Two Girls Cooking

Southwestern Tuna Casserole

2010-05-18T19:57:00.003-05:00

Today was grocery shopping day in our house. Which means that I sit down and come up with a weeks worth of dinners to plan for.

I do this for several reasons, but mostly to cut down on costs per week and also so that when it's time to cook, I know exactly what we're having and don't have to sit and think about it that day.

In putting together my list, I felt like I was back again at making the same meals over and over. So I googled 7 day meal plans to see if I could find something new that I haven't done before or in a while. Most of the meals, however, are foods that the family will not eat. Again, I have a few that are finicky to say the least.

I stumbled upon this Southwestern Tuna Casserole and knew right away no one would like it! But I also know that I'm the cook and those that choose to not like it can make something different!!! It's called a choice. And I made the choice to make something different!!!!!

The weather has been nice lately and I really didn't want to turn on the oven but I also needed something different. So Southwestern Tuna Salad it was.

Here's what you need:

1 Tbsp. olive oil

1 medium onion , chopped

1 1/2 cups frozen corn kernels , thawed

1 can (10.5 ounces) reduced-fat, reduced-sodium cream of mushroom soup

1 cup store-bought bottled tomato salsa

1 tsp. chili powder (optional)

3 cloves garlic - I added!

1 can (6 ounces) tuna , packed in water, drained and flaked

2 1/2 cups whole wheat pasta , cooked according to package directions

1 cup shredded cheese (cheddar blend preferred)

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350°. Grease a 2-quart casserole dish with olive oil and set aside.

Place a large skillet over medium-high heat. Coat with the 1 tablespoon of oil, and when the oil is hot, add the onions and garlic.

Cook and stir until softened, about 3 minutes. Stir in corn and cook 2 minutes longer to incorporate. Stir in the soup, salsa and chili powder (if desired) until well blended.

Add the tuna and cooked pasta, stirring just to coat. Pour into the prepared greased casserole dish. Sprinkle the top evenly with cheese.

Bake for about 25 minutes or until bubbling, remove from oven and serve immediately.

Trying new meals in my house can be a scary thing for me sometimes. I love to cook, I love to try new things, I love to eat new things. But my family would beg to differ.

The kids loved it. They asked for more. Craig? Well he had left over sloppy joes tonight. He did taste the casserole and he did say he would eat it tomorrow night for dinner.

So it's a partial hit.

I loved it. It was easy to make and something different. And that's what I was looking for.

Have a good rest of the week and enjoy!

Patricia

Two Girls Cooking

Strawberry Banana Muffins

2010-05-12T07:30:00.003-05:00

With only two of us in the house, I often end up with an extra banana or two that just didn't get eaten before it got overripe. So rather than make the same banana bread over and over I try to do something different with them each time. Last week I chose these Strawberry Banana muffins from Joy of Baking since I needed to use up some strawberries too. These tasted just like banana bread, but with chunks of strawberries. I really enjoyed having one for breakfast each morning in place of my usual english muffin.

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
3/4 cup light brown sugar
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
2 large ripe bananas, mashed (about 1 cup)
1 cup fresh strawberries (cut into bite sized pieces)
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Position rack in center of oven. Line a 12 cup muffin pan with paper liners or grease with butter or a vegetable spray.
In a medium sized bowl whisk together the brown sugar, eggs, vanilla extract and mashed banana. Add the melted butter to the brown sugar mixture and stir to combine.
In another large bowl combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Gently fold in the berries, making sure they are coated with flour. This helps to prevent the berries from sinking during baking. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir only until the ingredients are just combined. Do not over mix the batter or tough muffins will result.
Divide the batter evenly among the 12 muffin cups. Place in the oven and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes.

If you like the strawberry banana flavor combination as much as I do, give these a try. They were very easy to make, and hit the spot!
- Jodi

Sweet and Sour Chicken

2010-05-07T19:38:00.001-05:00

I love chinese take-out. Most people do. I usually pick up the phone and try my luck at the local restaurant, but since the last time my family and I had a terrible experience....so I decided my luck would be better cooking this up at home. (If it didn't turn out my back up plan was going to Lee Ann Chins!!! - I haven't gone wrong there!)

I've made a couple of chinese dishes at home but haven't made Sweet and Sour Chicken before.

This recipe is a little on time consuming, so if you're looking for something quick and easy, then wait on this one for a nice rainy, cold spring day! It's so worth it.

Here's what you need:

FOR THE CHICKEN

4 chicken breasts (cut into chunks)

1-2 cups of corn starch

3 eggs

2 tbsp. canola oil (for pan)

garlic salt/salt/pepper to taste

FOR THE SAUCE:

3/4 cup pineapple juice

1 tbsp soy sauce

1/4 cup ketchup

1/4 cup rice vinegar

1/4 cup sugar

1 1/2 tbsp cornstarch

2 tsp oil

Here's what you do:

After cutting the chicken into bite size chunks, season with garlic/salt and pepper, cover with the cornstarch and coat with the egg - you may have to do this in two batches.

In a heated frying pan, add the chicken and cook on each side until brown and crisp.

While the chicken is cooking, heat a pan with 2 tsp of oil until med-hot. In a bowl mix the pineapple juice and cornstarch. Add the remaining ingredients to the heated pan along with the juice/cornstarch mixture. Heat the sauce and mix well until it thickens. When the chicken is cooked through, pour the sauce over the chicken and coat both sides. I used pineapple juice from the can and used the pineapple chunks to the chicken.

This was a much better experience than what we had when we went out to dinner and left paying well more than what this meal cost. AND we all enjoyed this one!

I'll be making this again for sure.

Have a great weekend and happy cooking.

Patricia

Two Girls Cooking

Strawberry Cupcakes

2010-04-29T21:26:00.020-05:00

Here is my first attempt at baking homemade cupcakes and frosting.

I got a great recipe from Jonna at Get Off Your Butt and Bake's website. I try to check out her site a few times a week just to look and see what she's baked up!

She had some huckleberry cupcakes with marshmallow frosting that looked AMAZING!!

I wanted to have some strawberry cupcakes so silly me decided to add a package of strawberry gelatin and some fresh strawberries to the cake mixture.

I'm quite proud of myself for getting these to turn out the way they did, but they certainly don't look like Jonna's cupcakes and frosting do. Will I eat them? Sure will. They taste really good. But I think I might give it a try this weekend again and leave the recipe as is and not try to make changes.

My problem is that I can cook and make changes or make up a recipe on my own, adding seasonings or ingredients that I "think" will taste good. I can't do that with baking when I'm not comfortable with doing this at all!!!

But I'll blog because my good has to come with the bad and I have to share that as well.

I'll give you the recipe that Jonna has on her site, and PLEASE check out her page that is certainly beautiful.

www.justgetoffyourbuttandbake.com

Here's what you need:

MARSHMALLOW FROSTING

Beat together:

2 egg whites and 1/4 tsp. salt

until very very Frothy.

Slowly add:

1/4 cup white sugar

Beat until very smooth thick and glossy.

Slowly add:

3/4 Cup light Karo Syrup.

Beat until stiff, stiff, stiff Peaks form.

Gently:

Fold in 1 tsp. Pure Vanilla

Frost cupcakes, cake or pipe on.

Don’t cover cake tightly.

I rested my cupcakes in the fridge uncovered.

It worked perfectly.

SILVER WHITE CAKE

2 cups all purpose flour

2 1/4 cups cake flour

1 1/2 cups sugar

3 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 tsp. salt

1/2 cup shortening or butter

1 cup milk

1 tsp. vanilla

4 egg whites

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour 13×9x2 inch cake pan, or 2 round layer pans, or make cupcakes. Beat flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, shortening, milk and vanilla in large mixer bowl on low speed, scraping bowl constantly, 30 seconds. Beat on high speed, scraping bowl occasionally, 2 minutes. Add egg whites; beat on high speed, scraping bowl occasionally, 2 minutes. Pour into pan or lined cupcakes.

Bake until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean, about 30 to 35 minutes for cake pans. 20 minutes or so for cupcakes. Watch carefully. Frost.

Will make about 2 dozen cupcakes.

Here are some pictures that I took of my scary baking process!!

Strawberry Cake mix

In the oven - fresh strawberries on some of the cupcakes.

Making the frosting - see it formed the stiff peaks!! The stiff peaks did not stay when I tried to frost. I tried to use a bag to pipe the frosting, however, that didn't work so well for me either!!! It was coming out the top, wasn't standing firm...ugh..(but it tastes soooo good).

So there are my cupcakes. They turned out OKAY for my first time. But I'm not completely satisfied and will try again.

Happy baking and cooking..

Enjoy the rest of your week and have a better weekend.

Patricia

Two Girls Cooking

Panko Crusted Ranch Chicken

2010-04-28T17:36:00.000-05:00

I've got a simple chicken dinner that can't go wrong - that's how easy it is.
There is not much to making this chicken at all and wasn't even sure I should post it. But the taste was so good, I couldn't help but show it. And I guess a meal isn't based just on what you put in the recipe, but how it turns out (and the fact that the people you are feeding enjoy it!!).

Here's all you need:

4 chicken breasts

Ranch dressing - enough to coat the each chicken breast

Italian dressing - enough to coat each chicken breast

salt/pepper/garlic salt to taste

Panko bread crumbs - enough to coat each chicken breast

How to put this together:

In a small bowl, pour enough Panko crumbs to coat chicken. Pour Italian dressing over chicken breasts and season. Pour Ranch dressing over both sides of chicken and rub in to make sure it's completely covered.

Coat each piece of chicken in the Panko crumbs until.

Place on a baking sheet (spray with non stick cooking spray) and bake at 425 degrees until chicken is cooked through.

Due to eating at Zantigo with my other half of Two Girls Cooking today, I had the chicken with a side salad and skipped the baked potato!!

Again, this is a super simple meal to make with ingredients you probably have on hand. It's so easy and it has such great flavor.

Give it a try for your dinner tonight!

Enjoy.

Patricia

Two Girls Cooking

Cheeseburger Buns

2010-04-27T16:41:00.001-05:00

My mom called me last week and tried to order a pizza for delivery. She says it's not fair to post all these recipes and pictures and she doesn't get to eat any. So this weekend I decided I would make dinner for my family, and talked my sister Jamie into helping. We decided to make these Cheeseburger Buns I found in a Taste of Home magazine, with a few minor changes. It seemed like it would be a fun one to make with kids, and the taste is very kid friendly too. My sister enjoyed kneading the dough, though it was pretty sticky business at first! She also had fun rolling out the dough and pinching it together over the fillings.

Dough:
1 pkg rapid rise yeast
1/3 cup warm water (110° to 115°)
1/3 cup warm milk (110° to 115°)
1/8 cup sugar
1/8 cup shortening
1 egg
1 tsp salt
2 to 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

Filling:
1 pound ground beef or ground turkey
1 small onion, chopped
1/2 pound Velveeta Cheese, cubed
salt and pepper to taste
1 to 2 tbsp butter, melted

Makes about 1 dozen

In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Add the milk, sugar, shortening, egg, salt and 1 1/2 cups flour; beat until smooth. Stir in enough remaining flour to form a soft dough.
Turn onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about 6-8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook the beef, onion, salt and pepper over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain. Add cheese; cook and stir until cheese is melted. Remove from the heat.
Punch dough down. Turn onto a lightly floured surface; divide in half. Roll each portion into a rectangle about 12-in. x 8-in.; cut each into six squares. Place 1/4 cup meat mixture in the center of each square. Bring corners together in the center and pinch to seal.
Place 2 in. apart on greased baking sheets. Bake at 400° for 9-11 minutes or until lightly browned. Brush with butter. Serve warm with your favorite cheeseburger toppings.

I was impressed with the flavor and texture of the bun, it was nice and soft just like a hamburger bun. Since we used the rapid rise yeast the dough was ready by the time the filling was cooked. The filling was pretty simple and definately hit the spot for a cheeseburger craving.

My mom called and said she thought these would be good to try with sloppy joe filling. I think that she means I should come over there and try it! :)

- Jodi

Grilled Chicken, Bacon and Pepper Jack cheese (grilled) sandwich w/Mayonnaise Pesto

2010-04-25T18:44:00.002-05:00

Last week on Food Buzz "Cookin' Canuck" had this great panini recipe she had posted. It was Grilled Chicken, Bacon & Smoked Gouda Panini with Pesto Mayonaise. Her sandwich looked so good I decided to see if I could do her recipe justice.

I don't have a panini press, I'm not a huge fan of Gouda cheese, so I made some simple changes.

The kids aren't a fan of hot/spicy so I decided to use American cheese on their half of the sammy and Pepper Jack cheese on my side!!

If you're looking for something new or a change in your dinner plans, give this a try. It was so easy to make. I had most of the ingredients on hand. And the kids had fun with it. What more can you ask for!!

Here's what you need:

Ciabatta bread (cut in half length wise)
4 grilled chicken breasts (marinated with fat free Italian dressing - garlic salt and pepper) - cook on the grill until done!
1pkg maple bacon (gave it a wonderful sweet flavor to balance out the spicy cheese)
sliced cheese - I used American cheese and Pepper Jack cheese
2/3 cup lite Miracle Whip
2 tbs pesto (I used a jar from the store - didn't make my own this time)
1 medium onion sliced
romaine lettuce for topping on the sammy

What to do:
I marinated the chicken breasts and seasoned. Cooked on the grill for about 20 minutes - until cooked through.
While the chicken was cooking on the grill I cooked the bacon until nice and crispy.

In a bowl combine and mix the Miracle Whip and Pesto together. Spread over ciabatta bread that has been cut (I used the spread on both the top and bottom of the bread)

After the chicken has been cooked and cooled for about 5 minutes, slice it thinly. Put your cheese, onion and bacon on bread and layer with the chicken. (I added more cheese to the top!!).

Put the top of the bread together and push together so the sammy doesn't fall apart when you pick it up.
Put it on the grill just until the cheese is melted and the bread is nice and toasted (watch this closely so the bread doesn't burn).

This was the messiest, sloppiest, tastiest sammy I've had in a long time. I can't say that I've ever really put a sandwich on the grill, but I'm glad I tried it with this one!

Have a great week! Enjoy your cooking! Oh and here's the link to Cookin' Canuck's original posting. http://cookincanuck.blogspot.com/2010/04/grilled-chicken-bacon-smoked-gouda.html

Two Girls Cooking...
Patricia

Whole Wheat Pizza Dough

2010-04-21T19:07:00.001-05:00

I've been making homemade pizza lately because it's one of the things I've been craving, but it's much healthier to make it myself. I've been playing with different dough recipes and so far this one's my favorite.
It makes a thin crust that is crisp on the outside, but still has some chewy on the inside. The whole wheat flour gives the dough more flavor than a white pizza dough. It uses a quick rise yeast, so I can pull it together last minute. But if you like, you can make the dough ahead and store in a plastic bag coated with cooking spray in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Bring to room temperature before using.

3/4 cup whole-wheat flour
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 package quick-rising yeast
3/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp sugar
1/2-2/3 cup hot water (120-130°F)
2 tsp extra-virgin olive oil
(Makes 12 oz of dough)

Combine flours, yeast, salt and sugar in a food processor or stand mixer; mix to combine. Combine hot water and oil in a measuring cup. With the mixer running, gradually pour in enough of the hot liquid until the mixture forms a sticky ball. The dough should be pretty soft. If it seems dry, add 1 to 2 tablespoons warm water; if it's too sticky, add 1 to 2 tablespoons flour. Mix until the dough forms a ball, then mix for 1 minute to knead.

Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface. Coat a sheet of plastic wrap with cooking spray and place it, sprayed-side down, over the dough. Let the dough rest for 10 to 20 minutes before rolling.

Place a pizza stone or inverted baking sheet on the lowest oven rack; preheat oven to 500°F or highest setting. Roll (about a 13-inch circle) and top the pizza as desired and bake the pizza until the bottom is crisp and golden, 10 to 14 minutes.

I've also been playing with different toppings. My new favorite thing to put on my pizza is caramelized onion. Regular chopped onion is good too, but that extra sweetness and tenderness they get when you brown them first just makes it so much better! For this one I put:
1-2 tbsp olive oil
1 sliced tomato
a handful of fresh chopped basil
1 thinly sliced onion sauteed with
2 cloves garlic
1/3 small can of black olives
fresh mozzarella cheese, thinly sliced
shredded parmesan cheese

Now that I found a dough that I like I think I will have to play with it a bit, maybe add some herbs or garlic to the crust. And of course try some different toppings! What do you like on your pizza?

- Jodi

Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting

2010-04-14T17:04:00.002-05:00

I love strawberries, so when they go on sale I tend to lose my head and buy too many. This week I found myself with 4 lbs to use up. While I don't mind just eating a handful as a snack, I wanted to get more creative to use them up before they go bad. Today I found a recipe on one of my favorite blogs, My Baking Addiction, I just had to try.

I decided to just use a box mix for these vanilla cupcakes to save time. Normally I'm not a big frosting person, I've never been the type that could just eat frosting out of the bowl. This frosting is so tasty, it might be the exception for me. It tastes almost like strawberry ice cream. It is a bit soft, but keeping the cupcakes in the fridge does the trick.

Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting

from My Baking Addiction

1/2 cup whole strawberries
1 stick unsalted butter, firm and slightly cold

1 8 ounce package of cream cheese, slightly cold
1/2 teaspoon clear vanilla extract
22 ounces of confectioners’ sugar (approximately 1.4 pounds)

Place strawberries in the bowl of a small food processor; process until pureed. In a medium bowl beat butter on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add in the cream cheese and beat until combined. Reduce mixer speed and slowly add confectioners’ sugar; beat until well combined. Add vanilla and 3 tablespoons strawberry puree (save any remaining strawberry puree for another use); mix until just blended. Do not over mix or frosting will incorporate too much air.

Next time you want something other than the traditional chocolate or vanilla frosting, give this one a try. I know I will be making it again! :)

- Jodi

P.S. What's your favorite way to use Strawberries?

Mushroom Gnocchi Pasta Bake

2010-04-05T18:34:00.000-05:00

Today I sat down and needed to come up with my weeks worth of dinner ideas (grocery shopping time!!) If I don't have a list of what we're having for the week for dinner, then I buy pretty much everything. That means that my grocery bill is sky high.
Since taking my lists with me and buying ONLY what is needed for the week, I've cut my grocery bill by so much.
We've been having chicken dinners quite a bit lately. It's cheap and easy to make many different varieties of dishes,
For some reason I have a hard time coming up with a dinner that doesn't involve chicken, that the ENTIRE family will like. I have no idea why that is, but I do.
Anyhow, today I came up with something new, quick and easy and hopefully liked by all.

Here's what you need:

1lb ground turkey (the recipe I found called for Italian Sausage - I'm not a fan)
1 pkg mushroom gnocchi
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1 jar spaghetti sauce (any flavor that you enjoy)
I added to the recipe:
2 cloves garlic
orgeno, salt/pepper to taste
shredded parmesan cheese (to sprinkle over the top)

Enjoy with your favorite bread!

Here's what to do:
Boil a pot of water to add gnocchi.
Brown ground turkey in frying pan until cooked through. Add garlic and seasonings, mix together well with the spaghetti sauce. Simmer.
Once the water is boiling, add gnocchi and cook until they float to the top (this doesn't take very long).
Drain gnocchi and add to pasta mixture. Pour all into a baking dish and top with shredded cheese. Bake at 400 degrees until cheese is starting to brown.

This was a quick and easy meal to prepare. The family did eat it with no complaints!!!

Have a great week and happy cooking to you all!

Patricia

Slow Cooker Chicken Alfredo Stew

2010-03-24T16:00:00.004-05:00

This is not an original recipe, I found it on Betty Crocker's website. There's times when you just need a quick go to, easy, fun recipe. And this is one of them.

I cook with a lot of chicken. We don't eat a lot of red meats and so I'm always trying to find new recipes so the family doesn't get tired of eating the same old things week after week.
Craig always says he's willing to try new things, but he is not a fan of certain foods and I tend to steer away from recipes that have carrots, onions, etc in them so that I am making something that we can all enjoy.
This recipe does have mixed vegetables in it so I'm hoping he likes this as well.

This is a good recipe when you have a busy day planned and you can just put this all in your slower cooker, set and forget it until dinner time (check on it of course!!).

Keep dinner prep to 10 minutes with store-bought pasta sauce, refrigerated cooked diced potatoes and frozen mixed vegetables.

Prep Time: 10 minTotal Time: 6 hours 10 minMakes: 6 servings

Here's what you need:

jar (16 oz) Alfredo pasta sauce

3/4

cup water

1/2

teaspoon dried basil leaves

1/2

teaspoon salt

cups refrigerated cooked diced potatoes with onions (from 20-oz bag)

1 1/4

lb boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch-wide strips

bag (1 lb) Green Giant® frozen mixed vegetables

1.	In small bowl, mix pasta sauce, water, basil and salt.
2.	Spray 3- to 4-quart slow cooker with cooking spray. In cooker, layer half each of the potatoes, chicken strips, frozen vegetables and pasta sauce. Repeat layers ending with pasta sauce.
3.	Cover; cook on Low heat setting 6 to 8 hours.
High Altitude (3500-6500 ft): No change.

Nutrition Information:

1 Serving: Calories 530 (Calories from Fat 280); Total Fat 31g (Saturated Fat 17g, Trans Fat 1g);Cholesterol 135mg; Sodium 730mg; Total Carbohydrate 33g (Dietary Fiber 5g, Sugars 3g); Protein30g Percent Daily Value*: Vitamin A 80%; Vitamin C 8%; Calcium 20%; Iron 15% Exchanges: 2 Starch; 0Other Carbohydrate; 1 Vegetable; 3 Very Lean Meat; 5 1/2 Fat Carbohydrate Choices: 2
*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

I hope you're having a wonderful week and starting for an even better weekend. Happy Cooking.

Patricia



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	About Concordance™

And the Winner is...

2010-03-21T20:38:00.013-05:00

Patricia and I want to thank everyone for entering out first giveaway. And the Winner is... Cheryl W.!

Congrats Cheryl!

Giveaway! Our first one!! Rachael Ray Bakeware!

2010-03-17T15:59:00.000-05:00

Jodi and I are so excited! We have our very first giveaway. And better still...it's a Rachael Ray Bakeware product!

When CSN stores, who by the way have the best kids bedding, approached us regarding a giveaway, we couldn't have been more excited! A free giveaway? Of course! Who doesn't love getting something for free?

This product is the Rachael Ray Bubble and Brown 2.75 Qt. covered casserole dish in orange!!!

I have the two smaller casserole dishes by Rachael Ray but mine do not have the cover. These have the openings on both ends making it so much easier when removing this from the oven when it's hot. I've used my dishes several times and love them. I've also had leftovers that I could easily warm up the next day even faster if I'd been able to leave in this dish with the top on it, placed it in the oven and it's all set.

This giveaway is so easy to enter. All you have to do is this:

1. Leave a comment below telling us your favorite thing to cook or bake. Recipes are welcomed, but Not required

2. You must leave your name and email address in the comment. If you win we will need a way to contact you.

3. Become a follower of our blog!

Deadline: Saturday, March 20, 2010 at 11:59pm central standard time.

Extra Entries:

1) Follow @jodi_lee or @godzgirl37 on Twitter. Leave a comment here indicating that you are now a follower. (If you already follow us, just let us know!)

2) Tweet about this giveaway. Leave a comment here with a link to your tweet.

3) Re-post this giveaway on your own blog and leaving a comment with a link to your post.

4) Join our group on our Facebook page Two Girls Cooking. Leave a comment here indicating you are now a member (If you are already a member, just let us know!)

5) Post about this giveaway on Facebook. Leave a comment here with a link to your update.

Make sure to leave a comment with your name and email address each time you enter (ie. one when you leave your favorite thing, another if you become a follower...).

Happy entering and good luck!

We will announce the winner on Sunday, March 21, 2010.

Again, happy entering!

Jodi and Patricia

Two Girls Cooking

Fine Print
No purchase necessary to enter. Winner will be selected at random by Two Girls Cooking using Random.org. All entries received after the Giveaway closing day and time will not be considered. Entries that do not follow the entry requirements will not be considered. Winner will be notified via email and will have 24 hours to confirm receipt of the email. If the winner does not reply within 24 hours, another winner will be selected.

Chicken Pot Pie w/Herb Crust

2010-03-09T17:52:00.000-06:00

I am a fan of chicken pot pie. Why? Because the family will eat it!
I've made this quite a few times over the cold months and found another recipe at Betty Crocker so I thought I'd give this a try.
As spring is approaching...and it is approaching for us in the MN coldness...I wanted to keep these good comfort foods going until it gets too hot for them!! And yes, it gets hot here in MN!! (though we may have snow on the ground until at least June!!).

Here's what you need:

cups cut-up cooked chicken

bag (1 pound) Green Giant® frozen mixed vegetables, thawed

cans (10 3/4 ounces each) condensed cream of chicken soup

can (10 1/2 ounces) condensed chicken broth

cups Original Bisquick® mix
1 and 1/2 cups milk

1/2

teaspoon dried thyme leaves

1/4

teaspoon dried sage leaves

Chopped fresh parsley, if desired
**I added 3 cloves fresh garlic, oregano, salt/pepper to taste, all spice, Mrs. Dash - all to taste**

Here's how:

1.	Heat oven to 350°. Heat chicken, vegetables, soup and broth to boiling in 4-quart saucepan or Dutch oven, stirring occasionally. Boil and stir 1 minute. Spread in ungreased rectangular baking dish, 13x9x2 inches.
2.	Stir together remaining ingredients except parsley in medium bowl; pour evenly over soup mixture (crust will rise during baking).
3.	Bake uncovered 30 to 40 minutes or until golden brown. Sprinkle with parsley. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.
High Altitude (3500-6500 ft): Heat oven to 400°. After heating chicken mixture to boiling in step 1, boil and stir 3 minutes. Bake 35 to 40 minutes. Nutrition Information: 1 Serving: Calories 365 (Calories from Fat 135); Total Fat 15g (Saturated Fat 5g); Cholesterol 70mg;Sodium 1230mg; Total Carbohydrate 30g (Dietary Fiber 2g); Protein 27g Percent Daily Value: Iron14% Exchanges: 2 Starch; 3 Lean Meat; 1 Fat Carbohydrate Choices: 2 Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. This is a favorite meal that the kids enjoy (even with the mixed veggies!) Brooklyn just asked for 2nds!!! (I want to know what's considered a serving size - I would like more!!!) Happy cooking to you all. Have a good week. Patricia

Chocolate Marble Banana Bread

2010-03-03T21:31:00.003-06:00

This week I found myself with a few over ripe bananas, so Scott requested banana bread. Regular banana bread was not very exciting, so I looked around a bit. Chocolate in banana bread sounded like fun, so I decided we'd give it a try. This recipe came out great, very moist and fluffy. Like a nice mix of chocolate cake and banana bread. We had it warm with a little butter right away, but it was just as good after it cooled just by itself.

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled
3 ripe large bananas, mashed well (about 1-1/2 cups)
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 and place oven rack to middle position. Grease and flour the bottom and sides of a loaf pan. Set aside.
In a large bowl combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt. Set aside.
In a medium-sized bowl combine the mashed bananas, eggs, melted butter, and vanilla. With a rubber spatula or wooden spoon, lightly fold the banana mixture into the dry ingredients just until combined and the batter is thick and chunky. Don't over mix the batter, you do not want it smooth. Over mixing the batter will yield tough, rubbery bread.
Place chocolate chips in a medium microwave-safe bowl, and microwave 1 minute or until almost melted, stirring until smooth. Cool slightly. Add 1 cup batter to chocolate, stirring until well combined.
Spoon chocolate batter alternately with plain batter into loaf pan. Swirl batters together using a knife. Bake until bread is golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 55 to 60 minutes. Place on a wire rack to cool and then remove the bread from the pan.

I dropped off a chunk with my mom last night, she's always complaining that she doesn't get to eat the things I'm blogging about. She has somehow managed to keep my choco-holic stepdad from trying it, and it's a good thing, or there'd be none left!
- Jodi

Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies

2010-02-24T17:37:00.001-06:00

I baked! I actually made chocolate chip cookies and they turned out pretty dang good.
Yes, I did some baking over the holidays but I'm still pretty proud when I attempt something and it turns out - we can actually eat it!

I had the kids help so I'm sure it was their added talent that helped!!

I saw a posting today by the Brown Eyed Baker and she made some peanut butter oatmeal cookies. I had decided to bake cookies earlier today, so when I saw her posting, I thought I'd add the oats in there. I'm not a huge fan of peanut butter in the cookies, so I left that out. I left that out mostly though because I didn't have creamy peanut butter - only nutty!!

Here's what you need:

Ingredients

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs
2 cups (12-oz. pkg.) NESTLÉ® TOLL HOUSE® Semi-Sweet Chocolate Morsels
1 cup oats

How to:

PREHEAT oven to 375° F.

COMBINE flour, baking soda and salt in small bowl. Beat butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla extract in large mixer bowl until creamy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Stir in morsels and nuts. Drop by rounded tablespoon onto ungreased baking sheets.

BAKE for 9 to 11 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely.

I'm sure I've made the cookies before in the past, but I still baked. And they still turned out.

Have a happy rest of the week.

Patricia, Brooklyn and Caleb

Bacon Egg Bake

2010-02-21T12:22:00.001-06:00

Sometimes on the weekend, the family gets a home cooked breakfast (instead of cereal or pop tarts!!).

This morning I planned on making an egg bake. I haven't had one or made one in years. This was a quick and easy breakfast. You can make this with whatever meats or veggies of your liking and it'll turn out great!

Simple and easy to do.

6 eggs
1 cup milk
1 cup Bisquick
1 lb bacon (cooked and crumbled - cut in pieces)
8 pieces cooked round sausage - cut in chunks
garlic salt, pepper, Mrs. Dash, orgeno (all to taste)
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

If the family liked onions and mushrooms I would have added those too. But since they don't!!!

After cooking the bacon and sausage, cut up and place in the bottom of a 9x13 baking dish. Mix the eggs, bisquick, milk and seasoning in a bowl and pour over meat mixture.
Bake at 400 degrees for 30 minutes (until brown).

Have a Happy Sunday and enjoy the week!
Patricia

Italian Wedding Soup

2010-02-16T20:43:00.000-06:00

I haven't been very good over the last year or so about making healthy choices, but I'm working on changing that. I'm trying to use my wedding as a motivator to get back into an exercise routine and to eat better. Scott and I went through some light recipes and each picked out some we'd like to try. Portion sizes are a bit of an issue too. When you're making all this yummy food and there's only two to eat it, it's easy to just keep eating. So here's the first recipe he picked, and it was a great choice. This was a hearty soup with a lot of color and flavor. Even though I probably could have eaten a second bowl I am proud to say I stopped at one and don't feel like I missed out!

Meatballs

3/4 lb ground beef or ground turkey

1/3 cup bread crumbs

1/4 milk

1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese

2 tbsp chopped parsley

1 large egg

salt and pepper

Mix all ingredients until well blended. Shape tablespoonfuls into 24 walnut-size meatballs. Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a large skillet over med-high heat; add meatballs and cook until well browned, about 6-8 minutes. Remove to a plate, reserving 2 tbsp of the drippings.

Soup

1 cup diced onion

1 cup diced carrot

4 cloves garlic, through the press

7 cups low-sodium chicken broth

1 can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained (I couldn't find these so I used great northern beans)

1/4 cup ditalini pasta

1/2 lb Swiss Chard, stems chopped and leaves torn into bite size pieces

2 tbsp chopped oregano

2 eggs

salt and pepper to taste

parmesan cheese

Heat reserved drippings from meatballs in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat; add the onions, carrots and garlic. Cook 2 minutes, stirring; reduce heat to low, cover pot, and cook for 10 minutes. Add broth and bring to a boil. Stir in meatballs, beans, pasta, chard and oregano and reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes or until pasta is tender, stirring occasionally. Whisk eggs with some of the hot broth; remove soup from heat and stir in egg mixture. Let stand covered until egg sets. Serve garnished with parmesan cheese.

This makes quite a bit of soup, about 8 servings, but I will freeze some and sure won't mind eating the leftovers! :)

- Jodi

Cream Cheese and Pesto Stuffed Chicken

2010-02-14T19:26:00.003-06:00

I got this recipe from Rachael Ray.
I changed some ingredients around a bit to add it my own and it turned out great.
Any time I make something new I never know how it's going to go over with the family. But Craig really like this chicken dish.
It was simple to make and I had all ingredients on hand. If I didn't, I made do with what I had in my cupboard.
What you need:

4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, (1-1 1/4 pounds total)

1/2 cup plain dry breadcrumbs - I used chicken flavor Shake and Bake (I didn't have bread crumbs)

2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil

1/2 slice smoke turkey meat

CREAM CHEESE-PESTO FILLING:

2 tablespoons reduced-fat cream cheese, (Neufchatel)

1 tablespoon basil pesto, (store-bought or homemade)

Freshly ground pepper, to taste

PREPARATION

1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Coat a rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray.

2. Combine cream cheese, pesto and pepper in a small bowl with a fork.

3. Cut a horizontal slit along the thin, long edge of a chicken breast half, nearly through to the opposite side. Open up each breast and place one-fourth of the filling in the center. Close the breast over the filling, pressing the edges firmly together to seal. Repeat with the remaining chicken breasts and filling.

4. Coat both sides of chicken with Shake and Bake (Discard leftovers.)

5. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken breasts; cook until browned on one side, about 2 minutes. Place the chicken, browned-side up, on the prepared baking sheet. Bake until the chicken is no longer pink in the center or until an instant-read thermometer registers 170°F, about 20 minutes.

NUTRITION

Cream cheese-pesto stuffed chicken per serving: 233 calories; 9 g fat (4 g sat, 3 g mono); 81 mg cholesterol; 7 g carbohydrates; 33 g protein; 1 g fiber; 379 mg sodium; 351 mg potassium.

I'm happy to say this will be a repeat recipe in our house. Thanks to the family because they're always willing to try something new!!

Happy Cooking.

Patricia

Creamy Pesto Meatballs

2010-02-04T20:17:00.000-06:00

What's for dinner at your house tonight?

We had Creamy Pesto Meatballs!

I've said many times that I seem to get into a routine of what we have for dinner on a weekly basis. I try to change things up but I feel stuck some times. I have some in the family that aren't as open to eating different things much..or willing to try new things that I might try. It's getting better, but I still feel a little stuck at times!

Usually when we have meatballs, it's cooked in BBQ sauce with white rice on the side. And that's good also, but I wanted to try something "new" again. And it was a hit. I did good!

This is a rich, creamy sauce that has a powerful flavor. You walk away feeling really full!

Here's what you need:

Fresh Basil Pesto

2 c. packed fresh basil leaves, minced
2 lg. cloves garlic, sliced
1/2 c. pine nuts or walnuts
3/4 c. freshly grated Parmesan cheese
2/3 c. olive oil
Place all ingredients in blender and process until smooth. Transfer to jar and cover with film of olive oil. Seal with tight fitting lid. Refrigerate up to 3 months or freeze. Stir oil into pesto before using.

Creamy Pesto Meatballs
1 onion, chopped - I DIDN'T USE ONIONS - FAM DISLIKES
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 green bell pepper, chopped - I DIDN'T USE PEPPERS - NOT A FAN
1 (1-pound) package frozen precooked meatballs
1 (20-ounce) bottle Alfredo sauce
1/4 cup milk

basil pesto sauce - SEE ABOVE RECIPE
1/3 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

1 small box spaghetti
Preparation:
In a large saucepan place onion, garlic, and bell pepper. Top with meatballs. Pour Alfredo sauce over all.
Pour milk into Alfredo sauce jar; tighten lid and shake well. Pour this mixture into saucepan. Cover and cook on low for until meatballs are hot and tender.

Add pasta to boiling water and cook until tender.

I was quite pleased when Craig said that he really liked the meal. He even thought I made the meatballs! I didn't. I used a little help from the store on certain items. But none the less...he liked it! That means I get to make this one again!

I had to laugh when he sat down to eat and looked at his plate....so what did you make tonight! He gets this look on his face...but he actually liked it. AND so did the kids!

Happy Cooking.

Patricia

Chicken Breast w/Creamy Gravy

2010-02-02T17:41:00.003-06:00

I get emails from Bisquick and Betty Crocker during the week.
I am all about making new recipes or coming up with something new to make. I get tired of the same dinners week after week.
When I saw this recipe I had to give it a try. The actual recipe is called Chicken Breast with Creamy Mushroom Gravy. However, there are people who shall be nameless that aren't fond of mushrooms or onions so I had to leave them out. I'll keep them in the recipe in case you want to try it that way....I'll explain how I made it just "creamy"!

Here's what you need and how to make it:

4	boneless skinless chicken breasts (4 oz each)
1/2	cup Original Bisquick mix
1/2	teaspoon garlic powder
1	egg
3	tablespoons vegetable oil
1 1/2	cups sliced fresh mushrooms
3	tablespoons Original Bisquick mix
2	medium green onions, sliced (2 tablespoons)
1	cup milk
1 1/2	teaspoons soy sauce

(I didn't use the green onions or the mushrooms)

1.	Between pieces of plastic wrap or waxed paper, place each chicken breast smooth side down; gently pound with flat side of meat mallet or rolling pin until about 1/4 inch thick.
2.	In shallow dish, stir 1/2 cup Bisquick mix and the garlic powder. In another shallow dish, beat egg. Dip chicken in egg, then coat with Bisquick mixture.
3.	In 12-inch nonstick skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil over medium heat. Add chicken; cook about 3 minutes or until golden brown. Turn chicken; cover and cook 4 to 6 minutes longer or until chicken is no longer pink in center. Remove to serving platter; cover to keep warm.
4.	In same skillet, heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil over medium heat. Add mushrooms; cook 3 to 4 minutes, stirring frequently, until browned. Add 3 tablespoons Bisquick mix and the onions; cook and stir until mixed. Stir in milk and soy sauce. Cook until mixture is thick and bubbly. Serve over chicken. The breading on the chicken (using the Bisquick) had great flavor. (in the picture it looks almost burnt - that's just the camera!!). Have a great week! Happy Cooking.. Patricia

Lasagna

2010-01-30T18:08:00.000-06:00

One of my favorite things to make is home made sauce for spaghetti or lasagna. My mom made this when I was little and when I started cooking it was one of the first things I started making.
I think we make the same sauce with different ingredients. We both add our favorite seasonings or vegetables.
No matter what you add or how you make this your own, the flavor is perfect for your favorite italian dish.
In the summer months you can even use fresh tomatoes from the garden and make into sauce!!

Here's what you need:

1lb ground turkey
1lb ground pork
1 med size cottage cheese
1 pkg shredded mozzarella cheese
2 80z cans tomato sauce
1 small can tomato paste
1 pkg spaghetti seasoning
3 cloves fresh garlic
(if your family enjoys onions, use 1 med size onion - chopped
1 small can of sliced black olives (this is great especially in spaghetti sauce with meat)
salt/pepper
1tsp oregeno
1tsp basil
1tsp italian seasoning
1 box lasagna pasta
grated parmesan for topping

In a frying pan, brown turkey and pork until cooked through. Add tomato sauce, tomato paste, onion, garlic, black olives and all seasonings Turn heat to med low and cook until pasta is cooked through.

Once pasta is cooked and drained (cooled) plan three noodles in the bottom of a 9x13 baking dish. Pour 1/3 of the meat mixture over the pasta and spread 1/3 of cottage cheese and mix. Pour 1/3 of the shredded cheese over meat/cottage cheese mixture and sprinkle parmesan cheese. Repeat layering two more times.
I put a heavier layer of cheese over the top layer and sprinkle again with parmesan cheese. Bake in the oven at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Make sure the cheese doesn't over brown. If it starts to get too dark cover the dish with aluminum foil and bake until cooked through.
I serve with a side salad and garlic bread!

Have a great weekend!
Happy Cooking!
Patricia

Turkey Burgers

2010-01-30T17:41:00.000-06:00

Super simple turkey burgers.

1b ground turkey

Mrs. Dash Onion/Garlic flavor

salt/pepper

all season salt

garlic salt

sliced pickles

sliced cheese

hamburger buns

In a large bowl mix together all seasonings with ground turkey.

Divide meat into four equal size parts. Shape each portion into a round shape leaving in indent in the middle of each burger (this will stop the burger from bulging while cooking - keeps the juice inside).

Cook in a frying pan until cooked through on each side. Top with sliced cheese until melted.

Place burger on bun and use all favorite toppings..

Just enjoy. This is a simple meal to make when you're on the go!

Have a great rest of the weekend.

Patricia

The Happy 101 Award for Blogging

2010-01-24T09:46:00.031-06:00

I got an email this weekend from http://michaelinhiskitchen.blogspot.com with the great award.
I'm supposed to list 10 things that make me happy and 10 great websites.

Thanks Michael for your recognition. It's so appreciated.

Here goes..

10 things that make me the happiest:

My family. It took a long time to get to where I am in life and I was able to get there with great help from my family.

Craig. He's been a wonderful part of the growing process in life. And I hope we get to continue to grow and learn more each day.

Grandkids. Having Brooklyn and Caleb in my life full time and helping them grow has been more than words can express. Watching them learn to succeed in life and make changes at such a young age is so gratifying.

My doggies. Coco and Clyde can always put a happy smile on my face in any situation. They are true unconditional lovers!

Friends. Having friends that you are close to makes life so much easier!

Techie tools. I love my computer and phone. Love to keep up to date on the newest!!

Cooking. I love to cook. I've tried my hand at baking and have had some luck with that as well. Cooking brings a great satisfaction.

Making new friends online. Having a website and sharing cooking/baking ideas and the fun you've had is so rewarding. Being able to share and meet new people is so fun!

Reading. I love to read. It's similar to cooking. It gives you a sense of relaxation. Yes, cooking does that for me. I love being able to read a book and escape life for a little while.

My home. I love being a newlywed homeowner. It's such a big change from renting an apartment. Every time I pull into the driveway I am so grateful I have a place to call my own. One in which I can grow with Craig, Brooklyn, Caleb and the puppies.

My 10 foodie websites I love!

http://www.ameliefille.blogspot.com/
http://dricksramblingcafe.blogspot.com/
http://www.girlgonegourmet.com
http://pegasuslegend-whatscookin.blogspot.com/
http://www.cocinasavant.blogspot.com/
http://www.fivestarfoodie.com/
http://en.christinesrecipes.com/
http://spiciefoodie.blogspot.com/
http://rouxbe.com/myrouxbe
http://sporkandfoon.typepad.com/

Thank you to all of the foodie friends I have made. I've enjoyed your websites and have had a great time meeting everyone.
Happy cooking to you all!
Patricia

Another Shepherds Pie

2010-01-20T18:32:00.000-06:00

I was sort feeling in a cooking rut. The holidays are long over...I haven't made anything really new or different. I'm in the same old routine...
I was going to make something simple...Hamburger Helper to be exact. And not that there is anything wrong with that, I was just wanting something....different.
I had the ground turkey. I had some frozen veggies. I had a box of instant potatoes. So I've decided to make another shepherds pie.

Here's what you need:

1lb ground turkey
1/2 cup chicken stock
I used frozen cauliflower and broccoli (the green giant just for one packets - I used two of each - it has cheese in it too)
frozen corn and frozen beans (you can use canned if that's what you have on hand)
salt/pepper to taste, season salt, oregano
2 cloves fresh garlic
I made enough instant potatoes for 6-7 servings.

How to make:
brown the ground turkey in a skillet and add the garlic cloves (chopped). Cook until browned. Add the vegetables to the meat and add the chicken broth and seasonings. Cook until vegetables are done.
While the meat is cooking get the potatoes ready as directed on package. If you're wanting the fresh potatoes, feel free to make those. Either way it will turn out the same!! Once the potatoes were done I added more garlic, salt and pepper to taste.

Once the meat mixture is done, pour into a 9x13 baking dish. Add the potatoes to the top and spread out over the mixture, forming peaks.
Bake at 400 degrees for 30 minutes or until potatoes slightly brown.

Hope you enjoy.
Nothing fancy to change things up during the week but it was quick and easy using all the stuff already in the fridge/cabinet.

Have a good week.
Happy cooking.
Patricia

Alouette Garlic & Herb Chicken

2009-12-29T22:27:00.003-06:00

This is another meal I cooked prior to the holidays and just didn't get posted.

I've made stuffed chicken breasts in many different ways. I like to eat chicken and do my best to mix it up so the family doesn't get tired of eating the same meat over and over.

I'm a huge fan of quick and EASY cooking. The kids are hungry and they want to eat. I want them to eat so I don't hear how hungry they are over and over until the food appears on the table!!!!!

Here's what you need for this dish:

4 boneless/skinless chicken breasted (pound out flat)
1 container of Alouette Light Garlic & Herb spread
4 slices swiss cheese
parsley
salt/pepper to taste
garlic salt to taste

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray a baking sheet with non stick spray.
After the chicken breasts are flattened, season to taste. Spread the garlic and herb on the back side of the chicken.
Roll chicken breast up as tightly as possible. Lay bottom side on the baking pan. Bake until chicken is thoroughly cooked through.
Take chicken out of oven and place the cheese on top of each piece of chicken. Put back in the oven and bake just until cheese is melted. Top with parsley.
Serve with your favorite side dish and vegetables.

Have a great rest of the week and enjoy the new year.
Patricia

Tuna Stuffed Shells

2009-12-29T19:31:00.000-06:00

I made this recipe before the holiday's but didn't post with all of the cookies and candies that had been done!!!

I wanted try something different. I felt like I was making the same things over and over. That's usually the case because it's hard to try new recipes with some that don't exactly like new things!!!! New food!!!

I've made the spaghetti stuffed shells before and they are usually a big hit. So when I found this recipe I thought I'd give it a try.

It was fairly easy to make with not much effort at all. Which is always a good thing when you have hungry kids in the kitchen asking when it's eat time!!!

Ingredients

18 jumbo pasta shells
1 can (6 oz) light tuna in oil, well drained
1 cup fresh white bread crumbs
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
1 large egg
1/4 cup minced fresh parsley
1 tsp fresh lemon juice
1 can (103/4 oz) condensed cream of celery soup
1/2 cup milk
2 Tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
Paprika (optional)

Cooking Instructions

Heat oven to 350°F. Lightly coat an 11 x 7-in. baking dish with nonstick spray.

Boil pasta as package directs until just firm-tender.

Meanwhile mix tuna, bread crumbs, onion, egg, 1⁄2 the parsley and the lemon juice to blend.

Drain pasta shells. Rinse gently to cool; drain. Fill each shell with 1 Tbsp tuna mixture. Place in prepared dish.

Whisk soup and milk in a small saucepan over medium heat until hot. Remove from heat; stir in remaining parsley. Pour evenly over shells. Sprinkle with cheese and paprika. Cover with foil. Refrigerate overnight, if desired.

Bake 20 to 25 minutes until bubbly.

Nutritional Information per Serving

Calories 270 Fat 8g Saturated fat 2g Cholesterol 50mg
Sodium 573mg Carbohydrate 34g Fiber 1g

This is low in calories and has great flavor.

I think the only thing I would have changed on this is that I would have used a bit more soup or added some stock to give it more liquid. It got to be a little on the dry side. but it was good and the kids ate it! What more can you ask for.

Hope you enjoyed the holiday.

Have a Happy New Year! May you reach your goals with success!!

Enjoy!

Patricia

Merry Meringues

2009-12-23T18:28:00.000-06:00

Jodi and I were talking today about getting egg whites to form a stiff peak. Not that I've tried several times and failed, but the times that I have tried, I didn't feel like they turned out the way they should have.
That in turn, had me take out some eggs to make some meringue cookies again (as my first batch a few weeks back didn't turn out).

I took out the eggs and put the whites in a bowl and let it sit for 30 minutes. I haven't done this step in the past, but it really helped this time!!

These turned out great. I made two different batches. One with red food coloring and one with the dried gelatin sprinkled over the top.

Ingredients

4 egg whites
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
3/4 cup sugar
1 pkg. (4 serving size) JELL-O Brand Lime Flavor Gelatin
1 pkg. (4 serving size) JELL-O Brand Gelatin, any red flavor

Directions

Preheat oven to 225 degrees F. Beat egg whites and cream of tartar in small bowl with electric mixer on high speed 5 minutes or until soft peaks form. Gradually add sugar, 1 Tbsp. at a time, beating on high speed until stiff peaks form.
Drop tablespoonfuls of the egg white mixture onto baking sheet covered with parchment paper. Sprinkle each meringue lightly with dry gelatin powders.
Bake 50 minutes. Turn oven off. Prop oven door open slightly; let meringues stand in oven for 1 hour or until completely cooled.

These turned out great. I used strawberry gelatin and they are so pretty.

Hopefully the family will agree for Christmas tomorrow!!

Have a happy holiday!

Patricia

Candy Cane Marshmallows

2009-12-23T16:43:00.000-06:00

I found this recipe while looking for something new to make for the holidays. I've only worked with egg whites once or twice before and wasn't very successful. I like a challenge now and then so I thought I'd give these a shot. I felt a little like a mad scientist: sugar brewing over here, gelatin over there, egg whites in the mixer. I had a good time making these, maybe because I felt like I won- I beat the egg whites! It was so neat to see it grow in volume as it whipped together. When it was all done I was (overly) proud of my marshmallows. They are light and fluffy, with just enough (not too much) peppermint flavor. I think it would be fun to experiment with different flavor extracts and see how they taste. I shared them with anyone who'd try one, and even got a couple requests for the recipe!

Candy Cane Marshmallows
(from Martha Stewart)
2 cups sugar
1 tbsp light corn syrup
1 1/2 cups water, divided
4 pkg (1/4 ounce each) unflavored gelatin (1 Box)
3/4 tsp peppermint extract
2 large egg whites
2 tsp red food coloring
Powdered Sugar

Coat a 13X9 pan with cooking spray; line bottom with parchment paper. Coat the parchment with cooking spray, and set pan aside. Put sugar, corn syrup, and 3/4 cup water in a small saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring, until sugar is dissolved. Stop stirring; let mixture come to a boil. Raise heat to medium-high; cook until mixture registers 260 degrees on a candy thermometer.

Meanwhile, sprinkle gelatin over 3/4 cup water in a heatproof bowl; let stand 5 minutes to soften. Set the bowl with the gelatin mixture over a pan of simmering water; whisk constantly until gelatin is dissolved. Remove from heat, and stir in extract; set aside.
Beat egg whites in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment until stiff (but not dry) peaks form. Whisk gelatin mixture into sugar mixture; with mixer running, gradually add to egg whites. Mix on high speed until very thick, 12 to 15 minutes.

Pour mixture into lined pan. Working quickly, drop dots of red food coloring across surface of marshmallow. Using a toothpick, swirl food coloring into marshmallow to create a marbleized effect. Let marshmallow stand, uncovered, at room temperature until firm, at least 3 hours or overnight. Cut into squares.

A few things I learned that might come in handy:
* The original recipe used an 8 in square pan. The marshmallows were very tall, I ended up cutting them in half. I prefer the 13X9 pan size.
* These are quite sticky, but if you roll them in powdered sugar and brush off the excess they don't stick anymore. I did this to the top and sides before starting to cut my second batch and they went much easier.
* Using a pizza cutter to roll through went a lot faster and smoother than a knife.

Scott got a chocolate fountain for Christmas with my family last weekend. I think these will be great for our first chocolate fondue! I know I said in my last post that was all of my holiday treats; but I promise, I really am done now with holiday treats. For this year... :)
- Jodi

Holiday Treat Extravaganza!

2009-12-20T22:21:00.001-06:00

It's been quite a while since my last post. I don't want you to think this is due to a lack of baking though. In fact, I've been baking and cooking so much I haven't had time to post it all! There was the Cheese Ball, the Peanut Butter Kiss cookies and the dipped pretzels. Those I do every year because they are favorites around here, my sister's been asking for weeks for the kiss cookies. My mom loves these spritz cookies, so I always make a double batch. That's a whole lot of spritz! I use the recipe that came with my cookie press, and they come out great every time. They're like a little crisp sugar cookie.

Spritz Cookies
1-1/2 cups butter or margarine
1 cup granulated sugar
1 egg
2 tbsp milk
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp almond extract
4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
(Makes 6 dozen cookies)

Preheat oven to 400° F. Thoroughly cream butter and sugar. Add egg, milk, vanilla and almond extract; beat well. Stir together flour and baking powder; gradually add to creamed mixture, mixing to make a smooth dough. Do not chill. Place dough into Cookie Press and press cookies onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 6-8 minutes or until golden brown on bottom. Remove cookies from sheet and cool.
I then frost them with a very simple icing and decorate: Mix 2 cups powdered sugar, 2 tbsp milk and 1/4 tsp almond extract until smooth. If too dry add a little milk, if too runny add a little powdered sugar.

Each year I also use the holidays as an excuse to try out a bunch of new sweet treats too. Here's a couple for you to try out.

Toffee Bars
These are very thin crisp bars that have a light toffee flavor and a milk chocolate top. I was hoping the toffee flavor would be more obvious because I love toffee, but they are still tasty and very simple to make.

1 cup butter
1 cup brown sugar
1 egg yolk
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups flour
1 bag milk chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350, grease a jelly roll pan. In a medium bowl, beat together butter and brown sugar. Add egg yolk and vanilla and beat until smooth. Beat in flour. Press mixture into pan and bake for 15 minutes. Immediately after removing pan from the oven place the chocolate on top and allow to melt. Spread the melted chocolate evenly over the surface with a spatula. These are easiest to cut while still warm.

Chewy Caramel Oatmeal Bars
These were a new one, but have been such a hit they are gone already! I will be making another batch this week for sure. The recipe calls for a bag of caramels, but I felt ambitious and used homemade caramel from this recipe instead (told you I've been busy!). These are rich, so I cut them small before serving.

2 cups flour
2 cups quick oats
1 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups unsalted butter, melted,
1 12 oz bag semisweet chocolate chips
1 14 oz bag caramels
5 tbsp milk

Preheat oven to 350. In a large bowl, combine flour, oats, brown sugar, baking soda and salt. Stir in melted butter until thoroughly mixed. Press half the mixture into a 13X9 baking pan. Bake for 10 min, then sprinkle the chocolate chips on the baked crust. Microwave the caramels and milk on high for about 3 minutes or until caramels are melted, stirring every 30 seconds. Pour caramel mixture over chocolate chips. Sprinkle remaining half of oat mixture on caramel layer. Bake for 20 minutes, cool completely and cut into bars.

Oreo and Nutter Butter Truffles
The Oreo version of these Scott's sister made last year and I loved them. So when I went to look up the recipe I found it along with a variation with Nutter Butter cookies. Oh yum! I won't repost the recipe, just click the link above. You'll be glad you did! :)

I think I'm almost done making holiday treats, and I'll definitely share if I do make some more.

One last thing I wanted to share was the holiday treat Scott cooked up for me this year. He surprised me with a trip to New York City last weekend. How exciting!! I've always wanted to see the city all lit up for the holidays, especially the big tree in Rockefeller Plaza. So we headed east with plans to see the tree and skate on the rink on Saturday night. We saw the tree (it was gorgeous!) and waited in the long line to skate, and I will admit I got a bit impatient... "let's just skip this, we can come back tomorrow or something". He was adamant, we were skating and doing it now. After a couple turns around the rink, I found out why. He led me to the center of the ice, got down on one knee and asked me to marry him! Oh wow! I, of course, said Yes!
We had a great time the rest of the weekend and did find time to do one other thing I always wanted to do in NY- stand outside on the plaza for the Today show. We set the DVR at home before we left just in case, and we were on (see clips here)! Just behind Matt Lauer and Al Roker (I shook Al's hand!). We also had our picture taken for their blog. We had an amazing trip, a memorable proposal and what a sweet guy! :)

Happy Holidays!
- Jodi

More Christmas Baking

2009-12-19T19:07:00.000-06:00

Today I made more of the softest sugar cookies, pretzels and almond bark with crushed candy canes.

For the frosting on the cookies I melted the almond bark, dipped the cookies half way in and topped with some crushed candy canes...soooo good..

These have to last for Christmas! Santa must have some cookies to help him on his way.

Softest Sugar Cookies

2009-12-12T14:47:00.000-06:00

Another recipe I found on Kraft Foods website. Softest Sugar Cookies.
Just the smell alone when making the batter was amazing. The ground nutmeg...that really brought a great aroma...

I bought some cookie cutters (no, I didn't own any) today for the kids to cut out some cookies. However, this dough does not get firm enough to roll out and use the cutters. So I'll have to go back to Jodi's sugar cookie recipe for those.

The title of this recipe does not lie. These are the softest cookies I have had. The touch of nutmeg is so good.
For these you will need:
1 cup BREAKSTONE'S or KNUDSEN Sour Cream
1 tsp. baking soda
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
1-1/2 cups granulated sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp. ground nutmeg
1 tsp. vanilla
4 cups flour
1-1/2 cups powdered sugar
2 Tbsp. milk
Make It!

MIX sour cream and baking soda; set aside. Beat butter and granulated sugar in large bowl with mixer until light and fluffy. Add eggs; mix well. Blend in nutmeg, vanilla and sour cream mixture. Gradually add flour, beating well after each addition. Refrigerate 30 min.

HEAT oven to 350ºF. Drop tablespoonfuls of dough, 2 inches apart, onto greased baking sheet. Bake 10 to 12 min. or just until centers are set and edges are lightly browned. Let stand on baking sheets 3 min.; remove to wire racks. Cool completely.

MIX powdered sugar and milk until well blended; spread onto cookies. Let stand until frosting is firm.

These taste fantastic.

The kids had a great time helping out with these too!

Happy Holiday Baking from our family to yours!!
Patricia

Fantasy Fudge

2009-12-09T18:43:00.000-06:00

Craig and I decided on what we were going to make/bake for Christmas this year. Fudge was one of the recipes that came to both of us.
I did some searching online and found an easy recipe that I was sure not to fail at.
But when I got to the store, I couldn't find my sheet of paper with the items I needed to buy.
I got to the baking isle and found a jar of the marshmallow cream and used the recipe on the back of the jar instead!!

Here's what you need:

3 cups sugar
3/4 cup butter or margarine
1 small can evaporated milk
1 1/2 pkg (12 squares) semi sweet baking chocolate, chopped
1 1/2 cup jet puffed marshmallow creme
1 cup chopped walnuts
1 tsp vanilla

What to do:

Line 9 in square pan with foil, with ends of foil extending over sides of pan; set aside. Place sugar, butter and milk in a large heavy saucepan. Bring to a full rolling boil on med heat, stirring constantly. Boil 4 min or until candy therm reaches 234 degrees.
Add chocolate and marshmallow creme, stir until completely melted. Add walnuts and vanilla; mix well.
Pour immediately into prepared pan; spread to form even layer in pan. Let stand at room temperature for 4 hours or until completely cooled. Cut into 1 in squares.

Craig didn't want to wait 4 hours so we put ours in the fridge so it would set quicker.
This turned out really well too. I'll be making this again for Christmas because it's half gone already.
What was I thinking doing this two weeks before Christmas!!
Have a good week and Happy Holidays.
Patricia

Chocolate Sugar Cookies

2009-12-09T18:29:00.000-06:00

I've been doing my best to attempt Christmas baking this year. Last year Jodi and I got together and did some baking. She made the cookie dough and I did the frosting with the kids!
This year I'm being brave and making things well in advance to test the outcome first before having it at Christmas Eve.
I've been doing a lot of searching online for cookie recipes and I came across this one on the Kraft Food website.
I had all of the ingredients and thought I'd give it a try.

When mixing the dough together, I got a little nervous because it wasn't as thick as the regular sugar cookie dough I'm used to. But it sat in the fridge for about 20 minutes and it was just fine.

Here's what you need:

2 cups flour

1 tsp. baking soda

1/4 tsp. salt

4 squares BAKER'S Unsweetened Chocolate

1 cup (2 sticks) butter or margarine

1-1/2 cups sugar, divided

1 egg

1 tsp. vanilla

MIX flour, baking soda and salt; set aside. Microwave chocolate and butter in large microwaveable bowl on HIGH 2 min. or until butter is melted. Stir until chocolate is completely melted. Add 1 cup sugar, egg and vanilla; mix well. Stir in flour mixture until well blended. Refrigerate 15 min. or until dough is easy to handle.

HEAT oven to 375°F. Shape dough into 1-inch balls; roll in remaining sugar. Place, 2 inches apart, on baking sheets. (If thinner, crisper cookies are desired, flatten balls with bottom of clean glass.)

BAKE 8 to 10 min. or until set. Cool on baking sheets 1 min. Remove to wire racks; cool completely.

I'm always intimidated by baking. I'm pretty sure the reason for that is because there's measuring involved. When I cook, I throw a little of this and a lot of that and make it how I want. With baking, you have to follow the recipe. And that scares me.

But the cookies turned out pretty well. I'm not sure if there will be any left for Christmas Eve, I may have to bake some more. But I'll feel more confident!!

Have a good rest of the week and Happy Holidays.

Patricia

Surprise Cookies

2009-12-02T21:18:00.003-06:00

I made these right before Thanksgiving and just got too busy to post them. For Thanksgiving I hosted a big dinner for about 25 people, and it turned out great! I was planning on posting all about it, but in the excitement of the day I completely forgot to take pictures. Maybe next year... Anyways I found these cookies on the Martha Stewart website and decided to give them a try. They tasted great, I love the marshmallows and chocolate together. They are moist and chewy and quite addicting. Having "just one" always turned into at least 2 or 3. I always seem to have trouble though with lumpy chocolate frosting. Anyone out there with suggestions, I'd love to get this kink worked out. I'm pretty sure either my cocoa powder or my powdered sugar is the culprit, maybe if I sift them next time? Help!

Cookies:
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup cocoa powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1 large egg
1/2 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
12 large marshmallows, cut in half horizontally

Frosting:
2 cups powdered sugar
4 tbsp (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1/4 cup milk
1/4 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt; set aside.
In medium bowl cream together butter and sugar with mixer until light and fluffy. Add egg, milk, and vanilla, and beat until well combined. Add reserved flour mixture; mix on low speed until combined.
Using a tablespoon or 1 3/4-inch ice cream scoop, drop dough onto ungreased baking sheets, about 2 inches apart. Bake until cookies begin to spread and become firm, 10 to 12 minutes.
Remove baking sheets from oven, and place a marshmallow, cut-side down, in the center of each cookie, pressing down slightly. Return to oven, and continue baking until marshmallows begins to melt, 2 to 2 1/2 minutes. Transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.

Place powdered sugar in a medium bowl. Whisk in butter and cocoa powder. Add milk and vanilla, and whisk until well combined.
Spread about 1 tablespoon of frosting over each marshmallow, starting in the center and continuing outward until marshmallow is covered.

I've just gotten started on my holiday baking. I have a whole list of things I'm excited to try and of course have to make some old favorites too. If I can get this frosting right I might have to add these to my holiday list!
- Jodi

Foodie Blogroll Award

2009-11-21T10:47:00.002-06:00

Two Girls Cooking has their blog on The Foodie Blogroll.
Our website was chosen as this week's winner of The Foodie Blogroll giveaway and won a copy of the cookbook "Adaptable Feast Cookbook".

Thanks Foodie Blogroll! We really appreciate it!

Have a great weekend.
Enjoy!
Jodi/Patricia

Two Girls Cooking

2009 Blogger Appreciation Award

2009-11-19T18:07:00.009-06:00

Today I posted some chicken w/wild rice soup and a sammie. I sent it out to all of my foodie friends on Food Buzz. Jodi and I have made friends with Kristy from My Little Spaces (blog site). She stops by and checks out all of our posts and leaves awesome comments for us (which we truly appreciate).

Today she left me a comment:

Hope you’ll like the recipe as well!, Patricia. Btw, I’ve an award for you.

Please feel free to drop by to collect the batch. Cheers.

Thanks Kristy! I truly appreciate you giving us these awards. They're awesome.

To all of our foodie friends, please stop by and grab the award for your site.

Thanks everyone for taking time to stop by and check out our recipes. Jodi and I truly

appreciate it!

Have a great rest of the week.

Patricia

Chicken w/wild rice and ham/turkey/cucumber sammies

2009-11-18T17:01:00.003-06:00

Craig and I share the same favorite soup. Chicken with wild rice.
Each weekend his work has a buffet. I've been there a few times and they have this soup. So I thought, well I'm sure I can make this!!!
I looked online and found some recipes, but most of the veggies that were in there, Craig doesn't like. And to be honest, it's not how I like the soup either.
So I just added what I know we both like to the soup and it turned out great.
We have a restaurant here in MN, which could be in other states, not sure, that has the soup and similar sandwiches that I made. What I love about it is that it has cream cheese and cucumbers on it. I couldn't find any sunflower seeds (without shells) at the store I was at, otherwise I would have added that as well. Great flavor...both soup and sammies!!!

Here's what you need for the soup:
2 cups of cooked sliced chicken
6 cups of chicken broth
1 cup heavy cream (I added a bit more throughout the cooking process)
2 boxes of wild rice (I used chicken and herb flavor) - I added both seasoning packets as well.
1/2 cup butter
1/4 cup flour
salt/pepper, nutmeg, ground ginger all to taste

In a large pot melt the butter and add the flour (to make a roux). Mix together for 1-2 minutes. The longer you cook the roux, the darker in color and nuttier taste you will get. Also, the thickening agent lessens if you cook longer. I cooked for just the 1-2 minutes.

After the roux is done cooking, add the chicken, chicken broth and rice to the pot. Bring to a boil. Add in the heavy cream and lower heat to a simmer.

I cooked the soup for most of the say on low. I checked the flavor and added what I thought needed to be added as far as spices go. But this was pretty good. The flavor was very close if not almost the same as eating it from the restaurants!! Thumbs up from Craig as well.

To go with the soup, I made the sammies.

Here's what you need:

french bread (cut into smaller slices)

cream cheese

cucumber slices

onion (on my sammie only!)

turkey and ham lunch meat

sliced cheese (I used american cheese)

sunflower seeds (without shells of course!!)

Spread the cream cheese on the bread. Add the sliced cheese, onion, meat and cucumbers - and seeds.

Great Soup and Sammie. I was starting to feel a little sick this day and that really hit the spot.

Enjoy.

Patricia