Oatmeal Coconut Muffins

http://www.twin-tables.com/2011/04/heart-healthy-oatmeal-coconut-muffins.html

Vanilla Cake with Fluff Cream Frosting

http://allrecipes.com/recipe/simple-white-cake/

Frosting:
1/2 cup butter
1 cup confectioners' sugar
1 cup marshmallow fluff
1 teaspoon vanilla

Mix all the ingredients with a mixer at medium speed until light and fluffy.

slow cooker beef & tomato stew

http://www.marthastewart.com/872712/slow-cooker-beef-and-tomato-stew

M&M Cookies

http://allrecipes.com/recipe/robbis-mm-cookies/

I used 1/2 cup unsalted butter and 1/2 cup applesauce instead of the shortening.

And omitted the white sugar.

Mustard Roasted Potatoes

7 potatoes
1 yellow onion
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup whole-grain mustard
kosher salt
pepper

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

Peel potatoes and cut into one-inch cubes.
Chop onion into small pieces.

Place potatoes and onions into a bowl.

Add the olive oil, mustard and salt and pepper.
Mix well.

Line a sheet pan with foil, spray with oil and spread potatoes and onions onto pan.
Bake for about an hour or until potatoes are lightly browned on the outside.
Toss occasionally so they don't stick.

Banana Cookies

http://simplyrecipes.com/recipes/banana_cookies/

I used chocolate chips instead of nuts.

Lemon Yogurt Cake

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/lemon-yogurt-cake-recipe/index.html

I doubled the recipe and make cupcakes and a loaf!

Broccoli Pesto

 

1 bunch broccoli, cut into 1-inch pieces (about 4 cups) 

1 box of pasta, such as fusilli

5 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil

1/4 cup grated parmesan or romano cheese

1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest, plus 1 tablespoon lemon juice

1/2 small garlic clove
roasted or sun-dried tomatoes

In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook broccoli until tender and bright green, about 4 minutes. With a slotted spoon, transfer broccoli to a food processor.
Return water to a boil and cook pasta according to package instructions.
Reserve 2 cups pasta water; drain pasta and return to pot.

To food processor, add oil, grated cheese, lemon zest and juice and garlic.
Puree until smooth, about 2 minutes, scraping down side as needed.
Transfer pesto to pot with pasta.
Stir to coat, adding enough reserved pasta water to make a creamy sauce.
Top with tomatoes and grated cheese.

chickpea curry

1 cup white rice
2 teaspoons of evoo
1 yellow onion, diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon ground ginger
4 teaspoons curry powder
2 cans low sodium chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1 cup cherry tomatoes, roasted in oven
2 cups broccoli, chopped into bite-size pieces

Cook rice according to instructions.
Cook oil over medium heat in a pot.
Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally for 10 minutes.
Add, garlic, ginger, curry powder and stir for about a minute.
Add chickpeas, broccoli and 2 cups water and bring to a boil.
Reduce heat to medium and simmer for about 8 minutes.
Stir in tomatoes and season with salt and pepper.

Serve over rice.
Add a squeeze of lime!

happy new year...of recipes!

The new year has me feeling ambitious and ready to mix things up in the kitchen. One of my resolutions is to make at least one new recipe a week and I thought I'd share the good ones on this blog. I also gave my blog a much needed makeover. Enjoy!

http://zeropinkgirl.blogspot.com/

Apple Oatmeal Muffins

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 cup instant oats
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp baking soda
pinch of salt
1 cup applesauce
2/3 cup skim milk
1/4 cup sugar
2 tbsp oil
1 egg
1 cup finely chopped apple

Set oven to 400 degrees.

Mix dry ingredients in a large bowl.
Add remaining.
Batter should be lumpy.
Fill greased muffin cups 2/3 full with batter.

Bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown.

Makes one dozen.

Puff and Pretzel Nests

3 1/2 cups Kashi Puffs cereal
1 cup shredded coconut
1 cup broken pretzel sticks
2/3 coarsely chopped almonds
12 oz dark chocolate chips
1/2 cup almond butter
Cadbury Mini Eggs

In a large bowl, combine Kashi Puffs cereal, coconut, pretzels and almonds.

Microwave chocolate chips in 30 second intervals, stirring until totally melted. Add almond butter and microwave one more time. Stir until smooth.

Pour mixture over dry ingredients and mix until well combined.

Drop teaspoons onto wax paper and using your thumb, press in the center to create the look of a nest.

Place 3 mini eggs in the center of each.

Set in the refrigerator.

Fall Napkin Rings

all you need is acorn tops, pom poms and bakers twine!

using a hot glue gun, glue pom poms to acorn tops.
cut a 12 inch piece of twine.
tie one end to one acorn top and the other end to another acorn top.
tie around napkin and fasten with a bow.

Mrs. Kelly's Hot Milk Cake Cupcakes

2 eggs
1 cup sugar
1 cup flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup hot milk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Line muffin tin with liners.

Beat eggs until light.
Beat in sugar.
Sift together flour, salt and baking powder.
Melt butter in hot milk.

Combine all ingredients, mixing well.

Bake for 30 minutes or until cooked through.

Cream Cheese Icing

1/2 stick butter(softened)
4 oz cream cheese
1/2 teaspoon
3/4 cup confectionery sugar

Beat together until creamy.

Blueberry Banana Smoothie

Handful of frozen bananas*
Handful of frozen blueberries
1/2 cup banilla or vanilla yogurt
1 cup milk

Put all ingredients in a blender and process until smooth.

* freeze fresh ones when they get too ripe

Berry Spinach Salad

1 bag baby spinach
1 pint blueberries
1 pint strawberries (sliced)
1/4 cup thinly sliced onions

Wash and dry spinach, blueberries and strawberries.

Put spinach in a bowl.

Top with blueberries, strawberries and onion.

Best served with poppyseed or maple balsamic vinaigrette dressing.

Mexican Layer Dip

1 cup low fat sour cream
1 can low sodium black beans
4 roma tomatoes
3 avocados
dash of cumin
a little cilantro
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
1/2 can sliced olives
mexican shreaded cheese

Layer bottom of a 9 x 9 clear dish with sour cream.
Rinse and dry black beans and add to top of sour cream.
Cut roma tomatoes into small chunks and layer on top of the beans.
Mash up avocados, cumin, garlic and cilantro to make a guacamole and spread that on top of the beans.
Add olives and top with shredded cheese.

Serve with thick corn chips.

Whoopie Pies

For cakes
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup Dutch-process cocoa powder
1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
1/4 cup applesauce
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 large egg

For filling
1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, softened
1 1/4 cups confectioners sugar
2 cups Marshmallow Fluff
1 teaspoon vanilla

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Whisk together flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt in a bowl until combined.

Stir together milk and vanilla in a small bowl.

Beat together butter, apple sauce and brown sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium-high speed until pale and fluffy.

Add egg, beating until combined.

Reduce speed to low and alternately mix in flour mixture and milk in batches and mixing until smooth.

Spoon 1/4-cup mounds of batter about 2 inches apart onto 2 parchment lined baking sheets.

Bake until tops are puffed and cakes spring back when touched, about 11 to 13 minutes.

Transfer with a metal spatula to a rack to cool completely.

Beat together butter, confectioners sugar, marshmallow and vanilla with electric mixer at medium speed until smooth, about 3 minutes.

Spread a rounded tablespoon filling on flat sides of half of cakes and top with remaining cakes.

Makes about 8 pies.

Artichoke Spinach Dip

1 jar marinated artichoke hearts
1 box frozen chopped spinach
3/4 cups low fat sour cream
1/2 cup low fat cream cheese
1/4 cup grated Romano cheese
dash of pepper
dash of salt
squeeze of lemon

Thaw frozen spinach and drain to remove water.
Chop artichoke hearts.

Place both spinach and chopped artichokes in a bowl.
Add all other ingredients and mix well.

Serve with pita or tortilla chips.

Eclair Dessert

2 packages 5 oz instant vanilla pudding mix
3 cups 1% milk
1 1/2 tubs 8 oz Cool Whip
1 box graham crackers
1 tub chocolate frosting

Mix pudding mix, milk and Cool Whip until smooth.

In a 9x13 pan (with 2-inch high sides) place a layer of graham crackers on the bottom, then spoon in half the pudding mixture.

Layer another layer of graham crackers, then the rest of the pudding mixture. Top with a final layer of graham crackers.

Microwave the frosting until pourable.
Poor and smooth over top of dessert.

Refrigerate for minimum of 4 hours, preferably overnight.