Here’s another breakfast recipe that gets rave reviews from my kids.  Besides, who else do we aim to please than our kids when it comes to mealtime?  What I love, love, love about this recipe is that there is no sifting of the dry ingredients!  Huge timesaver for a momma!  It’s basically just dump, mix and pour into your muffin pan.  And I feel better about the whole wheat flour too.  These are really moist due to the sour cream but I have used applesauce instead with really good results too.  And I love that this was in Martha Stewart Baby; I would totally let any of my solid-eating babies eat these.  Beware, these don’t last long; my kids eat about six of these at a time between the two of them.:)

Banana Muffins

Recipe Adapted From:  Martha Stewart Baby Magazine

Who doesn’t love chicken fingers?  I realize it’s a very kid friendly food but secretly, we adults love them too.  I’ve done different variations of chicken fingers in the past but when I ran across this recipe where the panko crumbs were already toasted, I knew I had a winner.  My kids enjoyed it although my four year old was curious as to why the breading would flake off.  It’s no Chickfila but you can feel good about a homemade healthy option.  The homemade honey mustard is really easy and is a tasty dipping sauce.

Baked Chicken Fingers

Recipe Adapted From:  Everyday Food Magazine

Note: To make the honey mustard, combine 3 tablespoons Dijon mustard and 2 tablespoons each mayonnaise and honey.

This is a quick and easy weeknight supper.  The chicken has only a few ingredients and the pitas are easy to assemble.  I have only used ground chicken but ground lamb would be a yummier and more authentic substitution.  I served the koftas along with baby carrots and baked steak fries.  If you don’t want to make the cucumbers and yogurt sauce (i.e. too lazy), I have substituted a bit of sour cream with a squeeze of half of a lemon and some dried dill.  If you are exceptionally lazy, you could buy some dill veggie dip from your grocers refrigerated case.:)  All options work great!  Let me know what you think!

Chicken Koftas with Cucumbers and Yogurt

Recipe Courtesy Of:  Martha Stewart

• 1 1/4 pounds ground chicken
• 1/2 white onion, diced small
• 1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves
• coarse salt and ground pepper
• 1/2 cucumber, diced large (1 1/3 cups)
• 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 2 medium tomatoes, cut into 1/4 inch slices
• 4 pitas
• 1/2 cup fresh mint leaves, for serving

1.  In a large bowl, combine chicken, onion, parsley; season with salt and pepper.  Using your hands, mix until well combined.  Form mixture into eight oval patties.

2.  In a medium bowl, combine cucumber and yogurt, season with salt and pepper.  In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat.  Cook chicken patties on all sides until cooked through, about 12 minutes.  Divide patties and tomatoes among pitas.  Top with cucumber yogurt sauce and mint.  Fold to enclose and serve.

Note:  I didn’t have mint but I had lettuce so that’s why you see lots of lettuce peeking through.  I wish I had taken a picture of the koftas outside of the pitas but oh well.  

So this recipe was inspired by two things. First, my mom’s spaghetti bake.  I remember she would make it pretty faithfully for Sunday lunch, have folks over after church and serve it alongside a green salad and garlic bread.  I don’t remember quite how she made it but it looked very similar to this.  I’m not a fan of casseroles but spaghetti bake, I loved.

My second inspiration came from this recipe.  A friend from church brought this over for our family while I was struggling through my first and second trimesters of my third pregnancy.  (Get all that?)  It was delicious and really hit the spot.

So I thought why not combine both these recipes into one?  So this is what I came up with.  Now, you could add meat if you really wanted to but I think the vegetarian version is quite filling.  Oh, I almost forgot.  I asked my hubby if he was ok with this dish as leftovers for the next day thinking he’d miss the meat for two nights in a row.  His reply?  ”I thought there was meat in here already?”  Now, THAT is a good vegetarian dish!:)

Baked Spaghetti with Roasted Vegetables and Mozzarella

Recipe Adapted From:  Giada de Laurentiis and Martha Stewart and Mom

• Coarse salt and black pepper
• 2 red peppers, cored and cut into 1-inch wide strips
• 2 zucchini, quartered lengthwise and cut into 1-inch cubes
• 2 summer squash, quartered lengthwise and cut into 1-inch cubes
• 1 yellow onion, peeled and sliced into 1-inch strips
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil + 2 tablespoons
• 1 tablespoon dried Italian herb mix or herbs de Provence
• 1 jar of your favorite marinara/spaghetti sauce (I believe the new size is now 24 ounces…but they still charge you for the 28 ounce size)
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 pound dried spaghetti
• 2 cups packed basil leaves (from 1 bunch), torn if large
• 3/4 pound fresh mozzarella, cut into 1/2-inch pieces (2 1/2 cups)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

On a baking sheet, toss peppers, zucchini, squash and onions along with 1/4 cup olive oil and a liberal amount of salt and pepper.  Roast until vegetables are tender, about 20-25 minutes.

Meanwhile, set a large stockpot of salted water to boil.  Add pasta and only cook for five minutes (pasta will be crunchy).  In a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of oil over medium heat.  Add garlic and cook for about five minutes.  Add marinara sauce and cook over medium heat about ten minutes (yes, the sauce will splatter so be prepared!).

Drain pasta and add back to same pot, add the heated marinara sauce, roasted vegetables, basil and half the fresh mozzarella and toss to combine.  Transfer to a 9×13 lightly greased baking dish and top with remaining cheese.  Bake for 20-25 minutes until cheese is golden and edges are bubbling.

Our breakfasts usually consist of oatmeal, frozen Kashi blueberry waffles, banana bread, whole wheat pancakes, egg in a basket, and French toast.  I don’t like to give my kids cereal since most are so high in sugar and I don’t find it all that filling.  (I’m slowly weaning my Honey Nut Cheerio loving family from that stuff…I bought bran flakes instead…a much healthier option!)  Last night I found this recipe from nutritionist Ellie Krieger and it is a winner!  A breakfast cookie.  Genius!  I had most of the ingredients on hand and I tweaked the recipe a bit for the ingredients that I was lacking.  My kids LOVED the cookies.  After all, it does taste like an oatmeal raisin cookie.  I think my son’s response was “A cookie??  For breakfast?!”

Being the bottomless pits that they are, I had to find something else to go along with it so I quickly made a two egg frittata with my leftover baked potato from dinner last night and some Canadian bacon.  My son had three cookies, some frittata, sliced bananas with blueberries and a yogurt tube.  Like I said, bottomless pits.  This recipe is definitely going to be added to the breakfast rotation!  I think your kids will love it!

Breakfast Cookies
Recipe Courtesy Of:  Ellie Krieger

• 3/4 cup whole-wheat pastry flour
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1/4 cup canola oil
• 1/4 cup dark brown sugar (I used light brown sugar)
• 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1 egg
• 1/4 cup (1 small jar) strained carrot baby food (I used applesauce)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup old fashioned rolled oats
• 1/2 cup bran cereal flakes
• 1/3 cup raisins
• 1/3 cup walnut pieces, lightly toasted in a dry skillet for 2 minutes, until fragrant and chopped (I omitted this since I didn’t have any nuts)

Directions

It’s been a long hiatus since I last blogged about food.  To be honest, I haven’t been upright for more than 8 weeks so the thought of cooking and food in general has not been appetizing (very sad for a foodie).  My kids have watched more than their half hour allotment of television and the hubby has made dinner like his world famous breakfast burritos, spaghetti, and tacos as I writhe in bed.:) But things are looking up!

I made this dish for my sister while she visited last weekend.  She’s not much of a cook (her words, not mine) and she even thought it was easy.  The salmon pulls together in no time and the warm French lentils are really yummy, especially with the vinaigrette.  The addition of the turnip and whole onion pricked with cloves seemed bizarre but I did it anyway and it really did add a rich flavor.  Need some other lentil recipes?  Here’s one of my favorites.  This dish would make for a great vegetarian meal as well.

Panko-Crusted Salmon

Recipe Courtesy Of:  Ina Garten

Ingredients

• 2/3 cup panko (Japanese dried bread flakes)
• 2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
• 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons good olive oil
• 4 (6- to 8-ounce) salmon fillets, skin on
• 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• Lemon wedges, for serving

Directions

It was an unusual Christmas for us this year.  We were loaded up and ready to head east to spend time with family when illness hit.  Since this is a food blog, I’ll spare all the details.  So we returned home and unpacked everything that we had spent about 24 hours to pack.  Between sickness and two snow storms, we figured it was a sign that we should stay put for Christmas.  So, I was scrambling to come up with a Plan B.  I hate scrambling.  How do I entertain two kids under the age of four for the next two and a half weeks and what do I plan for our Christmas meal for just the four of us?

I was done with turkey after having it twice after Thanksgiving and I’m not a fan of ham. You know, all the nitrates.  My mom suggested I make an Indian dinner consisting of chicken biriyani (think an Indian meat and rice casserole), baingan bharta (roasted eggplant yumminess), raita, and papads.  Sometimes you just have to do what your mom says.  My mom makes a big Indian spread every year for Christmas Eve and we really missed it.  This meal was much easier than putting together a roast and all the trimmings and it’s really satisfying.  Of course, after I was done cooking, I felt chills and had to opt out of enjoying the meal.  Sigh.

For Christmas Eve day breakfast, we had these buttermilk waffles.  They are absolutely delicious.  And for Christmas Day breakfast, we had challah french toast.  Yum.

What did you have for your holiday spread?  I’ve got a ton of Sur La Table culinary goodies taking up major space in my basement so leave a comment and you could be entered to win a fun culinary prize!  Winners will be announced by next Sunday, January 8th.  Good luck!

Chicken Biriyani

Recipe Courtesy Of:  Mercy Samuel

• 2-3 tablespoons canola or vegetable oil
• 2 small onions, sliced thin
• 3 to 4 whole cloves
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 3 whole cardamom pods
• 3 bay leaves

• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 can tomato paste

• 1/2 teaspoon grated ginger
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 green chili, seeds removed
• 1  teaspoon whole cumin seeds
• 1/2 cup cilantro leaves
• 1/2 cup mint leaves

• 4 lbs of boneless skinless chicken thighs (you can use bone-in legs and thighs but I prefer boneless)
• 3 cups of basmati rice, washed
• salt as desired

In a small food processor or blender, combine the ginger, garlic, green chili, cumin, cilantro and mint and pulse until it combines into a green paste.

In a large Dutch oven, heat oil over a medium heat flame.  Add bay leaves, cardamom, cinnamon and cloves until fragrant.  Next add the onions and saute.  When the onions turn golden, add the green paste and saute five minutes.  Add the turmeric, chili powder, salt and tomato paste.  Add the chicken pieces and saute for a few minutes.

Meanwhile, boil 8 cups of salted water in a large stock pot.  Once the water is boiling, add washed basmati rice into the pot.  Allow rice to boil over high heat for 7-10 minutes, until the rice is halfway cooked.  Strain.

In a lightly greased casserole dish, first layer the chicken and rice and alternate with rice on top.  Cover with aluminium foil and bake at 350 degrees for about 1 1/2 to 2 hours.

You can garnish the finished biriyani with a mixture of sautéed  onions, cashews and raisins.

Note: This can feed a crowd so adjust accordingly to meet your family’s needs.

Tis the season for making treats.  I know many of you stress over what to make for all the folks in your life but I find this part of the season most enjoyable.  I think all gifts should be consumables.:)

I have done something different each year and this year I opted for homemade granola, icebox shortbread cookies and the real special folks in our lives (This year we were introduced to preschool teachers…God bless them!) got a batch of raisin scones.  The scones are super easy to make and people love them.

Cherry, Almond and Cinnamon Granola

Recipe Courtesy Of:  Ina Garten

• 4 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
• 2 cups sweetened, shredded coconut
• 2 cups sliced almonds
• 1 1/2 cups dried cherries, chopped
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1/3 cup good honey
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Icebox Shortbread Cookies

Recipe Courtesy Of:  Everyday Food Magazine

For the shortbread:

Flavor Variations (Optional Mix-Ins And Coatings):

• Mix in grated zest of 2 oranges and 1/2 cup dried cherries
• Mix in grated zest of 2 lemons; coat with 1/4 cup poppy seeds
• Mix in grated zest of 2 limes; coat with 1/4 cup cornmeal
• Mix in 1/2 cup chopped dried apricots; coat with 1/2 cup finely chopped pistachios
• Mix in 1/2 cup mini chocolate or peanut-butter chips
• Mix in 1/4 cup finely chopped candied ginger; coat with 1/4 cup sesame seeds

I don’t throw a lot of food out.  It probably has much to do with how I was raised.  I feel terrible when I throw out a moldy piece of cheese (especially if I paid quite a bit for it) or produce that is looking less than prime.  This recipe is my best attempt to use up every last bit of chicken from a whole roasted chicken.  After carving, I save the carcass (horrible sounding word, I know) and freeze it and then after I have accumulated a few of the above mentioned carcasses (there it is again!), I make homemade stock.  I also freeze leftover fresh herbs like thyme, dill, and sage and throw them into this recipe.

Of course, I still buy the “stock in a box”(Rachael Ray terminology!) but this is nice to have on hand in the freezer since I use stock in many recipes.  (Think soups, stews, etc).  I think the flavor is much richer if you make it yourself.

I used the stock to make a delicious chicken and wild rice soup (an original recipe!).  The recipe is below…

Homemade Chicken Stock

• 3 to 4 carcasses from leftover roasted chicken
• 2 large onions, peeled, quartered
• 3 carrots, peeled, cut into large chunks
• 2 celery stalks, peeled, cut into large chunks
• 2 parsnips, peeled, cut into large chunks
• 4 cloves of garlic, peeled
• 10 sprigs of fresh parsley
• 10 sprigs of fresh thyme
• 10 sprigs of fresh sage
• 10 sprigs of fresh dill
• 1 1/2 tablespoons kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns

Place the above ingredients in a 16 to 20 quart stockpot.  Add enough water to cover the top.  Bring to a boil.  Simmer uncovered for 2 to 3 hours.  Strain the entire contents of the pot through a colander and discard the solids.  Chill the stock overnight.  The next day, remove the surface fat.  (a little gross but it’s necessary!)  Refrigerate and use immediately or pack in freezer safe containers and freeze for up to 3 months.

Chicken and Wild Rice Soup

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 small onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 carrots, diced
• 2 stalks of celery, diced
• 1 parsnip, peeled and diced
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• salt and pepper
• 4 cups of chicken stock
• 2 russet potatoes, peeled and diced
• 1/2 cup cooked wild rice
• 2 cups cooked chicken breast, diced
• fresh parsley to garnish

Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat.  Add onions, garlic, carrots, celery, parsnips, thyme, salt and pepper.  Saute for ten minutes until vegetables are tender.  Add chicken stock, raise heat, and bring to a boil.  Add the potatoes, reduce the heat to a simmer and cover the pot.  After ten minutes, or after potatoes are tender, add cooked rice and cooked chicken and combine till heated through.  Add fresh chopped parsley as a garnish.

Note: The soup does saturate all the liquid by the next day so if you want to reheat, you may want to add some water or chicken stock.

Today my hubby is thirty-five. That’s old, right?  It seems old.  What is worse is that I’m not that far behind.  <Shudder>  My mom reminded me tonight that in a few years, I’ll be forty.  Thanks, mom.

My husband has been asking me to make beef bourguignon for several years now but I have never felt confident about attempting it.  I knew it was time consuming but that didn’t really bother me.  (If you need a frame of reference on what beef bourguignon is, remember Julie & Julia?)  I was most worried about adding Cognac to a Dutch oven and then standing back while you light it with a match.  That had me worried.  I could just see my little kitchen going up in smoke.  But I decided this was a milestone year so I would put aside my fears and attempt it.  (Truth be told, since my hubby works from home now, he was able to do the scary part.)

I won’t lie, this recipe is not easy.  It has many steps and lots of prep work needs to be done ahead of time.  But I have to admit, I was really impressed with the results and honestly, it may have been better than the beef bourguignon I have had at French restaurants.  We had this along with a green salad and country bread.  And for dessert?  An apple cake tatin to round out the French meal .  Mais bien sûr!

Beef Bourguignon

Recipe Courtesy Of:  Ina Garten

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 8 ounces bacon, diced
• 2 1/2 pounds beef chuck cut into 1-inch cubes
• kosher salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• 1 pound carrots, sliced diagonally into 1-inch chunks
• 2 yellow onions, sliced
• 2 teaspoons chopped garlic (2 cloves)
• 1/2 cup Cognac or good brandy
• 1 (750-ml) bottle good dry red wine, such as Burgundy
• 2 to 2 1/2 cups beef broth
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature, divided
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 pound frozen small whole onions
• 1 pound mushrooms, stems discarded, caps thickly sliced

Preheat the oven to 250 degrees F.

Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven. Add the bacon and cook over medium heat for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the bacon is lightly browned. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon to a large plate.

Dry the beef cubes with paper towels and then sprinkle them with salt and pepper. In batches in single layers, sear the beef in the hot oil for 3 to 5 minutes, turning to brown on all sides. Remove the seared cubes to the plate with the bacon and continue searing until all the beef is browned. Set aside.

Toss the carrots, onions, 1 tablespoon of salt and 2 teaspoons of pepper in the fat in the pan and cook for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions are lightly browned. Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute. Add the Cognac, stand back, and ignite with a match to burn off the alcohol.

Put the meat and bacon back into the pot with the juices. Add the bottle of wine plus enough beef broth to almost cover the meat. Add the tomato paste and thyme. Bring to a simmer, cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid and place it in the oven for about 1 1/4 hours or until the meat and vegetables are very tender when pierced with a fork.  Remove from oven.

Combine 2 tablespoons of butter and the flour with a fork and stir into the stew. Add the frozen onions. Saute the mushrooms in 2 tablespoons of butter for 10 minutes until lightly browned and then add to the stew. Bring the stew to a boil on top of the stove, then lower the heat and simmer for 15-30 minutes. Season to taste.