Foodie Friends Friday Linky Party #144

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Herb-Roasted Chicken and Vegetables

One pan and one bowl, that is all this recipe needs so clean up is minimal.  It is also quick.  You can have this meal on the table in just a little over 30 minutes.  Using chicken thighs means your meat will stay tender.  You can change your chicken pieces or use bone-in but you may need to up your baking time so make sure you cook your chicken through.

Variations can also be made by using different seasonings that suit your taste.  This is a very versatile dish and you can make it your own!

Herb-Roasted Chicken and Vegetables                                              Printable Recipe

3 Tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 medium onion, chunked
1-1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs (I used Just Bare)
1 pound Roma tomatoes

Foodie Friends Friday Linky Party #143

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Grilled Chicken Tenders with Cherry Citrus Glaze

Change up that plain ol' chicken dinner with this sweet fruit glaze.  A little goes a long way so be sure not to drown your chicken.  This main dish is ready in less than 30 minutes so you can have your meal in no time!

Grilled Chicken Tenders with Cherry Citrus Glaze                     Printable Page

1/4 cup cherry all fruit spread (I used Polaner)
1/4 cup orange marmalade
1-1/2 teaspoons soy sauce
2-3 teaspoons bourbon
olive oil
1 pound chicken tenders
salt and pepper (if desired)

Foodie Friends Friday Linky Party #142

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Brownie Waffles

Who loves waffles?  Raise your hand.  You can't see me but I've got both raised!! I love waffles. They are moist on the inside with a little crunch on the outside.  I like a traditional style waffle like my Buttermilk Waffles slathered with some peanut butter and drizzled with syrup or sprinkled with chocolate chips.  In the fall we break out the pumpkin and spices and have some Pumpkin Buttermilk Waffles with walnuts or hickory nuts and syrup.

 Recently I decided to give chocolate waffles a try. These brownie waffles are a little slice of heaven!  I tried some plain, some sprinkled with powdered sugar (just like my mom used to make our brownies) and with a peanut butter syrup drizzle.  They were all good and I couldn't really pick a favorite.  You could even serve these as a dessert with a slice of ice cream on top and some chocolate syrup drizzle on.

Brownie Waffles (makes 6 round flip style waffles)                        Printable Recipe

1/2 cup butter
4 ounces unsweetened chocolate
1/2 cup sugar
1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla
2 eggs
1 cup all purpose flour (or 1-1/3 cup Jovial Einkorn flour)
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup milk
1/3 cup semi sweet chocolate chips (or milk chocolate or Andes Mints baking chips if you prefer)
Toppings ideas: powdered sugar, fruit, peanut butter, chocolate syrup, maple syrup.

Foodie Friends Friday Linky Party #141

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Lime Cottage Cheese Salad

That's the more technical name I suppose but our family always called it "Cottage cheese Jell-O" and everyone knew what it was.  My great grandma Pearl made this recipe and most times when it was made it was for a holiday meal.  I still enjoy this dish when my mom makes it for Easter or Thanksgiving.

There are many other lime cottage cheese salad recipes floating around that have pineapple, whipped topping, and/or mayonnaise as added ingredients.  In fact I came upon a wild spin off of it on a vintage ad site.  It called for vinegar and grated onion as added ingredients and was set into a round mold.  After the gelatin set, the center was filled with seafood salad. Thanks great grandma for not making it that way!  If you'd like to see the ad with the recipe, scroll on down to the bottom!

Lime Cottage Cheese Salad

3/4 cup boiling water
3 ounce packet of Jell-O gelatin
1 cup ice cubes
24 ounce container of cottage cheese, 2% or whole

Dissolve gelatin with boiling water.

Add one cup of ice cubes and stir just until cool.

There will be some big chunks of ice left.  Fish those out and toss them.

Stir in one container of cottage cheese.

Dump into 9 x 9" baking dish.  Put in fridge to set up.

Lime cheese salad, 1954. Photo by: Via nesbitsvintage.com

Foodie Friends Friday Linky Party #140

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Simple Carrot Soup

I've never been successful at growing carrots so I always purchase them.  We bought a huge bag of organic carrots a while ago.  Some of them we use in our smoothies, some in our dishes and then my husband asked me for a soup made with the carrots. This soup is creamy and easy to make.  The ingredients are easy to find. 

It makes a great side dish, adding a grilled cheese sandwich to round it out or serve it with some grilled chicken. 

A fancy blender will give you a smoother soup but you can still fine with an immersion blender, food processor or regular style blender.  Check out my tips at the bottom for your type of appliance.

Simple Carrot Soup                                                                                   Printable Recipe

olive oil

1 small onion, grated

4 large carrots, grated

2 cups chicken broth

1 cup water

2 Tablespoons orange juice

4 dashes cayenne pepper (more or less to your taste)

2 Tablespoons honey (more or less to your taste)

Salt and pepper to taste

"Brielle and Me" BOOK GIVEAWAY

It's 
National Cerebral Palsy Awareness Month
and today is
National Cerebral Palsy Awareness Day

Some of you have met my family through my Facebook page or perhaps you read my About Me page. My beautiful daughter has cerebral palsy due to a battle with meningitis when when she was just 4-1/2 months old.  She is 18 years old now. Yes, always smiling and always happy!

Foodie Friends Friday Linky Party #139

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Cheese-Stuffed Bread Sticks

I love my Quick Pizza Dough recipe but sometimes I don't want to heat up the kitchen with the oven for just me. One day I flattened the dough like a pizza and cooked it in my pan so I could dip it in the Roasted Marinara.  Then I realized I was missing out on the cheese. I decided to wrap a cheese stick up in the dough and then cook the dough.  Yum!  It's ooey gooey!  Quick and easy to make!

Cheese-Stuffed Bread Sticks                                                   Printable Recipe

3/4 teaspoon active dry yeast
3/4 teaspoon  sugar
1/2 cup warm water (110 degrees)
1/2 Tablespoon olive oil
couple dashes salt
1-1/2 cups flour plus more for dusting/kneading
6 cheese sticks (mozzarella or colby jack are best)

Add yeast and sugar to water.  Let set for 5 minutes.

Add olive oil, salt, and flour. 

Stir until completely mixed.  It is OK if it is a little wet.  You are going to add to a floured surface and knead. This will add flour and help complete your dough.

It should take you less than 5 minutes to get a nice smooth ball.  Cover with a towel and set aside for 15 minutes to rest/rise.

Divide dough into 6 pieces. 

Roll out into a rectangle that is large enough to cover your cheese stick.  Dampen the edge of the dough so when you fold over last edge it sticks.  Do the same on the end.  I lightly roll it all to be sure the are not holes for the cheese to seep out of as it melts.

Lightly oil a non-stick pan and heat to medium.  Add dough wrapped cheese to pan and cook until light brown. 

Flip each side and continue to brown/cook the dough.  If you want all edges brown you will need to gently hold the bread stick and hold the part of the dough you want browned to the pan.  I have learned that if you go too long they can leak but not as easily as when I did them in the oven.

Remove from pan and allow to cool for just a bit while you warm up your marinara sauce. I topped my sauce with Parmesan for extra cheesy flavor!  These are great to send in lunches too.

Check out that melty cheese!

I think next time I will make extra and freeze some.

PIN IT:  https://www.pinterest.com/pin/273593746089071096/ 

Foodie Friends Friday Linky Party #138

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Foodie Friends Friday Linky Party #137

Welcome to the Foodie Friends Friday

Linky Party!!

Meet Our Co-Hosts!

Foodie Friends Friday Linky Party #136

Welcome to the Foodie Friends Friday

Linky Party!!

Meet Our Co-Hosts!

Foodie Friends Friday Linky Party #135

Welcome to the Foodie Friends Friday

Linky Party!!

Meet Our Co-Hosts!

Everyday Granola

Don't get me wrong, I love my original granola recipe.  It's versatile and with a bit of nut and/or dried fruit change you can have it your way.  After having a bag full of a fellow Iowa blogger's granola treasure I knew I had to try and come up with a recipe that tasted like her granola. 

She had salt sprinkled in her granola and while I thought it was odd at first and a bit too much for me, I couldn't keep out of it.  I've lowered the salt taste a little in mine but the flavor is still there and it's so yummy! Each salt has a different texture and size so start off with the least amount and see what you like. She also had mini chocolate chips so you can add them too if you like. I didn't have them on hand at the time I made the granola so I skipped it.  Add them after your granola has cooked and cooled or you will have a chocolate mess.

I named this recipe "Everyday Granola."  Why?  Because I could eat this everyday!  I think this is the fastest we've ever eaten a batch of granola.  I'll need to double it for sure next time. 

Everyday Granola                                                                                 Printable Recipe

8 cups old fashioned oats
1-1/2 to 2 teaspoons coarse kosher salt
3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
2/3 cup olive oil
1 cup pure maple syrup
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup walnuts pieces
1 cup pecan pieces
1 cup plain flaked coconut

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Mix together oats, salt and cinnamon.

In glass measuring cup, mix together olive oil, maple syrup and vanilla. It thickened as I stirred but then I remembered it is due to the cold syrup causing the olive oil to firm up some.

Pour all but 2 to 3 Tablespoons of the mixture into the oats.  Bake for 25 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes or so. 

While the oats are baking, dump the rest of the syrup mixture into the coconut and nut mixture.

Stir to coat.

When oats are done cooking at 25 minutes, stir in nut mixture.  Return to oven for 7-10 minutes, stirring part way through.  Careful to watch so your coconut doesn't burn. 

Remove from the oven and cool.  Store in plastic gallon bag or other airtight container.  If you make a double batch you can freeze the cooled granola to enjoy later.