Culinary Goods

I found this recipe on annies-eats.com, and they was fantastic. These get an 8. The pancakes were very tender and light. I love traditional buttermilk pancakes, but they are more substantial than these are. So, I did make some changes, which I put in bold. Also, we ended up breaking out the cream, which made them very good. So, next time, I will increase the lemon so the lemon flavor shines through more. Also, I will puree and strain the blackberry sauce, and then spoon on fresh berries and cream, which is what we ended up doing. Lemon Ricotta Pancakes with Blackberry Sauce Ingredients For the blackberry sauce: 12 oz. blackberries, rinsed and drained ¼ cup sugar I used 1 Tbs. and my berries were tart. Use more if you like sweet berries. I also squeezed some lemon juice on. 1 tbsp. cornstarch I left this out and instead cooked it down until it was syrupy. 1 tbsp. cold water I left this out For the pancakes: 1 cup ricotta cheese We used low-fat ricotta 1 cup milk 3 large eggs

These were a bit tart, but good. I skipped the agave since I wasn't in the mood to spend almost $20 on a small bottle and just added sugar instead. They get a 7 and I got the recipe from cookingchanneltv.com. I also cut this recipe down to 1/3 since I only have 6 popsicle molds. NGREDIENTS 7  cups strawberries, hulled 1 1/4  cups chopped fresh mint leaves 5  tablespoons   agave  nectar I used 6 TBS sugar instead  1  cup fresh   lime  juice 1/4  cup rum, optional 2  cups seltzer water DIRECTIONS Special equipment: ice pop molds  Cut 6 cups strawberries in half, then slice the remaining 1 cup strawberries. Divide the sliced strawberries among 18 (3-ounce) pop molds. Set the halved  strawberries  aside.  In a  blender , combine the remaining strawberries and  mint  leaves, agave, lime juice, and  rum , if using. With the motor running, gradually add the  seltzer water  and blend until the mixture becomes smooth enough to pour.  Divide the mixture

I know the picture is blurry, so sorry about that, but this tasted way better than it looks. We made peppermint ice cream for the 24th of July, and it was awesome. This recipe came from davidlebovitz.com, and I did change this up a bit because I omitted the hot fudge sauce entirely and instead added a bunch of crushed Oreos instead. I did one sleeve of Oreos for this batch, and I added them in right as I was taking the ice cream out of the freezer to put into the actual chest freezer (I would plan for 6 full hours if you want the texture right). I included the entire recipe because I think if you weren’t trying to do cones this would be an awesome choice, and I noted my changes below in bold. Peppermint Stick Ice Cream with Hot Fudge Sauce Makes 1 quart (1l) of ice cream, about 2 cups (500ml) hot fudge sauce Adapted from Baked Occasions by Matt Lewis and Renato Poliafito For the peppermint stick ice cream : 1 cup (250ml) whole milk ( I increased this so that we had a total of 3

So, my fantastic sister-in-law Marie brought this dressing to a family function, and it’s awesome. I have another version I use that I like equally as well, but these are just different enough to make it worth having two separate recipes. My original one (also found on the blog) uses only dry spices, so it’s good to have a recipe for whatever you have on hand. I give this a 7. Here is what she sent over as her recipe:   1/2 cup buttermilk 3/4 cup sour cream 3/4 cup  mayo 1 Tbs. fresh lemon juice 1 Tbs.  olive oil 1 cup loosely packed fresh herbs (she does 3 parts parsley and one part chives) 1/4 tsp. garlic salt 1/4 tsp. white pepper cayenne pepper and salt to taste

So, these were good but not amazing. I just kind of made up the recipe after looking at abut 5 different versions of this. I would give these a 6.5. I don’t like vanilla greek yogurt. I have tried, and I don’t like it, and these kind of tasted like that. Here is what I did: A spoonful or two of cream cheese (it was probably about 2 oz.) 1 container of vanilla greek yogurt (next time I will use plain yogurt or just milk) 2-3 Tbs. of sugar (use more if you like things sweet—these were tart) vanilla (1/2-1 tsp.) Blend this up in a blender. Then, in your second blender jar (seriously, I have two jars). Blend: Mixed berries (I used about 2/3 cup each of strawberries, raspberries, and blueberries) Squeeze of fresh lemon juice (maybe half a lemon)   Then, in your popsicle mold, alternate the berry mixture with the creamy mixture.

There is no picture because I haven’t made this in a while. However, it went with a Greek Salad Stef makes, and it’s fantastic all around. It came from ourbestbites.com, and it is a keeper. I give it a 7. Here is the recipe, and I put my changes below in bold: Greek Salad Dressing & Marinade Recipe by Our Best Bites 1/4 c. freshly squeezed lemon juice 1/4 c. white vinegar 2 tsp. sugar I leave this out 1/2 tsp. kosher salt 1/2 tsp. seasoning salt 1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes (this will not make the dressing spicy, just flavorful) 1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper 4 cloves garlic, smashed and peeled 1 c. canola oil (or other salad oil) I use olive oil 1/2 c. crumbled feta cheese I decrease this a bit 3/4 tsp. Italian seasoning 1/4 tsp. dry oregano In the jar of a blender, combine all the ingredients through the garlic. Blend until smooth. While the blender is running, add the oil in a steady stream. Turn off the blender and add the feta and pulse the blender a few times (more if

These were good. I gave them a 7 and Jared gave them an 8.5 (he really liked them). I got the recipe off the back of the Hershey's cinnamon chips bag. These were still pretty sweet, so if I make them again, I'll cut down the sugar even more than I did this time. 1 cup (2 sticks) butter I used 1 stick butter and 1/2 C. oil 1 cup packed light brown sugar I used 2/3 C. 1/3 cup granulated sugar I used 1/4 C. 2 eggs 1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract 1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon baking soda 2-1/2 cups quick-cooking oats 1-2/3 cups (10-oz. pkg.) HERSHEY'S Cinnamon Chips 3/4 cup raisins I left these out 1. Heat oven to 350°F.  2. Beat butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar in bowl until creamy. Add eggs and vanilla; beat well. Combine flour and baking soda; add to butter mixture, beating well. Stir in oats, cinnamon chips and raisins (batter will be stiff). Drop by heaping teaspoons unto ungreased cookie sheet.  3. Bake 10 to 12 minutes on until

This is probably the best zucchini bread recipe I have found. I got it from my sister-in-law, Ange, and have changed it just slightly. This has been my go-to recipe for years and I love it. It gets an 8.8. As always, my changes are in bold. 3 eggs 1 C. oil 2 C. brown sugar I use only 1 1/4 C.  2 cups zucchini, grated 3 C. flour I use 2 3/4 C. dash of nutmeg I add 1/4 tsp.  1 TBS vanilla I use 1 TBS + 1 tsp. 1 TBS cinnamon  1 TBS + 1 tsp. 1/4 tsp. baking powder 1 tsp. salt 1 tsp. baking soda 1/4 tsp. ginger 1/4 tsp. cloves Mix together and bake in 2 bread pans sprayed with cooking spray and coated with a cinnamon and brown sugar mixture. Also sprinkle cinnamon/sugar mixture on top. Bake at 350 for 50-55 minutes. I bake mine for 45 minutes.

These were awesomely good. This was a great use of zucchini since my garden has started producing a ton. I gave them an 8.5 and Jared gave them an 8. Jared tasted them first without frosting and said he actually liked them better without, so I may just skip that next time. This is a definite keeper. I got the recipe off www.crazyforcrust.com. INGREDIENTS: FOR THE BROWNIES: 2 cups all-purpose flour 1/2 cup cocoa powder 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda 1 teaspoon salt 1/2 cup vegetable oil 1 1/2 cups sugar I used 1 1/4 C.  2 teaspoons vanilla extract 2 cups shredded zucchini (1 large or 2 small zucchinis) 3-5 tablespoons water 1/2 cup chopped walnuts, optional FOR THE FROSTING: 3 tablespoons cocoa powder 1/4 cup butter, melted 2 cups powdered sugar I used 1 1/2 C.  1/4 cup milk 1 tablespoon vanilla extract Pinch of salt DIRECTIONS: Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 9x13" baking pan with foil and spray with cooking spray. Set aside. In a medium bowl, wh

I seem to have bad luck lately with main dish recipes. This was fine, but gets only a 6.5. Boo. I got the recipe from mydayfood.com. Ingredients 1 tbsp olive oil 2 tsp minced garlic 2 chicken breasts, cut into bites 1 cup diced cooked ham 2 1/2 cups small, dry pasta (Rotini is desirable) 3 cups water 1 tsp garlic powder 1/2 tsp onion powder 1/2 tsp dry mustard 1/2 tsp salt 1/4 tsp pepper 8 ounces Swiss Cheese, shredded 1/4 cup breadcrumbs 2 tsp dried parsley Instructions Heat olive oil over medium heat in a 12-inch skillet. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, then add the chicken bites. Sauté for 2 minutes, or until slightly browned. Cut ham into cubes, add to the skillet along with pasta, water, salt, pepper, and garlic, onion and mustard powders. Stir well and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover and let simmer for 20 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in Swiss cheese until melted. Top with breadcrumbs and dried parsley and place under the broiler

This was quite awesome. It gets an 8.2. I would absolutely make this again. Keep in mind that if you do what I did where you sub out part milk for the cream, you will need to thicken the sauce. I had to do this afterward—big pain. Next time, I will make a roux of olive oil and 2 T. flour and then add in the milk/cream and go from there. This awesome recipe came from my awesome Fine Cooking magazine, and I have noted my changes below. Creamy Linguine with Peas, Ham, and Sage by Caroline Campion, Kathy Brennan from Fine Cooking Issue 135 12 oz. fresh linguine (or fettuccine) we used a package of dry linguine 1-1/2 cups shelled fresh peas or frozen peas, thawed I used 2 cups 2 cups heavy cream I used 3/4 cup cream and the rest whole milk 1 heaping Tbs. chopped fresh sage (or 1 scant tsp. crumbled dried sage leaves) I used fresh, and I didn’t put in the full amount, but I would next time.  I also added 2 small garlic cloves, which I think is essential. I sautéed the garlic in oli

These have potential but lacked serious flavor. If I make them again, I'll add way more spices (or a chimichurri sauce) so they're not bland. They got a 5. I got the recipe from http://www.momontimeout.com. 1.5 to 2 lbs round steak, thinly sliced (the more thinly they are sliced, the less cooking time is required) ½ tsp pepper ½ tsp garlic powder 1 onion, sliced 1 bell pepper, sliced 32 oz low-sodium beef broth 6 French rolls 12 slices of Provolone, American, or other cheese Rub the steak with pepper and garlic powder. Place in the slow cooker. Add onion, bell pepper and beef broth. Stir to mix. Cook on low for 5-7 hours or until meat is tender. Toast open rolls for several minutes until slightly crusty. Lay a piece of cheese on both sides of the roll. Use tongs to remove meat, onions and bell pepper from slow cooker (letting juices drip off) and pile on top of rolls. Return to the oven to melt cheese. Serve hot!

This ice cream was so awesomely good. Jared said that on its own it gets a 7.5, but gets an 8.5 when paired with the blueberry crostata. The ice cream was slightly tart and the crostata was sweet, which made for a terrific combination. This gets an 8.5 and got it from my Fine Cooking magazine. 1 cup granulated sugar 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice 2 large eggs, at room temperature 1 large egg yolk, at room temperature 2-1/2 Tbs. unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces 1 tsp. lemon extract 1/8 tsp. table salt 1-3/4 cups heavy cream 1/4 cup whole milk I used 1% milk In a 4-quart saucepan, bring 2 inches of water to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to a simmer. In a stainless-steel bowl that fits over the saucepan without touching the water, combine the sugar, lemon juice, eggs, egg yolk, butter, lemon extract, and salt. Whisk vigorously until the mixture thickens to the consistency of pudding, 7 to 8 minutes. Remove the bowl from the saucepan and whisk in the c

This was yum. It was relatively easy to make and was great for a summer dessert since blueberries are in season right now. It gets an 8. I got it from my Fine Cooking magazine and paired it with lemon ice cream (see above). For the crostata 3 cups (15 oz.) fresh blueberries 6-3/4 oz. (1-1/2 cups) plus 3 Tbs. all-purpose flour 3 Tbs. confectioners’ sugar 1/4 cup granulated sugar 2 Tbs. yellow cornmeal 4-1/2 oz. (9 Tbs.) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes 1 large egg yolk 3 Tbs. ice water; more as needed 1 large egg white beaten with 2 Tbs. water until foamy 1 Tbs. turbinado or other “raw” sugar For serving 1 recipe  Lemon Ice Cream Mix the blueberries, 3 Tbs. of the flour, and the confectioners’ sugar in a medium bowl. Set aside. Position racks in the top and bottom thirds of the oven and heat the oven to 350°F. Line two rimmed baking sheets with parchment. Combine the remaining 1-1/2 cups flour, granulated sugar, and cornmeal in a food proc

I actually have a fantastic orange chicken recipe, but this one caught my attention because it's cooked in a crockpot. With 2 kids and 2 jobs, I'm always on the hunt for recipes that make my life easier. This was not good, though. It gets a 5. I got the recipe from http://www.natashalh.com. Also, I skipped the whole frying thing before-hand and threw it all in the crockpot. Ingredients 4 bone in chicken breasts (skin on or off) 1 tablespoon of coconut oil The juice and zest of two oranges (or ½ C of orange juice) ½ cup of low-sodium chicken broth ¼ cup of honey ¼ cup of coconut amines I used soy sauce instead 2 cloves of garlic, minced ½ cup of finely chopped onion ½ teaspoon of freshly grated ginger ½ teaspoon of red pepper flakes, or to taste Additional chicken broth or water, as needed Chopped green onions, to garnish Instructions Heat the coconut oil in a non-stick skillet over medium high heat. When the oil is hot and shimmery, add the chicken

So, I found this recipe on pinterest, and the original source is thecookierookie.com. I was disappointed in this. It tasted heavily of chili powder (I used regular, not ancho). It just didn’t have enough wow to stand out above my other salmon recipes. It did look pretty, though ,and it was completely good, just not stellar. I give it a 6 and I likely won’t make it again. However, it might be fantastic with a bit of tweaking of the spices. I put my changes below in bold. If I were to make it again, I would add garlic powder and decrease the chili powder. grilled salmon with avocado salsa Whole30 approved grilled salmon with avocado salsa Author: the cookie rookie Recipe type: main course Ingredients 2 lbs salmon, cut into 4 pieces 1 tbs olive oil (I used light extra virgin olive oil) 1 tsp salt 1 tsp ground cumin 1 tsp paprika powder I used part smoked paprika, and I think this was a good choice 1 tsp onion powder ½ tsp ancho chili powder I used normal chili powder, but ne

So I didn't come up with this name, but they were pretty good. They weren't the most unbelievable waffles ever, but this will probably become my new go-to waffle recipe. They get a 7.5 and I got the recipe from annies-eats.com. Also, if you are feeding more than 2 people, this absolutely needs to be doubled. INGREDIENTS ¾ cup all-purpose flour ¼ cup cornstarch ½ tsp. baking powder ¼ tsp. baking soda ½ tsp. salt 1½ tsp. sugar I only used 1/2 tsp. because, you know, I was going to douse it with  syrup and wanted to be all healthy.  ½ cup whole milk ½ cup buttermilk 1/3 cup vegetable oil 1 large egg, lightly beaten ¾ tsp. vanilla extract DIRECTIONS In a medium mixing bowl, combine the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, salt and sugar.  Whisk together to blend.  In another mixing bowl, beat together the whole milk, buttermilk, oil, egg and vanilla.  Add the dry ingredients to the bowl with the wet ingredients and whisk just until incorporated and

This was a tasty low-carb dish that I will make again. It wasn't as awesome as something high-carb and fattening, but nothing low-carb ever is (amirite?).  This get a 7 and I got it from ourbestbites.com. Ingredients 2 pounds eggplant, cut into 1/2 inch pieces 3 zucchini (about 8 oz each), quartered lengthwise and cut into 1 inch pieces 2 red bell peppers, stemmed, seeded, and cut into 1/2 inch pieces 2 onions, roughly chopped 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 1 tablespoon sugar 4 garlic cloves, minced 2 teaspoons Herbs de Provence* 1 (28 ounce) can diced tomatoes, drained 1/4 cup all-purpose flour salt and pepper 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil If you don’t have any herbs de Provance, you can sub 1 teaspoon each of dried rosemary and dried thyme. Instructions Adjust oven rack 4 inches from broiler element and heat broiler.  If you have different heat settings available on your broiler, set it to m

I had this at a bridal shower last weekend, so don't have a picture, but it was served with crepes and was divine. I will definitely cut down the sugar when I make it and leave out the food coloring. The recipe came from jamiecookesitup.net. This gets an 8. Yield: 1 1/2 C syrup ***NOTE: This recipe will keep for 2-3 days in the fridge.*** 1/2 C butter 1/2 (12 ounce) can evaporated milk 1 C sugar 3 Tb fresh lemon juice 1-2 Tsp lemon zest 3 drops yellow food coloring dash salt

This was okay- it gets a 6. I added zucchini and squash to the sauce, but is was still just so-so. I got the recipe from annies-eats.com. Cheesy Pasta with Tomato Cream Sauce Yield: about 6 servings INGREDIENTS 8 oz. pasta shapes, such as gemelli 1 (28 oz.) can peeled whole tomatoes, with juices 1 tbsp. butter ½ small onion, finely chopped 3 cloves garlic, minced or pressed ½ tsp. red pepper flakes 1 tbsp. tomato paste ½ tsp. kosher salt Freshly ground pepper, to taste 6 oz. mozzarella, cubed 1 pint  oven-roasted tomatoes ¼-½ cup heavy cream I used half and half  Minced fresh basil, to finish DIRECTIONS Bring a large pot of water to boil. Add the pasta to the pot and cook according to the package directions, stopping 2 minutes before the recommended cooking time. Remove from the heat and drain well. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 400˚ F. Add the tomatoes with juices to a blender (or use an immersion blender) and pulse until mostly smooth. Melt the