baked ziti

i found this recipe in a family cookbook and on allrecipes.com. it looked so easy, i had to try it. of course i can't follow directions; i always end up adding a few extra ingredients. this ziti is so good, i think we all went back for seconds. and thirds...




baked ziti
serves 8-10

1 16 oz package ziti
2 (26.5 oz.) cans spaghetti sauce
6 oz. provolone cheese, sliced (i used shredded, and it turned out great)
6 oz. mozzarella cheese, sliced (or shredded)
1 1/2 cup sour cream, (i used a combo of light sour cream and homemade yogurt)
1 lb. lean ground beef
1 onion, chopped
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste
1-2 cloves garlic, minced

cook pasta according to the package directions except subtract 2-3 minutes from the cooking time. drain. brown ground beef and onion in a large skillet. drain. add spaghetti sauce, garlic, and cayenne pepper and simmer for 15 minutes.

in a greased 9x13" baking dish layer the ingredients as follows: 1/2 of the cooked ziti, provolone cheese, sour cream (put it in a ziploc bag, snip the end and pipe it on), 1/2 spaghetti sauce, remaining ziti, mozzarella cheese, and remaining spaghetti sauce.

tightly cover the dish with foil. bake at 350 for 20 minutes, top with grated parmesan cheese and return to oven uncovered, until the cheese melts, about 5-10 minutes.

spinach phyllo triangles

this is a great appetizer i have served on many occasions. since they can be a bit time consuming to assemble, i make them up to 2 months before the party and keep them in the freezer. the directions i have say you can cook them frozen, but then the tips get too brown before they are done, so i like to thaw them out for 15-20 minutes before they go in the oven.

spinach phyllo triangles -- from better homes and gardens, (but i modified it by adding more ingredients)

10 oz package frozen spinach, defrosted and squeezed dry
1/2 cup chopped onion (1 medium)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1 1/2 cups feta cheese, crumbled (6 oz)
1/2 teaspoon oregano
a pinch of cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
3 tablespoons plain yogurt
1 egg
12+ sheets frozen phyllo dough, thawed completely*
1/2 cup butter, melted

in a medium hot skillet, saute onions and garlic in the olive oil until the onions are soft, about 5 minutes. sprinkle a little salt on the onions while cooking to speed the process. let cool. in a mixing bowl, combine the spinach, feta, oregano, cayenne and black pepper, nutmeg, yogurt, and egg. add the onions and garlic and mix well.

brush one sheet of phyllo with melted butter. layer another sheet on top and brush with butter. using a pizza cutter, cut phyllo into 2x14" strips. spoon a rounded teaspoon of filling onto the end of each strip. fold into triangles by bringing a corner over the filling so it lines up with the other side of the strip. continue folding the strip, keeping it in a triangle shape. (just like you are folding the american flag. <- click for instructions, start with step 4.) brush triangles with butter and place on a parchment lined baking sheet.

bake at 375 for 15 minutes, or until golden. let cool slightly. they can be served warm, or at room temperature.

if you are freezing them for a later date, place the unbaked triangles in a single layer on a parchment lined baking sheet. cover with plastic wrap and freeze until frozen through....(i don't know how long, i usually end up forgetting about them and finding them the next day.) put triangles in tupperware with sheets of wax paper between the layers and store in the freezer up to 2 months.

*working with phyllo can be a little intimidating at first. just make sure you thaw the dough all the way by putting it in the refrigerator overnight or leaving it out on the counter for 2 hours. otherwise, the dough will crack. also, keep a damp kitchen towel over the dough and folded triangles so they don't dry out.

chocolate marshmallow cookies

i think i found this recipe while surfing the net a while ago. i just made these amazing cookies for the first time and they are addicting. when you make them, be prepared to have a lot of people ask you for the recipe.

jumbo marshmallows (about 20)
2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon soda
1/2 cup cocoa
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1/2 cup milk

make the icing first so you can frost the cookies when warm.

to make the cookies, cream sugar, butter and vanilla. then add the egg and mix well. mix the dry ingredients together in a separate bowl. add the milk and dry ingredients to the butter/sugar mixture alternating wet and dry. mix until well combined. drop tablespoons of dough onto a parchment lined cookie sheet and bake at 350 for 8 min.

while these are cooking cut your marshmallows in half so you have short round marshmallows.

pull cookies out and set 1/2 a marshmallow on top of each cookie, cut side down, and return to the oven for 1 min. i squish the marshmallow down so they sit into the cookie.

once you take the cookies and marshmallows out of the oven, let them sit on the cookie sheet for a few minutes, then transfer to a wire baking rack with wax paper underneath. the next step gets a little messy.

drizzle the icing on the warm cookies.

icing

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
2 tablespoons cocoa
1 dash salt
2 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon almond extract (optional)

melt the butter with the milk in the microwave then add the vanilla and almond extract. sift dry ingredients together. mix the dry into the wet ingredients. i use a hand held mixer. you should be able to drizzle the icing on the cookies so you might have to add more milk. but i thought the consistency was perfect as is. let the icing set on the cookies a couple of hours before serving.

applesauce and apple pie filling

here's something else i don't need to buy for a while -- applesauce! i have started using applesauce to replace oil in some of my baking recipes. my wonderful parents have a golden delicious apple tree and a red delicious apple tree and were more than happy to share their abundance. nothing beats free apples when you want to make applesauce, and i didn't even need to add any sugar the apples were so sweet. i use the guidelines on this website PYO canning for making the applesauce. if you want to can anything, check out that site!

it is recommended to use two different types of apples for the best flavor.

to make the pie filling, i first peeled the apples and then used my handy apple corer slicer. the apple slices were still too big, so i cut them in half. then, simmer 4 cups of apple cider with 2 cups of sugar. simmer the cider and sugar until the sugar is dissolved. then add all your apple slices and simmer for 3-5 minutes. add the apples to sterilized jars, then fill with the cider/sugar syrup, but leave a 1/2 inch head space. add the lids and process according to the directions for your altitude.

whole wheat applesauce pancakes

my little boy can't get enough of these mini pancakes.







since i just canned a bunch of applesauce, i wondered what i was going to do with it all. then i found a recipe for applesauce pancakes that inspired me to create this recipe. the problem i have with making whole wheat pancakes is that they never get fluffy enough for me. they end up thin and have little flavor. make this recipe and you will never go back to white flour pancakes again. these pancakes taste awesome! plus, you can feel good about eating a healthful breakfast that will keep you going until lunchtime.

whole wheat applesauce pancakes
serves 8

2 cups whole wheat flour
3 tablespoons wheat germ (optional)
3 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
3 teaspoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 eggs
1 cup applesauce
1 teaspoon lemon juice
2/3+ cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 apple, peeled and diced
1 tablespoon butter

in a small skillet, melt the butter. add the diced apples and saute until soft, about 3-5 minutes. in a mixing bowl, combine the first six ingredients. make a well in the center and add the eggs, applesauce, lemon juice, and 2/3 cup milk, and vanilla. stir to combine. if the batter is too thick at this point, add more milk, a tablespoon or two at a time until desired consistency is reached. fold in the apples. cook on an oiled and heated skillet....i'm sure by now you know how to cook pancakes!

serve with maple syrup, or if you feel like a little taste of heaven, try this buttermilk syrup recipe and you will have caramel apple pancakes.

buttermilk syrup

1 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 tablespoon light corn syrup
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon vanilla

add all ingredients but vanilla in a deep saucepan. bring to a boil. boil for five minutes. do not stir. remove from heat and add vanilla. great on pancakes, waffles, french toast, and ice cream.

couscous for breakfast

couscous is a small pasta that originates from morocco and northern algeria. it is used in a similar way our culture uses rice. i learned about couscous from some college roommates. i liked it, but never thought to buy it after i got married since mark isn't really into couscous. once my son was old enough to eat "people" food, i had an idea to give him couscous and surprisingly he liked it. this recipe is easy to make and doesn't take too much time.

i like the hodgson mill whole wheat couscous with milled flax seed & soy because it has 6g of fiber and 10g of protein per 1/3 cup serving. i've seen this brand at smiths.

breakfast couscous, serves 1 adult or 2 toddlers

1/2 cup water, juice, or milk*
1/3 cup couscous, plain
dash of cinnamon
1 teaspoon butter
1/4 cup blueberries, (i use frozen)
vanilla yogurt

1. in a small saucepan, bring the water, juice, or milk to a boil.
2. stir in the cinnamon, butter, and couscous.
3. remove the saucepan from heat, sprinkle on the frozen blueberries, and cover with a lid.
4. let sit for 5 minutes. serve with yogurt.

variations: add 1/4 cup diced dried fruit to the saucepan with the water, juice, or milk in step 1.

* never heat milk and juice together unless you want curdled milk.

do it yourself -- yogurt

my mom and dad used to make homemade yogurt when i was younger. i didn't really like it. it was tart, not sweet, and didn't taste like the "candy" varieties (ahem, yoplait) i was used to. i guess my taste buds have grown up because i am a plain yogurt lover. a year ago, i decided to make my own. i found some recipes on allrecipes.com (<-click here to see them) and had fun experimenting. back then i didn't have a yogurt maker so this is what i did instead: (you really need a cooking thermometer to make this.)

in a large glass bowl, heat 4 cups of milk to 180-185 degrees (i use the microwave). once the milk has reached desired temperature, let it cool to 115 degrees while covered with plastic wrap. mix some of the warm milk with 2 tablespoons of plain yogurt containing active cultures. before adding the yogurt, stir 1/3 cup powdered milk into the warmed milk. then pour the thinned yogurt into the bowl, (you don't need to stir it again) re-cover the bowl with plastic wrap as well as a towel and put in a warm place where it will stay between 112-115 degrees. i used a hot pad, but a heating blanket will work too. let it "incubate" for 6-8 hours. the longer you leave it, the thicker and more tart it will get. then refrigerate for at least 4 hours.

i've had to play around with the recipe a few times to get it right and once i got my yogurt maker, (thanks mom and dad!) i had to experiment some more to get the results i wanted. my batches always end up with a layer of clear liquid on the top. i never stir it in, just pour it out before i use it and it stays nice and thick. just remember this yogurt is "homemade". it doesn't have the gelatin, or other stabilizers to give it the same texture of store bought yogurt.

i came up with the following on my own because the recipes that came with my yogurt maker didn't give me the texture i wanted.

yogurt maker yogurt:

heat 2 cups milk until it reaches 180-185 degrees. meanwhile, pour 1 cup powdered milk in a pint measuring cup. fill the measuring cup with cold water until the level reaches 2 cups. stir in the powdered milk until well combined. mix 2 tablespoons plain yogurt with 2 tablespoons of the cold milk. then, mix the hot milk with the cold milk but do not add thinned yogurt yet. pour the hot/cold milk mixture into the yogurt maker jars. divide the thinned yogurt among the jars, but do not stir it in. place the jars in the yogurt maker, cover with the lid and turn the timer on for 6 to 7 hours. when the yogurt is done, put the lids on the jars and refrigerate them for at least 4 hours.

i love to eat yogurt with this granola recipe, (<-click link), substitute it for sour cream, and add it to smoothies.

learnin' to jam part II

using more of my father-in-law's nectarines, i decided to attempt more jam. i made two batches: nectarine-blueberry, and low sugar nectarine-pomegranate. i decided i LOVE the no/low sugar pectin. the jam sets up so well and it is nice and tart because you can control the amount of sugar you use. i just followed the recipes that came with the pectin and added the amounts of fruit and sugar i wanted. for the nectarine-pomegranate jam, i added a handful of pomegranate seeds to the jar just before filling and stirred the jam and seeds together. then i proceeded with the water bath canning. i am seriously never buying jam again, (well, unless it is raspberry jam, because raspberries are expensive!)

learnin' to jam

this is my first attempt making jam. these beautiful nectarines came from my father-in-law's orchard. i searched the internet to learn how to make nectarine jam and found this one that doesn't call for pectin and uses a lot less sugar than most recipes. i added 1/4 teaspoons each of cinnamon and ginger, and about a tablespoon of vanilla extract. yum!

nectarines don't break down as much as other types of fruit, even after boiling for 30 minutes. so they need to be finely diced. no need to peel them, though.

i probably should have used a bigger pot for this batch. let's just say my stove and counters were covered in sticky jam splatters.

ten nectarines gave me three pints. i'm still waiting for them to set up so the jam is more like chunky syrup right now. but it tastes great and would be awesome on pancakes or waffles. maybe i'll use a pectin recipe next.

you say tomato...i say salsa!

after seeing all the beautiful tomatoes this season, i HAD to make some salsa. this is something i've never done before, but i thought, 'how hard can it be?' after experimenting a little, i decided to use the recipe in my better homes and gardens cookbook. of course i rarely follow a recipe, i consider recipes more of a guideline, so i added some chipoltle tobasco sauce for a little smoky flavor, skipped the sugar and ground pepper, and used bell peppers instead of poblanos. i think the end result turned out pretty well for my first time, though the entire process took a lot longer than i was planning. i'm not an expert canner so i hope i don't give myself botulism or some other form of food poisoning. i did follow the canning directions, but i guess if i'm hospitalized in the next few weeks we'll know why. . . just kidding. now for some pictures!

my wonderful father-in-law got me these lovely tomatoes from a local farmer.

here's the big grand-daddy of them all. after seeing this monster, i had "attack of the killer tomatoes" stuck in my head. (don't ask me how i remember that show, i've never watched it, so i have no idea!)

hayden kept calling them apples and wanted to hold, but not eat one.
my nice clean jars are ready.
i'm so excited i don't have to buy salsa for a while!