Alexia Foods: Foodbuzz Tastemakers

     As part of the Foodbuzz Tastemakers program I was given a coupon for a free bag of Alexia frozen foods.  I have seen the Alexia Food bags in the freezer section but I hadn't had a chance to try them until now.  I was surprised by the large selection of products that were stocked at my store.

     There were so many varieties to choose from.  There are appetizers such as onion rings, mozzarella sticks, and cheddar bites.  Then they have several artisan breads like french and ciabatta.  Their biggest line of products are for potatoes which are what I ended up trying.  I couldn't pick just one item so I chose two!

      First we tried the Oven Fries with Rosemary and Garlic.  We had these with lamb pitas and they were delicious.  The potatoes browned on the bottom and were filled with flavors of rosemary and garlic.  I sprinkled a little salt on top and they were ready to go.  They tasted fresh and pretty close to homemade.

      The second product we tried were the Oven Reds with olive oil, Parmesan, and garlic.  These potatoes have the skin still on them and taste fresh cut.  The Parmesan and garlic shine through and give the potatoes a fabulous flavor.  I really enjoyed how simple yet tasty the products from Alexia were.

     In addition to all of the traditional potatoes Alexia is currently hosting a "Reinvent a Classic" campaign on Facebook.  They want Alexia fans to help decide their newest french fry flavor!  The four flavors you can choose from are Thai Spiced Sweet Julienne Fries, Bruschetta Waffle Fries, Herbs de Provence and Garlic Sweet Potato Fries, and Classic Dill Julienne Fries.   Each of the four flavors was created by a food blogger!  I've already put in my vote for the Bruschetta Waffle Fries but you can have your vote by visiting www.facebook.com/alexiafoods.

The Burn by Annie Oldham

       The Burn is the name given to the world 100 years after World War III erupted and left the Earth devastated by nuclear burnout.  That's all Terra, a teenage girl, really knows about The Burn.  She's been living her entire life in a comfortable colony at the bottom of the Pacific Ocean.

      The Burn, by Annie Oldham, is a dystopian novel about a group of scientists that predicted the nuclear war that caused the Earth to become known as The Burn.  For year's before the was broke out scientists in all fields began creating secret colonies at the bottom of the ocean.  At the time of World War III there were 14 colonies of scientists and there families living in the ocean.

     Terra is not like the other people who live in the colony.  Most people are happy living at the bottom of the ocean with their job picked out for them, their menus planned for them, and video recording watchers taping their every move.  Terra is not satisfied with her life in the colony.  She feels claustrophobic and crushed by the ocean above and around her.  She longs to see real light and not the artificial lights that are in every part of the colony. 

    All of this is complicated by the fact that she lives with her father and her grandmother.  Her grandmother was the former speaker, or leader, of their colony and her father is the current speaker.  Her mother left years before after the birth of Terra and her twin sister Jessa.

    When she thinks she can't take it anymore an opporunity to go to The Burn falls in her lap.  There is a hefty price to pay in addition to the fact that she can never come back to the colonies but Terra takes it.  She arrives in The Burn and finds a group of survivors hiding from the government.  She quickly becomes friends with them and everything seems to be falling into place.

    Just when she gets comfortable Terra finds that life on The Burn is not what she expected.  She witnesses and commits unspeakable acts.   She realizes that everyday will be a struggle for survival and she's not sure if living above water is any better then living under it in the colonies.

    For the most part I really enjoyed this book.  Terra is a strong female character that follows her heart.  She is naive in the way that many teenagers are but she never gives up.  The whole concept of living on the bottom of the ocean really interested me and it was neat to see the underwater world Annie Oldham dreamed up.  There were several parts where I thought things changed a little abruptly or happened too quickly but overall I liked this novel and hope there's a second book so I can see what happens to Terra.

I give this book 3 1/2 stars out of 5.

This post linked to:
Saturday Situation

Crock-Pot Macaroni and Cheese

       I love participating in recipe exchanges.  It's always fun to get a new recipe and give it a try.  Our newest recipe exchange was for my favorite thing in the world...pasta.  I know I've said it before but I could literally eat pasta everyday of my life.  Just ask my college roommate; I ate pasta for dinner for four years straight.


      When I received the recipe for Crock-Pot Macaroni and Cheese I was super excited because I had pinned this very recipe several weeks ago and was planning to make it soon!  This just helped to speed up the process.  My recipe came from Nicole at The Cookaholic Wife.  While this recipe looked drool worthy, I was a little concerned about the huge amount of fat in it.


     I wanted the macaroni and cheese to taste delicious but I didn't think it needed nearly the amount of cheese in it that the recipe called for.  The main changes I made to the recipe was that I increased the amount of macaroni by using an entire box, I cut the amount of cheese in half, I used low fat milk, and fat free evaporated milk.  The result was awesome!  The macaroni and cheese was thick, creamy, and cheesey.  I didn't miss the extra cheese or fat in the least.  This is honestly one of the best macaroni and cheese dishes I have made to date-Thanks Nicole!

Macaroni and Cheese - Crock Pot  (adapted from The Cookaholic Wife)

1 lb. elbow macaroni
1 c.  shredded cheddar cheese
8 oz. Velveeta cheese, cubed
12 oz. can evaporated milk
1 c. low fat milk

1 c. chicken broth
1/2 c. Parmesan cheese
4 T.  butter, melted and cooled to room temperature
2 eggs
1/2 t. paprika
1/2 t. dry mustard
1 t. salt

1 t. black pepper

½ t. garlic powder

Optional Topping:
1 T. butter
2 T. breadcrumbs

1 T. Parmesan cheese
1/2 t. black pepper

1/2 t. garlic powder

1.  Cook the macaroni noodles according to the package directions, removing the macaroni from the stove 3 minutes before it is fully cooked.

2. Spray the inside of the crock pot with cooking spray. Combine the evaporated milk, milk, chicken broth, butter, and eggs in the crock pot. Mix until well combined.

3. Add the cheddar, Velveeta, and Parmesan cheese.  Mix well.

4.  Add the drained  pasta to the slow cooker.   Stir in the paprika, dry mustard, salt, pepper, and garlic powder.

5.  Cook on low for 4 hours.

6.  Before serving melt the butter for the topping in the microwave.  Mix in additional ingredients.  Sprinkle over top of the macaroni and cheese and serve hot.

 
This post linked to:
Shine on Friday, Foodie Friday, Bacon Time
Fusion Friday

Mongolian Beef and Broccoli

     Flank steak was on sale this week at the market and I picked some up and figured I'd think of something to make with it later on in the week.  I got to thinking about the Mongolian tofu that I've made for us several times in the past and decided I could substitute the beef for the tofu. 

     I actually ended up looking up a new recipe that included beef to see how it should be cooked.  The beef in this recipe is sliced thin, coated in cornstarch, and then sauteed in oil.  The sauce is then poured over top of it and thickens because of the cornstarch.  I added in the broccoli for some color and really cut back on the sugar.

     The beef was very flavorful.  This is a great sauce that gets thick and really coats both the beef and the broccoli.  It is a little bit sweet, a little bit spicy, and just very good.  We enjoyed the Mongolian beef over top of jasmine rice which is sticky and took on the flavor of the sauce as well.  I think I enjoyed the beef more then I enjoy the tofu version.

 Mongolian Beef and Broccoli  (adapted from Pink Bites)
1 lb. flank steak, thinly sliced
1/4 c. cornstrach
2 T. canola oil
1 t. grated fresh ginger
1 T. chopped garlic
1/2 c. water
1/2 c. soy sauce
3 T. brown sugar
1 t. sriracha sauce
1/2 t. red pepper flakes
2 c. broccoli florets

1.  Slice the flank steak into thin slices and cover with the corn starch.  Shake off excess corn starch and set aside.

2.  Heat half the oil in a large skillet over medium high heat.  Saute the ginger and garlic for one minute or until fragrant.  Add in the soy sauce, water, brown sugar, sriracha, and red pepper flakes.  Cook for 2-3 minutes and then remove to a bowl.

3.  Heat the remaining oil in the skillet.  Add the beef and cook on each side for 1-2 minutes.  Add in the broccoli and stir fry for 3-4 minutes.  Stir in the sauce and cook until thickened.  Serve over rice.

This post linked to:

Frugal Food Thursdays, Full Plate Thursdays

Chicken with Creamy Chive Sauce

   Chicken is my favorite meat so we eat it once a week.  It's easy to cook, I like the texture, and it absorbs just about any flavor it's cooked in.  Unfortunately, I've been running out of ideas for my chicken.  I've made countless enchiladas, burritos, Asian chicken cuisine, chicken Parmesans, and chicken soup.  I was dying for something different and it came to me in the form of creamy chive sauce.

    I rarely use chives to cook and I've been avoiding creamy sauces because of the fat content.  Fortunately for me, this was a light creamy sauce and it was different from almost any other sauce I've made.  The base of the sauce is a common white wine, garlic, and chicken broth.  It then gets jazzed up with shallots, sour cream, Dijon mustard, and chives.

    I added a light sprinkle of lemon which added a brightness to the creamy, tangy sauce.  The sauce is delightful and can be used on any type of poultry.  It tasted delicious, was fairly light, and the creaminess made me think I was getting away with something.

Chicken in Creamy Chive Sauce (adapted from Gourmet: Day to Day)
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 t. salt
1 t. pepper
1/4 c. flour
3 t. olive oil, divided
2 large shallots, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 c. white wine
1 (14 oz) can chicken broth

1/3 c. light sour cream

1 T. Dijon mustard
1/2 c. chopped chives
4 lemon wedges

1.  Put the chicken breasts between sheets of plastic wrap and pound until they are 1/2 inch thick.  Sprinkle the chicken breasts with salt and pepper then dredge in the flour.

2.  Heat 2 teaspoons of olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat.  Add the chicken and cook 3-4 minutes per side, or until golden brown.  Remove chicken from the pan and put on a plate.  Keep warm.

3.  Heat the remaining teaspoon of olive oil in the same skillet.  Add the shallots and garlic cooking for 1-2 minutes, scraping the bottom to get the brown bits.  Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of flour and stir to coat.

4.  Add the wine and broth to the skillet and bring to a boil.  Return the chicken to the pan and reduce to a simmer.

5.  Cook until the chicken is heated through, about 7 minutes.  Stir in the sour cream, mustard, and chopped chives.   Flip the chicken to coat in the sauce.

6.  Serve the chicken with a spoonful of the sauce, a whole chive, and a lemon wedge to squirt on the chicken.

This post linked to:

What's Cooking Wednesday, Cast Party Wednesday, Midweek Fiesta

Thin Mint Truffles

     Every year I anxiously look forward to the end of February and the beginning of March.  In my world this time of year is known as Girl Scout cookie time.  From the time I was a brownie in first grade I was obsessed with Thin Mint Girl Scout cookies.  Sure I enjoy the Samoas, the Trefoils, and even the new lemony cookie but the Thin Mint has been my favorite for over 2 decades.

     Case in point, when our local ice cream parlor in Pittsburgh was trying to break the World Record for the most ice cream cones scooped in an hour, I single handedly ate 5 cones full of Thin Mint ice cream.  While I'm not sure I could do that today, back then it was the highlight of my summer.

    So when my box (or boxes) of Thin Mint cookies arrived I couldn't wait to get baking with them.  I had seen a recipe for Thin Mint Truffles that made my mouth water and I was anxious to make them.  The recipe consists of only 5 ingredients and was easy to make.  Not only do they taste amazing but they are gorgeous as well.  The green chocolate was the exact color of the Thin Mints cookie box.  The inside was creamy,  chocolatey, and minty.  The outside was a hard mint chocolate shell.  These would make a wonderful gift or would look amazing on a dessert tray as well.

Thin Mint Truffles (adapted from Tasty Kitchen)
1 box Thin Mint Cookies
4 oz. reduced fat cream cheese
5 oz. green melting chocolate
5 oz. white melting chocolate
4 drops peppermint extract

1.  In a food processor, pulse the Thin Mints a few times, and then blend until they are just crumbs.

2.  In a medium bowl mix the cream cheese and cookie crumbs together until well incorporated. 

3.  Roll into 1 inch balls and place them on a wax paper covered baking sheet. Place the baking sheet in the freezer for about 30 minutes so they are easier to dip into the chocolate.

4.  Once the truffles have been in the freezer for thirty minutes, melt the green chocolate along with 2 drops of peppermint extract on half power in the microwave.  Stir every 30 seconds until the chocolate is completely melted.   Dip half of the truffles in the green mint chocolate.  Remove with a spoon and tap to remove excess chocolate.   Place the dipped truffles back on the wax paper. 

5.  Melt the white chocolate along with 2 drops of peppermint extract the same way as you melted the green chocolate. Then roll the remaining truffles in the melted white chocolate. 

6.  Once the truffles have dried for 15 minutes, spoon the remaining white chocolate in a small zip top baggie and cut a tiny corner off the bag.  Drizzle the white chocolate over the green truffles. Do the same with the remaining green chocolate, drizzling it over the white truffles. 

7.  Put the baking sheet back into the refrigerator so that the chocolate can set.  After 15 minutes remove from the refrigerator and remove excess chocolate.  

This post linked to:
Tuesdays at the Table, Totally Tasty Tuesdays, Made From Scratch Tuesdays,
Crazy Sweet Tuesdays, tempt my Tummy Tuesdays, Sweets for a Saturday, Seasonal Inspiration

Overnight French Toast: Meatless Monday

  This past weekend I had a book club brunch at my house.  I wanted to make a few things the night before so I wasn't running around all morning cooking before they got here.  I've had a recipe for French Toast Bake saved on my computer for a few months and it seemed like the perfect dish to make the night before then bake the morning of.

    The French Toast was delicious.  It soaked up all the flavors from the cinnamon, sugar, and vanilla overnight.  The addition of the brown sugar and pecans made a caramel sauce that was divine.  It was so simple to make and everyone raved about it.

Overnight French Toast (adapted from Tablespoon)
4 T. butter, melted
3/4 c. brown sugar
1 loaf challah bread (cut into 1 inch thick slices)
4 eggs, slightly beaten
1 c. low fat milk
1 T. vanilla
1 t. cinnamon
3 T. sugar
1/2 t. salt
1/4 c. pecans, chopped
syrup

1.  In a small bowl combine the brown sugar and melted butter.  Pour into the bottom of a 9 x 13 baking dish.

2.  Arrange the slices of bread in the baking dish, overlapping if needed.

3.  Combine the milk, eggs, vanilla, sugar, salt, and cinnamon in another bowl mixing well.  Pour evenly over the bread slices.  Top with pecans.

4.  Cover the dish with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for 4-12 hours.

5.  Before baking remove the casserole dish from the oven and let it sit on the counter for 10 minutes.  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

6.  Bake for 30 minutes or until the top begins to brown.  If it starts browning too quickly put a piece of foil on top of it.

7.  Remove from oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes before serving.

This post linked to:  Meatless Mondays, Mangia Mondays, Making you Crave Mondays,

Mouthwatering Mondays, Makes You Say MMM Mondays

Last Rites, a Lucy Hart Rites novel-FREE for Kindle!

      Last Rites is a paranormal romance/urban fantasy novel from new author Mercy Walker.  Now through March 6 you can get it free for you Kindle!  Simply go HERE and download your copy now!  

     What if you discover your fiancé is a werewolf, and worse, his creature-of-the-night girlfriend is trying to kill you?

     Lucy Hart, eighteen-year-old queen bee and captain of the cheer squad, faces just that. She loses everything—money, social status, and even her home—when her father is arrested for tax evasion and immigrant slave trafficking. Reduced to flipping burgers, she plots to get her old life back, blackmailing her father’s slime ball lawyer, and scheming her way into a gig pretending to be a rich young man’s “fiancée.” The pay: enough money to let her write her own future. The bad news: the guy is a condescending pain in the butt.

      In no time at all Lucy finds herself fighting for her life as her faux fiancé’s vampire girlfriend tries to slaughter her, and on top of that, getting royally grossed out by her own spanking new paranormal ability: necromancy. Yet somehow, while she gets back her life and kicks vampire butt, she also manages to fall in love/lust with her fake fiancé.

     So what are you waiting for?  Go and download it now while you can get it for free!

Muffins Two Ways: Cherry and Blueberry

     I have been on a huge muffin kick the last few weeks.  Muffins are easy to make and easy to eat on the go so they are perfect now that I'm back in school and have to leave for work early.  A few weeks ago I did another post that used this same basic muffin recipe, but I used bananas and apples.  This week I used cherries and blueberries.

     Anyway you make them, these muffins are delicious in the morning for breakfast or perfect in the evening as a sweet snack.  My favorite were the cherry ones because the cherries burst in my mouth when I bit into them.  There was also just the slightest hint of lime and a crunch from the almonds.  The blueberry muffins were good as well, and had a classic taste.
Muffins (Two Ways) (Basic muffin recipe adapted from Muffins: 40 Tantalizing Recipes for Tasty Muffins by Laurie Evans, Fiona Roberts, and Annie Rigg)
6 T. butter
1/2 c. sugar
3 T. brown sugar
1/3 c. milk
1 egg
1 egg white
1 1/2 c. flour
2 t. baking powder
1/2 t. salt
1 t. vanilla

For the cherry muffins:

1/3 c. cherries, pitted and chopped

1 t. lime juice

1 T. lime zest

1/4 c. toasted almonds, chopped

1/2 t. nutmeg

For the blueberry muffins:
1/3 c. blueberries
1 t. lemon juice
1 t. lemon zest


1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line a 12 cup muffin tins with paper liners.
2. In a medium mixing bowl combine the milk, sugar, butter, egg, egg white, and vanilla. Stir until well combined. Set aside.

3. In a medium mixing bowl combine the flour, baking powder, and salt. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir until just combined. Split the mixture into two, keeping one in the original mixing bowl and transferring the other half into the bowl used for the wet ingredients.

4. In one bowl stir in the cherries, lime juice, and lime zest. Add in the nuts (if desired) and sprinkle in the nutmeg. Stir gently. Pour into 6 of the muffin cups.

5. In the other bowl mix the blueberries, lemon juice, and lemon zest.  Stir until just combined. Pour into 6 of the muffin cups.

6. Bake in the oven for 22-25 minutes or until a toothpick stuck in the center comes out clean. Cool on a cooling rack.

This post linked to:

Foodie Fridays, Fusion Fridays, Shine on Fridays,

Sweet Tooth Fridays, Sweets for a Saturday



Crock-Pot Hungarian Goulash

    I've never had Hungarian goulash before but I've seen so many beautiful photos of this dish.  I'm always drawn to the bright red color against the soft white noodles.  When I mentioned to my husband that we were going to have this for dinner he got a big smile on his face and said that he hasn't had goulash since he was a kid.  I was glad that this was a crock-pot recipe because my Tuesdays and Thursdays are crazy with work, after school tutoring, and Zumba.

    I was excited to use my new Penzey's Hungarian Paprika in this recipe.  It smelled amazing and had a vibrant red color to it.  When I got home from work the entire house smelled good.  The goulash was a reddish brown color and thickened easily when I added in the flour.  We spooned it over the egg noodles and served it with some dinner rolls.  The meat was super tender and the sauce was thick and flavorful.  It was a delicate combination that made my mouth water!

Crock-Pot Hungarian Goulash (adapted from Food.com)
2 pounds stew meat, cut into 1 inch cubes
1 onion, sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 c. ketchup
2 T. Worcestershire sauce
1 T. brown sugar
1 t. salt
1 t. black pepper
2 t. paprika
1 t. dry mustard
1 1/2 c. water
1/4 c. flour

1.  Place the meat in the crock pot and cover with the sliced onion.

2.  Combine the garlic, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, salt, pepper, paprika, and dry mustard.  Stir in the water, mix well, and pour over the meat in the crock-pot.

3.  Cover and cook on low for 8 hours. 

4.  After 8 hours turn the heat to high.  Dissolve the flour in a small amount of cold water.  Stir into the meat mixture and cook on high for 15 minutes.

5.  Serve over egg noodles.

This post linked to:

It's A Keeper Thursday,  Frugal Food Thursdays,  Full Plate Thursday  

Seasonal Inspiration, Bacon Time

Salt and Vinegar Potatoes with Rosemary

   As soon as I saw the recipe for salt and vinegar potatoes I knew I had to make them.  As a child I was obsessed with salt and vinegar potato chips.  Even now when I hear anyone talk about them my mouth instantly waters.

   These potatoes are incredibly easy to make but take about an hour total to cook.  They are first boiled in water, then chopped up, and baked in the oven.  Then they are drizzled with olive oil, vinegar, and finished up with sea salt.  Delicious!

Salt and Vinegar Potatoes (adapted from Prevention RD)
2 baking potatoes
2 T. olive oil
2 T. kosher salt
1 t. black pepper
1 T. fresh rosemary, finely chopped
2 T. red wine vinegar

1.  Poke holes in the potatoes and place them in a pot filled with salted water.  Bring to a boil and cook for 30 minutes.  Remove from pot and place in cool water for 5 minutes or until they are easy to handle.

2.  Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.  Spray a 9 x 9 pan with cooking spray.

3.  Chop the potatoes into 1 inch cubes, leaving the skins on. Place the potatoes into the baking dish and drizzle with half the oil, salt, pepper, and rosemary.  Toss to coat and then drizzle with remaining olive oil, salt, pepper, and rosemary.  Bake for 25-30 minutes or until brown and crispy.

4.  Remove from oven and sprinkle with vinegar, tossing to coat.  Sprinkle with additional salt if desired.

This post linked to:

Cast Party Wednesday, Midweek Fiesta, What's Cooking Wednesday

Pork Chops Loco Moco

      A few months ago I saw a picture of a crazy looking pork chop dish that was appropriately named Pork Chops Loco Moco.  It was a combination of several different foods and while it sounded odd it looked delicious.  I put the pork chops on my menu plan 3 weeks ago and just finally got around to making them this past week.  Because of all the different parts to this recipe I assumed it would take me forever to make it, but it was ready in about 40 minutes.

     The dish starts with a bed of white rice.  The rice is then topped with a browned, bone in pork chop.  On top of that goes scrambled eggs.  Then you pour on an Asian inspired mushroom sauce and top off the entire dish with fried onions.  It sounds like a lot but in the end I absolutely loved it!  The combination of flavors worked so well together in this “loco” dish.  There is a ton of food in each portion so 1 pork chop with rice was plenty for dinner.  This would be a great meal to make for entertaining because it’s unique, it looks impressive, it can be put together in less than an hour, and the flavors work so well together. 

Pork Chops Loco Moco (adapted from Crumbly Cookie  )
1 can French’s Fried Onions
For the rice:
2 c. water
1 c. long grain white rice
½ t. salt

For the Sauce:
1 t. cornstarch
1 T. vegetable oil
8 oz. mushrooms, stemmed and sliced thin
1 c. fat free half and half
1 T. soy sauce
1 t. oyster sauce
1 t. black pepper
¼ t. red pepper

For the eggs:
2 eggs, beaten
2 T. low fat milk
1 T. butter
½ t. black pepper

For Pork Chops:
4 bone in pork chops
1 T. olive oil
1 t. sea salt
1 t. black pepper

1. Heat the 2 cups of water in a medium saucepan to boiling. Add in the rice and salt and stir. Place the lid on top of the saucepan, reduce heat to low, and simmer for 20 minutes.

2. In a small bowl combine the cornstarch and 1 teaspoon of water. Set aside.

3. Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Stir in the mushrooms and cook for 5 minutes or until they begin to brown. Stir in the half and half, soy sauce, and oyster sauce. Cook while whisking until the sauce boils. Boil for 1 minute or until the sauce thickens. Remove from heat and stir in black pepper and red pepper. Pour the sauce into a liquid measuring cup, cover with plastic wrap, and set aside.

4. Wipe out the large skillet that you used to make the sauce in. Add the butter to the pan and heat over medium high heat until it foams.

5. In a small bowl beat the eggs then add the milk and black pepper. Beat until well combined. Pour the eggs into the skillet. Using a skillet push the eggs from one side of the pan to the other, lifting and folding until the eggs are cooked and clumped into a single mound, about 3 minutes. Put in a medium bowl and cover with plastic wrap.

6. Wipe out the skillet with a clean paper towel. Add the olive oil and heat over medium high heat until smoking. Season the pork chops with salt and pepper.

7. Lay the pork chop in the skillet and cook for 4-5 minutes or until golden brown. Flip over and brown the other side for 4-5 minutes. Remove from pan.

8. To serve divide the rice among four plates. Lay a browned pork chop on top of the rice. Spoon a tablespoon of scrambled eggs on top of the pork chops. Pour a few tablespoons of sauce over the egg and pork chops then top with the fried onions. Serve hot.

This post linked to:

Tempt My Tummy Tuesday, Made From Scratch Tuesdays, Totally Tasty Tuesdays

Quickbreads for Daring Bakers (Lemon Blueberry, Strawberry Banana, & Bacon Cheddar Beer Breads)

     The Daring Bakers’ February 2012 host was – Lis! Lisa stepped in last minute and challenged us to create a quick bread we could call our own. She supplied us with a base recipe and shared some recipes she loves from various websites and encouraged us to build upon them and create new flavor profiles.

     I love making quick breads because they are fast, easy, and can be made out of so many combinations.  When deciding what type of bread to make I immediately thought of banana bread because it's one I make all the time.  I wanted to do a twist on it but wasn't sure what to pair with it.  My husband made it easy for me when he brought home a flat of strawberries!  Who doesn't like the combination of strawberries and bananas?  It was delicious.  The classic tastes of banana bread with additions of vanilla yogurt and fresh strawberries.  We enjoyed this bread for breakfast.

Strawberry Banana Bread (adapted from Joy of Baking)
1 stick butter, melted
2 eggs, beaten
1 t. vanilla
1 banana, mashed
1/3 c. low fat vanilla yogurt
1 c. strawberries, cut into bite sized pieces
2 1/4 c. flour
3/4 c. brown sugar
1 1/2 t. baking powder
1/2 t. baking soda
1 t. cinnamon
1/2 t. salt

1.  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Spray a loaf pan with cooking spray and set aside.

2.  In a large bowl combine the melted butter and brown sugar.  Add in the eggs and mix well to combine.  Stir in the vanilla.

3.  Combine the mashed banana with the yogurt.  Stir the yogurt mixture into the melted butter mixture.  


4.  In another large bowl combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt.  

5.  Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and mix well.  

6.  Gently fold in the strawberries.  Do not over mix.


7.  Pour the batter into the loaf pan and bake for 40-50 minutes or until a toothpick entered in the center comes out clean.  Cool on a wire rack.

    After making a sweet bread I knew I wanted to make a savory one.  I've made several jalapeno cheddar breads recently so I didn't want to repeat that one but I did want to make a cheese bread.  When I began making chili for dinner I thought that a cheddar beer bread would pair nicely with the chili.  When I  opened up the refrigerator to get the ingredients out some leftover bacon fell out as well.  It was a sign to put the bacon in the bread and I'm so glad I did!  The combination of beer, cheddar, and bacon was savory and perfect with chili.  I had some the next day as toast and it was just as tasty.

Bacon Cheddar Beer Bread (adapted from The Slow Roasted Italian)
3 c. all purpose flour (363 grams)
2 t. baking powder
1 t. salt
1 T. granulated sugar
1 c. shredded cheddar cheese
1 (12 oz) bottle of beer
1/4 c. milk
3 slices of bacon, cooked and chopped
2 T. butter, melted
1 t. parsley, chopped

1.  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Spray a bread pan with cooking spray and set aside.

2.  In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar.  Make a well in the center and add bacon, about 3/4 of the cheese, the beer, and the milk.  Mix well to combine. Stir in the parsley.


3.  Pour mixture into prepared bread pan.  Top with remaining cheese then drizzle with 1 tablespoon of butter. 

4.  Bake for 30 minutes.

5.  Remove the bread from the  oven and drizzle remaining butter over the top.

6.  Continue baking for 25-30 minutes or until browned on top.  Remove to a wire rack and cool for 5 minutes.

7.  Remove from pan and cool completely on the wire rack.

     Finally, I've been eying up the Meyer Lemon Loaf recipe posting on the Daring Baker's site.  I really wanted to make it and finally gave in at the end.  I wanted to add in fresh blueberries as well because lemon and blueberry is one of my favorite combinations.  I am so glad I gave in because this was our favorite of the bunch!  The bread is bright and lemony with the sweet flavor of the blueberries.  The bread is delicate and almost melts in the mouth.  I took some home to my parents house and it was eaten within minutes.

Blueberry Lemon Loaf (adapted from Recipe Girl)
1 1/2 c. flour
1/2 t. baking powder
1/2 t. baking soda
zest of 2 lemons
1 c. white granulated sugar
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1/3 c. low fat sour cream
1 T. rum
1 T. fresh lemon juice
1/4 t. salt
4 T. butter, melted and cooled
1 c. fresh blueberries

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray a loaf pan with cooking spray and set aside.


2. In a medium mixing bowl combine the  flour, baking powder, and baking soda.


3. Place sugar, lemon zest, and eggs into a large mixing bowl and beat with a whisk until the mixture is a light lemon color and thickened.   Whisk in sour cream, salt, rum, and lemon juice.


4. Mix in the flour mixture in two additions.  After it is well combined pour in the butter and mix well.  Gently stir in the blueberries.

5. Pour the batter into the prepared pans and bake for 50 to 55 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

6. Remove the bread from the pan and cool on a wire rack.

 This post linked to:
Meatless Mondays, Making You Crave Mondays, Mangia Mondays,
Mouthwatering Mondays, Crazy Sweet Tuesdays