Asian Spinach Salad (Two Ways)

How does one simply say, "Hello again!" after over two months of silence?  With this recipe of course!!  I could eat this spinach salad ALL DAY and ALL NIGHT.  Yes... you heard me right... SPINACH SALAD!  (You know how I feel about spinach, right?!) This was seriously incredible.  I am so excited to share... and yet there is just a little naughty part of me that wants to keep this one to myself to be the dish of all dishes at the next potluck. :)  This one is from my friend, Whitney, who was kind enough to share it with me, so I better follow her example and over come my selfishness.  ENJOY!  You are so darn lucky I am sharing!  You are going to love it.

Asian Pasta Spinach Salad
Asian Dressing:
1/2 c oil
1/2 c sugar
1 tsp salt
1 tsp sesame seeds
3 T soy sauce
2 T rice vinegar
1/2 tsp sesame oil
1 tsp grated garlic
*Whisk ingredients together in medium size bowl until well blended.

For the Salad:
1 package bow-tie pasta, cooked and drained
Package of fresh spinach
2-3 tsp sesame seeds
1/2 c sunflower seeds
*Toss lightly with Asian dressing, or reserve for individual servings.

Asian Spinach Chicken Salad
Package of fresh spinach
1 cup bean sprouts
2-3 tsp sesame seeds
1/2 c sunflower seeds
cooked chicken breast seasoned with lemon pepper
Asian dressing (recipe above)
*Toss lightly with Asian dressing, or reserve for individual servings.

Healthy Stove-top Popcorn

If somebody cut me open, I'm pretty sure I would bleed popcorn.  

It is my favorite and my best!!!  

Just ask my hubby, who heard stirring the last night in the kitchen and caught me making yet another batch for the fourth night in a row.  He said disgustedly, "You make more popcorn that a circus carnival!"  

And pretty much, he's right.

I can't help myself.  (Or I do help myself?)

I do believe it stems back to the fond childhood memories I have of my mother popping HUGE batches in big metal bowls every Saturday night while we watch Lawrence Welk. (Yes, I was that little girl in the sponge curlers dancing along with "Bobby and Sissy.")

So after a substantial blog absence, I thought I would "pop" back in to give you the low-down on how I pop the corn lately.  Mom always used the air-pop, which I love... butter generously drizzled over top and heavily sprinkled with salt.  LOVE IT!  But I have recently discovered a bit lighter version that I find almost just as tasty and, in my opinion, easier to make.

So here we go....

Healthy Stove-top Popcorn

It all begins with a seed. One tiny seed.

Getting a little too FernGully on you?

Well, it's true.

Actually, lets start here.

1. Drizzle olive oil in pan over medium-high heat.  Heat oil first, then add kernels.

 

2. Coat kernals in oil by giving a gentle shake to the handle.  Sprinkle with salt. 

3. PUT A LYD ON IT. :) (Sorry, couldn't help myself.) No really... put a lid on it.  Starts popping in about 5-6 minutes, and usually takes about 10 minutes to pop completely. (I know I sound like the instructions on the microwave popcorn, but time may vary.) 

Remove from heat when there are more than 3 seconds between pops.  If you want it a bit saltier, I give mine a gentle shake or flip mine up-side-down to let it soak in the steam on the lid and then sprinkle a little more salt.

Healthy Stove-top Popcorn Lyd-Style

*You can actually use less oil or cut this out all together- just watch it close so you don't burn the popcorn... because we all know what that smells like. :)

pan with lid

2 T Olive Oil 

1/3 cup popcorn kernels

1 tsp salt

Drizzle olive oil in pan over medium-high heat.  Heat oil first, then add kernels.  Coat in oil by giving a gentle shake to the handle.  Sprinkle with salt and "put a Lyd on it".  Starts popping in about 5-6 minutes, and usually takes about 10 minutes to pop completely. (Time may vary.)  Remove from heat when there are more than 3 seconds between pops.  If you want it a bit saltier, I give mine a gentle shake or flip mine up-side-down to let it soak in the steam on the lid and then sprinkle a little more salt.

Carefully pour into a large bowl and DEVOUR like a crazy lady who LOVES POPCORN!  That's what I would do anyway. :)

Black Bean Pasta Salad

Looking for a yummy summer salad to perk up your picnic?  Look no further!  I have a hard time resisting a pretty colorful salad, and this one just looked like a party.  It tasted pretty good, too.  I did take some liberties by adding a bit of salt, pepper, paprika and a couple others things, because I felt it was pretty bland on it's own.  I will confess that my kids weren't crazy about this one.  Just too much going on I guess, and I couldn't get them to really eat it.  I liked it, but be warned that it makes a big batch, (or probably more like: I don't messure very carefully and it all grows... a lot) so unless you have a crowd, you might want to half it... or eat the left over for a couple meals after like me. :)

Black Bean Pasta Salad (Kraftfoods)

2 cups  shell macaroni, uncooked (I used whole wheat pasta)

1 can  (15 oz.) black beans, drained, rinsed

1 can  (7 oz.) corn, drained

1 can  (4 oz.) chopped green chiles, drained

½ cup  chopped celery

½ cup  chopped onion

¼ cup  KRAFT Mayonesa con Limón (I just added a little lemon juice to regular mayo and I think it worked fine.)

(I also added 1 red bell pepper- I think it really enhanced taste and look.)

(Defeintely add some sald and pepper or other seasonings, to taste.)

COOK macaroni as directed on pkg.; drain.

ADD remaining ingredients; mix lightly. Cover.

REFRIGERATE several hours or until chilled.

SUBSTITUTE

Substitute canned garbanzo or pinto beans for the black beans.

How to Hard Boil Eggs in the Oven... (THE BETTER WAY!)

It is just a little white egg.  Why has boiling it always intimidated me so?  I seriously have to google directions every time!  How long to I boil them?  Why did that one just explode?  Did I take them out too early?  Did I leave them in the cold water long enough?  Was the cold water the right temperature?  Then, why is the yoke still runny?  Ok- so it's not rocket science, but it definitely feels like EGG Science.  So imagine my delight when I saw a "pin" suggesting you bake them in the oven.  Rapturous Day!  You can't top these easy fool-proof instructions.  I will never make a hard (not boiled) egg any other way!  My kids loved peeling them. :) I loved shaking up our typical dinner menu.

How to Hard Boil Eggs in the Oven

To make the eggs, simply bake them in a 325 degree oven for 30 minutes. You can place them directly on the rack or use a muffin tin, which makes it easy move them in and out of the oven in bulk. Once the 30 minutes have passed, remove the eggs from the oven (carefully, because they are hot) and plunge them in cold water for 10 minutes.

The shells may have brown spots where they were in contact with hot metal. Sometimes that discoloration fades away in the water plunge, but sometimes it will leave marks on the whites.

(Source)

*Wouldn't this be perfect for Easter eggs?  This would save a lot of time!

Made a delicious Egg Salad Sandwich for dinner with mine.  What will you make?

Busy Mom Bruschetta

We have six monster tomato plants taking over the patio, thanks to my husband's green thumb, but they are kept in check by my one year old who won't allow any of them to ripen before the little tike harvests them.  He brings us chewed up bits of green tomato every time he escapes outside.  It is making us crazy because we have given them so much tender-loving-care!  BUT when we DO have a juicy ripe RED tomato... probably one lucky enough to grow on the UPPER vines, I will make this simple snack again... because I think it would be heaven with garden tomatoes!  It was ALMOST heaven without. :)

Busy Mom Bruschetta (By Lyd)

1 baguette loaf

cream cheese spread

2-3 tomatoes

fresh basil

Italian seasoning

pinch of salt

Slice bread into thin slices.  Slice tomato and basil.  Spread cream cheese onto the bread.  Add tomato and basil.  Sprinkle with salt and Italian seasoning. Munch munch munch!

Baked Pita Chips

 

I bought two packages of pitas from the "day-old-bread" section for $1, knowing I could put them to good use.  Turns out I was right.  These pita chips were easy to make (so easy that my five year old did it-- hence the uneven seasoning, but hey... I won't turn down the help. :) and they became the quick tasty star of our dish.  Delish!  (*Also great for dips like hummus etc.)

Baked Pita Chips (pickycook.com)

12 pita bread pockets

1/2 cup olive oil

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 teaspoon granulated garlic

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon onion powder

1 teaspoon Italian herbs

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F

Combine pepper, garlic, salt, onion powder, and herbs in a small bowl. Brush the pita with olive oil.

Cut each pita into triangles (like slicing a pizza).

Sprinkle with or toss in seasoning mixture.Place triangles on lined baking sheet.

Bake for about 7 minutes, or until lightly browned and crispy. Keep an eye on them - they go from perfect to burnt in a matter of seconds.

 

Chicken & Bacon Tart

I'm such a Simlple and Delicious fan!  I just organized my magazines and I realized I've been a loyal subscriber for six years now!  Worth every penny to me.  Especially when they pull things out of the hat like this- who would have thought to use pepper jelly with something like this?  But somehow, someway, the taste combined with chicken, bacon, and apples just totally worked.  AND it allowed me to use that obscure little jar I've had sitting around for a year not know what to do with. (My inspiration for trying this one out.)  Do people really spread that on their toast?  Spicy peppers in salsa... YES!  Spicy peppers in jam... NO THANKS.  Or at least that is what I thought before this one... thank goodness someone came up with a good use for it.  This was one Doug suggested I make for company... I love when he says things like that. :)  This is a winner... strange pepper jelly included!

Chicken & Bacon Tart (Simple and Delicious/Taste of Home)

1/4 pound bacon strips, cut into thirds (I cut them a little smaller and I think they were more manageable.)
2 medium onions, halved and thinly sliced
2 medium apples, peeled and thinly sliced
1 package (9 ounces) ready-to-serve roasted chicken breast strips
1/4 cup jalapeno pepper jelly (I actually used mango pepper jelly)
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed
3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley

In a large skillet, cook bacon over medium heat until crisp. Remove to paper towels with a slotted spoon. Saute onions and apples in drippings until tender. Stir in the chicken, jelly, thyme and salt.

On a lightly floured surface, unfold puff pastry. Roll into a 10-in. x 9-in. rectangle. Transfer to a 15-in. x 10-in. x 1-in. parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Prick with a fork.

Spread chicken mixture over pastry to within 1 in. of edges. Sprinkle with cheese and pepper. Press edges with a fork, forming a decorative border.

Bake at 425° for 10 minutes. Sprinkle with bacon; bake 5-10 minutes longer or until golden brown. Sprinkle with parsley. Yield: 4 servings.

Nutritional Facts

1 piece equals 693 calories, 37 g fat (13 g saturated fat), 76 mg cholesterol, 1,023 mg sodium, 65 g carbohydrate, 7 g fiber, 28 g protein.

Quiche Lorraine

Though eggs and I don't always get along, I find it hard to resist a hearty slice of quiche.  I've got a few quiche recipes stashed away in here, but why not try a new one?  I find I can usually count on Betty to deliver, and she definitely did on the filling part- delish, however I would not recommend this crust recipe.  I have tried it before and it hasn't turned out well both times, so this time I finally got smart and left a note in the margin to leave this darn crust recipe alone. :)  But forgive the crust and love the filling... like I did.  Mmmmm.

Quiche Lorraine (Betty Crocker)

Pastry

1 cup Gold Medal® all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon shortening
2 to 3 tablespoons cold water

Filling

8 slices bacon, crisply cooked, crumbled (1/2 cup)
1 cup shredded Swiss cheese (4 oz)
1/3 cup finely chopped onion
4 large eggs
2 cups whipping cream or half-and-half
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper (cayenne)

In medium bowl, mix flour and salt. Cut in shortening, using pastry blender (or pulling 2 table knives through ingredients in opposite directions), until particles are size of small peas. Sprinkle with cold water, 1 tablespoon at a time, tossing with fork until all flour is moistened and pastry almost cleans side of bowl (1 to 2 teaspoons more water can be added if necessary). 
Gather pastry into a ball. Shape into flattened round on lightly floured surface. Wrap in plastic wrap; refrigerate about 45 minutes or until dough is firm and cold, yet pliable. This allows the shortening to become slightly firm, which helps make the baked pastry more flaky. If refrigerated longer, let pastry soften slightly before rolling.
Heat oven to 425°F. With floured rolling pin, roll pastry into round 2 inches larger than upside-down 9-inch quiche dish or glass pie plate. Fold pastry into fourths; place in quiche dish. Unfold and ease into dish, pressing firmly against bottom and side. Trim overhanging edge of pastry 1 inch from rim of pie plate. Fold and roll pastry under, even with plate; flute as desired.
Carefully line pastry with a double thickness of foil, gently pressing foil to bottom and side of pastry. Let foil extend over edge to prevent excessive browning. Bake 10 minutes. Carefully remove foil and bake 2 to 4 minutes longer or until pastry just begins to brown and has become set. If crust bubbles, gently push bubbles down with back of spoon.
Reduce oven temperature to 325°F. Sprinkle bacon, cheese and onion in pie crust. In medium bowl, beat eggs slightly; beat in remaining filling ingredients. Pour into quiche dish.
Bake 45 to 50 minutes or until knife inserted in center comes out clean. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Makes 6 servings

Baked Cinnamon Chips

Am I on a cinnamon kick or what? :) This is a good thing. I promise.

So every once in a while, I accidentally skip over a gem- thank goodness I occasionally go back through. "Eureka!" This is a yummy one that my little sis made this summer. Can you tell those are sweet garden fresh strawberries- so cruel to post that now... mouths watering until next spring! Please forgive. :) Anyway, she said they were pretty simple to make and I can attest to them being a fabulous treat! They didn't last long. Thanks Pete!

Bake Cinnamon Chips (Our Best Bites)

Flour Tortillas (I like the little 6″ ones)
Melted Butter
Cinnamon Sugar

Preheat oven to 350.

Lightly brush one side of each tortilla with melted butter. You could use cooking spray instead of butter, buy why would you ever want to do that? Life Lesson from Sara: If ever given a chance to choose between butter or cooking spray, butter wins. Always.

Then sprinkle on some cinnamon sugar. A little or a lot. Since we’re doing life lessons today, here’s another: If ever faced with the decision to go with a little sugar or a lot of sugar, a lot wins. Always.

Use a pizza cutter to cut those tortillas into wedges. Last life lesson of the day: If you don’t own a pizza cutter go buy one. You will use it for all sorts of things you never knew you needed a pizza cutter for.

Place them on an ungreased baking sheet (sugar side up, incase you are visually impared and can’t tell by the picture) and bake them in the oven for about 10-12 minutes. You’ll see them crisp up. Watch for the edges to turn up.

Remove from oven and let cool. I usually place them on a cooling rack so I can fill up the pan with more, but they can just cool on the pan as well.

A Cracker Stack Snack

I'm sure this is nothing new, but this is one of our favorite snacks. I like to give my daughter the assignment of making them for us... and she happily obliges. :) This is a great one for kids... like the WAY overpriced Lunchables with a kick... and much more affordable... and healthy... and fresh... and less processed. I would know, because I just had one yesterday- I was in a hurry and snagged one for me and the kids to curb the hunger, and I just want to know why I BEGGED my mom for those when I was little. I wanted them SO BAD. Some seriously impressive advertising I guess. :)

A Cracker Stack Snack (By Lyd and Miss A.)
whole wheat crackers
garden vegetable cream cheese
cheese slices
lunch meat (pepper turkey in this case)
tomatoes
spinkle of basil

Spread, layer, and devour.

Pesto and Cherry Tomato Pizza

We have a garden! :) A very small garden. I think I might harvest 7 tomatoes from 3 plants in a styrofoam bin- my husband said it looks "ghetto", and I'm trying to do the math and figure out if that would pay for the soil, not to mention the plants... but hey- I did it. :) (My son made sure the lettuce and chard didn't survive by pulling them out by the roots early on.) However, I am totally amazed with the world of difference in flavor from a fresh tomato- that alone made the experience worth it. I just finished reading "Animal, Vegetable, Miracle" and I could really identify with her description of the tomato: "We can’t even wait for the right time to eat tomatoes, but instead consume tasteless ones all winter to satisfy a craving for everything now." I also love the way even just barely touching the vines give my hand the strong tomato smell. Oh- the good earth, even from my little apartment! Here is a yummy recipe for your fresh tomatoes. Pile them on! One of my favorite things on the planet. My mother-in-law appropriately calls them "bites of sunshine." (By the way- this is my favorite pizza dough recipe. I've tried MANY and this is the one I've had the most consistent success with.)

Vary the pizza topping by using cured meats such as salami or pepperoni. Or, substitute other quick-cooking, freshly cut vegetables, like bell peppers or mushrooms.

Pesto and Cherry Tomato Pizza (William-Sanoma)

• 1 Tbs. coarse cornmeal
• 1 yeast dough ball (see related recipe at left), at room temperature
• 1/2 cup pesto
• 1/2 lb. fresh mozzarella, sliced
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, quartered
• Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

For the yeast dough:

• 3 1/2 cups flour
• 2 1/4 tsp. (1 packet) instant yeast
• 1 Tbs. sugar
• 1 Tbs. salt
• 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 cups warm water (110°F)
• 2 Tbs. olive oil, plus more for bowl

Make the dough
In a food processor, combine the flour, yeast, sugar and salt and pulse to blend. Add the warm water and the 2 Tbs. olive oil and pulse until the dough comes together. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 1 to 2 minutes to form a smooth ball. In an oiled large bowl, place the dough, turn to coat it with oil and cover with plastic wrap. Let rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk and very spongy, about 1 1/2 hours.

Divide the dough
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface, punch down and knead into a smooth cylinder. Divide into 2 equal pieces and knead again to form 2 smooth balls, dusting with flour if needed. Cover with a kitchen towel and let rest for 10 minutes. Store 1 ball for future use (see note above).

Shape the dough
Sprinkle the cornmeal evenly over an 11-by-17-inch rimmed baking sheet. Place the dough on the prepared pan. Very firmly press down on the center and, working from the center outward, push and stretch the dough to the edges of the pan to achieve an even thickness. (If the dough is difficult to handle, set it aside, covered, for 10 minutes.) Cover with a kitchen towel and let rise for at least 15 minutes.

Assemble and bake the pizza
Place a rack in the lower third of an oven and preheat to 450°F.

Spread the dough evenly with the pesto, leaving a 1/4-inch border uncovered. Arrange the mozzarella and tomatoes evenly over the pesto. Season with salt and pepper. Bake until the edges are golden brown and the cheese is bubbling, 15 to 18 minutes.

Cut the pizza into serving pieces and serve warm. Makes about 8 pieces.

Adapted from Williams-Sonoma Food Made Fast Series, Small Plates, by Brigit L. Binns (Oxmoor House, 2007).

Simple Fruit Toss

"Ripe strawberries, Ripe..." Who will buy this wonderful morning? (from the musical: Oliver) Wonderful because Doug cut up this fresh fruit for us. Mmmm! A fresh and simple snack.

Simple Fruit Toss (Doug Stew)
grapes
sliced strawberries
sliced peaches
sprinkle with sugar and toss/stir together
Serve cold.
(Any fruit combo will do.)

Spicy Butterscotch Pudding

I’m just a puddin’ kind of gal. I dare say it is one of my absolute favorite desserts- I love soft mushy puddingy custardy things… I think it stems back to my childhood days when I would steal my little sisters banana strawberry baby food (which I still think is divine, and which I now steal from my own kiddos… but I assure you that that wasn’t my only reason for having another one. :) AND might I add that this is my new favorite pudding. Heavenly! I’m not big on “spicy” but just that slight hint of cayenne is kind of fun… but you can always leave it out, too. Just SOOO good and really easy to make! This one beats that box mix any day!

Spicy Butterscotch Pudding (Melissa d’Arabian from Foodnetwork.com)

• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1/2 cup light brown sugar
• 1 pinch salt
• 1 cup milk
• 1 cup half-and-half
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 dash cayenne pepper

Whisk together the cornstarch, sugar and salt in a saucepan until smooth. Add the milk and half-and-half and stir to combine. Bring the ingredients to a simmer over medium heat whisking constantly. Cook until the mixture begins to thicken. Remove the pan from heat and stir in the vanilla, butter cinnamon and cayenne. Pour the pudding into 4 small serving bowls and chill for 1 hour before serving.

Muffins that Taste Like Donuts

Muffins or Donuts for breakfast? Hmmm… why not indulge in both fairly unhealthy competitors? (I’m sure you would have the full support of your local law enforcement. :) I came across this recipe on goodlifeeat.com and seeing as how I am a pretty big muffin fan, this one was just screaming at me to give it a try. We are not going for healthy here… just absolutely delicious! :) I loved the dense consistency and the cinnamon and sugar coating. It really did remind me of an old fashioned donut or a yummy coffee cake. This made a very tasty addition to the muffin collection! A must try!

Muffins that Taste Like Donuts
from lemanda on Tasty Kitchen

for the muffins:

1 3/4 cup All-Purpose Flour
1 1/2 teaspoon Baking Powder
1/2 teaspoon Salt
1/2 teaspoon Nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon Cinnamon
1/3 cup Oil
3/4 cup White Sugar
1 whole Egg
3/4 cup Milk

for the topping:

1/4 cup Butter
1/3 cup White Sugar
1 Tablespoon Cinnamon

Grease one standard size muffin pan.

Combine flour, baking powder, salt, nutmeg and cinnamon. Combine oil, sugar, egg and milk. Add dry ingredients and stir only to combine. Fill standard sized muffin tin with the batter, using a scant 1/4 cup per muffin (I like to use my Pampered Chef Large Cookie Scoop – perfect size & easy!)

Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a bowl. Combine the white sugar with the cinnamon in another bowl. Shake muffins out while still hot. Dip muffins in butter, then into the sugar/cinnamon mix. Let cool.

Makes 1 dozen. You might want to double the recipe. (I think I filled my muffin tins really full, because I was short 4 muffins from a two dozen after doubling the recipe… and I felt pretty ripped off. :)

Scones

Scones, Fried Dough, Indian Bread, Whale’s Tails, Tiger Ear’s, Pizza Frita, Frying Saucers, Elephant Ears… I’ve even heard them call “Nessy’s Ears” at our local Renaissance Festival. (Which, consequently, got me pining for these greasy, yet delicious morsels.) Growing up, I used to help out in our ward food booth to earn money for the scouting program. I have memories of stretching many a dough ball to make many a scone. We had the best honey butter to go with it. (Talk about asking for a heart attack. :) At least you would die happy, right?) Doug made some this time, and it was pretty good. At the festival, they had theirs dipped in cinnamon and sugar, and they looked so good.

This isn’t even like a real recipe- I guess I just wanted to get the idea out there. I didn’t even make my own rolls! I was lazy and bought a package of Rhodes rolls… but they work great. Let them thaw and slowly stretch them out, then I just deep fried them in some canola oil. I couldn’t get them to stretch really well- I can usually get them really thin and make huge ones, thanks to all my former “practice”, but I think I’ve lost my touch. :) Still a fun “once in a while” treat. The kids loved it!

Mexican Wedding Cookies

I’m just a bit behind on my “Cinco de Mayo” post. I am certainly not of “Mexican” origin, but growing up, we used to beg my mom to make us these cookies, so you could just about consider me a "danged native". They are one of my favorites. They are kind of a shortbread cookie… with lots of butter as you can probably see… chalk it up as another reason I'm quite partial. :) My husband said he was surprised at how good they were, because he was just expecting little “dough balls”. My daughter did the powdered sugar dipping, so they weren’t “perfect” but I thought they tasted great, and I was happy to find a quick recipe that worked well and brought back lots of happy memories!

Mexican Wedding Cookies (kraftrecipes.com)

• 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
• 1 cup powdered sugar, divided
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 2 cups flour
• 1 cup finely chopped PLANTERS Pecans

PREHEAT oven to 350°F. Beat butter, 1/2 cup of the powdered sugar and the vanilla in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. Gradually add flour and pecans, beating on low speed after each addition until well blended.

SHAPE dough into 1-inch balls. Place, 1-1/2 inches apart, on ungreased baking sheets.

BAKE 14 to 15 min. or until bottoms of cookies are lightly browned. Cool 5 min. on baking sheets. Roll warm cookies in remaining 1/2 cup powdered sugar until evenly coated; place on wire racks. Cool completely. Store in tightly covered container at room temperature.

Make it Easy: Use a blender or food processor to finely chop the pecans. Just be careful not to overprocess them or you'll end up with nut butter!

Blueberry Muffins with Crumble Topping

Yes… you are absolutely right, I will admit that I make a lot of muffins. I can’t help it. I just REALLY like muffins. They always sound good and almost always taste good… especially blueberry muffins… ESPECIALLY THESE BLUEBERRY MUFFINS! Mmmmm. So good. I promise! I have made so many different recipes for blueberry muffins—Emily’s To Die for Blueberry Muffins (from whence came the crumble topping for these, and which I embarrassingly posted twice, I just found out), The Best Blueberry Muffins I Ever Made, Sour Cream Blueberry Bread, Bacon Blueberry Scones, and Good Morning Blueberry Bran Muffins. Can you tell I really like blueberries—and really super-duper like blueberry muffins? :) The first two recipes are my favorites, but I think this one takes the cake…or the muffin in this case, or at least ties with the other two, especially with the addition of crumble topping. A wondrous way to start the day!

Blueberry Muffins (Susanna Tee, 1 Mix, 100 Muffins)

• 2 cups all-purpose flour (I did half wheat, half white- seems to be a good balance, a little more substance, but not too heavy.)
• 1 T baking powder
• 1/8 tsp salt
• heaping 1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
• scant 1 1/2 cups frozen blueberries
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup milk
• 6 T oil
• 1 tsp vanilla
• zest of 1 lemon (I cannot emphasize enough what a difference this little secret weapon makes! Totally transforms a typical blueberry muffin- don’t leave it out, and if you don’t have lemon, use orange, maybe even lime… it just needs that citrus kick.)

Preheat oven to 400 and grease or line 12 muffin cups. Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt into a large bowl. Stir in the sugar and blueberries.

Lightly beat the eggs in separate bowl, then beat in the milk, oil, vanilla, and lemon zest. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour the beaten liquid ingredients. Stir gently until just combined- do not over mix.

Spoon the batter into muffin cups. (Sprinkle on your crumble topping now before baking, if you are adding that.) Bake at 400 for 20 minutes, until well risen, golden brown, and firm to the touch.

Let the muffins cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then serve warm or transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely.

Crumble Topping: (Pretty easy to mix together, and worth the extra 5 minutes!)

Mix together 1/2 cup sugar, 1/3 cup flour, 1/4 cup butter, and 1-1/2 teaspoons cinnamon. Mix with fork, and sprinkle over muffins before baking.

Healthy Oat & Prune Muffins

Hey- it’s Muffin Monday… or wait, Saturday. :) You won’t feel one bit of guilt eating these healthy muffins. They were surprisingly tasty too! The prunes are actually pretty good in them- they add some moisture. They mix up fast too, which is always nice. A healthy breakfast or snack!

Healthy Oat & Prune Muffins (Susanna Tee, 1 Mix, 100 Muffins)

• 1 cup of all purpose flour (I went ahead and did whole wheat, why not if we’re thinking healthy?)
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• heaping 1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
• scant 2 cups rolled oats
• heaping 3/4 cup pitted prunes chopped
• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup milk
• 6 tablespoons butter
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. Preheat the oven to 400 F/200 C.

2. Grease a 12-cup muffin pan or line with cases.

3. Sift together the flour and the baking powder and then stir in the sugar, oats and prunes.

4. Lightly beat the eggs in a bowl and then add the milk, oil, vanilla extract.

5. Then add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients.

6. Stir gently until just combined, do not over mix.

7. Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin pan and bake in the oven for 20 minutes until well risen, golden brown and firm to the touch.

8. Allow the muffins to cool in the pan for 5 minutes and then remove to wire rack and allow to cool completely.

Guess I’ll Go Eat Worms... In Dirt Cups

HAPPY SPRING!!! It was a rainy Monday today, and as I walked my daughter to school, I noticed all the little earthworms scattered here and there on the pavement- a sure fire sign of spring… hooray! Getting to school took an extra ten minutes, because I had to wait while my daughter hopelessly tried to rescue as many earthworms as possible. This may not be typical “kindergarten behavior,” but in her class it is. They just completed an exploration on earthworms and finished it off by compiling everything they learned into a darling little picture book full of all the earthworm facts they learned along the way. (The book is called E is for Earthworm, An A-z Guide, and proceeds go to future explorations.) They recently had a book signing and reading at a local bookstore, and I made these dirt cups for the crowd. It was a lot of fun and we’re pretty proud of our little “worm” expert. :) This isn’t any kind of gourmet recipe, but great for a spring treat that kids (and might I add adults as far as I’m concerned) are sure to love!

Worm Dirt Cups

• chocolate pudding mix, prepared
• package of Oreos, crushed and crumbled
• gummy worms

In a cup or small bowl, layer prepared pudding with crushed Oreos over it. Top with gummy worm.

It was crunch time and I called in the troops to help me get it all together. Doug came through in a big way! He always seems to do that for me when I bite off more then I can chew… literally in this case. :)