Monthly Archives: April 2012

Poultry

Chix and Ched Wraps

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Threw together some Chicken and Cheddar wraps for dinner tonight. After all that stuff and bother in the news about “Pink Slime” I was loathe to purchase ground beef to feed to the grandsons. As an alternative I picked up some ground chicken and made up a taco chicken filling for wraps along with some cheddar cheese, lettuce, tomatoes and red onion. Really though? Wraps was just an excuse to make Tater Tots! Yea, sure, they are not the healthiest choice going but meh, once in a blue moon won’t kill ya, right?

A Taco Chicken Filling with Cheddar Cheese

500g Ground Chicken
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
1 Tablespoon Adobo Seasoning
1/4 cup Salsa
1/2 cup Water

Shredded Lettuce
Dice Tomatoes
Grated Cheddar Cheese
Salsa
Black Olives
Red Onion, thinly sliced

In a large skillet heat oil over med-high heat, add ground chicken and cook through, stirring often.
Add Adobo seasoning, salsa and water; bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes.

Divide chicken filling between 8 flour tortillas, top with desired toppings, roll up, cut in half and serve.

 

 

Squares and Bars

Butterscotch Brownies

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The Grandsons are staying over for a couple of nights during a school week which means making lunches for them. The last time they were here on a school night I made Brownies and was quickly informed that “I don’t do Chocolate, Granny!” Ooops…so after dinner tonight, while the oven was still on I popped a pan of Butterscotch Brownies into the oven; the verdict is in, they are a huge hit!

Butterscotch Brownies
Butterscotch Brownies

1/2 cup Butter
2 cups Brown Sugar, lightly packed
2 large Eggs
1 1/2 cups Flour
1 teaspoon Baking Powder
1 1/2 teaspoons Vanilla
1/2 teaspoon Salt
1 cup chopped Pecans, optional

Lightly spray a 9X13 (4l) pan with vegetable oil spray.
Preheat oven to 350F.

In medium saucepan, over medium heat, melt butter, stirring often.
Remove from heat.
Add brown sugar and stir until dissolved.
Stir in eggs and vanilla.
Add flour, baking powder and salt all at once and stir until well combined.
Finally add chopped pecans, if using, mixing well.

Pour into prepared pan and bake in 350F oven for 25 minutes.
Remove from oven, cool, in the pan on a wire rack for a few minutes.
Sprinkle with Butterscotch chips, if desired, gently pushing them into the Blondies.
After cooling for a few minutes, cut into desired amount of squares and allow to cool completely.

Try to eat just one!

 

Desserts

Pineapple Upside Down Cake

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There is no taste like home! The smell of Pineapple Upside Down Cake followed by the sight and taste of it is like a trip down memory lane! Not that we had it often when I was growing up, but what a special treat!

Pineapple Upside Down Cake

1 (420g) can Sliced Pineapple, drained, reserving the juice
1/4 cup Butter, melted
3/4 cup Brown Sugar
Maraschino Cherries (optional)

2 3/4 cups Flour
4 teaspoons Baking Powder
1 teaspoon Salt

1 cup Butter
1 1/2 cup Sugar
2 Eggs
1 1/2 teaspoon Vanilla

1 1/3 cup Juice (from reserved juice and enough water added to measure 1 1/3 cup)

Lightly spray a 9x13inch pan with Vegetable Oil Spray.
Preheat oven to 350F (175C)
Drain Pineapple, reserving liquid.

Pour melted butter into prepared pan; sprinkle with brown sugar.
Arrange pineapple slices over butter/brown sugar mixture.
Place a cherry in the center of each ring.

In small mixing bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt; set aside.

In mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
Add vanilla and beat for one minute.
Add flour alternately with pineapple juice, beginning and ending with dry ingredients.
Evenly spread batter over pineapple rings.
Bake in 350F (175C) oven for 40 minutes or until pick inserted in center comes out clean.
Cool in pan for 5 minutes, the turn out.

Serve warm with a scoop of Vanilla Ice cream or a dollop of Whipped Cream.

Variation:
Fruit Cocktail Upside Down Cake: Substitute a can of Fruit Cocktail for the Pineapple. Add 1/2 teaspoon Almond Extract with the Vanilla.

About, Squares and Bars

Sonte’s Granola Bars

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When making up your weekly batch of Granola, have another bowl on hand to mix up the ingredients for these Granola Bars so you can have a healthy, nutritious snack at work, at school or at play!

Fruit and Nut Filled Granola Bars

1. 4 cup Old Fashioned Rolled Oats
2. 3/4 cup Brown Sugar
3. 1/2 cup Wheat Germ
4. 1/4 cup Ground Flax Seed
5. 1/2 cup Sunflower Seeds
6. 1/2 cup Pumpkin Seeds
7. 1/4 cup Sesame Seeds
8. 2 generous teaspoons Cinnamon
9. 1 cup Whole Wheat Flour
10. 1/2 cup Flour
11. 3/4 cup Raisins (soaked in hot water for 10 minutes, then drained well)
12. 1 cup Coconut
13. 1 cup chopped Dried Apricots (optional)

3/4 cup Honey
2 Eggs
1/2 cup Vegetable Oil
3/4 cup Applesauce
1 Tablespoon Vanilla

2 cups whole Blanched Almonds

Preheat oven to 350F (175C)
Prepare a 11x15x1 inch (28x38x2.5cm)  baking tray by spraying lightly with vegetable oil spray.

Combine first 12 ingredients together in a large bowl.
In small mixing bowl, combine honey, eggs, vegetable oil, applesauce and vanilla.
Stir liquid ingredients into dry ingredients until well blended.
Press into prepared pan.
Bake in 350F oven for 12 minutes.
Remove from oven, sprinkle evenly with whole almonds, gently press the almonds into the granola bars.

Return to oven and continue baking for 12 to 17 minutes.

Score into bars and let cool for 30 minutes.
Cut into bars and allow to cool completely.

Store in airtight container.

NOTE: Luke loves chocolate so when they are finished baking, I sprinkle with 200g Chocolate Chunks, return to turned off oven for 2 minutes, remove from oven and spread melted chocolate to cover the whole pan of granola bars.
Looking for a yummy yogurt topping to replace the chocolate….