String Beans with Garlic and Oil

My husband LOVES garlic and so I knew I had to try this recipe.  The sauteed garlic and olive oil adds such a nice depth of flavor to the green beans.  I also think it's important that fresh green beans be seasoned just right with enough salt--we all know how bland they can be otherwise.  So I did a few taste tests to make sure the seasoning was just right.  I love having different, healthy sides to add to our standard repertoire and this one is so fresh, flavorful, and simple.  Could it get any better than that? 

String Beans with Garlic and Oil from Skinnytaste

• 1 lb fresh string beans, washed, ends trimmed
• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 4 cloves garlic, sliced thin
• salt and fresh pepper

Bring a large saucepan filled with 1 inch of water to a boil. Lower a steamer basket filled with the green beans into it, tightly cover the pan, and steam for 4-5 minutes (don't overcook), until the beans are tender crisp. Drain.

In a saute pan heat olive oil. Add garlic and cook until golden. Add string beans, salt and fresh pepper to taste and toss well.

Tips: I used the organic frozen green beans from Costco for this recipe and they turned out really well--so go that route if you don't have fresh ones on hand

Christmas Dinner

Wondering what to make on Christmas Eve or Christmas day?  I've compiled a list of a few of our very favorites--many that I'll be making this weekend as well.  I love the holidays and love getting in the kitchen and making our traditional meals and treats.  We always do ham on Christmas Eve and our favorite breakfast casserole on Christmas morning.  We also make sugar cookies to leave out for Santa with a big glass of milk.  So here are some of our tried and true holiday favorites.  Merry Christmas!
(Just click on the recipe names and it will take you right to the recipe)

SIDES

Bacon Wrapped Green Beans

Brown Sugar Carrots

Cheesy Potatoes 

Barbeque Green Beans

BREADS

Amazing Rolls!

Cinnamon Rolls (Christmas morning tradition)

Butterscotch Bundt Rolls

SALADS

7-up Salad

Spinach Salad

Berry Salad

APPETIZER/DRINK/SNACK 

Apple Brickle Dip

Creamy Crockpot Hot Chocolate

Candy Chex Mix

Cauliflower Soup

 DESSERT

Moist Orange Carrot Cake

Andes Peppermint Crunch Cookies

Divine Chocolate Mint Cookies

Gingersnaps

Not Pictured (but I just had to add them):

Sugar Cookies

Pumpkin Blondies

Oreo Truffles

Apple Spice Bars

Oatmeal Cake

Oatmeal Cookie Bars

Cauliflower Soup

It snowed here today for the first time of the season!  It finally feels like the holidays.  I want to wrap up in a blanket and sit by the fire. So it feels like the perfect day to post a yummy, flavorful soup that we made this weekend.  I got this fabulous recipe from the meeting I'd posted about a week or two ago.  This recipe is so delicious and a fantastic comfort food to make on a cold, snowy day. The  finely chopped cauliflower and celery combine incredibly well with the base of chicken flavor and thickened evaporated milk.  The ingredient list is surprisingly short but don't let that fool you--the flavors marry perfectly. My kids both even had seconds of this!  We love the Wisconsin Cauliflower soup at Zupas and my husband said it had the same exact flavor but just with delicious chunks (as that one is pureed).  We will definitely be making this one again!  It's such a nice change from the standard soup.

Cauliflower Soup from Valarie Andrus

4 cubes chicken bullion

4 C. water

1 head cauliflower

2 stems celery

12oz. can evaporated milk

5 Tbs. butter

4 Tbs. flour

salt and pepper

Directions:

In a large saucepan, dissolve bullion cubes in boiling water.  Add finely chopped cauliflower and celery and cook until vegetables are soft.  In a separate bowl stir flour into melted butter to make a paste.  Stir evaporated milk into the paste until smooth.  Add to the broth mixture and stir with wire whisk.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  Serve with crackers and sprinkle with cheddar cheese if desired.

Bacon Wrapped Green Beans

If you are looking for a side dish to add to your Holiday meal this year...look no further!  My non-green bean eating family members were even going back from seconds (and thirds) of this dish at Thanksgiving.  I had these green beans at a church training meeting a few weeks ago and knew I needed this recipe to add to our Thanksgiving feast.   

Let's be honest...how could anything wrapped in bacon be bad? And I love how they look so nice and fancy when they're plated. The bacon adds such a nice smokiness and saltiness to the green beans which are perfectly complimented by a subtle sweetness from the brown sugar and butter glaze.   It really is the most delicious combination!  They will definitely be added as a staple now for our Thanksgiving meal.  My cute friend who shared this recipe has a title for decadent recipes on Pinterest labeled "Recipes for Thunder Thighs".  Well, this recipe for sure fits under that topic.  But on the holidays...don't count calories and try these!  You must!

Bacon Wrapped Green Beans from Valarie Andrus


1/2 Costco bag of fresh green beans (frozen) or 3 cans whole green beans .Boil with salted water until barely soft (unless using cans)
 
1 lb bacon cut in half
 
**Wrap 7-8 green beans with bacon.  Secure with toothpick and place in baking dish.  Drizzle topping over beans and sprinkle with garlic salt
 
Topping: Dissolve 1 C brown sugar in 1/2 C melted butter.  Pour over green beans. 
 
Cover with foil.  Bake 45 min at 350.  Remove foil and return to oven and broil 15 minutes more to brown bacon until crisp.

Asian Cabbage Salad

I am always on the hunt for a good, filling, flavorful salad.  This salad is now in my top 3!  It is SO amazing!  And so flavorful!  And so filling!  My husband gave me a new cookbook for Mother's Day and while perusing through it I knew I had to try this salad.  The ingredients are so fresh and also very healthy--but don't have that "health food" taste.  I love the crunch that the coleslaw adds to it and the combo of textures from all the veggies and then toasted sesame seeds and sliced almonds is to die for.  I made it to go with another Asian type dish that I'll blog about later and we were dying over this salad.  And my favorite part was that it was STILL good the next day!  That pretty much never happens when you dress a salad.  It's usually soggy and gross the next day.  But not this one!  I will for sure be making this one a regular on our menu!

Asian Cabbage Salad from "Our Best Bites"

1 (14 oz) bag coleslaw mix

1 rib celery, sliced

1/2 cucumber, sliced (I omitted this...we're not fans)

About 20 sugar snap peas

1/2 red bell pepper, sliced

1/4 small red onion, thinly sliced

1 1/2 cups cooked, shredded, or diced chicken, optional (but I totally recommend it)

1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds

1/2 cup toasted slivered or sliced almonds

Dressing

2 T canola oil

2 T cider vinegar

1/4 C seasoned rice wine vinegar

2 T sugar

1 tsp kosher salt

2 tsp soy sauce

1/4 tsp garlic powder, or one small garlic clove, minced

1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper

1/2 tsp sesame oil

1. Make dressing first.  Combine all ingredients in a sealed jar and shake extremely well.  Store in the fridge until ready to use.  This step can be done 2-3 days before serving the salad.

2. Place all salad ingredients, except sesame seeds and sliced almonds, in a bowl.  Toss with dressing at lesat 30 minutes before serving.  When you pour on the dressing, you might think it's not quite enough, but when it sits and marinates, it combines with the vegetables and draws out some of the liquid, so there will be plenty of dressing after it sits.

3. Refrigerate the salad for 30-60 minutes.

4. Right before serving, toss the salad with the toasted almonds and sesame seeds.

How to toast sesame seeds:

To toast seeds and nuts, place them in a dry skillet over medium heat.  Stir constantly until golden brown. Let them cool before using.  It's important not to toast more than one type together because of size differences an differences in the amount of oil in each type.

Serves 12: Weight Watchers Points+: 3

Zucchini 'N' Carrot Coins

Let me just start out by saying that I am not a huge fan of zucchini.  I like it in bread...but that's about it.  Until now!  Oh my.  This side dish was SO fabulous!  And if I am saying something with zucchini in it is great... Well...enough said. 

We have a really cool food co-op around here called Bountiful Baskets that my mom's friend turned us on to.  The thing I love about it is that I get veggies and fruits that I might not normally buy and it's forced me to branch out and find creative and yummy recipes to use up the produce.  This is how I came upon the zucchini in my kitchen.  I used up a few of them making zucchini banana bread and decided to use one of them trying to find a healthy side dish.  This did not disappoint.  The carrots were perfectly cooked and the onion added just the right extra flavor.  And the zucchini was amazing in it!  All three veggies combined were a perfect balance.  I had about three helpings of it at dinner and then finished them off the next day for lunch.  And it even tasted better the second day--which is quite a feat for re-cooked veggies, I think.   I will definitely be making this dish again and again.  I'm pretty sure it's one of my new favorite side dishes.  How's that for an endorsement from someone who doesn't like zucchini (anymore).

Zucchini 'N' Carrot Coins adapted from Allrecipes.com

1 pound carrots, thinly sliced

1 tablespoons butter or margarine
1 small onion, sliced and separated into rings
2 small zucchini, cut into 1/4 inch slices
1 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper

In a large skillet, saute carrots in butter for 4-5 minutes. Add the onion; cook for 1 minute. Stir in the remaining ingredients. Cover and cook for 4-5 minutes or until vegetables are crisp-tender

Tip: To make it even healthier, I think I may omit the butter next time and just use butter spray.  I'll keep you posted if it tastes as good

Serves 6: Weight Watchers Points+: 0
(it becomes 1 point+ at 5 servings...omit the butter and it's 0 at any serving)

Vegetable Medley

With summer in full bloom, here is a great recipe to use up some of those garden vegetables. I loved the variety and combination of this recipe.  I just grabbed the cherry tomatoes from Costco--but I CANNOT wait for those that are fresh from the garden.  There is nothing quite like a vine ripe, fresh from the garden tomato.  I also varied the recipe a little and add a sprinkling of parmesan on top.  Because what doesn't taste good with a little bit of cheese added to it?

Vegetable Medley adapted from  "The Essential Mormon Cookbook"

1 (16 oz) pkg fresh sugar snap peas

1/2 medium onion, sliced thin

4 T butter or olive oil (I reduced it to 2 with no difference in taste)

2 green zucchini, sliced 1/4-inch thick

2 yellow squash, sliced 1/4-inch thick

Salt

Pepper

1 cup cherry tomatoes

Follow package directions for cooking peas.  Cook just until tender.  Remove from heat, drain, and set aside.  Microwave onion in butter for two minutes.  Place in skillet.  Add zucchini and yellow squash.  Place in skillet.  Add zucchini and yellow squash.  Stir-fry just until tender.  Combine with snap peas.  Salt and pepper to taste.  Toss with cherry tomatoes at time of serving.  Sprinkle with 1/4-1/2 C parmesan cheese. 

Makes 6 servings.  Weight Watchers Points+: 2

Roasted Garlic Cauliflower

Oh my!  Add this to my list of new favorite side dishes...right along with these.  I am always looking for new ways to shake up our standard veggies or fruit to eat with our meals.  And this one did not disappoint.  Even my kids loved it!  The cauliflower slowly roasts in a touch of olive oil and develops a slightly nutty flavor.  The garlic, parmesan, and parsley are the perfect finish and make this dish irresistible.  I made these bite size to go with our chicken nugget meal that I'd posted about before.  We ate the nuggets and the cauliflower with toothpicks and there wasn't any leftovers to spare from the meal.  I will for sure be making this amazing dish again and again!

Roasted Garlic Cauliflower adapted from Allrecipes

2 tablespoons minced garlic

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large head cauliflower, separated into florets
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Kosher salt and black pepper to taste
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

Directions

1.Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F (220 degrees C). Grease a large casserole dish.

2.Place the olive oil and garlic in a large resealable bag. Add cauliflower, and shake to mix. Pour into the prepared casserole dish, and season with salt and pepper to taste.

3.Bake for 25 minutes, stirring halfway through. Top with Parmesan cheese and parsley, and broil for 3 to 5 minutes, until golden brown. 

Serves 6: Weight Watchers Points+: 2

Barbeque Green Beans and a Winner!

Happy, happy belated Thanksgiving.  I took a much-needed hiatus from life and blogging so I apologize for being incredibly slow on posting the winner of the cookbook.  But we had such a great, relaxing, family-filled holiday.  And now I sit here listening to Christmas music while we put up the holiday decorations and I am feeling perfectly festive and ready for the season.

And thank you, thank you for all of you who submitted side dishes that I could use for our Thanksgiving feast.  They ALL sounded so amazing and I am excited to try many of them out.  I had such a hard time narrowing down which recipe to try for our Thanksgiving.  So I brought in the help of my husband and he decided that something with corn or green beans sounded good.  It was such a tough choice, but I picked Ann's Green Bean recipe and they were phenomenal!!! Seriously.  You have to add this to your upcoming holiday dinners.

That being said, Ann is my sister and so I felt that it would show too much nepotism to give her the cookbook and she agreed.  So I used random.org to pick a winner for the cookbook.  The winner is Melanie Ann.  Leave me your email, if you would, Melanie and I'll get the cookbook to you.  Thanks again everyone for you submissions!!

And now here is that amazing recipe!  Don't let the title confuse you--there is no BBQ sauce in these beans but would go perfectly at a barbeque or as a side dish to accompany your ham or turkey this holiday season.  The flavors are better than any I've ever had in a green bean dish.  You MUST try these!

Barbeque Green Beans from Ann E.

2 pkg frozen french cut beans

1 onion
1 4oz. can of mushrooms
2 medium tomatoes

Partially cook beans. Put all of the above ingredients in a 9x13 baking dish. Make
sauce with 1/3 C melted butter, 2 t horseradish mustard, 2 T brown sugar, 1 1/4 t salt, pepper to taste. Pour over green beans and cover with foil. Bake 20 minutes at 400F.

*Make sure you use horseradish mustard...it makes all the difference

Serves: 12;  Weight Watchers Points+; 1

Banana-Zucchini Bread

It seems that many of you have been posting lately about the recipes you're making to use up your garden vegetables. This one is a fantastic way to use your zucchini. I wish I had a garden and have grand intentions every year of planting one. But again, it stayed just an intention this year. So instead I inherited (okay, shamelessly asked for) some zucchini from my brother-in-law's garden since I knew I had old bananas and have been craving this bread. It is incredibly, incredibly moist. The flavors of the banana and zucchini meld together so well. I know the recipe says to let it cool in the pan before serving--but I LOVE slicing it while it's still really warm and letting the butter melt onto it. Yum.

Banana-Zucchini Bread adapted from Allrecipes.com

3 eggs

3/4 C vegetable oil

2/3 C packed brown sugar

3/4 C white sugar

2 C grated zucchini

3 very ripe bananas, mashed

2 tsp vanilla extract

3 1/2 C all-purpose flour

1 T. ground cinnamon

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

1/2 C dried cranberries (I omitted these)

1/2 C chopped walnuts (also omitted)

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 C). Grease and flour two 8x4 inch bread loaf pans.

2. In a large bowl, beat eggs until light yellow and frothy. Add oil, brown sugar, white sugar, grated zucchini, bananas, and vanilla. Blend together until well combined. Stir in the flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Mix in the cranberries and nuts. Divide the batter evenly between the two prepared loaf pans.

3. Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 50 minutes. Allow to cool in the loaf pans on a wire rack before removing and serving.

24 slices:   Calories: 204   Fat: 8   Protein: 3

Substitute oil for applesauce:  Calories: 144   Fat: 1   Protein: 1

Cheesy Potatoes

For any of you still checking this blog--sorry for the absence. It has been a crazy whirlwind week. My husband was offered a new job back in the West where we are from and we have had a busy, busy, busy week getting the house on the market and getting everything in order. So if any of you are looking for a great house in central Ohio--I know of an amazing one for you to buy :-). So in my lack of cooking, I'm posting a recipe for cheesy potatoes that we make every single year for Christmas Eve. They are amazing!

Cheesy Potatoes

1 (2 lb.) package frozen hash brown potatoes
1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of chicken soup
2 C cheddar cheese
16 ounces sour cream
1/4-1/2 C green onions
Salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Combine the hashbrowns, soup, green onions, sour cream, and 1 1/2 C cheddar cheese. Mix well and pour into greased 9x13 pan. Top with remaining 1/2 C cheddar cheese; bake for 30-40 minutes or until all cheese is bubbly and hot.

Brown Sugar Carrots

I'm always looking for quick, easy side dishes--especially with ingredients that I usually have on hand. When we got married about 7 years ago, my cute sister made a cookbook for us with lots of easy recipes. This was one of the side dishes in that cookbook and it's a great standby. They have a nice (but not overbearing) sweetness that makes them a hit with the kids, too. I made them again today and forgot how yummy they are. Usually cooked carrots are my least favorite veggie and I even had a second helping of these today. So that's saying a lot!

1 small bag of baby carrots
1/4 C brown sugar
1 1/2 tsp cornstarch
2 T margarine
2 T water

Place carrots in a microwave safe dish and add the margarine and brown sugar. Cook in the microwave for about five minutes, stirring halfway through. When done, put the cornstarch and water in with the carrots and cook another three minutes or until thick.

Serves: 4; Weight Watchers Point+: 4  (Make butter 1 T and it becomes 3)