Monthly Archives: June 2017

Grandma Lee’s No-Bake Bars


Today I had my first meeting with my new clinical team. I wanted to make a sweet treat but didn’t want to turn on the oven. It was 88 degrees in my house! I haven’t turned on the air … yet. 

I have been wanting to make Grandma Lee’s recipe for a while now. She used to prepare it for the school where she was employed as head cook.  I can remember growing up and going to visit her at work. She’d always sneak me a cookie and some milk when I visited with grandpa. Grandma also always stored these in the freezer as well, so when we’d go visit her at home she never let us go with a cookie for the road. 

This recipe can be made into cookies or bars. I was pressed for time; therefore, went on the safe side and made bars. 

Yields: 24 bars

Ingredients:

1/2 cup, 1 stick unsalted butter (grandma uses salted, I just used a pinch of kosher with the unsalted butter)

1/2 cup (fat free half & half) grandma uses whole milk

1 cup natural creamy peanut butter

4 Tablespoons cocoa powder ( I prefer penzeys)

1 1/2 cups quick oats

1 1/2 cup old fashioned oats (grandma uses all quick oats)

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

9 by 13 pan & lined with Parchment paper

Directions: 

1. Take a medium sauce pan on medium heat and add first 4 ingredients and bring to a boil.

2. Once the sauce boils, allow to boil for two minutes & then remove from heat and add oats and vanilla. 

3. Incorporate the oats into the melted mixture. Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Even out the batter with a rubber spatula. Cover with sealable container or foil. Store on the counter. Do not refrigerator. 

4. Allow to harden, I waited overnight. Use the parchment paper to pull the bars out of the pan and on a cutting board, cut the bars into even pieces. 

As pictured Recipe yields 24 bars. 

If you decide to go the cookie route, this recipe will yield 30 to 36 cookies using a size 40 scooper. I would recommend dropping them on wax paper and letting them sit before storing them in a sealable container.

Enjoy !

Quinoa and Cucumber Salad

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Today we are celebrating father’s day a little early since my dad has to work next weekend. I was asked to bring a salad or the vegetarian dish. As my mom would put it “something you will eat” lol. This recipe is vegan so you can be safe to make the dish for your vegan guests as well.

There are a lot of benefits to a using quinoa in dishes. I like the fact that it is a whole grain and packed with protein. I prefer using the tricolor quinoa more or less for ascetics. I know the tricolor tends to be more expensive. If you like the tricolor as well,  I will share a trick to making the pantry staple last longer. Try purchasing a large bag of the white quinoa (like the Costco size) and mixing it with a small bag of tricolor. You will be surprised how the two can extend the tricolor effect.

This recipe yields: 6 (1 cup) servings

Ingredients

1 1⁄4 cup(s )canned low sodium black beans, drained (this is one 15 oz can)
1 cup canned artichoke hearts, drained and diced
2 cup cooked tricolor quinoa, cooled
1cup English cucumber, diced (this about 1/2 a medium)
1⁄4 cup fresh lemon juice (this took about 1 and a half fresh medium lemons)
1 cup raw red bell pepper, diced (this is about one medium)
1 cup raw yellow bell pepper, diced (this is about one medium)
3 medium raw scallion(s)
4 clove(s), smallgarlic clove(s)
2Tbs Pasta Sprinkle aka Italian seasoning
1tsp kosher salt
1⁄2 tsp ground  pepper
1⁄8 cup Lime jalapeno balsamic vinegar
Instructions
1. Place all the ingredients in a resealable container and give it a good toss.  Place the lid on the container. Store in the refrigerator to marry overnight or for a solid 1-2 hours.
2. Enjoy at your next potluck!

Roasted Yellow Pepper & Garlic Hummus

Hummus is very versatile and can be made with just about any type of bean or legume. Most traditionally though it is made with chickpeas AKA garbanzo beans. 

I like to make all kinds of variations of hummus. Generally, I like to have both garlic and roasted peppers in my hummus. 

 Yields 5 cups (20 servings; 1/4 cup)

Ingredients:

2 cans (15 oz) of reduced sodium chickpeas, drained and reserve one 1/4 cup of liquid

7 ounces of roasted yellow peppers  (packed in water NOT oil); drained
6 cloves of garlic (I love love garlic)
3 tablespoons of tahini ( essentially Sesame seed butter)

1 tablespoon of olive oil

6 tablespoons of freshly squeezed lime juice

1 teaspoon of curry powder

1/2 teaspoon of ground cumin
1 1/4 teaspoon of kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon of Penzeys Arizona seasoning
1/2 teaspoon of whole coriander seeds

Directions:

Place all the ingredients in the vitamix and place the device on liquid setting. Once mode complete, place contents into sealable container. Allow the contents to marry overnight for optimal flavor

Keep stored in refrigerator. 

My favorite combinations with this hummus recipe is tacos tacos, and fresh turnips.

Zesty Tajin Hummus

Yields 14 servings (1/4 cup)

Tools needed for the job:

Vitamix

Ingredients:

2 cans (15 oz) of chickpeas,  drained and reserve one 1/4 cup of liquid

7 ounces of roasted red peppers and yellow or combination (packed in water NOT oil) drained

7 cloves of garlic (I love love garlic)

3 tablespoons of tahini ( essentially Sesame seed butter)

1 tablespoon of olive oil

6 tablespoons of freshly squeezed lime juice

1 teaspoon reduced sodium tajin 

1 teaspoon of curry powder

1/2 teaspoon of ground cumin

1 teaspoon of kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon of freshly ground pepper

1/2 teaspoon of whole coriander seeds

Directions:

Place all the ingredients in the vitamix and place the device on liquid setting. Once mode complete, place contents into sealable container.  Allow the contents to marry overnight.

Keep stored in refrigerator. 

My favorite combinations with hummus are #1 Pizza! Other favorites are snap peas, carrots, wasa crackers, whole grain corn and quinoa cakes,  & added to kale salad! 

Canadian Bacon & Egg Bake for Two


This is a quick and easy breakfast idea for two people. I also cut a significant amount of fat out of the original recipe. Plus added a whole grain component. 

Ingredients:

2 light wheat English muffins, toasted and cut into 1/2 inch squares 

2 eggs, lightly beaten

1/2 teaspoon Penzey’s Ruth Ann’s chicken seasoning 

Cooking spray

1/2 cup Canadian Bacon, chopped

1/4- 1/2 cup 2% Shredded cheddar cheese 

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare a 3 cup glass baking dish spray with cooking spray to coat the pan. Generously cooking spray the English muffin pieces & Canadian bacon. Now sprinkle with seasoning to coat the ingredients and give a good toss. Add the bread mix to your prepared baking dish. Evenly pour the eggs over the dry ingredients. Lastly top the dish with the cheese.

Bake the dish uncovered, at 350° for 15-18 minutes or until eggs are cooked through out. 
Yield: 2 servings 

Link


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Recipe Yields: 24 standard size cupcakes (using a Size 16 Scoop)

I never thought I would say GO Lakeview Bulldogs! No way not from growing up a Golden Flash! Go Champion Flashes!!  However, my cousin’s daughter, Meg,  graduated from Lakeview High School this year. I was asked to make cupcakes for her open house this weekend.

Luckily I moved back to the Pittsburgh area . I am am only 81 miles from home instead of 500 plus. I was able to prepare the cupcakes in my new quant 1920 home. I love baking and making cupcakes, even though I just moved back and still have boxes everywhere… How could I say no! I laughed initially because I honestly don’t think I have ever made vanilla cupcakes.

These are super fun and easy to make and don’t skimp out on not using a vanilla bean to add the little black flecks of tasty vanilla with each bite.

Of course when I made the cupcakes for the event I Quadrupled the recipe.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cup of sugar

1 vanilla bean, vanilla seeds scrapped

12 Tablespoons of unsalted butter,  (1 1/2 sticks of butter (room temperature))

4 large eggs, (room temperature)

3/4 teaspoon salt, kosher

3 cups of all purpose floor

11/2 teaspoon of baking powder

1 1/4 cup of buttermilk,(room temperature)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Buttercream Frosting I used this one and had to make 2.5 recipes of the batter! It really does pipe beautifully

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line with paper liners 24 light in color muffin tins. Set aside.

2. In a stand mixer, cream together the butter, vanilla bean seeds, and sugar until pale, light and fluffy. Add one egg at a time, mix after each addition.

3. In a medium bowl sift together the baking powder, salt, and flour. Set aside.

4. Start incorporate on a low speed some of the flour mixture, alternate and gradually add some of the buttermilk in three parts, swapping between buttermilk and flour until all the mixture is incorporated. Be cautious not to over mix.

5. Portion out the batter using a size 16 scoop into prelined muffin tins. Bake for 8 minutes and rotate in the oven and bake for another 8 minutes. All the cupcakes to cool in tin for 5 minutes and remove from tin and allow to cool on wire rack for the remainder of the time frame. Prior to frosting.

6. Once cupcakes have cooled completely, frosting using buttercream recipe link. Or your favorite go to frosting.

Enjoy!