Easy Addicting Corn

My family loved this recipe! Thanks Budget Savvy Diva!

INGREDIENTS

• 1 Bag of Frozen Corn - 16 oz
• 2 Tablespoons of Butter
• ⅓ Cup of Parmesan Cheese
• ¼ Teaspoon of Garlic Powder
• ½ Teaspoon of Pepper
• ½ Teaspoon of Paprika

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Over Medium Heat Melt Butter In A Medium Size Skillet.
2. Add frozen corn ( do NOT add extra water)
3. Cook for about 5 -7 minutes - stir every 2 minutes. Add seasoning keep stirring till all corn is well coated.
4. Add cheese - stir for about 10 seconds
5. and you are DONE! Enjoy!

Pioneer Woman's Chili!

I love the flavor of this recipe from The Pioneer Woman!

• 2 pounds Ground Chuck
• 3 cloves Garlic, Minced (optional)
• 1 can (12-14 Oz. Size) Tomato Sauce
• 1 can (10 Ounce) Ro-tel (diced Tomatoes And Chilies)
• 1/2 teaspoon Salt
• 1 teaspoon Ground Oregano
• 1 Tablespoon Ground Cumin
• 2 Tablespoons Chili Powder (more To Taste)
• 1 can (14-ounce) Kidney Beans, Drained And Rinsed
• 1 can (14-ounce) Pinto Beans, Drained And Rinsed
• 1/4 cup Masa (corn Flour) Or Regular Corn Meal
• 1/2 cup Warm Water
• Individual Bags Of Fritos
• Grated Sharp Cheddar Cheese
• Diced Red Onion (Optional)

INSTRUCTIONS

Brown ground chuck with garlic in a pot over medium-high heat. Add tomato sauce, Rotel, salt, oregano, cumin, and chili powder. Cover and reduce heat to low. Simmer for 30 minutes. 

Add drained and rinsed beans. Stir to combine, then cover and simmer for another 20 minutes. 

Mix masa with water, then add to the chili. Stir to combine and simmer for a final 10 to 15 minutes. Set aside. 

Serve by slicing the Frito bags open lengthwise. Pile in chili and cheese, and diced onion if using. Serve immediately with plastic forks. A crowd-pleaser!

Soaked Flour Muffins

I love the versatility of this recipe!  Thanks to Eat Nourishing for a great recipe!

2 cups of whole grain flour, preferably freshly ground (I used whole wheat)

3/4 cup sour dairy, such as buttermilk, yogurt, kefir, or clabber (could also use water + 2 TBS lemon juice, whey, or apple cider vinegar)

1/2 cup melted butter/ghee or coconut oil (lard or tallow might be ok too)

I cup pureed pumpkin, squash, carrot or sweet potato (could also use mashed banana or apple/pearsauce)

2/3 cup sucanat/rapadura or granulated palm/maple sugar

2 eggs, pastured or free-range organic

1/4 tsp baking powder

1 1/2 tsp baking soda

3/4 tsp sea salt

1/4 tsp cloves

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp nutmeg

Optional add-ins: 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips, raisons, dried cranberries, chopped dates, coconut flakes, or crispy nuts

Recipe Instructions:

In a glass bowl, combine the flour, sour dairy, and melted fat together. Cover with a clean dish towel or plate and allow this mixture to soak at least 8 hours, or even better, 24. The longer it soaks, the greater the reduction of phytic acid. It is also important that you place this mixture somewhere warm. A good place is your oven with just the light on, or a dehydrator set on low. A cold counter top in the winter is not going to reduce any phytates. You need warmth. 

Once the batter has had a good soak, add in the rest of the ingredients. You will have to give it all a very good stir. Forget what you have learned about making muffins in the past. It’s not going to work here… but it doesn’t matter, they’re still going to turn out fine! I think I may have even used my electric mixer to get everything incorporated really well, that’s ok! Fold in your add-ins at the end, if using. 

Pour into greased muffin tins (preferably not aluminum or non-stick — stoneware is good). Bake in a 325 degree oven for about 30-35 minutes. A toothpick inserted into the center should come out clean and your house smelling wonderful. That’s how I know something is ready, it smells done! This recipe makes about 16 regular sized muffins. 

Allow to cool for a few minutes and be sure to serve with plenty of raw pastured butter. Cream cheese would be good too… Add a tall glass of cold raw milk and you’ve got yourself a decent breakfast or afternoon snack!

Soaked Cinnamon Honey Spelt Biscuits

This is another great healthy breakfast option!  Thanks to gnowlfglins for the recipe

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• 2-1/4 cups sprouted spelt flour (cannot be warm from grinding or will melt the coconut oil)
• 1-1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 3/4 teaspoon sea salt
• 6 generous tablespoons coconut oil, solid
• 1 tablespoon raw apple cider vinegar, kefir, kombucha, yogurt, OR whey
• 1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons raw milk, coconut milk, nut milk, OR water
• 2 tablespoons raw honey
• 1/3 cup raisins (about a handful)

Preheat oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit. In a medium size mixing bowl, combine dry ingredients. Then add coconut oil and cut into the mixture with a pastry cutter or fork until coconut oil is the size of peas or smaller.

Add acid of choice, milk, and honey in a measuring cup. Whisk to combine. Add liquids to dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Finally, gently work in raisins.

Transfer dough to clean, floured surface. Roll into a rectangle about 1/2-inch thick. Cut into 2-inch squares using a knife or pizza cutter.

Transfer squares to a coconut-oiled cookie sheet, leaving space between. Put sheet in oven. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, until golden brown. Transfer to cooling rack. Enjoy! You can also turn them into yummy scones!

Soaked Grain Cinnamon Rolls

I've been looking for a healthy cinnamon roll recipe and this one has worked well.  

4 cups freshly ground hard white winter wheat (I use Prairie Gold)
1 1/4 cups buttermilk (homemade or storebought, just make sure the store bought has live cultures/bacteria in it)
3/4 cup extra virgin coconut oil, melted
¼ cup warm water
1 Tablespoon dry instant yeast
2 Tablespoons Sorghum  (Blackstrap Molasses, or honey could be used)
1 tsp. Salt
½ tsp. Baking soda
1 (may need a bit more or less) cup unbleached organic white flour

Toppings!

1 to 2 sticks of butter (softened to room temp, spreadable texture)

1/4 to 1/2 cup organic extra virgin coconut oil (also softened)

Cinnamon and yet more Cinnamon

Rapadura, Cane Sugar or anything that you can justify as being healthier than white sugar

Raw Honey

Directions for Assembly:

Warm butter-milk and coconut oil and mix in with Whole Wheat flour.  Save the white flour for later.

Dough should not be super sticky but since this is for cinnamon rolls and not loaf bread. Form a ball and place in the bowl, cover with cheesecloth and leave in a warm place overnight (12-24 hours).

In the morning, combine water, Sorghum, salt and baking soda in a measuring cup and mix well. Add instant yeast and cup of white flour directly to the dough and pour wet ingredients over top. Mix until it is smooth and the “elastic bands” as some call it are visible as the gluten activates. Form a nice ball and again place your dough back into the bowl and cover with cheesecloth. Allow it to rise until it had doubled in size. Pummel dough down, knead it for just about a minute. Lightly sprinkle your “rolling” area with white flour, use a bit more if the dough is still a bit sticky to make sure it doesn’t superglue itself to the surface.  

 Roll roll and roll some more. Once it is all rolled out nice and thin (not pie crust thin but just barely thicker. Keep in mind this will puff up considerably in size and the flavor is better the less dough/bread there is and the more toppings so don’t be afraid of thin!)

Slap dab and smear the butter and coconut oil all over your huge spread of dough.Once a generous layer of fatty goodness has been successfully applied you can move onto the sprinkle and plop phase.

Add Cinnamon.

Follow the cinnamon up with sweetener. Now is the time to roll everything up into one big log of dough. Here is something else that is easy to have go wrong. Make sure you keep even “tension” as you roll and don’t allow loose or floppy areas to get rolled up. Once it is all rolled up a long piece of unflavored floss or double up a piece of heavy duty, good quality sewing thread.

Plop in a pre-greased baking dish of your preference. Spread some softened butter over the tops of my rolls before sliding them into the oven and the butter keeps the tops nice and soft while the middles are baking.Allow to rise to roughly double and slide into the oven to bake for roughly 30 minutes at 350.

The Best Mashed Potatoes!

The Pioneer Woman once again serves a favorite recipe!  I seriously love all her recipes :)

• 5 pounds Russet Or Yukon Gold Potatoes
• 3/4 cups Butter
• 1 package (8 Oz.) Cream Cheese, Softened
• 1/2 cup (to 3/4 Cups) Half-and-Half
• 1/2 teaspoon (to 1 Teaspoon) Lawry's Seasoned Salt
• 1/2 teaspoon (to 1 Teaspoon) Black Pepper

INSTRUCTIONS

Peel and cut the potatoes into pieces that are generally the same size. Bring a large pot of water to a simmer and add the potatoes. Bring to a boil and cook for 30 to 35 minutes. When they’re cooked through, the fork should easily slide into the potatoes with no resistance, and the potatoes should almost, but not totally, fall apart.

Drain the potatoes in a large colander. When the potatoes have finished draining, place them back into the dry pot and put the pot on the stove. Mash the potatoes over low heat, allowing all the steam to escape, before adding in all the other ingredients.

Turn off the stove and add 1 ½ sticks of butter, an 8-ounce package of cream cheese and about ½ cup of half-and-half. Mash, mash, mash! Next, add about ½ teaspoon of Lawry’s Seasoning Salt and ½ a teaspoon of black pepper.

Stir well and place in a medium-sized baking dish. Throw a few pats of butter over the top of the potatoes and place them in a 350-degree oven and heat until butter is melted and potatoes are warmed through. 

Note: When making this dish a day or two in advance, take it out of the fridge about 2 to 3 hours before serving time. Bake in a 350-degree oven for about 20 to 30 minutes or until warmed through.

Biscuits and Gravy

I've been looking for a good biscuits and gravy recipe because my husband loves it.  He is quite picky but actually approved of this recipe!  Thanks to Little Lovey Doves for the recipe!

Sausage Gravy:
1 pound bulk sausage (like Jimmy Dean)    3 cups milk
1/3 cup flour                                                pepper to taste

Crumble and cook sausage in a large skillet over medium-high heat until browned. Stir in flour until dissolved and add milk. Cook until it just starts to bubble. Then reduce heat and let simmer, stirring occasionally until thickened, about 2 minutes. Season to taste with pepper.

Buttermilk Biscuits:
3 1/4 cups Complete Southern Biscuit Mix
1 1/4 cup buttermilk, or substitute***


Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
Gently mix together dry mix and buttermilk until just combined. Turn out onto lightly floured surface and pat or roll dough to a 1/2 thickness. Cut into equal portions (or use cookie cutter), and place on a greased or parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes. If desired, you may also pull biscuits out of the oven a few minutes early, drizzle with melted butter, then return to the oven to finish baking and are golden brown. Serve hot with sausage gravy.

***Buttermilk Substitute:
1 1/4 milk
1 heaping tablespoon white vinegar

Mix together milk and vinegar. Let sit for at least 5 minutes, until the milk is lumpy and curdled. Use as directed for buttermilk

Chicken Cordon Blue Casserole

We love Chicken Cordon Blue and this is a great recipe!  Thanks to Tasty Chicken for the recipe!

Ingredients

• FOR THE CASSEROLE:
• 1 whole Cooked Chicken, Bones Removed, Meat Diced Or Shredded (rotisserie Chicken Is Excellent, Should Be 5-6 Cups Of Chicken
• ½ pounds Very Thinly Sliced Deli-style Honey Ham, Rough Chopped
• ¼ pounds Thin Sliced Baby Swiss Cheese
• FOR THE SAUCE:
• 4 Tablespoons Butter
• 4 Tablespoons Flour
• 3 cups Whole Milk (or A Bit More If Needed; Whole Milk Is Required)
• 2 Tablespoons Fresh Squeezed Lemon Juice
• 1 Tablespoon Dijon Mustard
• ¾ teaspoons Salt
• ½ teaspoons Smoked Paprika
• ¼ teaspoons White Pepper
• FOR THE TOPPING:
• 1-½ cup Panko Breadcrumbs
• 4 Tablespoons Butter, Melted
• ½ teaspoons Seasoning Salt
• 1-½ teaspoon Crushed Dried Parsley

Preparation Instructions

(2/19/2015—Please note: due to comments about the salt content of this recipe, the amount of salt has been reduced.)
Preheat oven to 350 F. Butter a 9×13-inch baking dish. Set aside.
Put cooked shredded or diced chicken on the bottom of the baking dish. Rough chop the ham and scatter it over the top of the chicken. Lay the Swiss cheese on top of the ham.
For the sauce:
Melt the butter in a large sauce pot over medium heat. When butter is melted, quickly stir in the flour to form a smooth roux. Do not brown! Once the roux is smooth and bubbly, slowly pour in the cold milk while stirring briskly to make a smooth sauce. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until the sauce thickens. Stir in the lemon juice, Dijon mustard, salt, smoked paprika and white pepper. Bring sauce just back to a low boil and turn off heat. Pour sauce evenly over the casserole, being certain to get some of the sauce around the edges of the pan.
For the topping:
Melt the butter in the microwave in a medium sized microwaveable bowl. Heat it for 30 seconds at a time and stop once it’s melted. Take the bowl out of the microwave and stir in the panko bread crumbs, crushed dried parsley. Sprinkle over the top of the casserole.
Bake casserole uncovered for 45 minutes until hot and bubbly throughout and topping has turned a light golden brown. Remove from oven and allow to cool for 5-10 minutes prior to serving

Sliced Tenderloin Steak in Butter Sauce

• We really enjoyed this sauce!  Thanks Ang Sarap for the recipe!
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• 3 pcs 150 g tenderloin steak cuts
• 4 tbsp butter
• 2 tbsp cream
• 2 tsp flour
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• oil

1. Generously season tenderloin steak cuts with salt and freshly ground black pepper then let it rest for 15 minutes in room temperature.
2. Place a heavy skillet in high heat then add a bit of oil, place steak and cook for 4 minutes on each side. Remove from skillet then let it rest for 5 minutes in a plate.
3. Slice the beef tenderloin pieces into bite sized cubes, reserve any liquid that comes out of it.
4. In a large sauce pan add butter and minced garlic, cook in low heat while agitating the sauce pan by moving it back and forth into the flame. Once garlic turns light brown gently sift the flour using a small sieve above the pan into the garlic butter mixture, mix to combine then add the reserved liquid from beef and cream, continue to cook for a minute or two in low heat until sauce becomes thick.
5. Add the sliced beef and mix it together with the butter sauce, remove from pan then serve.

Cheesy Smoked Sausage and Pasta Skillet

Yummy!  Thanks to Yellow Bliss Road for this simple recipe!

• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 lb Hillshire Farm Smoked Turkey Sausage, sliced
• 1 cup diced onion
• 1 Tbsp minced garlic (about two fresh cloves)
• 2 cups Chicken Broth
• 1 (10 oz) can diced tomatoes
• 1/2 cup milk or heavy cream
• 8 oz dry pasta (any small pasta will do)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper, each
• 1 cup shredded Cheddar-Jack cheese
• 1/3 cup chopped scallions, for garnish

Instructions

1. Add olive oil to a 4-5 quart saute pan over medium high heat. Add onions and sausage and cook until lightly browned. Add garlic and cook for about 30 seconds.
2. Add chicken broth, tomatoes, milk, pasta, and seasonings. Bring the mixture to a boil, cover, and reduce heat to low. Simmer for about 15 minutes, or until pasta is tender.
3. Turn off the heat and stir in 1/2 cup of cheese. Sprinkle remaining cheese on top and cover for about five minutes to allow cheese to melt. Top with sliced scallions and serve.
4. Makes about 4 servings

Homemade Freezer Biscuits

I love a recipe that I can freeze for a quick meal!  Many thanks to Money Saving Mom for the great recipe!

Homemade Freezer Biscuits

• 4 cups flour
• 2 Tablespoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup shortening, butter, or coconut oil (I used all coconut oil in the last batch and it worked well, but they did taste a little coconut-y.)
• 1 3/4 cup milk

Mix dry ingredients together. Add in the shortening or butter and mix until crumbly. (If you have one, you can use a KitchenAid or food processor to save time and effort). Add in the milk and mix until a ball forms.

Roll out onto a floured surface and cut into biscuits.

To Freeze: Freeze on a cookie sheet for 1-2 hours. Then remove and place in a airtight freezer bag.

To Bake: Pull the desired number of biscuits out and let thaw for 30 minutes to an hour. Bake at 450 degrees for 8-12 minutes. You can bake them straight from the freezer but they won’t rise much.

Makes 24 biscuits. Recipe adapted slightly from Favorite Freezer Foods.

Soaked Breakfast Bar

My girls enjoy these for breakfast or snacks.  We like them with either chocolate chips or apple butter inside.  Thanks to Just take a Bite for a great recipe!

Soaked Breakfast Bar

2 cups whole wheat flour
1 cup kefir, yogurt or buttermilk
1/2 cup coconut oil or butter, melted (I used coconut oil)
1/2 cup rapadura/cane sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
6 Tbsp. honey

1/3 – 1/2 cup jelly, jam or fruit butter

Mix flour, cultured dairy and oil.  Cover and let soak 7 – 24 hours.

Mix in remaining dough ingredients until well combined.  Spread half of the dough into the bottom of a greased 9×13 pan.  Bake at 350 for 10 minutes.

Remove from oven.  Spread an even layer of jam on top of dough.  Spread remaining dough on top.  Bake at 350 for another 25 minutes.

Cut into bars.  Place bars on a separate baking sheet, with space in between bars.  Bake another 5-10 minutes, until dough is baked through.  Allow to cool.

Whole Grain Yogurt Dough

I've been looking for  a versitile soaked dough that I could use for home made hot pockets pop tarts, etc.  This one works well.  Thanks to Keeper of the Home for a great recipe!

Ingredients

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup plain yogurt (I've used kefir before too)
• 3½ cups whole wheat pastry flour (also good with spelt)
• 1 tsp fine sea salt

Instructions

1. Cream together the butter and yogurt (or kefir). Slowly add the flour and salt until everything is combined into a nice dough.
2. At this point you can either use it immediately or leave it on the counter for 12-24 hours to soak.
3. When you are ready to use it, roll out the desired amount on a floured surface and use as desired.
4. Depending on what you are using the dough for, it usually takes around 30 minutes to bake at 350 degrees. Adjust your baking temperature and time for what you are making.

Notes

If you put this in the refrigerator to roll out later, it will have to return to room temperature before the dough is workable. It is hard as a rock when it first comes out of the fridge.

Chicken Cordon Blue Soup

This is seriously delicious!  Many thanks to Chef in Training for the great recipe!

Ingredients

• ¼ cup butter
• ¼ cup flour
• 2½ cups half and half (half and half is a half cream, half milk mixture found next to the heavy cream)
• 2½ cups milk
• 1 Tablespoon chicken base, or two chicken bullion cubes crushed
• 8 oz. cream cheese, softened
• 2½ cups chopped rotisserie chicken (cooked chicken breast will work)
• ½ cup cooked and chopped bacon
• 1 cup cubed ham
• 2 cups grated Swiss cheese

Instructions

1. In a large sauce pan melt butter and then add the flour to make a roux. Cook for about a minute. Add the half and half, milk and the chicken base. Heat for a few minutes and then add the cream cheese. While continuously stirring, bring to a boil and add chicken, bacon. and ham. Take off heat and stir in Swiss cheese. Bring back to the stove on low heat and stir until cheese is melted.