Recipe adapted from Rodale Press, Flat Belly Diet Family Cookbook
Ingredients:
4 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
1 1/2 cups sliced almonds
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup honey
2 tablespoons grapeseed oil
1 teaspoon almond extract
1/2 cup dried tart cherries
1/2 cup dried cranberries or any other dried berries or raisins
I use any dried fruit that I have on hand. This day I used dried cherries, blueberries, strawberries and golden raisins.
Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Coat a large baking sheet with cooking spray. (I love using the coconut oil spray you can find at Trader Joe's.)
2. Combine the oats, almonds, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt in a large bowl. Combine the honey, oil and almond extract in a measuring cup or separate bowl.
3. Pour the honey mixture over the oat mixture and stir well to combine.
4. Spread evenly on the baking sheet. Bake stirring every 10 minutes, for 38-40 minutes, or until lightly toasted.
5. Remove from the oven and stir in the dried fruit, cherries and cranberries. Cool completely and store in an airtight container.
This recipe makes 12 servings at 1/2 cup each.
For Yogurt Parfaits:
I like to layer 1/2 cup of the homemade granola with 6 ounces of greek yogurt and a handful of fresh fruit for a delicious breakfast.
Fresh raspberry, homemade granola and Greek yogurt layered for a parfait.
Do you need a quick yet delicious idea for a winter warming soup? Do you need a new way of preparing frozen white fish from your freezer?
You must try this 20-minute Manhattan Fish Chowder recipe.
20-Minute Manhattan Fish Chowder
Ingredients:
24-ounces of white fish such as Cod
4 Roma tomatoes, chopped
2 teaspoons Old Bay seasoning
4 fluid ounces white wine
4 tablespoons tomato paste
4 teaspoons vegetable base
2 shallots, diced - could use 1 small white or yellow onion
Parsley to taste, chopped (optional)
Directions:
Cook fish in pan with 4 teaspoons of olive oil until 145 degrees, approximately 3-5 minutes per side. Remove fish from pan and break into bite-sized chunks.
Add diced shallot (or onion) to pan (no need to clean it out) and cook to soften 3-5 minutes. Add two cups water, tomato paste, Old Bay, chopped tomatoes, vegetable base, and wine. Boil and then cook for 5 minutes.
Add cod and chopped parsley, 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Warm through by cooking 1-2 minutes.
We loved how fast this meal came together and appreciated being able to use fish from the freezer caught from a recent ocean-fishing trip.
One of our favorite inventions of 2017 was the Pampered Chef Ceramic Egg Cooker!
It helped Todd get a hot, healthy breakfast each day using eggs and whatever leftover vegetables, meats, or cheeses - not to mention, a "Paleo-friendly" option that stayed warm for his hour-long commute! This microwavable egg cooker made breakfast on-the-go a daily reality and also helped him achieve a weight-loss goal over the summer months. His love for the egg cooker led to an office-wide interest ending with sales of over 20 Pampered Chef Ceramic Egg Cookers for his office.
We love this product! I use it to make oatmeal and Todd (and countless coworkers) use theirs at work and rave about how the food stays warm in the cooker while they make their commute (it fits in the cup-holder of a car) or eat at their desks.
This contraption makes the perfect scrambled eggs (2 eggs with 2 Tablespoons milk or water, shake with a finger over lid). It makes omelets (sausage crumbled, cheese, onion, red peppers) in under 4 minutes! We put eggs (with add-ons or leftovers such as bacon, spinach, and cheese) in for 1 minute, stir and then add 15-second intervals until you get the consistency that you want. You can also make a lighter version with 1 cup of egg whites with 2 teaspoons of salsa microwaved for 2 minutes and 45 seconds. The eggs are amazing!
This is a great gift for college students who have limited access to kitchens as you only need a microwave to make healthy, quick breakfasts or snacks.
The Ceramic Egg Cooker is easy to clean and you don't have to add oil, butter or cooking spray.
This is another great option to make in the Ceramic Egg Cooker - this Chocolate Mug Cake (flourless, gluten-free) that can be made in less than 5 minutes! Dark chocolate chips, milk, cocoa powder and one egg yolk create a decadent treat you can top with berries, whipped cream or powdered sugar.
You can alter the recipe with two swaps and make an Orange Chia Microwave Muffin by substituting the blueberries and lemon zest with 1 Tab. of chia seeds and 1 tsp. of orange zest.
About Pampered Chef
I went to my first Pampered Chef party over 18 years ago, when my first-born was a month old! I fell in love with the products and I can say that the items that I purchased at that initial party have stood the test of time and are still used and loved! I had been a customer over the years, and in early 2017, I attended my first online Pampered Chef Virtual Party on Facebook! From the comfort of my own home (dressed in my pajamas, I'm sure) I participated in my friend's Virtual Party online while I learned new techniques, watched videos of the products, and fell in love with the idea of becoming a Pampered Chef Consultant.
I took the plunge and signed up to become an Independent Pampered Chef Consultant as it aligned with my love of helping families find ways to make mealtime easier, cost-effective, and healthy so they can spend more quality time together. I love that a staff of home economists, food scientists, chefs, and dieticians develop, test, and edit more than 200 recipes each year while creating the tools, training, and tips that give everyday cooks confidence in the kitchen. Each product goes through extensive testing in the Test Kitchens and Quality Labs.
For more than 35 years, Pampered Chef has helped create countless mealtime moments with friends and family through high-quality, everyday cooking tools and inspiration, while providing cooking consultants with a flexible opportunity to build a business around his or her own lifestyle, goals, and passions.
Please visit my Independent Consultant Pampered Chef website at https://www.pamperedchef.com/pws/nicoleengstrom to learn what Pampered Chef has to offer!
I am coming clean that I have a brand-new favorite Focaccia.
It's just so much faster than my original recipe.
AND it's freezer friendly!
I can barely keep a stash in the freezer as the teens devour this bread, round after round.
Just between you and I, I make three rounds at a time and put two out for immediate consumption and freeze/hide a back-up for those helter-skelter nights that we seem to keep having now that soccer season is in full gear every night.
This bread, hot out of the oven, just melts in your mouth. It's great plain or with a little grapeseed or olive oil dipping oil mixed with herbs and spices (and a little balsamic vinegar too if you like that kind of combo).
If you have a bread machine, this will come together even faster although I can't imagine that it will take that long as it is a low-maintenance style bread in terms of kneading, etc.
Weeknight Focaccia
Recipe adapted slightly from Not Your Mother's Make-Ahead & Freeze Cookbook by Jessica Fisher
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups water
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons olive oil
3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour (or you can substitute 1 cup whole wheat flour for 1 cup of the white flour)
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon oregano
2 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast
Coarse salt
Instructions:
Combine water, 2 tablespoons olive oil, flour, the 1 1/2 teaspoon salt, garlic powder, oregano and yeast in a bread machine and program it for the dough setting. If making without a bread machine, mix the ingredients and then knead dough on a lightly floured surface, allowing the dough to rise in a warm place for an hour to an hour and a half, with plastic wrap covering the dough.
Grease three 8-inch round cake pans, generously, with olive oil.
When the dough is done, remove dough to greased surface and divide into three portions. Press each third into a prepared cake pan.
Ensure that both sides are covered in olive oil by flipping the dough rounds over. Spread and press dough to the edges of the pan.
Cover the pans with plastic wrap and let the dough rise for at least 30 minutes, or longer, until doubled in bulk.
About 30 minutes before baking, preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Remove the plastic wrap and drizzle the remaining olive oil over the bread rounds. Sprinkle the tops with coarse salt and bake for 15 minutes.
The key next is to cool the rounds completely (without anyone helping themselves). Remove from the pans, wrap securely in plastic wrap and place each round into a freezer bag. Thaw the bread at room temperature in their wrappings and to warm the bread, heat in a 350 degree F. oven for about 5 minutes prior to serving.
P.S. If you enjoy preparing meals ahead, cooking in bulk or freezer meal preparation, then Jessica Fischer's cookbook, Not Your Mother's Make-Ahead & Freeze Cookbook is a gem and a lifesaver. She not only provides over 200 freezer-friendly recipes but also gives you cooking plans for power meal preparation days. I am working my way through the cookbook and finding her hints, tips, and anecdotes extremely helpful and her recipes have all been family favorites. I highly encourage you to check this book out in some capacity as it can revolutionalize the way you prepare healthy, yet delicious meals.
10 Things I Want to Make This August Before Summer Is Over:
My Easy Roasted Blender Marinara Sauce - this recipe roasts and blends tomatoes, onions, garlic, olive oil and a few sprigs of fresh basil and tastes fabulous!
Grilled Shrimp Tacos- we have become huge "street taco" fans over the past year and I think this recipe will fit the bill for satiating that craving for "street tacos".
Zucchini Crust Pizza- I have friends who swear by the cauliflower crust pizzas and with the surplus of zucchinis, I think this will be a fun kitchen experiment.
Outrageous Eskimo Bars from Mel's Kitchen Cafe - I can't wait to try this recipe that has been in my to "taste" list forever! Who doesn't love Eskimo Bars dipped in the caramel sauce? Mel's recipe looks divine and takes ice cream bars to the next level of sheer bliss!
Bon Appetit's Sour Cherry Pie - I am a huge sucker for cherries and Bon Appetit usually nail it with their tested recipes.
Hand-held Peach Fruit Pies - I am looking for a recipe that I have been dreaming about for a while now. I spied a recipe for Strawberry Hand-held Fruit Pies a few months ago but did not save it. Any of you have a good hand-held fruit pie recipe?
Here are the recipe ingredients transposed for a U.S. kitchen:
Ingredients: 2 cups of crushed graham crackers 1 tablespoon sugar 4 tablespoon butter, melted 1/2-2/3 cup cherries (fresh or frozen), pitted and diced 1 Tbsp sugar 2 tsp lemon juice 1 tablespoon cornstarch, plus 2 teaspoons cold water 3/4 cup mini dark chocolate chips 12-ounces cream cheese, softened 1/2 cup confectioner's sugar, (powdered sugar) sifted 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 1/2 pint heavy cream
Ganache
1/4-pint whipping cream 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips Fresh cherries to decorate
Instructions:
1. For the crust. Preheat oven to 325°F. Grease a rectangular loaf pan (or a leak-proof spring-form pan). Line the base and two long sides of the loaf pan with baking paper, leaving some extra paper hanging over the edges. This will make allow you to lift the cheesecake out of the pan later
Fresh Basil Pesto with plenty to freeze into ice cube trays to savor all year long. I missed doing this the past few years and ended up spending a fortune on the store-bought prepared pesto that just never tastes quite as good as homemade versions.
Fruit Leather and Beef Jerky in the dehydrator. I had great success making beef jerky out of flank steak that I marinated in Teriyaki sauce one year, so I want to experiment with some other cuts of meat and different marinades.
Homemade Fruit Sorbet - I'm flirting with trying Alton Baker's recipe for Summer Sorbet, or I want to take Serious Eats'Max Falkowitz's ratio of fruit to sugar and experiment and taste test until I get the right combo. That's a great excuse to make many versions, right? Max's versions include a Pear, Riesling and Ginger Sorbet; a Raspberry-Campari Sorbet; a Spicy Pineapple and Tequila Sorbet; and a Sour Cherry and Lavender Sorbet - so gourmet!
We just returned from a camping getaway with all four teens and the pooch. In an effort to prepare food ahead of time to streamline the camping cooking experience a bit, while still pleasing the teen palate, I researched recipes that would meet everyone's needs. We settled on a new camping menu that proved to be pretty easy but delicious!
This Grilled Pizza recipe was concocted by using a pizza dough recipe that I mixed up just prior to our departure. We only had a two-hour drive, which was perfect for the dough to rise without having to be refrigerated in between, however, it could have stayed in the cooler, if needed and then brought back to "room" temperature later.
Grilled pizza station prep while camping!
We have a camping stove that has a griddle on one side and a burner on the other. Using a flat frying pan would have worked just as well.
Pizza cooking on our grill/griddle.
This dough has a slightly sweet hint to it which I loved. I used my hands to shape the dough and I didn't have anything other than a paper plate to flatten the pizza crusts with as we improvise while camping!
The pizza dough cooked quickly on the grill.
Homemade Pizza Dough for Pizza Crust for the Grill
1 cup flat beer or water (the beer gives it a great flavor and I think helps with the rising too)
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoons salt
2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour (You can use bread flour for a chewier crust.)
1 package active dry yeast (2-1/4 teaspoon)
Instructions:
1. To make by hand, dissolve yeast in warm beer (105º to 115º). I open a can of beer in the morning and let it sit out for a few hours to make it "flat". Add butter, sugar, salt, and flour. Mix until dough forms a ball and cleans sides of bowl. Turn onto floured surface and knead for 2 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning to grease top. Cover; let rise in a warm place, free from draft, until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour. Punch down dough.
(To use the bread machine, add ingredients to pan in order listed. Use dough setting.)
2. For cooking while camping, divide the dough into 8 equal dough balls. Shape or form dough to the size of a paper plate. I used my paper plate as a preparation surface and molded the dough according to the size. I thought that the pizza dough would cook more evenly if the dough was pre-baked a bit prior to putting the toppings on, so we added each shaped pizza circle to the griddle and let each side cook about two minutes each.
3. I then set up a station and had each person come through spreading their pizza dough surface with prepared spaghetti sauce/pizza sauce, a generous sprinkling of grated cheeses (while camping it's perfectly fine to use the store-bought pre-grated cheese blend such as Italian Four Cheese. Who wants to grate cheese, let alone wash the cheese grater while camping?!?). I had salami, pepperoni and Canadian bacon as my topping options and each kid picked out what they wanted and how much.
4. The hubs had the griddle all warmed up for the pizzas and we cooked each pizza individually on the griddle. He experimented and decided that the cheese melted much faster with the lid on the griddle. Each grilled pizza took no more than 3-5 minutes with the pre-cooked crust. No one complained and our fellow camping friends were a tad bit jealous of the concoction our kids were filling up on (although we did offer some to share).
Alternative cooking option: For cooking in a home kitchen, the instructions are to turn dough out on floured surface. Roll or press into a prepared pie pan, forming a collar around the edge. Brush lightly with olive oil. Cover dough; let stand 15 minutes. Proceed with your favorite pizza recipe.
A girl in love with the seasons who wants to cram as much as she can into the 365 days of the year to live a life of bliss. Welcome to What Matters Most Now! I hope you will find inspiration and recipes you love.
