Roasted Eggplant, Zucchini, and Chickpea Wraps

This was an exciting dinner because I was able to use the first 2 eggplants that I harvested from my garden. My dad planted a Ichiban eggplant plant for me and I was a little worried about it producing any eggplant because the bugs were really enjoying eating the leaves. I was so excited when I saw a few eggplants growing and I was able to pick them after a few days.

The roasted veggies in this wrap are something that I could eat at every meal. Simply roasted, with fresh herbs- nothing compares to roasted vegetables in my opinion. The fresh mozzarella was really delicious (although you can't really see it on my wraps- it is there, beneath all the yummy veggies).

I made double the amount of the roasted veggies because I really enjoy having them with eggs for breakfast or to top a salad for lunch.

Here is the recipe for Roasted Eggplant, Zucchini, and Chickpea Wraps
* I used zucchini, summer squash, eggplant, and green peppers
* I used less oil than called for

Roasted Veggie Pizza

I saw a recipe for Grilled Veggie Pizza in Cooking Light and really thought it looked delicious. I decided to roast some veggies and make my own version of the pizza.

I roasted 2 huge half-sheets of veggies w/ olive oil, salt & pepper in the oven for 10-15 minutes @ 425 degrees F- which gave me enough leftover veggies for a quinoa/veggie dish and quesadillas later in the week.
The veggies I roasted were:
1 lb asparagus- cut in 2-inch pieces
1 eggplant-chopped
1 red pepper-chopped
1 green pepper-chopped
2 yellow/summer squash-chopped
2 zucchini-chopped

I used a whole wheat pizza dough from my local grocery store to make the crust.
I used my basic pizza sauce


The original recipe- Veggie Grilled Pizza
*I used fontina cheese and the fresh thyme/mint herb combination, like the recipe suggested but chopped my herbs before sprinkling them on top.

I really liked this healthy version of pizza and roasting that many vegetables at a time was great, because I had enough extra to last for a couple other meals during the week.

What is your favorite way to top your pizza?

Greek Meatballs and Greek Roasted Vegetables

I first made this meal last summer. I had clipped the recipe for the roasted vegetables out of Family Circle Magazine and decided to make meatballs to round out the meal.
I had some ground turkey and I just added ingredients that I thought would make a tasty meatball and hoped for the best.

They turned out great and everyone was very excited about this dinner. I quickly wrote down the estimates of what I used for the meatballs, so I could make them again because I didn't take a picture of them that first time we ate them.

I don't like repeating recipes over and over again, because I like to try new things all the time, but I knew that I wanted to make this particular meal again sometime.
I recently made the meatballs and roasted vegetables again, this time using ground turkey breast for the meatballs and the results were great.

The key to keeping the meatballs moist is browning them first in a little bit of oil, then adding liquid- I prefer chicken broth- and then covering them, to let them cook completely.

I really love the combination of eggplant, green pepper, and red potatoes, that the recipe uses in the roasted vegetables. Chickpeas are added to these veggies, near the end of the roasting time and really enhance the whole dish. Top it off with fresh lemon juice, fresh herbs and a little feta, and you have got a real winner.

Both times that I have made this meal, I have prepared the veggies first, and started roasting them, then made the meatballs while the veggies are in the oven. That way everything is ready at about the same time.


Greek Meatballs by Mary Ann
20 oz ground turkey, 93% lean or ground turkey breast
1 egg
2-3 oz feta cheese crumbles, flavored with basil and tomato
1 1/2 Tbls chopped fresh oregano
3 Tbls chopped fresh parsley
1/3 cup seasoned breadcrumbs
garlic powder
salt
black pepper
2 Tbls skim milk

Mix all meatball ingredients with a fork.
Form meat mixture into balls about the size of golf balls.
Heat 1 Tbls olive oil in a saute pan over med-high heat. Add 1/2 of the meatballs and brown on all sides. Add 1/3 cup chicken broth or water. cover with a lid and cook until meat is no longer pink in the middle, about 6-8 minutes.
Repeat with remaining meatballs.

Greek-style Roasted Vegetables adapted from Family Circle magazine

• 1 pound small red potatoes, quartered
• 2 small eggplants, cut into 1/2-inch half-moons
• 1 medium-size sweet onion, sliced
• 1 medium-size green bell pepper, sliced
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon garlic salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 lemon
• 1 can (15 ounces) chickpeas/garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 tablespoon fresh chopped oregano
• 1 tablespoon chopped mint
• 2 ounces feta cheese, crumbled

Directions

1. Heat oven to 425 degree F. In a large roasting pan, toss together the potatoes, eggplants, onion, green pepper, 1-2 tablespoons of the olive oil, the garlic salt and pepper. Peel off the lemon zest with a peeler and add to mixture. Reserve lemon. Roast vegetables at 425 degree F for 30 minutes, stirring twice.

2. Add chickpeas and roast an additional 15 minutes.

3. Stir in juice from lemon, oregano and mint. Top with feta crumbles.

Mexican Street Salad

This is my new favorite food.

Nancy, shared the link for Mexican Street Salad from Jamie Oliver, when I sent out a tweet asking for ideas for side dishes to take to a dinner at my MIL's.

She said she was going to make it that night and I have to admit, after looking at the beautiful picture of all the colors and veggies, I was intrigued.
I decided I was going to make it and take it as a side dish for this dinner.

Nancy told me that she and her husband enjoyed it but that it had a little bit too much heat for some of the other people that tried it.
When I made it, I decided to cut back on the jalapenos a little bit, so that it would be crowd/kid friendly.
It is made with white cabbage, red cabbage, carrots, radishes, cilantro (fresh coriander), jalapeno, red onion, and then dressed with lots of fresh lime juice, a little olive oil and sea salt.

Jamie also notes that whatever veggies are in season would be a great addition to this salad.
So, I added 1/2 of a finely diced green pepper, chopped fresh green beans, and the celery hearts with their leafy tops that I was saving for soup.
I also shredded my carrots, so they would be the same thickness as the cabbage. I used angel hair coleslaw mix, which comes in a bag by the lettuce, because it is very finely shredded and easy to use.
I left out the red onion to reduce the heat a little bit and added a sprinkle of garlic powder and cumin.

The fact that this takes literally minutes to throw together is wonderful, but it is also one of the most delicious things I have tasted. The simplicity of the lime juice/olive oil/ coarse salt dressing (kind of) just really brings out the great flavors of the cabbage and other veggies. The radishes add a nice touch of heat.
When I was mixing this up, I took a bite and was blown away. It was soo good.
I took it to the dinner, to share, and the kids, as well as adults, loved it.

I actually made a very large bowl of it saturday night and ate it for dinner while everyone else was eating pizza. I had some last night and will have some today too.
I know Nancy has made it again as well.
The great thing about it is that you can make it super spicy and hot if that is what you like, or you can hold back a little bit on the spice depending on how much jalapeno and red onion you use and totally make it great for whatever taste you prefer. And it is so fresh.
Did I mention I love it?

Recipe for Mexican Street Salad

One Year Ago-Edamame Soup with Feta Croutons and Shrimp or Chicken Summer Rolls with Honey-Lime Dipping Sauce

Individual Baked Pastas with Mini-Meatballs

A couple of weeks ago, Maria posted a recipe for Individual Baked Pastas on her blog, Two Peas and Their Pod. Check out her post to see how she prepared her baked pastas and her method of throwing them together. I took her idea and ran with it.
I decided to make some mini-meatballs out of lean ground turkey and throw them into the pasta. I also made a pasta sauce with the veggies I had in my fridge.
I already had some whole wheat pasta that was cooked, waiting to be used. So, I made the meatballs and sauce, and then threw all the ingredients together and topped them with cheese. I made them in little ramekins and put the leftover meatballs in the freezer. The best thing about this recipe or idea is that you can make it your own by adding whatever veggies you want or using your favorite sauce or cheese. My kids were crazy about this dinner. It is always more fun when you have your own little dish of pasta.

Mini-Meatballs by Mary Ann

16 oz lean ground turkey (I used 93% lean)

1- 10 oz pkg. frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry

1/4 cup Italian seasoned breadcrumbs

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1 egg white

salt and pepper

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Mix all ingredients in a large bowl until combined. I like to use my hands to evenly distribute the ingredients. Form into mini- meatballs and place on a baking sheet that has been sprayed with cooking spray. Drizzle lightly with olive oil and bake for 10 minutes, or until cooked through. Watch them closely, though, you don't want them to get tough.

Garden Pasta Sauce by Mary Ann

1 small onion, chopped

2 medium carrots, chopped

1 green pepper, chopped

1 small zucchini, chopped

1 28-oz can crushed tomatoes

1 6-oz can tomato sauce

1 Tbls fresh Italian parsley, chopped

1 Tbls fresh basil, chopped

1 tsp fresh thyme, chopped

Italian seasoning

salt and pepper

In a large dutch oven, heat 1 Tbls olive oil over medium-high heat. Add onion, carrot, green pepper, and zucchini. Saute for 5-7 minutes, or until tender. Add crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, and fresh herbs. Bring to a boil and them reduce heat to a simmer. Cover and cook for 10-15 minutes. Season to taste, with salt, pepper and Italian seasoning, if necessary.

To assemble baked pasta- combine cooked pasta, sauce and meatballs in a large bowl. You could also add cheese. Or you can add the pasta, sauce and cheese in layers. Spoon into prepared ramekins (you could also use a large 9x13-inch dish) and bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes at 375 degrees.

Up next- Craving Ellie- Warm Spinach and Artichoke Dip

Chicken Fried Rice

This is the busiest time of the year. There is so much to do and so little time to do it! That is why it is nice to have easy recipes that use leftovers and items that you already have in your fridge.
This is a really quick recipe that is perfect for a busy weeknight. It comes together in a matter of moments. I took the picture the morning after we ate this and thought it was funny because the rice kept the shape of the container. You can use whatever veggies are in your fridge and add cooked shrimp, ham, pork, or leave out the meat all-together. Easy peasy and fast too!

Chicken Fried Rice by Mary Ann

1 Tbls canola oil

6 green onions, sliced

1/2 green pepper, chopped

1/2 cup celery, chopped

1 cup mushrooms, chopped

2 cups day-old cooked rice, brown or white

2 cups cooked, cubed chicken

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

1 Tbls soy sauce

1 Tbls grated fresh ginger

2 eggs, lightly beaten

Heat oil in a large skillet. Add onion, green pepper, celery, and mushrooms. Stir-fry for 2 minutes. Add rice, chicken, salt, and pepper. Toss and cook until hot and golden. Stir in soy sauce and ginger. Move this mixture to the side and add the eggs; cook and scramble, mixing them into the rice. Serve.

Note- Other cooked meat can be substituted for the chicken and other veggies can be substituted or added.

Coming Up Next- The Lunchbox returns!

Cooking Light Night-Cornflake Crusted Halibut, Toasted Millet-Confetti Vegetable Salad and Orange Mini Bundt Cakes

It's Cooking Light Night again! This time I decided to do a main dish, a side, and a dessert. Since my family loves fish, I decided to try the Cornflake Crusted Halibut that got rave reviews from the staffers at Cooking Light. I picked a spicy serrano to add to the aioli and it was perfect with this fish. The halibut was a little pricey, but I figure it is ok to splurge once in awhile. I had some millet that wanted to be used, so I found a fun salad that had a yummy dressing to use that up.

Then there were the Mini Orange Bundt cakes that I remember from the cover 2 years ago. I have been wanting to make them and finally got the chance. I must have a mini- mini bundt pan, because I got 24 mini bundts and 12 mini muffins from the recipe. These are chock full of yummy stuff, like toasted pecans, coconut, chopped orange slice candy, and chopped dates, and I had a ton of them, so I took them to a little get-together and everyone loved them. They would be a good holiday food gift!

Cornflake-Crusted Halibut with Chile-Cilantro Aioli

The test kitchen loved this halibut dish with herbed garlic aioli so much that they gave it their highest rating. You'll love that it takes only 25 minutes to make.

Aioli:

2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro

3 tablespoons fat-free mayonnaise

1 serrano chile, seeded and minced

1 garlic clove, minced

Fish:

1 cup fat-free milk

1 large egg white, lightly beaten

2 cups cornflakes, finely crushed

1/4 cup all-purpose flour (about 1 ounce)

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

2 tablespoons olive oil

4 (6-ounce) halibut fillets

4 lemon wedges

To prepare aioli, combine cilantro, mayonnaise, serrano, and minced garlic, stirring well.To prepare fish, combine milk and egg white in a shallow dish, stirring well with a whisk. Combine cornflakes, flour, salt, and black pepper in another shallow dish.Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Dip fish in milk mixture, and dredge in cornflake mixture. Add fish to pan, and cook 4 minutes on each side or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork or until desired degree of doneness. Serve fish with aioli and lemon wedges.

Toasted Millet and Confetti Vegetable Salad with Sesame and Soy Dressing

Dressing:

3 tablespoons rice vinegar

1 tablespoon cold water

1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce

1 teaspoon canola oil

1/2 teaspoon dark sesame oil

1 teaspoon grated peeled fresh ginger

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 garlic clove, minced

Salad:

1 cup uncooked millet

2 cups water

3 tablespoons chopped walnuts (I omitted these and used sprinkled toasted sesame seeds on the finished salad)

1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce

1 cup diced carrot

1 cup chopped fresh cilantro

1/2 cup finely chopped red bell pepper

1/2 cup finely chopped green bell pepper

1/2 cup thinly sliced green onions

1 tablespoon finely chopped seeded jalapeño pepper

To prepare dressing, combine the first 8 ingredients in a small bowl.To prepare salad, heat a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add millet to pan; cook 5 minutes or until golden, stirring often. Add 2 cups water; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 20 minutes. Remove from heat; let stand, covered, 10 minutes. Fluff with a fork. Cool completely.Heat a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Add nuts; cook 3 minutes or until lightly toasted, stirring occasionally. Add 1 tablespoon soy sauce; cook 30 seconds, stirring constantly.Cook carrot in boiling water 3 minutes or until tender. Drain; rinse with cold water. Drain. Combine millet, carrot, cilantro, bell peppers, onions, and jalapeño in a large bowl. Drizzle dressing over the millet mixture; toss well. Top with walnuts.

Orange Mini Bundt Cakes Baked in mini Bundt pans (about $30 at most kitchen specialty stores and home emporiums), these cakes make delicious holiday gifts. The decorative Garland Bundtlette pan used to bake our cover cakes is available at Williams-Sonoma (www.williams-sonoma.com). You can bake the cake in a standard 12-cup Bundt pan for one hour or until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Cake:

Cooking spray

1 3/4 cups granulated sugar

10 tablespoon butter, softened

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup egg substitute

2 large eggs

3 cups all-purpose flour (about 13 1/2 ounces)

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup chopped orange slice candy (about 10 pieces)

1 cup pitted dates, diced

1/2 cup flaked sweetened coconut

1/4 cup chopped pecans, toasted

1 cup fat-free buttermilk

Glaze:

1 cup powdered sugar

2 tablespoons fresh orange juice

Additional ingredient:1 tablespoon powdered sugar (optional)

Preheat oven to 350°.
To prepare cake, heavily coat mini Bundt pans with cooking spray; turn pan upside down to drain excess. Place granulated sugar, butter, and vanilla in a large bowl; beat with a heavy-duty mixer at medium speed 2 minutes or until well blended. Add egg substitute and eggs to sugar mixture; beat well. Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour, baking soda, and salt in a bowl, stirring well. Sprinkle candy, dates, coconut, and nuts over flour; stir well to disperse and coat candies. Add flour mixture to sugar mixture alternately with buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour mixture.
To prepare glaze, combine 1 cup powdered sugar and juice in a bowl, stirring until smooth.
Spoon 1/3 cup batter into each mini Bundt cup. Bake at 350° for 16 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in the center of 1 cake comes out clean. Cool in pans 5 minutes. Remove cakes from pans; brush the top of each warm cake with about 2 teaspoons glaze. Cool completely on a wire rack. Garnish cakes with 1 tablespoon powdered sugar, if desired.

Tuesday Morning- Tuesday's with Dorie- Arborio Rice Pudding- what flavor will it be? come back tomorrow and see!

Cashew Chicken with Fresh Chinese Noodles and Chow Mein Cookies

Sometimes it is nice to have a familiar meal that you know will come together in minutes. This is one of those. I have been cooking chicken breasts ahead of time and using the shredded meat in lunches and other dishes. It came in handy for this meal.

We have been eating Cashew Chicken for years and always just served it over rice, but then I noticed Fresh Chinese Noodles in the grocery store, by the wonton wrappers and tofu and thought it might be nice to try them for a change. Well, here is the confession- we won't be going back to rice. These noodles are perfect for this dish and many others (like Kung Pao Tofu).

I knew I was going to be using chow mein noodles and happened upon these cute little cookies over at Taste and Tell and thought they would go perfect with this meal.

They were sweet but also a little salty and I made them too big, so I ended up breaking most of them in half. I also melted the marshmallows into the pb/butterscotch mixture to mellow the flavor of the butterscotch chips. Yum- I am sure they will find themselves into someone's lunchbox too!

Cashew Chicken with Fresh Chinese Noodles adapted from The Black Cookbook
1 cup diced celery
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 cup chopped green pepper
1 Tbls oil
1 can Healthy Request condensed cream of mushroom soup
1/2 cup milk
2 cups shredded chicken
2 cups chow mein noodles
1 cup salted cashews

1. Saute celery, onion, and green pepper in oil until soft. Mix soup with milk and stir into celery mixture along with chicken, 1 1/2 cups of the noodles, and cashews.
2. Pour into a 1 1/2 qt. casserole dish sprayed with cooking spray. Sprinkle with remaining chow mein noodles and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Serve over fresh chinese noodles or rice.

Chow Mein Cookies found on Taste and Tell who adapted from Goodman's Galloping Gourmet
1/2 cup peanut butter
1 10 oz. bag butterscotch chips
2 cups marshmallows
3 cups chow mein noodles

Melt the peanut butter and butterscotch chips together either using a double boiler or microwaving on half power until melted together. Stir in marshmallows and noodles. Drop by spoonful onto waxed paper, and let sit until hardened.


Coming tomorrow- The premiere of the Cake Slice- Hot Cocoa Chiffon Cake!

Aggie's Food and Football Days- His and Hers' Nachos and Red Velvet UGA Cupcakes 2 ways, with Fluffy Meringue or Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting

This is my entry to Aggie's Food and Football Days event. I made one of my husbands favorite things to eat while he watches the game, featuring our Georgia Bulldogs!

I try to serve my family healthy dinners, but my husband would be happier eating the way that he wants too. That is why I decided to make him the Nachos of his dreams and decided I was going to have to make 2 kinds, because our nacho dreams are very different.

So, here I go with my stereotype. I made 2 kinds of nachos, his and hers. You might disagree with me and maybe it is different in your family, but this is how it works in ours. Above, are HIS (a little less healthy) nachos-ground sirloin, seasoned with spices, jalapenos, black olives, and a melty cheese sauce (I usually use a nice white, Mexican melting cheese, but after searching every grocery store in town and even making a special trip to a bunch of authentic stores, with no luck,) I settled for Velveeta mixed with salsa. HER nachos are below- multigrain tortilla chips with flaxseeds and seasoned with sea salt, spicy blue corn chips, refried beans, pinto and black beans, red and green pepper, tomato, and shredded cheese- popped under the broiler.

Now on to our team. My husband was born and raised right outside of Athens, Georgia. I grew up in Utah. I was lucky enough to finish up my degree at UGA. College Football is a different experience down in Athens. I had never seen anything like it. The tailgating, the clothes, the millions of people that are everywhere. You can't understand it until you experience it. It blew me away. We are diehard University of Georgia Bulldog fans. (GO DAWGS!)

So, in honor of the red and black, I decided to make red velvet cupcakes. I did a taste test, using 2 different cupcake and frosting recipes and made the colors a little more fun with alot of food coloring. The black cupcakes with meringue frosting were more popular with the kids and tasted very chocolaty. The red cupcakes with black lemon cream cheese frosting were more popular with the adults, so everyone was happy!

His Nachos by Mary Ann-serves 2 hungry guys or more if servings are smaller :)

White Corn tortilla chips

1 pd. ground sirloin

dehydrated onion

cumin, garlic powder, chili powder, oregano

jalapeno slices

sliced black olives

6 oz Velveeta cheese, cubed

3/4 cup salsa

In a skillet, heat 1 Tbls canola oil. Brown ground sirloin, breaking up with a wooden spoon. Season with onion, cumin, garlic powder, chili powder, and oregano. Cook completely and set aside.

In a microwavable bowl, combine velveeta and salsa. Melt in microwave, 30-50 seconds at a time, stirring, until completely combined and melted.

Place desired amount of chips on a plate or serving platter. Place seasoned meat on top of chips. Add jalapeno slices and sliced olives.

Drizzle warm cheese sauce over the top and Eat!

Hers' Nachos by Mary Ann-serves 5-6 adults

Multigrain Tortilla Chips with Flaxseed and Sea Salt

Spicy Blue Tortilla Chips

fat free refried beans

1 can black and pinto beans, rinsed and drained

1/2 each, red and green pepper, diced

2 medium tomatoes, diced

shredded cheese

Preheat broiler. On a large cookie or baking sheet, layer desired amount of chips. Drop spoonfuls of refried beans over chips. Spoon beans over chips. Add bell peppers and tomatoes. Sprinkle shredded cheese on top

Broil until cheese melts and nachos are warm.

Red Velvet Cupcakes with Fluffy Meringue Icing
Recipe courtesy Wes Martin (found on Food Network site)

Cupcakes:

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

1/4 teaspoon fine salt

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 cup sugar

2 large eggs, at room temperature

2 teaspoons red gel paste food coloring ( I used black) (See Cook's Note*)

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/2 cup sour cream, at room temperature (I used half nonfat Greek Yogurt)

1 teaspoon white vinegar

1 teaspoon baking soda

Red, pink and white miniature nonpareils, for sprinkling

Meringue Icing:

5 large egg whites

1 cup sugar

1/4 teaspoons cream of tartar

Pinch fine salt

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

2 to 3 drops pure almond extract

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line the muffin tin with pink or white cupcake liners
In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa powder and salt.
In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar on high speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Occasionally turn off mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Reduce the speed to low, add the eggs, 1 at a time, and mix until incorporated after each addition. Add the food coloring and vanilla and mix well.
With the mixer on low, alternately add the flour mixture and sour cream in 3 additions, beginning and ending with the flour, waiting until each addition is well incorporated before adding the next. In a small bowl, combine the vinegar and soda, and once fizzing has stopped, add to the batter and mix well.
Divide the batter evenly in the tin, filling each liner about 3/4 full. Bake until cupcakes are set and spring back when touched, 20 to 25 minutes. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then remove to a wire rack to cool completely.
For meringue icing: Bring a few inches of water to a gentle simmer in a saucepan large enough to hold a standing mixer bowl above the water. Whisk the egg whites, sugar, cream of tartar, and salt together in the bowl until combined. Set the bowl over the simmering water and whisk constantly until sugar is completely dissolved and mixture is smooth and hot to the touch, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to the standing mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and beat at medium-high speed until meringue is cool and holds a soft peak, 4 to 5 minutes. With the speed on low, add the vanilla and almond extracts; increase speed to medium and continue whisking until mixture is glossy and holds a stiff peak, 1 to 2 minutes more.
To decorate: Using a spoon or offset spatula, spread about 1/2 cup meringue over each cupcake and sprinkle with nonpareils. Cupcakes are best served the day they are made.
*Cook's Note: If you're unable to find gel food coloring, add drops of liquid food coloring until the desired shade of red is achieved.

Red Velvet Cupcakes from Better Homes and Gardens
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp unsweetened cocoa powder
¾ tsp salt
3 large eggs, at room temperature
¾ cup butter, at room temperature
2¼ cups granulated sugar
1½ tsp vanilla extract
1 ounce bottle of red food coloring (2 Tbsp.)
1½ cups buttermilk
1½ tsp baking soda
1½ tsp vinegar

1 Preheat oven to 350°F. Line cupcake pans with paper liners.
2 In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder and salt. Set aside.
3 In a large mixing bowl, beat butter on medium speed for 30 seconds. Add sugar and vanilla; beat until combined. One at a time, add eggs; beat on medium speed after each. Beat in food coloring on low.
4 Alternately add flour mixture and buttermilk to egg mixture; beat on low-medium after each just until combined. Stir together baking soda and vinegar. Add to batter; beat just until combined.
5 Fill cupcake liners two-thirds full. Bake 15 to 17 minutes, or until toothpick inserted near centers comes out clean. Cool pans on wire racks for 10 minutes. Gently remove cupcakes from pans; cool.
6 Frost with lemon cream cheese icing* or dust with powdered sugar

*Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting by Mary Ann
1 stick butter, softened
6 oz cream cheese, softened
1 pd powdered sugar, sifted
juice and zest of 1/2 lemon

Beat butter and cream cheese in a large bowl until smooth and creamy. Add powdered sugar and beat until smooth. Beat in lemon juice and lemon zest. Frost cupcakes when cool

Grandma Ruthardt's Sloppy Joes on Prudy's Whole Wheat Hamburger Buns

Lately I have had an interest in making more family recipes. The ones that I don't really know or remember. This is from my mom's grandma. The great thing about these recipes, is how they are written down. This sloppy joe recipe seriously called for a dash of quite a few different sauces, so I dashed however I wanted. More A-1 then hot sauce, but they all got in there. Also, no measurement on the spices, so I just sprinkled here and there and tasted it to make sure it was good. It was!

I always have to add more vegetables, and shredded zucchini and carrots, are so unnoticable, that they just kinda blend in here. I added a green pepper too, and while I was at it used ground turkey breast, because I always do- I am not a beef eater. The rolls were a cinch! And they came out beautifully, really what do you expect from the wonderful Prudy! I decided I am going to make them once a week and might even fit the dough into a loaf next time.


Grandma Ruthardts Sloppy Joes updated by Mary Ann

1 pd ground turkey breast

1 large onion, diced

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 green pepper, diced

1 zucchini, shredded

1 large carrot, shredded

1 cup ketchup

1 cup water

1 T vinegar

dash worchestershire sauce

dash tabasco sauce

dash soy sauce

dash A-1 sauce

2 bay leaves

garlic salt

chili powder

oregano

cumin

salt

pepper

Heat 1 Tbls canola oil in an electric skillet. Add onion and saute 3 minutes. Add garlic and saute 1 minute. Add green pepper and saute 3-5 minutes.

Add ground turkey breast and brown. When the turkey is brown, add ketchup, water, vinegar, and all other sauces. Stir until well mixed.

Add bay leaves, all other spices and seasonings. Stir until combined. Bring to a bubble and cover with lid. Let cook until sauce is thickened and turkey is cooked through, 5-10 minutes. Serve on whole wheat buns (recipe below)

Prudy's Whole Wheat Hamburger Buns by Prudence Pennywise
1 cup milk
2 tablespoons butter, plus more for bowl
2 and 1/4 teaspoons yeast (Use SAF yeast if you can)
3 tablespoons brown sugar
1 and 1/4 teaspoon salt
2 eggs, divided use
2 and 1/4 cups whole wheat flour
1 cup all purpose flour
wheat germ and flaxseed meal, for sprinkling the outsides

In a small microwave safe bowl, heat butter and milk until butter melts. Cool until warm (about 95-105 degrees), about five minutes. In a large bowl, combine butter mixture, yeast, brown sugar, salt and 1 egg and 1 egg white. Stir in flour, 1 cup at a time to form a slightly sticky dough. Knead for 3 minutes; shape into a bowl. Butter the bowl and replace dough. Let rise until doubled, about 1 hour. Shape into 10 rolls and place on buttered cookie sheet. Let rise, covered, for about 50 minutes or until light and large. Lightly brush with remaining egg yolk and sprinkle with wheat germ and flaxseed meal. Bake at 450 degrees for about 15 minutes.

Baked Fish with Roasted Mixed Vegetables

At the beginning of this year, I was determined to fix fish at least once a week for my family. I did pretty good for awhile, but got off track. My kids love fish and I have alot of frozen tilapia on hand, so we are going to start having some kind of fish at least once a week. This was something that I just threw together that turned out being really yummy. The lemon pepper adds a little zing to the fish and the roasted veggies are great because the leftovers can be used in sandwiches, quesadillas, etc. (Look for some of them to reappear in next week's lunchbox). So, here is an easy weeknight dinner that is satisfying and healthy!

Baked Fish by Mary Ann

5 tilapia fillets

5 tsp fat free mayo

salt and pepper

3 Tbls lemon pepper

3/4 cup plain dry breadcrumbs

Preheat broiler and spray broiler pan with cooking spray. Place tilapia fillets on broiler pan. Spread 1 tsp mayo on each fillet. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. In a small bowl, combine lemon pepper and breadcrumbs. Sprinkle breadcrumb mixture over fillets and press into fish with fingers. Drizzle fillets with olive oil and bake under the broiler for 8-10 minutes, or until fish flakes easily with a fork.

Roasted Mixed Veggies by Mary Ann

4 yellow squash, cut in 1/2-inch slices

3 zucchini, cut in 1/2-inch slices

2 green peppers, 1 1/2-inch chunks

1 yellow and 1 red pepper, 1 1/2-inch chunks

2 Tbls olive oil

2 Tbls dehydrated onion flakes

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

Preheat oven to 450.

Coat 2 large baking sheets with cooking spray.

Mix all veggies in bowl with oil and seasonings. Toss to coat. Roast in a single layer on pans. Roast 30 minutes, turning veggies halfway through and switching baking sheets from top to bottom.

2 Bean WonTon Taco Cups and Beef Fajitas

I had some leftover wonton wrappers and we were going to have tacos, so I combined the two in these cute little appetizer cups. These kept the kids busy while I finished everything else for the adults. I love beans, so I doubled up with refried and black. I also love the new lean ground turkey I found in the grocery store that already has the taco seasoning mixed in. It is super moist, which makes it taste wonderful. The brand is Jenny-O, click HERE to see the packaging. You could also just use lean ground turkey or ground beef and use a pkg of taco seasoning. I also had to share the best fajita marinade I have ever tasted. Whenever I serve it, everyone just eats the meat plain, out of the pan because it is so yummy. I added matchstick carrots and thin slices of zucchini to up the veggie intake there. No one even noticed. If you are craving tacos or fajitas, give these a try!

2 Bean WonTon Taco Cups by Mary Ann

18 wonton wrappers

1 pkg. Lean Ground Turkey with Taco Seasoning

1 green pepper, diced

1 can of corn, drained

1 can black beans, drained

1 can fat free refried beans

2 tomatoes, diced

shredded cheese

greek yogurt or sour cream

cilantro leaves

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Spray a muffin tin with cooking spray. Push one wonton wrapper into each cavity of the muffin tin, gently. Spray wontons with cooking spray. Bake in oven until corners are golden brown and toasty, about 4-6 minutes.

Set aside to cool.

In an electric skillet, heat 2 tsp olive oil. Add green pepper and onion flakes. Saute for a few minutes and add ground turkey. Cook, breaking up the turkey, for a few minutes. Add corn and black beans. Continue to cook, until turkey is cooked through.

Meanwhile, heat up the refried beans. Scoop a teaspoon or so of refried beans in each wonton cup. Spoon a Tbls of meat mixture over top. Sprinkle some shredded cheese on top. Add tomatoes, a small dollop of greek yogurt, and top with a cilantro leaf.

Serve- There will be enough meat mixture to have regular tacos as well, or serve on top lettuce for a salad the next day

Fajitas by Sussy Jones with vegetable adaptations by Mary Ann

*Fajita marinade

1- 1 1/2 pds beef, cut for stir fry (you could also use chicken or pork)

Flour tortillas

2 Tbls olive oil

1 each, green, red, yellow, and orange bell pepper, thinly sliced

2 small zucchini, sliced horizontally and cut into thin strips

2 cups matchstick carrots

greek yogurt or sour cream

black beans

salsa and other toppings, if desired

1. make fajita marinade and add beef strips. Cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 8 hours, but not longer than 24 hours.

2. Preheat Broiler
3. Remove plastic wrap from pan and place in oven about 3-6 inches from the heat. Broil for 8 minutes. Stir and turn meat; broil for 3 more minute or until cooked through to your liking

4. While beef is broiling, heat oil in 10-inch skillet or electric skillet over medium-high heat. Cook bell peppers, zucchini sticks, and matchstick carrots for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring frequently. Sprinkle with onion flakes, reduce heat and cover. Cook until veggies are tender.

*Fajita marinade

¼ cup canola oil

¼ cup red wine vinegar

1 teaspoon sugar

1 teaspoon dried oregano leaves

1 teaspoon chili powder

½ teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon pepper

1. Mix all ingredients in a oven-safe 9 by 13-inch pan.

Sausage Bake

This is a really easy, versatile dish that is satisfying and delicious. A woman in my neighborhood showed a group of us how to make it a couple of months ago at our cooking class and I recreated it last night. I made a few alterations. You can make this with cooked chicken, sausage or ground beef.

Chicken Bake or Sausage
Cut two chicken breasts (the meat) into bite size pieces and saute in 1 Tbs hot oil with 3 cloves of garlic minced, until golden. Then put the heat to low and let it cook for 15 minutes, covered.
If using sausage, brown 1 lb sausage in a skillet over medium high heat. Add 2 green peppers, finely chopped and 2-3 cloves garlic, minced, and cook together, until meat is cooked through and green peppers are tender.
Spray a 9*13-inch pan with cooking spray and layer whole wheat tortillas, torn into 1 inch strips, on the bottom of the pan.
Make sure the tortillas cover the entire dish.
Spread half of the cooked sausage or chicken over the top, 1/2 cup chopped scallions, 2 cups baby spinach, and 1 cup of shredded mozzarella cheese.
Repeat the layers again starting with the tortillas, and ending with the cheese, but omitting the spinach.
In a large bowl, whisk together 8-10 eggs, 1/2 cup skim milk, 1 tsp each of pepper, salt, garlic powder, chili powder, and thyme.
Pour the egg mixture over the top of the casserole and place 12-15 thin slices of tomatoes on the top.
Bake for 30 minutes at 350 degrees. Serve with sour cream, salsa, and cooked rice.