Blueberry Oatmeal Muffins

Blueberry Oatmeal Muffins

Ingredients

 

• 1 2/3 cups quick-cooking oats
• 2/3 cup all-purpose flour 
• 1/2 cup whole-wheat flour 
• 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 cups low-fat buttermilk
• 1/4 cup canola oil
• 2 teaspoons grated lemon rind
• 2 large eggs
• 2 cups frozen blueberries and 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour OR 2 cups fresh blueberries
• Cooking spray
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 400°.
2. Place oats in a food processor; pulse 5 to 6 times or until oats resemble coarse meal. (I used my blender and pulsed it a few times, and it worked great.) Place in a large bowl.
3. Add flours and next 5 ingredients (through salt) to oats; stir well. Make a well in center of mixture.
4. Combine buttermilk and next 3 ingredients (through eggs). Add to flour mixture; stir just until moist.
5. Toss frozen berries with 2 tablespoons flour, and gently fold into batter. (If you are using fresh berries, you can skip tossing with flour.)  Spoon batter into 16 muffin cups coated with cooking spray; sprinkle sugar evenly over muffin. Bake at 400° for 20 minutes or until muffins spring back when touched lightly in center. Remove from pans immediately; place on a wire rack.

Grilled Salmon

Grilled Salmon

Many times I find salmon on the reduced rack at our local grocery store.  This recipe has become a favorite of my family.  It is quick and easy to make and tastes delicious. 

Ingredients:

1 1/2 pounds salmon fillets
lemon pepper to taste (I just add the juice of one lemon and several dashes of pepper)
garlic powder to taste
salt to taste
1/3 cup soy sauce
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup water
1/4 cup vegetable oil

Directions:

1. Season salmon fillets with lemon pepper, garlic powder, and salt.
2. In a small bowl, stir together soy sauce, brown sugar, water, and vegetable oil until sugar is dissolved. Place fish in a large resealable plastic bag with the soy sauce mixture, seal, and turn to coat. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
3. Preheat grill for medium heat.
4. Lightly oil grill grate. Place salmon on the preheated grill, and discard marinade. Cook salmon for 6 to 8 minutes per side, or until the fish flakes easily with a fork.  (I actually grill my salmon on a piece of foil.  It still grills nicely, and if it starts to flake sooner that the time allowed, it will not fall through the grates on the grill.  I usually do 3 - 4 minutes per side because the salmon I get is not very thick.)
5. Do not overcook your salmon.

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Breakfast Casserole

Breakfast Casserole

This is a wonderful dish to make the night before.  We like ours plain, but you can add the mushrooms, tomatoes and onions to it to jazz it up a bit.

Ingredients:

• 1 package of sausage (your choice)
• 10 eggs, lightly beaten
• 3 cups milk
• 2 tablespoons dry mustard
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 6 cups of cubed bread
• 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Directions:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  In a large skillet, cook sausage over medium high heat, stirring frequently until cooked through and no longer pink.  In a large mixing bowl, combine eggs, milk, mustard, salt and pepper: stir well.  Distribute half the bread evenly in a buttered 9" x 13" x 2" baking dish.  Sprinkle with half the pepper, half the cheese, half the sausage and half of any optional ingredients.  Repeat.  Pour egg mixture evenly over casserole.  Bake uncovered for 55 - 60 minutes, or until eggs are set.  Tent with foil if too begins to brown too quickly.  Can be made ahead and refrigerated up to 12 hours before baking.

Lemon Squares

Lemon Squares

This is a great and easy recipe that has to be made in a jelly roll pan.  Whenever I make bars, I grease my pan, place wax paper on top (leave some on the ends to use has a handle), and then I grease the top of the wax paper.  This makes getting the bars out of the pan, much easier.  Plus the bars can be cut much easier and more even.

Ingredients

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup confectioners' sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1-1/2 cups cold butter

TOPPING:

• 6 eggs, lightly beaten
• 3 cups sugar
• 1/2 cup lemon juice
• 1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• Confectioners' sugar

Directions

• In a large bowl, combine the flour, confectioners' sugar and salt. Cut in butter until crumbly. Pat into a greased 15-in. x 10-in. x 1-in. baking pan. Bake at 350° for 16-20 minutes or until set and top is golden brown.
• For topping, combine the eggs, sugar, lemon juice, baking powder and salt in a bowl. Pour over crust (pan will be full). Bake 16-20 minutes longer or until set and top is golden brown. Cool. Dust with confectioners' sugar. Cut into squares. Yield: 4 dozen.

Strawberry Shortcake

Strawberry Shortcake

This is a recipe that I borrowed from Taste of Home.  The recipe calls for a square pan, and all I had was a round pan.  That did not change the taste any.  :)  I do use fresh stawberries, cut them up, and then add sugar to taste.  I mix it up and let it sit and a natural syrup will form.

Ingredients

• 2/3 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup shortening
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 cup milk
• Whipped cream
• 1-1/2 quarts fresh or frozen strawberries, sliced

Directions

• In a bowl, cream sugar and shortening. Add egg and vanilla; beat well. Combine dry ingredients and add alternately with milk to the creamed mixture. Spread in a greased 9-in. square baking pan. Bake at 350° for 20-25 minutes. Cool on wire rack.
• Cut into nine servings. Split each serving horizontally and fill with whipped cream and strawberries. Replace top of cake; garnish with more berries and a dollop of whipped cream. Serve immediately. Yield: 9 servings.

Lime Chicken

Lime Chicken

Lime Chicken with homemade salsa and Black and Red Fiesta Beans and Rice

This recipe was AMAZING!! It was easy and very tasty. Dean even loved it, and he hates chicken. I think the next time that we make this, I will use thighs. Boneless chicken breasts will work too. Both of these options will require less cooking time. This is a recipe that I adapted from Food TV. This does make a lot of chicken. I used my left over chicken in a salad and in quesadellas. If you try this, please let me know how it turned out for you.

Lime Chicken:

1 cup freshly squeezed lime juice (5 to 6 limes)
1/2 cup freshly squeezed orange juice (2 oranges)
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 tablespoon minced fresh jalapeno pepper (1 pepper seeded)
1 tablespoon minced fresh garlic (3 cloves)
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 whole (6 split) boneless chicken breasts, skin on

Directions
Combine the lime juice, orange juice, chili powder, jalapeno pepper, garlic, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Add the chicken breasts. Refrigerate overnight.

Heat a grill with coals and brush the rack with oil to prevent the chicken from sticking. Remove the chicken breasts from the marinade, sprinkle well with salt and pepper, and grill them skin-side down for about 5 minutes, until nicely browned. Turn the chicken and cook another 5 minutes. Repeat this turning process every 5 minutes for a total of 25 minutes or until the chicken is done. Remove from the grill to a plate. Cover tightly and allow to rest for 5 minutes. Serve hot or at room temperature.