Meal Plan Monday

Breakfast/Baking:
-Pretzel Bites
-M&M Pretzel Cookies
-Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins
-Chocolate Glazed donut Muffins
-Smore Stuffed Chocolate Chip cookies...maybe!

Dinner:
-Turkey Salisbury Steak, cheesy spinach orzo, peas
-Sausage Lentil Soup
-Cheesy Ranch Chicken Chili
-Cheeseburger Mac and Cheese
(that's a lot of cheese...so perhaps one of those will move to next week!)

Sesame Chicken

I love trying out new Chinese recipes! This one has been on my list for a while now, it was quick and easy to make.

Sesame Chicken-Let's Dish
1 lb chicken, cubed
1/2 cup flour
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/8 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp garlic salt
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
dash of ground cloves
dash of ground cinnamon
2 tbsp oil
1/3 cup teriyaki sauce
1/3 cup honey
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 onion, sliced
1 green pepper, sliced
2 tbsp sesame seeds, toasted
brown rice

In a large resealable bag, combine flour with spices. Add in chicken and shake to coat the chicken. Heat oil in pan and fry chicken until browned on both sides. Place chicken on paper towels to drain.

Mix together sauce ingredients. Place peppers and onions in pan and saute for 5 mins. Place chicken back in the pan and add in sauce ingredients and cook until thickened. Stir in sesame seeds. Serve over rice.

**I really liked the flavor the chicken had, but I think next time I won't bother frying it. I didn't find that it really added to the flavor, so I will use it like a rub and brown the chicken and add in the sauce. This was really tasty and delicious!

Cajun Jambalaya Soup

K likes Jambalaya, which I have tried to make before. Not sure how authentic it was, but I can across this recipe and KNEW he'd love it especially with the sausage in it!

I did miss the part where it says to make a roux and just added the broth. So if you do the roux it might be a bit thicker, but we actually really liked it without it!

Cajun Jambalya Soup-shared from Loving my Domestic Life
1 onion, diced
2-3 celery stalks, sliced
1 green pepper, chopped
1/2 lb italian sausage(I used half hot and half sweet)
1/2 lb chopped ham
10 cups chicken broth
2 tbsp tomato paste
3/4 tsp paprika
1 bay leaf
1/2 tsp oregano
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/2-3/4 tsp liquid smoke
1/2 tsp tabasco sauce(more or less to taste)
2-3 garlic cloves, minced
2 cups cooked rice

Brown sausage until no longer pink. Drain on paper towel. Brown ham, remove from pan and set aside. Saute peppers, celery, and onion for about 5 mins.  Add in broth and seasonings and bring to a boil. Add in ham, sausage, and rice. Bring back to a boil, lower heat, and simmer for another 10 mins.

**The flavors of this soup were amazing! I haven't done a lot with liquid smoke, but it really added some depth to the soup and made it quite tasty. It is definitely a keeper!

Cheesy Sweet Potato Corn Chowder

This has been on our to try list for a bit and even made it to my menu plan for 2-3 weeks! I finally got around to making it this week. So glad I did!

Cheesy Sweet Potato Corn Chowder-adapted from Vanilla Sugar
2-3 sweet potatoes, cubed
2 cans of creamed corn
1 cup broth
1 1/2 cups milk
8 oz cream cheese, softened
1-2 tbsp bouillon powder(omitted)
1-2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese
salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Peel and cut up sweet potatoes. Place on cookie sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and salt and pepper. Roast until nice and crispy about 30-45 mins.

Place cream cheese, chicken broth, milk, bouillon, and corn in stock pot. Heat until warmed through.(I did have to whisk in the cream cheese.) Once potatoes are done add to the soup. Taste for seasoning and adjust with salt and pepper. Add in cheese and stir until melted.


**This got RAVE reviews from K...he told me it was the best vegetarian meal he's ever had! It doesn't make a lot so if I made it again I'd double it. I did not have any bouillon, which the original recipe says it makes the soup, but we thought it was tasty even without it! I love the crunchy outside of the potatoes with the tender insides, but it wasn't overly cheesy. Vanilla Sugar also said it was thick and rich, but I used low fat milk and cream cheese and while it was pretty creamy it wasn't overly thick and rich. It was PERFECT for us!

Fruit Salsa with Cinnamon Sugar Chips

This sounded like a healthy summer time treat...on a cold winter day! Fruit has also been on sale so I thought it would be perfect!

Fruit Salsa-adapted from How Sweet It Is
1 qt strawberries, chopped
2-3 kiwis, peeled, chopped
2 apples, chopped
1 cup bluberries(or 1 container raspberries)
1 tbsp brown sugar
2 tbsp fruit preserve(I used Raspberry)

Mix fruit together with sugar and preserves. Chill until ready to serve.

**I cut back on the sugar, and only used 2 tbsp of the preserves. I really don't think it needed the sugar at all especially if you are super ripe fruit. This was very tasty, and filling!

Cinnamon Sugar Chips-shared from How Sweet It Is
1 pkg whole wheat flour tortillas
cinnamon and sugar(I have a jar I keep on hand)
Spray oil, or butter

Preheat oven to 350.

Spray tortilla with oil/butter. Sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar.  Cut into triangles using a pizza cutter. Place on cookie sheet and bake for 8-10 mins until crispy. Allow to cool and enjoy with salsa!

**These are super easy to make and delicious!

Tasty Tuesday-2/22

Cinnamon Bun Pancakes with Maple Butter Syrup-SIggy Spice
Chocolate CHunk Toffee Scones-Sweet as Sugar Cookies
Peanut Satay Pork Chops-Jenn's Food Journey
Homemade Teriyaki Sauce-Heavenly Homemakers
Sweet Potato Coconut Curry(with shrimp)-Dining with Debbie
Peanut Butter and Jelly Cookies-What's cooking at my house
Homemade Chicken Rice a Roni-Cooking During Stolen Moments
Mongolian Beef-Apples and Twinkies
Pork Tenderloin, Carmelized Onions and Jack CHeese Flautas-For the Love of Cooking
Slow Cooker Orange Pork Roast-Lynn's Kitchen Adventure
Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookie Muffins-How Sweet It Is
Pizza Stuffed Potatos-How Sweet It Is
Roasted Garlic and Parmesan Potato Salad-From Apples to Zucchini
Peanut Butter Chewies-Sweet and Savory
Three Cheese Orzo with Spinach-How Sweet It Is
Gluten Free Girl Scout Cookies
Layered Baked Buffalo Chicken Nachos-How Sweet It Is
Cinnamon Sugar Flatbread Crackers-How Sweet It Is
Samoa Bars-The Sweets Life
Chipotle Lime Chicken Scampi-Eat at Home
Homemade Cake Mix-I am Baker
Sweet Potato and Parmesan Chips-What's Gaby Cooking?
Dijon Roasted Potatoes and Broccolini-Cooking During Stolen Moments
The Perfect Yellow Cake-Chef Talk

This has been linked to Finding Joy in my Kitchen

Menu Plan Monday

Breakfast/Baking:
-Oatmeal Bars
-Fruit Salsa with Cinnamon Sugar tortilla chips
-Double Apple Cookies
-perhaps some regular cookies as well!

Dinner:
-Chicken Salisbury Steak with mashed potatoes, peas
-South African World Cup Curry with Beef, brown rice
-Sausage Lentil Soup
-Smoky Chipotle Chicken Tacos with Salad

Red Velvet Trifles

I saw these while blog hopping the week before Valentine's day and knew I wanted to make them for our dessert! This way I had the healthy part of fruit but also a little bit of a treat with the cake!

This is only a half batch, but feel free to double it for a party!

Red Velvet Trifles-shared from Taste and Tell
1/2 9x13 red velvet cake,cubed
8 oz block cream cheese,softened
6-8 oz vanilla yogurt
3 tbsp powdered sugar(or to taste)
1 qt strawberries, sliced

Beat together yogurt, cream cheese, and sugar until smooth.

Place a layer of cubed cake in the bottom of a bowl(or individual serving dish). Top with yogurt mixture, followed by a layer of strawberries. Continue until all ingredients are used up, ending with strawberries.
Serve immediately or chilled.

**This was pretty tasty! It wasn't overly sweet and having the strawberries added a fresh tasted to it. Having the yogurt/cream cheese mix was like a frosting so it was like cake in a bowl! Delish!

Coconut Chicken Chili

I stumbled on this recipe while going through The Sweets Life collection of soups and stews. I LOVE coconut and looking at it the recipe it looked like a nice mix between chili and thai. It's not that pretty to look at, but it was very tasty!

Coconut Chicken Chili-shared from The Sweets Life
1-2 cups chicken, chopped
1 large onion, chopped
2-3 stalks celery, chopped
1 1/2 tbsp chili powder
1 1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp flour
1 14 oz can lite unsweetened coconut milk
1 cup water
1-2 tbsp peanut butter
2 cups white beans
3 carrots, shredded
5 cloves of garlic, minced
4 cups brown or jasmine rice

Place oil in stock pot and warm. Add in veggies and garlic, and cook for 5 mins. Stir in flour and spices. Cook for 1 min. Stir in peanut butter, coconut milk, and water. Bring to a boil. Stir in chicken and beans. Simmer for another 10 mins. Serve over rice.

**At first this recipe sounded great...then I went to make it and wasn't too sure about it. BUT once I tasted it, it was WONDERFUL! It does have a little bit of a kick, but it is mellowed out by the coconut milk. I did have to add some salt, but other than that it was fabulous! This could easily be changed to a vegetarian meal by leaving out the chicken!

Red Velvet Cake and Cake Balls

I wanted to try again at making a Red Velvet Cake. I made one for either Easter or Mother's Day last year and something went wrong as it didn't seem to rise and it was VERY dense. It wasn't as great as I expected it to be. After talking to the girl I got the recipe from she agreed that something wasn't right. So I tried again!

I did alter Hallee's a little bit as I knew I wasn't just leaving this as a cake, but mixing it into red velvet trifles and cake balls. I also forgot to soften the butter so I tried using coconut oil for the first time!

Red Velvet Cake-adapted from Hallee the Homemaker
3/4 cup coconut oil(or butter, softened)
1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
2 cups sugar
6 large eggs
3 cups flour
3 tbsp cocoa powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
6 oz greek yogurt(I used Honey)
2 oz reg. plain yogurt
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 oz red food coloring

Beat coconut oil/butter until fluffy. Beat in sugar until fluffy. Stir in applesauce.  Add in the eggs one at a time beating after each addition. Sift together flour, baking soda, and cocoa. Add the dry ingredients into the butter mix alternating with the yogurt, stating and ending with flour. Stir in vanilla. Add in red coloring and beat until combined. Place in your choice of pan.(I used a 9x13) Bake at 350 for 30-35 mins or until toothpick comes out clean.

**I think this one came out MUCH better than my first attempt at making the cake! It did rise and was velvety in texture. We liked the flavor much better as well. I'm not sure what happened the first time though!

Cake Balls

These have been floating around the blogosphere for quite a while! The original recipe/method is from Bakerella. I knew I was only going to need half of the cake for our Valentine's Day dessert and I also knew I had some leftover frosting that needed to be used up. Bakerella has some other super cute ideas for fun desserts with cake, so make sure to check out her blog if you haven't already!

Now the first time I made these I used a homemade cake with homemade frosting. I wasn't a huge fan because they were VERY VERY sweet! But people would rave about these. So I tried it with the yucky can frosting...and they were AMAZING! Couldn't even taste the gross frosting! So these are special treats so I'll be ok with using that stuff once in a while! (I plan on making mickey mouse ones for Q's birthday in March). This was only a half batch as I only had half a can of frosting to use.

1/2 red velvet cake, crushed

1/2 can frosting(can use cream cheese frosting)

1/2 bag candy melts(I used dark cocoa)

Mix together cake and frosting until well combined. Roll into dough balls and freeze on a flat cookie sheet. Once frozen, melt candy melts. Roll dough into chocolate until well coated. Remove excess chocolate and place back on cookie sheet. Allow to harden and enjoy!

**Like I said these are AMAZING and slightly addicting. Luckily most of the batch is going to A's preschool tomorrow for snack! (He missed his valentine's party, so he's taking in a special treat!)

Big Mac Wraps

For some weird reason I had a craving for a Big Mac last week...I think I have only ever eaten one, but I knew I had this recipe at home so I wanted to make it again. Plus I figured it was a little healthier than the McDonald version. Luckily A requested burgers for dinner because I forgot to put them on my menu! This did hit the spot perfectly!

Big Mac Wraps-shared from Cooking During Stolen Moments
1 lb ground hamburger
1-2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
salt and garlic powder to taste
flour tortillas
cheese
sliced dill pickles
lettuce(omitted b/c I was out)
tomato(omitted b/c I didn't have any)
Big Mac Sauce(this is half of the original recipe)
6 tbsp mayo
1.5 tbsp ketchup(I did add some more as the flavor wasn't quite there yet)
1/2-1 tbsp relish
1 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp vinegar
salt and pepper to taste

Combine hamburger with Worcestershire sauce, salt, and garlic powder. Mix together until combined. Flatten meat into thin patties and place on hot griddle(or grill pan). Cook until done.

Mix together sauce ingredients and taste to make sure the seasoning is all set!

When ready to eat, lay tortilla down on plate. Slather on some sauce, top with lettuce, tomato, pickles, and cheese. Cut burgers into strips and lay on top. Roll up and enjoy!

**Despite ours being a bit salty tonight thanks to my little helpers...they were fabulous and hit the spot well! We don't remember them tasty that good the first time I made them, but this time they were perfect!

Apple and Honey Whole Grain Challah

I'm trying to get through as many of these recipes from Healthy Bread in 5 Minutes a Day as I can before I have to return it to the library. This one sound wonderful and I think it would be delicious as French toast as well!

Apple and Honey Whole Grain Challah-shared from Healthy Bread in 5 Minutes a Day
5 cups whole wheat flour
3 cups ap flour
1/4 cup wheat germ
1 1/2 tbsp yeast
1 tbsp kosher salt
1/4 cup vital wheat gluten
3 cups lukewarm water
1/2 cup neutral flavored oil or butter(melted)
1/2 cup honey
3 large eggs
4 large baking apples(such as braeburn, I used gala)
1 beaten egg+1tbsp water
Sesame seeds

Whisk together flour, yeast, wheat germ, salt, and gluten.

Combine the liquid ingredients and apples and mix together. Add into the dry ingredients and stir to combine. This is a very thick, stiff dough so it took a bit of working with it, its also a lot of it! (I did end up splitting the dough into two bowls to rise as the bowl I usually use it was almost to the top so I knew it wasn't going to make it after the rise!)

Cover, but not airtight and let rise for 2 hrs at room temperature. Store in fridge for up to 5 days or in the freezer for 2 weeks.

On baking day...dust a grapefruit size ball of dough with flour. Turn and roll into a ball. Form into a cylinder, dusting with flour as needed. Thin out one end so it looks like a tapered rope.(You may need to let the dough rest for 5 mins to relax it) Winding the turban: keep thick end stantionary and wrap the thinner end around and tuck end under to seal it. Place turban on greased cookie sheet or one lined with parchment paper. Let rest for 90 mins(if out of the fridge, 40 mins if not).

Preheat oven to 350.

Paint top of bread with egg wash and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Place cookie sheet in oven and bake for 35 mins or until browned and firm.(May need to adjust this depending on the size of your loaf)

Allow to cool on a rack before slicing.

**This bread was light and airy. Although I did feel like something was missing...so next time I'll add in some cinnamon. It made delicious french toast though!

Tasty Tuesday-2/15

Homemade Butterscotch Pudding-Lynn's Kitchen Adventure
Chicken Taco Rice-Tried and True Cooking
Mom's Sticky Chicken-All Recipes
Spicy Caramel Chicken-Jenn's Food Journey
Fiesta Cheese Fondue-Siggy Spice
Oatmeal Raisin Coffee Cake-Baking and Creating with Avril
Chicken Capellini Capricciosi-Jenn's Food Journey
Cheesy Rice and Meatball Skillet-Eat at Home
Rice Porridge-Everything Reconsidered
Chicken Salisbury Steak-From Apples to Zucchini
Chocolate Chocolate Chip Biscotti-Gina's Skinny Recipes
South Africa World Cup Curry-Mac's Kitchen Adventure
Zucchini Noodles with Parmesan Sauce-Hallee the Homemaker
Greek Stuffed Breakfast Peppers-From Apples to Zucchini
Smoky Chipotle Chicken Tacos-Eat at Home
Banana Bread Waffles-Debbi Does Dinner Healthy
Veggie Chicken and Cheese Taquitos-Cottage Sisters
Strawberry Filled Coconut Oatmeal Muffins-Recipe Shoe Box
Dark Chocolate Chunk Bread Pudding-Gina's Skinny Recipes
Sweet and Spicy Asian Pork Shoulder with Bok Choy-Apples and Twinkies
Sliced Steak Sloppy Johnnies-Taste and Tell

Menu Plan Monday

Breakfast/Baking:

-Chocolate Bread

-Muffins/bread...not sure what kind yet though!

-Red Velvet Cake

-Red Velvet Trifles

-Red Velvet Cake Balls

Dinner:

-Hamburgers(requested by A), Big Mac Wraps for us, potato skins, spinach salad

-Sesame Chicken, Brown Rice, veggies

-Cheesy Sweet Potato Corn Chowder

-Parmesan Crusted Cod

-Cajun Jambalaya Soup

Giant Breakfast Cookies

I like to have some muffins, baked oatmeal, or something else quick for breakfast in the morning especially on days we need to actually leave the house! I thought these sounded perfect and the ingredients sounded similar to the Quaker Oatmeal Breakfast Cookies, those were always tasty!

Giant Breakfast Cookies-adapted from Heavenly Homemakers
1/4 cup butter, melted
1/4 cup applesauce
1/3 cup honey
1/3 cup maple syrup
2 eggs
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 cups whole wheat flour
2 cups old fashioned oats
1 cup raisins, chocolate chips, or dried cranberries

Preheat oven to 350

Mix together all ingredients except flour, oats, and raisins. Stir to combine. Add in flour and oats, combine until moistened. Stir in fruit or chocolate chips. Using a large cookie scoop, scoop batter onto cookie sheet. Bake for 15 mins(may need more or less time depending on the size of the cookie). Let cool for 3-4 mins and place on cooling rack.

**My cookies weren't flat like the original post...I feel like this is a theme, but anyway they were tasty. The sugar was reduced(so you can use up to 3/4 of a cup and all honey or all syrup). They were perfectly sweet and delicious! They were even approved by my 4 year old and pretty easy to make!

Homemade Tater Tots

 I love tater tots...and miss them! But they aren't really the healthiest thing to eat nor is the ingredient list nice to read. Then I stumbled upon this recipe...and also Snowhite over at Finding Joy in my Kitchen had one as well! I saw hers first, but this one seemed simpler to me! I hope to try hers soon though!

Homemade Tater Tots-shared from Heavenly Homemakers
potatoes
kosher salt(optional)
oil(I used coconut oil)

Bake potatoes until fork tender. Allow them to cool completely.

Preheat pan and pour in oil, just enough to coat the bottom.

Scoop out insides of potato and save the skins, perhaps for some potato skin appetizers? Place the potato into a food processor and a pinch of salt (you can also shred them with a cheese grater) Pulse until fine, not too much as you don't want them mushy. Using a small scoop, scoop out potatoes and press firmly, eject into hot pan/oil. Flatten slightly, cook until golden brown and flip, flatten a bit, remove once the other side is golden as well!

**These were not hard to make, just took a little extra time. I did use coconut oil as it was suggested in the original post and while it was great to work with, we did have a slight coconut taste, so next time I'll try a different oil. But these were EXACTLY like the store bought ones, but I knew exactly what was in them and how they were made! I used 6 potatoes and it was enough for our family of 4. Q loved them. I did alter the recipe with the salt as I salted them when I was done, next time I'll add in right into the potato mix. I'd love to make a big batch one day and freeze some as these did not last long!

Gluten Free Chocolate Nut Brownie Cookies

A friend I grew up with started her own blog recently. These looked delicious, easy, quick, and I love to experiment! So I gave these a try. Now she does live in Colorado, so I thought I'd have to change the recipe a bit...well at least when it came to bake time. But I didn't need too. Of course if you were to make smaller cookies you will probably have to cook them at a lesser time. Hers were flatter, but I contribute the elevation to be a factor in this, also the type of pan I used(which was a silicone one).

I was also amazed that there was no butter or leavening in this cookie. It definitely peeked my interest!

I called these "Nut" cookies because she suggested using walnuts or pecans, all I had on hand were peanuts, so I chopped those up and used them. I'm quite excited to see what else she shares!

Gluten Free Chocolate Nut Brownie Cookies-shared from Everything Reconsidered
3 cups powdered sugar
3/4 cup cocoa powder
4 large egg whites
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1.5 cups semi sweet choc. chips,chopped(you will want to make sure these are gf)
1.5 cups nuts, chopped

Preheat oven to 325. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.

Whisk together sugar, cocoa, and salt. Add in nuts and chocolate chips. Stir in eggs just until moistened, do not over mix. (The dough is VERY thick, so next time I may use my stand mixer) Scoop out dough and place on cookie sheet. I used my large pampered chef scoop and got 15 cookies out of the batch.

Bake for 25 mins turning half way through. You want them hard on the outside, even if they are a little undercooked that is ok, makes them even better!

**These cookies came out AMAZING!  I couldn't believe how chewy they were on the inside and the crunch of the outside added to the texture! I gave one to K when he got home and he said they were great(this coming from a guy who isn't a huge fan of chocolate) I then told him there was no flour in them, he didn't believe me! BUT believe it! They were almost too sweet for me, but being that this is one of the first gf recipes I've done, I didn't want to mess with it too much. Next time I will perhaps cut down on the choc. chips and even chop them!(I did not do that today)

267 cal/cookie

BBQ Chicken Pizza Soup

This wasn't on the original list of food to make this week...but after my whole chicken didn't thaw in time for dinner sat, I bought some other chicken and then had quite a bit of chicken and broth to use up. I was planning on making it for my inlaws for dinner, but then those plans changed. I was thinking of also sharing it with a friend, but I'm not sure it will last that long as it was really good! I also had poor planning in that I had nothing here ready for lunch today, so its now lunch and dinner!

I did add 6 cups of chicken broth instead of the 1.5 cups the recipe called for. I had that much broth and I figured this would stretch it further!

BBQ Chicken Pizza Soup-adapted from Picky Palate
1 onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 sweet pepper, diced
1 tsp olive oil
1 bag frozen corn
1-2 cups chopped cooked chicken
salt and pepper to taste
1/4-1/2 cup bbq sauce
1/2 cup barley(optional)

Heat oil in pan, add in onions and peppers and cook for about 5 mins. Add in chicken, corn, broth and barley. Bring to a boil and simmer until barley is tender. Season to taste. Add in bbq sauce and cook until heated through.

**I added the barley as I felt something was missing. You could also add in some rice. My son just happened to have pulled out the barley to make a project with so I just tossed in the rest into the soup. The soup was absolutely delicious and one I will make a again. It was a great take on a chicken soup! The barley really added to the soup, at least we thought so! K really enjoyed it! This was after the barley cooked all the way through(I got sick of waiting and ate it before it was completely done) So it's a little less "soupy".

Maple Walnut Muffins

I had some walnuts leftover from Christmas baking so I decided I needed to use them up. What a great way to use them but in a muffin! YUM!

I did cut the sugar back in this recipe as it seemed like quite a bit of sugar especially with the maple syrup as well!

Maple Walnut Muffins-adapted from $5 Dinners
1 1/2 cups walnuts
2 cups flour(I think I used half ww, half ap)
2/3 cup sugar
1 tbsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 cup buttermilk(or milk)
3 eggs lightly beaten
4 tbsp unsweetened applesauce
2/3-3/4 cup maple syrup

Preheat oven to 350. Prepare muffin tins by either spraying them with oil or lining them with paper liners.

In a food processor(or blender) Combine 3/4 cup of walnuts and 1/2 cup flour and blend until nuts are finely chopped. Sift together flour, salt, baking powder, and sugar. Add in nut flour. Make a well in the center and add in eggs, buttermilk, syrup, and applesauce. Stir for about 1 min or until smoothish, but will still be lumpy. Chop remaining walnuts and stir into batter. Divide batter into muffin tins(I had 21 muffins)

Bake for 15-18 mins or until golden brown and toothpick comes out clean.

**These were really tasty and I'm glad I cut back on the sugar! I have found that the maple flavor is more prominent a day or two after making them. K loved them and requested them again for lunch today!

Tasty Tuesday-2/8

Spicy Sausage and Cauliflower soup-Newlyweds
Fall Harvest Oatmeal Cookies-Teacher Turned Mommy
Easy peanut butter Chicken-A year of slow cooking
Lentil Chili-Family,Food,&Fun
Crusty Whole Wheat Cheese Bread-Hallee the Homemaker
Curried Chicken Saute-The Sweets Life
Double Chocolate Loaf-Apples and Twinkies
Flourless Double Chocolate Walnut Cookies-Everything Reconsidered
The Best Granola Bars-Little Kitchen on the Prairie
Banana Coconut Muffins-The Sweets Life
Double Blueberry Muffins-Apples to Zucchini
3 Cheese Mini Macs-Cottage SIsters
Apple Ginger Muffins-Chasing Tomatoes

Menu Plan Monday

Baking/Breakfast:
-Apple Challah Bread
-Apple French Toast
-Giant Breakfast Cookie

Dinner:
-Pork Chops(not sure what kind yet), Homemade Tater Tots, veggies
-Coconut Chicken Chili
-BBQ Chicken Pizza Soup
-Parmesan Crusted Cod...with something!
-Pasta Florentine in Gorgonzola Sauce and Salad
-Cheesy Sweet Potato and Corn Chowder

Steak Sauce Pasta

The original recipe was called Steak Sauce Rigatoni...but I knew I had 3 or 4 boxes of pasta already so I used rotini. You can use any kind of pasta you like in this recipe of course!

Steak Sauce Pasta-Apples and Twinkies
1 lb pasta
1 lb flank steak
2-3 sweet peppers, sliced
1 onion, sliced
1 28 oz jar spaghetti sauce
2 garlic cloves, minced
3/4 cup red wine(I used merlot)
1 cup beef broth

Cook pasta according to pkg and drain.

In the meantime, slice steak thin and cook until done. Remove from pan. Add in peppers, onions, and garlic. Cook for about 5-8 mins. Add in wine and cook for another 1-2 mins. Add in spaghetti sauce and broth simmer for about 10 mins. Stir pasta into steak sauce and serve.

**I was afraid that the wine would over power this dish, but it did not! I'm not a wine fan but I like the flavor it adds to dishes. It was a sweet and savory dish(do to using Francesco Rinaldi sauce) K and I both really liked it!

Cal-260/cup

Fiesta Rice Salad

A friend of mine shared this recipe on facebook the other day. I thought it sounded wonderful and a perfect taste of summer! Thanks for sharing Jamie!

Fiesta Rice Salad-shared from My Recipes
3 tbsp olive oil
1/4 cup lime juice(about 4 limes)
3 tbsp salsa
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp salt
2 cups cold brown rice
1 pt grape or cherry tomatoes, halved
1 cup corn, thawed(if frozen)
2 cups black beans
1 red pepper, diced
1 avocado, diced(omitted)
1 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped

Whisk together oil, juice, cumin, salt, and salsa. Add in remaining ingredients except avocado and cilantro and mix to combine. Add avocado and cilantro just before serving.

**This came together very quickly(although it did help that I had the beans and rice already prepared). This was tasty and refreshing and pretty filling. I did add some extra salt and pepper. It would be perfect for a potluck.



Calories-190/cup
Fat-5.9(this is without avocado added)

Whole Wheat Flax Bread

This is another recipe from Healthy Bread in 5 Minutes a day. I needed something to go with our soup tonight and this worked well!

Whole Wheat Flax Bread-shared from Healthy Bread in 5 Minutes a Day

(this will make about 2-1lb loaves, this can be easily doubled)

1/4 cup ground flaxseed

1/2 tbsp salt 

3/4 tbsp yeast 

15 oz warm water 

2 tbsp vital wheat gluten

3 1/2 cup whole wheat flour

Whisk together all dry ingredients. Add in water and stir well to combine, you may need to use your hand to get the rest of it mixed in. Place in bowl with cover, but do not seal. Place in warm spot and let rise for approximately 2 hours(or until top has flattened or sunk).

Place in fridge and use within 10 days. You can use it right away, let rise for 40 mins(or 90 mins if it is cold) Slash top with knife.

Bake at 450 degrees on baking stone. Place pan under stone with 1-2 cups hot water in it. Close oven door quickily and bake for 20 mins up to 35 mins.(This will depend on the size of your loaf) Outside will be hard,crusty, and dark.

Clam Chowder

I love clam chowder and always wanted to try to make it at home. I found this recipe one night and it was so good that I ate one bowl and my husband ate the rest of it! It was perfectly thick and delicious!
This is said to be Red Lobster's version which we no longer have any around!

Clam Chowder-shard from Copy Kat Recipes
2 cups russet potatoes,diced 1/2"by 1/2"
2 tbsp butter
1/4 cup flour
2 celery stalks, diced small(optional)
2 tbsp diced green onions(white bulb only,omitted)
2 cans minced clams, not drained
1/3 cup clam juice
1 pt half and half
1/2 cup 1% milk
1 tsp salt(to taste)

Place potatoes in a small pan and cover with water. Cook until tender. Drain. Set aside.

In a 2 qt saucepan, melt butter and add onions and celery cook until onions are translucent. Stir in flour and cook for another minute. Add half and half a little at a time while stirring briskly. Mixture should look like thick cream. Add in salt, clams, clam juice, milk, and potatoes. Stir and bring to a slow boil. Turn heat down and let simmer for 15 mins. Stirring frequently.

Calories per cup-293
fat 17g

Creamy Chicken Taquitos

I had some cream cheese to use up and I thought these sounded tasty! Although, mine aren't that small but it could be because I used bigger tortillas.

I did have to use regular salsa as for some reason my store had NO green salsa.

Creamy Chicken Taquitos-shared from Food, Family, and Fun
4 oz cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup green or red salsa
1 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp onion powder
1 tbsp lime juice
1.5 cups cooked chopped chicken
1 cup shredded cheese(I used monteray jack with jalapeño)
3 tbsp chopped cilantro(omitted)
2 tbsp sliced green onions(omitted)
flour tortillas
kosher salt

Preheat oven to 425
Mix together lime juice, cream cheese, spices until combined well. Stir in cheese and chicken.

Heat tortillas a couple at a time between paper towels for about 20 secs in the microwave. Place 2-3 tbsp of filling on bottom 1/3 of tortilla and roll up as tightly as you can. Place seem side down on cookie sheet. Continue until all filling is used. Make sure they are not touching each other. Spray tops lightly with cooking spray and sprinkle with salt.

Bake for 15-20 mins until golden crisp.

**We did really like these. They were perfectly crispy and not to spicy. They weren't a big hit with the kids, but anything with a touch of spice they don't like!

For 8 total taquitos-171 calories, 10g fat