Digital Scrapbooking: Recipe Cards

I have 25 free prints from Shutterfly and, for once, I already know how I'm planning on using them.  I'm working on making recipe cards for my favorite recipes using digital scrapbooking kits.  Then, all I'll need is a 4x6 album to keep them in.  It'll be much easier and much cuter to look through a book that's divided into neat sections than to look through my box with all kinds of loose papers and cards floating around.  I'm excited! 

By the way, both the recipes below are fantastic!  I was a little bit leery of using Root Beer in the pulled pork, but it was delicious!  

Pumpkin Bread Recipe

Here's a recipe that goes along well with my favorite season (even though the weather doesn't!!)

Ingredients:

• 15 oz. can of pumpkin puree
• 4 eggs
• 1/2 c. vegetable oil
• 1/2 c. applesauce (I used cinnamon)
• 3 c. white sugar (I cut this down to 1.5. 3/4 white and 3/4 brown)
• 3 1/2 c. all purpose flour
• 2 t. baking soda
• 1 1/2 t. salt
• 1 t. cinnamon
• 1/4 t. pumpkin pie spice
• 1 t. nutmeg
• 1/2 t. ground cloves
• 1/4 t. ginger

Streusel Ingredients:

• 1/2 c. sugar
  
• 1/4 c. flour
  
• 2 t. cinnamon
  
• 4 T butter
  

1. Preheat oven to 350˚; grease and flour three 7x3 in. loaf pans.

2. Combine pumpkin puree, eggs, oil, applesauce, and sugar. Whisk dry ingredients together. Stir dry ingredients into wet until just blended.

3. Mix 1/2 c. sugar, 1/4 c. flour, and 2 t. cinnamon. Cut in butter.

4. Pour into prepared pan and sprinkle with streusel.

5. Bake until toothpick comes out clean.

Modification: You could also make 12 muffins and one loaf or use a tube pan.

Let me just tell you, this smells amazing while baking! If the top begins to brown too much, cover with aluminum foil until it has finished baking.

Blueberry Bran Muffins

These just came out of the oven, and they really are FANTASTIC! Not to mention, they aren’t bad for you, either! They came off the side of the Publix Bran Flakes box.

Ingredients

Topping:

3/4 c. Bran Flakes

1 T. butter, melted

3 T. brown sugar

Muffins:

1 egg

1 3/4 c. Bran Flakes

1 c. lowfat buttermilk (I used nonfat milk with 1 T. vinegar)

3 T. vegetable oil (I used olive oil)

1 c. all purpose flour (I used 1/2 cup whole wheat flour)

1/3 c. packed brown sugar (I used less than 1/4 cup)

1 T. baking powder

1 t. cinnamon

1 c. blueberries (I only had frozen on hand)

Directions

Preheat oven to 400˚F. Spray or line 12 muffin cups.

To prepare topping, crush cereal and mix with butter and brown sugar.

To prepare muffins, lightly beat egg. Stir in cereal, buttermilk, and oil. Let stand 5 minutes; stir to break up cereal.

In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, and cinnamon. Add cereal mixture all at once to flour mixture, stirring just until combined (batter will be thick). Fold blueberries gently into flour mixture.

Divide evenly among muffin cups. Sprinkle with topping. Bake 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted into the center.

Nutritional info. Per muffin:

152 calories, 24.5 g carbs, 3g protein, 5 g fat, 18 mg. cholesterol, 172 mg sodium, and 2 g dietary fiber.

French Toast Casserole Recipe

Here is the often-asked for French Toast Casserole Recipe.  The original recipe called for sugar and a sauce, but after trying it both ways, I like to make it without the sugar and just put maple syrup on top!  

Let me know how you like it if you try it!

INGREDIENTS

5 cups bread cubes
4 eggs
1 1/2 cups milk
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon margarine, softened
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly butter an 8x8 inch baking pan.
Line bottom of pan with bread cubes. In a large bowl, beat together eggs, milk, salt and vanilla. pour egg mixture over bread. Dot with margarine; let stand for 10 minutes.
Bake in preheated oven about 45 to 50 minutes, until top is golden.

NOTE: We had company a couple weekends ago; I mixed it up the night before and popped it in the oven the next morning. It was great!

Western Meal in One

When I was at home, my mom made what she called "western meal in one" quite a bit.  Due to the fact that my brother and I were relatively picky, it was unbelievable that it was such a hit. Its kidney beans, bell peppers, onions, and garlic somehow mingled together to create a flavor that could be enjoyed by even the pickiest Riley (probably me).  Unfortunately, my picky husband (the most picky Brown) doesn't like the meal; but since his sister is more daring, she decided she would try it if I would make it.  Because I enjoy eating it, and didn't mind fixing something else for David, I made it today.  It was even better than I remembered, and very easy to make, so I decided I would share the recipe with you.  

1 lb. ground beef

1 clove garlic, minced

1 vidalia  onion, chopped

1 green pepper, chopped

1 t. chile powder (I double this)

28 oz. of diced tomatoes (I use the large can, but you could use 2 smaller cans)

1 can dark red kidney beans

1/2 cup long grain rice (NOT INSTANT... I use brown rice to make it more healthful)

Grated cheese

In a large skillet, combine the ground beef, garlic, onion, green pepper, and chile powder.  Cook until meat is browned and the veggies are limp (or the onions are translucent).  Remove from heat and drain fat.  Combine the remaining ingredients (I don't drain the tomatoes, but I do drain a little bit of the "juice" from the kidney beans) with the meat mixture and pour into a 2.5 liter dish (I use a round Corning Ware).  Bake uncovered for 45 minutes at 350˚.  Top with cheese and bake for another 10 minutes.  

I served it with biscuits and grilled corn on the cob (use a George Foreman if you have it... yum!!!).  To do the corn, I just melt butter, stir in some season salt, and brush it on as I let it cook for about 15 minutes.  

By the way, Kimberly said it was good.  Sorry there's no picture, but I rarely take pictures of the meals that I make...

Another Easy Recipe

When it comes to cooking, the easier the better, don't you think? As wives (or daughters), we want to prepare something delicious without taking up a king-sized chunk of our day.  While I was making something easy last night (a recipe I have used over and over again because my husband "loves" it), I thought I should share the recipe with you.  

What you'll need:  

• frozen or fresh boneless, skinless chicken breasts or tenderloins (as many as your family will eat)
• cream of chicken soup (2 small cans or 3/4 of a large can...  if you are going to feed more than 5, you'll need more)
• thyme 
• small can of flaky biscuits 

What you'll do:  

• Boil the chicken until it is cooked all the way through and tender (about 20-25 minutes for frozen chicken); save the broth
• Mix together cream of chicken soup and chicken broth (add until the soup becomes a gravy-like consistency) over low heat; add a dash of thyme
• Cut chicken into bite-sized pieces; spread in a casserole dish (my mom even uses a pie dish)
• Pour the gravy mixture over the chicken
• Section each flaky biscuit into 3 sections and place them in rows on top of the chicken and gravy mixture.  After I add the biscuits, I sprinkle lemon pepper on the top, but this is optional.
• Bake according to the directions on the biscuit can.  

I serve this over rice with broccoli.  My husband, brother, and dad all enjoy this meal!  

BTW, if you don't think the picture looks very good, I'm sorry...  I only took one!  I promise, it is yummy!  Remember the cookies?!?!  

Ridiculously Easy Meal

Tonight, David and I are having barbeque chicken for dinner. His mom makes it with turkey, as have I; but we really like using chicken. If you're ever looking for an easy meal to make, it doesn't get much easier than this!

Place fresh or frozen boneless, skinless chicken breasts into the CrockPot. Add water until you thoroughly cover the bottom of the pot (the chicken should not be submerged). Add a season salt or lemon pepper, if you like. Cook on high for an hour. Cook on low for another 2 hours. Drain chicken broth (save 1/3 cup for later). Remove chicken from the pot and shred. Place the shredded chicken back into the CrockPot then pour in a barbeque sauce of your choice and the 1/3 cup of chicken broth you saved (you may want to add a tad less broth if you don't like it very "wet"). Mix well. Cook for another hour.

David loves to eat it on rolls, and I like to eat mine by itself. I usually serve this with steamed broccoli or a tossed salad, mashed potatoes, and rolls/buns.

Remember: My cookies sold for $200, you'll probably love my barbeque. JUST KIDDING!