Chinese Chicken Salad

One of my favorite salads! I really love to eat salads each day, especially when it's hot outside. This comes from the Daniel Plan cookbook.

Chinese Chicken Salad

2 hearts romaine, washed and cut into thin strips

shredded coleslaw mix (can make your own but this is usually cheaper and easier)

1 pound cooked chicken, shredded

4 tablespoons slivered almonds

1 can (11 ounce) mandarin orange segments in water

Divide greens onto 4 plates. Arrange chicken on top of greens, sprinkle with almonds and oranges. Serve dressing on the side.

Creamy Ginger-Orange Dressing

3 tablespoons coconut oil

4 tablespoons orange juice

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1 tablespoon rice vinegar

1 tablespoon ground ginger

1 teaspoon sesame oil

1 tablespoon almond butter

Place all ingredients in a blender, puree until smooth. Store in refrigerator up to 5 days.

Mediterranean Quinoa Salad

This is one of my favorite summer salad recipes. The original recipe comes from the Daniel Plan cookbook. Sometimes I add a little grilled chicken to to change it a little.

Mediterranean Quinoa Salad

1 cup uncooked quinoa

2 cups water

3 mini cucumbers or 1 English cucumber, diced

12 pitted Kalamata olives, chopped

1/2 red onion, finely chopped

3 ounces feta cheese, crumbled

1 yellow bell pepper, finely chopped

1/4 cup minced fresh mint leaves

1 (15 ounce) chickpeas, rinsed and drained

Dressing

5 tablespoons EVOO

3 tablespoons lemon juice

1 teaspoon minced garlic

In a small pan, boil water. Add quinoa, reduce heat to low and cover pot. Cook for 18 minutes then remove from hot burner. Allow quinoa to cool about 7 minutes then fluff with a fork.

In a large bowl, add cucumbers, olives, onion, cheese, pepper, chickpeas and mint. Add cooled quinoa. Mix gently. Serve dressing on the side. 

Chicken Lettuce Wraps

Not quite like PF Changs but very delicious.

Chicken Lettuce Wraps

1 tablespoon coconut oil

1 teaspoon sesame seed oil

12 white button mushrooms, thinly sliced

1 large carrot, diced

1/2 onion, chopped

1 teaspoon minced garlic

1 pound chicken breast cut into bite sized pieces

1 tablespoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper

2 tablespoons water

1 tablespoon cornstarch

1/2 cup low sodium soy sauce

2 tablespoons rice vinegar

juice of 1 orange (approx 2 tablespoons)

1 head iceberg lettuce, washed

Heat oils in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Cook mushrooms, carrots, onion, and garlic until tender (about 5 minutes).

Add chicken and cook until almost done. Add ginger, peppers, water, cornstarch, soy sauce, vinegar, and orange juice. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer on low. Continue cooking 5 minutes.

Separate lettuce leaves and use as wraps. Spoon chicken mixture into leaves and serve immediately.

Thai Stir Fry and Coconut Rice

I am still enjoying the Daniel Plan detox. I will be honest that there have been a few times I have had dairy or gluten but overall, I have been able to stay with the plan. 

This recipe is my take on one of the recipes in the Daniel Plan book. If you haven't read it yet and are looking to make some healthy changes in your life, this is a great start. I can't tell you what a difference it makes when I ask for God for His strength rather than relying on will power when it comes to eating healthy and exercising.

Thai Stir Fry and Coconut Rice

Stir Fry

1 pound chicken breast, diced

1 purple onion, diced

1 teaspoon minced garlic

1 cup carrots, diced

1 red pepper, diced

1 cup snow peas or frozen green peas

1 cup zucchini, diced

1 cup broccoli, diced

1 tablespoon coconut oil

1 tablespoon peanut butter

2 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce

1/4 teaspoon chili pepper flakes (can add more if you like it spicy)

Rice

1 cup brown basmati rice

1 cup unsweetened coconut milk

1 cup water

2 tablespoons unsweetened coconut flakes

For the rice, in a small sauce pan, bring milk and water to a boil. Add rice and coconut, reduce heat to low and cover. Cook until all liquid is absorbed, about 25 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat oil oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add chicken, cook until browned. Add onion and cook until translucent. Add garlic and cook for another minute. Add vegetables and cook until tender. Stir in peanut butter, soy sauce, and pepper flakes.

Quinoa Breakfast Bowl

I love to have a bowl of oatmeal in the morning, especially during the cold winter months. However, since I'm on the detox Daniel Plan, I can't have gluten right now. So I thought I'd try to substitute quinoa instead. 

Quinoa is a great plant based protein so it helps fill you up and keep your blood sugar more stable. There are some different versions of quinoa at my local Aldi's but when looking at labels, they all have added sugar. Make sure to always read your labels to ensure that the products you are purchasing are actually Daniel Plan friendly.

Quinoa Breakfast Bowl

1 1/2 cups quinoa

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 eggs

1/3 cup unsweetened almond milk

1 tablespoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon nutmeg

2 tablespoons nut butter

2 tablespoons unsweetened coconut (optional)

walnuts, berries, additional milk

Bring 3 cups of water to a boil in a pot. Add salt and quinoa. Simmer on low with lid on until water is absorbed (approx 20 minutes). Cool quinoa. 

Preheat oven to 375. Grease 8x8 inch baking pan. 

In a mixing bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Add mixture to cooled quinoa. Stir in nut butter until combined. Pour into prepared pan. Sprinkle with coconut.

Bake for 20 minutes until set (longer if you prefer a dryer bake). Cool and cut into 6 squares.

Serve with additional milk, chopped walnuts, and/or berries.

Updated Healthier Oatmeal

I do love oatmeal. I can't say it enough. If you're looking for a quick crock-pot recipe, click here. If you're looking for a healthier version that would fit in the Daniel Plan, this is your recipe. Since this has oats it is not for the detox.

Added bonus....you can get all the ingredients for this recipe at Aldi's!

Steel cut oatmeal

2 cups milk (can use cow's milk, almond milk or coconut milk)
4 cups water

1 large pear, chopped (I keep the peel on for added fiber)

1 cup steel-cut oats
1/2 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup raisins (optional)

1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1/4 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

In a large pot, heat milk and water over medium heat. Once it is almost boiling, add salt, pears, and oats and turn to low heat. Stir occasionally. Once oats are almost done cooking and liquid is mostly absorbed (approx 45 minutes) add cinnamon, nutmeg, and raisins. Cook another 15 minutes and keep stirring occasionally to mix everything together and prevent burning. Serve with walnuts on top. I usually add more milk, especially if reheating. I also like to add berries if omitting raisins. Makes approximately 6 servings.

To make this more Daniel Plan friendly, you need to add protein. In the Daniel Plan book they add chia seeds. I have not tried their recipe yet as I am still in the detox phase but am eager to!

Fish Tacos

Happy New Year!! 

Like everyone else, I'm trying to eat healthier this year. My husband and I are following the Daniel Plan developed by Pastor Rick Warren. We are currently in the detox phase and have cut out sugar, gluten, and dairy. Honestly, I don't really miss any of these foods and have lost 5 pounds! Here is one of the recipes originally from their book that I have modified.

I found all the ingredients at Aldi's which helps make eating healthy on a budget easier for my family. I did not buy the coleslaw mix at Aldi's. I could have bought a head of cabbage but for the same price I took the easier option.

If you never made your own fresh corn tortillas, you need to today! They are so simple and delicious!

My husband made this awesome tortilla press but you don't have to have one. The trick is having the dough between wax paper to prevent sticking.

I season my tilapia.

Pineapple salsa...trust me, this makes the recipe!

Stack of tortillas.

The final product. Doesn't look super fancy but it's delicious!

Fish Tacos

Corn Tortillas

1 cup masa

2/3 cup water

1/4 teaspoon salt

Combine ingredients until consistency of playdoh, add water 1 tablespoon at a time if necessary. Place golf ball size amount of dough into tortilla press. Cook in skillet for 2-3 minutes each side until heated (when you smell the corn that's usually when you know it's ready). Makes about 6 tortillas.

Pineapple Salsa

1 can chunky pineapple, drained

1/2 red onion

hand full of fresh cilantro

juice from 1 lime

1 jalapeno (optional)

Pulse ingredients in a food processor until you reach the consistency of salsa that you prefer.

To make fish tacos:

In cast iron skillet, add 1 teaspoon EVOO. Cook 2-4 tilapia fillets, fresh or thawed in skillet. I prefer to season my fish with garlic powder, chili powder, and cumin.

Place shredded cabbage or coleslaw mix on individual tortillas, add fish, top with salsa. Enjoy!

Asparagus and Bacon Quiche

One of my favorite spring vegetables is asparagus. We were having brinner one night so  I thought this would be a great recipe to try. It was a success! My kids wouldn't try it but my husband and I liked it. For the original recipe, click here. 

Asparagus and Bacon Quiche

Ingredients

• 1 unbaked 9-inch pie-crust (see recipe below)
• 6 oz asparagus, ends trimmed off
• 1/2 white onion, diced
• 1 tsp minced garlic
• 3 slices bacon
• 3 eggs
• 5 oz freshly grated Monterey Jack or cheddar cheese
• 1 cup milk
• ¼ tsp salt
• ¼ tsp pepper
• 
  

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Bring a large pot of water to a boil on the stove. Once boiling, drop in the asparagus and quickly blanch for 30 seconds until bright green. Quickly drain water and run cold water over asparagus. Set aside to cool.
3. Fry bacon crisp in a cast-iron skillet over low/medium heat. Once crisp, remove from heat and set the bacon to drain on paper towels but do not toss the bacon grease! Crumble or chop bacon once cool.
4. Reheat your bacon-greased skillet over medium high heat then sauté the onions for about four minutes, until soft and translucent. Add garlic for a minute. Remove from heat.
5. In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, salt, pepper, crumbled bacon and sautéed onions and garlic. Prick crust all over with a fork, then sprinkle evenly with the cheese. Pour the milk and eggs mixture over the cheese.  *** I greased the pie plate with cooled bacon grease to increase the flavor
6. Slice the blanched asparagus into 1 1/2" pieces on an angle and scatter over the cheese in the unbaked pie crust.
7. Carefully place filled quiche on a sheet tray and into the oven for 1 hour.
8. After 1 hour, the quiche should be puffy and golden. Let cool completely (it’s best to make this at least an hour before) before slicing.

I thought a whole wheat crust would be best with this quiche and this recipe was a perfect pairing.

Whole Wheat Crust

YIELD: 2 (10 inch) pie crusts

 

Ingredients:

• 12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) very cold unsalted butter
• 1/3 cup very cold vegetable shortening
• 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
• 2 tablespoons corn starch
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 6 to 8 tablespoons ice water (about 1/2 cup)

Directions:

1. Cut the butter and shortening into a small dice, then place them in the freezer while you prepare the rest of the ingredients. Place the all purpose flour, whole wheat flour,corn starch, salt, and sugar in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade, then pulse a few times to combine. Scatter the butter and shortening pieces over the top. Pulse 8 to 12 times, until the butter is the size of chickpeas. Some of the pieces will be small and others will be larger (about the size of a thumbnail).
2. With the machine running, add 4 tablespoons ice water to feed tube. Add the remaining water one tablespoon at a time, just until the dough is moist enough to hold together with a small portion is pinched between your fingers. Pulse the machine until the dough forms a shaggy ball. Place the dough on a lightly floured board and pat into a disk. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
3. Once chilled, divide the dough in two. Use both immediately or wrap and refrigerate for up to two days or freeze for up to two months.

Healthy French Toast Bake with Squash

Who doesn't like brinner? A recipe we enjoy is the Pioneer Woman's baked French toast. I changed a few things to make it a little lower in fat, calories, and sugar. This recipe is so easy and a crowd-pleaser. My kids are picky eaters and they love this recipe, even with the squash.

French Toast Bake

1 loaf crusty bread (I save the heals from my whole wheat sandwich bread in the freezer until I have enough to make this recipe)

8 eggs

2 cups milk

1/4 cup sugar

2-3 cups sweet potato or butternut squash puree (about 1 squash)

1 tablespoon vanilla

1 teaspoon almond extract

Topping:

1/2 cup flour

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 stick butter, cut into pieces

Grease 9x13 pan. Tear bread into pieces and evenly distribute into pan. In a separate bowl, wisk eggs. Add milk, sugar, vanilla and almond extract, wisk carefully. Pour evenly over bread. Cover pan and store in fridge overnight.

For topping: mix flour, sugar, salt, and cinnamon in a separate bowl. Using a pastry cutter, cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Store in fridge overnight.

When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350. Sprinkle topping evenly over bread. Bake for 45 minutes for a softer casserole. If you want a crustier casserole, bake it for 1 hour.

Top individual servings with maple syrup if desired.

Crumble bread and put in 9 x 13 pan.

Add liquid ingredients.

Sprinkle on topping.

Bake.

Enjoy!

Applesauce Pancakes

I never been too excited by pancakes until I found this recipe for applesauce pancakes. Now, I make these almost every weekend. My two year old likes to add sprinkles to them. The recipe is great because of the amount of baking powder in it. These are very fluffy pancakes...try them today!

Applesauce Pancakes

2 eggs
2 c flour
1 c milk
1 c applesauce
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 c vegetable oil
2 T sugar
2 T baking powder
1 tsp salt

Beat eggs until fluffy.  Beat in remaining ingredients just until smooth.  Heat griddle or skillet over medium heat or to 375 degrees.  (To test griddle, sprinkle with a few drops of water.  If bubbles jump around, heat is just right.)  Grease griddle.  For each pancake, use slightly less than 1/4 cup batter.  Cook pancakes until bubbly on top and dry around the edges.  Turn to cook other sides until golden brown.

Homemade Tortillas

I've wanted to make my own tortillas but never found a recipe that sounded very easy. Until now. I found the blog Annie Eats and love her recipes. She makes things I've always wanted to try and makes it simple.

Her tortilla recipe doesn't disappoint. It's very quick and easy. You could experiment with different varieties. For example, I substitute half the white flour for whole wheat.

Homemade Tortillas 

Yield: 12 (8 inch) tortillas

3 cups all-purpose flour

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

5 tbsp shortening (or unsalted butter, softened)

3/4 - 1 cup water

Combine the flour, baking powder, salt, and butter in a food processor. Pulse until mixture is crumbly (about 5 seconds).

With the processor running, steadily add water until dough forms a ball.

Knead dough for 30 seconds more until dough is tacky.
Transfer dough to a lightly floured work surface and divide into 12 pieces. Cover with clean kitchen towel and let rest for 10 minutes.
Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Work with one dough ball at a time, keep the others covered, pat the dough into a disc.
Dust lightly with flour and roll the dough into a very thin circle, 8 inches in diameter.
Carefully transfer the tortilla into the heated skillet and cook each side for 10-20 seconds, just until bubbles form and lightly browned. Repeat process with remaining dough.
Store in airtight container for up to 1 week or freeze.

Crock Pot Oatmeal

I love oatmeal in the winter. There's something about the warm heartiness that I've always enjoyed. Plus, it's usually a fairly quick thing to make in the morning.

Well, it just got even easier...

I found this original recipe for raisin nut oatmeal in the October-November 2012 issue of Healthy Cooking. I changed a few things to make it even yummier to me. Instead of an apple, I used a pear (bartlett is my favorite), instead of raisins I used craisins, I omitted the pecans, and I added more cinnamon.

Crock Pot Oatmeal

3 1/2 cups skim milk

1 large pear, chopped (I keep the peel on for added fiber)

3/4 cup steel-cut oats

3/4 cup craisins

3 tablespoons brown sugar

2 tablespoons butter, melted

1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup chopped pecans (optional)

In a 3 quart slow cooker coated with cooking spray, combine first eight ingredients. Cover and cook on low for 7-8 hours or until liquid is absorbed. Spoon oatmeal into bowls; sprinkle with pecans.

**You may substitute 1 1/2 cups quick-cooking oats for the steel-cut oats and increase the milk to 4 1/2 cups. However, the steel-cut oats hold their texture in the slow cooker better than quick-cooking oats, which take on a smoother consistency.

Pasta Carbonara

Sorry I don't have any pictures of this recipe, we ate it before I thought to take any. This recipe comes from Pillsbury. To see the original recipe, click here.

Pasta Carbonara

INGREDIENTS:


6oz uncooked fettuccine or spaghetti

4 slices bacon, cut into 1-inch pieces (1/4 lb)

1 clove garlic, chopped

1 egg

3/4cup milk

3/4cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1/4teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

4cups fresh baby spinach leaves - I used frozen spinach

3/4cup chopped plum (Roma) tomato (1 medium) - I used a can of diced tomatoes with onion

1/2cup thinly sliced green onions (8 medium)

1 container (6 oz) Yoplait® Greek Fat Free plain yogurt

I added in some frozen peas.

DIRECTIONS:

Cook and drain fettuccine as directed on package. In 10-inch skillet, cook bacon and garlic until crisp. Drain; remove from skillet, and set aside.

In small bowl, slightly beat egg. Beat in milk, Parmesan cheese and pepper. Place cooked fettuccine in skillet. Add milk mixture, spinach, tomato and green onions. Cover; cook about 5 minutes over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until spinach is tender. Add peas if desired.

Stir in yogurt; cook over low heat just until heated through

Chocolate Chip (Pumpkin) Cupcakes

These recipe comes from Deceptively Delicious by Jessica Seinfeld. I enjoy a lot of her recipes and like that she makes her food a little healthier by adding fruit and vegetable purees.

These cupcakes were okay. They were a little dry but I think it's my fault because I added more pumpkin rather than using both purees. Otherwise, everyone seemed to enjoy them.

Chocolate Chip Cupcakes

1 cup canned pumpkin puree

1/2 cup yellow squash puree

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup water

1/3 cup canola oil

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350. Coat a 12 cup muffin tin with cooking spray or line with paper baking cups.

Put the pumpkin and squash purees in a large mixing bowl. Add brown sugar, water, oil, and vanilla and beat until well blended.

Add the flour, baking soda, salt, and chocolate chips, and mix until completely incorporated. Divide the batter among the muffin cups. Bake until the tops of the cupcakes are lightly browned and spring back to the touch, 20-25 minutes. Cool before frosting.

Frosting

1 (8oz) package reduced fat cream cheese

1/3 cup pure maple syrup]

2 teaspoons vanilla

1/8 teaspoon salt

Beat the cream cheese with the maple syrup, vanilla, and salt until smooth. Spread frosting over cooled cupcakes. Store cupcakes in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days or wrap inidividually and freeze for up to 1 month.

Sweet Potato Fries

 This is one of my favorite ways to eat sweet potatoes! I've seen sweet potato fries cooked like regular fries and I've seen them served as a dessert type food with cinnamon and sugar. This is the way I prefer to cook them but experiment and see what you prefer.

1-2 sweet potatoes
seasonings (I prefer to use cumin, garlic powder, and chili powder)

Wash and peel sweet potatoes. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cut potatoes into small fry-size pieces (about 3-inches long and 1/4 inch wide). Spread evenly over baking sheet (spraying baking sheet with nonstick spray tends to makes the fries soggy). Sprinkle with preferred seasonings. Cook about 15-20 minutes, turning fries half way through. Fries are done when they are soft.

Individual Lemon Blueberry Cakes

This recipe originally came from Parents Magazine. To see the original recipe, click here. I decided to tweak the recipe a little. If you like blueberries and corn muffins, I think that you'll like this recipe.

Ingredients

• 1-1/2  cups  blueberries (I used frozen and rolled them in 1/4 cup flour to prevent bleeding in the batter)
• 1  box (8.5 ounces)  corn bread mix (such as Jiffy) and ingredients to make the mix or follow the directions on the canister of corn meal like I did
• 1/3  cup  granulated sugar
• 1/2  cup  milk
• 1/4 - 1/2 cup Confectioners sugar
• 1 lemon - zested and juiced

Directions

1. Heat oven to 400 F. Generously coat 12 cups in a muffin pan with nonstick cooking spray.

2. In a medium-size bowl, stir corn bread mix, egg (I used 1 per mix directions), granulated sugar, lemon zest, and milk until combined. Gently stir in blueberries.

3. Fill muffin cups should be about 3/4 full.

4. Bake at 400 F for 10 minutes. Cool in muffin pan on rack for 5 minutes. Run a sharp knife around each cup and remove cakes to racks to cool completely.

5. To serve, combine lemon juice and powdered sugar to make a glaze. Drizzle glaze over each muffin.

Zucchini Pizza

This interesting recipe comes from the South Bend Tribune. It is the most unique recipe I have found that helps use up some of our large zucchini crop.

Zucchini Summer Pizza

4 cups finely shredded zucchini or yellow summer squash

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1/2 cup shredded mozzerella cheese

2 eggs, beaten

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

salt to taste

I added garlic powder and Italian seasoning

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Put shredded zucchini or squash in a strainer and lightly salt. Let stand 15-30 minutes to allow water to drip out. Press so all remaining liquid comes out of squash.
In a medium-sized mixing bowl, combine squash, flour, cheeses, eggs, and seasonings. Mix well.

Spread the mixture into a greased and floured (or cornmeal-dusted) jelly roll pan. Bake for 25 minutes in the preheated oven. (I used a parchment lined pan.)

Remove the crust from the oven and change the oven's temperaure to (low) broil. Brush the top of the crust with olive oil, then broil the crust for 3 to 5 minutes until the top is lightly browned.

Allow the crust to cool slightly and slide spatula underneath al edges and under the middle. Place a largebaking sheet over the top of the crust and gently flip the crust so that the bottom of the crust is now facing upwards.

Because it can be difficult to flip the evenly, it may be necessary to cut the crust. To omit the flipping is okay, but the crust won't be as crunchy.

Brush the top of the crust with oil and broil another 3 to 5 minutes until the top is browned. Cover with toppings as desired and Alfredo Sauce with Sun-dried Tomato and Spinach (recipe follows).

Alfredo Sauce with Sundried Tomato and Spinach

1 tablespoon chopped garlic

1/2 cup butter

1/4 cup flour

2 tablespoons chicken base (I used a boullion cube)

1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes

8 ounces ricotta cheese (I used the smallest container I could find)

20 ounces half and half (I chose to use the smaller 16 ouce container)

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

white pepper, to taste

1 cup fresh spinach (I cut it into small strips)

Italian seasoning to taste

In a medium-sized saucepan, add garlic and butter on medium heat. When butter is melted, add flour and chicken base and cook for 2 minutes. Add tomatoes and ricotta cheese and whisk together while adding the half-ad-half. AddParmesan and whisk until smooth. Add pepper and seasonings to taste. Add spinach and simmer on low until heated through.

Cranberry Apple Crisp

This recipe comes from my co-worker & good friend Shari. I was rebellious & made this for dessert rather than the traditional pumpkin pie for Thanksgiving. Everyone really liked it, including my husband that doesn't usually care for cranberries.

Cranberry Apple Crisp

Topping:

2 1/2 cups quick oats

1 cup brown sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 cup melted butter

Mix ingredients together, set aside.

8 apples (Granny Smith, Honey Crisp, Roma) peeled and sliced (I keep the peels on for added fiber)

1/2 cup sugar

2 tablespoons flour

2 teaspoon cinnamon

2 tablespoon orange zest (I used fresh zest from an orange & then squeezed it's juice over the apples)

1 can of whole cranberries

1/2 cup dried cranberries

Mix all apple ingredients together and place in lightly greased 9x13 baking pan. Add topping mixture to apples, moving apples aside so topping gets into apples as well as on top. Bake at 375 degrees for 35-40 minutes.

Deceptively Delicious Yellow Cake

This might seem like an odd post since it isn't a recipe that I've made from scratch & is fairly simple. I bought Jessica Seinfeld's cookbook, "Deceptively Delicious" a while ago & have really enjoyed it. One of my husband's favorite recipes from the cookbook is the yellow cake.
Yellow Cake

1 (18 ounce) box yellow cake mix

1 cup canned pumpkin puree

1/4 cup water

2 tablespoons oil

2 large eggs

1 large egg white

6 ounces nonfat lemon, banana, or vanilla yogurt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat a 9 inch cake pan with cooking spray. (I usually divide mine into two 9 inch cake pans.)
In a large mixing bowl, combine the cake mix, pumpkin, water, oil, eggs, & yogurt. Beat until smooth.

Pour the batter into the cake pan and bake until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean, about 20 minutes. (I followed the cake mix directions which was closer to the actual time.)

Happy Birthday to my husband.

Fresh Tomato Pizza Sauce

I needed something to use the last of our tomatoes from the garden. We enjoy making our own pizzas & this is a very easy sauce recipe.

Fresh Tomato Pizza Sauce

1/3 cup olive oil

2 cup finely chopped onions

8 cups peeled (I left skins on), seeded, coarsely chopped tomatoes (put through blender, if decided)

12 ounces canned tomato paste

2 tablespoons oregano, crumbled

2 teaspoons basil, crumbled

1 bay leaf

2 tablespoons sugar

1 tablespoons salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

2 tablespoons finely chopped garlic

Heat oil in large stainless steel pan, 6-8 quarts. Add onions and cook over medium heat until transparent. Add garlic and cook another minute. Stir in tomotatoes, paste, oregano, basil, sugar, salt, & pepper; bring to a boil. Then simmer, uncovered for an hour or until thick. Stir occasionally. Sauce should be thin and fairly smooth. Remove bay leaf. Taste and season. May be canned or frozen.