New Favorite Breakfast

Okay, so this didn't use any ingredients from the Bounty... buuuuuttttt it is so good I can't help but share it!

Breakfast Cookie (yes, that is correct, I said COOKIE)

Ingredients:

1 banana (I didn't have any ripe so I just used some cinnamon apple sauce)

1 egg white

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/3 cup rolled oats

1/4 tsp baking powder

1 T chocolate chips

dash of cinnamon (i didn't use this time because I had cinnamon in my apple sauce)

1 T creamy peanut butter

Directions:

In a microwave bowl, combine mashed banana (or applesauce) and egg white. Stir in the vanilla extract. Add oats, baking powder and cinnamon. Stir in the chocolate chips. Microwave for 1 minute 45 seconds. Spread the peanut butter on top and enjoy while warm.

I didn't get a picture of this lovely breakfast because I was so darn excited to try it. And I must say, it is SO SO SO delicious.

T

Food Update

Man! It's been WAY too long. Here are some things I've made in the past little while...

(click on the link to find the recipe!)

Spaghetti Squash Casserole

Sweet and Spicy Kabocha Squash

Potato Broccoli Soup

Braided Bread

Creamy Alfredo w/ cherry tomatoes and asparagus

I was looking for something simple for dinner tonight. I grabbed bottled Alfredo sauce, Classico Red Pepper Alfredo, and some fettuccine noodles. I had some cherry tomatoes in the fridge from several weeks ago that were near the end of their life, so I thought they would make a great topping for the pasta. They did! I sliced the baguette and sprayed it with the balsamic spritz salad dressing.

1 jar Classico Red Pepper Alfredo
8 oz dry fettuccine
2 cups cherry tomatoes (BOUNTY)
1 bunch asparagus (BOUNTY)
1 french baguette

Cook pasta as directed & warm Alfredo sauce as directed. While pasta is cooking, slice cherry tomatoes in half and place in saucepan over medium heat. Saute until warm. Season with Italian pepper blend seasoning.

Trim ends off the asparagus and place in micro-steamer. Steam for 10 minutes until soft. Sprinkle with lemon juice.

Slice baguette into 1/2 inch slices. Dip in balsamic vinegar and olive oil or spritz with balsamic dressing.

Combine for a great meal!

Cucumber Salad

My mom used to make marinated cucumbers all the time. It was always one of my favorites. I didn't have an onion so I just marinated the cuke.

2 cucumbers (BOUNTY)
1 cup vinegar
2 Tbsp sugar
1 tsp dill
1/2 onion
1 carrot *optional

Slice onion into thin ring slices. Slice cucumber and carrot into thin slices. Place in a quart jar. Put vinegar and sugar in a saucepan and heat until sugar is dissolved. Pour hot vinegar over cucumbers and onion. Add dill. Chill.

This is delish.

Using your butternut squash... pt 2

I actually made this recipe at Christmas, but I have been so lazy that I haven't added it yet.



This is my butternut squash "punkin" pie. This was surprisingly tasty! I was very well pleased. I just used a standard pumpkin pie recipe but instead of pumpkin I added butternut squash. I won't post the pie recipe because you can get that anywhere. I will explain how I prepared the squash for use.

2 Butternut squash

Cut the squash in half. Spray a 9 x 13 pan with cooking spray and place the squash cut side down. Bake @ 350 degrees until soft (30 - 45 min). Let cool. Scoop out all the insides and put in your food processor. Process until smooth. Now use in place of pumpkin in any of your favorite pumpkin recipes. I also made "punkin" chocolate chip cookies that were delish!

Enjoy!

Using your butternut squash...

I am finally sitting down to enter a few bountiful recipes. Tonight I made stuffed butternut squash. It was pretty easy and quite good.

This is what was left. Cade only ate 1/2 of one.

1 pkg stove top stuffing prepared as directed (or 3 cups of homemade stuffing)
2 small - med butternut squash (BOUNTY)
4 sm chicken thighs cooked and cubed *optional
2 oz cheese (I used a smoked gouda)

Cut squash in half and scoop out seeds. Place cut side down in microwave steamer or 9 x 13 pan. Cook until soft. (8 minutes in the microwave or 30 - 40 in a 350 degree oven)

Let cool until you can handle it safely. Scoop out some of the inside of the squash, leaving at least a half inch of squash in the skin (if you scoop out too much it will collapse).

Mix together the prepared stuffing, cubed chicken and the squash that you scooped out. Spray a 9 x 13 pan with cooking spray and set the shells, cut side up, into the pan. Fill the squash shells with the stuffing mix. Use all of it and pile it in. Grate about 1/2 oz of cheese on top of each squash and bake about 20 - 25 minutes @ 350 degrees until cheese has browned and the top has crisped up.

Week Five Overview

This week has been crazy, finals and finishing up projects. BUT! I did manage to cook! As mentioned before, I wanted to try to cook salads, lettuce wraps, baked potatoes, and stew. All but the baked potatoes happened this week! Monday I make a yummy stew in the crock pot using the potatoes and celery from the basket. It has lasted all week and I've been enjoying it almost every day as a leftover for lunch! Tuesday Cherie (my aunt that I live with) made a delicious Chef Salad. For this she used the lettuce from the basket. Then, skip to Friday and I made lettuce wraps (using, of course, more lettuce from the basket). They were pretty good, I was surprised because as I was cooking the flavor just tasted a little bland, but as soon as I mixed all the flavors together into my piece of lettuce it all came together and was awesome. I also decided that the mixture would be delicious on top of some brown rice!

Unfortunately I wasn't able to get any pictures of my yummy treats this week, but I will post the recipe I used for my lettuce wraps. See below:

Ingredients:

• 16 Boston Bibb or butter lettuce leaves
• 1 pound lean ground beef
• 1 tablespoon cooking oil
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 2 cloves fresh garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1/4 cup hoisin sauce
• 2 teaspoons minced pickled ginger
• 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
• Asian chile pepper sauce (optional)
• 1 (8 ounce) can water chestnuts, drained and finely chopped
• 1 bunch green onions, chopped
• 2 teaspoons Asian (dark) sesame oil

Directions:

1. Rinse whole lettuce leaves and pat dry, being careful not tear them. Set aside.
2. In a medium skillet over high heat, brown the ground beef in 1 tablespoon of oil, stirring often and reducing the heat to medium, if necessary. Drain, and set aside to cool. Cook the onion in the same pan, stirring frequently. Add the garlic, soy sauce, hoisin sauce, ginger, vinegar, and chile pepper sauce to the onions, and stir. Stir in chopped water chestnuts, green onions, sesame oil, and cooked beef; continue cooking until the onions just begin to wilt, about 2 minutes.
3. Arrange lettuce leaves around the outer edge of a large serving platter, and pile meat mixture in the center. To serve, allow each person to spoon a portion of the meat into a lettuce leaf. Wrap the lettuce around the meat like a burrito, and enjoy!

This week has also been a little off because my Uncle (that I live with) found out he is diabetic. So, my aunt and I have been trying to come up with ways that we can change the diet for everyone in the house to make sure that my uncle is eating healthier. So, this may change some of the recipes for a little while to ensure that they are diabetes friendly!