Butternut Harvest Stew

2 Tbsp butter
1 1/2 pounds boneless pork, cut in 1/2-inch chunks
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 cups chicken broth
3/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp dried rosemary
1/4 tsp rubbed or ground sage
1 bay leaf
1 medium butternut squash, peeled and chopped in bite-size chunks
2 medium apples, peeled and roughly chopped

1. Melt butter in a large saucepan.  Add pork, onion, and garlic and sauté until meat is no longer pink; drain off fat.
2. Add broth and spices (including bay leaf).  Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer for 20 minutes.
3. Add squash and apples and simmer, uncovered, until squash is tender.  About 20 minutes.
Discard bay leaf and serve.

Note: Does not freeze well.

Source: Let's Eat!

I made this several times this fall/winter and loved it!  A delicious soup.

Pumpkin Apple Muffins

1 cup all-purpose flour
2/3 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup sugar
2 tsp pumpkin pie spice (or 1 tsp cinnamon, 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice)
3/4 baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 egg, lightly beaten
2/3 cup pumpkin puree
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 1/3 cup peeled and chopped apple

1. Preheat oven to 350.  Lightly grease 12 muffin cups or use paper liners.
2. In a large bowl, sift together flour, sugar, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda, and salt.  In a separate bowl, mix together eggs, pumpkin, and oil.  Add pumpkin mixture to flour mixture; stirring just to moisten.  Fold in apples.  Spoon batter into prepared cups.
3. Bake in preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into a muffin comes out clean.

Source: adapted from Allrecipes

Try #??:

I halved the amount of sugar (to 1/2 cup), and used some brown sugar because I had run out of white sugar. 

Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

1 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cups whole wheat flour
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 egg
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup apple sauce
1/2 cup plain yogurt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup mashed ripe bananas
2/3 cup semisweet chocolate chips (use mini chips for mini muffins)

1. In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

2. In another bowl, combine the egg, oil, applesauce, yogurt and vanilla. 

3. Stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. 

4. Fold in bananas and chocolate chips. 

5. Fill greased or paper-lined muffin cups two-thirds full. Bake at 350 degrees F for 22-25 minutes (10-12 minutes for mini muffins) or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks.

Source: Let's Eat!

Try #1 - October 24, 2014

Yummy!  

Peanut Butter Chicken in Crockpot

1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken, cut in chunks *
1/2 cup natural peanut butter (creamy or chunky, your choice)
1 red bell pepper, seeded and sliced
1 large onion, coarsely chopped
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 lime, juiced
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup chicken broth

*Note: Double sauce for a whole chicken.

1. Use a 4-quart slow cooker. Put the chicken into the bottom of your pot and add the peanut butter. 2. Toss in the vegetables and cumin. Squeeze in lime, and add soy sauce and chicken broth. Stir as well as you can to combine (the peanut butter will be clumpy, and that's just fine).

3. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours, or on high for about 4 hours. Serve over rice or quinoa.

Source: A Year of Slow Cooking

Try #1 - October 24, 2014
This was good, although I have to remember that with many crockpot recipes, they are better after they've sat for a little while.  In this case, this would have been better if I had turned off the heat and let it sit for a while to let the sauce thicken up.  It was definitely better as leftovers the next day.  I used drumsticks and thighs.  After we had eaten all the chicken, there was still quite a bit of sauce left so I froze the leftover sauce to serve over rice (and perhaps add some more chicken) for a future meal.

New England Clam Chowder

1/2 pound bacon, cooked and diced
1 (6.5-ounce) can minced clams, drained
5 small red potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
1 onion, peeled and diced
1 cup sliced celery
2 garlic cloves, chopped
2 teaspoons dried thyme (I used 8 sprigs fresh thyme)
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
4 cups chicken broth (I used fish broth)
2 cups half-and-half or heavy cream (I used 1 cup whole milk)
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1. Use a 4-quart slow cooker. Brown the bacon on the stovetop, and drain the accumulated grease.
Put the bacon into your crockpot, and add clams. Add all the vegetables and spices and pour in the broth. Cover, and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours, or until the onion is translucent and the potatoes squish easily with a fork.
2. Use a hand-held stick blender and pulse a few times to naturally thicken the soup. Stir in half and half and shredded cheese. Ladle into wide-mouthed bowls or bread bowls.

Source: A Year of Slow Cooking

Try #1 - October 21, 2014
I made this with some leftover salmon Nathan had cooked over the weekend.  I omitted the bacon (and clams, since I was using salmon instead).  So I guess I should call this salmon chowder.  Either way, it was delicious!  A great use of leftover salmon.  I used the salmon bones to make the broth a day or two before I made this soup (just added water and some herbes de provence to the bones and cooked it in the crockpot for several hours).  There was quite a bit of salmon meat left on the bones so I picked it off and added that to the chowder.  I will definitely make this again!

General Tso Chicken in Crockpot

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken, cut in 1-inch chunks
4 garlic cloves, minced
3 tablespoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon dried ginger
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, or more to taste
1 (16-ounce) package stir-fry vegetables (to add later)

1. Use a 4-quart slow cooker. Put the chicken into the bottom of your crockpot and then add the garlic, brown sugar, ginger, soy sauce, and red pepper flakes. Toss the chicken to fully coat with the sauce ingredients.
2. Cover and cook on low for 5 to 6 hours, then add the frozen vegetables. Re-cover and cook on high for an hour, or until the veggies are fully hot and the chicken has reached desired tenderness.
3. Serve with white or brown rice.

Source: A Year of Slow Cooking

Try #1 - October 16, 2014
This was pretty good, but not really General Tso Chicken. So as long as you don't expect what you might find in a Chinese restaurant, you should be happy. Really easy dinner. Instead of chopping chicken into pieces, I used whole boneless/skinless chicken thighs, and just broke it up into pieces at the end. I added a bag of frozen broccoli. Definitely needed a full hour on high to get the broccoli hot enough. The kids seemed to like it.

Homemade Brownies

2 large eggs
1/2 cup plus 2 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp espresso powder (optional)
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
1 cup plus 2 Tbsp sugar
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup chocolate chips

1. Preheat oven to 350.  Lightly grease a 8 x 8 inch pan.
2. Crack the 2 eggs into a bowl, then beat them with the cocoa, salt, baking powder, espresso powder, and vanilla until smooth.
3. In a separate bowl, melt the butter in the microwave.  Add the sugar and mix well.  Alternatively, combine the butter and sugar and heat on the stove over low heat, stirring, until the butter is melted.  Continue to heat briefly (in microwave or on stove), just until the mixture is hot, but not bubbling; it'll become shiny looking as you stir it.  Heat the mixture to this point will dissolve more of the sugar, which will yield a shiny top crust on your brownies.
4. Add the butter/sugar mixture to the egg/cocoa mixture, stirring until smooth.
5. Add the flour and chocolate chips, again stirring until smooth.  If you want the chips to remain intact in the baked brownies, rather than melting in, let the batter cool in the bowl for about 20 minutes before stirring in the chips.
6. Spoon the batter into lightly greased 8 x 8 pan.
7. Bake the brownies for about 30 minutes, until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean.  Remove them from the oven and cool on a rack before cutting and serving.

Note: You could double this recipe and put it into a 9 x 13 pan, same baking time (30 minutes).

Source: adapted from www.kingarthurflour.com/recipes/fudge-brownies-recipe

Try #1 - September 29, 2014
I wanted brownies today.  We had no box mixes.  But we did have cocoa and chocolate chips, so I went searching for a brownie-from-scratch recipe and came up with this.  Not bad, especially for my first ever brownies not from a box!  Not as sweet as the box mix, but that's ok.  I didn't heat the sugar with the butter as recommended in step 3, so my brownies did not have the shiny top crust.  I will try this in the future.  The smaller 8x8 pan was a more reasonable size for our family.  If we were having guests or I were making this for small group I would double it and use the 9x13 pan.

Try #2 - October 9, 2014
Good news!  These can be made by mixing the dry ingredients separately and adding them to the wet ingredients.  The only caution is not to accidentally scramble your eggs when you add the melted butter.  I avoided it by making sure the melted butter was not scalding and adding it a little bit at a time while continually whisking the egg mixture.  It might be my imagination, but this batch seemed even better than my first try - I also had them warm and ooey gooey out of the oven so that always helps.

Try #3 - November 2014
Can also make these with whole wheat flour. Also tried it with heating the butter and sugar together in the microwave and the top did come out shinier!

Homemade Chili Sauce

1 cup tomato sauce
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 Tbsp vinegar
1/4 tsp allspice or chili powder

Mix together!  Refrigerate until ready to use.

Source: http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Chili-Sauce/

Try #1 - August 30, 2014
Perfect for sweet and sour meatballs!

No-Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Pretzel Cookies

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
1/2 cup milk
2 cups granulated sugar
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups old fashioned oats
1 cup chopped pretzels
1/4 teaspoon sea salt, plus extra for sprinkling on cookies

1. In a medium saucepan, melt butter over medium-high heat. Add milk, sugar, and cocoa and stir to combine while bringing to a boil. Boil for 1-2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove pan from heat. Add in peanut butter and vanilla, and stir until smooth. Stir in oats, chopped pretzels, and sea salt.
2. Drop mixture by spoonfuls onto waxed paper and let cool completely. Cookies will set up and harden when they cool. Store in an air-tight container on the counter for up to 4 days.

Source: www.twopeasandtheirpod.com/no-bake-chocolate-peanut-butter-pretzel-cookies/

Try #1 - September 10, 2014
Yummy!

Single- or Double-serving Molten Lava Cakes

You're welcome.

1/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
2 Tbsp butter
2 tsp sugar
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
1 egg (room temperature), beaten
1 Tbsp flour
Optional garnishes: 1/2 tsp confectioners' sugar for dusting, fresh fruit, and a dollop of whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

1. Preheat oven to 400.
2. Fill a small pot with 1-inch of water. Fit a larger stainless steel or glass bowl on top of the pot to make a double boiler. Heat the pot of water on medium-high heat.
3. Add the chocolate chips and butter to the stainless steel bowl. The chocolate will quickly begin to soften and melt. Quickly whisk the chips until nearly completely smooth. Turn off the heat and add the sugar and vanilla. Continue to whisk the chocolate until completely smooth.
4. Carefully remove the bowl from the hot pot to the counter. Allow the chocolate to cool for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
5. Whisking continuously, slowly add the egg into the chocolate mixture a teaspoon at a time, incorporating the egg addition each time completely before adding more. You don't want to add the egg too quickly because the warm chocolate will cook the egg. Continue to do this until the chocolate batter looks smooth.
6. Stir in the flour until mixed in.
7. Gently spray the bottom and sides of one 4-oz ramekin or coffee mug. (I used a muffin tin and filled two muffin holes. The picture above is the result of double the recipe.) This will help the cake to release from the ramekin after baking. Add the batter to the ramekin. It will be about 3/4 cup full.
8. Bake for 10 minutes. (I baked for 7 minutes using a standard sized muffin tin.) After 10 minutes, the cake will appear to be baked but when touched in the center will feel very soft.
9. Remove the cake from the oven and allow it to rest on the counter for a minute.
10. You can serve the cake in the ramekin or turn it over onto a plate. If you gently touch the sides of the cake with your finger, it should pull away from the sides.
11. After one minute, cover the ramekin with a serving plate and flip the plate to right side up. Slowly and carefully begin to life the ramekin off the plate. If it appears the cake is not releasing, lower the ramekin back down to the plate and gently shake the ramekin back and forth and try again. If it still does not release, invert the cake back to the ramekin and use a thin paring knife to release the cake from its side and flip again.
12. Dust the lava cake with powdered sugar and dollop with a small spoonful of whipped cream or vanilla ice cream. A small berry and fresh mint leaf also make nice garnishes.

Source: http://www.pbs.org/parents/kitchenexplorers/2014/05/01/single-serving-molten-lava-cake-recipe/

Try #1 - May 30, 2014
This is so delicious.  Perfect for two single-serving lava cakes.  Relatively easy despite the long instruction list.  Great date night dessert. :)  Seven minutes was perfect for baking in the muffin tin, since you need to split the batter into two holes.  I don't think they're called muffin holes, but I don't know what else to call them...

Broccoli Bacon Salad

2 fresh broccoli heads, cut into bite-sized florets

1/2 cup chopped red onion

1/2 cup dried cranberries

1/2 cup slivered almonds

1/2 cup roasted sunflower seeds

1 cup crumbled cooked bacon

Dressing:

1 cup mayonnaise

1/3 cup granulated sugar

3 Tbsp distilled white vinegar

1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

1. Combine the broccoli, red onion, cranberries, almonds, and sunflower seeds in a large bowl.

2. To make the dressing, mix the mayonnaise, sugar, vinegar, and pepper together in a small bowl.

3. Pour the dressing over the broccoli salad and mix thoroughly.  Transfer the salad to a large plate or serving bowl.  Garnish with the crumbled bacon.

Source: "Savory Sweet Life" cookbook

Banana Honey-Walnut Muffins

3/4 cup chopped walnuts
1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon honey, divided
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour, spooned into measuring cup and leveled-off
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 stick unsalted butter, at room temperature
2/3 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1/2 cup mashed banana, from 1 large overripe banana
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/3 cup whole or low fat milk

1. Preheat the oven to 350°. Spray a 12-cup muffin tin with non-stick cooking spray, then line with paper liners (it is necessary to do both so that the muffin tops don't stick to pan).
2. In a small bowl, toss the nuts with 1 tablespoon of the honey and cinnamon until the nuts are evenly coated (obviously, it will be very sticky). Set aside. (I used granulated sugar instead of honey to avoid the stickiness.)
3. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
4. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat the butter with the sugar and the remaining 1/3 cup of honey until fluffy, 2-3 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula if necessary. At medium speed, add the eggs one at a time and beat until fully incorporated between additions. Beat in the banana and vanilla until blended. (It will look grainy.) At low speed, beat in the dry ingredients in 2 batches, alternating with the milk.
5. Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin tin and sprinkle with the nut topping. Bake the muffins until the tops are golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Let the muffins cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then turn them out onto a rack and let cool for at least 15 minutes before serving.

Source: http://www.onceuponachef.com/2011/02/banana-honey-walnut-muffins.html

Try #1 - June 13, 2014

Abby wanted to make these for Father's Day, so we did!  They were yummy.  I used sugar instead of honey for the topping just to avoid the sticky mess.

Banana Chocolate Chip Cookies

2 ripe bananas, mashed
1 cup oats
1/2 cup chocolate chips
2 Tbsp peanut butter

Mix all ingredients well.  Drop by spoonfuls on to an ungreased cookie sheet.  Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes.

Source: http://thehandmadereview.com/sinless-banana-oatmeal-cookies/

Try #1 - July 15, 2014
The kids pretty much made this all by themselves... healthy too!  Fun snack alternative.

Chicken Souvlaki Marinade

For 2 lbs of chicken:

1/4 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 tsp salt and pepper
1/4 cup white vinegar
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 tsp dry mustard
1/2 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp sage
1/4 tsp savory
1/4 tsp thyme

Source: greek.food.com/recipe/chicken-souvlaki-56768

Try #1 - July 4, 2014
This was an excellent souvlaki recipe.  Nathan used chicken thighs and grilled it on skewers outside.  Very tender and delicious flavor.  Happy birthday, America!

BBQ Ribs in Crockpot

5 lbs ribs
Salt and Pepper
1 onion, diced
8 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups barbecue sauce (one bottle, or make your own)

1. Cut ribs into serving portions and lay on a broiler sheet in single layer.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Brown ribs at 400 degrees for 15 minutes.
2. Put ribs in bottom of slow cooker.  Add onions and garlic.  Pour barbecue sauce over top.
3. Cover and cook on low for 8 to 10 hours, or high for 4 to 6 hours.

Source: adapted from A Year of Slow Cooking

Try #1 - July 15, 2014
This was awesome.  Maybe the first time I've ever cooked ribs... but won't be the last.  Nathan and the kids (and me too) gobbled it up!  I made my own barbecue sauce.  I served it with egg noodles and topped it with some of the sauce from the crockpot.  Mmmmmm.

Homemade Barbecue Sauce

2 cups ketchup
2 Tbsp brown sugar
2 Tbsp soy sauce
2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
1/8 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)

Add all ingredients to a medium-sized saucepan.  Bring to a simmer over medium-low heat, and continue simmering for 15 minutes.  Remove from heat and allow to cool.  Place in an airtight container.  Keeps refrigerated for up to one week.

Source: adapted from http://www.kitchentreaty.com/our-very-favorite-homemade-barbecue-sauce/

Try #1 - July 15, 2014
I made this to pour over some ribs in the crockpot.  Because it was going to be slow cooking for several hours, I didn't bother to simmer it on the stove first, I just whisked it together in a small bowl.  This sauce was super easy, super yummy, and made with ingredients I normally have on hand.  A crowd pleaser for the whole family!

Thai Noodles with Peanut Sauce

12 ounces linguine (I used 16 oz spaghetti)

4 tablespoons sesame oil, divided
1/2 cup green onion, chopped
1 cup finely shredded carrot
2 cups frozen stir fry vegetables (I used frozen broccoli and shelled edamame)
3 tablespoons minced fresh garlic
1/2 tablespoon ground ginger or 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, minced
1/4 cup honey (I increased to 1/3 cup)
1/4 cup creamy peanut butter (I increased to 1/3 cup)
1/4 cup soy sauce
3 tablespoons rice vinegar
1/2 tablespoon chili-garlic sauce (optional)

1. Cook pasta in a large pot of salted water according to package directions.  Drain and return to pot.  Add 2 Tbsp sesame oil and toss to coat.  Set aside.

2.  Heat remaining 2 Tbsp sesame oil in heavy pot over medium-high heat.  Add green onions, carrots, stir-fry vegetables, garlic, and ginger.  Saute until vegetables soften, about 4 minutes.

3.  Add honey, peanut butter, soy sauce, vinegar and chili-garlic sauce and mix well.  (I mixed together in a separate bowl first and then added it all together to the vegetables.)  Simmer sauce 2 minutes.  Pour sauce over pasta and toss well.  

4.  Transfer to platter and serve warm.  Garnish with additional green onions, if desired. 

Source:  http://www.food.com/recipe/thai-noodles-with-spicy-peanut-sauce-99918

Try #1 - April 3, 2014

This was delicious!  I like it better than my other peanut sauce recipe.  I did increase the peanut butter and honey to 1/3 cup each because I was using 16oz instead of 12oz of pasta.  I could have probably put even a little more peanut butter in.  I omitted the chili-garlic sauce, but Nathan and I each added a few drops of hot sauce to our own servings.  The kids all loved this and asked for seconds and thirds!  This is a nice alternative to pasta with red or white sauce.

Try #? - May 12, 2015
I've made this several times.  The kids still love it!

Lima Bean Soup

http://crockpot365.blogspot.com/2013/03/slow-cooker-hearty-lima-bean-soup.html

Crock Pot Pulled Pork

3 tablespoons paprika
2 tablespoons salt (if desired, you can cut back on the salt by only using 1 tablespoon)
2 teaspoons black pepper
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper (if desired, you can cut back on the pepper by only using ½ teaspoon of cayenne)
1 teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon dried thyme
½ cup honey
¼ cup red wine vinegar
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, peeled and cut in half
3 to 3 ½ pounds pork shoulder, cut in half

1. In a medium size mixing bowl, mix together the first six ingredients (all of the spices) with a fork.
2. Pour in the honey, vinegar, and olive oil and stir to form a paste.
3. Place the onion in the bottom of the slow cooker. Top it with the 2 pieces of pork and then pour the honey paste over all sides of the pork pieces. It’s okay if some of it (or a lot of it) just drips down to the bottom.
4. Turn the slow cooker on to low and cook for 7 to 8 hours or until the meat is tender enough to be easily shredded with a fork.
5. Serve warm with fixings like homemade cole slaw and cornbread. Refrigerate or freeze the leftovers.

Source: 100 Days of Real Food

Try #1 - March 7, 2014
This was really good.  I made homemade buns and turned them into pulled pork sliders.  I served it with coleslaw.  Yum!

Ash Wednesday Black Beans and Rice

3 cans black beans
1 green pepper, thinly sliced
1 red pepper, thinly sliced
1 onion, finely diced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 1/2 cups carrots, thinly sliced
4 stalks celery, thinkly sliced
1/2 cup picante sauce (or tomato salsa)
1/2 cup water (or vegetable stock or white wine)
white wine (optional)
2 teaspoons chili powder
2 teaspoons cumin
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon black pepper
a few dashes Tabasco sauce
Salt and pepper to taste
Olive oil for pan
Cooked brown rice

1. In a family size skillet, heat olive oil and then saute carrots for 3 minutes. Add peppers, onions, garlic, celery, picante sauce or salsa, water or stock, and spices, mix together and cover. Depending on liquid amount and desire of flavor, add 1/4 cup or so of white wine for flavor. Cook for 15 minutes.

2. Drain and rinse beans, add to skillet, cook 5 more minutes. Serve over rice and/or in taco shells with a salad.

Source: http://catholiccuisine.blogspot.com/2009/02/ash-wednesday-beans.html

Try #1 - March 5, 2013
Pretty good, another beans and rice recipe to add to my repertoire.  I liked the added vegetables in it.

Flank Steak

2 lbs flank steak
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup oil
1 clove garlic, peeled and pressed or chopped
3 Tbsp lemon juice (or juice of one lemon)
1 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp ground ginger

1. Stir together marinade, pour over flank steak.  (Can use gallon ziploc bag or glass baking pan.)  Let stand in refrigerator at least two hours, or overnight.
2. Broil or barbecue about 7 minutes on each side.

Source: Nathan's mom

Try #? - March 2014
So, my steak came out really tough... but I think it's me, not the recipe.  We made this a long time ago and it turned out better then.  Oh well.

Whole Wheat Cheese Blintz Pancakes

3 eggs
3/4 cup whole-wheat flour
6 Tbsp milk
4 1/4 tsp pure maple syrup
1/4 plus 1/8 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 cups cottage cheese (can substitute ricotta cheese or yogurt)
Butter, for cooking
Berry jam, for topping

1. In a blender, combine the eggs, flour, milk, syrup, baking powder, and cottage cheese.  Blend just until combined, less than 30 seconds.
2. Heat the griddle to 350 degrees or set a large saute pan over medium low heat.  Melt the butter, and then add the batter by the spoonful and cook until lightly brown on both sides, about 5 minutes total.
3. Top with berry jam and serve warm.

Source: http://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2014/02/04/recipe-cheese-blintz-pancakes/#more-14071

Try #1 - February 8, 2014
Yum... yum.  Yum.  We used ricotta cheese.  We also did a second batch with yogurt, which made the batter a lot runnier and harder to work with.  Seems better to stick with cottage cheese or ricotta.  Did I mention yum?

Tuna-Noodle Casserole

3 cups medium noodles (4 oz) or 1 cup elbow macaroni (3.5 oz) - I always use a box of pasta, 12 to 16 oz
1/2 cup soft bread crumbs
1 Tbsp butter, melted
1 cup chopped celery (2 stalks)
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup butter or margarine
1/4 cup all-purpose flour - I double the flour, salt, and milk when I use a full box of pasta
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp dry mustard
1/2 tsp black pepper
2 cups milk
1 9- or 9.25-oz can tuna, drained and broken into chunks, or two 6-oz cans skinless, boneless salmon, drained
1 cup cheddar cheese cubes (4 oz)
1/4 cup chopped roasted red sweet pepper or pimiento
1 cup frozen vegetables, thawed

1. Cook noddles according to package directions.  Drain and set aside.  Meanwhile, combine bread crumbs and 1 Tbsp melted butter; set aside.
2. For sauce, in a medium saucepan cook celery and onion in 1/4 cup hot butter until tender.
3. (See note above about doubling sauce.)  Stir in flour, salt, dry mustard, and black pepper.  Add milk all at once; cook and stir until slightly thickened and bubbly.
3. Combine cooked noodles, sauce, tuna, vegetables, cheese cubes, and roasted pepper.  Transfer to a 1 1/2 quart casserole (or larger if using full box of pasta).  Sprinkle with crumb mixture.  Bake, uncovered, in a 375 degree oven for 20 to 25 minutes or until bubbly and top is golden.

Source: Better Homes and Gardens New Cookbook

Try #??
I've made this many times, this is just the first time I'm recording it on this blog.  Four ounces of pasta is a ridiculously small amount, in my mind, so I always use a full package (12 to 16 oz) of pasta.  If I do that, I double the flour, salt, and milk (but not the butter) to make more sauce.  Broccoli is a good addition to this casserole.

Ham and Broccoli Breakfast Bake

4 whole wheat English muffins, cut into bite size pieces
2 cups broccoli florets
2 cups leftover ham, diced
8 oz. block extra sharp cheddar cheese, shredded, divided
12 eggs
1 cup milk
1 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
Salt and pepper

1. Lightly grease a 9×13-inch glass baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.
2. In a mixing bowl, toss together the cut English muffin pieces with the broccoli florets, diced ham and about 3/4 cup of the shredded extra-sharp cheddar cheese. Once tossed, pour into the baking dish.
3. In the same mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, paprika and crushed red pepper.  Add in a few dashes of salt and pepper as well.
4. Pour the egg mixture over top of the ingredients in the baking dish.  Cover with foil and refrigerate overnight.
5. In the morning, sprinkle the remaining shredded extra-sharp cheddar cheese over top of the casserole. Bake, covered, at 375 for 45 minutes. Then remove the foil and bake for another 15 to 20 minutes, or until the casserole puffs up and slightly browns on top.

Source: www.mops.org/ham-and-broccoli-breakfast-bake

Ham and Split Pea Soup

1 piece (about 2 1/2 pounds) smoked, bone-in picnic ham (or any leftover ham bone)
4 bay leaves
1 pound (2 1/2 cups) split peas, rinsed and picked through
1 tsp dried thyme
2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
2 medium onions, chopped medium
2 medium carrots, chopped medium
2 medium stalks celery, chopped medium
1 Tbsp unsalted butter
2 medium garlic cloves, minced (about 2 tsp)
Pinch sugar
3 small red potatoes, scrubbed and cut into 1/2-inch dice (about 3/4 cup)
Ground black pepper
Minced red onion (optional)
Balsamic vinegar (optional)

1. Place ham, bay leaves, and 3 quarts water in large stockpot or Dutch oven.  Cover and bring to a boil over medium-high heat.  Reduce heat to low and simmer until meat is tender and pulls away from bone, 2 to 2 1/2 hours.  Remove ham meat and bone from pot and set aside.
2. Add split peas and thyme to stock.  Bring back to boil, reduce heat, and simmer, uncovered, until peas are tender but not dissolved, about 45 minutes.  Meanwhile, when ham is cool enough to handle, shred meat into bite-sized pieces and set aside.  Discard rind and bone.
3. While split peas are simmering, heat oil in large skillet over high heat until shimmering.  Add onions, carrots, and celery and saute, stirring frequently, until most of liquid evaporates and vegetables begin to brown, 5 to 6 minutes.  Reduce heat to medium-low and add butter, garlic, and sugar.  Cook vegetables, stirring frequently, until deeply browned, 30 to 35 minutes; set aside.
4. Add sauteed vegetables, potatoes, and shredded ham to pot with split peas.  Simmer until potatoes are tender and peas dissolve and thicken soup to consistency of light cream, about 20 minutes more.  Season with pepper to taste.  (The soup can be refrigerated in an airtight container for 2 days.  Warm soup over low heat until hot.)
5. Ladle soup into bowls, sprinkle with red onion, if using, and serve, passing balsamic vinegar separately.

Source: "Here in America's Test Kitchen" 2002 Cookbook

Try #1 - January 15, 2014
I made this for small group, and doubled the recipe.  Even so, we still had a ton of leftovers!  I really liked this version of split pea soup.  Taking the time to do the different steps (simmering the stock ahead of time, sauteing the vegetables separately in oil AND butter) really brought out the flavor.  I've made split pea soup many times, usually just throwing everything in one pot all at the same time.  This was definitely better; however, it was more time-consuming.  My kids liked it, which is a bonus.  I didn't serve it with the balsamic vinegar, although we did have a side salad with a balsamic vinaigrette dressing which worked nicely with the soup.  Home run!

Coconut Red Lentil Soup

1 cup (7 oz) yellow split peas
1 cup (7 oz) red split lentils (masoor dal)
7 cups water
1 medium carrot, cut into 1/2-inch dice
2 tablespoons fresh peeled and minced ginger
2 tablespoons curry powder
2 tablespoons butter or ghee
8 green onions (scallions), thinly sliced
1/3 cup (1.5 oz) golden raisins
1/3 cup tomato paste
1 14-ounce can coconut milk
2 teaspoons fine grain sea salt
One small handful cilantro, chopped
Cooked brown rice or farro, for serving (optional)

1. Give the split peas and lentils a good rinse - until they no longer put off murky water. Place them in an extra-large soup pot, cover with the water, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and add the carrot and 1/4 of the ginger. Cover and simmer for about 30 minutes, or until the split peas are soft.
2. In the meantime, in a small dry skillet or saucepan over low heat, toast the curry powder until it is quite fragrant. Be careful though, you don't want to burn the curry powder, just toast it. Set aside. Place the butter in a pan over medium heat, add half of the green onions, the remaining ginger, and raisins. Saute for two minutes stirring constantly, then add the tomato paste and saute for another minute or two more.
3. Add the toasted curry powder to the tomato paste mixture, mix well, and then add this to the simmering soup along with the coconut milk and salt. Simmer, uncovered, for 20 minutes or so. The texture should thicken up, but you can play around with the consistency if you like by adding more water, a bit at a time, if you like. Or simmer longer for a thicker consistency.
4. Ladle soup over 1/2 cup of warm farro or brown rice. Sprinkle each bowl generously with cilantro and the remaining green onions.

Serves 6.

Prep time: 10 min - Cook time: 35 min

Source: http://www.101cookbooks.com/archives/coconut-red-lentil-soup-recipe.html

Try #1 - March 2014
This was really good!  Even the kids liked it.  I didn't even use fresh ginger, green onions, or cilantro, and there was still plenty of flavor.  

Red Lentil Soup with Lemon

2 cups (14 oz) split red lentils, picked over and rinsed well
1 tablespoon turmeric
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
Fine grain sea salt
1 large onion (~ 2 cups), diced
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 1/2 teaspoons yellow mustard seeds
1 cup chopped cilantro
Juice of three lemons, or to taste
1 large bunch of spinach leaves, chopped
Cooked (warm) brown rice, to serve
Plain Greek yogurt, to serve

1. Put the lentils in a pot with 7 cups water, the turmeric, 1 tablespoon of the butter, and 2 teaspoons salt. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer, covered, until the lentils are soft and falling apart - twenty minutes or so. Puree with a hand blender. Add more water until the soup is the consistency you like, then taste and add more salt if needed. Keep the soup warm/hot.
2. While the lentils are cooking, prepare the onion. In a skillet over low heat cook the onion in 2 tablespoons of the remaining butter along with the cumin and mustard seeds, stirring occasionally. When the onions have softened, roughly 10 or 15 minutes, add the cilantro and cook for a few seconds before removing from the heat. Add the onion mixture to the soup, then add the juice of the lemons, one lemon at a time - until the soup has a nice bit of tang. Also, add more salt to taste at this point if needed.
3. Just before serving, add the last of the butter to the skillet, when hot add the spinach and a good pinch of salt. Stir well, and cook just long enough for the spinach to collapse.
4. Serve by placing a scoop of rice in each bowl, then soup, spinach, and a dollop of yogurt.
Serves 6.

Source: http://www.101cookbooks.com/archives/red-lentil-soup-with-lemon-recipe.html

Mediterranean-Style Pot Roast

1 2- to 3-pound boneless beef check pot roast
1 Tbsp cooking oil
1 medium onion, sliced
1 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes with basil, oregano, and garlic, undrained
1/4 cup sliced pitted ripe olives
1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
2 tsp dried herbes de Provence, crushed
1 tsp coarsely ground black pepper
1/2 cup (2 oz) crumbled feta cheese

1. Trim fat from meat.  In large skillet, brown meat on all sides in hot oil.  Drain off fat.  Set aside.
2. Place onions in slow cooker.  Add meat.  In a medium bowl, stir together tomatoes, olives, Worcestershire sauce, herbes de Provence, and pepper.  Pour over mixture in slow cooker.
3. Cover and cook on low-heat setting for 8 to 10 hours, or on high-heat for 4 to 5 hours.
4. Remove meat from slow cooker.  Cut meat into 6 serving-size pieces.  Arrange meat on a serving platter.  Using a slotted spoon, transfer vegetables to serving platter, reserving juices.  Spoon enough of the juices over meat and vegetables to moisten.  Sprinkle with feta cheese.  Serves 6.

Source: ??

Try #1 - January 5, 2013
I've had this recipe in my folder for over 5 years... and not tried it until now.  I have no idea where it came from, except I'm pretty sure I copied it down at Brady and Erin's old apartment.  First try was a good one - I cooked it on low for 8 or 9 hours, and the meat was so tender that it just fell apart.  Which is success, in my opinion.  I omitted the olives because I don't like olives, but I can see how that would have added to the dish.  I think it could have used some salt - maybe the olives would have provided some of the saltiness.  Overall a good dish.  I served it over mashed potatoes.