Strawberry Cake

This recipe is so easy with great results.
I just used a box strawberry mix.
 Baked it in a small pan (you can use the extra for another small cake or cupcakes.)
Bake the cake according to directions on box
Let cool
Slice in half
Add strawberries to one layer
Stack layers together
Ice with cool whip
Decorate with strawberries

Oh-So-Good Granola Bars

Makes: 24 bars

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 35 minutes

Ingredients

Nonstick cooking spray

1 cup quick-cooking rolled oats

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 cup whole wheat flour

2 tablespoons ground flaxseeds

1/2 cup Grape-Nuts cereal

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1 beaten egg

1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce

1/4 cup honey

1/4 cup packed brown sugar

2 tablespoons canola oil

1 16-ounce package mixed dried-fruit bits

2 tablespoons sunflower seeds

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

1/4 cup dark-chocolate chips

Directions

1. 1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line an 8-by-8-inch pan with aluminum foil and coat with cooking spray. Set pan aside.
2. 2. In a large bowl, combine oats, both flours, ground flaxseeds, Grape-Nuts, and ginger. Add egg, applesauce, honey, brown sugar, and oil; mix well. Stir in fruit bits, sunflower seeds, walnuts, and chocolate chips.
3. 3. Spread mixture evenly in prepared pan. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until lightly browned around edges. Cool completely on a wire rack. Use edges of foil to lift cooked granola from pan, and cut into bars.

Nutrition facts per bar: 155 calories, 3g protein, 28g carbohydrate, 5g fat (1g saturated), 2g fiber

Valentine Treats

Chicken Parmesan

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus 3 tablespoons
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 bay leaves
• 1/2 cup olives, pitted
• 1/2 bunch fresh basil leaves
• 2 (28-ounce) cans whole peeled tomatoes, drained and hand-crushed
• Pinch sugar
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 4 skinless, boneless, chicken breasts (about 11/2 pounds)
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 tablespoon water
• 1 cup dried bread crumbs
• 1 (8-ounce) ball fresh buffalo mozzarella, water drained
• Freshly grated Parmesan
• 1 pound spaghetti pasta, cooked al dente

Directions

Coat a saute pan with olive oil and place over medium heat. When the oil gets hazy, add the onions, garlic, and bay leaves; cook and stir for 5 minutes until fragrant and soft. Add the olives and some hand-torn basil. Carefully add the tomatoes (nothing splashes like tomatoes), cook and stir until the liquid is cooked down and the sauce is thick, about 15 minutes; season with sugar, salt and pepper. Lower the heat, cover, and keep warm.

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.

Get the ingredients together for the chicken so you have a little assembly line. Put the chicken breasts side by side on a cutting board and lay a piece of plastic wrap over them. Pound the chicken breasts with a flat meat mallet, until they are about 1/2-inch thick. Put the flour in a shallow platter and season with a fair amount of salt and pepper; mix with a fork to distribute evenly. In a wide bowl, combine the eggs and water, beat until frothy. Put the bread crumbs on a plate, season with salt and pepper.

Heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil over medium-high flame in a large oven-proof skillet. Lightly dredge both sides of the chicken cutlets in the seasoned flour, and then dip them in the egg wash to coat completely, letting the excess drip off, then dredge in the bread crumbs. When the oil is nice and hot, add the cutlets and fry for 4 minutes on each side until golden and crusty, turning once.

Ladle the tomato-olive sauce over the chicken and sprinkle with mozzarella, Parmesan, and basil. Bake the Chicken Parmesan for 15 minutes or until the cheese is bubbly. Serve hot with spaghetti.


* We ate the chicken on bread, then Gary ate the chicken on spaghetti and like that better!

Chicken Potpies with Puff Pastry

Chicken Potpies with Puff Pastry

1 shallot, finely chopped

3 TBS extra-virgin olive oil

1 carrot, peeled and thinly sliced crosswise

1 small parsnip, peeled and diced

1 russet potato, peeled and diced

2 cups of chicken broth

1 pound of bonless, skinless chicken breast, cut into 1/2 inch pieces.

3 thyme sprigs

salt and pepper

5 TSP cornstarch whisked with 2 TBS of water

1/2 cup of heavy cream

1 large egg, lightly beaten

1. Preheat oven to 425.  Cook shallot in oil in a large pot over medium heat until soft, about 4 minutes.  Add carrot, parsnip, and potato.  Cook until soft about 10 minutes.  Add stock; bring to boil.  Add chicken and thyme.  Cook for 2 minuted. Season with salt and pepper.  Add cornstarch mix and cream.  Bring to a simmer; cook until thick, about 5 minutes.

2. Divide mixture among four 6-ounce ramekins; top with pastry.  Brush with egg.  Cut hole into each to vent.  Bake on baking sheet until golden, 12-14 minutes.

New Cookware

Pasta and Meatballs

Pasta and Meatballs

Big Mama's recipe

 

Hamburger meat

Stewed tomatoes

Onion powder

Salt & Pepper

Elbow pasta

Lean hamburger meat, salt and pepper, finely chopped onion or onion powder

Roll into meatballs and cook (the smaller the meatballs the better.)

 When the meatballs are almost done, cook pasta.  The pasta should beal al dente.

Mix pasta with stewed tomatoes and meatballs and let simmer.