Original Recipe from Wondertime
Another great variation on the boring old sandwich lunch.
2 cups flour
1 Tbsp baking powder
1 Tbsp paprika
1 tsp sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 tsp dry mustard
1 stick unsalted butter, softened
2 large eggs
1/2 cup plus 1 Tbsp milk
3/4 cup chopped smoked turkey
1 cup grated Cheddar cheese
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Grease a large baking sheet.
In medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, paprika, sugar, salt, pepper, and dry mustard. Use a pastry blender or two knives to incorporate butter into flour mixture. Blend until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. In a small bowl, whisk together the eggs and 1/2 cup milk; stir into flour mixture. Stir in the turkey and 1/2 cup of the cheese. Dough will be very sticky.
Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface, roll into a ball, then flatten into a disk. Gently pat and flatten until disk is about 10 inches around and 1/2 inch thick. Cut the round into 8 wedges using an oiled knife or a pizza cutter.
Transfer the scones to the baking sheet. Brush tops with the remaining tablespoon of milk and sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake scones, rotating baking sheet halfway through cooking, until golden, approximately 15 minutes.
Serve warm.
Tips and Hints:
*The dough is definitely sticky, but don't knead in more flour to make it less sticky. Only use enough to make it manageable. Too much and the dough will get tough instead of light and fluffy.
*We used smoked deli turkey, but the original recipe called for cooked ham.
*The original recipe also called for a 1/2 cup scallions to be mixed in with the meat and cheese. None of us like scallions, so we left them out.
Sunday, June 22, 2014
Orange Marshmallow Pops
Original Recipe from Kraft Food and Family Magazine
1 cup boiling water
1 pkg orange flavor gelatin
1/2 cup orange juice
2 cups vanilla ice cream
12 large marshmallows
Add boiling water to gelatin mix in medium bowl; stir two minutes until completely dissolved. Cool slightly. Gradually add orange juice and gelatin to ice cream in a large bowl, beating with mixer on low speed after each addition until blended.
Insert wooden pop stick into center of each marshmallow. Place, marshmallow end down, into each of 12 small paper or plastic cups. Spoon about 1 Tbsp ice cream mixture into each cup. Freeze 30 minutes or until slightly firm. Place the bowl with the extra mixture in the freezer for about 20 minutes, then keep at room temperature for the remaining freeze time.
Pour remaining gelatin mixture into cups, approximately 1/4 cup mixture per cup. Freeze 4 hours or until firm. Remove pops from cups to serve.
Tips and Hints:
*We all agreed that the marshmallows didn't really add anything to this pop and were just cold and gummy. I would leave them out the next time and just make these in ice pop molds.
*If you do use the marshmallows, definitely follow the directions and freeze with just a little of the mixture to start with. If you overfill, the marshmallows float.
*You can substitute in other flavors of gelatin. Substitute apple juice if you don't have a matching juice flavor.
*Kids can help! Emily put the sticks in the marshmallows in the cups and helped scoop the ice cream mixture into the cups as well.
1 cup boiling water1 pkg orange flavor gelatin
1/2 cup orange juice
2 cups vanilla ice cream
12 large marshmallows
Add boiling water to gelatin mix in medium bowl; stir two minutes until completely dissolved. Cool slightly. Gradually add orange juice and gelatin to ice cream in a large bowl, beating with mixer on low speed after each addition until blended.
Insert wooden pop stick into center of each marshmallow. Place, marshmallow end down, into each of 12 small paper or plastic cups. Spoon about 1 Tbsp ice cream mixture into each cup. Freeze 30 minutes or until slightly firm. Place the bowl with the extra mixture in the freezer for about 20 minutes, then keep at room temperature for the remaining freeze time.
Pour remaining gelatin mixture into cups, approximately 1/4 cup mixture per cup. Freeze 4 hours or until firm. Remove pops from cups to serve.
Tips and Hints:
*We all agreed that the marshmallows didn't really add anything to this pop and were just cold and gummy. I would leave them out the next time and just make these in ice pop molds.
*If you do use the marshmallows, definitely follow the directions and freeze with just a little of the mixture to start with. If you overfill, the marshmallows float.
*You can substitute in other flavors of gelatin. Substitute apple juice if you don't have a matching juice flavor.
*Kids can help! Emily put the sticks in the marshmallows in the cups and helped scoop the ice cream mixture into the cups as well.
Monday, June 16, 2014
Pinwheels
Quick and easy lunch. A nice variation on a regular old sandwich.
4 flour tortillas (6")
4 slices American Cheese
4 slices smoked turkey
4 Romaine lettuce leaves
Place a tortilla on plate. Put American cheese in the middle, layer one slice of smoked turkey and a lettuce leaf on top. Roll up tightly. Cut into 4 pinwheels.
Tips and Hints:
*If desired, spread 1/2-1 tsp mustard or mayonnaise on tortilla before layering cheese and meat.
*You can use your favorite cheese and deli meat instead of American and turkey. Just make sure they are thinly sliced.
*There are so many great flavors of tortillas available--try using whole wheat, sundried tomato, or spinach for an interesting variation if you're feeling adventurous.
*Kids can help with this one. Mine liked layering and rolling.
4 flour tortillas (6")4 slices American Cheese
4 slices smoked turkey
4 Romaine lettuce leaves
Place a tortilla on plate. Put American cheese in the middle, layer one slice of smoked turkey and a lettuce leaf on top. Roll up tightly. Cut into 4 pinwheels.
Tips and Hints:
*If desired, spread 1/2-1 tsp mustard or mayonnaise on tortilla before layering cheese and meat.
*You can use your favorite cheese and deli meat instead of American and turkey. Just make sure they are thinly sliced.
*There are so many great flavors of tortillas available--try using whole wheat, sundried tomato, or spinach for an interesting variation if you're feeling adventurous.
*Kids can help with this one. Mine liked layering and rolling.
Saturday, June 14, 2014
Pizza Monkey Bread
Recipe Adapted from Kraft Food and Family Magazine
A great variation on pizza that's easy and fun to eat. This is a great recipe for kids to help make.
Sliced pepperoni
1 recipe pizza dough or 1 can refrigerated pizza crust
1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup spaghetti sauce
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Spray 9" square pan with cooking spray and set aside.
Roll pizza dough out on lightly floured surface. Roll into 14x12 inch rectangle. Top with shredded cheese, then pepperoni. Lightly drizzle spaghetti sauce over pepperoni.
Starting at one long side, roll up dough and toppings. Cut into 16 pinwheels. Place pinwheels, cut side down, into prepared pan. Bake 25-30 minutes, until golden brown.
Tips and Hints
*I really hate canned pizza dough, so I always make homemade. My favorite is my whole wheat crust.
*The original recipe called for Italian sausage. You can definitely substitute any typical pizza ingredients. I wouldn't try to stuff too much in, though. The more full, the harder to put everything in the pan!
*If desired, sprinkle the tops of the pinwheels with Parmesan cheese before baking.
*We did one pan of pepperoni and one pan of just cheese to make everyone happy.
*There are lots of kid jobs in this recipe. Emily grated the cheese, helped roll the dough, spread all the ingredients, and put all the pinwheels in the pan. And of course, she was happy to help eat it up!
A great variation on pizza that's easy and fun to eat. This is a great recipe for kids to help make.
Sliced pepperoni
1 recipe pizza dough or 1 can refrigerated pizza crust1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup spaghetti sauce
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Spray 9" square pan with cooking spray and set aside.
Roll pizza dough out on lightly floured surface. Roll into 14x12 inch rectangle. Top with shredded cheese, then pepperoni. Lightly drizzle spaghetti sauce over pepperoni.
Starting at one long side, roll up dough and toppings. Cut into 16 pinwheels. Place pinwheels, cut side down, into prepared pan. Bake 25-30 minutes, until golden brown.
Tips and Hints
*I really hate canned pizza dough, so I always make homemade. My favorite is my whole wheat crust.
*The original recipe called for Italian sausage. You can definitely substitute any typical pizza ingredients. I wouldn't try to stuff too much in, though. The more full, the harder to put everything in the pan!*If desired, sprinkle the tops of the pinwheels with Parmesan cheese before baking.
*We did one pan of pepperoni and one pan of just cheese to make everyone happy.
*There are lots of kid jobs in this recipe. Emily grated the cheese, helped roll the dough, spread all the ingredients, and put all the pinwheels in the pan. And of course, she was happy to help eat it up!
Whole Wheat Pizza Crust
Recipe Adapted from Better Homes and Gardens New Cookbook
This is my favorite pizza dough. It makes a great, soft crust for homemade pizza, calzones, or pizza rolls. Whole wheat flour and olive oil make it a little healthier than other crusts.
2 1/4-2 3/4 cups whole wheat flour
1 Tbsp active dry yeast
1 cup warm (120-130 degrees) water
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 tsp Italian seasoning
Combine 1 cup of flour and yeast in mixing bowl. Add water and mix on medium speed for 1 minute. Add olive oil and Italian seasoning and mix until blended. Add flour 1/2 cup at a time, mixing for 30 seconds-1 minute after each addition, until dough forms a ball and pulls away from the sides of the mixer.
Transfer dough to a lightly greased mixing bowl. Cover and let rest for 30 minutes. On a lightly floured surface, roll into desired shape and fill as desired.
Tips and Hints
*With any bread dough, a stand mixer is helpful. If you are using a hand mixer, mix in as much flour as you can, then knead in additional flour until dough is no longer sticky.
*You can mix half wheat and half white flour if the dough is too "wheaty" for your taste. I use white wheat, which has a lighter flavor.
*Make sure your water is not too cold or too hot--use a thermometer. Too cold and it won't activate the yeast. Too hot and it will kill the yeast. Either way, you won't get much rise in the dough.
*After dough rests, sprinkle it lightly with flour and knead a few times before rolling out. This makes it easier to work as you roll it into your desired shape.
This is my favorite pizza dough. It makes a great, soft crust for homemade pizza, calzones, or pizza rolls. Whole wheat flour and olive oil make it a little healthier than other crusts.
2 1/4-2 3/4 cups whole wheat flour
1 Tbsp active dry yeast
1 cup warm (120-130 degrees) water
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 tsp Italian seasoning
Combine 1 cup of flour and yeast in mixing bowl. Add water and mix on medium speed for 1 minute. Add olive oil and Italian seasoning and mix until blended. Add flour 1/2 cup at a time, mixing for 30 seconds-1 minute after each addition, until dough forms a ball and pulls away from the sides of the mixer.
Transfer dough to a lightly greased mixing bowl. Cover and let rest for 30 minutes. On a lightly floured surface, roll into desired shape and fill as desired.
Tips and Hints
*With any bread dough, a stand mixer is helpful. If you are using a hand mixer, mix in as much flour as you can, then knead in additional flour until dough is no longer sticky.
*You can mix half wheat and half white flour if the dough is too "wheaty" for your taste. I use white wheat, which has a lighter flavor.
*Make sure your water is not too cold or too hot--use a thermometer. Too cold and it won't activate the yeast. Too hot and it will kill the yeast. Either way, you won't get much rise in the dough.
*After dough rests, sprinkle it lightly with flour and knead a few times before rolling out. This makes it easier to work as you roll it into your desired shape.
Strawberry Swirl Cheesecake Smoothie
Original Recipe from Kraft Food and Family Magazine
Not too sweet, super creamy, and very refreshing on a summer afternoon.
6 oz cream cheese or Neufchatel cheese
1 1/2 cups milk
1/3 cup sugar, divided
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
6 graham crackers
2 cups frozen strawberries, thawed slightly
In blender, blend cream cheese, milk, 3 Tbsp sugar, vanilla, and graham crackers until smooth. Pour all but about 1/2 cup of the mixture into a liquid measuring cup and reserve for later.
Add strawberries and remaining sugar to mixture in blender. Blend until smooth. Pour into 4 glasses.
Pour reserved cream cheese mixture gently over strawberry mixture in glasses. If desired, crumble another graham cracker and sprinkle over top of smoothie.
Serve immediately with a straw.
Hints and Tips
*I was completely unsure about mixing graham cracker into a smoothie, but they blended in beautifully and made it really taste like strawberry cheesecake with a graham cracker crust. Make sure you pulse the mixture several times to get all the large chunks of cracker mixed in.
*You could make this with other frozen fruit too--raspberry or peach would be delicious.
*My two picky middle children didn't like this because of the cream cheese, but the oldest and youngest slurped it all down in no time.
*Because of the cream cheese, this is a very rich smoothie. You may want to either cut the recipe in half to make smaller portions or divide it into 6-8 glasses instead of 4 if you're looking for a lighter snack.
Not too sweet, super creamy, and very refreshing on a summer afternoon.
6 oz cream cheese or Neufchatel cheese
1 1/2 cups milk
1/3 cup sugar, divided
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
6 graham crackers
2 cups frozen strawberries, thawed slightly
In blender, blend cream cheese, milk, 3 Tbsp sugar, vanilla, and graham crackers until smooth. Pour all but about 1/2 cup of the mixture into a liquid measuring cup and reserve for later.
Add strawberries and remaining sugar to mixture in blender. Blend until smooth. Pour into 4 glasses.
Pour reserved cream cheese mixture gently over strawberry mixture in glasses. If desired, crumble another graham cracker and sprinkle over top of smoothie.
Serve immediately with a straw.
Hints and Tips
*I was completely unsure about mixing graham cracker into a smoothie, but they blended in beautifully and made it really taste like strawberry cheesecake with a graham cracker crust. Make sure you pulse the mixture several times to get all the large chunks of cracker mixed in.
*You could make this with other frozen fruit too--raspberry or peach would be delicious.
*My two picky middle children didn't like this because of the cream cheese, but the oldest and youngest slurped it all down in no time.
*Because of the cream cheese, this is a very rich smoothie. You may want to either cut the recipe in half to make smaller portions or divide it into 6-8 glasses instead of 4 if you're looking for a lighter snack.
Sunday, June 8, 2014
Peach Cobbler
Original Recipe from Better Homes and Gardens New Cookbook
This is one of my husband's favorite treats. He loves the combination of the sweet fresh peaches with the biscuity topping.
Fruit Layer;
4 cups (give or take) fresh peaches, peeled and sliced
1/3-2/3 cup sugar
1 Tbsp cornstarch
1/4 cup water
Cobbler Layer:
1 cup flour
2 Tbsp sugar
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 cup butter or margarine
1 egg
1/4 cup milk
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Combine all ingredients for fruit layer in a medium saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring regularly, until hot and bubbly. Remove from heat and transfer to a 2 quart glass baking dish.
In a small mixing bowl, mix flour, sugar, and baking powder. Stir in egg and milk. Mix well until just moistened. Drop topping in small mounds over filling.
Bake for 20-25 minutes until golden and a toothpick inserted in topping comes out clean. Serve warm.
Tips and Hints
*You can use frozen fruit. Just thaw before cooking.
*I used nectarines instead of peaches this time. My husband said they were a little more tart, but still worked.
*You can also use blueberries, apples, or pears in this recipe. For apples or pears, reduce water to 3 Tbsp and add 1 Tbsp lemon juice. Omit the corn starch.
*This is best served warm. Heat individual servings for 30 seconds in the microwave.
*You can serve this with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream, as desired.
This is one of my husband's favorite treats. He loves the combination of the sweet fresh peaches with the biscuity topping.
Fruit Layer;
4 cups (give or take) fresh peaches, peeled and sliced
1/3-2/3 cup sugar
1 Tbsp cornstarch
1/4 cup water
Cobbler Layer:
1 cup flour
2 Tbsp sugar
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 cup butter or margarine
1 egg
1/4 cup milk
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Combine all ingredients for fruit layer in a medium saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring regularly, until hot and bubbly. Remove from heat and transfer to a 2 quart glass baking dish.
In a small mixing bowl, mix flour, sugar, and baking powder. Stir in egg and milk. Mix well until just moistened. Drop topping in small mounds over filling.
Bake for 20-25 minutes until golden and a toothpick inserted in topping comes out clean. Serve warm.
Tips and Hints
*You can use frozen fruit. Just thaw before cooking.
*I used nectarines instead of peaches this time. My husband said they were a little more tart, but still worked.
*You can also use blueberries, apples, or pears in this recipe. For apples or pears, reduce water to 3 Tbsp and add 1 Tbsp lemon juice. Omit the corn starch.
*This is best served warm. Heat individual servings for 30 seconds in the microwave.
*You can serve this with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream, as desired.
Blueberry Buckle
Original Recipe from Better Homes and Gardens New Cookbook
This is one of my favorite things to do with blueberries. Perfect summer treat or breakfast--moist cake, blueberries, and a crunchy topping.
Cake Layer
2 cups flour
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup shortening
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg
1/2 cup milk
2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries
Topping
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 cup butter or margarine
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease bottom and sides of 9x9 or 8x8 square pan.
Cake: Beat shortening with electric mixer on medium speed for 30 seconds. Add sugar and beat until fluffy. Add egg and beat well. In a separate bowl, mix together flour and baking powder. Alternate addition of dry ingredients and milk to shortening mixture, beating until smooth after each addition. Batter will be thick.
Topping: Combine flour, sugar, and cinnamon. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
Spoon cake batter into prepared pan. Sprinkle blueberries over top. Press berries into the batter slightly. Sprinkle topping over the blueberries.
Bake for 50-60 minutes until golden. Serve warm.
Tips and Hints
*You can make this with any kind of berries, fresh or frozen. Thaw frozen berries before using in this recipe. *I like this best served warm. After the original serving, heat individual portions in the microwave for 20-30 seconds.
This is one of my favorite things to do with blueberries. Perfect summer treat or breakfast--moist cake, blueberries, and a crunchy topping.
Cake Layer
2 cups flour
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup shortening
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg
1/2 cup milk
2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries
Topping
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 cup butter or margarine
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease bottom and sides of 9x9 or 8x8 square pan.
Cake: Beat shortening with electric mixer on medium speed for 30 seconds. Add sugar and beat until fluffy. Add egg and beat well. In a separate bowl, mix together flour and baking powder. Alternate addition of dry ingredients and milk to shortening mixture, beating until smooth after each addition. Batter will be thick.
Topping: Combine flour, sugar, and cinnamon. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
Spoon cake batter into prepared pan. Sprinkle blueberries over top. Press berries into the batter slightly. Sprinkle topping over the blueberries.
Bake for 50-60 minutes until golden. Serve warm.
Tips and Hints
*You can make this with any kind of berries, fresh or frozen. Thaw frozen berries before using in this recipe. *I like this best served warm. After the original serving, heat individual portions in the microwave for 20-30 seconds.
Thursday, June 5, 2014
Candy ice cream pops
I saw this idea on a blog post somewhere. I can't remember where to credit it!
Vanilla Ice Cream
M&Ms or other colorful candy
Let the ice cream sit on the counter for a few minutes to soften. Sprinkle a few M&Ms in the bottom of popsicle molds or 5 oz plastic cups.
Layer about 2 Tbsp ice cream in each cup. Sprinkle more M&Ms. Repeat with another layer of ice cream. Finish with more candy. Sick a popsicle stick or plastic spoon in each cup.
Place in freezer for at least an hour. Eat and enjoy!
Tips and Hints
*I loved this idea because of the built in portion control. Kids thought it was a fantastic treat, but it wasn't a huge amount of ice cream. And I only did about 6 M&Ms per layer, so not a ton of candy either!
*We couldn't get ours to come out of the cups, so ended up eating them with a spoon. I discovered by accident that they loosened up after about 5 minutes. So just get them out a few minutes early and let them sit. Then you can eat like a popsicle!
*These would also be good with chocolate ice cream. You could substitute sprinkles for the M&Ms. Or use other chopped up candy. Really, candy+ice cream=you can't go wrong!
Vanilla Ice Cream
M&Ms or other colorful candy
Let the ice cream sit on the counter for a few minutes to soften. Sprinkle a few M&Ms in the bottom of popsicle molds or 5 oz plastic cups.
Layer about 2 Tbsp ice cream in each cup. Sprinkle more M&Ms. Repeat with another layer of ice cream. Finish with more candy. Sick a popsicle stick or plastic spoon in each cup.
Place in freezer for at least an hour. Eat and enjoy!
Tips and Hints
*I loved this idea because of the built in portion control. Kids thought it was a fantastic treat, but it wasn't a huge amount of ice cream. And I only did about 6 M&Ms per layer, so not a ton of candy either!
*We couldn't get ours to come out of the cups, so ended up eating them with a spoon. I discovered by accident that they loosened up after about 5 minutes. So just get them out a few minutes early and let them sit. Then you can eat like a popsicle!
*These would also be good with chocolate ice cream. You could substitute sprinkles for the M&Ms. Or use other chopped up candy. Really, candy+ice cream=you can't go wrong!
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