Perfect French Toast

Alright, I have found THE French Toast of all French Toasts… for real!  Yes, the recipe seems pretty ordinary at first glance but I am telling you, it isn’t.  Anthony wasn’t thrilled with the idea of having French Toast for breakfast during conference weekend but trust me, he was singin’ a different tune once he took a bite.  He said, “This isn’t how I remember French Toast.  This is really good!” 

Enough said…



I adapted this from Alton Brown’s recipe.  Let’s make some, shall we?

• 1 c. whole milk or half and half


• 3 large eggs


• 2 tablespoons honey, warmed in microwave for 20 seconds


• 1/4 tsp. salt


• 1/2 tsp. cinnamon


• 1/2 tsp. nutmeg


• 1 tsp. vanilla


• 8 slices of thick bread (I used 8 grain bread from Costco, LOVE that stuff)

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Whisk together all ingredients (minus the bread).  Pour custard mixture into a pie pan and set aside.

Dip bread into mixture, allow to soak for several seconds on each side.  Set on cooling rack set up over a baking sheet.  Allow to sit for 1 to 2 minutes.

Cook over medium-low heat in non-stick pan or use a flat griddle set to 350 degrees (Allow to heat up to temp before cooking).  Cook until golden brown, approximately 2 to 3 minutes per side. Remove from pan or griddle and place on a baking sheet.  Bake for 5 minutes. Serve immediately with maple syrup, powdered sugar, jam, fruit or whatever else you may desire. 

Black Bean Enchiladas

I used to have a delicious recipe for Black Bean Enchiladas.  Used to.  Can’t find it. 

But darnitall, we had already planned to have them for General Conference weekend.  It’s like a two day holiday, twice a year, for us Mormon folks.  Well, for some of us, anyway.  And holidays mean food!  Yummy food. 

Black Bean Enchiladas are definitely considered yummy food.  So, when I realized that the recipe was missing from my recipe binder, I was determined to recall the recipe from the dusty filing cabinets of my mind.  I say dusty because, let’s face it, I’m not sure how often they are actually used.  And even if they are used, I don’t have time to dust them.  ;)

I can’t say it was a complete success (recalling the recipe) because I don’t remember the exact measurements but after making my own version, I think I like these better!

I really hope you will like them, too.  And hey, they’re vegetarian (LeShel)!  And they’re clean (if you use whole grain tortillas). 

{Before it’s baked}



{After it’s been baked}



Black Bean Enchiladas

1 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese

1 can refried beans

1 can black beans

1/2 cup – 1 cup salsa

1 can chopped green chilies

lots of cheese (Mexican blend or cheddar)

1 can red enchilada sauce (or make your own)

1 pkg. tortillas

 

Heat cream cheese and refried beans in microwave or on stove until soft enough to stir together. 

Stir in black beans, salsa, chilies, and large handful of cheese. 

Spoon filling into center of tortillas and roll like you would for any other enchilada recipe placing seam side down in a 9x13 pan sprayed with non-stick spray.  I usually get 8-10 enchiladas, depending on how much filling I put on the tortillas.

Pour the entire can of enchilada sauce evenly over the top of the enchiladas. 

Top with cheese. 

Place in preheated 350* oven for about 20 minutes. 

 

My family LOVES these!  Serve with Mexican style rice (and a vegetable, of course) and you’ve got dinner!!  Enjoy.

 

 

 

 

“And in the mornin’, I’m makin’ waffles!”

That’s what Donkey says to Shrek when he decides to make himself at home in Shrek’s swamp….. in case you were wondering about the title. 

And now I have a confession.  I have never, ever, in my entire life, made these waffles. 



I have, however, eaten them many, many, many times and I am in love with them.  Someone that lives with me makes them every Saturday morning.  Can you guess who? 

No, it’s not Anthony.  He makes the bacon to go with these waffles.  I have a phobia of making bacon.  It always splatters at me and I want to cry.  So, I finally told Anthony that if he wants bacon, he’ll have to make it himself! 

I’m so glad he wants bacon… because I want it too.  I just don’t want to make it.  Plus, he’s got it down!  He makes perfect bacon!

Back to the waffles… it’s K that makes them. 

She loves making waffles and pancakes.  But she didn’t master the art of pancake making until just recently.  Waffles were the first step and she’s got it down to a science.  Boy am I glad she likes making waffles because I sure enjoy eating them… along with the bacon.  Smother the waffles in pure maple syrup and it’s heaven! 

I admit, I was skeptical of the whole wheat thing at first but truly, they are very good.  

This recipe comes from a book I got when I bought my K-Tec Blender so I don’t really know what to call it.  The K-Tec Blender Cookbook?  So if you want to blend up the batter, be my guest.  K just makes it old fashioned style…. a big ol’ bowl.  She always triples the recipe for our family though.  Below is a single batch.

Whole Wheat Waffles

3/4 c. milk

1 egg

1 T. oil

1 c. whole wheat flour

2 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. salt

1 T. sugar

Mix all ingredients together and VOILA!  Make waffles. 

 

 

Fabulous Taco Soup!

IT’S FALL!!  Or close enough in my book. 

Fall is my very favorite season.  Love Fall!  Any other Fall lovers out there?  It could be Fall all year and I would be happy as a peach.  Does that saying ever make you wonder how happy peaches really are?  I know, totally random.  Anthony would say that was a ‘Brooke thought’. 

Anyway, I love Fall for the weather, the cooler temperatures, the smells {yes, Fall has a smell}, the crunchy leaves, holidays and most importantly…. the FOOD! 

Pumpkin… pies, bars, cinnamon rolls, cheesecakes, and so much more!  And then there’s the Thanksgiving smorgasbord, caramel apples, and SOUP! 

Soup is by far my favorite dinner meal in the Fall and Winter months.  Haven’t met a soup I don’t like.  Well, I take that back.  But I love MOST soups.  We don’t love pumpkin soup at our house though.  Pumpkin is fabulous in any other form. 

I keep bringing up pumpkins but this recipe has nothing to do with pumpkins.  Sorry about that!

This recipe for Taco soup is the best ever, promise.  I absolutely love it, along with the rest of my family.  I am asked for this recipe just about every time I make it for company.  And the best part is that it’s the simplest thing you could ever make.  So easy, but so delicious!  And it’s ready in about 30 minutes.  Awesome, right?  One thing that makes this so easy is that you don’t drain anything.  Not the corn, the beans, the tomatoes… nothin’!  Just open the can and dump it in.

Oh!  And it’s a healthy recipe, too!

So, without further ado, here it is…



 

Fabulous Taco Soup

1 large onion, chopped

1 lb. hamburger or ground turkey

1 can kidney beans

2 cans of corn

1 large can tomatoes

1 8oz. can tomato sauce

1 packet taco seasoning {I use homemade taco seasoning to avoid MSG}

 

Saute your onion for just a couple minutes in a skillet with about 2 T. canola or olive oil.  Add hamburger or turkey and cook until no longer pink.  Drain.  Pour into large pot.

Open the cans… beans, corn, and tomatoes … DO NOT DRAIN!  Dump into the pot with hamburger or turkey.  Add tomato sauce as well.  Stir and add taco seasoning.  Bring to a boil then simmer for 20 minutes. 

Garnish with cheese, sour cream and tortilla chips. 

ENJOY!

Maple Rice Pudding

When it comes to rice pudding, I believe there are two types of people… the lovers and the haters. 

I happen to be a lover.  LOVE! 

I’ve decided that people who like tapioca pudding, generally like rice pudding as well.  Those that do not enjoy the texture of tapioca also don’t appreciate the texture that rice offers in a pudding. 

Silly texture eaters!  

I believe my love of rice pudding began when I was employed at ZCMI in the corporate office.  Sadly, they are no longer in business but I remember going down to the cafeteria every day and buying a tall dessert glass of rice pudding. 

It was DIVINE!  The blend of cinnamon, nutmeg, rice, creamy yumminess… whatever was in it.  I just know it was insanely delicious.  When I could no longer enjoy the heavenly blend {because it’s kind of hard to be employed by a company that no longer exists ;)}, I was forced to embark on a quest to find a recipe that was as divine as the rice pudding I had fallen in love with. 

My quest started out pretty bland.  I was disappointed with the flavor {or runniness} of every stinkin’ recipe I tried.  But every time I ran across a new recipe that sounded great, I just had to try it.  Some were baked and some were made on the stovetop but none of them lived up to delicious flavor I so desired.  That is until I went to a homeschooling conference one year.  There was a vendor selling cookbooks and I bought one.  The recipes seemed simple and I knew they were within my realm of kitchen skills. 

As I devoured the contents of this book, What’s For Dinner?, I came across a recipe for rice pudding.

It didn’t look like anything special.  Pretty similar to others that I had tried before but I figured I might as well give it a shot. 

OH MY GOODNESS!  This was it!  The one I had searched high and low for.  It was thick, creamy, cinnamon-y, nutmeg-y {pretend they’re words} and everything else I needed it to be.  SUCCESS!

And now, it’s my go to recipe when I have leftover rice from dinner.  My kids LOVE it when I have leftover rice.  It makes a great dessert!  Plus, it’s pretty quick.  NO baking involved, only stovetop. 

I’ve made this recipe several times but the past few times I’ve made it, I’ve tweaked it ever so slightly to make it ‘cleaner’ since my family is on a quest to eat better.  We’re not perfect but we’re a heck of a lot better than we were last year at this time. 

So, I’m going to share with you the ‘cleaned up’ version and then tell you the ingredient you can use instead to make it ‘dirty’.  However, my kids are really liking the maple {clean} version better than the original. 

You’ll want to use REAL maple syrup here.  Not the sugary kinds or the sugar-free kind.  You want the 100% pure maple syrup!  Yes, it’s expensive but soooo much better for you than refined sugar or man-made sugars.  No, it’s still not great for you, just better.



Combine the syrup, salt, flour, and cornstarch.  Whisk together.



Slowly add the milks… yes, plural.  Evaporated and regular.



Bring to a boil over medium heat stirring constantly.

Boil for one full minute.

Beat the yolk of an egg in a small bowl.



Add a small amount of the boiling mixture to the egg and quickly beat it to keep the egg from scrambling.  This is called ‘tempering the egg’ but you probably already knew that.  I couldn’t take pics of myself doing this part… sorry!

Pour egg slowly into the boiling mixture and whisk very quickly.  {Whisk at the same time that you are pouring if possible}

Bring to a boil, then remove from heat.

Whisk in the vanilla, cinnamon and nutmeg.  Followed by the rice. {Leftover rice is PERFECT for this… even straight from the fridge.}





Serve warm or cold.  I like mine warm.



 

Maple Rice Pudding

3/4 c. 100% pure maple syrup {you can replace the maple with 2/3 c. regular sugar if you prefer to make traditional rice pudding}

1/4 tsp. salt

2 T. flour {whole wheat or all-purpose may be used}

2 T. cornstarch

1 can evaporated milk

1 1/3 c. milk {I’ve used skim, 1%, 2%, and whole… whatever you have on hand}

1 egg yolk

1 tsp. vanilla {does anyone really measure vanilla?}

1 tsp. cinnamon

3/4 tsp. nutmeg

3 c. cooked rice {leftover is fabulous!  And brown rice works too.}

 

Combine the syrup, salt, flour, and cornstarch. Whisk together.

Slowly add the milks. Bring to a boil over medium heat stirring constantly.

Boil for one full minute.

Beat the yolk of an egg in a small bowl.

Temper the egg by adding a small amount of the boiling mixture to the egg and quickly beating it to keep the egg from scrambling. Pour egg slowly into the boiling mixture and whisk very quickly. {Whisk at the same time that you are pouring if possible}

Bring to a boil, then remove from heat.

Stir in the vanilla, cinnamon and nutmeg. Followed by the rice.

Serve warm or cold.





Just a side note:  I wasn’t too terribly off on my prediction.  I was the closest… does that count?

 

Roasted Potato Salad

Remember when my mom was in town and made this little thing called raspberry cream cheese bread?  And remember how we all went nuts and thought we’d died and gone to heaven? 

Yeah, she’s an amazing cook.

Well, while she was here, she also made a heavenly potato salad for a family potluck.  It’s unlike any other potato salad I have ever had! 

It’s not your typical mayo, mustard, eggs, and pickle salad. 

This is truly THE best potato salad recipe… EVER! 

I don’t have pics of the process because she was at my grandpa’s when she made it.  Psshhh!  She just couldn’t wait…

So, here it is, slightly adapted from the July issue of People Magazine.



2 1/2  lbs. unpeeled red potatoes, cut into bite sized pieces
1 medium red onion, cut in half and sliced thin
2 T canola oil
1 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 can of corn
1 cup diced celery
2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/3 cup white vinegar or apple cider vinegar (add a couple teaspoons of sugar or honey if desired)
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 – 3/4 cup sliced fresh basil


Preheat oven to 425. In a large bowl combine potatoes, onion and oil, toss with 1 tsp. salt and 1/2 tsp. pepper.

Spread mixture on 2 lightly greased cookie sheets. Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until potatoes are crispy.

Remove pans to wire racks; cool to room temperature.


Combine potato mixture, corn, celery and garlic powder in a large bowl. Whisk together olive oil, vinegar {and sugar or honey}; drizzle over vegetables and toss.  Coat evenly. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Cover and chill at least 2 hours. Add basil just before serving.  Toss.

 

I’m pretty sure you’ll love it!  Such a light and refreshing take on an old classic!  DELICIOUS!!!!!

Banana Bread Makeover

I don't know about you but I happen to love banana bread.  But rarely do I ever get to make it because my children are monkeys and almost always gobble up the bananas long before they are banana bread ready.  Even when I buy 'extra' bananas, they are gone before I can use them. 

Well, just yesterday I had the rare opportunity to make some.  I had never made a 'clean' banana bread before.  If you know me, you know that Anthony and I have cleaned up our diets, and those of our kids,  in recent months.  Sure we slip up a time or two (or ten) each week but we're trying.  And our eating habits are largely different from where they started. 

So, I decided to give banana bread a makeover.  Maybe I was a tad bit nervous.  You see, I'm a recipe follower to a T.  I'm not one of those people that is comfortable changing things up and just knowing it will turn out.  If it says 1/2 cup, I'm going to use 1/2 cup.  But recently, I have grown a wild hair of sorts and started to tweak things a little bit.  It's not something I would say I'm good at yet.  I still cringe each time, crossing my fingers that my 'experiment' doesn't completely ruin the recipe.  Luckily, I've had luck on my side... so far.  ;)  Let's keep that streak, shall we?

Well, I made a version of banana bread that my family absolutely loved!  And believe it or not, there is absolutely NO refined sugar or white flour in it. 

Banana Bread... All Cleaned Up!

1 egg

1/2 c. olive oil

1 tsp vanilla

2 or 3 very ripe bananas, peeled and mashed

1 1/2 c.whole wheat pastry flour

1/4 c. Sucanat (dehydrated cane juice)

1/4 plus 2 T. agave nectar

1/4 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. nutmeg

3 T. ground flax seeds (optional)

Preheat oven to 325*. 

Mash bananas in small bowl, set aside.  In a large bowl, combine wet ingredients and mix until blended.  Add bananas, mix until blended.  Combine dry ingredients in separate bowl.  Add to wet indredients a small amount at a time, mixing each time you add more. 

Once it is all incorporated and mixed well, pour into a sprayed loaf pan (4 1/2 x 8 1/2).  Bake for 60 minutes or until golden brown. 

Make 1 loaf but could easily be doubled or tripled. 

Fiesta Salad

While searching for something to make for dinner the other night, I was determined to find a salad recipe.  Why a salad?  I don't know.  It's so unlike me.  I never crave salads but I had just returned home from the grocery store, Anthony left to work on a friend's deck as soon as I got home, and I needed something quick and easy.  Salad sounded great for that and I had just brought home a bunch of different greens that I was so excited to use. 

Silly, I know.

So, I grabbed my recipe binder (which only recently became a binder.... before that it looked like....)



Scary, eh?  Am I the only one who hoards recipes from the internet and other sources and then never makes them?  I mean, who wants to dig through a mess like that to find a recipe?  Not me!  Well, not anymore.  I dove right in as soon as I was smart enough (after many years) to get them into a binder.  A novel concept, I know. 

There I go getting off track again.  So, back to dinner.  I found this recipe for Fiesta Salad.  Perfect!  I had all of the ingredients.  So, I put it all together while only tweaking it slightly.  (Recipe calls for bagged salad... I used my own greens)

DELICIOUS!!  It would be perfect for a pot luck.

Even my kids loved it and that's saying a lot of a salad. 



Fiesta Salad

1 bag prepared salad (or prepare your own greens... I used 1/3 spinach, 1/3 romaine, 1/3 red leaf lettuce)

1 can corn, drained

1 can kidney beans, rinsed and drained (I used red beans)

1 can black beans, rinsed and drained

1 c. grated cheese

2-3 green onions, chopped

1 large tomato, chopped

1 can whole olives (you can use sliced if you prefer)

Dressing

3/4 c. ranch

3/4 c. salsa

Layer all ingredients in a large, lovely bowl.  Pour dressing over the top and garnish with crushed tortilla chips or tortilla strips.

You're going to love it!!