Carrot Oatmeal Muffins

Not only do I get my recipe ideas from recipe websites and food blogs but also from the culinary mysteries I read. This recipe was from the last installment of Devil's Food Cake Murder by Joanne Fluke. Good stuff (story and recipes, that is)!

Carrot Oatmeal Muffins
adapted from Devil's Food Cake Murder Novel

1 and 1/2 cups flour
1 cup oatmeal (I used rolled oats but she used quick oats....I enjoyed the heartiness of the rolled oats)
1 Tbsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 cup FINELY shredded carrots (pack them down when you measure)
1/2 cup raisins (soaked in warm water at the start of the recipe)
1/2 cup milk (fat free was fine)
1 egg, beaten
1/3 cup butter, melted
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 cup walnuts/pecans, toasted and chopped (optional)

Grease a 12 cup muffin pan or 24 mini muffin pan. Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour and oatmeal. Sprinkle the baking powder, soda and cinnamon. Mix thoroughly.

Stir in brown sugar, Mix until everything is blended.

Shred carrots on the small holes on the grater. Fine shred is best. You want them to cook in the same time it takes the muffins to bake and turn golden brown. Add the carrots and raisins to your bowl. Mix.

In a separate bowl, combine the milk, beaten egg, melted butter and vanilla. Give a stir until all combined.

Add the wet to the dry and gently stir until the dry are moistened and no dry pockets remain. Fill muffin cups with ice cream scooper. Bake at 375 degrees for 20-25 minutes for regular muffin tin. Bake 15-20 for the mini. OR until toothpick comes out clean.

Set the muffin pan on a wire cooling rack for 10 minutes. This cooling process is essential because if you try to take the muffins out of the muffin cups now they may break in pieces- YES, they are that moist!

Makes 12 truly EXCELLENT muffins or 24 AWESOME mini muffins.

Mad for Moist Muffins,

BAKED Salami and Mozzarella Egg Rolls

Did you know that you don't have to FRY an egg roll? I saw these beauties on Kaitlin in the Kitchen blog and she saw it on Guy's Big Bite. Fun twist on egg rolls, great appetizer....until I remember...you don't have to deep fat fry egg rolls I discovered last year. Very crunchy and doesn't get SOGGY! Here's how it works....

Baked Salami and Mozzarella Egg Rolls

2 Eggs
12 oz. jalapeno mozzarella cheese sticks (12 in a bag)
24 Slices Thin Salami
24 Egg Roll Wrappers
oil for coating

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

In a small bowl beat your eggs until combined. Unwrap your string cheese and cut each one in half. Lay a egg roll wrapper down on a flat surface and brush each side with the egg wash using a pastry brush. Place a piece of salami in the middle of the wrapper, and then 1 piece of the string cheese at the bottom of the piece of salami. Roll the wrapper up from the bottom until piece of cheese is covered, then stop and fold in each side, then continue rolling it and make sure it's sealed well. Repeat until you are done or run out of an ingredient (I had leftover salami but no extra cheese or wrappers- I think I may have eaten one stick?). Place each egg rolls on a baking sheet brush with vegetable oil. Bake for 20 minutes or until golden.

Cook's Notes:
1. Don't overbake, they will start to bust open and ooze cheese. But I didn't mind the oozy cheese for those crusty puddles are an appetizer in itself!
2. These will be so crunchy that refrigerating the leftovers will NOT make them soggy, great for reheating the next day!
3. Suggested dipping sauce- marinara!
4. Did NOT miss the greasiness or calories!
5. Gonna try another version with ham or roast beef.....

Enjoy!

Irish Limey Bars

Well, they aren't Irish but they are green from the lime....just in time for St. Patty's Day!

So you know you classic lemon bar recipe? Ever change it up and use lime instead? If you bring a GREEN dessert to work, no one will pinch you for not wearing green...but HUG you because they are soooooooooooo delicious.

Limey Bars

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, divided
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
1 cup butter, softened
4 eggs
1 1/2 cups white sugar
1/2 cup lime juice
zest from 3 limes


1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. Mix 2 cups of flour and confectioner's sugar together. Cut in the butter or margarine. Mix well until the dough resembles pie dough consistency. Press the dough into a 9x13 inch baking pan.
3. Bake 15 to 20 minutes or until golden brown.
4. Beat together eggs, sugar, 4 tablespoons flour, lime juice and lime rind for at least 1 minute. Pour the mixture over the baked crust.
5. Bake the bars another 20 minutes, or until the lime topping has set. Sprinkle with confectioner's sugar when cooled.

Cook's Notes:
1. Awesome, nicely tart. Thick buttery, shortbread-like crunchy crust. Perfect.
2. Next to the title of the recipe, you can SEE the lime bits....it's wonderful. BUT, you may NOT get 1/2 lime juice from those 3 limes. You may have to supplement with the bottled lime juice. You know how limes are, big on flavor, little on juice. I rolled them, microwaved them for 30 sec. and still got only 1/4 cup of lime juice with all THREE, cheap bastids!
3. Go ahead use those limes you are saving for your cocktails....you got everything else in your fridge/pantry!

Happy St Patty's Day!

Copycatting the DO-si-Do Girl Scout Cookie

It's that time of year when the Girl Scouts are delivering their cookies...unless you have a forgetful Girl Scout dad who is supposed to be delivering the goods to your place of work and he misplaces the order form and there is a DELAY in your cookie order. Torture. I remembered some copycat Girl Scout recipes on Baking Bites and thought I'd give her Do-SI-Do's a try.

Homemade Girl Scout Cookie: Do-si-Do
from Baking Bites

Cookies:
2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
2 tbsp baking soda
1 tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups unsalted butter, room temperature
3/4 cup chunky peanut butter
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup sugar
3 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups quick-cooking oats (not instant or regular)

Filling:
1 1/2 cups creamy peanut butter, room temperature
1/2 cup butter, room temperature
1/4 cup confectioners’ sugar

Preheat oven to 350F.
Start with the cookies. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
In a large bowl, cream together butter and peanut butter. Beat in the sugars until fluffy, then add in the eggs one at a time, waiting until each is fully incorporated before adding the next. Stir in vanilla extract.
Working at a low speed, mix in the flour, followed by the oats (if you don’t have quick-cooking, pulse whole rolled oats in the food processor to chop them up a bit).
On a parchment-lined baking sheet, drop teaspoonfuls of batter (roughly 3/4-in. sized balls), leaving about 2 inches between each to allow for spread.
Bake for about 10 minutes, until cookies are a light golden brown. Cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes, making small holes in 1/2 of the cookies (for the tops of the sandwiches) before they set up. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Once cookies have cooled, make the filling.
In a large bowl, cream together smooth peanut butter, butter and confectioners’ sugar until very smooth. Spread 2-3 tsp onto half of the finished cookies and sandwich with the remaining halves. If you chose to make yours with GS-lookalike holes in some of the cookies, use these as the tops of the sandwiches.
Store in an airtight container.

Makes about 48 sandwich cookies.

Note: Use unsalted butter with this recipe, as different brands of peanut butter can vary hugely in salt content and it’s possible you’ll end up with a too-salty cookie with the salted butter, salted peanut butter and added salt. If you must use salted butter and are using brand of peanut butter that seems a bit salty, you can always reduce or eliminate the added salt. Personally, I like the salty sweet combination with peanut butter, but it’s only fair for me to give a little warning just in case!

Cook's Notes:
1. These were really good to me for I liked how the cookie wasn't overly sweet. With a sweet peanut butter filling a sweet cookie would have been too much.
2. If you bake the dough right away....it will spread so use a small disher to get a smaller thinner cookie. If you chill your dough, they will be thick as seen here. Do what works best for you.
3. Alot of work baking the cookies, making the filling, schmearing the filling, sandwiching the cookies....not a quick bake and eat cookie....but it's taste was worth the work.....once a year. lol

Got Milk?

Jalapeño, Sausage and Egg Braid

Breakfast, Brunch, Lunch or Snack? Anytime...it's awesome!

Jalapeño, Sausage, Jack, and Egg Breakfast Braid
adapted from Myrecipes.com

1 (13.8-ounce) can refrigerated pizza crust dough (I used Pillsbury thick canned pizza crust)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/2 lb sausage (I used hot sausage), browned and drained
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 cup (2 ounces) shredded Pepper Jack cheese
1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/4 cup chopped seeded jalapeño peppers
1 large egg white, lightly beaten (I forgot to do this and no one died)

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 425°.

2. Unroll dough onto a silpat or parchment paper; pat into a 15 x 10–inch rectangle.

3. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and sausage; cook 9 minutes or until lightly browned. Stir in eggs; cook 1 1/2 minutes or until set. Remove from heat.

4. Sprinkle Pepper Jack lengthwise down center of dough, leaving about a 2 1/2-inch border on each side. Spoon egg mixture evenly over cheese. Sprinkle cheddar over egg mixture; top with jalapeño peppers.

5. Make 2-inch-long diagonal cuts about 1 inch apart on both sides of dough to within 1/2 inch of filling using a sharp knife or kitchen shears. Arrange strips over filling, alternating strips diagonally over filling. Press ends under to seal. Brush with egg white. Bake at 425° for 15 minutes or until golden brown. Let stand 5 minutes. Cut crosswise into slices.

Braided like my apple strudel just a savory filling with a pizza crust instead of puff pastry. WINNING! K-man's eyes just popped when he saw this for breakfast. You can make all the filling the day before and just assemble it that morning. Yummy stuff. Cuts nicely for snacks later if you like. I'd love to try a bacon version sometime as well!

Enjoy!

White Chicken Pizza with Caramelized Onions

Surprise!

Another Tweak with the garlic breadsticks dough recipe from a few days ago....

White Chicken Pizza with Caramelized Onions
adapted from Recipe Shoebox

2 Tbsp. butter
3 cups thinly sliced sweet onions
1 tsp. thyme
2 oz. garlic herb cream cheese (I used Boursin light)
1 pre-baked pizza crust (breadstick recipe just NOT cut before baking)
1/3 cup prepared Alfredo sauce
1 cup shredded rotisserie chicken
1 lb. grated FRESH mozzarella cheese

Directions: Prebake Crust from link above (press into jellyroll pan and bake for only 10 minutes)

Melt butter in a skillet and cook onions for 20-25 minutes, until deep golden brown and caramelized; stir in thyme leaves.

Stir cream cheese and Alfredo sauce together.

Spread over pizza crust.

Top with chicken, then onions, then cheese.

Bake at 450° for 10 minutes or until heated through. Enjoy!

Creamy, dreamy...HEAVENLY. I just love white pizzas. The original recipe used sugar with the onions...but it made it too sweet for my taste. Didn't need it.

I am not sure if a premade thin crust could handle this....the thick dough of the breadstick recipe held up with the moist Alfredo goodness. Not only is this easy recipe awesome for breadsticks as in this original recipe....it also holds up well for pizza too. Gonna have to play with this recipe for my classes since it's so quick!

Pizza-licious!

Easy Cinna Sticks!

TA- DAH!

I told ya I'd tweak those Garlic Breadsticks....stop getting them from Domino's....knowing your own ingredients is DEFINITELY better! Using the same recipe from the garlic ones...here's the tweaked way.

Easy Cinna-Sticks

1 1/2 C warm water
2 T sugar
1 T yeast
1/2 t salt
3 1/2- 4 C flour (amount will definitely depend on your weather)
1/4 C butter (and butter ONLY)
1/2 C cinnamon and sugar mix

1 cup powdered sugar
milk
vanilla
Tbsp of melted butter

1. Mix the water, sugar and yeast together in a measuring cup or in the bottom of your mixer. Let it sit for 5 minutes.

2. Add the salt and the flour, one cup at a time, until it is well incorporated. Mix on high for 5 minutes. Let the dough rest for 5 minutes.

3. Melt the butter and pour half of it into a jelly roll pan (large cookie sheet).

4. Place the dough in the center of the pan. Let it sit for 2 or 3 minutes. Letting the dough rest makes it MUCH easier to shape.

5. Spread the dough out flat onto the pan until it reaches all of the edges. Doing all of the spreading and cutting of these bread sticks, in the pan makes cleaning up your counter so much easier!

6. Pour the other half of the butter onto the dough. Spread it around with your hands. Sprinkle the cinnamon and sugar mix all over the dough.

7. With a pizza cutter cut the dough into three rows lengthwise, and then into about 12 little height wise rows.

8. Put the pan into a 170 degree oven for about 7-10 minutes. The breadsticks should rise about 1-inch.
9. Turn you oven up to 350 and bake for about 12 minutes, or until golden brown.

10. When they come out of the oven let them sit and rest again for about 5 minutes. Then redefine your cutting lines with the pizza cutter. You may find using a pair of kitchen shears is easier to cut the edges where the cutter can't reach!

11. In a ziploc bag (pushed in a glass with edges draped over rim to make it 'hands-free') place the powdered sugar in the bag and add milk by TEASPOONS until still thick. Add a few drops of vanilla. Pull bag out of glass, seal and mix with hands. Open and add Tbsp of melted butter. If icing looks to thick to squeeze out add just DROPS of milk at a time.

12. Snip corner of bag and squiggle on warm (not hot or icing will melt off) sticks. Let drip off a cooling rack. ENJOY, immediately!

Did my TWEAK satisfy? Oh yeah....they will~ PROMISE!

In Cinna-Heaven,

Easy Garlic BreadSticks

Oh yum!

One of my favorite Bloggers Rachelle from Mommy I'm Hungry (she got it from Jamie Cooks it up!) posted about this and it caught my eye....I'm all about easy and in true Jenny Mac fashion- had to tweak it. First let me share the original recipe:

Easy Garlic Breadsticks

1 1/2 C warm water
2 T sugar
1 T yeast
1/2 t salt
3 1/2- 4 C flour (amount will definitely depend on your weather)
1/4 C butter (and butter ONLY)
3/4 C grated Parmesan
Garlic Seasoning/Italian Seasoning

1. Mix the water, sugar and yeast together in a measuring cup or in the bottom of your mixer. Let it sit for 5 minutes.

2. Add the salt and the flour, one cup at a time, until it is well incorporated. Mix on high for 5 minutes. Let the dough rest for 5 minutes.

3. Melt the butter and pour half of it into a jelly roll pan (large cookie sheet).

4. Place the dough in the center of the pan. Let it sit for 2 or 3 minutes. Letting the dough rest makes it MUCH easier to shape.

5. Spread the dough out flat onto the pan until it reaches all of the edges. Doing all of the spreading and cutting of these bread sticks, in the pan makes cleaning up your counter so much easier!

6. Pour the other half of the butter onto the dough. Spread it around with your hands. Sprinkle the seasoning of your choice all over the dough, and then the Parmesan cheese.

7. With a pizza cutter cut the dough into three rows lengthwise, and then into about 12 little height wise rows.

8. Put the pan into a 170 degree oven for about 7-10 minutes. The breadsticks should rise about 1 inch.
9. Turn you oven up to 350 and bake for about 12 minutes, or until golden brown.

10. When they come out of the oven let them sit and rest again for about 5 minutes. Then redefine your cutting lines with the pizza cutter. You may find using a pair of kitchen shears is easier to cut the edges where the cutter can't reach!

Break out the lasagna, spaghetti, marinara sauce or tomato soup. This stuff rawks! These definitely taste best the first day. If you eat them past the first day a little warming in the oven is better. If you are "cooking process challenged" then go directly to Jamie for pictorial directions.

OKAY, this was the unaltered recipe....I did it like a good foodie.....BUT tune in next time for my TWEAK...here's a peek. Not tellin' ya what it is yet....you gotta come check it out. Just as easy and the kids will FALL OUT!

Munch Out!

Easy Apple Strudel

This was K-man's request for a dessert. I asked him what he wanted for dessert...."something crunchy, appley, cinnamony, and raisiny"....I went 'trolling around' allrecipes.com to see what I could find under EASY. Always trolling for 'easy'. lol

I took a few ideas from this recipe, and from that recipe.

1. Puff pastry a must....very easy and flaky just like a strudel.
2. Recipes using panko crumbs....hmm good idea...helps absorb the juices so it's not all runny.
3. Plain apple filling or apple cinnamon...K-man likes apples and cinnamon so it won't be authentic strudel....who cares?

So my taking a bit of this and that....this is what I came up with.....

Easy-Peasey Apple Strudel
JennyMac Lipsmack Creation

1 Granny Smith apple - peeled, cored and coarsely shredded
3 Granny Smith apples - peeled, cored and sliced
1 Tbsp. cinnamon
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup raisins
3/4 cup panko bread crumbs
2 sheets frozen puff pastry, thawed
1 egg
1/4 cup milk
sugar for sprinkling

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Place apples in a large bowl. Stir in cinnamon, brown sugar, raisins and bread crumbs; set aside. Place puff pastry on baking sheet. Roll lightly with a rolling pin. Arrange apple filling down the middle of the pastry lengthwise (taking up 1/3) . Snip with kitchen shears, one inch strips on either side of filling. Fold the pastry lengthwise around the mixture, alternating strips. Left, then right. Repeat. Whisk egg and milk together, and brush onto top of pastry. Sprinkle with sugar.
3. Bake in preheated oven for 35 to 40 minutes, or until golden brown.

Cook's Notes:
1. These had to be made on two separate cookie sheets. Make sure you alternate the sheets midway through cooking time. Clearly I got a bit distracted and one was a lil darker than the other.
2. The panko was SPOT ON.....it absorbs the juices so it was not wet and drippy in the least....very moist, held together.
3. Used the large decorator's sugar for the "sparkly effect." Very pretty. K-man gave "three thumbs up" he said. LOL
4. Use whatever apple you prefer....we like the tart to offset the sweetness. Just recommend a firm apple so it doesn't go 'mushy' on you.

Yumminess!

Smoked Mozzarella Sausage Pizza

I don't know about you but finding smoked cheeses has been hit or miss around here lately. Sometimes I can find the smoked gouda or cheddar and smoked mozzarella is always around. I guess I need to venture farther than my local Harris Teeter? lol

I am ALL about making our own pizza. Sorry I won't do frozen pizza from a box anymore OR calling any local pizza chain either. If we are going to splurge on pizza I am going to make it. Fresh meats, homemade sauce and fresh veggies. The only cheat.....frozen pizza dough. Yup. I am not TOTALLY out of my mind here....gotta have some compromise, right?

I love fresh mozzarella. A very different affect on your pizza if you use fresh over the block stuff and two steps above if you use the 'already shredded' stuff (sorry, I gave up the preshredded stuff too when I found out they add stuff to it to keep it from sticking....I grate my own now too).
I wanted to try the 'smokey stuff' with our sausage to mix it up in our pizza makings....I was great and easy too.

Smoked Mozzarella Sausage Pizza
Lipsmack creation

1 Frozen Pizza Dough (New York Pizza Deli brand puts two in a box, they also make Whole Wheat)
Your favorite sauce (I just used a can of 29 oz store brand plain tomato sauce with 2 T of Italian seasons and some garlic)
1 lb hot italian sausage, browned
1 pint of mushrooms, cooked
1 onion, chopped and cooked
1 lb. smoked fresh mozzarella (found usually in your gourmet cheese section of grocery), sliced
fresh parmesan

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
Brown your sausage. Remove from pan. In sausage drippings, saute the mushrooms and onions. Add sauce and sausage. Add fresh garlic if you like. Simmer.

While sauce is cooking, roll out dough on parchment paper. If you do not have a pizza stone, turn over a cookie sheet and that will work (WHY haven't you gotten a pizza stone yet? Just keep in in the oven 24/7 like I do....it's too heavy to take in and out....just leave it be. Actually I take it out only for T-day feast cooking). Rectangle or circle, roll out that dough. Place in oven to parbake (I sometimes have to keep a skewer handy to POP the bubbles). Just cook about 8-10 minutes to cook it through. Remove from oven.

Place sliced mozzarella on baked crust (yes you heard me right, cheese first, don't argue with me!). Place sausage/veggie sauce on cheese. Slide dough back into oven until crust is browned, cheese is melted and bubbly.

Cut into 8 slices and add fresh parmesan on top before serving.

Look at that thing of beauty. You couldn't get a tastier pizza from any box or restaurant, trust me. Homemade pizza rocks. The little extra effort is soooooooooooooo WORTH it!

Commanding you to make more homemade pizza,

Coconut Balls

If you like those little Mexican Wedding Cakes or Russian Tea Cakes, (why they have so many names is beyond me) here is a variation I found on MarthaStewart.com

I love a buttery shortbread and any variation of that. So if you love shortbread and coconut, this little sweet treat is for you. Pardon my fingerprints.

Coconut Balls
MarthaStewart.com
Makes about 36

2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
1/4 cup confectioner's sugar, plus more for dusting
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups sweetened flaked coconut

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream butter with 1/4 cup confectioners' sugar until fluffy. Mix in flour and salt until they're just combined. Stir in coconut.
Roll dough into 1-inch balls; place 2 inches apart on a baking sheet. Bake until just starting to brown, 15 to 20 minutes. Roll the warm cookies in confectioners' sugar; let cool completely.

Very easy, whether you want ground nuts or coconut, they are awesome. For a fancy party or even something like a "quick pop in your mouth" Super Bowl treat, it fills the bill.

Try it, you'll like it

There is always time for brownies!

Especially before the BIG Game!

Aren't these little footballs just adorable?

I too, am busy making my little treats for the Super Bowl. Sorry I am not one of those bloggers who can be timely and post all my recipes BEFORE the big game for you to shop and make beforehand. Unfortunately, I don't cook like that or perhaps I am not the best blogger in the world. However, I want my goodies FOR the game, not one/two weeks before the game just for a blogging post. I am not a millionaire, you know.....LOL. I look at it this way, if you just LOVE what I post in the next few days for Super Bowl treats....then print it out for next year. This way you will be WAY ahead for next year's game!

After all the prep, and chopping for the food for the main event....you kinda want sometime easy for the sweet. I know you already have a box of brownies in the cabinet for emergencies....go ahead take it out.

Orange Brownie Football Bites
by JennyMac's Lipsmack
Makes 12-14 Footballs

1 box of your favorite brownie mix (and whatever else it calls for: water, oil and eggs)
1 small can mandarin oranges, drained
zest of one orange
6oz of chocolate chips
1 tsp. oil
prepared white frosting in a tube or powdered sugar

Preheat the oven according to your brownie mix directions.

Place brownie mix in bowl. Drain oranges and chop into pieces.

Place oil in measuring cup and add oranges into the oil in the cup. Add water to the oil and oranges to make up to the total amount of liquid. For example: My box called for 1/2 cup water and 1/4 cup oil. I put 1/4 cup oil and added oranges and filled water until it reached 3/4 cup. Wasn't much water to add for there is plenty of orange juice in those oranges.

Pour orange/oil/water mixture onto brownie mix, add orange zest and mix.

Pour into 9X13 baking pan. I always line mine with foil for easy "lift-out". Bake according to box.

Cool brownies and cut into ovals. If you have a football shaped cookie cutter GREAT. But I didn't so I used a biscuit cutter. Cut one side of circle into brownie and lifted it out and cut the other side into the other half circle making a 'somewhat oval'. You will have alot of scraps but if you have kids...I am sure they won't mind eating THESE!

Melt chocolate chips and tsp of oil in microwave until smooth. Dip ovals into chocolate and put on parchment paper either a tray or cookie sheet will do. Place in

Draw lines on your footballs when chocolate has set.

This can be done with just a plain brownie mix if you like. K-man loves the chocolate and orange combo....so I created this for him. It's all about the football tomorrow right? Not what flavor it is. LOL

Cook's Notes:
1. If you do not have prepared white frosting on hand. Place powdered sugar in a ziploc bag and add just mere DROPS of milk until you get the right consistency. Cut the corner of the bag and draw your white lines. I used the convenience Betty Crocker stuff in a bag with a tip on it....and I was NOT happy the way the lines turned out....those little tails wouldn't stop. My white lines look a hot mess. I really am not THAT sloppy, HONEST!

Good Luck to whatever team you are rooting for. If it ain't the Skins playin'...I am there for the commercials! LOL

Snack Well!

I have this problem....

I am either a rebel and can't follow the rules OR way too creative to respect a recipe 'as is'.

Hello, I am JennyMac and I am a rebel....

Perhaps my rebelliousness is due to the fact when I have it in my head, "I am going to make this recipe" I go to the kitchen I and I don't have EXACTLY everything the recipe calls for. The rebel in me says something like "I don't need no stinkin' 3 bananas....I can manage with only 2"

I have made and eaten lots of banana bread. I don't like making banana bread for it always comes out very flat. Although it tastes great....looks aren't it's biggest appeal.

Found on Cutting Edge of Ordinary, I am dovetailing on Lisa's revelation of a 'secret technique' for banana bread and my rebellious change of her recipe. She used dates....I used apples. Ehhh. Dates, Shmates. Apple, Smapples. It's fruit. lol Regardless of the extra fruit....make this recipe for the SECRET TECHNIQUE....it's works!

Lisa said she found in an old Yankee Magazine back from the turn of the century. Lucky, Yankee Magazine has all their old recipe online now. Lisa gets props for bringing this to my attention. This is the original recipe from Yankee.

Banana Bread

3 large bananas
1/2 cup butter
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla (sorry, I had add this - I make my own vanilla, I like to use it, so kill me)
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon soda
1/4 cups nuts if desired (also chopped dates- I used chopped dried apples)

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.

Crush bananas and whip until very light. Cream butter and sugar. Add eggs, then flour, soda, and nuts. Add bananas last. Turn into well-greased bread pan. Bake slowly about 1 hour.

SECRET TECHNIQUE: The bananas end up liquefied, which may be why this bread does indeed have a very delicate texture.

My REBELLION: I had only 2 bananas in my freezer....dangit...I wanted banana bread now. OH well, time to be creative then....moist fruit.....I took a handful of dried apple rings....soaked them 1/4 cup spiced rum. Pureed them in the mini chopper (with the rum) and added them to the bananas and whipped some more.

Cook's Notes:
1. Toast your nuts- always! Flavors are best this way.
2. Sprinkle top of loaf with sugar....makes it "sparkly" and a nice crunchy sweetness on top when bitten.

Be a Rebel- Go Bananas!

Spinach Stuffed Chicken

I love when I can get my protein and veggies in one dish. One stop cooking is ideal some days. The versatility of this recipe is that you can change up the cheese or seasoning to tailor the dish to your tastes.

Spinach Stuffed Chicken
by JennyMac Lipsmack

olive oil
1/2 medium onion, chopped or 1/2 cup green onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced (make two piles: 2/3 and 1/3)
10 ounces boxed spinach, thawed
1/2 cup cheese (feta, monterry jack, cheddar, swiss -your preference)
salt and pepper to taste
3 Tbsp. butter
1 cup breadcrumbs (italian, plain, panko, cracker- whatever you have on hand)
1 tsp. oregano (basil, rosemary, sage- whatever floats your boat)
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast (split in half lengthwise)

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Heat 1 Tbsp olive oil in small pan on medium heat. Add the onion and 2/3 of the reserved garlic, cook until softened 3-4 minutes. Place cooled onions in bowl with thawed spinach, cheese and season with salt and pepper. Melt butter in pan used for onions, turn off heat and add crumbs, herbs and remaining garlic. Toss around to mix herbs, crumb and butter.

Drizzle a baking dish with another 1 Tbsp of olive oil. Split each chicken breast lengthwise but not all the way (like a book). Stuff with spinach and cheese mixture, letting the stuffing overflow at the edges. Place the chicken pieces in the baking dish and top with breadcrumbs. Bake until juices run clear or internal temperature is 165 degrees or about 20 minutes.

Serves 4.

Serve with a some bread and a leafy salad and you are good. This was delicious. I can't wait for the leftovers tomorrow!

Go stuff yourself!

These are a few of my favorite.....

BLOGS!

I want to share with you the links and my thoughts about some of my favorite bloggers. Some have become friends, we exchange emails when we want to share private stuff about our lives or just gossip in general. They to me are real people with personality and have things worthy to read about or great recipes to try.

Mommy I'm Hungry
Blogger: Rachelle. Mom/wife with 3 kids. Hugely busy blogger. Tons of giveaway, always sampling products, wide range of recipes. She gets top billing for she was the first to comment on my blog and welcome me into the food blog world. How she balances the products, the cooking, the support of two eldest kids in the racing world. She was smart and got away from playing Cafe World on FB. She and I comment freely on our FB or blog. I admire her yet hate how she throws in my face how beautiful the weather is in sunny Cali. LOL I consider her a friend. You rock Rachelle, not Rachel. giggle.

The Life and Loves of HoneyB
Blogger: Shelby aka HoneyB. Mom of two adult kids. Wife of Grumpy (husband). She was one of the first blogs I started following. I love the range of her blog. She is very connected to many other bloggers. She is open about her husbands likes and dislikes about what she cooks. In my opinion, he is just too picky. She grew up a vegetarian yet eats some meat nowadays. But she always gets back to her veggie roots and makes dishes with Tofu. She is health conscious for the is always seeming to post about a recipe from Cooking Light. I envision a huge bookshelf full of her past issues. She participates in many group cooking blogs, guest blogs, cooks for family occasions and her workplace. She is so very sweet and puts a personal touch in everything. Her food pix are to DIE for perfect!

Once Upon a Gourmet Gin
Blogger: Ginger aka Gin. Mom of a High-schooler and one in college. She is not one I consider a 'rabid' blogger. She too took a leave of absence from blogging as well. She is getting back into the groove of blogging again. Her recipes are wide in variety from ethnic from just plain fun home cooking. We've exchanged emails on the side talking outside the blogs about our family life. We had a cake mix cookie friendly competition frenzy awhile back. I enjoy her blog and friendship.

The Hungry Housewife
Blogger: Leslie. At home Mom of a little girl and boy. Love, love, LOVE her. She does enough videos on her site that I feel kinship to her personality. I feel like if we met we would just talk for hours and laugh our butts off. I hate when she takes the video out to her Tampa Bay backyard and shows us the fabu pool and falls set up. It's nice to have a husband with his own pool/spa business, yes? Leslie is hilarious to hear her tell stories. She is self-deprecating and doesn't care if you judge when she tells how she ate fudge out of the trash. She is skinny and gorgeous with a killer laugh and personality. If I weren't an only child and could have picked a sister....it would be Leslie and we'd be in so much trouble together. She had a brush with the Food Network and came close to being a celebrity but after the visit with Gordon Elliot, and a cooking video...Food Network said essentially they "already had someone like her....called Melissa D'arabian. Ugh. No comparison. Leslie is the shizz! Just you wait. Someone will pick her up and put her on TV....then I can say "hey I used to email her" LOL.

My Tasty Treasures
Blogger: Donna aka FFW (firefighter's wife). This woman is a HOOT. If you looked in the dictionary under the word WILD the definition would be simply: Donna. Her recipes are hearty, easy, kid friendly, appropriate for parties. She often posts a dinner and the dessert/cookie she did with it. Although Donna can be deemed as controversial for people either love her or hate her. Yes, she does get some hate mail on occasion for Donna likes to make her blog....how do I explain this....A sexy food blog. LOL. She does put up some crazy pictures and when people comment loudly how inappropriate that is; (blah, blah, blah) Donna tells them "to get over themselves and don't read her blog if it bothers you." You tell 'em GIRL! I could learn alot from Donna about doing what makes you happy and not to care what others think.

She's Becoming DoughMessTic
Blogger: Susan. Mom of Seven. Not seven children. Her miracle child, Seven. LOL. Susan has been through the wringer in her personal life yet still manages to blog wonderful things. She also caters, and does some amazing cake decorating. SOMEONE HIRE THIS CHICK IN THEIR BAKERY! (however she probably thinks she is busy enough). Kid friendly, baking, meats, salads, candies, cookout fun, all the range is there. Yet she's been around in the blogging world....gone to Martha Stewarts Show a few times (don't ask, lol), gone to conferences, does a kick-A "pantry raid" experience how to budget food and money and keep everyone fed and happy. I think she's amazing despite some marital woes yet I see her as up and coming bigger blogger... Look out for her in bigger places too.

Noble Pig
Blogger: Cathy. Mom/wife/awesome food blogger/new vineyard business owner. I loved reading all the developing stories about Cathy's life upheaval. Her life alone with the boys while her husband was looking for home with appropriate land to start a new life as vineyard-ers. The recipes of yummy, fun or fancy recipes. Sometimes many to choose from for special occasions....the move, the step by step pictures of her land being treed for planting grapes....fast forward to placing orders for wine online now. WOW. She still blogs recipes that I adore yet takes the time to thank new customers for their wine order on FB. Adore her.

OTHER BLOGS I LIKE FOR WHATEVER REASON....

The Cutting Edge of Ordinary
I think I see more of Lisa from Facebook than her blog. lol I enjoy her recipes and crafty ideas. How she posts, her lovely pictures, the recipes; to me, are just warm and fuzzy like a comfy well worn sweatshirt. Her recipes aren't from a box or hoity-toity over the top. They are twisted in just ways that I find fun to read and prepare in my own kitchen.

Orangette:
My cousin sent me the link to her favorite webpage. I had no idea food blogs existed. It started with Molly from Orangette. I checked out some of the links to her favorite food blogs and my gmail reader EXPLODED from there and a year later I started my own blog.

The Pioneer Woman:
The Goddess of food blog world. Her pictorial step by step recipes are INSANE. I have her book. I stood in line and met her at a book signing. She's been on the Food Network on Bobby's Thanksgiving Throwdown. She won. She been all over on local TV new cooking segments. Her food is wonderful. Microsoft contacted her and gave her a separate site just for recipes (Tasty Kitchen.com). Every she touches is so down home- friendly yet she is so grounded almost perfect it seems. She homeschools her 4 kids (only because the school is like close to two hours by bus in the AM and PM-their cattle ranch is remote). Women wish she was your mom, sister, next door neighbor, best friend- yes, she is THAT nice. I love her corny, naughty yet self-deprecating ways.

How to Eat a Cupcake aka Flour Child Bakery
Sadly this young 24 y.o blogger is too busy to post anymore. She's moved on from yummy postings and funny videos to opening a new bakery with her mom. I am excited that she is located in Virginia Beach. K-man and I have a time share down there and we can't wait for this summer to make a special trip down there to meet Cassie and eats her wonderful goodies. Once she gets settled after a year she will post recipes again.

Girlichef:
I just love Heather's site. She is all over the place, a smorgasbord of food varieties, an ethnic buffet, a bookstore, a book critic, a cheesemaker.....and the list goes on. She's got over 10 sections to her website and I like to use her recipes and she's part of the reason for my cookbook addiction! Very cool chick....you'll love her too!

Cake Wrecks
Just a fun site from Jen who wanted to post about her irritation for the awful cakes she's seen over her lifetime. It exploded with followers started sending more and more pictures. She's been around so long now the site is almost too big to view in one day and she has her own book now. You will just keep shaking your head over and over with these awful cakes that bakeries are producing. She does NOT make fun of personal cakes people make but the cakes that BAKERS/BAKERIES get paid good money to produce a professional cake. Or NOT. lol

I have tons of blogs on my reader. Of course, I could not post about them all. I have LOTS of favorites but these are my BESTEST faves. Partly because I have some type of connection. We either email and talk personally, have their book, met them....I feel connected to them in some way. I hope I introduced you to a new place for more cooking adventures!

Eat 'em up-

A slow return to normalcy....

I am attempting to return to blogging in way that works for me. Why did JennyMac disappear into the blogosphere?

1. People send you suggestions saying you should do this or that...the occasional rude anonymous commenter who feels the need to put you in your place...makes you say to yourself at times..."who's page is this?"

2. Taking pictures is NOT the easiest thing to do at times and sometimes you end up eating the evidence. I am not one of those who snap a gazillion pix (how does Pioneer Woman do it?). One before, a few after....served with garnish maybe....OK, now let's eat. Either the recipe is NOT to my liking to post about or something isn't right with the pictures. NOW, the food is gone so retaking pix are impossible.

3. Sometimes lighting is not your friend. Let's be for real. Many of my meals are dinner and it's NIGHT. Natural sunlight is ideal, if my pic doesn't look appealing enough to eat....I don't wanna post something that looks like the cat coughed it up!

4. Then I got into Facebook, I was learning how to use it....finding old friends....getting addicted to some stupid games (first Cafe World then Frontierville....sigh).

5. Being timely....many blogs post about upcoming holidays/events BEFORE it happens. Halloween foods during the first week of October. Thanksgiving dishes two weeks before T-day. Christmas-y cookies and treats after T-day and two weeks after. Let's be for real here. I want my food and gifts to be fresh. I don't make Halloween treats in my classes Oct 1, the kids want it on Oct 31. I give out my holiday food treats a few days before the 25th not Dec 1. I am not into 'trial runs', practice, saving pix to post early for next year, etc.

6. The intimidation of the wonderfully popular and successful blogs out there. The more and more blogs I read or subscribed to, the more and more I felt unworthy. Also, I so envied my fellow bloggers successes. I see all these giveaways they have from companies contacting them, how lucky of them....I don't get that....I had a few here and there....but nothing like those popular bloggers. Bloggers talking about being invited to conferences, meeting up with other bloggers, guest blogging....posts about appearances on TV, etc. It's all so great for them, sucks for me.

After not posting for a bit, no one said anything. No emails, no inquiries....no one seemed to notice I was not posting. I said to myself "well no one saying anything or asking where I went, so don't bother posting anything because no one is reading my blog obviously...." What a vicious cycle I created for myself in my own little blogging world.

Then something snaps you out of it(hopefully?). You FINALLY get one email from a person who says they appreciate and miss your posts. A co-worker tells you they enjoy your blog and suggests a neat tool I should check out and share with my followers.

Bottom Line: I must do my blog because I enjoy it. I am who I am, I do what I do because it's me. No one else matters and I shouldn't set myself up for failure by comparing my blog to others. How many times did we get that lecture about "being yourself" growing up? Clearly I needed a booster shot. So I am going to share what I share only because it's something that works for me, not something that I think would impress the 'public'. BAH!


I made this and it's absolutely easy and so yummy. WHIR in the processor. I was apprehensive to try this for I am not a huge fan of cilantro but the combo intrigued me and POOF! I think perhaps I've turned a corner.....

Jalapeno Pesto
by JennyMac Lipsmack

1 cup fresh Cilantro
3 Jalapeno Peppers
2 Garlic Cloves
1/2 cup walnuts
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, Shredded
juice of 1/2 lemon
1/4 tsp Kosher Salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 cup Olive Oil

1. Chop and toast walnuts for a few minutes in 350 oven until kitchen is fragrant (about 5-7 minutes). Set aside to cool.
2. In a food processor put a cup of washed cilantro.
3. Using gloves to cover your hands, slice in half the jalapenos, seed and devein. Remember the heat is from the veins, so do what you need to to do to make it hot or not; be careful or haphazard when removing those veins. Roughly chop and place peppers in food processor.
4. Peel garlic and add it in with the walnuts, lemon juice, Parmesan, salt, pepper in the food processor.
5. Pulse until combined and you don't see big chunks of garlic or whole cilantro leaves.
6. Slowly stream in the olive oil until incorporated.
7. Taste....add more salt, pepper or lemon if needed. Add more olive oil to make it consistency you want. Warm water can be done to keep the fat content lower and yet 'loosen' the mixture up.

THUD, this was beyond my expectations....We ate this during a football game with crackers and cheese but the tortilla chips tasted best. You can use instead of mayo on a sandwich. Top on an enchilada or taco....Add some plain rice vinegar or warm water to make it into a salad dressing. We loved this! I can't wait to try this on grilled chicken. I want to spread this on a roast beef sandwich. I am growing tons of cilantro this summer!

Enjoy!