The Jolly Kitchen

Quick Ways to Revive Your Kitchen

2011-03-31T15:06:00.000-04:00

Kitchens are the heart of the home. They are usually the most used room in a home so function and design are key. You should also love the space. You should feel inspired to cook and spend time in your kitchen. If you don't, then there are some easy ways to spruce up your kitchen.

Paint. I love paint because it is cheap and pretty much anyone can do it. You can paint the walls to instantly change the look of the kitchen. Another great way to revive a tired kitchen is to paint the cabinets.
Speaking of cabinets. How about changing the drawer and cabinet door pulls and knobs? This is a great way to make a big change without much effort or money.
Lighting is another easy way to change the look of the kitchen. Brighten the space by adding some track or recessed lights. Then, make sure to add some pretty task lighting as well.
Curtains and window treatments are also a fast way to spruce up a kitchen.

Whatever you do, it should reflect you and your family.

**Thanks to CSN Stores for sponsoring this post.

Every Kitchen Needs Nordicware Commercial Half Sheets

2011-01-04T18:03:00.002-05:00

Every kitchen needs baking sheets and you can't go wrong with Nordicware Natural Commercial 18" Bakers Half Sheet from CSN Stores. These baking sheets are durable and tough and ensure that your food gets evenly cooked. Professional bakers and chefs always use aluminum pans because of their even heating and durability. These are priced at a very affordable $13.99 at CSN Stores, which is honestly a steal! Price these at a retail store and you'll see what I mean.

Features:
* 13" x 18"
* Rust proof aluminum
* Lifetime warranty
* Dishwasher safe

You can find all sorts of things at CSN Stores! CSN Stores has over 200 online stores where you can find anything you need whether it be a chic handbag, wall art and decor or even cute cookware!

This post is sponsored by CSN Stores.

Spruce up your didning room for the holidays at CSN Stores

2010-11-04T15:57:00.003-04:00

With the holidays fast approaching, many of us are looking for ways to gussy up our homes for company. One room many of us try to spruce up is of course--the dining room. That's where CSN Stores comes in! If you're looking for the perfect dining room table, I highly recommend you check them out. Not only do they have a huge collection, but they also have excellent prices and free shipping!

***CSN Stores compensated me for this post.

Stock Your Kitchen at CSN Stores!

2010-09-20T12:29:00.000-04:00

My favorite area of the home to shop for is hands down the kitchen. From cookware and kitchen gadgets to glasses and serving pieces, I love shopping for the kitchen! If you share my love for all things home and kitchen, you should check out CSN Stores.

CSN Stores has over 200 online stores where you can find everything from a platform bed to fantastic fitness equipment to cookware! You will love the vast variety of products they offer at awesome prices!

Thanks to CSN Stores for providing me with a gift card to shop their stores for an upcoming review post.

What Does the Color of Your Bread Tag Mean?

2009-08-03T04:17:00.000-04:00

Have you ever wondered what the color of your bread tag means? Click on the picture below to find out.

Here is what Snopes has to say about it. Looks like it is true, but the guide above may not be enough to tell you how fresh your bread really is.

Chicken Fingers & Sweet Potato Fries

2009-08-02T01:21:00.000-04:00

Crunchy Chicken Fingers

Ingredients:
4oz reduced fat sour cream
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
salt and pepper to taste
2 cups dry stuffing mix
2 lbs chicken tenderloins

Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray a large baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray.
2. Combine sour cream, mustard, salt and pepper in a shallow bowl.
3. Put stuffing in a ziplock bag and crush stuffing into smaller pieces. Transfer to a shallow bowl.
4. Dip each piece into sour cream mixture and then roll in stuffing coating each piece as thoroughly as possible.
5. Put chicken strips onto baking sheet and spray tops of chicken with cooking spray.
6. Bake for 15-20 minutes until they are cooked through and lightly golden.

Sweet Potato Fries

Ingredients:
2-3 large sweet potatoes, peeled
2 tbsp Olive oil
salt and pepper

Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
2. Cut sweet potatoes into fries and place into large bowl.
3. Add olive oil, salt, and pepper to fries and stir.
4. Spray a large baking sheet with cooking spray and place fries in a single layer on the pan.
5. Bake for 20-30 minutes until fork tender and slightly crispy.

Recipe & Measuring Equivalents Cards

2009-08-01T00:42:00.000-04:00

I found a gem of a blog called, Lolly Chops that I just had to share with my blogging buddies. You have to visit Lolly's blog and see all of her free printables she designs herself. She has many different designs, but I thought my readers could benefit from her recipe cards and measurement equivalents cards. The measurement card would be great to laminate and add a magnet to the back so that you could put on the fridge.

Hosting Your Own Cookie Exchange

2008-12-08T03:33:00.000-05:00

Here is a wonderful guide on how to host your very own cookie exchange party!

Download Now

Go Graham Go Makes Cookies

2008-12-05T11:35:00.003-05:00

My Great Grandmother's Unbaked Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies

Ingredients:

2 cups sugar

1/2 cup milk

1 tsp vanilla

6 Tbsp cocoa

2/3 cup peanut butter

2 cups quick cooking oats

Directions:

Combine sugar, milk and vanilla, bring to a rolling boil and boil one minute. Add peanut butter, combine oats and cocoa; add to mixture. Spoon onto waxed paper. Let set about one hour.

Crockpot Cubed Steak

2008-12-04T01:47:00.003-05:00

Crockpot Cubed Steak

Ingredients:

Family pack of cubed steak

Flour

Cream of chicken soup

Beefy onion soup mix

1 Cup of water

Directions:

Add water and cream of chicken soup to crockpot and set to HIGH

Coat the cubed steak in flour lightly

lightly brown in frying pan

Mix Beefy Onion Soup mix in with water/cream of chicken soup mixture in crockpot

Put browned cubed steak in crockpot with mixture and cook on HIGH for about 5 hours (more or less depending on how much cube steak you have)

Serve as is or over rice!

Chicken Salad with Go Graham ?Go

2008-12-03T11:14:00.003-05:00

Enough Chicken Salad to feed an army! Cut it in half for a family of four!

Ingredients:

4 Cans of White Meat Chicken (larger cans usually 2 for $5)

1 8oz block of cream cheese

1 cup of mayo

1/2 cup of chopped celery

3 tbs of chopped onions

4 cups of pecans chopped into fine pieces

Crumble chicken into bowl with celery, onions, and pecan pieces

Melt mayo and cream cheese in the microwave for about 15-20 seconds and mix together.

Mix in mayo/cream cheese mixture with the chicken mixture

Eat and enjoy alone or with crackers or bread!

Go Graham Go Cooks! Chicken Squares

2008-12-02T06:14:00.003-05:00

This week Felicia from Go Graham Go is helping us stay out of the kitchen by bringing us simple recipes for busy moms!

Chicken Squares
Ingredients:1 tube of crescent rolls
1/2 cube of cream cheese
6-8 chicken tenderloins
1/2 small onion finely chopped
1 can of cream of chicken soup

Directions:
Cook chicken thouroughly. Finely chop cooked chicken. Melt cream cheese for about 15 seconds in microwave for easy mixing. Mix all ingredients together.
Lay crescent rolls out flat, spoon mixture onto the biggest section of crescent roll. Wrap sides around the mixture to form a "square" or pocket. Bake according to crescent roll package. Serve with cream of chicken soup on top for gravy!

If you want, you can also shape the dough into a ring as featured in the picture above. Just lay the crescent rolls out like a star and fold over top. This is a wonderful presentation if you are having dinner guests!

Go Graham Go Cooks at The Jolly Kitchen

2008-12-01T02:00:00.005-05:00

This week The Jolly Kitchen is featuring some delicious recipes courtesy of Felicia from Go Graham Go. Felicia is helping us stay out of the kitchen by bringing us simple recipes for busy moms! When you get a chance, you should stop by her blog. She has some great giveaways going on right now and always has the best product reviews.

Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Muffins

1 box of spice cake mix
One can of pumpkin (the regular sized can not the jumbo)
About 1/4 cup of water (use more or less to liking)
3/4 cup chocolate chips (tossed in flour so they don't sink to the bottom)

Mix it all together and bake them for 15 minutes at 350!

Thanksgiving Leftovers

2008-11-28T15:02:00.000-05:00

I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving! Here are some ideas for what to do with all of the food sitting in your refrigerator.

Turkey Pot Pie

Potato Croquettes

Pumpkin Bars

Sweet Potato Biscuits

Shepherds Pie

Turkey & Mashed Potato Frittata

Mr Breakfast's Holiday Leftover Tips

Mix leftover cranberry sauce with cream cheese to make a spread for toast and muffins.
Cranberry sauce makes an excellent topping for pancakes and waffles. Its flavor even blends well with maple syrup.
Shredded turkey can be added to almost any omelet recipe. Take a mushroom and cheese omelet; add some leftover turkey and it becomes a Turkey Tetrazzini Omelet. Here are 122 omelets you can experiment with.
Refrigerate your leftovers as soon as possible. Use leftover turkey within 3 days. Cranberry sauce keeps for about a week.
You know those crispy French Fried Onions on the top of your green bean casserole? Toss a little handful over scrambled eggs or omelets. Trust me.
Instead of hashed browns, fry up some leftover stuffing in a little bit of oil. Pat it down in rounds as its frying and it turns out like little pancakes.

Happy Thanksgiving!

2008-11-27T00:00:00.000-05:00

Happy Thanksgiving to all of my readers!

New Blog Design

2008-11-26T11:21:00.001-05:00

Yes! This is The Jolly Kitchen! My friend Felicia at Go Graham Go made this awesome design for me! I'm still working on getting the tabs to work. It will probably be a few days before I have everything worked out so please bare with me.

Thanksgiving Series No.9-Timesaving Tips

2008-11-26T00:24:00.000-05:00

Make Thanksgiving a relaxing day for all by planning and preparing ahead of time. There are many time saving tips that will help lessen the workload on Thanksgiving. This way you can have a relaxing, stress-free holiday as well!

1. Chop any vegetables you will be using to make your stuffing or casseroles. Place them in airtight containers.
2. Bake your pies or desserts the day before. Cover tightly with saran wrap.
3. If you are making mashed potatoes, go ahead and boil them until they are fork tender. Place them in an airtight container. The following day reheat the potatoes in the microwave and follow your recipe from that point.
4. Assemble your green bean casserole the day before. Do not add the french onions though. The next day, add the french onions and heat right before it's time to eat.
5. Wash all of your glasses, plates, polish silver, iron linens, make centerpieces, print place cards, and arrange flowers.
6. Set the table.
7. Remove turkey from packaging. Rinse with cold water and pat dry. Store in the refrigerator tightly covered with foil or saran wrap. Make sure to place a platter underneath to catch any liquid.
8. If you will be serving any cocktails, go ahead and premix and store in decorative decanters or bottles.
9. Tidy up the house if it needs it.
10. Gather anything you know you will need or will be using the next day.

Thanksgiving Series No.:8-Setting the Table Part 2

2008-11-26T00:05:00.002-05:00

Here are some free Thanksgiving printables that I found online.

Adorable turkey place cards from Martha Stewart

Place Cards

Conversation Starters

Thanksgiving Series No.:7-Setting the Table Part 1

2008-11-25T00:04:00.000-05:00

All of the senses are involved when you sit down to a meal. This is why having a beautifully set table is so important. Of course, using the perfect recipe creates the perfect taste, but without visual appeal, the meal can seem boring or unattractive. This is especially true at Thanksgiving, which is an important and greatly anticipated holiday. A beautiful table setting is the perfect introduction to a festive dinner like Thanksgiving.

There are Thanksgiving table setting ideas all over the internet. Of course, Martha Stewart, the uber hostess is filled with every type of table setting ranging from elegant to quirky and playful. Here are some adorable place settings from Martha's site.

Thanksgiving Series No.6-Pies

2008-11-24T00:37:00.000-05:00

I have to admit I have a bad sweet tooth! I never buy anything sweet for our home because I will devour it in 1.2 seconds! During the holidays, though, I totally indulge on Thanksgiving Day, the day after, Christmas, and the day after! One of my favorite desserts is pie. Any type of pie. I love pie! Here are some links to recipes from various websites that I have used before and I know are delicious! I do want to note though, that at Thanksgiving I don't bother with making crusts. I just buy the rolled Pillsbury crusts instead. There is way too much to bake and cook to bother with making crusts.

Classic Pumpkin Pie

French Apple Tart
I make this tart for my family ALL of the time! It is delicious, but a bit time consuming to make. I always cringe a little when I get requests for it at times other than the Holidays.

Thanksgiving Series No.5-Mashed Potatoes

2008-11-23T00:24:00.001-05:00

There's nothing like creamy mashed potatoes. When you make mashed potatoes, never ever use a hand mixer or food processor. You will get glue. Instead, use a potato masher, ricer, or food mill. I like my mashed potatoes lumpy, but if you don't just keep mashing until you reach the consistency you like.

Mashed Potatoes

Ingredients
4 pounds Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
Coarse salt
1 8oz container of sour cream
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, plus more for garnish
2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives, plus more for garnish

Directions
Place potatoes in a large pot; cover with cold water by 1 inch, and add 1 teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer until potatoes are tender, 15 to 18 minutes. Drain; return potatoes to pot.
Stir potatoes over medium heat until dry (a film of starch will form on bottom of pot), about 1 minute. Remove from heat.
Add butter to mash potatoes and mash just until smooth. Add sour cream and stir until combined. Stir in parsley and chives; season with salt. Garnish with more herbs.

Thanksgiving Series No.: 4-Crockpot Dressing

2008-11-22T14:59:00.005-05:00

Slow Cooker Dressing Recipe

Oven space is always limited on Thanksgiving so using the crockpot to make your dressing will free up some much needed space. This is also an easy way to make 'extra' stuffing for a large crowd. I haven't tried this recipe yet, but I am going to make it for this year's Thanksgiving.

Ingredients:

1 cup butter or margarine

2 cups chopped onions

2 cups chopped celery

1/4 cup parsley sprigs

1 (12 ounce) package mushrooms, sliced

12 - 13 cups slightly dry bread cubes

1 teaspoon ground poultry seasoning

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1 1/2 teaspoons sage

1 teaspoon dried thyme

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon marjoram

3 1/2 - 4 1/2 cups chicken broth or turkey broth

2 eggs, well beaten

Directions:

Melt butter or margarine in a skillet. Saute onion, celery, mushroom and parsley.

Pour sauteed vegetables over bread cubes in a very large mixing bowl.

Add all seasonings and toss together. Pour in enough broth to moisten. Add beaten eggs, and mix together well.

Pack stuffing lightly into slow cooker, and cover.

Set to High for 45 minutes; then reduce to Low to cook for 4 to 8 hours.

Makes 8 servings

Thanksgiving Series No. 3: Turkey Recipes

2008-11-20T17:02:00.004-05:00

Roasting a turkey at high heat produces the most flavorful, moist turkey. If you choose to roast at high temperatures, you cannot stuff the turkey with traditional dressing. The stuffing will not be heated through because of the short cooking time. Of course, this can cause salmonella poisoning and you do not want that! You can use fruits such as lemons, oranges, apple, figs, etc to stuff your turkey. Please be sure to have a very clean oven for high heat roasting. The temperature will cause any food bits to smoke.

What you will need:

One 16 pound turkey

Sea salt and freshly ground pepper

For brine:

2 cups kosher salt

8 quarts water

If brining, dissolve salt in water in a large stock pot. Add turkey and refrigerate overnight. Remove from brine, rinse and pat dry with paper towels. Proceed as below.

For stock:

Neck, gizzard and heart from turkey, rinsed and dried

canola oil

1 medium onion cut in half

1 medium carrot

1 stalk celery

1 bay leaf

1 teaspoon pepper corns

3 cups chicken stock

3 cups water

Place a small volume of oil in a heavy pot over medium heat. Add neck, gizzard and heart and cook, turning until browned. Add the remaining stock ingredients and bring to boil; reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, for 2 hours, skimming foam from time to time. Strain and set aside. This can be done well ahead of the rest of the meal.

Roasting the turkey:

Rinse inside and out, dry with paper towels and bring turkey to room temperature, keeping skin covered with a moist towel to prevent drying. Preheat oven to 500 degrees (450 degrees works nearly as well; cooking times will be slightly longer). Sprinkle turkey with ground pepper and salt and place into a roasting pan. Cook, rotating pan 180 degrees after 1 hour; add 1 -2 cups water or chicken stock to pan if drippings appear to be turning too dark. Check temperature in the thickest part of the thigh at 1 ¾ hours. Remove from oven when temperature is 170 degrees, about 2 hour’s total cooking time for unstuffed turkey. Add approximately 30 minutes if you have stuffed the turkey. Let turkey sit for 30 minutes, during which the temperature in the thigh should reach 180 degrees.

Gravy:

While turkey is resting, pour fat from roasting pan and place pan over medium – high heat. Pour stock into pan; boil, scraping up the browned fond from the pan. Boil until reduced nearly by half, check and add salt and pepper to taste. Keep hot and serve with turkey.

Free Betty Crocker Calendar & Coupons

2008-11-19T02:48:00.005-05:00

Sign up at Betty Crocker to get your FREE calendar and coupon book!

Thanksgiving Series No. 2-The Turkey Part 2

2008-11-16T00:19:00.001-05:00

This is number 2 in The Jolly Kitchen's Thanksgiving Series. Today, I will be offering tips and instructions on how to roast and carve your turkey!

Roasting Your Turkey:
1. Place turkey, breast side up on a shallow roasting pan and brush with melted butter or oil. I suggest that you use an oven proof thermometer. If you do, insert it into the thickest part of the thigh and make sure it is not touching the bone.
2. About 2/3’s of the way through cooking time, make sure to untie the drumsticks so that the inner thighs cook through.
3. Start checking doneness about an hour before the end of recommended roasting time. Your bird will be done when the internal temperature reaches 180 degrees and juices run clear. If you stuffed your bird, then the stuffing should reach 165 degrees. If your turkey is already golden brown, but it is not done yet, then loosely place an aluminum foil tent over the turkey.
4. When the turkey is done, transfer it to a carving board and cover with aluminum foil. Let the bird rest for 15 to 20 minutes before carving. This is a very important step in ensuring that your turkey is moist and easily carved.

Roasting Turkey Timetable:

Carving Your Bird:

Thanksgiving Series No. 1-The Turkey

2008-11-15T01:03:00.008-05:00

It’s almost Turkey Time and many of us are starting to prepare our menus for the Big Day. We hosted our first Thanksgiving last year and we were really nervous. It feels so overwhelming and intimidating to host such a special dinner for a lot of people. If you take it a step at a time and plan ahead, it really is not bad. We will be hosting Thanksgiving at our home again this year. I have to admit that I am still nervous about it so I am posting this series to help you and me too! Let’s get started!

The turkey is really the main event at Thanksgiving and deserves and requires the most attention.

Selecting the Perfect Turkey:
To have enough for your Thanksgiving feast and enough for the ever popular leftovers, allow 1 pound of turkey for every person. Make sure that the turkey you choose is plump and meaty with smooth, moist skin. The cut ends of the bone should be pink to red in color. If you decide on buying a fresh turkey, make sure that you will be cooking 1 to 2 days after buying and store it in the refrigerator. If you buy a frozen bird, it will keep for up to 6 months and follow the thawing instructions offered below.

Thawing: There are three safe ways to thaw your turkey.

1. Slowly thaw in the refrigerator. Place your turkey (keep in packaging) on a platter to catch juices. You should allow 24 hours for every 5 pounds of whole turkey. So, an 8-12 pound turkey will take about 2 days to completely thaw.
2. Slowly thaw in cold water. If you need to quickly thaw a turkey, then place the turkey still in its original packaging in your sink or container filled with cold water. Make sure to change out the water often. Allow 30 minutes for every 5 pounds of turkey. So, an 8-12 pound turkey will take about 5 hours to thaw.
3. Microwave. I don’t recommend this method, but it can be done in a pinch if you need to thaw the turkey very quickly. Remove the turkey from its packaging and follow your microwaves thawing directions.

Preparing Your Turkey: If you have decided to stuff your bird, make sure to do it right before cooking to avoid bacterial contamination. Make sure you never prestuff a turkey and then store in the refrigerator or freezer.

1. Take your turkey out of the packaging and make sure to remove the package of giblets. Seriously, make sure to remove the giblets-lol! My mom has forgotten before…not pretty. If you are making gravy from the giblets, then set aside. If not, then discard the giblets.
2. Wash out the neck and cavity of the bird with cold water and pat dry with paper towels. Rub the skin and cavity of the bird with salt. However, if you are stuffing the turkey, do not salt the cavity.
3. Stuff turkey if you would like. I honestly prefer not to because it is more difficult to get a juicy bird. If you decide to though, make sure you pack the stuffing lightly since the stuffing will expand as it cooks. Using skewers, attach the neck skin to the back and fold wings across the back with wings touching. Finally, tie the drumsticks together or tuck under the band of skin at tail.
4. If you are not stuffing your turkey, then fill cavities with various fruits like lemons, oranges, or apples or season with herbs. Then, close up the cavities as described in step 3.

I hope that these tips are helpful! Make sure to tune in tomorrow for the second installment in my Thanksgiving Series in which I offer directions and tips on roasting and carving the perfect turkey. See you then!

Apple Muffins

2008-11-09T22:22:00.004-05:00

First, I must give credit to The Mennonite Girls Can Cook blog! I got this Apple Muffin recipe from their AMAZING blog that you must visit. Seriously, those girls can cook and their blog is beautifully done.

I did subsitute the white flour with white wheat flour (healthier option) and they were delicious! The husband and the toddler gobbled them up. I made them 2 days ago and there are only 3 left-we had 12! I have eaten 2-you do the math-LOL!

Now, for the recipe:
Apple Muffins
Makes 12 muffins

Ingredients:
1 egg
1 cup milk
1/4 cup salad oil
1 cup coarsely grated apple
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (or sub with white wheat flour)
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt

Instructions:
1. Beat egg. Stir in milk oil and apples.
2. Mix in remaining ingredients, just until flour is moistened. The batter should be lumpy.
3. Fill greased muffin cups 2/3 full.
4. Bake at 375 F for 20 minutes or until golden. Immediately remove from pan.

Weekly Menu

2008-11-08T00:06:00.000-05:00

This week's menu is:

Dinner:
Oven Roasted Chicken with Roasted Vegetables
Bruschetta Chicken Bake
Apple Meatloaf and Couscous with Carrots and Cauliflower
Classic Chicken Pot Pie

For the munchkins lunch, I will be making spinach nuggets and mini tarts again because he loves them!

Breakfast:
Apple Muffins
Organic Whole Grain Waffles
Eggs and Toast
Various Fruits

Creamy Hot Cocoa

2008-11-03T00:54:00.001-05:00

It's getting chilly down here and I feel like hibernating! A wonderfully delicious way of warming up is with a good cup of hot cocoa. Here is a recipe I found a while ago that is really, really good. Perfect for chilly nights spent reading a good book by the fire. If you don't have time to make your own, then store bought is fine too. I always add half and half to store bought so that it is creamy and delicious.

Ingredients
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
3/4 cup sugar
1 pinch salt
1/3 cup boiling water
3-1/2 cups milk
3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup half-and-half
Cooking Instructions
Combine the cocoa, sugar and salt in a saucepan. Blend in the boiling water. Bring this mixture to an easy boil while you stir. Simmer and stir for about 2 minutes. Watch that it doesn't scorch.
Stir in milk and heat until very hot (do not boil!) Remove from heat and add vanilla. Divide between four mugs. Add the cream to the mugs of cocoa to cool it to drinking temperature.

Chicken Dijon & Baked Macaroni & Cheese

2008-11-03T00:19:00.002-05:00

My husband says this is the BEST meal ever! It really is great. The chicken has a tangy taste from the mustard. So good!

Chicken Dijon

Ingredients:
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast
1/4 cup bread crumbs
1/4 cup flour
1/2 tsp paprika
3 Tbsp Dijon mustard
1 Tbsp honey
1 Tbsp water
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
1 Tbsp butter

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil and spray it with nonstick cooking spray. Pound the chicken breasts with a mallet to a uniform thickness of about 1/2 inch. This is so they cook evenly and quickly.
2. In a shallow bowl or plate, combine the bread crumbs, flour, and paprika. In another shallow bowl or plate, combine the mustard, honey, water, salt, and pepper. Coat both sides of the chicken breasts with the mustard mixture, then the bread crumb mixture, and place them on the baking sheet.
3. Melt the butter in the microwave and drizzle it over the chicken breasts. Bake the chicken for 10 minutes or until the thickest part is no longer pink inside.

**Note** I used boneless, skinless chicken thighs because it tastes a lot better and is harder to dry out. However, if you use chicken thighs, you will need to cook longer. I cooked them about 20-25 minutes.

Baked Macaroni & Cheese with Tomatoes

Ingredients:

8 oz (2 cups dry) macaroni
1 cup skim milk
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp dry mustard
1 tbsp butter
1 egg, beaten
2 1/4 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1 can diced tomatoes, drained
2 Tbsp bread crumbs

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray a large casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray.
2. Cook the macaroni according to package instructions and drain it.
3. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, mix together the milk, salt, and mustard. Set it aside.
4. In a large microwave safe bowl, combine the macaroni with the butter, the beaten egg, and 2 cups of cheese. Stir it thoroughly.
5. Place the macaroni mixture in the microwave on high for 2 minutes to melt the cheese more thoroughly. Mix well.
6. Add the milk mixture and tomatoes to the macaroni and toss it. Place it in the casserole dish and smooth the top. Sprinkle with remaining cheese and the bread crumbs and bake it, uncovered, for 40-45 minutes or until set.

Stocking Your Kitchen Pantry

2008-10-31T00:01:00.002-04:00

These are the items we always have in our kitchen. As I run out of an item, I add it to the following week's grocery list. It is nice to have these staples on hand. Each household will have different must haves, but it is convenient to have items that are commonly used in many recipes.

Olive oil
Vegetable or Canola oil
Peanut oil
Sesame oil
Nonstick cooking spray
Bread crumbs
Cornmeal
All Purpose flour
White wheat flour
Whole wheat flour
White and brown sugar
Honey
White and brown rice
Couscous
2 pkgs pasta
2-4 cans chicken broth
Bouillion cubes (beef and chicken)
1 jar good quality pasta sauce
1 can good quality diced tomatoes
1 can good quality tomato sauce
1 can good quality crushed tomoatoes
1 can good quality whole tomatoes
1 can garbanzo beans
Lentils
Light soy sauce
Red wine vinegar
Balsamic vinegar
Baking Powder
Baking Soda
Cocoa powder

Spices and Herbs

Basil
Bay leaves
Cinnamon
Dry mustard powder
Lemon Pepper
Sea salt
Oregano
Thyme
Pepper
Salt
Rosemary
Sage
Nutmeg
Pure vanilla extract

Refrigerator Staples

Dijon mustard
Horseradish
Maple syrup
Ketchup
Eggs
Butter
Milk
Low fat plain yogurt or sour cream
Chopped garlic
Light mayonaise
Natural peanut butter
Preserves or jam
Parmesan cheese
Half and Half
Frozen

Peas
Cauliflower
Spinach
Berries

Penne Alfredo with Broccoli

2008-10-30T00:01:00.002-04:00

So simple to make and very good! Also, this is much lighter than traditional Alfredo.

Ingredients:
1 pkg. (16 oz) penne pasta
1/2 pound (1 head)broccoli florets
3/4 cup reduced fat ricotta cheese
3/4 cup plain nonfat yogurt
1 Tbsp butter
1 1/2 tsp chopped garlic
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 tsp dried basil
1/4 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp salt

Directions:

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook it until is 2 minutes short of being done, then add the broccoli for the final 2 minutes of cooking.
2. While the pasta cooks, use a blender or food processor to combine the ricotta, yogurt, butter, garlic, walnuts, Parmesan cheese, basil, pepper, and salt. Blend until it is smooth.
3. When the pasta and broccoli are cooked; drain then and toss them with the sauce. Serve pasta warm.

**Note** I ommitted the walnuts because my son is under 2 years old.**
***Note*** This recipe calls for 1 box of pasta. This made A LOT and the pasta seemed to need more sauce so the next time I make this, I will only use 1/2 box of pasta. If you are feeding a lot of people, use 1 box of pasta and double the ingredients for the sauce.***

Honored Again!

2008-10-29T22:38:00.004-04:00

I got another award! Woot! Thanks to Felicia at Go Graham Go! I love your blog too! If you're a mom looking to find out which baby products work, you should definitely visit Go Graham Go. Felica doesn't do the "typical" review. She provides videos and slideshows of the product in action.

Here are the rules for the award:
1. Slap this baby up on your blog. Don’t be shy.

2. Link to the giver - in this case The Jolly Kitchen!

3. Nominate up to seven other fab blogs.

4. Post links to those super fly blogs your nominating.

5. Leave messages for your recipients on their blogs…so they can feel as special as you.

7 Blogs I Love:

Sewing Mom
The Best of DIY
Ellen Sew Crafty
Embrace Simplicity
1 Blog 2 Sides
Winniel & The Laughing House
The Daily Dish

Thanks For The Award!

2008-10-29T22:10:00.001-04:00

Thank you so much Nessa at Ramblings of a Texas Housewife for the Kreativ Blogger Award! I really love your blog too and I am honored that you thought of me. Here are the rules for the award:

1. List six things about yourself

2. Pass this award on to other bloggers

Ok, here goes!

1. I love to cook! It is peaceful and relaxing to me. Well, it is peaceful and relaxing when I don't have a toddler grabbing my pant leg begging me to pick him up ; )
2. I love cheesecake and I make many different types. At Thanksgiving, I usually make a pumpkin cheesecake with a chocolate crust and decorated with chocolate leaves. It is so delicious!
3. I hate buffet style restaurants!
4. I love to decorate and own way too many dishes, glasses, silverware, etc...
5. I am a total mess in the kitchen. When I am done cooking, the kitchen looks like a tornado has been through it.
6. Don't talk to me if I have not had my coffee in the morning. I'm not very pleasant!

I would like to pass this award to these great bloggers:
1. Go Graham Go
2. My Art and the Mom in Me
3. The Mom Buzz
4. Momma Cooks Cooking
5. World of Homemaking

Cheddar Cheese Muffins

2008-10-28T23:11:00.003-04:00

These are definitely a little bit of work, but they are really good!

Ingredients:

10 green onions roots and ends trimmed
Olive oil for coating onions
1 cup whole milk
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 large egg
1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1 cup yellow cornmeal
1/4 cup sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Rub a baking sheet with oil.
2. Lightly coat the onions with olive oil, place them on the baking sheet, ans season with salt. Roast for 5 to 8 minutes, until lightly browned. Chop into small dice.
3. Decrease the oven temperature to 375 degrees. Grease the cups of the muffin tins with butter.
4. In a small bowl, whisk together the milk, buttermilk, and egg.
5. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and sugar.
6. In the bowl of the stand mixeer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter on high speed until smooth. Continuing to beat on low speed, add the flour mixture, alternating with the milk mixture until smooth. Add the cheese and green onions. Mix just to blend.
7. Use a small ice cream scoop to spoon batter into each cup. Bake on the center rack for 20 minutes until the tops are golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
8. Let cool on a rack for 5-10 minutes before removing muffins from tin. Left over muffins can be refigerated for 2-3 days and frozen for 2-3 weeks.

Makes 18 regular sized muffins or 36 mini muffins

Beef and Mushrooms in Light Cream Sauce

2008-10-27T00:25:00.004-04:00

Ingredients:

1 cup low fat sour cream
1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 pound cubed Angus stewing meat or beef tenderloin tips
2 Tbsp butter
8 ounces sliced mushrooms
3 large celery stalks finely chopped
1 tsp fresh dill or 3/4 tsp dried dill
1/8 cup red wine
1/8 cup light soy sauce

Instructions:

Remove the sour cream from the refrigerator so it warms slightly. Stir the mustard into the sour cream and set aside.

In a large heavy skillet, heat the oil over medium high heat. Sear the meat (cook without moving it) on all sides for about 1 minute until it is no longer pink on the outside. With a slotted spoon, tranfer the meat to a plate.

Using the same skillet, reduce the heat to medium and add butter. Add the mushrooms, celery, and dill and saute them for about 5 minutes until they are softened. Add the red wine and soy sauce and continue cooking the mixture for about 5 to 7 minutes until the vegetables are very tender and most of the liquid is absorbed. If the vegetables get too dry, add 1/4 cup water to the skillet.

Return the meat to the skillet and cook it for 2 to 3 more minutes until it is cooked through. Reduce the heat to low, let the temperature lower for a minute, and stir in the sour cream mixture until it is warmed through. Remove from heat and serve immediately over potatoes or egg noodles.

Weekly Menu

2008-10-23T00:01:00.002-04:00

Menu For This Week: I'll post recipes and pictures as I make each meal.

Chicken Dijon
Baked Macaroni & Cheese with Tomatos

Crunchy Chicken Fingers
Sweet Potato Fries

Bowties Alfredo with Broccoli
Salad
Cheddar Cheese Muffins

Beef & Mushrooms in Light Cream Sauce over Potatoes

Lunch for the Toddler:
Spinach Nuggets
Grilled Cheese
Whole Grain Crackers with Deli Meat & Cheese
Homemade Soup
Assorted Fruit: Pineapple, Blueberries, Grapes, Bananas
Organic Yogurt Mixed with Fresh Fruit

My First Award For The Jolly Kitchen

2008-10-22T01:39:00.004-04:00

I got on award! Woo-hoo! Thank you to Jen at The Geek's Girl and Kimmi at Kimmis Krazy World. I love your blogs too!

As with all awards, here are the rules:

Here are the rules:

1. The winner can put the logo on his/her blog.
2. Link the person you received your award from.
3. Nominate at least 7 other blogs.
4. Put links of those blogs on yours.
5. Leave a message on the blogs of the persons you've nominated.

I would like to pass the award to these great bloggers:

1. Modern Mommy
2. Saving Grace
3. Tired Mama
4. Soccer Mom Says
5. Katee Dyd What
6. Housewife Mom
7. Feels Like Home

Apple Meatloaf and Couscous with Carrots and Cauliflower

2008-10-21T00:18:00.003-04:00

This is the best meatloaf I have ever had. The couscous is delicious and a total comfort food.

Apple Meatloaf

Ingredients
2 1/2 lbs. lean ground beef
1 1/2 c. packaged stuffing mix
2 c. finely chopped Paula Red apples
3 eggs
2 t. salt
2 T. prepared mustard
1 large onion, minced
3 T. prepared horseradish
3/4 c. ketchup

Directions
In a large bowl, combine all ingredients, mixing well. Pack into a greased 8×5x3 inch loaf pan. Bake at 350° for 1 and 1/4 hours.

Couscous with Cauliflower and Carrots

Ingredients:

5 carrots, peeled and chopped
1 head cauliflower (or 1 bag frozen florets)
1 pkg Near East Parmesan couscous
chicken broth
salt to taste

Directions:
1. Put cauliflower and carrots in a large pot with water and bring to a boil until vegetables are fork tender. Drain. Lightly mash cauliflower and carrots and set aside.
2. Cook couscous according to package directions BUT replace the water with the chicken broth.
3. Combine couscous and vegetables and stir to combine.Season with salt according to your taste.

Grilled Pizza

2008-10-19T22:00:00.009-04:00

This pizza was so good and the closest thing to pizza from a true pizzeria. The reason those pizzas are so good is that they are cooked at really high temperatures in stone ovens. Your oven at home can never come close to that. The next best thing is using your grill.

White Wheat Pizza Dough Recipe

4 1/2 cups King Arthur White Whole Wheat Flour
1 3/4 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon instant yeast
2 Tbsp Honey
1/4 cup olive oil
1 3/4 cups water, ice cold
a few tablespoons chopped herbs (optional)
Semolina flour or cornmeal for dusting

Stir together the flour, salt, and instant yeast in the bowl of an electric mixer. By hand stir in the oil, honey, and the cold water until the flour is all absorbed. Add the herbs. Switch to the dough hook and mix on medium speed for 5 to 7 minutes, or as long as it takes to create a smooth, sticky dough. The dough should clear the sides of the bowl but stick to the bottom of the bowl (to me it looks like a tornado). Add a touch of water or flour to reach the desired effect. The finished dough will be springy, elastic, and sticky, not just tacky.

Transfer the dough to a floured countertop. Cut the dough into 6 equal pieces and mold each into a ball. Rub each ball with olive oil and place in a bowl. Cover the bowl with a dishtowel and let rise for at least an hour in a warm place. I like to put really hot water in a baking dish in the lower rack of my oven (do not turn oven on) and place covered bowls with dough on rack directly above. After the dough has risen, roll out the dough. Take each ball and form into a disk and roll out. I like thin crust, but thick works as well.

If you do not want to grill your pizza, then preheat your oven to 450 degrees and bake for 10-15 minutes on a pizza stone or baking sheet.

Makes six 6-ounce pizza crusts.

Toppings:
Really, anything goes here. We did sauteed mushrooms, ham, mozarella cheese, and tomato sauce. The best thing to do when grilling a pizza is to use less toppings. Do not load the pizza.

Grilling:
Turn on all the burners of your gas grill to high and let heat for 10 minutes. Bring out the rolled dough and all of your toppings. It is best to have your toppings already cooked. For example, I sauteed the mushrooms beforehand. I put all of the toppings on a plate so they were ready as soon as the crust was ready. Once you get the dough on the grill, everything goes really fast.

Ok, so you have preheated the grill for 10 minutes on high. Turn the burners down to medium heat.

Rub olive oil onto top of dough and put that side down on the grill. Close the grill. Check the dough about 2 minutes later by using tongs and peeking under the dough to make sure it is not burning. If you need to, rotate the dough. Don't worry about grill marks-you are supposed to get them. Close the grill again and wait 1 minute and check again. At this point, if you have a thin crust, it will probably be done. Take the dough off the grill and now rub olive oil onto the top (ungrilled) of the dough.

Flip over so that you have the grilled side up and put your toppings on. Turn off 2 burners (if you have a 3 burner grill or turn off 1 burner if you have a 2 burner grill). Place pizza on the grill over the burner that is turned off and close the lid of the grill. You will be using indirect heat to finish the pizza. The key is to get your cheese to melt BEFORE the crust burns. Keep checking the underside of the crust to make sure it is not burning. When your cheese melts, the pizza is done. If your cheese melts and the crust does not seem done on the bottom, slide it over to the burner that is on for 30 seconds to a minute.

I know this seems like a lot, but it is actually very easy and goes really, really fast. We were really nervous about it at first because we had never grilled a pizza, but it was really easy and so delicious.

A Must Have For Your Pantry

2008-10-17T03:59:00.000-04:00

I recently discovered White Wheat Flour. It is milled from white whole wheat, rather than red, it has all the fiber and nutrition of traditional whole wheat, with milder flavor and lighter color. It tastes delicious, especially for people who don't really like the grainy taste of Whole Wheat (like my husband). I have been using it to cook this past week and it has been a hit. I didn't have any trouble finding it at my local grocery store. It was right in the baking aisle. I used King Arthurs, but I am sure there must be some other brands out there as well.

Crockpot Chicken & Dumplings

2008-10-16T01:56:00.000-04:00

I forgot to take a picture of this meal, but I have to post it on here because it so good and a favorite at my house. It is especially good in the winter because it is such a comfort food.

1 tray boneless, skinless chicken thighs
2 cans cream of chicken soup
1 small onion coarsely grated
1-2 cups peas or broccoli
1 can biscuits
salt and pepper to taste

1. Pour soup into crockpot and using can from soup, add 2 cans of water to pot and stir soup and water.
2. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Add chicken into crock pot and add onions. Flip chicken in crockpot to coat with soup mixture.
3. Set crock pot to low and cook for 5 hours.
4. When done, remove chicken from crockpot and shred. Put back into crockpot and add vegetables. Stir.
5. Place biscuits over chicken mixture.
6. Turn crockpot to high and cook 30 more minutes.

Zucchini and Parmesan Fritters

2008-10-15T03:20:00.001-04:00

These are really tasty and the whole family loved them! I really made them for the tot to serve with lunch or a snack. You can make a lot and freeze for up to a month. You can use all sorts of veggies instead of zucchini such as yellow squash, broccoli, corn, peas, etc.

8 oz zucchini coarsely grated
3 tbsp parmesan cheese
1 free range egg, lightly beaten
2 tbsp white all purpose flour (I used white wheat flour)
2 tbsp sunflower oil (I used olive oil)
salt and pepper to taste

1. Squeeze the zucchini in a dish towel to remove any excess moisture. Mix the zucchini with the parmesan, egg, and flour, then season.
2. Heat half the oil in a nonstick skillet. Add 2 tbsp of the zucchini mixture to the skillet for each fritter to make approximately 6 total. Cook in two batches for 2-3 minutes on each side until set and golden. Drain on paper towels and let cool.

Mini Tarts

2008-10-14T03:03:00.000-04:00

These mini tarts are really wonderful and make a great lunch for the kiddo. I give him 1/2 a tart,some veggies, and fruit and he is happy. I made them in actual mini tart pans, but the recipe called for a muffin tin. I made 6 of them, but I froze 4 of them right away. If you try this recipe, I have to warn that it calls for only 2 tbsp of water to make the crust, but I had to add more than that. I just kept adding in small increments until the dough formed a ball and was not dry. The key with making a pastry dough is to not "work" the dough too much. I used my food processor to make the dough. If you do that, make sure you use the PULSE feature to go slowly. Also, I added a bit of chopped ham to egg mixture.

Mini Tarts
2/3 cup milk
4 free range eggs, lightly beaten
2 1/2 oz grated cheddar cheese
1 tomato, sliced into 8 circles
freshly ground pepper, salt to taste

Dough:
1 1/3 cups wholewheat plain flour
3 1/2 oz cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
pinch of salt

1. Sift the flour into a bowl, adding any bran left in the sifter. Rub the butter into the flour using your fingertips until it forms breadcrumbs. Pour in 2 tbsp of iced water and stir with a fork, then your hands, until it forms a ball. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and chill 30 minutes.
2. Grease an 8 cup deep muffin pan. Roll out the dough on a floured surface and use to line the holes, leaving dough slightly on top. Heat the oven to 400 degrees. Chill the dough shells 15 minutes.
3. Bake the dough shells 6 minutes then remove from the oven. Whisk the eggs and milk together and season. Sprinkle the cheese into the shells, add the egg mixture and a slice of tomato, and bake 15 minutes until set.
4. Cool slightly before removing with a paring knife.

Too Good To Only Be Toddler Food

2008-10-13T12:55:00.001-04:00

I made these Spinach Nuggets last week. I got the recipe from a toddler food idea website. OMG, seriously, the hubby and I were praying the toddler would hate them so that we could eat all of them ourselves. No such luck, he fervently popped them in his mouth like he hadn't eaten in weeks. Anyhow, I had posted this recipe on one of my other blogs, but at that point, I had not made them. Here is the recipe again with pictures of the ones I actually made. These would make excellent appetizers. I have already added the recipe to my "party recipes" file.

Spinach Nuggets
1 16-oz package frozen chopped spinach, cooked, drained, and chopped further if needed
1 cup whole wheat seasoned bread crumbs
1 1/4 cups shredded cheddar cheese
3 eggs or 5 egg whites

Heat oven to 375 degrees.
Lightly coat a baking sheet with olive oil and set aside.
Combine all remaining ingredients and mix well.
*Add seasonings if you like - garlic powder, pepper, extra basil & oregano for example.
Add a fruit or veggie puree to substitute for the eggs if desired.
Shape mixture into nuggets or fun shapes such as squares or squigglies etc..at this point, you can cook as they are or lightly coat each nugget with some bread crumbs and place on baking tray.
Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, turn nuggets over after 15 minutes.
Serve warm.

Healthy, Yummy Toddler Snack

2008-10-10T11:03:00.000-04:00

I made Fruit Jigglers for my 1 year old today and they were a hit and so easy to make. I know, I know this is a obvious, simple uncreative recipe, but I didn't think of making it until I read of another mom making it. Sometimes, it's the simplest things that are overlooked. Next time, I will use a more colorful juice. I used organic apple juice this time and it felt great knowing the little one was not getting any added sugar and eating healthy. It is much better than Jello because you know exactly what is in it. Honestly, it is just as easy to make as Jello. So, here is the recipe:

Homemade Fruit Jigglers
2 cups fruit juice of your choice (100% Natural Fruit Juice)
3 tsp powdered gelatin
1/4 cup small cubed fruit of your choice

Place 1/4 cup of the juice in a cup; sprinkle gelatin over juice.
Stand cup in a small pan of simmering water, stir until gelatin is dissolved.
Stir gelatin mixture and fruits into remaining juice in a medium bowl or square/rectangular pan.
Refrigerate until firm.
Scoop into a cup or cut into shapes to serve. Let your toddler help with the cutting of the shapes! Break out the cookie cutters and make this a toddler activity!

Low Fat Burgers and Apple Coleslaw

2008-10-09T00:11:00.000-04:00

Low Fat Burgers with Caramelized Onions on Whole Wheat Bun
Apple Coleslaw

The burgers were delicious! The Apple Coleslaw was ok, but could do without the scallions. I will post the recipe anyway for those who may enjoy it. I know I just said it, but the burgers were fabulous! The husband, the toddler, and I loved them! I know I sound like a mad woman raving about a simple burger, but have you ever tried to make a burger with lean beef? It is so difficult to make them come out juicy. These were great!

Low Fat Burger

1Lb Lean Ground Beef
1/2 Cup Seasoned Bread Crumbs
2 Egg Whites
1/2 Cup Low Fat Milk
2 TB Light Soy Sauce

Combine ingredients by hand and form into patties. Grill or broil 4-6 minutes each side. Serves 4.

Caramelized Onions

Heat a heavy bottomed pan on medium heat. Add a Tbsp of extra virgin oil to the pan. Thinly slice 1 large onion. Put onions in the heated pan and add 1 tsp of sugar. Cook for 15 minutes stirring occasionaly.

Apple Coleslaw
8oz Cabbage (any kind you like)
1 coarsely shredded carrot
1 coarsely shredded apple
1 thinly chopped scallion
2 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1/2 freshly squeezed lemon
2 Tbsp Light Mayonaise
Salt & Pepper to taste

Mix all of the ingredients in a bowl until combined. Refrigerate until right before serving.

Low Fat Blueberry Bran Muffins

2008-10-08T03:01:00.001-04:00

I made Low Fat Blueberrry Bran Muffins today and they turned out really well. They are very healthy and do not have any oil. Surprisingly, they are really moist and taste really good...especially for being healthy and low fat. I gave the little one a couple of bites tonight and he really loved it. He kept coming back for more, which is always a good sign! The husband liked them as well, which is a good sign coming from someone who slathers all of his food in ranch or cheese-LOL!

INGREDIENTS
1 1/2 cups wheat bran
1 cup nonfat milk
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 egg
2/3 cup brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup white wheat flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup blueberries

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease muffin cups or use paper muffin liners. Mix together wheat bran and milk, and let stand for 10 minutes.
In a large bowl, mix together applesauce, egg, brown sugar, and vanilla. Beat in bran mixture. Sift together all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Stir into bran mixture until just blended. Fold in blueberries. Scoop into muffin cups.
Bake in preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes, or until tops spring back when lightly tapped.

Nutritional Information
Servings Per Recipe: 12

Amount Per Serving
Calories: 123

Total Fat: 1g
Cholesterol: 18mg
Sodium: 244mg
Total Carbs: 28.1g
Dietary Fiber: 4.3g
Protein: 3.7g

Menu For The Week

2008-10-07T02:03:00.000-04:00

I spent the whole weekend dusting off and reading cook books and scouring the internet for websites with good, healthy recipes. And, today I went to the grocery store to stock up the fridge and pantry. On a side note, there should be a parenting class devoted to "Grocery Shopping with a 1 Year Old". At first, Lucas (my son) was really, really sweet. He blew kisses to every single person he saw. About halfway through, he proceeded to grab every grocery item and throw it out of the cart, which earned me some stares from fellow shoppers. Ok, so back to cooking, which is the point of this blog. Tomorrow, which is really today since it is now 2:13 AM, I will spend the day prepping meals for the week and organizing the kitchen. I will also be making homemade household cleaners. If you want to know more about that, I will be posting a series about "greening" your life on Saving With Style. Below is the menu for the week. There are only 5 dinners, rather than 7 because I know there will be leftovers. As I make each dish, I will post recipes, take pictures, and let you know what we thought about it.

Breakfast (Choose 1):
Oatmeal & Fruit
Blueberry Bran Muffins & Fruit
Waffles & Fruit
Ham, Egg, Cheese (Baked in muffin tins)
Eggs, Toast, Fruit

Lunch (for the little one):
Egg, Tomato, Cheese Mini Tarts (Whole Wheat) & Fruit
Spinach Nuggets and Fruit/Veggie
Zucchini & Parmesan Fritters and Fruit/Veggie
Pear & Ham Bundles, Organic Whole Grain Crackers

Dinner:
Whole Wheat Pizza With Chicken, Mushrooms, & Onions
Slowcooker Chicken & Dumplings (with Peas)
Low Fat Burgers & Apple Coleslaw
Classic Beef Stew
Apple Meatloaf & Couscous w/Cauliflower & Carrots

Snacks (for the little one):
Raisins
Organic Applesauce
Hummus on Whole Grain Crackers
Kiwi/Banana/Pears
Fruit Jigglers
Assorted Vegetables

Blogs I Love!

2008-10-03T19:50:00.001-04:00

If you are searching for some great blogs, here are some you should definitely check out:

A Little of This and That

All in a Blog

Angies Silly Stuff

Anything I Think About

Baby Luvin

Blog About it

Blog Fogg

Bloggie Mommie

Busy Bee Village

The Cajun Blogger

Candle At Both Ends

Cat-o-nine Tales

Claudette's Words

A Christian Marriage

Confetti by:Kateedyd

Coodas Corner

Cypress TX Mom

Da Boss And Bryguy

Deal with Chrominc Pain

Different World

Domesticated Diva

Drizzly Blog

Fat Girl Goes Fit

Feelings Just Are

Flipping Adentures

Florida Travel Spots

4 Cats Make Me Crazy!

The Fuzzbutt Files

The Geeks Girl

Godly Woman

Good News

Green 'n' Pink

Happy Healthy Families

Have Your Health

Healthy Home Blog

Here On Columbia Avenue

Hillbilly Heart

House of Bargains

House Wife Wom

Huckle Buckle and Other Mom Stuff

A Hunter's Wife

I Don't Commute

I Feel Like A Woman

I Love My 3 Boys

It's Just My Thoughts

Jolly Mom

Kateedyd What?!

Kimmi's Krazy World

Kim's Kountry Kitchen

KKB Mom of 3

Kookie Krumblez

Lipgloss N" Pinups

Luxury Lifestylez

Making My American Dream

Mia's Motivation

Mix World

Mad Mommy

Moma's Crazy World

Moma's Life

Mommie’s Marbles

Mommy Mia's World

Mom Tidings

Mom to Three Sisters

Moon Babyz

Ms Frugal McDougal

My Big Fat Battle

My First Steps With Jesus

My-Junk-Drawer

My So Called Blog

My Name is Not “Mom”

My Song of Joy

My Wahm Life

My Weekly Beef

Notes From a Wannabe WAHM

Not Just In Your Head

101 Ways to Save

Pamela-te-da

Paradise Fiber Studio

Photos for the Fun of it

Postcard from Somewhere

Pure Jade Home

Raising a Girl

Remotely Mommy

Saving with Style

Saving With Tracy

Savvy Business Moms

Secola‘s Space

Secret Thoughts and More

Shrinking Pamelalala

SlickMom

Something Witty to Say

Success Factors

Surgical Nurse Musings

Talk Time with Kim

That‘s What I am Talking About

The Geek's Girl

The Jolly Kitchen

Thrifty Momma Ramblings

Thrifty Thoughts

Time Keeps on Flying

Vibrant Healthy U

Wahm Adventures

WAH and Loving It

WICBlog

The Work From Home Blog

Work from Home Options

World of Homemaking

World of Mom

First Post

2008-10-02T20:33:00.001-04:00

This is my first post here. In the next week, I will be adding recipes and pictures of dishes I have made in the past or make during the week. I love to cook, but haven't been as creative as I used to be before my son was born. I am ready to get back into the kitchen and come up with great tasting, healthy meals for the family.

Test

2008-09-06T01:21:00.002-04:00