Category Archives: Uncategorized

Applebutter Pork with carrots & haricot verts

I love Sundays and especially I love to use my slow cooker on Sunday’s. I attribute this dish to Sunday classic slow cooker home cooked meals. This dish literally takes three minutes to get ready before you’re off to enjoying your Sunday. There is no reason you can’t number one afford this dish or not have time for a home cook Sunday dinner.

This past Sunday it was nearly 70° outside and I couldn’t bear staying indoors so this was perfect to put in the slow cooker and be off to enjoying the sun in the strip District.
Ingredients:

One pork loin or tenderloin 1 to 2 pounds

3/4 cup of apple butter

2 tablespoons of low-sodium soy sauce

1 teaspoon of ground ginger

One bag of baby carrots (approximately 2 cups)

2 cups of fresh Haricot Verts or Green beans

1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar

1/4 teaspoon of garlic powder

1/8 tsp ground pepper

4 quart crockpot

Directions:

1. Place the carrots and on the bottom of the crockpot. Place the pork on top of the carrots.

2. In a small bowl mix the Applebutter, pepper, garlic, ginger, soy sauce and vinegar. Place the marinade on top of the pork.

3. Turn the slow cooker on low. Cover and allow the slow cooker to slow cook the meat for 7 1/2 hours. On the mark of the last half-hour (7.5), add Haricot verts. Allow them to steam for the last half an hour which would make the pork cook for a total of eight hours.

If you don’t like haricot verts use broccoli or another favorite green.

Enjoy!

Nanny’s Cornflake Crust

My husband’s Nanny Kessman used to make this classic baked chicken dish with cornflakes instead of breadcrumbs. My husband mentioned she would make this family favorite for every holiday. Even when he was growing up she baked this entree.

This dish comes out very crunchy on the outside and moist in the center without the grease. The pasta sprinkle adds a lot heightened flavor.

The other day I recalled this dish and thought I don’t think we have ever made it. What a perfect quick dinner recipe that pairs well with actifry fries and a many steamed veggie.

Ingredients:

3 thin slices pork chops or thin chicken breast

1 1/2 cups of cornflakes, then crushed

1 TB pasta sprinkle or Italian seasoning

1 large egg

1 TB skim milk

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

2. Take a half sheet pan lined with parchment paper and then place a wire rack in the inside of the pan on top of the parchment paper. Set aside.

3. Take two shallow small bowls. Place the crushed cornflakes in one mixed with pasta sprinkle. In the other bowl place the egg and beat it lightly with the milk.

4. Take the meat and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place the meat in the egg wash enough to coat entire piece. Allow excess to drop off and then place the meat in the cornflake dust. Flip the meat and allow to coat both sides. Place the fully coated meat on the rack inside the pan. Repeat with remaining meat.

5. Bake the meat in the center of the oven at 350 degrees. Set the timer for 12 minutes and flip the meat and bake for 12 more minutes.

**The internal temperature of the pork should be 145 degrees. The chicken may take longer.If baking chicken the temperature should be 165 degrees.

Enjoy!

breakfast Stromboli

Josh loves a savory breakfast meal whether it’s for breakfast or dinner. This is a good twist on a breakfast pizza and now a family favorite!

Ingredients:

1 lb of home made pizza dough or frozen (thawed)
1 cup shredded smoked pepper jack cheese
1/2 cup of chopped green pepper
1/4 lb of breakfast sausage
1 egg
1 oz of skim
1/2-1 tsp poultry seasoning ( i used ruth ann’s from penzey’s)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 500 degrees and place your pizza stone in the oven while it heats. Let it heat for an hour.
2. In a large pan season the sausage with poultry seasoning and brown the sausage until no pink meat remains on medium heat. Once fully cooked pour meat into dish ( I like to line it with paper towel which removes some of the fat). Lightly cook the peppers and place them on top of the cooked sausage.
3. In small bowl mix the milk and egg lightly season with more poultry seasoning. Pour into medium heat skillet and scramble eggs. Once eggs are fully cooked remove from heat and set aside.
4. Take dough and roll it out into a square on a lightly floured surface. Place the meat down evenly in the center of the dough in forming a rectangle. Top with pepper evenly and also with egg evenly. Lastly add the smoked hot pepper cheese. Fold the dough with corners first and the longer sides second. Place the dough fold side down on the hot stone (I like to put cornmeal down to help prevent sticking). Brush with olive oil. Bake for 18 to 25 minutes (until outside becomes lightly brown). Yield: serves 4

Mom’s Mouthwatering Mac Salad

Oh boy, oh boy it only took 6 years to fully get all the secrets to this treasure. My mom has been making this Mac salad for longer than I can remember. My husband adores this salad and when we have it in the house he eats it for breakfast, lunch and dinner. No joke!! Okay maybe not breakfast.
The first time I asked her for the recipe she only gave me bits and pieces. Every time she made it my husband studied her process and he would say oh you put “that” in it as well?! Eventually we acquired the entire recipe.

Let me just say it is not a summer family gathering or holiday potluck without it.

Love you mom

Ingredients:

1 box of elbows Dreamfileds Pasta cooked according to box (this pasta is awesome it is a whole wheat but cooks white) big secret for incorporating whole grains at a picnic

1 small can of black olives, diced

1/4 cup chopped carrots

2 small container of grape tomatoes (cut in half)

6 hard boiled eggs (plus more for decoration)

1/2 cup chopped celery (about to stalks)

1/2 cup yellow onion chopped

2 TB fresh chives

2 TB fresh parsley

6 turns on the pepper mill

4 turns on the salt mill

6 small sweet pickles

1/2 cup light mayo

1/2 cup light miracle whip

1/2 cup light sour cream

2 tsp prepared mustard

4 TB sweet pickle juice

2 TB table sugar

This recipe yields 4 quarts of Mac salad !

1. In a large bowl that fits a sealable lid, mix all liquid ingredients together along with fresh herbs, sugar, salt and pepper.

2. Then add chopped eggs and noodles to the paste, use spatula to fold in the liquid ingredients. Then fold in the chopped vegetables to fully incorporate.

3. Top with decorative slices of hard boil eggs and a few grape tomatoes.

4. Keep cold and on ice bath at the picnic! Don’t forget your food safety !

Banana Nutella Overnight French Toast

Ingredients

1 loaf banana yeast bread TOH ( cup into 1 inch cubes) or any sweet bread

3/4 cup Nutella

2 bananas ( cut into slices)

4 cups of skim milk

2 eggs

6 egg whites

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

1/4 cup pure maple syrup

1/2 tsp ground Vietnamese Cinnamon

9 by 13 oven safe pan and spray with cooking spray

Directions

1. Place half the cubed bread into 9 by 13 dish. Take every other piece and apply scant Nutella. Face Nutella side up.

2. Place slices of banana on top of bread. Spread evenly.

3. Take the remainder of bread cubes and spread scant amount of Nutella on one side of the place and face down.

Set aside.

4. In a large bowl whisk milk, egg, egg whites, vanilla, maple syrup, and cinnamon.

5. Pour liquid evenly overtop the casserole and cover overnight in refrigerator.

6. Remove from refrigerator 30 minutes prior to placing in oven. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake uncovered for an hour to 1 hour 15 minutes or until an knife comes out clean.

BBQ Country Style Ribs

My sister-in-law wanted ribs and the only rib item we could find at the local grocery store was country style. So we had to make the most out of what could at the moment. We were shopped out from our adventure earlier in the day.

Ingredients:
3 lbs of country style beef ribs
2 1/2 cups of your favorite BBQ Sauce
2 TB Apple cider vinegar
1/4 tsp liquid smoke
1 TB Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
2 large garlic cloves, minced
1 TB franks red hot sauce
1 TB northwood fire seasoning
1 medium onion sliced

Directions:
Sprinkle the northwood seasoning on the ribs. Place in crock pot on low heat.

Add onion and garlic on top of the meat.

In a small bowl mix the remaining ingredients together.

Add sauce mixture into the crock pot.

Cook on low heat for 6-7 hours.

Make sure to cover.

Enjoy!

French Onion Slow Cooker Soup

One of my husband’s favorite soups is French Onion. Every time we go out to eat, if a restaurant has the soup on the menu he orders it. The first time we ever tried to make french onion soup, we burnt the onions (which was years ago). This is round two. I thought there is no better way to prevent burning of the onions other than to slow cook the onions in the crock pot all day.

This recipe yields 8 servings.

Ingredients:
3 TB butter, unsalted
3 extra large onions ( we used a variety red, sweet, and white)
60 oz.s of high quality beef broth
1 TB Worcestershire sauce
3 TB flour
1/4 tsp kosher salt
1 TB brown sugar
3 TB low sodium soy sauce
7 turns on the pepper-mill ( freshly cracked pepper)
1 Bay leaf
1/4 cup Sherry or more beef broth
2 thyme sprigs
4 -5 small garlic cloves,minced

Topping:
8 slices Baby Swiss Cheese or your favorite cheese
Beer bread croutons

Directions:

Slice the onions and add them to the crock pot with the butter and the minced garlic. Start the cooker on high.

Stir the onions every 45 minutes to an hour.

After the first hour add the pepper, salt, thyme, & brown sugar. Continue to stir every hour.

After four hours have elapsed turn slow cooker to low. Add broth, soy sauce, worcestershire sauce, sherry, and flour. Stir well and cover. Cook for 6 more hours. Stirring ever 1 to 2 hours.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and place amount desired in a ramekin.

Add a few beer bread croutons. Take a few slices of the beer bread (cut into 1 inch pieces) and toast them in the toaster oven for about 8 minutes.

Top croutons with cheese.

Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until cheese is melted throughout.

Enjoy with a grilled cheese if you please 😉

Meatloaf Cupcakes

My husband loves meatloaf! By far one of his favorite comfort foods. I always use a very lean ground beef at least 93/7. I added some whole wheat bread crumbs to add some extra fiber and used egg substitute to decrease extra cholesterol and calories.

This recipe yields 6 large muffins sized mini meatloaves.

Ingredients:
Leftover mashed potatoes 1 1/2 cups
1 tsp canola oil
1 small onion chopped
2 TB bacon bits
2 TB grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup whole wheat bread crumbs
1.5 TB Worcestershire sauce
1.5 TB low sodium soy sauce or liquid aminos if you want to cut the sodium down more
1.5 TB egg substitute or 1 egg white
2 chopped garlic cloves
1 1b 93/7 extra lean ground beef or ground turkey
Pepper to taste

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and cooking spray large muffin tins.

1. Take a small skillet and sauté onions and garlic in oil until onions are translucent on medium heat. Make sure stir occasionally.

2. In a large bowl add beef, egg substitute, soy, Worcestershire sauce, bacon bits, bread crumbs, cheese, and finally cooked onions and garlic.

3. Massage meat with hands to incorporate ingredients. Be careful not to over mix the meat.

4. Use size 8 scoop ( 4oz / half a cup) to perfectly portion the meat mixture into the tins.

5. Now top meat mixture with 1/4 cup of mashed potatoes. (If you want to add extra flavor sprinkle with cheese or fried onions but that will add additional calories for those who are counting).

6. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes. Or until internal temperature reads 160 degrees.

http://www.foodsafety.gov/keep/charts/mintemp.html

Pumpkin Long Johns with Cream Cheese Frosting

I have the Wilton Long John Pan and have been trying to think of a good recipe to make to use it. I tend to use the doughnut pan more often when baking a breakfast.

Yields 5 to 6 large long johns

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and spray with canola oil cooking spray your Long John Pan.

Ingredients:
2 Cups of Whole Wheat Pastry Flour
2/3 Cup Sugar
1 tsp pumpkin spice
1/2 tsp good quality Vietnamese cinnamon
1/4 tsp kosher salt
2 1/2 tsp of baking soda
1 cup pumpkin puréed
1 tsp if Mexican Vanilla Extract
1/2 Cup low fat buttermilk
4 TB Canola Oil
1/2 cup Egg Substitute or 4 Egg Whites

Cream Cheese Glaze:
3 oz Reduced Fat (neufchatel) softened
2 tsp butter
1/2 teaspoon Mexican vanilla
1/3 cup powdered sugar
2 TB Skim milk

Toppings:
Walnuts toasted 1/3 cup Chopped (optional)

Directions:
Place all dry ingredients in bowl and whisk together.

In a separate bowl place the wet ingredients.

Whisk together until incorporated.

Add dry ingredients into wet and whisk together well until there are no signs of flour visible.

Now place batter scant amount in 2/3 cup and add to the long john cooking sprayed pan.

Bake for 20 to 22 minutes or until tooth picked inserted into center comes out clean.

Place on wire rack to cool in pan for 5 minutes. Invert & remove from pan and allow to cool on wire rack.

Once cooled completely ice with cream cheese frosting.

For an added touch sprinkle with Walnuts.

Apple Butter Sausage Casserole

My husband loves sausage and the combination of apples. We had my parents over for the weekend and I made this in the morning for brunch. It has a nice mix of savory and sweetness that the whole family can enjoy. This recipe was also inspired by my Mom’s love of apples and cheddar cheese combination.

Ingredients:
2 small apples peeled cored and sliced ( I used red delicious that my grandpa gave me from his orchard)
1/2 apple butter
1/2 pound original breakfast sausage ( you can use turkey sausage to cut the fat) cooked drained and blotted with paper towel
3 eggs (or 6 egg whites or 3/4 cup egg substitute to cut extra fat and calories)
3/4 cup skim milk
3/4 cup heart healthy bisquick
Salt and pepper to taste
1 cup fat free cheddar or 2% reduced cheddar cheese

Yields 9 servings

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees and spray an 8 by 8 glass dish with canola oil cooking spray.

2. Mix milk, eggs, bisquick, salt and pepper in medium bowl and whisk until incorporated. Set aside.

3. Heat nonstick sauté pan on medium high heat and brown up sausage. Cook until the meat is no longer pink. Drain the meat well and blot with paper towels to remove extra fat and calories. Place the crumbled sausage in the nonstick pan and spread around evenly. Set aside.

4. Take the apple butter and spread it on top the sausage evenly.

5. In the meantime take apple slices and heat them in the same pan used for the sausage prep on medium heat and cook for 2-3 minutes to soften slightly and spread on top the sausage and apple butter in the glass dish.

6. Sprinkle half the cheese evenly on the top. Now pour the milk mixture evenly over top the sausage dish.

7. Back for 30 minutes uncovered and then remove from oven and throw the remainder of the cheese on top and bake for 3 to 5 more minutes until cheese is melted.

8. Remove from the oven and let sit on wire rack for five minutes before slicing into. Enjoy !

A Pinch of Luv

from scratch baking and cooking blog

Category Archives: Uncategorized

Applebutter Pork with carrots & haricot verts

Nanny’s Cornflake Crust

breakfast Stromboli

Mom’s Mouthwatering Mac Salad

Banana Nutella Overnight French Toast

BBQ Country Style Ribs

French Onion Slow Cooker Soup

Meatloaf Cupcakes

Pumpkin Long Johns with Cream Cheese Frosting

Apple Butter Sausage Casserole