Warm Blueberry Granola Crisp and siggi's {Giveaway 7/11/15}

**Disclosure: We received complimentary siggi's yogurt to help us bring this recipe and giveaway to you. All opinions are 100% our own. No other compensation was received.

We have had our share of rainy weather here is Chicago this summer. So, a nice pick-me-up from the oven is very much appreciated! This morning, I made my own warm blueberry granola crisp and it was the treat I need on this cloudy morning! Topping it of with siggi's made it quite the snack!

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Peanut Butter Buckeyes!!! {Simple Recipe}

Last year, I decided to branch out from my usual round of holiday baking and tried Buckeyes. What a total success! My family could barely share them with anyone! Pretty easy, chocolate and peanut butter goodness! Here it goes:

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Simple Maple Granola {Recipe}

I have found a lot of recipes for granola but I wanted to make a super-simple recipe that can easily be added to and I can tweak as I like or even based on ingredients on hand. Additionally, I love to throw a bit of granola on my yogurt but I don't necessarily want raisins, dried cranberries, nuts, etc. in my yogurt. A bare bones granola is very easy to make and you can easily add nuts, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, etc. as you see fit. Here is an easy one I whipped up in the kitchen:

Ingredients:

1 cup rolled oats

2 tsp avocado oil

3-4 tsp maple syrup

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 F.

Mix oats, avocado oil and maple syrup. I used 3 tsp of maple syrup and found the resulting granola sweet enough for me but my daughter would like it a little sweeter. {Big shock!} If you like a bit of a sweeter granola, try the 4 tsp. 

Next, spread mixture on baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes. Be sure to check around 15 minutes to prevent burning. The granola should be a toasted golden brown. Let cool and your granola is ready to eat!

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Mixed Berry Cobbler {Simple, Berry Goodness}

It has been way too long since we have done a recipe on here! My hubby and I actually have a few that are in the formative phases but not quite there yet. This time of year is berry-good in our house as my husband snaps up organic berry deals. I was inspired by our recent collection of berries to make a cobbler for the Fourth of July. Cobblers are pretty easy and please most. I made ours in one dish wish we split three ways, but you can also easily bake cobblers in individual portions. I used cherries and strawberries in my cobbler, but you can simply add blueberries, blackberries and raspberries as well.

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Creamed Parsnips with siggi's and a {Giveaway} 4/7/14

**Disclosure: As a siggi's ambassador, I have received complimentary product to sample. No other compensation was received. All opinions are 100% my own.

Lately, we have been on a root vegetable kick, exploring ones that are relatively new to us. The parsnip has quickly become one of our favorites. It is pretty easy to work with---think carrot--and has a nice, sweet flavor. Recently, I became an ambassador for siggi's so I thought this would  the perfect opportunity to be a little adventurous with the parsnip. I love, love, love siggi's skyr! Blending it with a parsnip seemed to be a no-brainer!

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Balsamic Chicken and Wild Rice {Recipe}

I think that I have mentioned before how much I love Cooking Light. We have found some great recipes from Cooking Light and find them to be well balanced yet not to difficult to execute. One of our standbys from Cooking Light happens to be Sauteed Chicken Breast with Balsamic Vinegar Pan Sauce. Last night, I made it with a few tweaks. I wanted to share the recipe because it is a good one!

Ingredients:

2 large chicken breasts
1/3 cup vegetable broth
1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
1 tsp honey
1/2 Tbsp butter
1/2 Tbsp avocado oil
1 Tbsp chopped scallions
1/2 tsp fresh ground pepper
3 Tbsp buckwheat
1/2 cup wild rice (dry)

Directions:

First, start preparing the wild rice according to the package directions. Wild rice does take a little longer to cook, so starting it a little before you prepare the chicken may be a good idea.

Then, mix the balsamic, broth and honey. I whisked the mixture lightly. Heat the butter and oil in a skillet. {I used my Le Creuset.} Mix the flour and the pepper in a shallow dish for dredging. You may want to cut the chicken breasts in half {we left ours big however bigger pieces take longer}. Dredge your chicken and pan fry. Fry for about 4-5 minutes on each side until golden brown. Since I left our breasts large, they did take about 7 minutes on each side. Once your chicken is cooked, remove it from the skillet. Add the scallions and sautee for 30 seconds. Next, add the liquid mixture. Scrape the pan to add the browned bits. Boil the liquid about 3 minutes--until the liquid has been reduced by 1/2. To plate, put some wild rice on your plate. Then, place the chicken atop the wild rice and drizzle with the sauce and scallions. For dinner last night, we also made some brussel sprouts.

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Shepherd's Pie {Easy Comfort Food}

My husband and I have been making Rachael Ray's 30 Minute Shepherd's Pie for longer than I care to mention. The recipe has been adapted over the years according to our tastes and what we have more readily available. I like this recipe because it is easy but tastes like much more effort was put into it. Nice, warm comfort food for winter!

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Homemade Pumpkin Spice Latte

Once the crisp air of fall rolled in, I had an instantaneous craving--one that you are probably familiar with. I could not wait to have a pumpkin spice latte from a certain coffee joint! And, yes, I did indulge. Soon afterward, I discovered a Pumpkin Spice Latte recipe by Amy Jamieson on People's website. To add to my excitement, the recipe truly used pumpkin--not just the spices. Having just cleaned out a pie pumpkin, I had some pumpkin to spare. So, I thought that I would try the recipe. Tonight, I gave it a whirl and enjoyed it. The recipe is very easy and the latte is definitely one that is perfect for sipping during a fall evening spending time with the family or enjoying a good book. I adapted the recipe a bit, so take a peek:

Ingredients

3/4 cup 2% milk
1 tsp maple syrup
2-3 Tbsp pumpkin puree
1/4 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/4 tsp cinnamon + a pinch for the top of the latte
1 pinch ground ginger
1/2 cup coffee

Directions

Make coffee according to preferred method. Add all other ingredients to food processor or blender except the pinch of cinnamon. Blend on high speed until frothy. Then, pour into saucepan on stove top and warm. Do not heat to boiling. Then, pour milk mixture on top of 1/2 cup of coffee. Sprinkle with a pinch of cinnamon. Yum!

I love that this recipe uses real pumpkin and that I actually know every ingredient in it. Plus, it is surprisingly easy to make at home!

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Super-moist Pumpkin Bread

I think that I hit one out of the park the other evening with a new pumpkin bread recipe. My daughter has been totally addicted to it! It took me awhile to find the right recipe. So many of them had four Simply Recipes and adapted it a little bit. We are almost done with our loaf--I am sure my daughter will be asking for another!
eggs and I had a hard time finding one that would work with how we bake. I finally found one on

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup organic cane sugar
1 tsp baking soda
1 1/4 cup pumpkin puree
1/4 cup maple syrup
1/4 cup olive oil
2 eggs, beaten
1/4 cup water
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp allspice

Directions

Preheat your oven to 350 F. Grease loaf pan very well with butter. Grab two mixing bowls. Sift together first 4 ingredients in one bowl. Mix the rest of the ingredients in the other bowl. Next, add your wet mixture to your dry mixture and combine until just mixed. Bake about 50-60 minutes. To test, poke with a toothpick. When the toothpick comes out clean, the bread is finished. Let it cool a little bit and then turn out.

The resulting loaf was nice and moist! While the loaf was baking, it smelled a little eggy. However, you do not pick up the eggs in the flavor! A nice fall loaf!

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Cleaning our Pumpkin and Roasting Seeds!

Today, my daughter had a day off of school so we began working on our pumpkins. My daughter does not quite accept the difference between pie pumpkins and carving pumpkins. So while she likes me to make pie or bread in the fall, she also wants me to carve my pie pumpkin. I guess moms don't get a break!

We cleaned out our pumpkin by using pumpkin carving tools and a melon baller. The melon baller actually made the process pretty easy. We kept the pulp separate from the seeds. Once we finished, I put the pulp in a pot, added 2 cups of water and heated the pulp for 2 hours until it was pretty smooth. I simmered it on low heat to keep the pumpkin from burning. If the pulp is not smooth enough, you can puree it. I put this aside in the refrigerator for baking this week.

Next, we moved onto the seeds. There is nothing like fresh pumpkin seeds in the fall!

Here is what we did to make our seeds:

Ingredients:

Pumpkin seeds from one pumpkin
2 tsp olive oil
1 tsp celery salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon

Directions:

Rinse the seeds in a colander. Boil them for 10 minutes. Preheat oven to 300 F. Strain the seeds and pat dry. Pour them into a bowl and mix with 2 tsp olive oil, 1 tsp celery salt and 1/2 tsp cinnamon. Spread the seeds onto a baking sheet, preferably with sides. Bake for 15 minutes. Then, take seeds out of oven and flip the seeds. Sprinkle a little more cinnamon. Bake for 15 more minutes. Stir again. Heat 15 more minutes. Seeds should be lightly golden brown when finished. Cool and eat!

The olive oil really makes these pumpkin seeds addictive. They taste like popcorn!

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Yummy Beet Chips! {Recipe}

I first tried beets a couple of years ago as a natural food dye. Then, I tried them in a few dishes and did not particularly care for them. However, I cannot deny that beet chips are pretty tasty! Beets are a source of fiber, folate, Vitamin B, beta-carotene and potassium. The vitamins probably pack a better punch eating the beets raw. However, I am not quite there yet, so the chips will have to do! Maybe if I eat more chips, raw beets will become more palatable!

Making beet chips at home is pretty easy, especially if you have a mandoline. Baking the chips does take a little bit of time and patience. However, the chips are worth it!

Ingredients

2 medium beets, peeled and sliced thin
1/2 Tbsp olive oil
1 tsp tarragon

Directions

Preheat oven to 350. Toss sliced beets with olive oil and tarragon. You can use a different spice if you would like. I have also made beet chips with basil as well. Arrange beet slices on baking sheet. Make sure that they are not layered. Place another baking sheet on top and put in oven. You will need to bake the chip about 40 minutes. However, around the 15 minute mark, take a peek to see how the chips are coming along. Since mine were hand cut, they were not of uniform thickness. Therefore, I found a few that were already done at the 15 minute mark. I then checked every 5 minutes to remove any that were done. When the beet chips are done, they will be lighter than the original deep red. When they are finished, they will cool pretty fast.

This recipe only yields enough chips for two servings. You can definitely adjust up to fit your needs.

These chips can actually make a really nice and vibrant garnish. We had a cucumber soup with our chips and the contrast between the red color of the beet chips and the white of the soup was neat.

**Thank to Martha Stewart for the technique using the pans. Last week, my chips took forever on one pan. The double pan idea works well!

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Reubenesque Potatoes and a {giveaway!}

As the temperatures begin to dip outside, piping hot dishes right out of the oven sound more and more appealing. Nothing is quite like
a nice warm meal after being out in brisker temperatures. Recently, Klondike Brand Potatoes contacted me about using Klondike Rose Potatoes in a new recipe inspired by fall produce. Being a total potato fan, I had to meet the challenge.

I discussed last week that I have been buying this awesome red cabbage from our local market. It is surprisingly sweet. Love it! Inspired by this cabbage, I opted to give a little reuben spin to the Klondike Rose Potatoes. Notice I said spin--I am straying a bit from a traditional reuben. The resulting dish was tasty and one I would make again.

Ingredients:

2 large Klondike Rose Potatoes
2-3 slices pastrami
1/2 cup sliced red cabbage (sliced thin)
1/4 cup diced Emmental cheese
1/4 cup yogurt
1 tsp horseradish

Directions:

Wash and peel potatoes. Cut into wedges. Boil potato wedges for 15-20 minutes. When they are done, they will be soft when you touch them with a fork. Preheat oven to 350. Slice pastrami into small stripes. Slice red cabbage into thin strips. Layer potato wedges into a casserole dish.

Then, layer on the pastrami. Finally, layer the cabbage on top. Place casserole dish into oven and bake 10 minutes.

 While baking, melt cheese in sauce pan over low heat. As cheese is melting, add yogurt. Continue to melt while stirring. This will take awhile. However, you will want to heat the two ingredients slow to prevent curdling. (I walked away to look at spices and strayed a little too long, so we got a little curdling.) Once almost entirely melted, add horseradish. Remove the potatoes from the oven. You can either drizzle the sauce on and serve or stick the potatoes back into the oven after drizzling on the cheese sauce for a little browning.

Result: Yummy potatoes with a great serving of healthy, red cabbage!

Win Potatoes!

In addition to sponsoring this wonderful recipe, Klondike Brands is sponsoring a great giveaway for our readers! One reader will receive a bag of Klondike potatoes! This giveaway is open to U.S. residents 18-years-old and older and will end on September 25, 2013. Klondike Brands is responsible for sending the prize to the winner. Enter below!


a Rafflecopter giveaway

**Disclosure: Klondike Brands provided potatoes for creating this recipe. No compensation was received for this post. All opinions are 100% my own. 

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Festive Turkey Meatballs

I have been making turkey meatballs for years and the recipe has morphed quite a bit. I finally have a meatball that we all love and shockingly can all eat. I do credit the wonderful red cabbage I have been buying at the Farmers' Market for my inspiration. I tell you, I can probably eat a whole head of it. The cabbage has a lovely sweetness to it that you do not usually get from store bought cabbage. The recipe is very easy and you can easily make a large batch to freeze some for a future meal.

Ingredients:

1 lb ground turkey
1/2 cup finely chopped red cabbage
1/4 cup diced white or yellow onion
1 egg white
1/4 cup cornmeal (you can increase this upon taste)
2 Tbsp brown mustard
1 tsp fresh sage
1 tsp dried tarragon

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Mix ingredients in large mixing bowl. You may need to mix a bit by hand to make sure the ingredients are well incorporated. I have used both pyrex and corelle bakeware to bake my meatballs. Form meatballs using a medium-sized spoonful of the mixture. With the pyrex or corelle, you will not need to spray the bakeware. Once the meatballs are formed, bake for 25 minutes. Check for doneness around to 20 minute mark if your meatballs are on the smaller side.

We found these meatballs to be pretty moist and tasty. Plus, the color from the cabbage is a nice touch!

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Simple Rosemary Cornbread {Munchie Monday}

I love to snip a little rosemary from the garden and add it to my recipes. An easy little twist! While making cornbread today, I thought that it would go well. I was right! This cornbread is delicious!

Ingredients:

1 Tbsp butter
1 1/4 cups stone ground cornmeal
3/4 cup 2% milk
1 egg white
1/4 cup EVO
1 Tbsp honey
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1-2 tsps fresh rosemary

Directions:

First, preheat your oven to 450. Melt the butter in an iron skillet in the oven as it warms. Remove the skillet once the butter has melted. Be sure that the butter has coated the sides. Next, combine the cornmeal, salt and baking soda. Then, stir in the egg white, milk, EVO and honey. Incorporate the rosemary. Pour batter into the skillet and place back into the oven. Bake for 25-30 minutes. The top of the cornbread will be lightly brown and the middle firm to touch. Then, turn the cornbread out onto a serving platter. Voila!***

***Mine did not flip out so smoothly. Next time, I am going to try this in a springform pan. However, the cornbread was delicious! It was hard not to eat all of it!

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Olive Artichoke Tapenade {Munchie Monday}

We had a great olive tapenade while on a recent trip. I was actually shocked that I liked because I normally am not a fan of tapenade. I was immediately inspired to create my own at home. We love to keep things simple here. This is recipe is amazingly easy but flavorful!


Ingredients:

1 cup black olives, pitted and drained
3/4 cup sundried tomatoes (without oil)
1/3 cup artichokes, drained

Directions:

Put ingredients into food processor. Pulse until the mixture has a fine paste texture. Serve with crackers, bread or even in a crêpe. {I ate some in crêpe. Yummy!}
 

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Salads Perfect for your BBQ!

Greek Inspired Barley Salad

I am sure everyone has summer BBQs on the mind. I thought that I would do a little round up of the salads we have featured on the blog in one post for anyone needing inspiration. BBQs are certainly fun with a number of festive salads to sample! Hope everyone has some great BBQs this year!


Greek Inspired Barley Salad {with feta, of course}
Dijon Potato Salad {one of my faves}
White Bean Salad {naturally colorful}
Pineapple-Sage Relish {versatile--can be eaten with grilled meat or fish or even on its own}
Quinoa Tabbouleh Salad {enjoying a superfood}
Chicken Avocado Salad {a new spin on some favorites}
Spontaneous Slaw {super easy}
Watermelon Cucumber Salad {having fun with watermelon}
 

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Scones {Munchie Monday}

This recipe is pretty basic and one of those recipes that you can easily add a little flair to by trying different combinations of additional fruit, nuts, baking chips, etc, My recipe is adapted from an old Better Homes and Gardens recipe. (In fact, it is from a cookbook that my grandmother gave me when I was just starting out.) My daughter and I made some this weekend, making half of a batch with chocolate chips and half with raspberries.

Ingredients:

2 cups all-purpose flour
3 Tbsp sugar
1 Tbsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
4 Tbsp chilled butter
1 lightly beaten egg (half of yolk removed)
1/2 cup 2% milk
1/4 cup chocolate chips
1/4 cup raspberries, mashed

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400. Mix first four ingredients in large bowl. Next, cut in chilled butter. In another bowl, add the milk to the lightly beaten egg. Combine. Then, add mixture to the dry mixture. Mix until just moist. Knead dough on a lightly floured surface, about 12 strokes. Split dough in half for two types of scones. Fold in chocolate chips in one half. Fold in raspberries in second half. You may need to knead in more flour to the raspberry dough.

To form your scones, roll out the dough to about 1/2 in. thick. Then, slice dough and form triangles according to preferred size. Place on ungreased baking sheet approximately 1 in apart. Bake for 12-16 min or until golden. Ours took about the full 16 minutes.

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Watermelon Cucumber Salad {Munchie Monday}

We had a surprisingly tasty watermelon salad during a recent date night. After devouring it, I knew that I had to try to replicate it. This evening, my husband and I came up with this easy and refreshing recipe. Perfect for picnics!

Ingredients:

1-1.5 cups watermelon, cubed with seeds removed
1/2 cup cucumber, cut into thin wedges
1 radish, sliced very thin
1/4 cup + 1 Tbsp rice wine vinegar
1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 Tbsp honey
1/4 tsp fresh dill

Directions:

Whisk together rice wine vinegar, olive oil, honey and dill. Place prepared watermelon, cucumber and radish in large bowl. Add dressing and toss. You are ready to serve! Very easy!

**Tip: Measure olive oil with tablespoon first. Then, use the same tablespoon to measure out the honey. It will not stick!

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White Bean Bruschetta {Munchie Monday}

After visiting the Farmer's Market this weekend, I found myself with a nice loaf of bread baked by some French nuns {always providing culinary temptation} and beautiful asparagus. My husband and I were inspired to use these finds to try to replicate a White Bean Bruschetta that we love at a local restaurant. Here is what we came up with:

Ingredients:

1 can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1/4 tsp cumin
2-3 tsp olive oil
4-5 slices of bread
handful of asparagus, washed
Parmesan cheese, shaved
balsamic vinegar

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350. Cut your slices into triangles. Then, brush each side lightly with olive oil. Place each piece onto a cookie sheet. Place in oven for 10 minutes or until you have achieved the desired crispness. Turn your slices over about half way through.

While the bread is crisping, blend the beans, garlic and cumin in a food processor until smooth. Cut asparagus to fit on bread.

When the bread is ready, remove it from the oven. Scoop a bit of the bean mixture onto each piece. Put a few pieces of asparagus on top and press in lightly. Put back in oven for 5 minutes.

Next, sprinkle each piece with a little Parmesan. Put back in oven until cheese melts. Now, plate your bruschetta and drizzle a little balsamic on each slice.

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Mushroom-Parmesan Potatoes {Munchie Monday}

My family does love its spuds! We usually have them a couple of times a week. While we love our standard recipes, we do like to experiment a little. We especially get creative at the end of the week when we have random remnants of veggies left over. This recipe was inspired on the fly by items we already had in the house. Potatoes are so easy to work with and you can easily use them in recipes with other veggies!

Ingredients:

4 medium red potatoes
4-5 medium white mushrooms
1 tsp fresh basil
1/2 tsp dried tarragon
1/4 tsp fresh ground pepper
1-2 tsp olive oil
1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

Directions:

Scrub and quarter potatoes. Boil potatoes. Boiling should take about 20 minutes. Test potatoes with fork for doneness. Drain potatoes. Preheat oven to 350.   Clean mushrooms. Cut mushrooms in half or smaller by preference. Toss potatoes, mushrooms, 1 tsp olive oil and spices. Place in a baking dish. Sprinkle Parmesan onto mixture. Drizzle with remaining olive oil. Bake until cheese had melted. Very easy and tasty!

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