banana boat s'mores

I have yet to try this recipe. But, it will be VERY soon!

 

Ingredients:

• 1 whole banana, unpeeled
• 6 whole mini marshmallows
• 12 whole chocolate chips

Instructions for:

Peel one side of the banana and cut a wedge in the fruit. Pour a few mini marshmallows and chocolate chips in the wedge. Replace the peel and wrap the banana in aluminum foil. Ask an adult to place the banana on the barbecue grill or in the campfire coals for about 5 minutes.

Nutrition Information Per Serving:

Calories 140; Total Fat 1.5 g (Sat 1 g, Trans 0 g, Poly 0 g, Mono 0 g); Cholesterol 0 mg; Sodium 0 mg; Potassium 440 mg; Total Carbohydrates 33 g; Dietary Fiber 3 g; Total Sugars 20 g; Protein 2 g. Percent Daily Value: Vitamin A 2%; Vitamin B6 20%; Vitamin C 15%; Vitamin D 0%; Calcium 0%; Iron 2%.

home made coffee creamer...

Somehow mornings are just not the same around here unless I have my morning cup of coffee (...or two!)
In the past, I have bought those fancy store-bought coffee creamers; in all sorts of flavors and such. They are good, but I was never really crazy about all those extra-added ingredients...you know, the ones you can't even pronounce.
Just recently I came across a recipe for a home-made coffee creamer recipe. Needless to say, I was very excited and eager to try this out! Well, I did... and I love the results!
Now, I know this is not a fat-free, health food...but, at least I know what is in my coffee!

My usual store bought french vanilla coffee creamer has the following ingredients:

Water, Sugar, Palm Oil, Corn Syrup, Contains Less Than 2% Of Each Of The Following Ingredients: Carrageenan, Mono And Diglycerides, Sodium Stearoyl Lactylate, Salt, Dipotassium Phosphate, Sodium Caseinate (A Milk Derivative), Natural And Artificial Flavors. *Sodium Caseinate Is Not A Source Of Lactose.


My home-made french vanilla coffee creamer has the following ingredients:

sweetened condensed milk
milk (cow or soy/almond/coconut)
vanilla extract

Home-Made French Vanilla Coffee Creamer

 

* 1 can of sweetened condensed milk

* 1 1/4 cup of milk (soy, rice, coconut can be substitued)

* 3 teaspoons of vanilla (more or less to suit your taste....I added less)

 

Mix all ingredients and pour into lidded container(s). Can be refrigerated for up to 2 weeks.

 

Enjoy!

a Lentan Friday family supper...

Always on the lookout for new recipes (especially during the meatless Fridays of Lent) I came across this
recipe with a twist on your Mama's traditional tuna casserole.

The Family Kitchen is where I found this recipe for Caribbean Tuna Casserole.
I find it extra appealing with all the added yummy veggies that are added!

                                    Enjoy!


Caribbean Tuna Casserole
Ingredients

3 – 6 oz cans tuna in water, drained and flaked

1 – 14 oz box shell pasta (I used whole wheat)

1/2 red bell pepper, chopped

1/2 green bell pepper, chopped

1/2 yellow bell pepper, chopped

1/2 large onion, chopped

1 clove garlic, chopped

1/2 lb frozen chopped spinach

a large handful cilantro, chopped

the juice of 2 limes

1 cup light sour cream

1 cup finely shredded mild cheddar cheese

1 small jar pimentos, with juice

olive oil

salt and pepper

1 cup panko bread crumbs



Method



1. Preheat broiler. Prepare pasta according to package directions. Preheat a large skillet. Drizzle with olive oil. Add bell peppers, onions and garlic. Add spinach and saute until spinach is thawed and onions and bell peppers are tender crisp. Add sour cream and stir to combine.



2. Add vegetables and sour cream to a large bowl. Add cooked pasta. Add pimentos and juice, cheese, lime juice, cilantro and tuna. Mix well and pour into a large casserole dish.



3. Top with panko breadcrumbs and place under broiler for a few minutes to lightly brown.

home-made REAL fruit roll-ups

I don't know about yours, but my kids LOVE fruit roll-ups and fruit snacks!
Scanning the labels of store-bought fruit snacks is very disappointing, though.
High fructose corn syrup. Ick this and Ugh that!
So I was very pleased when I came across this recipe for home-made fruit roll-ups,
from Our Best Bites.


Homemade Fruit Roll-Ups
 From ourbestbites.com



Ingredients

2 1/2 – 3 cups ripe or slightly over-ripe diced fruit

sweetener to taste: honey, sugar, agave, etc.

2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

optional: seasonings, spices, extracts to taste



Instructions

Preheat oven to lowest temperature. 140° or higher. Puree all ingredients in a food processor until smooth. Pour onto a baking sheet lined with plastic wrap, or a silicone baking mat (don’t use foil, parchment, or waxed paper), and spread to 1/8″ thick. Place in oven and bake for 6-8 hours, until center is not tacky anymore. Remove from oven and peel off of baking sheet. Cut into strips and roll in parchment or plastic. Store in airtight container or freeze.



Tips:

-All fruits will produce slightly different results. Strawberries and Raspberries are two of my favorites, that consistently produce good flavor and texture. You might have to experiment to find what works well. If you’re going to make a giant batch, you may want to test one first to make sure it works well.

- The addition of sugar or honey enhances the texture and makes the fruit roll ups a little more chewy than if you leave it out.

- If using plastic wrap, it will shrink a little as the fruit dries, so do leave a little extra around the edges. A silicone baking mat works the absolute best in my opinion.

Lenten meal plan....

Since joining Pinterest I have come to experience oodles and OODLES of new websites; craft sites, re-purposing sites and mostly FOOD websites.

Well, one of the recent food sites that really stood out for me is Closet Cooking. The blogs author, Kevin Lynch, is based out of Toronto, Canada. His blog title, Closet Cooking...Cooking in a Closet Sizes Kitchen, kinda makes me giggle. For, here is this ordinary guy that has created numerous fabulous recipes in a pint-sized space. It has encouraged me; for if this guy, in cramped quarters, can be inventive...why can't I?!

The recipe index is extensive and impressive! Whew...where does one start?!

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One recipe that will be a must-try in the coming weeks, for St. Patrick's Day, will be the Irish Soda Bread.

Irish Soda Bread ~ Closet Cooking

                                                       Ingredients:

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup whole-wheat flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup rolled oats

1 cup buttermilk



Directions:

1. Mix the flour, baking soda, salt and rolled oats in a bowl.

2. Mix in the buttermilk and form a dough.

3. Shape the dough and place it on a baking sheet or in a loaf pan.

4. Bake in a preheated 375F oven for 40 minutes (the top should be golden brown).

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Also, since being Lent, the Beer Battered Fish looks AMAZINGLY yummmy!!



Beer Battered Fish ~ Closet Cooking

 
Ingredients:


1 bottle beer

2 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 large egg (lightly beaten)

1 pound cod fillets (or halibut, or haddock, etc., cut into serving sized pieces)

salt and pepper to taste

1/2 cup flour

oil for frying



Directions:

1. Mix the beer, flour, baking powder, salt and egg into a batter in a bowl.

2. Season the fish with salt and pepper.

3. Dredge the fish in the flour and shake off any excess.

4. Dip the fish into the batter.

5. Fry the fish in preheated 375F oil until cooked, about 4-5 minutes.

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This fish would go wonderfully with My Son's Coleslaw!

Coleslaw:


1 small head of cabbage, shredded

1 small carrot, grated

1/2 cup chopped celery



Dressing:

1 cup light mayo (the recipe calls for Miracle Whip..but, we chose mayo)

1/4 cup milk

1/4 cup vinegar

1/4 teaspoon salt

6 tablespoons sugar

1/2 teaspoon celery seed



Shred cabbage into bite sized pieces. Grate carrot. Mix together. Mix dressing and add to cabbage mixture. Cover and refrigerate until ready to eat. You can make this WELL ahead of time and it tastes even BETTER!

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                                                                     Happy cooking!

thai tuesday

Last night I made Thai for supper. I had never made this recipe before and wasn't sure what everyone would think. Well, it was a hit, especially with the kids! So I know it is a keeper!



Vegetarian Pad Thai

2/3 cup chili sauce (can be found in ethnic or sauce aisle)

1/4 cup brown sugar

2 tablespoons water

2 tablespoons fish sauce (ethnic aisle)

1 teaspoon dried ginger or 1 1/2 teaspoons fresh (grated)

1/2 pound wide rice noodle (I didn't have, so I used fettuccine noodles)

4 teaspoons canola (or any oil you have) divided

1 package of tofu, drained and cut in 1" cubes (that is what I used. If you want this non-vegetarian, go for the meat- chicken would be awesome!)

2 egg whites

1 whole egg

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 cups fresh bean sprouts (rinsed well)

3/4 cup cut up green onion

1/2 cup fresh cilantro, minced

1/3 cup peanuts, chopped

1 lime

1. Combine chili sauce, brown sugar, water, fish sauce, and ginger. Mix well and set aside for now.

2. Cook noodles according to package. Drain.

3. Heat 2 teaspoons of oil in large skillet (or wok, if you have..I don't have one, yet!) Heat to medium heat. Add tofu and cook until all sides are browned. Do same with meat if you choose to use it. Remove from pan.

4. Combine egg whites and whole egg in small bowl. Wisk well.

5. Heat 2 teaspoons of oil in pan, over med-high heat. Add garlic. Saute for about 20 seconds. Add egg mixture and cook until soft scrambled eggs. Stir in chili sauce mixture and noodles. Cook for a couple of minutes, blending well. Stir in tofu (meat), bean sprouts, onion and 1/4 cup cilantro. Cook about 4 minutes longer. Sprinkle extra cilantro on top, along with peanuts. Serve with cut up lime wedges.

I served with:

Sweet & Sour Cucumbers

2 cucumbers, peeled and very thinly sliced

3 green onions, sliced thin along with 2 inches of green tops

2/3 rice vinegar (ethnic aisle)

1/3 cup white sugar

Combine all in a bowl and cover. Put in refrigerator for 1/2 hour, or longer. The longer you let sit, the better it will taste!





my son's coleslaw

My son was in the mood for some coleslaw this past cold winter weekend. (He must have had warmer summer picnic days on his mind!)  For dinner, this past Saturday, his request was hamburgers... and what better to go with hamburgers than coleslaw! We looked through my favorite Amish cookbook and found a recipe. Not having all the ingredients my son tweaked it a tad. The results? Fantastic!

So, here his recipe for super easy, yummy, coleslaw. Enjoy!

Coleslaw

1 small head of cabbage, shredded
1 small carrot, grated
1/2 cup chopped celery

Dressing

1 cup light mayo (the recipe calls for Miracle Whip..but, we chose mayo)
1/4 cup milk
1/4 cup vinegar
1/4 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon celery seed

Shred cabbage into bite sized pieces. Grate carrot. Mix together. Mix dressing and add to cabbage mixture. Cover and refrigerate until ready to eat. You can make this WELL ahead of time and it tastes even BETTER!

amish Chili Verde?

I have two favorite cookbooks, and both of them are Amish. Those Amish sure know how to cook, I guess!
One of my and my family's favorites, is from the cookbook Wholesome Sugarfree Cooking. The recipe is for Chili Verde (Green Chili Enchiladas). It is fairly easy to assemble and can be made ahead of time if you choose (actually, the flavors are better is you do so!)
So, here is the recipe.

Chili Verde

Sauce:
1/4 c. olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
2 large garlic cloves, chopped
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon black pepper ( I don't add this)
3 cups chicken broth
2 (4oz) cans of green chilies, diced (now, you can buy them already diced- I buy mild ones)
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon salt ( I leave out)
2-3 Tablespoons flour

10-12 flour tortillas
8 oz. Monterrey jack cheese

Heat oil in saucepan. Add onion and garlic; cover and cook on low for about 5 minutes. Raise heat to medium, stir in flour, cumin, and pepper. Stir for 2 minutes. Remove from heat and gradually pour in broth, whisk to remove lumps. Add remaining ingredients and bring to boil. Cook on low and simmer for 30 minutes. The finished mixture should be fairly thick. Allow to cool slightly. Drench tortillas in this mixture (if you want, add refried beans, cooked chicken, etc. at this point!) and cheese. Roll and place in baking dish, side by side. Cover with remaining sauce and cheese. Cover ends to keep from drying ( I foil the entire dish, after 10 minutes remove the foil to brown slightly).
Bake at 350 for 15 minutes.

Enjoy!

amish pumpkin bars...yummy!

When we lived in Ohio a few years back, we would frequent the local Amish community. We would enjoy going there as a family and just spend a lazy-day exploring.
One of our stops would be Yoder's Amish Home in Millersburg Ohio. They had THE BEST baked goods!! One of the last times we were there I bought a cookbook from them...Amish Home Cooking with Elsa. I can honestly say that I have tried many of the recipes inside and they have all been really good!
This time of year I go to one of my familys all-time favorites, the pumpkin bars. Now, they are not the healthiest! But, they are easy to make and they are THE best!

Amish Pumpkin Bars

4 eggs
1 cup vegetable oil
2 cups can pumpkin
2 cups white sugar
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 cups flour
2 teaspoons cinnamon
dash of salt

Mix first four ingredients together. Add last four. Spread into greased baking sheet (jelly roll pan) with sides.  Bake at 350 degrees for about 20-25 minutes. Let cool.

Frosting:

8 ounces cream cheese (fat-free or Neufchâtel can be used)
1 stick of shortening
vanilla
1 cup powdered sugar (more or less to taste) * original recipe calls for 1 pound...too much for me!

Mix together and spread on cooled bars. Enjoy!

Paczki time!

Tomorrow marks the last day before Christians enter into the Lenten season which starts on Ash Wednesday. For many, the day is known as Fat Tuesday or Mardi Gras (French),.. the last "blow-out" before Lenten fasting begins. Yet, for others it has become known as Paczki Day!

A paczki pronounced "poonch-key" or "punch-key" is a sweet Polish treat. It resembles a donut or bismark. It will be filled with a whole slew of different fillings: ranging from sweet cheese (my favorite!), strawberry, custard, lemon, etc.. The dough is then deep fried and often sprinkled with powdered sugar.Traditionally, pączki came to be due to having to use up all the sugar, eggs, lard and fruit in the house.. for they were forbidden to be consumed due to Catholic fasting practices during Lent.

I had never heard of a paczki before we had moved here to Michigan. But trust me! It is a "big deal"! Any and every grocery store carries them here. Bakeries would be committing a crime if they did not offer them! Everyone has there own way of pronouncing them. But, overall, they are a delicious, sugary, fatty,  way to end one season and bring on the start of Lent.

Try one and happy Paczki Day!

domácí sladké domácí

Every time we visit the Chicagoland area, my family is instantly gravitated to Vesecky's bakery in Berwyn Illinois.

6634 Cermak Rd
(between Clarence Ave & Riverside Dr)
Berwyn, IL 60402

Growing up, I have very fond memories of this place! My Aunt Marie and Uncle Otto used to live in Berwyn some 20 something years ago. Back then, the town was predominately Czech (Bohemian). All along Cermak Road one could find a whole slew of Czech establishments. Restaurants, butcher shops, and gift shops dotted the heavily populated street. The locals were fluent in the Czech language and at times "I" felt like the foreigner!

Auntie Marie would take us kids by the hand and stroll us down Cermak until we arrived at Vesecky's. I can still remember the long lines of eager customers (mainly seniorly, in age) waiting, with number ticket in hand, to pick out with tasty treats to bring on home.

It was always a tough decison, even today! Huge piles of kolache's in an assortment of flavors fill the glass-fronted display cases. Freshly made rolls and buns, poppy coffee cakes, pies, rye breads, and bountiful cookies fill the air with the smell of pure love! Ah! I can still smell it!

The ladies behind the counter wait on one customer at a time and don't in the slightest bit feel the "rushness" of all the other customers eagerly waiting in line. Their pace is slow and precise. And, they NEVER forget to offer the kids (and the parents) a tasty sample of the cookie of their choice!

So, the next time you are anywhere near the Berwyn area, make a pit stop at Vesecky's. You won't be zklamaný!

yummy!

One of my favorite finds recently was this Meijer Naturals marinara sauce. My family LOVES it! It has a great, slightly sweet, taste and is very fresh tasting. I tried using others after using this and I just keep thinking how they don't stack up. The price can't be beat either! It is only $1.98 at our store.

2 thumbs UP!

a good DEAL

I made a completely random trip to Big Lots yesterday. I sometimes like to just browse the aisles and see what's what. I tend to find some really interesting deals along the way! Like yesterday. I found a box of 48 Stretch Island Fruit Co. fruit leather bars. They were only $6.00! There was 6 flavors and 8 of each flavor. When I have purchased these at my usual store they can be close to $1.00 each. So, if I bought 48 x $1.00 that would = $48.00! So, 6 bucks was a great deal to me! My kids love them (and I have to admit, I do too!) and the sugar is low, it only comes from the fruit, non added. So there you go.. have you found a good DEAL that you would like to share? Ah, come on!

time to make the DONUTS!

Today as I was driving around town I passed our local Dunkin' Donuts. I pass it regularly and everytime I do the place is jammed! Why? Well, I know they have good coffee, but aren't those sugary donuts supposed to be bad for us??

I remember when I was young my mom would take us to Dunkin' Donuts to pick out our "dozen". My favorite was always a toss-up between the pink frosted with colorful sprinkles, or the cream filled long john. Yummy! It always seemed, too, that one was just not enough! Also, I remember going their for Halloween and getting a plastic Halloween bucket filled with munchkins. Does anyone else remember that?

So, many years later what is the "still strong attachment" to DD's? Is it a comfort food? Is it just a treat? Or, is there really some hidden nutritional value bit that I was not made aware of!?

Well anyway you put it, America "still" runs on Dunkin'!

two pies in 2 days

I want to help, I want to help, the little girl's face shines with delight, as she watches her mother turn the oven on baking some dessert for supper tonight

-Adine Cathey, Helping in the Kitchen

Day 1

I was making supper the other night when my youngest daughter proudly stated that she wanted to make the dessert. She knew she wanted to make a pie! I told her to gather the ingredients and off she started. Chocolate animal cookies, pretzels, vanilla flavored Silken soy were the base of the pie. Sprinkles, chocolate chips (two sizes!), and toffee chips were added in. The pie was put in the oven (not having a recipe we didn't know how long). After about 30 minutes we took it out and put it in the refrigerator. The pie ended up being the consistency of a soft set pudding. Ultra-sweet and baked with a six year old with love.

Day 2

The following day, daughter number one wanted to create her own pie. Her pie would be pumpkin pie. Her crust was made with graham crackers and melted butter. A can of pumpkin, spices, eggs were the filling. A random gathering of Halloween sprinkles, mini-M & M's, and chocolate chips were added on the top. We baked it and chilled it. This is her version of pumpkin pie.

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Very seldom do we, as parents, allow our kids to be totally free in the kitchen. This only proved to me that my kids are creative and oh so willing to help. It was a lot of fun!

Copy Kat!

Tonight I was making taco's for dinner. I had the meat cooking. Then, I realized I had no taco seasoning in the pantry!! I panicked (for about a minute) then quickly ran to the computer to search for a recipe to make my own. I was very pleased when I came across one at CopyKat Recipes.

Taco Seasoning Mix

1 Tbsp. dehydrated onion

6 tsp. chili powder

5 tsp. paprika

4 1/2 tsp. cumin

3 tsp. onion powder

2 1/2 tsp. garlic powder

1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper

Combine ingredients and store in an airtight container. To prepare, brown 1 lb. of meat. Add 3 Tbsp. of seasoning and approx. 1/2 cup of water. Simmer until water is absorbed. Use in your favorite tacos.

I am happy to report that the seasoning was a hit! the taco's were yummy!

my favorite amish pumpkin bars

"We shall never know all the good that a simple smile can do."

Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta

I believe there is no better way to create a smile than to bake something yummy! These pumpkin bars are from an Amish cookbook that I got when we lived in Ohio. The book is Amish Home Cooking with Elsa. There are SO many great recipes in this book!

So, here is the recipe...enjoy!

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Bars

4 eggs

1 cup vegetable oil

2 cups pumpkin

2 cups white sugar
2 teaspoons baking soda

2 cups flour

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon salt

Mix first four ingredients together. Add last four. Bake at 350 degrees for about 20-25 minutes.

Frosting

8 ounces cream cheese

1 stick oleo or shortening

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 lb. powdered sugar

Mix and thin with a little milk.

Let bars cool and then frost. Eat and enjoy!