Lamb Gyros

Lamb Gyros

Total preparation and cooking time: 30 minutes

Cucumber Yogurt Sauce (recipe below)
1 pound lean ground lamb
2 cloves garlic
1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano leaves, crushed
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon pepper
1 large tomato, cut in half and then into slices
1 small onion, thinly sliced
4 whole pita pocket breads, cut in half, warmed

Prepare Cucumber Yogurt Sauce: cover and refrigerate.
In a large bowl, combine lamb, garlic, dried oregano leaves, onion powder, salt and pepper; mix lightly but thoroughly. Shape into two oval 1/2-inch thick patties.

Place patties on rack in broiler pan so surface of meat is 3 to 4 inches from heat. Broil 8 to 10 minutes or until no longer pink, turning once. Carve each patty into thin slices. Place equal amounts of lamb, tomato and onion in each pita half; serve with Cucumber Yogurt Sauce. Serves 4.

Cucumber Yogurt Sauce

8-ounce carton plain low-fat yogurt
1/3 cup seeded, chopped cucumber
2 tablespoons finely chopped onion
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 teaspoon sugar

In medium bowl, combine all ingredients; mix well. Serve with Lamb Gyros.

Nutrition facts per serving (2 filled pita halves and 1/4 cup sauce): 472 calories, 30 grams pro., 44 grams carbohydrates, 19 grams fat, 3.9 milligrams iron, 970 milligrams sodium, 86 milligrams cholesterol.

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I wanted to try Gyros with the marinated tomatoes, after reading these ideas, & found this yummy recipe using ground lamb. I picked up some ground lamb & pitas & used a different cucumber yogurt sauce (1/2 c plain yogurt, 1/2 t dill, 1/4 t dried mint, 1/4 c minced cucumber) & it was delicious! I even got Finn to eat one with just cucumber yogurt sauce & lamb in a pita...plus ketchup to dip. :) Pretty sweet!

Beer Roasted Lime Chicken

Ingredients

• 1 (4 pound) whole chicken
• 1 tablespoon salt, or to taste
• 1 tablespoon ground black pepper, or to taste
• 1 lime, halved
• 1/2 (12 fluid ounce) can beer
• 1 cup water

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. Season the chicken inside and out with salt and pepper. Squeeze the juice from the lime over the whole chicken, then place the halves into the cavity of the chicken. Set the half full beer can in the center of a roasting pan or baking dish, and place the chicken over it in an upright position with the beer inserted into the cavity. Pour water into the bottom of the pan. Cover the chicken with aluminum foil, and place roasting pan and all into the oven.
3. Roast the chicken for about 1 1/2 hours in the preheated oven, removing foil during the last 20 minutes. Baste occasionally with the drippings. When finished, the internal temperature of the chicken should be 180 degrees F (80 degrees C) when taken in the meatiest part of the thigh. Let the chicken rest for about 10 minutes before serving.

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I needed to cook up a chicken I had thawing but wasn't sure if I'd be using the meat or just freezing it. This recipe was great for making a versatile meat that can be used with any recipe. The lime or beer flavors aren't very noticeable, but the chicken is tender & juicy. I had to cook it longer than suggested: for about 2 1/4 hours, but it was worth it! Very yummy.

Baked French Toast

I made baked french toast the night before Father's Day to treat Kenton to a tasty breakfast - kind of a big deal, since Kenton is the one who always has to make breakfast if he wants anything other than cereal (I'm a cereal girl, but I do appreciate when he makes breakfast). So, Kenton got a break on Father's day & ate a "fancy" breakfast. :P It was quite tasty & we all enjoyed it.




Baked French Toast

• 2 cups light brown sugar
• 1 stick butter or margarine
• 4 tablespoons flavoring of choice: vanilla, hazelnut, almond, etc. (I used vanilla)
  
• 4 eggs
• 1 3/4 cups milk
• 1 loaf Italian or French Bread cut into 1 inch thick slices
• cinnamon to taste

Preparation:

Preheat over to 375 degrees.

Place brown sugar into 13 x 8 inch baking dish. Melt butter or margarine in microwave. Blend brown sugar, melted butter & 2 tablespoons flavoring until it makes a glaze in bottom of baking dish.

Whisk eggs, milk & remaining flavoring in a shallow bowl until well blended. Dip each bread slice into egg mixture, soaking both sides. Set bread on top of brown sugar mixture in baking dish.

Sprinkle evenly with cinnamon to taste. (At this point you can refrigerate or freeze).

Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown.

Flip each slice of bread over so glazed side is up. Serve hot. Serves 6.

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I liked that this recipe called for milk instead of cream & didn't require 8 eggs. It was pretty simple & called for easy ingredients, most of which I had on hand. A perfect way to treat your family without having to wake up early! ;)

Banana Bread

Banana Bread Recipe

Ingredients

• 3 or 4 ripe bananas, smashed
• 1/3 cup melted butter
• 1 cup sugar (can easily reduce to 3/4 cup)
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• Pinch of salt
• 1 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour

Method

No need for a mixer for this recipe. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). With a wooden spoon, mix butter into the mashed bananas in a large mixing bowl. Mix in the sugar, egg, & vanilla. Sprinkle the baking soda & salt over the mixture & mix in. Add the flour last, mix. Pour mixture into a buttered 4x8 inch loaf pan (I used my mini loaf pan & sprinkled turbinado sugar on the bread before baking. I baked for 30 minutes). Bake for 1 hour. Cool on a rack. Remove from pan & slice to serve.

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I had some bananas that were past their prime & found this recipe online. It didn't disappoint & I'm excited for the boys to try it.

Strawberry Shortcake

I altered this recipe a bit to make shortcake as a cake instead of biscuits. So very tasty! A big hit with my Bible study group. :)


Strawberry Shortcake

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 1 stick butter, chilled
• 2/3 to 3/4 cup half and half, milk, or cream

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Set rack at center level.

Combine the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar. Cut butter into about 8 pieces & add to the mixture using a pastry blender until the mixture resembles coarse meal, but with few pea-size chunks of butter left in the mixture.

Make a well in the center & with a fork stir in the cream or milk, just until dough is moist. Be very careful not to overwork. The dough doesn't have to hold together well at this point.

Use your hands to knead a few times & place mixture in a greased round cake pan, pressing to fill the pan. Brush on a little milk or cream and sprinkle tops with some sugar, if desired. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes, until risen and golden brown.

Serve with sugared strawberries & whipped cream.

Pumpkin Bread

Pumpkin Bread Recipe

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups (210g) flour (I used wheat flour)
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1 cup (200 g) sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup (1/4 L) pumpkin purée*
1/2 cup (1 dL) olive oil
2 eggs, beaten
1/4 cup water (I used a little less, since there was water added to my pumpkin when I pureed it)
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon allspice (I used cloves instead)

1/2 cup (1 dL) chopped walnuts (I skipped these)

I added 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Method

1 Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Sift together the flour, salt, sugar, and baking soda.

2 Mix the pumpkin, oil, eggs, 1/4 cup of water, and spices together, then combine with the dry ingredients, but do not mix too thoroughly. Stir in the nuts.

3 Pour into a well-buttered 9x5x3 inch loaf pan. (I used mini loaf pans & sprinkled the tops with turbinado sugar) Bake 50-60 minutes (30 minutes in mini pans) until a thin skewer poked in the very center of the loaf comes out clean. Turn out of the pan and let cool on a rack.

Makes one loaf. Can easily double the recipe.

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Yumm! This is a hit with the whole family. So tasty. :)

Homemade Granola Bars

We are loving these granola bars in our home right now. They are tasty like cookies but a bit healthier. :) Can't wait to try different variations...

Homemade Granola Bars

• 2 cups rolled oats
• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 1/2 cup chocolate chips (can sub dried fruits for the chocolate and peanut butter chips)
• 1/2 cup peanut butter chips (I use butterscotch chips)
  
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup wheat germ
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1/2 cup honey
• 1/2 cup canola oil
• 2 tsp vanilla extract

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9 x 13 baking pan with foil and spray with cooking spray.

Mix the dry ingredients in a large bowl. In a small bowl, mix together the wet ingredients. Pour the wet mixture into the dry and mix well. Pat the mixture out into the foil lined pan.

Bake for about 15-20 minutes if you want chewy granola bars or for 20-25 minutes for crunchy granola bars. When the edges start to brown, remove from the oven and let cool for a couple of minutes. Use a pizza roller to slice into bars. Finish cooling completely before removing from the pan or they will break apart.

Chocolate Guiness Cake

I heard this recipe while listening to NPR one morning & decided to try it for a "day after" St. Patrick's Day celebration. :)

Ingredients for the cake:

1 cup Guinness1 stick plus 2 tablespoons unsalted butter3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
2 cups superfine sugar

3/4 cup sour cream
2 eggs
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

Ingredients for the topping:

8 oz Philadelphia cream cheese
1 1/4 cups confectioners' sugar
1/2 cup heavy cream

Preheat the over to 350 F, and butter and line a 9 inch springform pan.

Pour the Guinness into a large wide saucepan, add the butter — in spoons or slices — and heat until the butter's melted, at which time you should whisk in the cocoa and sugar. Beat the sour cream with the eggs and vanilla and then pour into the brown, buttery, beery pan and finally whisk in the flour and baking soda.

Pour the cake batter into the greased and lined pan and bake for 45 minutes to an hour. Leave to cool completely in the pan on a cooling rack, as it is quite a damp cake.

When the cake's cold, sit it on a flat platter or cake stand and get on with the frosting. Lightly whip the cream cheese until smooth, sift over the confectioner's sugar and then beat them both together. Or do this in a processor, putting the unsifted confectioners' sugar in first and blitz to remove lumps before adding the cheese.

Add the cream and beat again until it makes a spreadable consistency. Ice the top of the black cake so that it resembles the frothy top of the famous pint.

Makes about 12 slices

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This turned out so moist & tasty. Not too rich & the frosting was so good. Next time, I will whip the frosting until it gets a little more firm, but it worked as it was. Definitely a new go-to recipe for chocolate cake! Here's a photo of my cake - not quite as pretty as NPR's. :)

A funny story: I was at the step where you need to add eggs & when I pulled out my carton, I found only one egg! I panicked for a bit because my baby was sleeping & I couldn't go anywhere for a few hours, but I needed to finishing making the cake. Finally, I called my parents & my dad agreed to ride his bike over with an egg. I rewarded him with the rest of the bottle of Guinness. :) He was glad to have an excuse to ride his bike, so it worked out for both of us.

Beef Enchilada Casserole

a "before" photo

Another casserole...but we had a similar meal recently that was a big hit (Tamale Pie) & I wanted to try this version.

Ingredients:

1 pound ground beef
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 can tomato soup
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 small can diced green chiles (I forgot to get these at the store, so we went without...but it was probably better for Finn that it wasn't too spicy)
1 small can (15 ounce) hot enchilada sauce (I used mild)
1 pound longhorn cheese, grated (I used Colby Jack)
1 dozen corn tortillas (we ran out & had to use some flour tortillas...which was a bummer!)

Directions:

Cook ground beef in large skillet until meat is done; drain. Then add each can of soup, chiles, and hot sauce. Heat mixture to boil and allow to simmer for 5 minutes. Take mixture off heat. Put four corn tortillas in bottom of 9 x 13-inch baking dish. Add one-third of the meat mixture and one-third grated cheese. Continue making layers of tortillas, meat mixture and cheese until all ingredients are used. Bake in 350 degree F oven for 20 minutes.

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We liked eating this with tortilla chips - yumm! It was very tasty & we'll definitely make it again. Next time, I'll be sure to have enough corn tortillas! Such an easy, delicious meal & the leftovers are even better!!

Whipped Cream

Don't want to forget where I found this recipe. Always a winner, once I get over the stress about it turning into butter. Hasn't happened yet, knock on wood! :)


HOMEMADE WHIPPED CREAM

1/2 pt. whipping cream
3 tbsp. sugar
1 tsp. vanilla

Whip cream with mixer (I love my Kitchenaid!). Be careful not to overbeat or else will get too thick like butter. When it begins to thicken, add sugar and vanilla; stir. Refrigerate.

Chicken, Broccoli & Rice Casserole

This is one of my go-to meals because I usually have enough ingredients on hand to throw some version of it together. :) This time, I didn't have any cream of mushroom soup but I did have chicken broth. I probably could have just used the broth, but I wanted to try to make homemade condensed cream of chicken soup. I tried this recipe & thought it turned out nicely.

Yield: 3 cups (about 2 cans)

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups chicken broth
1/2 teaspoon poultry seasoning (I skipped this)
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt (or less; taste to test)
1/4 teaspoon parsley (I skipped this too - just didn't have any on hand)
dash of paprika
1 1/2 cups milk
3/4 cup flour

Instructions:

1. In medium-sized saucepan, boil chicken broth, 1/2 cup of the milk, and the seasonings for a minute or two (longer if using fresh onions or garlic).

2. In a bowl, whisk together the remaining 1 cup of milk and flour. Add to boiling mixture and continue whisking briskly until mixture boils and thickens.

Preparation Time:

5 minutes

Cooking Time:

10-15 minutes

Then I loosely followed this recipe for the casserole.

CHICKEN, BROCCOLI, RICE CASSEROLE

1 (5 oz.) can Swanson boned chicken (I used about 10 frozen chicken tenders & put them straight into the casserole, frozen & all)
1 c. milk
1 (10 oz.) can cream of chicken soup (I used my homemade version)
1/2 c. chopped onions (skipped this cause we don't really care for onions)
1/2 c. chopped green peppers (skipped this because I wanted to keep it simple)
1 med. size bag broccoli (I used about 3/4 of a head of fresh broccoli)
1 1/2 c. Minute Rice (I used long grain white rice & followed the directions in the previous post for baking rice - I said I "loosely" followed this recipe, right?) :)
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
American cheese, shredded (or cheddar - it's what we had)

Combine all ingredients except cheese and put in casserole. Cover and bake for 25 to 30 minutes (mine baked for a total of 1 hour, since this chicken was frozen & the rice was not minute rice). Uncover, sprinkle shredded cheese on top. Bake an additional 5 minutes or until cheese is melted. Bake at 350 degrees.

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It turned out great & I was super excited that EVERYONE ate it! Even the kids. Finn ate some broccoli after being bribed with gum. :P And Cedar got to try the same dinner as the rest of the family (for the first time), only his version was chopped in the food processor. Anyway, not a super exciting meal, but it's pretty tasty & I didn't have to buy anything extra to make it! Sounds like a winner to me! :)

Baking rice

Here's a cool site that explains how to bake different grains. I like baking rice & chicken together & this method works for me!

Apple & Gorgonzola Salad with Celery Seed Dressing

Easy, yummy salad made from ingredients I often have on hand. I skipped the ham & raisins, because I was in a hurry & didn't have those ingredients. It was still very tasty & I'm sure those 2 ingredients would have been yummy, too.

Celery Seed Dressing Ingredients:

• 1/2 teaspoon dijon mustard
• 3 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
• 1/2 cup canola oil
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon celery seed
• Pinch salt

Salad Ingredients:

• 1 head Boston lettuce, torn into bite-size pieces
• 1 1/2 apples, cut into julienne strips
• 1/2 cup golden raisins
• 1/3 cup cashews
• 2/3 cup crumbled gorgonzola cheese
• 6 oz. shaved Rostello Roasted Ham

Directions:

1. To make dressing whisk together mustard and vinegar. While whisking, drizzle in oil and whisk until emulsified. Add sugar, celery seed and salt. Set aside.

2. In a large bowl combine lettuce, apple, raisins, cashews and reserved Celery Seed Dressing; toss well.

3. Divide salad between four plates. Sprinkle with gorgonzola, and place shaved Rostello Roasted Ham on salad.

Crock Pot Chicken Stock

I've used this recipe a few times recently & it is so convenient! I've enjoy using every bit of a roasted chicken to make several different dinners. Plus, using the crock pot to make stock means that I can get it altogether before bed & let it cook all night or do it right before I head out to work. So easy! I will definitely continue using this "recipe".

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 pounds bone-in chicken pieces
• 6 cups water
• 2 stalks celery, chopped
• 2 carrots, chopped
• 1 onion, quartered
• 1 tablespoon dried basil

Directions

1. Place the chicken pieces, water, celery, carrots, onion, and basil in a slow cooker.
2. Cook on Low setting for 8 to 10 hours. Strain before using, and discard vegetables. Chicken may be removed from the bones, and used in soup.

Sweet Meat Pie

For Thanksgiving this year, I baked a sweet meat squash (greenish/white pumpkin) pie from scratch - a first for me! I couldn't find a perfect recipe, so I followed this recipe for a butternut squash pie. It was SO yummy. I might have to try it again next year!

Ingredients:

• 1 unbaked and chilled 9-inch pie shell: (I followed the Pampered Chef "Perfect Pie Crust" recipe)
  
• 1 large butternut squash, cooked and pureed, about 1 1/2 cups pureed squash (I used a Sweet Meat squash)
  
• 1 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed
• 3 large eggs
• 3/4 cup evaporated milk or half-and-half (I used half-and-half)
  
• 1 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon melted butter
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

Preparation:

To cook squash:
Cut the squash in half lengthwise; remove stem and scoop out the seeds. Place the squash, cut side down, on a foil-lined oiled baking pan; add about 1/2 cup of water to the pan. Cover loosely with foil and bake at 400° for 45 to 55 minutes, or until the squash is tender and can be easily pierced with a fork. Let cool completely then peel and mash or puree the squash or put it through a food mill. Measure 1 1/2 cups of the squash and set aside.

Reduce oven to 350° F and position an oven rack in the center of the oven. In a mixing bowl with electric mixer, beat the squash with the brown sugar. Add eggs, evaporated milk, spices salt, flour, butter, and vanilla. Beat until well blended. Pour the filling into the chilled pie and place on the center oven rack. Bake for 45 to 55 minutes, or until set. Check after about 35 minutes and loosely set a ring of foil or a pie crust protector over the browned crust so it won't get too dark. When the filling is set, transfer the pie to a rack to cool. Serve just warm or at room temperature with a dollop of whipped topping or whipped cream.

Final results: cracked, but perfect otherwise!

Potato Cheese Soup

6 to 8 large baking potatoes
2 cups milk
4 cups chicken broth
2/3 cup flour
2/3 cup butter
8-12 strips bacon, cooked
1 cup sour cream
8 oz. cheddar cheese, shredded
salt and pepper to taste

Bake potatoes until soft, then peel. Mash or cube the potatoes depending on the desired consistency for the soup.

In a large soup pot, combine butter and flour to make a roux. Cook for 1 minute, then slowly whisk in the liquids.

Add salt and pepper, potatoes, cooked bacon, and cheese. At the last minute, stir in the sour cream. Season to taste with salt and pepper before serving.

Soup will be thick. Add milk to reheat.

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I had leftover baked potatoes from our Small Group dinner on Tuesday night, so I made this yummy soup! I only made a half-batch, which was still about 6 servings - perfect for our little family, with some to spare for leftovers. Finn refused to eat a single bite...but that's what I get for making potato soup for the boy who has NEVER liked potatoes! Go figure... Cedar, on the other hand, greatly enjoyed his bit of mashed potatoes with cheese & plain yogurt. We heard a lot of "Mmmm mmmm" from his high chair. ;)

Tasty enough for the grown-ups that I started a blog to keep track of my favorite recipes found on the net. Bon appetit!