Lemon Blueberry Pancakes

I LOVE the combination of lemon and blueberries together. Thanks PW for the inspiration on this one. So delicious! (this makes about 8 large pancakes)

Lemon Blueberry Pancakes
1 1/2 c. flour
pinch salt
1 heaping Tablespoon baking powder
3 T. sugar
1 1/2 c. milk
1 egg
1 t. vanilla
2 T. butter, melted
Zest of 1 lemon
Juice 1/2 the lemon
1 c. blueberries
Butter & Maple Syrup

Preheat skillet over medium heat.
In a medium bowl, mix flour, salt, baking powder, and sugar. Set aside.
In separate bowl, mix milk, lemon zest and juice, egg, vanilla, and melted butter. Mix to combine.
Pour wet ingredients into dry and gently stir to combine. Fold in blueberries. Let sit for a few minutes while your skillet gets hot.
Melt butter in heated skillet. Drop batter by 1/4 cup measures and fry on both sides until golden. Serve with softened butter and warm syrup.

My Favorite Banana Bread Recipe

I make this almost weekly...enjoy!

Banana Bread
1 c. sugar
1 stick butter, soft
2 eggs
5 T. sour milk (4 T. milk + 1 T. vinegar)
1 t. vanilla
2 c. flour
1 t. baking soda
3 ripe bananas, mashed
3/4 c. walnuts, roughly chopped (optional)

Mix sugar and butter until light and fluffy. Add eggs, sour milk, and vanilla. Add flour and baking soda until combined well. Add mashed bananas and walnuts until just combined. Pour into a large greased loaf pan, or 2 small greased loaf pans. Bake at 350 for 1 hour and 5 minutes. Cool in loaf pan. Slice and slather with soft butter, and enjoy with a nice cup of coffee.

Butter Cookies

This is my Aunt Sheryl's recipe...it's a FAVORITE, and I usually double this!

Butter Cookies
2 sticks butter (soft)
3/4 c. sugar
1/2 t. vinegar
1/2 t. vanilla
1 1/2 c. flour
1/2 t. baking soda

Cream butter and sugar. Add vinegar and vanilla. Add flour and baking soda. (Add a little more flour if cookie dough is too sticky). Roll dough into small balls and roll in sugar. Place on ungreased cookie sheets and bake at 300 degrees for about 18 minutes.

Barley, Black Bean and Corn Burritos

Meatless Monday!!! Simple, easy, and delicious. If you face resistance from your family members because there is no meat - feel free to add some shredded chicken.

Barley, Black Bean and Corn Burritos
15oz. can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 can Rotel tomatoes w/green chilies, undrained
1 c. barley, uncooked
2 c. chicken stock
1/2 c. frozen corn
2 green onions, chopped
1 lime, juiced
2 t. ground cumin
2 t. chili powder
1/2 - 1 t. cayenne pepper (depends how spicy you want this)
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 c. fresh cilantro, chopped
Sharp cheddar and/or monterey jack cheese, shredded
Lettuce, chopped
Salsa
Sour Cream

Place black beans through garlic in crockpot and stir. Cover and cook on low for 4 hours or until barley is tender and liquid is almost all absorbed. Stir in fresh cilantro and another splash of lime juice (if you want). Spoon over warm tortillas and sprinkle with cheese. Serve on a bed of lettuce with a dollop of sour cream and salsa over top.

I also make some fresh guacamole to serve alongside: avacado, a squeeze of lime juice, diced tomato, fresh cilantro, and salt.

Pizza

When I have the time, I love to make homeade pizza with fresh crust and sauce and toppings. The crust recipe (PW's) will make 2 large pizzas, or 3 really thin crust pizzas. You could also make 8 individual pizzas and let everyone create their own; very fun with kids! Whatever crust you don't use will keep in your refrigerator in a plastic bag for a week.

This picture is a good representation of my taste versus my husband's taste - my side has sauted baby spinach, mushrooms, onion and fresh tomato; his side....sausage.

Pizza

Crust:
4 c. unbleached flour (I use 1 c. whole wheat flour + 3 c. flour)
1 t. kosher salt
1 t. dry yeast
1 1/2 c. warm water
1/3 c. extra virgin olive oil

Sauce:
1 T. extra virgin olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
15 oz. can tomato sauce
1/2 t. oregano
1/2 t. basil
Good pinch of red pepper flakes, optional
1 t. sugar
salt & pepper to taste

Toppings:
Ham & pineapple
Sausage, cooked & crumbled
Pepperoni
Peppers
Onions
Olives
Sauted baby spinach w/mushrooms
Artichoke hearts
Goat cheese
Mozzarella cheese
Parmesan cheese
Be creative!

Sprinkle yeast over 1 1/2 cups of warm water and let sit for a few minutes. With mixer, mix flour and salt. While mixing on low, pour in olive oil. Then pour in water/yeast mixture. Mix until just combined and sticky. Coat a bowl with olive oil and place dough in bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and set on the counter for 2 hours, or place in your refrigerator until ready to use. It's best to make this a couple days in advance if you can.

To make the sauce, heat olive oil in small saucepan. Add garlic and saute for a couple minutes. Add tomato sauce and seasonings to taste. Let simmer while you roll out your dough and prepare your toppings.

Preheat oven to 450.

Take half of your dough and roll out on a floured surface. Place on a cookie sheet or pizza pan drizzled with olive oil. Create a "lip" around the edges of your pizza to hold the sauce and toppings in. Top with some of your sauce, freshly grated mozzarella (don't use the icky pre-shredded junk here, please), and your toppings. Bake at 450 degrees for 15-20 minutes until brown.

Deluxe Chocolate Chip Cookies

This recipe is from one of my church cookbooks. These are dangerously good - you won't be able to have just one....or two...or three! This makes about 5 dozen large cookies, so share!

Deluxe Chocolate Chip Cookies
1 c. oil
2 sticks butter, softened
1 c. brown sugar
1 c. sugar
1 t. vanilla
1 egg
3 1/2 c. flour
1 t. baking soda
1/2 t. cream of tartar
1 c. oatmeal
1/2 c. coconut
1/2 c. Rice Krispies
12oz. bag chocolate chips
1/2 c. walnuts, chopped

Mix oil, butter, and sugars until thouroughly combined. Add in egg and vanilla. Add in flour, baking soda, and cream of tartar until mixed. Add oatmeal, coconut, and Rice Krispies. Stir in chocolate chips and walnuts. Drop by heaping tablespoons on ungreased cookie sheets and bake at 350 for 12 minutes.

Veggie Lasagna

Inspiration for this came from the Pioneer Woman... and a big pot of homeade spaghetti sauce in my fridge! This isn't totally vegetarian because there is meat in the sauce I made. But it's loaded with veggies and you can add or omit what you want...mushrooms and baby spinach would be awesome additions. Everyone will eat it cause it's covered with sauce and cheese!
This recipe serves 4 and is for an 8x8 pan. Double everything if you're making a 9x13.

Veggie Lasagna
6 sheets Barilla lasagna (uncooked)
1 T. olive oil
1/2 onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 red pepper, chopped
1 yellow squash, chopped
1 zucchini, chopped
salt & pepper
1/4 c. white wine
fresh parsley, minced
2-3 c. spaghetti sauce (homeade or store-bought)
1 c. cottage cheese (or ricotta)
1 egg
1/4 c. fresh parmesan
2 c. mozzarella (please grate your own)

Preheat oven to 350.

Heat olive oil in a large skillet and add onion and garlic. Saute until they start to soften. Add red pepper, squash and zucchini. Sprinkle with salt & pepper, and saute a few minutes until the veggies soften. Add in white wine to deglaze the pan and cook a few more minutes. Add in spaghetti sauce and fresh parsley and heat through.

In small bowl, mix cottage cheese with egg and fresh parmesan. Grate your mozzarella and set aside.

In an 8x8 pan, ladle in your sauce on the bottom to cover. Add 2 lasagna sheets on top. Spread 1/2 of your cottage cheese mixture over lasagna noodles. Sprinkle with mozzarella. Ladle more sauce over mozzarella, 2 more sheets of lasagna, cottage cheese mixture, mozzarella, more sauce, 2 last sheets of lasagna, sauce and mozzarella over the top. Set the pan on a foil-lined cookie sheet when baking in case it bubbles over a bit.

Bake uncovered for 45 minutes to 1 hour.

The Ultimate Spaghetti Sauce

This is my Aunt Ellen's recipe - it's amazing. She is an amazing cook and I wish she didn't live all they way in California! This makes A LOT, and that's what I love about it. You can share it, freeze leftovers in ziplock freezer bags, or use it for lasagna, eggplant parmesan, baked mostaccoli...anything!

Here's her recipe - I've used ground turkey with turkey sausage and it was equally delicious. I also like to add different color peppers, mushrooms, fresh oregano and basil (if I have them). This is so worth all the chopping, enjoy!

Ellen's Spaghetti Sauce
1 lb. hot or mild Italian sausage, sliced
1 lb. ground beef
1 T. olive oil
2 medium onions, or 1 large, chopped
3 celery stalks, chopped
3 carrots, shredded
2 green peppers, chopped
8-12 cloves of garlic, minced
4-6 T. dried oregano
1 t. fennel seed (I omit this)
1/4 t. crushed red pepper
1/4 t. black pepper
2 beef bouillon cubes
12 oz. tomato paste
96 oz. tomato sauce (Costco/Sam's Club)
2-3 c. water (depending on how thick you like your sauce)

Brown Italian sausage in a very large sauce pot. Remove sausage from pan and drain grease. Brown ground beef in the same pan. Remove beef and drain grease.

Heat olive oil over medium high heat in same pan and add onion, celery, carrots, peppers and garlic. Saute until veggies are very soft. Add oregano, fennel, red pepper, black pepper, and saute another 2-3 minutes. Return sausage and beef to the pot and add the beef bouillon, tomato paste, sauce, and water to your desired consistancy. Bring to a boil and turn down heat to simmer for at least 2 hours, stirring occasionally.

Sun-dried Tomato Artichoke Chicken

This is my favorite type of dinner - anything with lemon and chicken and pasta and artichokes, I LOVE! This recipe is really quick and easy too. I served this over angel hair pasta and fresh green beans. Enjoy this one! (This serves 2-3)

Sun-dried Tomato Artichoke Chicken
2 chicken breasts, cut in strips
1/4 c. flour
1/2 t. salt
pepper
1/2 c. white wine
1/2 c. chicken stock
Juice of 1 lemon
1 (14oz.) can quartered artichoke hearts, drained
5-6 sundried tomoatoes (in olive oil), cut in strips
1 T. butter
1 t. fresh thyme leaves, minced
Fresh grated Parmesan cheese
Angel hair pasta, cooked

Preheat large saute pan and drizzle with olive oil. Place flour, salt & pepper in large ziplock bag. Add chicken and shake to coat. Place chicken in hot pan, saute and stir 2-3 minutes until brown. Stir in wine and chicken stock to remove brown bits from the bottom of the pan; boil until slightly reduced and thickened. Add lemon juice, artichoke hearts, sun-dried tomatoes, and butter. Cover, reduce heat and simmer 3-5 minutes until heated through and chicken is cooked through. Sprinkle fresh thyme over top and pour everything over cooked angel hair pasta. Sprinkle everything with freshly grated Parmesan!

Shrimp Tortellini Marinara

As with just about any recipe I post - switch this up how you want. I didn't have tortellini, so I made it with rotini. I also used a large can of whole plum tomatoes and broke them up in the sauce, but you can use any pasta/marinara sauce you want. Also, if you don't have white wine, use chicken stock instead. And if you don't like shrimp....well then you're just crazy! No really, I'm sure chicken or sausage would be good too! This recipe serves 3-4.

Shrimp Tortellini Marinara
1 T. extra virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 onion, minced
4 oz. fresh mushrooms, sliced
1 lb. large peeled/deveined shrimp
1 pkg. cheese tortellini, or 8 oz. of your favorite pasta, cooked/drained
1/2 c. white wine
1 t. Italian seasoning
2 oz. cream cheese
salt & pepper
Parmesan cheese

Preheat large skillet and add oil. Saute onions and mushrooms until tender. Add in garlic and stir for a couple minutes. Season with salt & pepper. Add white wine to the pan and cook for a couple minutes until reduced. Add marinara or tomatoes and italian seasoning, simmer for 10 minutes or so until bubbly and hot. Stir in cream cheese until all melted in sauce. Add shrimp and continue to cook 3-4 more minutes until the shrimp are just pink. Stir in cooked pasta and serve with a side of sauted spinach or salad and fresh bread! Sprinkle fresh parmesan over everything and enjoy!