Blueberry Coconut Macadamia Muffins

Goodness gracious, are these muffins delicious!  They're packed with lots of different flavors that blend very nicely into a moist, crunchy but yet soft, delicious muffin.  I found the recipe on EatingWell.com, through a google search looking for healthy but yet delicious brunch-type items.  I gave this recipe a try last night and on all accounts, it is a fabulous recipe.  I didn't have any problems with the batter, not baking time.  The only problem I had was waiting the suggested time after they came out of the oven.  I still burned my mouth a little because I couldn't wait, but it was definitely worth it!

Topping
1/4 c. unsweetened coconut
2 Tbl. flour
2 Tbl. brown sugar
2 Tbl. chopped macadamia nuts
1 Tbl. oil

Muffin
3/4 c. flour
1/2 c. brown sugar
3 Tbl. chopped macadamia nuts
1 Tbl. canola oil
1 c. whole-wheat flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/8 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1 large egg
1 large egg white
3/4 c. nonfat buttermilk
2 Tbl. butter, melted
1/2 tsp. coconut or vanilla extract
1 1/2 c. fresh or frozen (though not thawed) blueberries

1.  Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Coat a 12-cup muffin pan with cooking spray.  I used baking liner cups and sprayed them with spray.
2.  Combine all topping ingredients and set aside.
3.  Mix together flours, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon in a medium bowl.
4.  Whisk brown sugar, oil, egg, egg white, buttermilk and extract in a (different) medium bowl until well combined.
5.  Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the wet ingredients and stir until just combined.
6.  Add blueberries and remaining macadamia nuts, stir just to combine.
7.  Divide batter among the muffin cups (about 1/4 c. of batter per muffin).  Sprinkle and gently press the topping on the tops of the muffins (about 1 tsp. per muffin).
8.  Bake muffins about 20 minutes, or until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
9.  Let cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then remove from pan and let cool on a wire rack at least 5 minutes before serving.

Nutrition Facts (per muffin)
calories: 204
total fat: 8.8g
sat. fat: 2.6g
cholest.: 23mg
sodium: 44mg
carb.: 28.9g
fiber: 1.8g
sugar: 13g
protein: 4g

Winger's Sticky Fingers

Winger's is a pretty good restaurant in this region of the U.S. (Idaho, Utah, Oregon, Washington, etc.) and they have great sticky fingers.  The sauce is hot enough, but sweet enough and very addicting.  I saw this copycat recipe and knew I had to try it.  It tasted just like Winger's, and was much cheaper to make (duh).  We had a lot of leftover sauce, but it was good to dip the freezer fries in.  Zak had the best idea for coating the chicken tenders: he suggested that I put the chicken in a strainer with a bowl underneath to catch the excess sauce.  It worked really well.  This was a really easy, fun dinner and I'm sure we'll have it again!

1 package breaded chicken tenders
6 Tbl. Frank's hot sauce (it's important to use the Frank's brand, from what I've heard)
4 Tbl. water
1 1/2 c. brown sugar

1.  Prepare chicken according to the package directions.
2.  Combine remaining ingredients in a small saucepan on the stove, stirring until sugar has dissolved.
3.  Place cooked chicken in strainer, with a large bowl underneath.  Pour the sauce on the chicken and toss.
4.  Repeat with the sauce that drained a few times and enjoy with ranch dressing!

with flash

without flash, so good!

Lighter General Tso's Chicken

As you may have figured out, we love Chinese food.  And when I saw a recipe for not only General Tso's Chicken (a favorite of Zak's), but a healthier recipe from Martha Stewart, I knew I had to try it.  It was awesome!  The chicken was perfect, and although it was pretty spicy (but not as much the next day), it had such great flavor.  I loved how the chicken came out with the egg white and cornstarch batter, it was just great. Definitely a favorite and an addition to our meal menu.

1/4 c. cornstarch, divided (1 Tbl., 3 Tbl.)
1 lb. snow peas, trimmed (I used 1 lb. frozen sugar snap peas and trimmed them)
4 - 5 garlic cloves, minced
2 tsp. fresh ginger, minced
3 Tbl. brown sugar
2 Tbl. soy sauce
1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes (1/4 if you aren't a fan of spicy)
2 large egg whites
1 lb. chicken, cut into bite-sized pieces
1 - 2 Tbl. oil

1.  In large bowl, stir together 1 Tbl. cornstarch and 1/2 c. cold water until smooth.  Add snow (or sugar snap) peas, garlic, ginger, sugar, soy sauce and red pepper flakes.  Toss to combine and set aside.
2.  In a medium bowl, whisk together egg whites with remaining 3 Tbl. cornstarch, 1/2 tsp. salt and 1/4 tsp. pepper.  Add chicken and toss to coat.
3.  Heat oil over medium-high heat.  Shake off excess mixture from chicken and cook until golden, 6 - 8 minutes.  Transfer to a plate.
4.  Add snow pea mixture to skillet, cover and cook until tender and sauce has thickened, about 5 minutes.
5.  Return chicken to skillet and toss to coat.

I got about 5 servings from this

the chicken turned out so perfectly

so yummy!

Crockpot Sweet and Sour Pork

I love sweet & sour pork and this recipe did not disappoint.  It was simple and tasty.  And pretty easy to throw together!

1 1/2 - 2 lb. pork loin or shoulder, trimmed & cut into 1-inch cube
1 Tbl. oil
2 (8 oz. each) cans crushed pineapple in juice
1 small green bell pepper, chopped
1/2 onion, chopped
1/2 c. water
1/3 c. brown sugar
2 Tbl. ketchup
1 Tbl. quick-cooking tapioca
3 tsp. soy sauce
1/2 tsp. dry mustard

1.  In skillet, brown pork cubes on both sides in oil; drain off fat and place in crockpot.
2.  In a medium bowl, combine remaining ingredients and pour over pork.
3.  Cook on low for 8 - 10 hours, or on high from 4 -5 hours.

I'm sorry, this was the only picture I managed to get

Slow Cooker Thai Red Curry Chicken

We love curry, but don't have it often enough.  But I've found a few recipes to try for the next month or two.  This one was really good, and I'm sure we'll make it again.  The chicken thighs were so good and moist, and I loved the coconut milk with the red curry, yum!  It just needed some salt & pepper, and that's it.  We omitted the mushrooms, and personally, I'd like twice the amount of bamboo shoots, because they were awesome.  Delicious!

1/4 c. Thai red curry paste
2 - 2 1/2 lbs. chicken thigh fillets, trimmed & cut in slightly bigger than bite-sized pieces
1 c. chicken broth
2 tsp. oil
1 c. sliced bamboo shoots
1/2 c. fresh shiitake mushrooms, halved (we omitted them)
1 Tbl. brown sugar
1 tsp. fish sauce
1 (14 oz.) coconut milk (we used lite coconut milk)
1/3 c. basil leaves

1.  Heat some oil in a large frying pan on medium high heat.  Cut the chicken up and cook them in batches for 1 - 3 minutes, until sides turn golden.  Season with salt and pepper and transfer to slow cooker.
2.  Turn heat to low and add rest of cooking oil.  Add curry paste and stir for 2 - 3 minutes until it releases a sweet aroma.  Add the chicken broth and stir with the curry until it's all dissolved.  Add mushrooms and bamboo shoots, pour over chicken and stir until well mixed.
3.  Cook on high for 3 - 4 hours OR low for 7 - 8 hours.
4.  Combine coconut milk, fish sauce and brown sugar, stir into cooked mixture and cover.  Cook for 30 more minutes on high.
5.  Stir in basil and serve over rice.

yum!

picture w/flash

P.F. Chang's Mongolian Beef copycat recipe

Holy goodness, this recipe was great!  I couldn't get over how good the sauce was!  Not too salty or sweet, the ingredients blended together really nicely.  I used about 3/4 lb. of beef that was already packaged for stir-fry--just thin slices of beef.  I fear I overcooked them a little bit, but in the future it'll be fine.  I thought I had fresh garlic, but when I went looking for it, it had disappeared, so I used the same amount of dried garlic, and it was just fine.  I increased the amount of fresh ginger by 1/4 tsp. and didn't change much else to the recipe.  I think next time I might add some cornstarch dissolved in water to help thicken the sauce, because it didn't seem to thicken up ... at all.  That was our one disappointment.  But I poured the extra sauce over the rice and broccoli we had and no one complained.  All in all, a really good, tasty and fairly manageable recipe; I will be making this often in the future.

2 tsp. vegetable oil
1/2 fresh ginger, minced (I used 3/4 tsp.)
1 Tbl. garlic, chopped (dried worked just fine)
1/2 c. soy sauce
1/2 c. water
3/4 c. brown sugar
oil for frying
1 lb. flank steak, cut against the grain into 1/4" slices
1/4 c. cornstarch
2 large green onions (I used about 1/4 c.), chopped

1.  Heat 2 tsp. of oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat.  Don't let the oil get too hot.  Add ginger and garlic to the pain and saute for about 30 seconds.
2.  Quickly add the soy sauce and water, then dissolve brown sugar in sauce.  Increase heat a little and boil the sauce for 2 - 3 minutes until it has thickened.  (If needed, dissolve some cornstarch in cold water and add to sauce, to speed up process.)  Remove from heat.
3.  Dip cut steak pieces into cornstarch to apply a very thin dusting to each piece of beef.  Let it sit for about 10 minutes before frying.
4.  Heat up oil in wok or large skillet over medium heat.  Add beef and fry until brown.  Transfer meat to a plate with paper towel and dab excess oil off.
5.  Drain excess oil from pan and add in the sauce with the meat and add green onions.  Let sauce simmer until warm.

Letting the meat and sauce simmer

Mmhmm!

Nutritional Facts
servings per recipe: 4
amount per serving (3 oz.)

Calories: 329
Total Fat: 11.6 g
Saturated Fat: 4.1 g
Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.7 g
Monounsaturated Fat: 1.3 g
Cholesterol: 50.7 mg
Sodium: 1996.6 mg
Potassium: 173.1 mg
Total Carbohydrate: 47.5 g
Dietary Fiber: 0.4 g
Sugar: 36.8 g
Protein: 18.5 g
Vitamin A: --
Vitamin C: 1.1 %
Calcium: 3.8 %
Iron: 6.6 % 

Slow Cooker Cashew Chicken

I made this recipe last night and it was a pretty simple recipe, and it smelled so good while it was cooking!  In the future, I think I'll add a little bit of salt to the chicken, because it needed just a touch.  But overall, a great recipe and will be rotated into our food menu.

2 lb. boneless, skinless chicken thigh or breast tenders (I used about 26 oz. and cut them up so there were 18 pieces)
1/4. flour
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1 Tbl. canola oil
1/4 c. soy sauce
2 Tbl. rice vinegar
2 Tbl. ketchup
1 Tbl. brown sugar
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 tsp. fresh ginger, grated
1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
1/2 c. cashews

1.  Combine flour and pepper in resealable ziplock bag.  Add chicken and shake to coat.
2.  Heat oil in skillet over medium-high heat.  Brown chicken pieces about 2 minutes on each side.  Place in slow cooker.
3.  Combine soy sauce, vinegar, ketchup, sugar, garlic, ginger & pepper flakes in a small bowl; pour oven chicken.
4.  Cook on low for 3 - 4 hours, turning chicken over once, after 2 hours.
5.  Add cashews and stir; serve over rice.

all ready to eat

side picture

Nutritional Facts
servings per recipe: 8
amount per serving

Calories: 195.3
Total Fat: 6.9 g
Saturated Fat: 1.2 g
Polyunsaturated Fat: 1.5 g
Monounsaturated Fat: 3.6 g
Cholesterol: 53.4 mg
Sodium: 612.2 mg
Potassium: 312.7 mg
Total Carbohydrate: 9.8 g
Dietary Fiber: 0.4 g
Sugar: 3.9 g
Protein: 23.5 g
Vitamin A: 0.4 %
Vitamin C: 2 %
Calcium: 1.9 %
Iron: 8.6 % 

Crockpot Applesauce

When I found this recipe for crockpot applesauce, I almost didn't believe it.  It seemed too simple, and wouldn't amount to anything.  But I was proven wrong!  This recipe was not only incredibly simple, but delicious and I plan on making this often.  I made this the day Zak and I were both sick.  I quickly threw it into the crockpot, Zak went upstairs to nap, and I fell asleep on the couch, and when I woke up, it smelled like Christmas and I couldn't wait to taste the applesauce.  It was so nice and thick, and the spices were just perfect.  I think I am going to try flavor variations in the future, as well as doubling and tripling the recipe, because this went way too fast!

4 apples, peeled, cored and thinly sliced
1/4 c. water
1/4 c. packed brown sugar
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/8 tsp. nutmeg

1.  Mix all ingredients in a crockpot.
2.  Cook on high for 2 hours.
3.  Use an immersion blender (maybe a big whisk, if the apples are tender enough) and blend until consistency is thick and it looks like applesauce!

it was hard to get a great picture

it's good warm or cooled

Nutritional Facts
servings per recipe: 4 (1/2 c. servings)
amount per serving

Calories: 127.3
Total Fat: 0.2 g
Saturated Fat: 0.1 g
Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.1 g
Monounsaturated Fat: --
Cholesterol: --
Sodium: 5.7 mg
Potassium: 195.4 mg
Total Carbohydrate: 37.7 g
Dietary Fiber: 3.6 g
Sugar: 30.8 g
Protein: 0.2 g
Vitamin A: 1.3 %
Vitamin C: 12.3 %
Calcium: 2.5 %
Iron: 3 %

Carmelitas

Warning: you will want to consume the entire pan of these, try your best not to.  These are delicious.  And are way too easy to eat.  They are called 'carmelitas' and I found them on a cute blog, and decided to give them a try, with the idea that we'd give some away.  We did give some away, just not as many as I had hoped.  Because we ate most of them.  They are just amazing, oh man.  They're a combination of cookie and bar, and are very rich, but kind of addicting.  They're also pretty simple to make, they just require a lot of time to cool.  I didn't get more than a few pictures, because I was too busy eating them.  Enjoy!

32 caramel squares, unwrapped
1/2 c. heavy cream
3/4 c. butter, melted
3/4 c. packed brown sugar
1 c. flour
1 c. oats
1 tsp. baking soda
6 oz. semi-sweet chocolate chips

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2.  Combine caramels and cream over low heat until completely melted and smooth.  Set aside.
3.  In a medium bowl, combine flour, brown sugar, oats, baking soda and butter.  Pat half of the mixture in an 8x8" pan.  Bake for 10 minutes.
4.  Remove pan and sprinkle chocolate chips over baked crust.  Pour caramel mixture over chocolate chips; sprinkle remaining oats mixture on top of caramel layer.
5.  Return to oven and bake additional 15 - 20 minutes, or until sides are slightly browned.  Remove and let cool completely before cutting.  To make a 9x13" pan, simply double ingredients.

fresh out of the oven

I tried to get a good picture...

...but then I devoured them...

Sweet Garlic Chicken

I saw this recipe on-line while trying to find a simple meal.  Well, this was incredibly simple and delicious.  We both really liked it, and I'm sure it'll get worked into our rotation.  The garlic matched well with the brown sugar to create a surprisingly delicious flavor.  Perfect with mashed potatoes and a vegetable side dish!  I added minced dried onion and changed the baking time and temperature

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
4 garlic cloves, minced
about 1/2 Tbl. minced, dried onion
3 tsp. olive oil
4 Tbl. brown sugar

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line a baking dish with foil.
2.  Saute garlic and minced, dried onion in olive oil until fragrant and tender.
3.  Remove from heat and stir in brown sugar.
4.  Pat mixture evenly onto chicken.
5.  Cook about 20 minutes, until center has reached 170 degrees and is cooked.

I forgot to get a good picture of the this, so this will have to do!

this is from my second time making it, after cooking in the oven

100th post: Slow-Cooker Honey Sesame Chicken

Whoo hoo, 100 posts!

This recipe is a simple and tasty recipe I tried Friday night.  I changed the amount of honey to about 3/4 of a cup but added some brown sugar instead.  Overall, it was a pretty good meal, the sauce was good.  Our only major note was that the chicken ended up a little dry inside and that it was more shredded than we'd like.  So maybe next time I'll cut up the chicken breasts a bit before adding them into the crock pot.  But, it's a keeper and was so easy and went well with rice and broccoli!

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs
salt & pepper
1 c. honey (I used 3/4 c. + about 4 Tbl. brown sugar instead)
1/2 c. soy sauce
1/2 c. diced onion (I used 2 Tbl. minced, dried onion instead)
1/4 c. ketchup
2 Tbl. vegetable oil
2 cloves garlic, minced (I used 1 tsp. dried, minced onion)
1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
4 tsp. cornstarch dissolved in 6 Tbl. water
sesame seeds

1.  Season both sides of chicken lightly with salt & pepper (I just did one side), put into crock pot.
2.  In small bowl, combine honey (& brown sugar), soy sauce, onion, ketchup, oil, garlic & pepper flakes.  Pour over chicken.
3.  Cook on low for 3 - 4 hours or on high 1 1/2 - 2 1/2 hours, or just until chicken is cooked through.  I had Zak turned the chicken over about halfway through.
4.  Remove chicken from crock pot, leave sauce.  Dissolve cornstarch in water and pour in; stir to combine with sauce.
5.  Replace lid and cook sauce on high for ten more minutes, or until slightly thickened.  Meanwhile, cut chicken into bite sized pieces.
6.  Return chicken to pot once sauce has thickened, and toss before serving.  Sprinkle with sesame seeds.

delicious!

Nutritional Facts
servings per recipe: 6
amount per serving

Calories: 375.3
Total Fat: 6.3 g
Saturated Fat: 0.8 g
Polyunsaturated Fat: 1.8 g
Monounsaturated Fat: 3.1 g
Cholesterol: 76.7 mg
Sodium: 1,443.9 mg
Potassium: 407.1 mg
Total Carbohydrate: 48.8 g
Dietary Fiber: 0.4 g
Sugar: 45.5 g
Protein: 33.6 g
Vitamin A: 0.6 %
Vitamin C: 5.2 %
Calcium: 2.9 %
Iron: 7.2 %

Slow Cooker San Francisco Pork Chops

I found this recipe on Pinterest, and got a craving for pork chops.  I'm still not 100% confident with using pork in recipes, or my slow cooker, but this recipe looked right up my alley.  I've used my slow cooker a bit more in the last few months, and am starting to love it.  I didn't know they were so many types of recipes you could make with one!  Anyways, this looked delicious, so I thought I'd give it a shot.  It turned out fairly salty, so I'd recommend lightly seasoning the pork chops and using low-sodium broth and soy sauce.

4 pork chops, about 1-inch thick [it apparently doesn't matter if you use boneless or bone-in chops]
2 Tbl. olive oil
salt & pepper for seasoning
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
1/4 c. soy sauce
1/4 c. chicken broth
2 Tbl. packed light brown sugar
1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
1 Tbl. cornstarch
1 Tbl. cold water

1.  In a large 12-inch skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat until simmering and hot.  Lightly season the pork chops on both sides with salt & pepper.  Brown the chops for 1 - 2 minutes on each side until golden.  Transfer to slow cooker.
2.  Turn heat down to medium and add the garlic to the drippings in the skillet and stir constantly until garlic is aromatic and golden (but not burned!).  Stir in the soy sauce, broth, brown sugar & red pepper flakes.  Cook and stir until sugar is dissolved.  Pour over chops.
3.  Cover the slow cooker and cook on low for 7 - 8 hours until meat is tender.  If using bone-in pork chops, fish out the bones.  Remove the chops from the slow cooker to a shallow pan or plate - they will most likely be falling apart in tenderness at this point.
4.  In a small bowl, combine the cornstarch and cold water until smooth.  Whisk the mixture into the sauce in the slow cooker.  Return the chops and cook on high for 30 - 60 minutes longer, until sauce is slightly thickened [if you want a very thick sauce, once you've removed the chops from the cooker, pour the sauce into a pan and place it over medium heat on the stove.  Add in cornstarch mixture and bring sauce to boil; boil for 1 - 2 minutes, until thick.  Add pork and heat through.].
5.  Serve chops over rice or mashed potatoes.

with flash

so tender!

Nutritional Facts
servings per recipe: 4
amount per serving

Calories: 357
Total Fat: 16.9 g
Saturated Fat: 5.8 g
Polyunsaturated Fat: 1.8 g
Monounsaturated Fat: 7.5 g
Cholesterol: 90.1 mg
Sodium: 1505.1 mg
Potassium: 657.5 mg
Total Carbohydrate: 17.4 g
Dietary Fiber: 0.1 g
Sugar: 14 g
Protein: 35 g
Vitamin A: 0.2 %
Vitamin C: 1.9 %
Calcium: 4.6 %
Iron: 7.5 %

Overnight Cinnamon Rolls

I got this recipe from allrecipes.com.  I don't know where the idea to make cinnamon rolls came from, but I decided it'd be nice to do when Kenny & Delaney were here.  This recipe was delicious and pretty simple to do.  Next time we have company stay with us, I'll probably make them again.  But we don't need a whole pan of these in the fridge, they will get eaten much too quickly!

rolls
1 c. milk
1/3 c. butter
1 (.25 oz.) package active dry yeast
1/2 c. sugar
4 1/2 c. flour
1 tsp. salt
3 eggs

filling
3/4 c. brown sugar
1 Tbl. cinnamon
1/2 c. raisins (optional, I didn't include them)

glaze
1 tsp. light corn syrup
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1 1/4 c. sifted powdered sugar
2 Tbl. half & half

1.  Heat the milk in a small saucepan until it bubbles; remove from heat.  Add the butter and stir until melted; let cool until lukewarm.
2.  In a large mixing bowl, dissolve yeast in the milk mixture.  Add sugar, 3 c. of flour, salt and egg.  Stir well to combine.  Add the remaining flour, 1/2 c. at a time, stirring well after each addition.
3.  When the dough has pulled together, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and kneed until smooth and supple, about 8 mins.
4.  Lightly oil a larger bowl and place dough in it; coat with oil.  Cover with a damp cloth and let rise in a warm place until doubled in volume, about 1 hour.
5.  Deflate the dough and turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and roll into a 10"x14" rectangle.  Lightly brush the far edge with water.
6.  In a small bowl, combine cinnamon and brown sugar and sprinkle over the rectangle evenly.  The sprinkle raisins, if using.  Roll up the dough into a log and seal the seam.
7.  Cut the dough into 12 equal pieces; place in a greased 9"x13" pan.  Cover with plastic wrap and place in the fridge to rise overnight.
8.  The next morning, preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Let the rolls stand at room temperature for 30 mins. before baking.
9.  Once at room temperature, bake for 25 - 30 mins., or until golden.  Meanwhile, combine corn syrup with vanilla in a small bowl.  Whisk in the powdered sugar and enough cream to make a thick glaze.  Drizzle glaze over the rolls and serve warm.

before going in the fridge at night

big rolls the next morning

out of the oven, yum!

Slow-Roasted Pork Shoulder with Peach Sauce

We saw this on an episode of America's Test Kitchen a few weeks ago, and I was trying to get a clear answer from Zak about what he wanted for his birthday dinner.  As we salivated over this pork, he said, 'I want that.'  And so I went off, searching for the recipe on-line.  I found it on a site for grandparents, so go figure.  It was a simply enough recipe, I just fretted about finding someone I knew with a roasting pan (success), and making the sauce.  I wanted it to be more of a thicker, glaze-type sauce, but it didn't turn out to be that way.  And we couldn't remember how it looked like on the show, so whatever.  It still tasted good--everything was sublime, and we have a lot of delicious leftovers we are excited about!  The pork was salty in a good way, and the sauce really helped balance that.  It was an excellent birthday dinner, I rounded it out with some mashed potatoes and zucchini monterey.  Great birthday dinner!

Pork shoulder
1 bone-in pork shoulder/butt, 6 - 8 pounds
1/3 c. salt
1/3 c. packed brown sugar
black pepper

Peach sauce
10 oz. frozen peaches, cut into 1-inch chunks (about 2 cups) or 2 fresh peaches, cut into 1/2-inch wedges
2 c. dry white wine
1/2 c. sugar
1/4 c. + 1 Tbl. unseasoned rice vinegar
2 sprigs fresh thyme
1 Tbl. whole-grain mustard

1.  Using sharp knife, cut slits 1 inch apart in crosshatch pattern in fat cap of roast, being careful not to cut into meat.  Combine salt and brown sugar, rub over entire pork shoulder and into slits.  Wrap roast tightly in double layer or plastic wrap, place on rimmed baking sheet and refrigerate at least 12 and up to 24 hours.
2.  Adjust oven rack to lowest position and heat to 325 degrees.  Unwrap roast and brush off any excess salt mixture.  Season with pepper, transfer to V-rack, coated with nonstick cooking spray and set in large roasting pan.  Add 1 quart water.
3.  Cook roast, basting twice during cooking (and add water as needed), until meat is extremely tender and thermometer inserted registers 190 degrees, about 5 - 6 hours (it was ready in 5).
4.  Transfer roast to carving board and let rest, loosely tented with foil for 1 hour.  Transfer liquid in roasting pan to fat separator and let stand 5 minutes.  Pour off 1/4 c. jus; discard fat and reserve or discard remaining jus.
5.  Bring peaches, wine, sugar, 1/4 c. vinegar, 1/4 c. defatted jus and thyme to simmer in small saucepan.  Cook, stirring occasionally, until reduced to 2 cups--about 30 minutes.
6.  Remove thyme, stir in remaining tablespoon vinegar and mustard, and keep warm.
7.  Using sharp paring knife, cut around inverted T-shaped bone until it can be pulled free from roast.  Serve, with sauce.

before cooking, it had marinaded for 24 hours at this point

all done, and smelling delicious!

it was so tender, the meat just fell off nicely

peach sauce


a really, really good meal

Peach Cake

I made this cake for Zak's birthday this year, and it turned out really well!  I was a bit nervous, since it was a new recipe and didn't know what to expect, but everyone seemed to really like it!  I got the recipe from this site, and made it on Saturday for the party Sunday.  My only complaint is that, with the brown sugar/cinnamon sugar combo on top, it didn't look really pretty/edible because it was brown.  So to cover that up, I put some fresh peach slices that I let sit in some sugar and vanilla for a few hours on the top and it made it look much nicer!

3/4 c. butter, softened
3/4 c. sugar
1/4 c. brown sugar, packed
3 eggs
2/3 c. milk
2 c. flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2. salt
1 tsp. vanilla extract
4 fresh peaches, peeled and cut into slices (I used 5, since we had so many)

topping:
1/2 c. brown sugar, packed
1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon

4 (? I don't know how many I used) peaches, peeled and sliced -- let sit in mixture of sugar and vanilla  (optional, do after cake has cooled)

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease (or line with parchment paper) 12 - inch spring form pan.
2.  Beat together butter and sugars until light and fluffy.  Add in eggs one at a time.
3.  In a separate bowl, mix together dry ingredients.
4.  Add vanilla in with the milk.
5.  Alternately add dry ingredients with milk and vanilla.  When mixed well, gently fold in peaches.
6.  Pour batter into prepared pan and sprinkle together with topping.
7.  Bake 50 - 60 minutes.
8.  Let cool 10 minutes in pan before removing spring form collar.  Cool completely before serving.

before adding topping and baking

all cooled, you can see why I wanted to add peaches on top, right?

pretty!

kind of caught him off guard, but look how nice the cake looks!

it was very moist and soft inside-I was a bit worried I didn't cook it as long as I should've, but everyone really enjoyed it, so whatever!

Blueberry Muffins

Zak and I love blueberry muffins, so naturally, when I got a big box of them last week, decided to make some. I looked around for awhile for a healthier version, and finally stumbled across the one I tried out. They were delicious, moist and will be made again soon. Plus, they are under 100 calories for each muffin, not bad at all!

1 3/4 c. flour

3/4 c. light brown sugar

1/2 c. whole wheat flour

2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. baking soda

1/4 tsp. nutmeg

1 tsp. cinnamon

1 1/4 c. low fat buttermilk

1 1/4 c. unsweetened applesauce

1 large egg

1 tsp. vegetable oil

1 tsp. vanilla

1 1/2 - 2 c. fresh blueberries

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees; lightly coat muffin pan with cooking spray, or place baking cups in pan.

2. Mix together 1 1/2 c. flour, sugar, whole wheat flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, nutmeg and cinnamon in large bowl. Make a well in the center of the mixture.

3. Whisk together buttermilk, applesauce, egg, oil and vanilla in a medium bowl.

4. Lightly coat the blueberries by tossing them with the 1/4 c. flour in a small bowl.

5. Pour the buttermilk mixture into the flour mixture and stir until batter is just moistened. Fold in the blueberries.

6. Divide the mixture evenly among muffin cups. Bake for about 20 minutes.

This recipe made 24 beautiful, similar-sized muffins.

Nutella Cookies

My family told me they had this recipe for Nutella cookies awhile ago. At first, I was a bit hesitant, because I was unsure of how Nutella would translate in cookie form. They even sent some cookies up when my sister came to visit. I wasn't crazy about them; they tasted more like chocolate in my opinion. But I reasoned that maybe I would like them better if they were super fresh, right from the oven. Then I realized that my parents had given us 2 two-packs of big jars of Nutella, and we had barely gone through one in the past year. So I decided to make these cookies; I had Nutella to spare! This was a classic example of mistaking first impressions, because these cookies were amazing. And they tasted like Nutella, which is what I wanted. They are just yummy; Zak had more than he should've yesterday when I brought some to his work. However, this recipe makes a lot of cookies; probably about 4 dozen. I had a friend over and made her take a ton of them; I gave away at least a dozen, and frozen a fair amount of them as well. But it's worth it, Nutella cookies = brilliant. Enjoy these with a cold glass of milk, mmm.

2 1/2 c. flour

1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. salt

1 c. butter, softened

1 c. packed dark brown sugar (we used light, and they were just fine)

1 c. white sugar

26 oz. Nutella (one large jar)

1 c. chopped hazelnuts (did not use this time [my dad's not a nut person, so I'm always hesitant about putting them in cookies, etc.], but I think they'd be great with them!)

2 large eggs

2 tsp. vanilla

1. In a bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt; set aside.

2. In mixing bowl, cream together butter and sugars until fluffy.

3. Mix in Nutella (do not heat it in order to make it easier; it takes some time and it is messy, but heating it will ruin everything (not from experience, just know that)), beat until all incorporated.

4. Add in chopped hazelnuts if you're going that route, then eggs, one at a time, followed by the vanilla. Mix well.

5. Add in flour slowly and/or in three stages, making sure after every addition that it's mixed in well.

6. Chill dough while oven preheats to 350 degrees. Scoop dough into balls and cook for about 10 minutes.

we had enough leftover dough for about 4 cookies, so instead, we just made a giant one

yum!

Old Fashioned Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

I love oatmeal raisin cookies. They are my absolute favorites, which is weird, since I'm such a chocolate fiend. But I could sit down and eat a whole batch of oatmeal raisin cookies if I didn't care about my body. Enjoy these delicious cookies. :)

1 c. shortening

1 c. brown sugar

1/2 c. white sugar

2 eggs

1/4 c. milk

2 c. flour

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. salt

2 tsp. cinnamon

2 c. raisins

4 c. Quaker oats

1. Combine shortening, sugars, eggs and beat until creamy.

2. Add flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon; beat well.

3. Add milk, then oats and raisins, beat well.

4. Bake at 250 degrees for 25 - 30 minutes OR at 350 degrees for 12- 16 minutes.

*Alternate version that is just as tasty, but not my number 1 favorite: Oatmeal Craisin: Instead of raisins, add 1 c. craisins and 1 c. coconut.

sorry for the blurriness

mmmmm

Lemon Cheesecake Cookie Bars

So I found this recipe on some site, and decided to make them because I had a lot of cream cheese sitting around. And cream cheese is my favorite dessert component of all time (sorry, chocolate), so I figured, why not? The original recipe didn't call for so much lemon/lime, but I wanted to use up the ones in the fridge. Plus, I know Zak likes citrus flavors. Oh, and I added in raspberries from the freezer to balance out the citrus zing.

1/3 cup brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/4 cup melted butter
8 ounces cream cheese
1/4 cup sugar
1 egg
5 -6 Tbl. fresh lemon juice
3 Tbl. fresh lime juice
1 - 2 Tbl. grated lemon zest
1/2 Tbl. grated lime zest
10 or so raspberries
2 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla

1. Mix brown sugar, nuts & flour together.
2. Stir in the butter and work until it resembles coarse crumbs. Set aside 1 cup of the mixture for the topping; press the rest firmly into the bottom of an 8x8" pan.
3. Bake at 350° for 12 - 15 minutes; leave oven on.
4. While crust is baking, cream the cream cheese and sugar together.
5. Add the egg, lemon & lime juices, milk, vanilla, zests, vanilla. Beat thoroughly. Add raspberries (if desired), beat thoroughly. Pour over baked crust
6. Sprinkle remaining crumb mixture over top of cream cheese mixture; bake for 20 - 25 minutes. Cool completely before cutting into squares. Makes 16 2" cookie bars.

Pumpkin Bars

Ok, pumpkin bars with cream cheese frosting are one of my favorite desserts. I love them. Pretty much anything with cream cheese frosting is a favorite of mine. It's a weakness. I made some modifications to my mom's recipe (no offense, Mom, just wanted to experiment), and they turned out really good--dense & moist. Zak practically ate half of the pan in one fell swoop, he loves them.

2 eggs
3/4 c. sugar
1/3 c. brown sugar
1/2 c. unsweetened applesauce
2 Tbl. canola oil
1 c. plain pumpkin
1/2 tsp. baking soda
dash of salt
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 c. whole wheat flour
1/2 c. white flour

frosting:
3.5 oz. neufchatel or cream cheese
1/4 c. butter
1 c. powdered sugar
1.5 Tbl. milk
1/2 tsp. vanilla

1. Beat eggs, sugars, oil, applesauce and pumpkin until light.
2. Sift together baking soda, salt, baking powder, cinnamon and flours.
3. Combine mixtures.
4. Bake in greased 9"x13" pan at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes.
5. Cool completely and frost.

I cut these into small little squares, and got about 32 squares.