Air Fryer Cheesy Pesto Bread

 

In looking for easy and quick air fryer ideas and to use up some ingredients in the house, I made this quick cheese pesto bread, and it immediately became part of our usual rotation.  

The pesto and seasonings could easily be replaced with sauces, seasonings, and toppings of choice—however, do place any light seasoning or toppings (i.e. pepperoni) under the cheese to prevent being blown around or burned too quickly. 

Air Fryer Cheese Pesto Bread

Tools

• Air Fryer
• Knife or spoon

Ingredients

• One large slice Rustic, Farmer's, or Sourdough Bread
• Olive oil spray
• 1 to 2 TBSP Pesto 
• 1/4 to 1/2 cup Mozzarella Cheese
• Salt and papper

Directions

1. Spray both sides of slice of bread with oilve oil spray
2. Fry bread in Air Fryer at 400ºF for 3 minutes
3. Remove bread, turn over, and spread with 1 to 2 TBSP Pesto to preferred taste
4. Completely cover Pesto with Mozzarella Cheese, and add salt and pepper to taste.
5. Fry bread in Air Fryer at 400ºF for 2-3 minutes, until cheese is melted to desired appearance.

Enjoy!

Photo courtesy of Culinary Hill

Easy Air Fryer Chicken Tenders

 

As someone who doesn’t enjoy the extra dishes and mess of a pane station, I prefer a “simplified” method using mayo as a cheat to eliminate the flour and egg steps. It generally works well and helps lock in moisture. 

*Also, the flavor of this recipe is highly customizable:  substitute yogurt, raita, or a creamy salad dressing for the mustard. You could also swap out the herb mix and Lawry’s for your preferred flavors—say cardamom and curry powder; or cumin, chili powder, and cilantro, etc. 

Easy Air Fryer Chicken Tenders 

Tools

• Air fryer

• Shallow wide bowl

• Gallon baggie

• Cookie sheet or rack lined with parchment paper or foil

• Two small pairs of tongs (two forks or a pair of gloves would also work)

• Meat thermometer

Ingredients

• 3/4-1 lbs. Chicken tenders (about eight tenders)

• 1/2 cup Mayonnaise

• 1 TBSP Mustard, or preferred seasoning* (see note above)

• 1+1/2 cups Panko breadcrumbs

• 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese

• 1 tsp Herb mix* (optional, and see note above)

• Oil spray or choice (olive, coconut, avocado, etc.)

• Lawry’s seasoned salt (optional, and see note above)

• Salt

• Pepper

Directions

1. Rinse and pat dry chicken
2. In the bowl, combine the mayo, mustard, and desired amount of salt, pepper, and seasoned salt. Mix well to create your “wet” ingredients. 
3. In the baggie, combine the Panko breadcrumbs, Parmesan, and desired amount of herb mix season salt, salt and pepper. Mix well to create your “dry“ ingredients. 
4. Preheat air fryer to 385°F for four minutes or use air fryer's preheat function. 
5. Gently roll your chicken in the bowl of wet ingredients and coat thoroughly—ensuring an even but preferably thin coat—then drop in bag of dry ingredients.
6. Shake chicken thoroughly in the dry ingredients bag until evenly coated. With dry tongs/other hand, remove from bag gently shaking off loose, excess panko.  
7. Place coated chicken on parchment, and lightly spray with oil.  
8. Cook chicken in single layer in air fryer at 385°F for 12 minutes, flipping each piece halfway through. Ensure space between tenders for ample air flow—which may mean cooking in batches depending on fryer basket size. 
9. After 12 minutes, check the chicken is cooked to 165°F with meat thermometer. Cool 2 minutes before serving. 

Photo by AI Image Generator

Mimi's Cretons (Spiced Pork Spread)

 

Every Christmas, I could count on my maternal, Quebecois-raised, grandmother--who I called Mimi--making a handful of favorites:
Christmas Crack, Tourtière, Chocolate Oat Bars, and Cretons. And these were all just foods ready and waiting when we arrived Christmas Eve, so its a wonder we had any room for dinner--especially with the addictive quality of both the Cretons and Christmas Crack! Although, it may have helped that we wouldn't eat dinner until after midnight mass--when we would come home and celebrate my Mother's Christmas birthday with dinner, Bûche de Noël, and presents in the wee hours of the morning. This recipe is adapted from one in a Quebecois cookbook I had given my mother several years ago, and now sits lovingly on my bookshelf.  I highly recommend the cookbook--Made in Quebec: A Culinary Journey, by Julian Armstrong--if only I had the time to cook my way through it!

Mimi's Cretons

Ingredients

• 1.5 lbs. medium-fat Ground Pork
• 1 c. Progresso Bread Crumbs or 2 slices dried bread crumbled
• 1 medium onion, grated
• 1 tsp. Salt
• 1/2 tsp. Pepper, freshly ground
• 1 tsp. ground Cinnamon, or more to taste
• 1/2 tsp. ground Cloves, or more to taste
• 1/2 tsp. ground Sage, or more to taste
• 1/4 tsp. ground Ginger
• 1/25 cups Whole Milk
• Additional Pepper to taste

Directions

1. Place all ingredients in a large saucepan and cook over medium heat for 1 hour, stirring often at first to break up meat.
2. Remove from heat and use masher to breakup meat even more. 
3. Let cool, and transfer to several airtight (freezer-safe) containers. 
4. Refrigerate containers up to 5 days, or freeze up to two months. 

Serve spread on toasted or grilled bread, strong crackers, or bagel or pita chips; or use as a sandwich filling.

Note: Don't use lean pork, to prevent graininess in the final spread.

Photo courtesy of CLC Canada.

Carrot Raisin Pineapple Salad

 

I'm not sure why I was craving this salad recently, but it may have been the rainbow carrots I bought for a holiday recipe and didn't use.  I've adapted this recipe from several different ones I reviewed--partly to fit my taste, but mostly according to ingredients on hand. It was sweeter than I expected, but I was very happy with the result.

Carrot Raisin Pineapple Salad

Ingredients

• 1 can/12 oz. of Pineapple tidbits, drained w/juice reserved
• 1/2 cup Raisins (golden raisins recommended)
• 1 lb Carrots, washed, ends removed (rainbow carrots recommended)
• 1/4 cup Mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup Pineapple Greek Yogurt
• 1/2 tsp grated Ginger
• 1/2 tsp Lemon Juice
• 1 TBL Granulated Sugar
• Salt to taste
• Lemon Zest (optional)

Directions

1. Drain pineapple and add to medium bowl; reserve juice in a small bowl 
2. Soak raisins in reserved pineapple juice
3. Grate carrots into bowl w/pineapple bits
4. Add raisins to carrots/pineapple, discard juice
5. In a small bowl, combine mayo, yogurt, ginger, lemon juice, and sugar
6. Combine with carrot mixture
7. Add salt and lemon zest (optional) to taste.

Keep refrigerated.  Best served after a few hours, when the flavors have had a chance to combine.

Photo courtesy of Betty Crocker

Three Ingredient Scones

While I'm not a fantastic cook, I'm an even worse baker.  I don't know if it's lack of patience or not enough attention to detail, but I have never mastered the art. So when I saw this recipe for three-ingredient scones–from a nutritionist who claims she's also never had success with making them–I thought it was worth a try. At first they were a little bland on flavor, so I added a little fresh-squeezed juice, and diced crystallized ginger and it added just a hint of zing. I was quite pleased with how these came out, and hope you enjoy! 

Three-Ingredient Scones

Ingredients

• 3 cups Self-rising Flour
• 300 ml/10 oz Heavy Cream
• 300 ml/10 oz Plain or flavored Sparkling Water/Seltzer

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 430° F/220° C
2. Sift flour into a large bowl
3. In a separate bowl, add heavy cream, then add the seltzer, and give a very gentle stir with a table knife (to reduce air loss from the seltzer)
4. Make a well in the flour, then gently add liquids to the flour
5. Lightly stir with table knife around the bowl and through the middle a few time until combined, but still slightly damp
6. Prepare pan/sheet with parchment paper
7. Flour your work surface, and lightly empty dough onto flour (using knife to help if needed)
8. Flour the top of the dough, and your hands liberally
9. Help the dough come together by pulling the sides gently in, folding over, and repeat a couple times until it has a rustic pillow-like shape
10. Create your scones using a floured cookie cutters or knife. Be sure to flour the tool between cuts.
11. Put scones very close together on pan/sheet to encourage rising
12. Use a pastry brush to lightly brush milk over the top of each scone
13. Bake 15-20 minutes, until golden on top, and hollow sounding when tapped, then enjoy! 

If you would like to make Lemon Ginger Scones as I did:

• Use lemon seltzer/sparkling water, or ginger ale
• Add an extra 2 TBSP flour in step 2
• Add 1/4 cup lemon juice to the cream, before the seltzer, in step 4
• Finely dice a few pieces of candied ginger and add at beginning of step 5

Many thanks to Charity at Easy Healthy Tasty for the inspiration, and you can watch her makes these scones here.

Ten Vermont Cheeses Worth Tasting

Along time ago, I promised to make a foodie friend a list of my favorite Vermont cheeses. There are certainly many more, but here are my top nine--with the addition of a tenth from a fellow VT cheese-lover.. Additional Vermont foods that pair well are also listed. Enjoy!

Ten Vermont Cheeses Worth Tasting 

Cabot Creamery Co-operative: Alpine Cheddar
Cabot cheddar is every day cheese to Vermonters, but this kicks it up a notch with a drier, nuttier flavor I find addictive. Yummy paired with
Vermont Smoke & Cure Summer Sausage.


Twig Farm: Goat Tomme
This was the first tomme I ever tried, and still my favorite years later. Also, I think the cheesemaker's wife practicing/teaching violin makes for happy goats. To come full circle...we often put Twig Farm cheese in out visiting artists' green room.


Maplebrook Farm: Hand Dipped Ricotta
I've been on a real ricotta binge lately, and the rich, fresh flavor of this versatile cheese just overshadows the other ricottas in the dairy aisle.


Blue Ledge Farm: Maple Chevre
You knew something maple had to make it to the list. It was not uncommon for me to have a package of Maple Chevre and Whitney's Castleton Crackers' Middlebury Maple (now Salted Maple) crackers in my office at all times.


Jasper Hill Farm: Bayley Hazen Blue
I bought this yummy blue to make homemade blue cheese dressing. It's so creamy, it covered the fact that I totally botched the recipe.


Plymouth Artisan Cheese: Garlic Peppercorn
I'm not usually partial to flavored cheddar cheese, but this makes a killer companion to a LaPlatte River Angus Farm burger.


Grafton Village Cheese Company: Shepsog
I first tasted this earthy sheep/cow cheese on a charcuterie platter at a post-concert reception in a barn in southern Vermont. Quite fitting!

Vermont Creamery: Herb Chevre
Spread this on grilled O Bread Bakery French Batard and add the slightest drizzle of Champlain Valley Apiaries Honey or Sidehill Farm's Damson Plum Jam.


Taylor Farm Cheese: Leyden Gouda
I fell in love with Leyden—with its cumin and/or caraway seed flavor—in the Netherlands. Taylor Farms doesn’t make it often, but their Maple-smoked Farmstead Gouda is another yummy choice if the Leyden isn’t available. And these Goudas pair nicely with
Jan's Farmhouse Crisps.


And lastly a recommendation from a friend: 

Vermont Farmstead Cheese Company: Lillé (Coulomierres)

Handmade in small batches, their Coulommiers-style cheese--thicker ancestor to Brie--has a northern French origin as does the name itself, Lillé.

 ---

Walnut Serving Board and picture by J.K. Adams Co. in Dorset, VT

Cool-Whip Crinkle Cookies

I was looking for an easy cookie recipe, and it doesn't get much easier (or slightly messier) than this!
These were fun to make and with only four easy ingredients you often have on hand. But a few notes to make the experience even easier:

•  While I rave about chocolate cookies, these can be made in any flavor cake mix is available in. Others rave about Red Velvet, Lemon, Strawberry, or even Funfetti mixes as the cookie base!
  
  
•  The mixture gets a little sticky, so I recommend:
  
  
• Using a small/tsp. cookie or melon scoop
• Drop the cookies into confectioner's sugar via scoop, and use a fork to roll in sugar before placing on cookie sheet
  
• Dusting your scoop with confectioner's sugar or cooking spray
• Use a silpat, parchment paper, or non-stick foil on your cookie sheet(s)
  
• If you can't bake all of the dough at once, chill between baking
  
  
• They will be soft and chewy when done. Enjoy!

COOL-WHIP CRINKLE COOKIES

Ingredients

• One 15oz. box Cake Mix (flavor of choice)
•  2 cups thawed Cool-Whip
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup Confectioner's Sugar (in a bowl)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Combine Cake mix, Cool-Whip, and egg until well combined (it will become harder to stir)
3.  Make a teaspoon. size ball of dough (cookie or melon scoop suggested) and drop into Confectioner's sugar
4. Roll ball in sugar until completely coated and drop on cookie sheet. 
5. Repeat, leaving 1.5" spacing between balls on sheet.
6. Cook at 350 for 12 minutes. 
7. Cool cookies before serving. Cookies start plump then deflate before serving, and be very soft and chewy.
   

Photo courtesy of Huffpost

Garden Gazpacho

I love Gazpacho. In EVERY form it come in. But there is nothing like this wonderful chilled soup on a hot summer day made from vegetables fresh from your garden.  To try to make this soup a little lower in WW points, I've omitted the olive oil found in most versions of this dish.

Garden Gazpacho

Ingredients 

• 2 large fresh tomatoes, sliced and seeded 
• 10 grape tomatoes, halved
• 1 large cucumber, peeled, quartered, and seeded
• 1 large orange bell pepper, quartered and seeded
• 1⁄2 medium red onion, peeled and quartered
• 28 fl oz V8 100% Vegetable Juice, Low Sodium
• 1⁄3 cup(s)red wine vinegar
• 1 Tbsp minced garlic
• 1⁄2 cup cilantro, chopped (1/4 cup reserved)
• 1 1⁄2 tsp kosher salt
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1⁄8 tsp hot pepper sauce (couple of drops) 

Instructions 

1. Pulse each vegetables individually in a food processor until desired consistency. 
2. Gently mix all processed vegetables and all remaining ingredients (except 1/4 cup reserved cilantro) in a bowl just until combined. 
3. Chill in refrigerator no less than 2 hours to let flavors mingle.
4. Serve garnished with reserved cilantro on top.
5. Serving size = 1 cup. Approx. 6 servings.

Photo courtesy of familyfoodonthetable.com

Corn and Three Bean Mexican Salad

Summer time is such a wonderful time for cold salads, and this one is chock full of dietary fiber and protein. It also makes a great topping for tossed salads, nachos, or as a vegetarian filler in tacos.  It was fun to revisit this salad with a homemade Cilantro Lime Vinaigrette.

Corn and Three Bean Mexican Salad

Ingredients

• 14 oz can Black Beans 
• 14 oz can Kidney Beans 
• 14 oz can Pinto Beans
• 2 medium Corn
• 1/2 Bell Pepper, diced
• 2 fl oz Cilantro Lime Vinaigrette
• 1 tsp Ground Cumin
• 1 tsp Kosher Salt
• 1/2 tsp Black Pepper
• Optional garnishes: fresh Cilantro, diced Tomatoes, or Pico de gallo

Instructions

1. Cook corn and remove from cob. 
2. Rinse and drain all beans.   
3. Gently combine corn, beans, and all remaining ingredients. 
4. Best served after flavors have blended at least 30 minutes. 
5. Keep leftovers refrigerated. Freshen with a splash of vinaigrette and/or optional garnishes at when serving.
6. Makes ten (10) 3/4 cup servings. WW SP=4. 

Photo courtesy of triedandtasty.com

Cilantro Lime Vinaigarette

There is nothing better on summer salads than a light, bright vinaigrette. I love using this dressing to liven up mexican dishes, such as my Corn and Three Bean Mexican Salad.  If you don't have fresh limes handy, I find that Nellie & Joe's Key West Lime Juice makes a fine substitute.

Cilantro Lime Vinaigrette

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup fresh Lime Juice (2-3 limes)
• 1/2 cup extra-virgin Olive Oil 
• 1/8 cup chopped fresh Cilantro 
• 1 Garlic clove, minced (optional)
• 2 TBSP Vermont Maple Syrup
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher Salt 
• 1/8 teaspoon ground Coriander (optional)  

Instructions 

1. Stir all ingredients together. Keep refrigerated. Shake before serving. 
2. Makes sixteen (16) 2 TBSP servings. WW SP=3

Recipe and photo courtesy of Epicurious.com

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Dog Team Tavern Horseradish Cottage Cheese Dip

Anyone who had the pleasure of visiting the Dog Team Tavern may recall placing their order from the little blackboard at the front door, then waiting in the expansive, barn-like bar while waiting (sometimes over an hour) for a table. During that time, you would devour their infamous Horseradish Cottage Cheese Dip...served form a large bowl at the bar with wide-wale, ruffled potato chips. Rarely did one avoid stuffing oneself with chips and dip then sticky buns before the meal ever came. You can find over Dog Team recipes here>

Dog Team Tavern Horseradish Cottage Cheese Dip

Ingredients

• 16 ounces small-curd, whole-milk cottage cheese
• 1/8 cup minced horseradish root or 1/4 cup quality, jarred horseradish
• 1 tsp fresh chopped dill
• 1/2 tsp sugar
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Directions

1. Combine ingredients gently but thoroughly. 
2. Let chill a few hours before serving for floors to blend. 
3. Best served with wide ruffled potato chips, pita or bagel chips, or crudités

Thanks to  bonappetit.com for posting the recipe, and mountainmamacooks.com for the picture.

Sour Cream Coffee Cake

My Mom was a very good cook. Her Pot Roast, Beef Stew, Stuffed Peppers, Fondue, and Turkey dinners were divine.  But a baker, she was not. We won't talk about her Peanut Butter Fudge that never set and every time you cut a square, would smooth back over as if you'd never taken any. Or the No-Bake Cookies she made on the portable dishwasher--which she then ran--literally baking the cookies to the top of it.

But she had one baked good that was sent from heaven...her German (or as we called it) Sour Cream Coffee Cake.  The recipe was originally my Aunt Patty's, but my mother owned it!  As I hold her vanilla-stained, sugar-encrusted recipe card, I can see her making this, and smell it in the oven. I miss her so much my heart aches.

So I post this today for you Jeffrey...for she loved your visit, and the baklava and marzipan you brought from NY, and the buttermilk fried chicken you made during your stay. Happy Birthday, my basement.

German Sour Cream Coffee Cake

Ingredients

Cake

• 3/4 cups Cooking Oil
• 1.5 cups Sugar
• 3 Eggs
• 3 cups Flour
• 1.5 tsp Baking Soda
• 1.5 tsp Baking Powder
• 1/2 tsp Salt
• 1.5 tsp Vanilla
• 1 pt (16 oz) Sour Cream

Brown Sugar Mixture

• 3/4 cups Brown Sugar
• 1.5 tsp Cinnamon
• 1.5 tsp Nutmeg
• 1/2 cups crushed Walnuts

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. In a large bowl, mix oil, sugar, eggs. 
3. In a second bowl, sift flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
4. Mix dry ingredients alternately with sour cream into the oil mixture.
5. Add vanilla and mix all well.
6. Pour half of batter into a bundt pan (prepared pan I assume, although recipe doesn't say).
7. Sprinkle half of Brown Sugar Mixture in a circle around center of cake batter.
8. Add rest of batter to bundt pan.
9. Sprinkle remaining Brown Sugar Mixture on top.
10. Bake for 1 hour.

Baked BBQ Chicken Wings

In the last year, our ten-year-old son's palette has finally started to expand, and this has included chicken wings. Looking for a healthier and cheaper alternative to take-out wings, we tried these wings, based on a recipe we found on Pinterest. Ingredients have been modified to utilize our favorite Vermont products where appropriate. 

Baked BBQ Chicken Wings 

Ingredients

Wings

• 3 lbs Chicken Wing pieces, tips removed
• 1 cup Gringo Jack's VT Maple Barbecue Sauce

Dry Rub

• 2 Tbsp Brown Sugar
• 2 tsp Koshet Salt
• 1 tsp Onion Powder
• 1 tsp Garlic Powder
• 1 tsp Mustard Powder
• 2 tsp Paprika
• 2 tsp VT Garlic Maple Pepper
• ½ tsp Cumin

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. 
2. Line baking sheet with aluminum foil and coat with non-stick spray.
3. Rinse wings then pat dry with a paper towel. Place wings in a gallon-size resealable bag.
4. Mix all dry rub ingredients together in small bowl then pour into the bag with wings, seal tightly. 
5. Shake bag to coat wings completely with dry rub.
6. Place wings onto baking sheet spaced evenly apart, discard leftover dry rub.
7. Bake 25-30 minutes, turning over once halfway through baking. 
8. Remove wings from oven and brush with barbecue sauce. Enjoy!

Recipe based on http://everydaydishes.com/simple-food-recipes/barbecue-baked-chicken-wings/

Guinness Beef Stew

Now some people call this Irish Beef Stew. Others prefer Drunken Beef Stew. But, let's call it what it is: Guinness Beef Stew. Now, this is not a set-it and forget-it recipe; it will require about 45 minutes of prep work. But, that will give you some time to think about what to do with the half pint of Guinness left over!

Guinness Beef Stew

Ingredients

• 2 lbs Russet Potatoes, peeled, 1/2" cubed, approx. 2 cups
• 1 lbs Baby Red Potatoes, peeled, 1/2" cubed, approx. 1 cup
• 4 stalks Celery, chopped, approx. 1-1/2 cups
• 4-5 Carrots, peeled, cut into 1/2" pieces, approx. 2 cups
• 1 yellow or white Onion, roughly chopped
• 2 TBSP extra-virgin Olive Oil
• 1 3/4 lbs stew beef, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 3 Garlic cloves, minced
• 2 TBSP salted Butter
• 2 cups low sodium Beef Broth
• 1/4 cup Worcestershire Sauce
• 8 oz. Guinness (1/2 pint)
• 2 TBSP Tomato Paste
• 1 TBSP Raw Sugar
• 1 tsp Soy Sauce
• 1/2 TBSP dried Thyme
• 2 Bay Leaves
• 1 TBSP cornstarch + 1 TBSP water
• Garlic Maple Pepper, to taste

Directions

1. Place the chopped vegetables into the crockpot. 
2. Rinse the meat and pat dry with paper towels. Pepper the beef.
3. In a large, heavy bottomed skillet, heat olive oil at medium to medium-high heat. 
4. Add beef to the pan and brown on all sides, about 5 to 7 minutes. 
5. Add garlic and cook for one minute, do not burn the garlic. Season with maple pepper. 
6. Remove the beef and add to the crockpot on top of the vegetables
7. Turn the skillet back up to medium heat. To the skillet, add butter until it's melted. 
8. Add beef broth, worcestershire, beer, tomato paste, sugar, soy sauce and thyme. Using a wooden spoon, stir the liquids as well as scrape the bottom of the pan. 
9. Bring to a boil, allow to boil for at least two minutes. 
10. Then lower heat to low and allow to simmer for 10 minutes. 
11. Season with maple pepper to taste. Add cornstarch/water and stir together.
12. Pour broth mixture into the crockpot over vegetables and beef. 
13. Add bay leaves and cook on high for 4-6 hours or 6 to 9 hours on low.
14. Skim the fat from the stew, if needed, before serving.

Yield: 4-6
Recipe adapted from http://www.thelittlekitchen.net/
Photo courtesy of http://www.browneyedbaker.com/

Healthy Chicken Tenders

We have a nine-year-old at home, so as you can imagine, foods like pizza, mac-n-cheese, hot dogs, and chicken tenders top the list of requested meals. Trying to introduce healthy foods into the mix isn't always easy, so why not try re-imagining a food we already "like" into a healthier version.   

The following chicken tender recipe was a quick improvisation, but one that yielded a nine-year-old chorus for "More!"

Healthy Chicken Tenders

Ingredients

• 1.5 lbs. boneless/skinless Chicken Breast, cut into "tenders"
• 2 TBSP Olive Oil
• 1 cup Panko Japanese Bread Crumbs
• 1/2 cup Grated Parmesan Cheese
• Maple Pepper to taste (or plain salt & pepper)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Coat all sides of chicken tenders with olive oil; set aside.
3. Combine bread crumbs, parmesan, and maple pepper in a bowl; blend well.
4. Roll tenders in bread crumbs mixture until all sides are covered. Place on cookie sheet.
5. Bake 30 minutes or until lightly browned.

BBQ Meatloaf Muffins

These are the best re-imagining of meatloaf ever!  Quick, easy, tasty, a breeze to reheat.  We have made these at least once a month since stumbling upon the recipe on Pinterest. We've taken to calling them Meat Muffins, but somehow that seems politically incorrect here!

BBQ Meatloaf Muffins

Ingredients

• 1 pkg (6 oz) Stuffing Mix
• 1 cup Water
• 2 TBSP Barbecue Sauce
• 1 lb Ground Beef
• 1 cup (4 oz) shredded Cheddar Cheese
• Additional barbecue sauce, optional

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375°. 
2. In a large bowl, combine stuffing mix, water and 2 tablespoons barbecue sauce. 
3. Add beef; mix lightly but thoroughly. 
4. Place 1/3 cup mixture into each of 12 ungreased muffin cups, pressing lightly.
5. If desired, top each with additional barbecue sauce.
6. Bake, uncovered, 18-22 minutes or until a thermometer reads 160°.
7. Sprinkle tops with cheese; bake 2-4 minutes longer or until cheese
8. is melted. 

Nutritional Info

Yield: 6 servings.

Nutritional Facts: 2 mini meatloaves equals 330 calories, 

17 g fat (7 g saturated fat), 67 mg cholesterol, 668 mg sodium, 

21 g carbohydrate, 1 g fiber, 21 g protein.

Recipe and Photo courtesy of http://www.tasteofhome.com/

Guinness Chicken Stew

OK, moment of truth here. I'm Irish. I like my Guinness. This is my third Guinness recipe posted on Pond Brook Cookbook, and I already have another one planned. So, if you don't like Guinness, well, may the road still rise to meet you. 

Anyhow, this chicken stew does require about 45 minutes of prep work, so do yourself a favor; leave the Guinness in the fridge, behind the milk, out of sight...

Guinness Chicken Stew

Ingredients

• 6 TBSP and 1/2 cup All-Purpose Flour, divided
• 1 tsp Salt, divided, plus more to taste
• 1/2 tsp freshly ground Pepper, plus more to taste
• 2 1/2 lbs boneless, skinless Chicken Thighs, trimmed
• 4 tsp Extra-Virgin Olive Oil, divided
• 3 pcs Bacon, chopped
• 1 2/3 cups Guinness Beer or other stout (14-ounce can)
• 2 TBSP Worcestershire Sauce
• 1 lb Carrots, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 2 cups chopped Onion
• 4 Garlic cloves, minced
• 1 1/2 tsp Dried Thyme
• 1 cup Chicken Broth
• 2 cups Baby Peas

Directions

1. Combine 6 tablespoons flour with 1/2 teaspoon each salt and pepper in a shallow bowl. 
2. Dredge chicken thighs in the mixture to coat completely; transfer to a plate.
3. Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add half the chicken and cook until well browned, 2 to 4 minutes per side; transfer to a 5- to 6-quart slow cooker. 
4. Reduce heat to medium and repeat with the remaining 2 teaspoons oil and chicken thighs. Arrange the chicken in an even layer in the slow cooker.
5. Add bacon to the pan and cook, stirring often, for 2 minutes. 
6. Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup flour over the bacon and cook, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes more. 
7. Add stout and Worcestershire sauce and use a wooden spoon to scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Pour the mixture over the chicken. 
8. Add carrots, mushrooms, onion, garlic and thyme, spreading in an even layer over the chicken. Pour broth over the top.
9. Cover and cook until the chicken is falling-apart tender, 4 hours on High or 7 to 8 hours on Low.
10. Stir in peas, cover and cook until the peas are heated through, 5 to 10 minutes more. 
11. Season with the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper.

Nutrition

8 servings, about 1 1/3 cups each
Per serving : 366 Calories; 13 g Fat; 88 mg Cholesterol;
28 g Carbohydrates; 30 g Protein; 4 g Fiber; 566 mg Sodium

Photo and recipe adapted from http://www.eatingwell.com/

Lo Mein Noodles

Pinterest comes to the rescue again!  I wanted a noodle dish to accompany my Crock Pot Cashew Chicken, and these Lo Mein Noodles hit the spot! I imagine this recipe would taste great with the addition of mushrooms, but they are not include here due to a personal allergy.

These Lo Mein Noodles turned out tasty and quick, and are even recommended by our picky 9-year-old!

Lo Mein Noodles  

Ingredients

• 1 pkg (8 oz.) Spaghetti
• 3 TBSP Soy Sauce
• 2 TBSP Teriyaki Sauce
• 2 TBSP Honey
• 1/4 tsp Ground Ginger
• 2 TBSP vegetable oil
• 3 Celery stalks, sliced
• 2 Carrots, cut into large matchsticks
• 1 Red Pepper, cut into long, thin slices
• 2 Scallions, sliced

Directions

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. 
2. Cook spaghetti in the boiling water, stirring occasionally until cooked through but firm to the bite, about 10 minutes.
3. Drain and rinse spaghetti with cold water to cool.
4. Whisk soy sauce, teriyaki sauce, honey, and ground ginger together in a bowl.
5. Heat oil in a large skillet or wok over high heat. 
6. Cook and stir celery, carrots, red pepper in the hot oil until slightly tender, 5 to 7 minutes
7. Add spaghetti and sauce mixture. Continue to cook, tossing to mix, until the noodles and sauce are hot, about 5 minutes more.
8. Garnish with scallions.

Image and recipe adapted from http://allrecipes.com/

Crock Pot Cashew Chicken

I love my slow-cooker.  It makes a lazy cook like me look good!  You serve this hearty meal that looks like it took all day, when all you really do is "dump it, set it, and forget it." This, however, isn't one of those meals. This takes a little prep, and I'm not wholly convinced it even needs to go in the slow cooker, but my oh my, it was worth the work in the end. I served with some homemade Lo Mein Noodles, and it was quite a tasty dinner.

Crock Pot Cashew Chicken

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup Flour
• 1/2 tsp Black Pepper (recommend Highland Foods' Maple Pepper)
• 2 lbs Chicken thighs, cut into bite-size pieces
• 1 TBSP Sesame oil
• 3 TBSP Soy Sauce
• 2 TBSP Rice Wine Vinegar
• 2 TBSP Ketchup 
• 3/4 TBSP Raw Sugar
• 2 Garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 tsp Fresh Ginger, minced
• 1/4-1/2 TBSP Red Pepper flakes
• 1/2 cup raw Cashews
• 2 Scallions, sliced

Directions

1. Place flour and pepper in a large Ziploc bag. Add chicken pieces and seal; toss to thoroughly coat meat.
2. Heat sesame oil in a large skillet or wok. Add chicken and cook for about 5 minutes until brown on all sides. Remove and add to crock pot.
3. Mix soy sauce, rice vinegar, ketchup, sugar, garlic, ginger and red pepper flakes in a small bowl.
4. Pour mixture over chicken and toss to coat. Cover crock pot and cook on low for 3-4 hours.
5. Stir cashews into chicken and sauce before serving. Garnish with scallions.

Picture and original recipe inspiration courtesy of http://www.preppypaleo.com/ 

Graham Cracker Toffee, a.k.a. Christmas Crack

My grandmother used to make these treats every Christmas, but it wasn't until I was grown, that I heard them referred to as Christmas Crack.  Of course, knowing its addictive qualities, I can understand the nickname.  So beware, but at least it is legal!

Graham Cracker Toffee
a.k.a. Christmas Crack

Ingredients

• 1 packageGraham Crackers 
• 1 cupButter (2 whole sticks)
• 1 cupBrown Sugar
• Optional toppings:
• ½ cup Walnuts, chopped 
• ½ cup Chocolate Chips
• ½ cup Peppermints or Candy Canes, crushed
• ½ cup Pretzels, crushed
• Pinch of Sea Salt

Directions

1. Preheat over to 350 degrees.
2. Line a cookie sheet* with whole graham crackers. Use as many crackers as needed to fill the sheet. 
3. In a saucepan, melt butter, then mix in brown sugar. Bring this "toffee" mixture to a boil. 
4. Stir for 5 minutes while boiling, on low.
5. Spread the toffee mixture over the crackers and bake for 8–10 minutes—or until the toffee has bubbled across the whole pan. 
6. Sprinkle with desired toppings (if any) immediately after removal from oven. Note: If using chocolate chips, sprinkle on the chips, let them melt, then spread the chocolate evenly.
7. Cool for 10-20 minutes in the fridge.
8. Break/crack into pieces.  
9. Store in air-tight containers in the fridge for optimum freshness.

*Tip: I like to pre-line the cookie sheet with non-stick foil for easy clean up.  
Photo courtesy of http://tastykitchen.com/