"Welcome Baby" Dinner

While cruising one of my favorite recipe websites, I found this great idea for new parents. Since my daughter is expecting her first baby and due this month, I thought it would be a great way to welcome Mommy, Daddy and Baby home!


With adorable recipes like 'Special Delivery Chicken' and 'Bringing Home Baby Carrots', it's sure to put an extra smile on the new parent's faces!

"Welcome Baby" Dinner

Banana Cigars

These banana burritos make a great after-school snack for the kids! Try serving them with a scoop of vanilla ice cream :)


BANANA CIGARS


8 egg roll wrappers

3 tbs Nutella, a chocolate hazelnut spread
2 tbs melted butter
3 bananas, sliced into 1/2" rounds

Confectioners Sugar, for dusting


With point of wrapper facing you, place 4 banana slices in center. Top with 1 tsp Nutella.


Brush edges with butter, roll up like a burrito. Brush with butter.


Cook in buttered skillet for about 8 minutes.


Dust with Confectioners Sugar and serve.


Makes 4 servings. (This recipe may be doubled)

Tropical Chicken with Grilled Sweet Potatoes

This yummy recipe comes along just in time for those Labor Day cookouts! 


Tropical Chicken with Grilled Sweet Potatoes 

Ingredients

	6 Tbsp fresh lime juice
	3 Tbsp ginger root, fresh, minced
	6 Tbsp apricot preserves
	6 Tbsp soy sauce
	1 pound(s) uncooked boneless skinless chicken breast, four 4-oz pieces
	2 large sweet potato(es), scrubbed and sliced into 1/4-inch-thick rounds

Instructions

• Preheat grill.
  
• In a large bowl, whisk together lime juice, ginger, preserves and soy sauce. Set aside 1/2 of the marinade. Add chicken to remaining marinade, cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour and up to 24 hours, turning chicken occasionally.
  
• Grill sweet potato slices until tender, about 8 minutes, brushing with reserved marinade as they cook. At the same time, grill chicken until firm and cooked through, about 4 to 5 minutes per side. Yields 1 chicken breast and about 1 cup of sweet potatoes per serving.

Rainbow Cake-in-a-Jar

Looking for a great dessert idea for the kids? What about something a bit different for the family cookout? How about a cake-in-a-jar? These fun to make, fun to eat creations are certain to get a positive response and huge smiles!

Rainbow Cake-in-a-Jar

1 box white cake mix made according to package instructions

Neon food coloring in pink, yellow, green, turquoise, and purple

3 one-pint canning jars

Fluffy White Frosting (see recipe below)

Rainbow sprinkles

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Thoroughly wash and dry the inside of each canning jar. Spray the inside of each jar thoroughly with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.

Scoop about 1/2 cup of cake batter into five small bowls. It doesn’t have to be perfect, don’t panic if you get a little more or less of one color than another.  Tint each bowl of cake batter with the food coloring until very vibrant.

Spoon about 3 tablespoons of the purple batter into the bottom of each jar.  Spoon equal amounts of turquoise batter, then green, yellow, and pink.  Place the jars in a shallow baking dish, add about 1/4″ in water to bottom of the pan. Place baking dish in the oven and bake for 35-40 minutes or until toothpick placed in center comes out clean.

Remove jars and allow to cool completely before scooping a small portion from the top of your cake, cleaning the edge of the jar, and adding a hefty dollop of Fluffy White Frosting to the top. Sprinkle & serve!

These cakes can also be covered with the jar lid and saved in the refrigerator for up to 3 days!

Fluffy White Frosting

3 egg whites
¾ cup sugar
6 tbs lt corn syrup
¼ tsp cream of tarter
¼ tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla

Combine egg whites, sugar, light corn syrup, cream of tarter and salt in top of double boiler.  Place pan over boiling water and beat with rotary beater until mixture stands in peaks.

Mexican Wedding Cookies or Crescent Cookies

Wedding Cookies were a holiday tradition in my Mother's home.  Every Christmas Eve, my mother would gather all of us around the kitchen table to help make these delicious delicacies.  She always called them Crescent Cookies because she shaped them like a crescent moon (an old tradition passed down by her mother).  

Ingredients

• For The Dough

  • 1 cup pecan halves
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature

• For The Garnish

  • 1 cup confectioners' sugar

Directions

1. In a food processor, pulse pecans, flour, granulated sugar, cinnamon, and salt until mixture resembles coarse meal; add butter and pulse until a dough forms. Shape dough into a disk or crescent, and wrap tightly in plastic; refrigerate until firm, 30 to 60 minutes.
2. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Pinch off and roll dough into balls, each equal to 1 level tablespoon. Space 1 1/2 inches apart on two large baking sheets. Bake, switching sheets from top to bottom halfway through, until cookies are just golden around edges, 20 to 25 minutes.
3. Cool 5 minutes on sheets; transfer to a rack to cool completely. Place confectioners' sugar in a bowl. Roll cookies in sugar twice to coat thoroughly, tapping off excess.

Chunky Cucumber Salsa

Since Summer doesn't seem to be leaving our sight for quite a while, I thought a nice, cool snack might be the perfect recipe for the day.  This salsa goes great with Tostitos Natural Blue Corn tortilla chips!


Chunky Cucumber Salsa

Ingredients:

- 3 large cucumbers, peeled and chopped

- 1 medium mango, chopped

- ½ bag frozen corn, thawed

- 1 sweet red pepper, chopped

- 1 small red onion, chopped

- 2 jalapeno peppers, finely chopped

- 3 cloves minced garlic

- 3 tbsp white wine vinegar

- 1-2 tbsp fresh cilantro, minced

- 1 tsp salt

- 2 tsp sugar

- ¼ to ½ tsp cayenne pepper

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, mix all ingredients

2. Cover and refrigerate for 2-3 hours before serving (the longer it

Sits the better it tastes)

Nutrition facts:

(per ½ cup serving)

Calories: 57 Fat: (trace) Cholesterol: 0mg Sodium: 297mg

Carbohydrates: 13g Fiber: 2g Protein: 2g

Diet Cake

A friend of mine shared a most unusual cake recipe with me today.  It's actually a Weight Watchers recipe (and I thought I had heard of them all).

Use any prepackaged cake mix flavor with any diet soda! The variations and possibilities are endless! Ingredients 1 package(s) regular white cake dry mix 1 serving(s) diet soda (any flavor) Instructions Mix cake mix with 12 oz of diet soda! Stir until cake is completely mixed in, some lumps will remain. Bake cake or cupcakes to box instructions (using the least amount of time recommended). Some recommendations for flavor combinations: diet root beer + spice cake diet 7up/sprite + any flavor cake diet cherry coke/pepsi + devils food or chocolate cake diet cherry 7up + white cake diet orange soda + white or chocolate cake for toppings/frosting (points plus not included) I recommend using some powdered sugar with the same flavor of soda for a "light" glaze or using a small amount of store bought frosting, but don't forget to count the points plus for it! For those of you who are wondering what it means by 'points plus', it's the Weight Watchers way off counting calories and fat grams.

Loco Colada

It's been a stressful morning already and it's not even 8:00am!  I could really use one of these, a tropical island and a gorgeous islander fanning me with a palm frawn.

LOCO COLADA

1 cup peeled and chopped papaya
1 cup peeled and chopped mango
2 cups peeled and chopped pineapple
2 small ripe bananas, peeled and chopped
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 1/2 cups fresh coconut milk
1 cup white rum---(if you want)
2 tablespoons sugar
2 cups ice cubes

PREPARATION:
Combine all ingredients, except ice in the blender and blend until smooth. Add
the ice and blend until frothy. 

Creamy Low-Fat Coleslaw

Here's another yummy, low-fat recipe shared by a good friend :)

Creamy Low-Fat Coleslaw

This old-fashioned coleslaw recipe of mixed cabbages and carrots has traditional sweet-and-tart celery seed dressing and mixes together easily.

Prep Time: 20 mins

Total Time: 20 mins

Servings: 6 servings

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup lite mayonnaise or low-fat salad dressing
• 1 tablespoon vinegar
• 1 to 2 teaspoons sugar (I use Splenda)
• 1/2 teaspoon celery seeds
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3 cups finely shredded green cabbage
• 1 cup finely shredded red cabbage
• 1 cup finely shredded carrot

Directions

Stir together mayonnaise or salad dressing, vinegar, sugar, celery seeds, and salt in a large mixing bowl. Combine green cabbage, red cabbage, and carrot in bowl; toss gently to coat. Cover and chill before serving. Makes 6 servings.

Nutrition Facts

Calories 155, Total Fat 10 g, Saturated Fat 2 g, Cholesterol 11 mg, Sodium 216 mg, Carbohydrate 6 g, Fiber 2 g, Protein 1 g. Daily Values: Vitamin C 33%, Calcium 3%, Iron 3%.
Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet

Organization Breeds Motivation

Recently, I created a Yahoo Group to help people become more focused on being organized.  It was a place where we could talk about our daily lives and how we go about them.

We post our daily TDLs (To-Do Lists) and follow-up throughout the day with updates so members can see how well we're doing.  We share daily tips on organization, healthy recipes, daily food journals, and fitness tips.  We even talk about fashion ideas.

Through all of this, I've seen a huge amount of motivation take over these ladies.  I, myself, actually look forward to waking up in the morning and posting my TDL.  It gives me a sense of pride to end my day with most, if not all, my items finished.  There's nothing better than feeling like you've accomplished something at the end of the day!

The fact that we are all there for each other, encouraging and supporting one another through every minute of the day, is amazing.  Not only is organizing my day a huge motivation.  Organizing this group is one of the biggest motivations in my life.

Zucchini Relish

Don't you feel lucky? Two amazing recipes shared in one day!  It's because I think you're awesome and you deserve it :-)

Ingredients

• 4 cups diced zucchini
• 1 large onion, thinly sliced
• 2 celery ribs, sliced
• 2 medium carrots, sliced
• 1 medium sweet red pepper, sliced
• 2 tablespoons salt
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 cup cider vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon celery seed
• Dash onion salt
• Dash ground turmeric

Directions

• In a large bowl, combine the vegetables; sprinkle with salt and cover with cold water. Let stand for 3 hours; rinse and drain.
• In a large saucepan, bring the remaining ingredients to a boil. Stir in zucchini mixture and return to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl; cool to room temperature. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 days. Yield: 4 cups.

Nutrition Facts: 1/4 cup equals 26 calories, trace fat (trace saturated fat), 0 cholesterol, 279 mg sodium, 6 g carbohydrate, 1 g fiber, 1 g protein

Sauteed Chicken with Balsamic Vinegar

I received this recipe from a friend last week.  After making a few minor tweaks, it is quite possibly one of my favorite dishes to prepare...and eat!  Enjoy!

Sauteed Chicken with Balsamic Vinegar

Servings 4 (1 chicken breast half and about 2 tablespoons sauce each)

Prep: 30 minutes / Bake 8 minutes

4 4-to 5-ounce skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, cut into strips

1/4 cup whole wheat flour

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/2 cup finely chopped onion

1/2 cup dry white wine or

reduced-sodium chicken broth

4 sprigs fresh thyme or 1/2 tsp. dried thyme

1 1/4 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

1. Preheat oven to 375 F. Sprinkle chicken with 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon black

pepper. Place flour in a shallow dish. Dip chicken into flour, turning to coat evenly.

2. In a skillet, heat oil over medium high heat. Add chicken. Cook 4 to 6 minutes or until

golden, turning once.

3. Transfer chicken to a nonstick baking sheet or a baking sheet lined with foil. Bake 12 to 15

minutes or until chicken is no longer pink (170 F0.

4. Meanwhile, for sauce: Add onion to the skillet; cook and stir 3 minutes. Remove

skillet from heat. Carefully add wine and thyme. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Boil gently

uncovered, 2 minutes or until wine is reduced by about half. Add broth. Return to boiling;

reduce heat. Boil gently, uncovered, 10 minutes or until broth is reduce to about 1/3 cup. stir in vinegar.

5. If you used thyme sprigs, remove and discard them. Return chicken to skillet, turning to coat with sauce. Transfer chicken to serving plates; spoon sauce over chicken. if desired, garnish with addition thyme sprigs.

Per serving:226 cal;5 g total fat (1 g sat.fat), 66mg chol, 385 mg sodium, 10g carb, 1 g fiber,

28 g pro.

Espresso Bisquits

Who says you can't have your morning coffee & eat it, too?

Espresso Biscuits

Ingredients

• • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup Dutch cocoa
  • 1 tablespoon finely ground espresso beans
  • 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 3/4 cup confectioners' sugar
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Directions

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees with two racks spaced evenly apart. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Sift together flour, cocoa, and espresso beans; set aside.
2. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with paddle attachment, combine the butter, confectioners' sugar, and vanilla until creamy, 3 to 4 minutes. Gradually beat the flour mixture into the butter mixture, scraping down sides of bowl twice.
3. Roll 2 1/2 tablespoons of dough between the palms of your hand to form a ball. Place on prepared baking sheet; repeat with remaining batter, spacing cookies two inches apart. Using a dinner fork, press tines into dough, and gently press into biscuit shape. Bake biscuits just until firm to the touch, 12 to 15 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool. Serve these dessert biscuits with coffee ice cream.

Pumpkin Patch Bread

I don't know why but recently all I can think of is autumn. I can smell it in the air (until I walk outside and I'm hit by the horrid Florida heat and humidity).

Since I can't actually enjoy the autumn air, the falling leaves, and the cool days on my front porch, I'll settle for the delightful aroma of pumpkin. My favorite autumn scent.

Pumpkin Patch Bread

1-1/2 c. sugar
1 c. canned pumpkin
1/2 c. vegetable oil
1/2 c. water
2 eggs
1-2/3 c. all-purpose flour
1 t. baking soda
3/4 t. salt
1/2 t. each ground cloves, cinnamon and nutmeg
1/4 t. baking powder
1/2 c. chopped pecans

In a large mixing bowl, combine the first five ingredients. Combine the flour,
baking soda, salt, spices and baking powder; gradually add to pumpkin mixture
and mix well. Fold in pecans. Pour into a greased 9 x 5 x 3 loaf pan. Bake at
350 for 70-80 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out
clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack to cool.
Yield: 1 loaf.

Time To Start Cooking Again

I have seriously missed baking, cooking & blogging about it!

My mother wouldn't have wanted me sitting around in tears, gaining weight, and making excuses.  She would have wanted me in the kitchen, creating wonderful things to fill our tummies.

So, that's what I'm going to do!

Here's to you, Mom <3

Grilled Orange Chicken

Here's another lite recipe for the grill...


Grilled Orange Chicken

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup orange marmalade
• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon rubbed sage
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
• 1 (3 pound) chicken, cut into pieces
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
• 1/4 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper

Directions

1. Preheat a grill for medium heat.
2. Combine the marmalade, vinegar, olive oil, and sage in a small saucepan. Cook over low heat for 2 minutes until smooth. Stir in the chives, then remove 1/3 of the sauce to serve with the chicken later on.
3. Season the chicken pieces with garlic salt and pepper. Grill for about 15 minutes on each side, then brush with glaze. Continue cooking until done, 20 to 30 minutes, turning occasionally, and brushing with additional glaze. Serve with reserved marmalade glaze.  

Grilled Chicken Salad with Seasonal Fruit

It's that time of the year.  Time to drag out the grill & throw on the burgers!  However, some days you don't want anything that heavy.  You're craving something cool and sweet and yummy.  Well, here's the perfect recipe for those days...

Grilled Chicken Salad with Seasonal Fruit

Ingredients

• 1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
• 1/2 cup pecans
• 1/3 cup red wine vinegar
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 1/2 onion, minced
• 1 teaspoon ground mustard
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper
• 2 heads Bibb lettuce - rinsed, dried and torn
• 1 cup sliced fresh strawberries

Directions

1. Preheat the grill for high heat.
2. Lightly oil the grill grate. Grill chicken 8 minutes on each side, or until juices run clear. Remove from heat, cool, and slice.
3. Meanwhile, place pecans in a dry skillet over medium-high heat. Cook pecans until fragrant, stirring frequently, about 8 minutes. Remove from heat, and set aside.
4. In a blender, combine the red wine vinegar, sugar, vegetable oil, onion, mustard, salt, and pepper. Process until smooth.
5. Arrange lettuce on serving plates. Top with grilled chicken slices, strawberries, and pecans. Drizzle with the dressing to serve.

Fresh Peach Cobbler with Nutmeg Sauce

Another amazing recipe shared by a friend...

Fresh Peach Cobbler with Nutmeg Sauce

Pie crust:
2 cups all-purpose unbleached flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup lard, chilled
1/3 cup cold water
Filling:
7 to 8 large peaches, washed and drained
1 cup sugar
4 tablespoons (1/2-stick) butter
Nutmeg sauce:
2/3 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon fresh-grated nutmeg
2 teaspoons cornstarch
Pinch of salt
1 cup boiling water
1 3-inch piece of orange peel, dried or fresh
3 tablespoons brandy

Take a mixing bowl, sift in flour and salt. Add chilled lard, and
Blend with a pastry blender or your fingertips until the mixture
Becomes the texture of heavy cornmeal. Sprinkle over the cold
Water and mix together lightly until the dough sticks together.
Shape into a ball and leave it in the bowl to rest for at least
15 minutes.
Divide the dough in half. Roll out one piece of the dough and
Line an 18-by-8-by-2-inch baking pan that has been greased
Lightly with lard. After pressing the pastry gently over the
Bottom, sides, and corners, trim the overlapping dough from edges
Of pan. Cover with wax paper and set into refrigerator until
Needed. Roll out the second piece of dough and cut it into 8
Strips. Place the strips between wax paper and place them in
Refrigerator as well.
Peel the peaches and slice each into 6 or 7 pieces. When all the
Peaches are sliced, remove the pastry and strips from the
Refrigerator. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of sugar over the bottom of
Pastry in pan and fill in with the sliced peaches; sprinkle the
Rest of the sugar over the peaches. Scatter thin slices of
Butter, 6 to 8 pieces, over the sugar. Moisten the rim of the
Pastry and place the strips of dough, weaving them in by placing
One across and one lengthwise until they are used up. Press down
Along the rim and trim surplus pastry hanging over edges.
Decorate rim by pressing marks on pastry with handle of a dinner
Knife.
Set the cobbler into the center of a preheated 450 degree oven,
Close the door, and turn the oven down to 425 degrees. Bake for
45 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool for 15 to 20 minutes
Before serving with a nutmeg sauce.
For the nutmeg sauce: Place the sugar, nutmeg, cornstarch, and
Salt in a quart saucepan, stir well, and pour in the cup of
Boiling water, stirring as you pour. Add in orange peel and set
Over a medium burner to boil gently for 10 minutes. Set aside
Until ready to serve. Reheat without boiling and add in brandy.
Serve warm with peach cobbler (omitting the orange peel).
Makes 6 to 8 servings.

Avocado & Blueberry Fruit Salad

A friend of mine shared this on Facebook.  It sounded so amazing, I couldn't wait to share it.  I'm even more excited about trying it!

Avocado and Blueberry Fruit Salad with Avocado and Blueberry Fruit Salad Dressing

Makes 6 servings.

Ingredients

1 large, ripe fresh avocado, peeled, seeded, cut in slices

2 Cups fresh blueberries, rinsed, picked over, well-drained

2 Cups diced fresh apple (two medium apples; peeled, cored, seeded, diced)

2 Cups fresh mango chunks, diced

5 oz package mixed baby greens, or 8 cups mixed lettuces torn in bite-size

2 Tbsp chopped chives or green onion

2 Tbsp walnuts, toasted*, chopped coarsely

1 avocado and blueberry fruit salad dressing. (See below for the recipe for Avocado and Blueberry Fruit Salad Dressing)

Avocado and Blueberry Fruit Salad Dressing

2 Tbsp honey

¼ Cup plain nonfat yogurt

½ tsp ground cinnamon

¼ Cup fresh orange or grapefruit juice

1/8 tsp salt

1/8 tsp ground white pepper

Preparation

1. Place chopped avocado, blueberries, apple, and mango in medium bowl and toss with 4 Tbsp tangy dressing; set aside.

2. Toss salad greens in large bowl with remainder of tangy dressing, and distribute evenly on each of six salad plates.

3. Place an equal portion of dressed fruit/avocado mixture on top of each greens serving.

4. Sprinkle with chopped chives and toasted walnuts to serve.

*To toast walnuts, place nut pieces in dry skillet over medium-high heat and stir occasionally for about seven minutes, or until pieces are browned lightly. Remove from heat. Let nuts cool slightly before chopping and using to garnish salad.

Avocado and Blueberry Fruit Salad Dressing

In medium bowl, mix honey, yogurt, and cinnamon together until smooth and creamy.

Whisk in juice; stir in salt and pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning.

Nutrition

Nutrients per serving: 190 calories, 6g fat (1g saturated, 3g monounsaturated, 2g polyunsaturated), 0mg cholesterol, 36g carbohydrate, 7g fiber, 3g protein, 70mg sodium.

My Little Bug

It's official!!!

Courtney is entering her second trimester and doing great!

My Little Bug will be entering this world some time around September 26th!