Chicken and Sausage Jambalaya

from melskitchencafe.com

*Note: for the smoked sausage, you can use smoked kielbasa or similar type smoked sausages. If you choose a leaner sausage, like turkey or chicken, you may need to add one tablespoon of olive oil to the pot in the first step when cooking the chicken and sausage together since the lean sausage won't render as much fat.

*Serves 6

1 pound smoked sausage, cut into 1/4-inch slices

1 pound chicken (about 2 average-sized boneless skinless chicken breasts or the equivalent of another kind of cut, like thighs), cut into bite-size pieces

2 tablespoons flour

2 tablespoons butter

1 large yellow onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, finely minced

3 ribs celery, chopped

1 medium bell pepper (red or green), chopped

1 teaspoon dried basil

1/4 teaspoon Creole or Cajun seasoning (use a light hand with this if you don't want it overly spicy)

1 can (10-ounces) Rotel tomatoes

1/2 teaspoon sugar

1 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth

2 cups hot, steamed rice

Just a tip: start cooking the rice while you prepare the rest of the jambalaya so it is ready to add in during the last step.

In a 4-6 quart pot, cook sausage and poultry over medium heat. Drain the grease (you may only need to do this if you aren't using a lean sausage), scrape the meat onto a plate and set aside. Melt the butter in the same pot. Stir in the flour and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, for one minute. Add the vegetables, basil and Creole (or Cajun) seasoning, and the Rotel tomatoes and sugar. Stir well. Simmer the mixture over low or medium-low heat for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are mostly tender (they'll continue to cook a few minutes longer in the next step). Add the sausage and chicken back to the pot, and cook 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the chicken broth and simmer 5 minutes longer. Stir in the hot, steamed rice until you achieve your desired consistency.

BYU Mint Brownies

BYU Alumni, this one's for you.
From the Sugar-n-Spice
Cougareat Food Court

MAKES ONE 9-BY-13 PAN OF BROWNIES.
PREP AND COOK: 90 min. COOL: 1 hr.

1 c. margarine
1/2 c. cocoa
2 Tbsp. honey
4 eggs
2 c. sugar
1 3/4 c. flour
1/2 Tbsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 c. chopped walnuts
12 oz. chocolate icing (Use your own icing recipe or purchase some chocolate frosting. You can also search the Internet for chocolate icing recipes.)

MINT ICING
5 Tbsp. margarine
dash of salt
3 Tbsp. milk
1 Tbsp. light corn syrup
2 1/3 c. powdered sugar
1/2 tsp. mint extract
1-2 drops green food coloring

1. Melt margarine and mix in cocoa. Allow to cool. Add honey, eggs, sugar, flour, baking powder, and salt. Mix well. Add nuts. Pour batter into a greased 9-by-13 baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes. Cool.

2. Prepare mint icing: Soften margarine. Add salt, corn syrup, and powdered sugar. Beat until smooth and fluffy. Add mint extract and food coloring. Mix. Add milk gradually until the consistency is a little thinner than cake frosting.

3. Spread mint icing over brownies. Place brownies in the freezer for a short time to stiffen the icing. Remove from the freezer and carefully add a layer of chocolate icing.

Baked Sweet Potato Fries

I love these! Our Best Bites has a great recipe for these. I cheat and buy a bag of plain frozen sweet potato fries. I put them in a big bowl and toss them with oil and the spices in the recipe and bake them.

Baked Sweet Potato Fries with Honey-Lime Dip
Recipe by Our Best Bites
1 lb peeled sweet potatoes cut into 1/4″ match-sticks
2 T extra virgin olive oil
1/2 t cumin
1/2 t oregano
1/2 t coriander
1 t kosher salt
1 t parsley
1/8 tsp black pepper
*you want 1lb sweet potatoes after they are peeled, sliced, etc. If you weigh them at the store make sure you have a little more than a pound to allow for the peeling, and tossing of small pieces.
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In a small bowl combine cumin, oregano, coriander, salt, parsley, and pepper.
Place sweet potatoes in a pile directly on baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil. Use hands to toss until all pieces are well coated. Sprinkle seasoning mixture on top and toss again with hands to coat.
Arrange sweet potatoes in a single layer so that pieces are not touching each other. Place pan in oven and bake for 15 minutes. Use a metal spatula to gently flip fries and then return pan to oven. Cook for an additional 15-20 minutes or until fries are starting to lightly brown and crisp. Remove pan from oven and cool 5 minutes. Serve immediately.

Honey-Lime Dip
6oz container plain, low-fat yogurt
1 T mayo (low cal is fine)
1/2 T honey
1 Tbs fresh lime juice
1/4 t cumin
1/8 t oregano
1 t parsley
1/2 t onion powder
1/2 t kosher salt

Moving

Sorry for the lack of posts. We're in the process of moving. :)

Patriotic Pankcakes from Our Best Bites

Just had to share this idea. It's so fun!

Bread Sticks

This recipe is from Becky Stevens:

1 1/2 c warm water
1 T dry yeast
1 T malted milk- this is type of powdered milk (or can substitute powdered milk)
1 T honey
1 tsp. salt
3 1/2 - 4 cups flour
Salad Supreme seasoning (sold in the spice aisle)

Dissolve yeast in warm water. Add the remaining ingredients and mix well. Roll out dough on floured surface to about 3/8 in thickness. Brush with melted butter and sprinkle with salad supreme seasonings. Cut into 1 1/2 strips. (I use my pizza wheel)The length is up to you. Place on greased baking sheet. Let raise for 20 minutes. Bake for 15 minutes at 400 degrees. Brush with melted butter while warm and serve.

* I use instant yeast that does not need to be proofed in water. So instead of dissolving the yeast in water, I just mix it in with the flour, salt, and milk. I mix the warm water and honey together then add them to the dry ingredients.

Easy Grilled Chicken

This is so easy, I'm not sure it counts as a recipe. Take chicken breasts and poke several times with a fork and put into a large ziploc bag. Then pour zesty Italian dressing in the bag and squeeze the air out of the bag and seal. Marinate chicken overnight in fridge. Then cook on an outdoor grill. The thinner the chicken breast, the more evenly they cook. I cut my chicken breasts horizontally in half to make two thinner pieces. This is best when grilled on an outdoor grill.

The Spice of Life

Just a quick suggestion for organizing all those little spice bottles- lay them flat in a drawer. I love being to see them easily when I pull out my drawer. Bigger jars of spices and cellophane bags are stashed up on my cupboards.

What I Add to Chocolate Chip Cookies

#1 I like soft chocolate chip cookies that are not flat. Adding a approx 1/2 cup of flour to a chocolate chip cookie recipe makes them soft and more of a mound than a flat disk. Bake a couple of trial cookies and if the texture isn't what you want, add a little more flour and bake a couple more til you get what you want.

#2 Cinnamon- oh it's so good. I never would of thought of adding this til I saw in it a recipe. I add about 1/2 tsp to 1 tsp of cinnamon. Gives the cookies a little more umph.

Dad's Limeade

I have fond memories of my dad making limeade while we waited with our cups in our hands. We loved it.

1/2 cup fresh lime juice
3/4 cup sugar
2 cups water
2 cups club soda

We usually make a double or triple batch.

Cheesy Pizza Dip

This one comes from Melisa Maxwell.

4 oz. cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup sour cream
1/4 tsp crushed oregano
1/8 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 cup pizza sauce
2 tablespoons sliced green onions
1/8 tsp minced garlic
1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
3 tablespoons red pepper (optional)

french bread, pita bread or chips for dipping

In a medium baking dish, mix together all the ingredients (except for bread/chips). Bake in a 350 degree oven for 10 minutes or until bubbly and light brown. Serve with cubed french bread, or pita bread/pita chips or tortilla chips.

Cinnamon Rolls from America's Test Kitchen

This is a long recipe, but it's totally worth it.

Basic Sweet Dough

3/4 cup buttermilk, warm (can use buttermilk powder and water)
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, melted and cooled until warm
3 large eggs, lightly beaten
4 1/4 c all purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
1 envelope (or 2 1/4 tsp) instant or rapid rise yeast
1 1/4 tsp salt

1. Whisk buttermilk, butter and eggs together in a large liquid measuring cup. Mix 4 cups of the flour, sugar, yeast, and salt in a standing mixer fitted with a dough hook. With the mixer on low speed, add the buttermilk mixture and mix until the dough comes together, about 1 min.

2. Increase speed of machine to med-low and knead until the dough is smooth and elastic about 5 minutes. (if after 5 min. more flour is needed add the remaining 1/4 cup flour, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the dough clears the side of the bowl, but sticks to the bottom)

3. Turn the dough out onto a clean counter and knead by hand to form a smooth round ball, about 1 min. Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl and wrap tightly in plastic wrap. Let rise in a warm lace until doubled in size, 2 to 2 1/2 hours.

OR you can use the hand-mixing method (which I prefer)

Whisk the buttermilk, butter, and eggs together in a large liquid measuring cup. In a separate large bowl, whisk 4 cups of flour, sugar, yeast, and salt together. Pour the buttermilk mix into the flour mix. Stir with a rubber spatula until the dough comes together and looks shaggy. Turn the dough out onto a clean counter and knead by hand to form a smooth round ball, 10-15 min, adding the remaining 1/4 c flour as needed to prevent the dough from sticking to the counter. Transfer to a lightly oiled bowl and let rise in a warm place til doubled in size, 2 to 2 1/2 hours.

Filling
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp cloves
pinch salt
flour for the counter
1 recipe of basic sweet dough
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted, plus extra for the pan
3 tablespoons cream cheese, softened
3 tablespoons buttermilk or milk
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

1. Mix the brown sugar, cinnamon, cloves and salt together in a small bowl. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured counter and press it into a 12x16 inch rectangle. Brush the dough with the butter. Sprinkle the brown sugar mix over the dough, leaving a 3/4 in border along the top edge. Press on the filling to adhere it to the dough.

2. Roll the dough into a tight cylinder and pinch the seam closed. Roll the cylinder over so that it is seam side down. Gently stretch the cylinder until it is 18 inches long. Pat the ends of the cylinder to even them.

3. Slice the cylinder into 12 evenly sized rolls using a serrated knife. Arrange the rolls, cut-side down in a greased 9x13 metal baking dish and wrap tightly in greased plastic wrap. Let rise in a warm place until the rolls have nearly doubled in size and are pressed against one another 1 to 1/2 hours.

4. Bake for 25-30 minutes in a 350 degree oven. Rolls should be golden and puffed.

5. Flip the rolls out onto a wire rack to cool for 5 minutes. Whisk cream cheese and buttermilk together in large bowl until thick and smooth. Sift powdered sugar over the mix and whisk til smooth. Flip the rolls upright and using a large spoon drizzle the glaze over warm rolls.

Breakfast in a Cookie

This recipe comes from Zonya Foco. I don't eat if for breakfast, but it's a nice snack to have around. This recipe makes 5 dozen cookies.

Preheat oven to 375 and spray cookie sheets with cooking spray.

Mix the following together in a small bowl and set aside to soak for 10 min.
1 cup oat bran
3/4 cup orange juice

Meanwhile combine the following in a large bowl and mix til smooth:
1 cup + 1 T applesauce, unsweetened
2 T canola oil
1 cup honey
1/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar
3 large eggs
1 1/2 T vanilla extract
1 T grated orange rind or 2 tsp orange extract

Measure the following into a sifter and sift over applesauce mixture:
3 cups whole wheat pastry flour (ground soft white wheat) or 1 1/2 cups white flour and 1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1 T baking powder
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
(I skip the sifting part)


Add the soaked oat bran and remaining ingredients to the large bowl and mix thoroughly with a wooden spoon. Drop by slightly heaping tablespoons 1 inch apart. Bake until light browned or 12 to 14 min.

1 cup nonfat dry milk
2 1/2 cups oats (quick or regular)
1 cup nuts
1 cup raisins
1 cup ground flax seed (optional)

Nutritional info for 2 cookies:
210 calories
4 g fiber
6 g protein
6 g of fat
22 mg cholesterol
17 g sugar
.6 g saturated fat
170 mg sodium

Strawberry Cream Cake

(from America's Test Kitchen)

Ingredients:

Cake:
* 1 1/4 cups cake flour
* 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
* 1/4 teaspoon table salt
* 1 cup sugar
* 5 large eggs, room temperature (2 whole and 3 separated)
* 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
* 2 tablespoons water
* 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Strawberry Filling:
* 2 lbs fresh strawberries, washed, dried, and stemmed (medium or large, about 2 quarts)
* 4 -6 tablespoons sugar
* 1 pinch table salt

Whipped Cream:
* 8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
* 1/2 cup sugar
* 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
* 1/8 teaspoon table salt
* 2 cups heavy cream



Directions:

Prep Time: 2 hrs

Total Time: 2 3/4 hrs

1. 1 FOR THE CAKE: Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 325 degrees. Grease and flour round 9 by 2-inch cake pan or 9-inch springform pan and line with parchment paper. Whisk flour, baking powder, salt, and all but 3 tablespoons sugar in mixing bowl. Whisk in 2 whole eggs and 3 yolks (reserving whites), butter, water, and vanilla; whisk until smooth.
2. 2 In clean bowl of standing mixer fitted with whisk attachment, beat remaining 3 egg whites at medium-low speed until frothy, 1 to 2 minutes. With machine running, gradually add remaining 3 tablespoons sugar, increase speed to medium-high, and beat until soft peaks form, 60 to 90 seconds. Stir one-third of whites into batter to lighten; add remaining whites and gently fold into batter until no white streaks remain. Pour batter into prepared pan and bake until toothpick or wooden skewer inserted into center of cake comes out clean, 30 to 40 minutes. Cool in pan 10 minutes, then invert cake onto greased wire rack; peel off and discard parchment. Invert cake again; cool completely, about 2 hours.
3. 3 FOR THE STRAWBERRY FILLING: Halve 24 of best-looking berries and reserve. Quarter remaining berries; toss with 4 to 6 tablespoons sugar (depending on sweetness of berries) in medium bowl and let sit 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Strain juices from berries and reserve (you should have about 1/2 cup). In work bowl of food processor fitted with metal blade, give macerated berries five 1-second pulses (you should have about 1 1/2 cups). In small saucepan over medium-high heat, simmer reserved juices until syrupy and reduced to about 3 tablespoons, 3 to 5 minutes. Pour reduced syrup over macerated berries, add pinch of salt, and toss to combine. Set aside until cake is cooled.
4. 4 FOR THE WHIPPED CREAM: When cake has cooled, place cream cheese, sugar, vanilla, and salt in bowl of standing mixer fitted with whisk attachment. Whisk at medium-high speed until light and fluffy, 1 to 2 minutes, scraping down bowl with rubber spatula as needed. Reduce speed to low and add heavy cream in slow, steady stream; when almost fully combined, increase speed to medium-high and beat until mixture holds stiff peaks, 2 to 2 1/2 minutes more, scraping bowl as needed (you should have about 4 1/2 cups).
5. 5 TO ASSEMBLE THE CAKE: Using large serrated knife, slice cake into three even layers. Place bottom layer on cardboard round or cake plate and arrange ring of 20 strawberry halves, cut sides down and stem ends facing out, around perimeter of cake layer. Pour one half of pureed berry mixture (about 3/4 cup) in center, then spread to cover any exposed cake. Gently spread about one-third of whipped cream (about 1 1/2 cups) over berry layer, leaving 1/2-inch border from edge. Place middle cake layer on top and press down gently (whipped cream layer should become flush with cake edge). Repeat with 20 additional strawberry halves, remaining berry mixture, and half of remaining whipped cream; gently press last cake layer on top. Spread remaining whipped cream over top; decorate with remaining cut strawberries. Serve, or chill for up to 4 hours.

Sensational Slush

This is a great punch to make for parties.

* 20 Servings
* Prep: 25 min. + freezing

Ingredients

* 1/2 cup sugar
* 1 package (3 ounces) strawberry gelatin
* 2 cups boiling water
* 1 cup unsweetened pineapple juice
* 2 cups sliced fresh strawberries
* 1 can (12 ounces) frozen lemonade concentrate, thawed
* 1 can (12 ounces) frozen limeade concentrate, thawed
* 2 cups cold water
* 2 liters lemon-lime soda, chilled

Directions

* In a large bowl, dissolve sugar and gelatin in boiling water. In a blender combine pineapple juice and strawberries; cover and process until blended. Add to gelatin mixture. Stir in concentrates and cold water. Cover and freeze for 8 hours or overnight.
* Remove from the freezer 45 minutes before serving. For each serving, combine 1/2 cup slush mixture with 1/2 cup lemon-lime soda; stir well. Yield: 20 servings.


Nutrition Facts: 1 serving (1 cup) equals 151 calories, trace fat (trace saturated fat), 0 cholesterol, 22 mg sodium, 39 g carbohydrate, 1 g fiber, 1 g protein.

Enchilada Casserole from Taste of Home

I just tried this recipe and we really liked it. I used non-fat sour cream instead of reduced fat. The recipe calls for just setting the tortillas in the dish. It was a little hard to serve with the whole tortillas in there. Next time I would tear up the tortillas in pieces so it would be easier to serve. Also I would add the lettuce, cilantro and tomatoes to each individual serving instead of the whole casserole. Lettuce and cilantro don't taste very good reheated with the leftovers.

* 8 Servings
* Prep: 25 min. Bake: 30 min.

Ingredients

* 1 pound lean ground beef (90% lean)
* 1 large onion, chopped
* 2 cups salsa
* 1 can (15 ounces) black beans, rinsed and drained
* 1/4 cup reduced-fat Italian salad dressing
* 2 tablespoons reduced-sodium taco seasoning
* 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
* 6 flour tortillas (8 inches)
* 3/4 cup reduced-fat sour cream
* 1 cup (4 ounces) shredded reduced-fat Mexican cheese blend
* 1 cup shredded lettuce
* 1 medium tomato, chopped
* 1/4 cup minced fresh cilantro

Directions

* In a large skillet, cook beef and onion over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain. Stir in the salsa, beans, dressing, taco seasoning and cumin. Place three tortillas in a 2-qt. baking dish coated with cooking spray. Layer with half of the meat mixture, sour cream and cheese. Repeat layers.
* Cover and bake at 400° for 25 minutes. Uncover; bake 5-10 minutes longer or until heated through. Let stand for 5 minutes before topping with lettuce, tomato and cilantro. Yield: 8 servings.


Nutrition Facts: 1 piece equals 357 calories, 12 g fat (5 g saturated fat), 45 mg cholesterol, 864 mg sodium, 37 g carbohydrate, 3 g fiber, 23 g protein. Diabetic Exchanges: 3 lean meat, 2 starch, 1 vegetable, 1 fat.

Southwest Pasta Salad from Our Best Bites

Southwest Pasta Salad
Recipe by Our Best Bites

1/2 lb bowtie pasta (I subbed in whole wheat penne)
1 14oz can black beans, drained and rinsed
2 roma tomatoes, diced or about 3/4 C or halved cherry tomatoes
1 large red, yellow, or orange bell pepper, diced
1/2 C sliced green onions
1/2 C frozen fresh corn
zest from 2 limes
optional: 8 oz diced cooked chicken (this is fantastic)
1/2 C Queso Fresco or Cotija Cheese (or you could sub grated jack, cheddar or pepperjack)

Dressing:
6 Tbs fresh lime juice (about 3 juicy limes)
1/4 C rice vinegar
4-5 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
1 1/2 tsp chili powder
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp coriander
1/2 tsp kosher or sea salt
2 tsp sugar (add a touch more if your limes are extra sour/bitter)
3/4 C canola oil
1/2 C roughly chopped cilantro



To prepare dressing place Boil pasta in salted water until cooked. While it's cooking, prepare dressing.

First zest your limes and place the zest in a large salad bowl.

Place the lime juice, vinegar, garlic, chili powder, cumin, coriander, salt and sugar in a blender. (Basically everything except the cilantro and oil) Process until smooth. With the motor running slowly, add the oil in a steady stream until incorporated. Add the cilantro and pulse so it gets broken up, but some pieces still remain in tact.

When pasta is done cooking, drain and rinse immediately with cold water to cool. Place the pasta in the large salad bowl with the lime zest. Add black beans, tomatoes, diced pepper, green onions, corn (no need to thaw the corn), and chicken if desired. Toss with dressing. Taste, and add additional salt and pepper to taste. For best results, chill for 1 hour before serving. Right before serving, sprinkle cheese on top. Serve with extra lime wedges if desired.

Makes about 4-6 dinner sized servings or 10-12 side servings

Bread Machine Dinner Rolls

This takes about 3 hours

I put the following ingredients into my bread maker in the following order:

3/4 c water (about 110 degrees)
1 egg
3 cups flour (either all white flour or 1 cup whole wheat flour and 2 cups white)
1 tsp salt
3 T. sugar
6 T. butter (temperature I like is somewhere between straight from the fridge and room temp)
3 T. instant fat-free milk
2 1/4 tsp instant yeast (there is a difference between active yeast-the kind you proof in warm water & sugar- and instant or bread machine yeast)

On my machine I select the dough option and it takes 1 hr and 40 minutes. After that cycle is done, take the dough out and let it rest, covered with a wet dish towel that has been wrung out for 20 min. Then you can shape the rolls how you like. I don't make very pretty round rolls so I either make knots (roll out "ropes" and tie in knots) or crescent roll shape (roll out in big circle and using a pizza cutter keep dividing the dough in half til you get 16 wedges, then roll up to form a crescent roll) Place on greased baking sheet and let rise til doubled in size- about an hour. Then bake in 350 degree oven for about 10-12 min. My oven browns them faster in the back so I like to take them out part way through baking and turn the sheet around.

Blueberry Oat Pancakes

I just made this recipe from Taste of Home and we really liked it.

* 5 Servings
* Prep: 20 min. Cook: 5 min./ batch

Ingredients

* 3/4 cup quick-cooking oats, divided
* 3 tablespoons orange juice
* 1 egg, lightly beaten
* 2/3 cup fat-free evaporated milk
* 1/4 cup reduced-fat sour cream
* 2 tablespoons unsweetened applesauce
* 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
* 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
* 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
* 3 tablespoons brown sugar
* 1 teaspoon baking powder
* 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
* 1/4 teaspoon salt
* 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
* 1 cup fresh or frozen unsweetened blueberries

Directions

* In a small bowl, combine 1/4 cup oats and orange juice; let stand for 5 minutes. Stir in the egg, milk, sour cream, applesauce and vanilla; set aside.
* Place remaining oats in a small food processor; cover and process until ground. Transfer to a large bowl; add the flours, brown sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, salt and baking soda. Stir in the wet ingredients just until moistened.
* Pour batter by 1/4 cupfuls onto a hot griddle coated with cooking spray; sprinkle with blueberries. Turn when bubbles form on top; cook until second side is golden brown. Yield: 10 pancakes.

Kitchen Tools

My microplane zester is one of my favorite kitchen tools. It's great for garlic. I feel like I'm using all of the garlic clove with a zester versus my garlic press where a lot of the clove gets left behind. The zester is also wonderful for zesting citrus for recipes. I never end up with any of the bitter pith underneath the peel.