar together and set aside.  Spread the softened butter onto the dough rectangle covering it to the edges.  Sprinkle the buttered dough with the cinnamon and sugar mixture. 

5.  Starting at the narrow end roll up the dough.  Slice into 4 or 6 pieces (depending on the size) and place in a dish sprayed with cooking spray.  Cover with a towel and allow the rolls to rise for 1-2 horus.

6.  Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.  Bake for 25-30 minutes or until the cinnamon rolls are brown and cooked all the way through.  As soon as you remove them from the oven flip them upside down so the melted cinnamon mixture evenly covers the insides of the rolls. 

7.  Leave the cinnamon rolls in the baking dish while the frosting is prepared.  beat the cream cheese, powdered sugar, vanilla, and butter together until it comes together as a thick frosting.  Top the warm cinnamon rolls with the frosting and serve.

This post is linked to:

What's on Your Plate Wednesday?, Made it on Monday

What's Cooking Wednesdays, It's A Keeper Thursday

Recipe Swap Thursday, Frugal Food Thursday

Fruit & Yogurt Parfaits with Homemade Granola

  This past month I joined a group called The Secret Recipe Club.  The idea is that each person who participates gets another members blog and has to make a recipe from the blog.  No one knows who has their blog until the post date!   This month the blog that I got to choose a recipe from was Little Bit of Everything.

  I had a lot of fun going through the blog and looking for a recipe that I wanted to make.  There were so many amazing recipes to choose from!  I finally decided to make the yogurt parfaits with granola because I had just bought a large container of organic yogurt and a ton of fruit.  I did make a few adjustments to the recipe to suite the tastes of my husband and I, but the granola is fantastic!  It would be good on many things besides the yogurt parfait.  I even ended up eating it by itself as a snack.

   I made two different parfaits.  I went with the original chocolate granola but paired it with strawberries and yogurt.  It was like eating a chocolate covered strawberry with yogurt.  Delicious!  Then I made a honey nut granola and paired it with the bananas.  These caramelized bananas are out of this world.  There are so many different combinations that can be used within this recipe.   I will be making this granola many times this summer.

Fruit and Yogurt Parfaits with Granola (adapted from Little Bit of Everything)
For the Chocolate Granola:
1/2 c. rolled oats
1/4 c. toasted almonds, sliced
1/2 c. coconut, toasted
1/4 c. flax seed
2 T. brown sugar
1 T. cocoa powder
3 T. honey
1/4 c. mini chocolate chips

For the Honey Nut Granola:
1/2 c. rolled oats
1/4 c. toasted almonds, sliced
1/2 c. flax seed
1/4 c. sunflower kernels
2 T. brown sugar
1 t. cinnamon
3 T. honey
1/4 c. raisins

For the bananas(per parfait):
1 banana, sliced
1 T. brown sugar
1 T. butter

16 oz. container organic, lowfat vanilla yogurt
1 container strawberries, sliced and sprinkled with sugar


1.  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Line two rimmed baking pans with parchment paper and set aside.

2.  In a medium bowl combine the oats, almonds, coconut, flax seed, brown sugar, and cocoa powder.  Mix well.  Add in 2 tablespoons of honey and mix with your hands until it is well combined.  Set aside.

3.  In another medium bowl combine the oats, almonds, flax seed, sunflower kernels, brown sugar, and cinnamon.  Mix well.  Add in 2 tablespoons of honey and mix with your hands until it is well combined.

4.  Pour the honey nut granola into one of the prepared pans making sure it lays evenly.  Repeat using the chocolate granola.

5.  Bake in the oven for 15 minutes within stirring.  Remove from the oven an let cool for 5 minutes.

6.  Remove the chocolate granola from the pan and place in a medium sized mixing bowl.  Add in the chocolate chips and remaining honey.  Mix well and then let cool.  In the other medium mixing bowl place the honey nut granola along with the raisins and remaining honey.  Mix well and let cool.

7.  Just before assembling the parfaits, make the caramelized bananas.  In a medium saucepan melt the butter and brown sugar.  Once they are combined add the sliced bananas.  Let let 1-2 minutes per side, then remove from heat.

8.  In a large glass layer the fruit, yogurt, granola, yogurt, and then top with fruit and a sprinkle of the granola.  Enjoy!

**This recipe makes 8 parfaits (4 banana with honey nut granola and 4 strawberry with chocolate granola).

This post linked to:

Mangia Mondays, Meatless Mondays

Tuesday Night Supper Club, Dr. Laura's Tasty Tuesdays

Made it From Scratch Tuesdays

Strawberry Lemon Marmalade

     For a few months now I’ve really been looking into canning my own food. I’ve always thought it was awesome when someone was able to whip out homemade strawberry jam in December or homemade marinara sauce in February. After much thought, I decided to go for it. It also helped that I was chosen as a Discover you Can House Party host.

     I decided to start small and went with half pint jars. The local farmers market had strawberries for cheap so I wanted to make something out of them. I found a strawberry lemon marmalade recipe that looked fairly simply and sounded delicious. I prepped my jars, made the sauce, and filled the jars. Then I processed them in the boiling water and set them on my dresser to wait the 24 hours.

     Those 24 hours were agony waiting to see whether or not my canning attempt had worked. At long last I checked-and the jars sealed properly! I was so excited my first home canning project was a success. A week later I opened the first jar and had it with toast. It was absolutely delicious! Thick chunks of strawberries with a subtle lemon taste. I can’t wait to try my next canning project!

Strawberry Lemon Marmalade (Slightly adapted from Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving Cookbook)
¼ c. thinly sliced lemon peel, chopped
4 c. crushed hulled strawberries
2 T. lemon juice
1 package (1.75 oz) powdered fruit pectin
6 c. sugar

1.  Prepare 7 half pint jars and lids.

2.  In a large stainless steel saucepan combine the lemon peel, strawberries, and lemon juice.  Mix well.  Whisk in the pectin until it dissolves.  Bring the mixture to a boil over high heat, stirring constantly.  Add in the sugar all at once and return to a hard boil, still stirring contantly.  Boil for 1 minute.  Remove from heat and skim off the foam.

3.  Spoon the hot marmalade into the hot jars, leaving 1/4 inch headspace.  Remove any air bubbles and adjust the headspace if needed.  Wipe the rim and center the lid on the jar.  Twist the screw band on until it is fingertip-tight.

4.  Place the jars in a canner (I use a large stockpot) and make sure they are covered by the water.  Bring the water to a boil and process for 10 minutes.  Remove canner from heat and let the jars sit for 5 minutes.  Remove the jars and allow them to cool for 12 hours.  Check the seals then store in a cool place.

This post linked to:

Sweets for a Saturday, Not Baaad Sundays

Seasonal Sundays, So Sweet Sunday

Melissa's Macaroni Salad

    I love macaroni salad.  It is one of my favorite summer side dishes.  I usually pick up some at the market because I have yet to find a recipe that I like.  Usually I find that the macaroni salads other people make are full of mayonnaise.  I like my macaroni salad with more of a mustard flavor which is why when I came across Melissa's version of this summer side dish I knew I was going to love it.

    This macaroni salad is full of fresh, crisp vegetables.  The dressing has a small amount of mayonnaise and a lot of other spices in order to give it a great flavor.  It's much lighter then the version I pick up at the market and certainly lighter then any other version I've made at home before.  My husband and I loved the taste of the mustard and the lightness to this macaroni.  It does not taste light, but it went perfectly with our grilled burgers.

Melissa's Macaroni Salad (adapted from I Was Born To Cook )
1 pound elbow macaroni (cooked, drained, and cooled)
1/4 c. celery, chopped
1/4 c. green pepper, chopped
1/4 c. red pepper, chopped
1/3 c. carrots, shredded
1/4 c. Miracle Whip Light (or mayonnaise)
1 T. Dijon mustard
1 T. yellow mustard
1 t. vinegar
1 pickle, minced
1 t. salt
1 t. pepper
1 t. celery seed
1 t. sugar

1.  In a large bowl mix together the macaroni, celery, peppers, carrots, and pickle. 

2.  In a small bowl combine the Miracle Whip, both mustards, vinegar, salt, pepper, celery seed, and sugar.  Mix well. 

3.  Pour the dressing over top of the macaroni mixture and mix well to combine.  Store in the refrigerator.

Beer Battered Fish Nuggets

     One of my favorite ways to eat fish is beer battered. I love the flavor of the beer, the spiciness of the seasonings, and the crunchy of the outside of the fish. My version is pan fried rather then deep fried in order to be a bit healthier, though these fish nuggets can be deep fried.

     The flour and beer mixed together makes a thick batter for the fish. In Maryland we use Old Bay on just about anything that comes from the sea. It adds a bit of spice to the fish and the salt and pepper round out the seasonings. The nuggets get crispy and golden brown. Don’t cook them too long or the fish will be overcooked and the crust will stick to the pan.

Beer Battered Fish Nuggets (a Hezzi-D original recipe)

4 tilapia filets (about 1 pound total)
½ c. flour
¾ c. beer
2 t. Old Bay seasoning
1 t. black pepper
½ t. salt
3 T. olive oil

1. Start by cutting each tilapia filet into 8 pieces. Set aside.

2. In a medium size bowl mix the flour, Old Bay, pepper, and salt. Add the beer until the consistency is thick but still pours off a spoon. It will take between ¾ c. and 1 c. of the beer. Stir until smooth.

3. Heat 2 T. of oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Dip half of the fish nuggets into the batter tapping on the side of the dish to remove excess. Place in the pan so that the nuggets are not touching. Cook for 3-4 minutes on each side. The crust should be a golden brown. Remove to a plate and cover.

4. Add the additional 1 T. oil to the pan and fry the remaining half of the fish nuggets. Serve warm with vinegar or tartar sauce.

This post linked to:

Made it on Monday, What's Cooking Wednesday

What's on Your Plate? Wednesday, Real Food Wednesday