Potato Salad

4 cups potatoes, cooked, peeled and cubed (about 6 or 7 whole potatoes)
1 cup mayonnaise
1 teaspoon mustard
1/2 teaspoon celery seeds
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
2 hard boiled eggs, chopped
1/2 cup onion, chopped and slightly saute'd
1/2 cup celery, finely chopped

This was a pretty good hit. I wasnt sure how it would turn out, but the bowl was empty at the end of the BBQ I had brought it to. I sauted the onions a little bit before adding them to take off the little bit of spice raw onions have. Even Kalia liked it because I did that.

Blueberry Banana Bread

1-3/4 all purpose flour
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/3 Cp margarine or butter
2 eggs
1 Cp mashed banana
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2/3 Cp white sugar
1 Cp blueberries (fresh or frozen)

Toss berries if frozen with 2 TBS flour from recipe.
Cook 350 for 50 - 60 minutes
Makes a large loaf pan 9" x 5.5"


This was a huge hit in my house. Darin loves banana bread so I knew he would like it, but the girls were iffy...they usually only like banana bread with chocolate chips. But they loved this. I made it as mini loaves and they devoured one between them. I have made it twice now and the last time actually used raspberries instead of blueberries and it was really yummy to. I got this recipe from my BFF Amy.

Sweet and Sour Meatballs

Meatballs
1 lb lean ground beef
2 tsp onion powder
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 egg
1/3 cup oats
1/4 cup shredded zucchini
1/4 cup shredded carrot
salt and pepper to taste
cooking spray

Sauce
1 cup ketchup
1/2 cup water
1 tsp salt
2 tsp yellow mustard
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 tsp onion powder
1 1/2 tbsp worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
pepper to taste

In a large bowl, mix together meatball ingredients. Scoop and shape into small meatballs. Fry in a non-stick skillet with cooking spray on medium heat. Or bake them at 350 for about 25-30 minutes until no longer pink inside. In a measuring cup, combine sauce ingredients, then pour into hot pan with cooked meatballs. Cover and simmer on low for 15-20 minutes.

The girls loved these. They were easy to make and I liked that I could sneak in some veggies without the girls knowing. Although they are great veggie eaters.....

Yorkshire Pudding

Nothing matches a roast beef dinner better than Yorkshire Pudding.

Preheat oven to to 425F.
Add 1/2 tsp of vegetable oil to each muffin cup and place in oven.

In a large bowl combine:
1 cup of flour
1/2 tsp salt
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup water
Tip:Bring the eggs, milk and water to room temperature before adding to flour mixture.

Add wet ingredients to dry and beat. Remove muffin pan from oven (careful not to spill the hot oil). Add mixture to muffin cups quickly while oil is still very hot. Bake for 20 minutes. Turn heat down to 300F for 15 minutes more. If your running short on time, the last 15 min in the lower heat can be skipped. It is to make the yorkshire pudding lighter.


I decided after years of being afraid to try, to make these. It is a cool gray day here and I just felt like a Roast Beast (as my husband calls them). I remember growing up my favorite part of a roast dinner was the yorkshire puddings. Mmmmmm.

The girls loved them. I was actually surprised at how much they did. Kalia ate 3 of them, Olivia 2 (and that my friends is nothing short of a miracle) and then they both had a left over one for bedtime snack warmed with Jam. So, I will say these were a success on all sides.

Buttermilk Chicken Fingers

1 lb chicken breast, sliced into thin strips
1/2 cup low-fat buttermilk (or 1/2 cup milk and 1/2 tbsp vinegar)
1/2 cup crushed corn flakes
1/4 cup breadcrumbs
1 tablespoon flaxseed meal
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon oregano
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon olive oil

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
In a medium glass or plastic bowl, combine chicken breast and buttermilk.
Cover and put in refrigerator for 10-15 minutes, or longer if you have time.
Combine corn flakes, breadcrumbs, flaxseed, garlic powder, oregano, and black pepper in large ziploc bag.
After chicken is chilled, drain off liquid and add to ziploc bag, shaking to coat.
Add olive oil to shallow baking pan.
Place chicken in pan.
Bake for approximately 6 minutes on each side, or until chicken is thoroughly cooked.


Okay, now I know there is no picture here, but thats because we were in such a rush (soccer night for Kalia) that I completely forgot to snap a picture quick. However, these are so yummy. The girls devoured them.
The only thing I omitted from the recipe is the olive oil, but thats because I used my stone to cook them, so no oil necessary. I also used vinegar to make the buttermilk instead of lemon juice.
This recipe, like so many, comes from Megan's Food and Whine blog.

Lemon Poppy Seed Cake

1 2/3 cup All purpose flour
1 cup Sugar
3 tbsp Poppy Seeds
1 tbsp baking powder

1 cup yogurt
1/2 cup butter, melted
1/3 cup cooking oil
1/3 cup lemon juice
3 large eggs
1 tbsp finely grated lemon zest

Combine first 4 ingredients in large bowl. Make a well in centre.

Beat next 6 ingredients in medium bowl. Add to well. Stir well. Grease the bottom and sides of a 9" springform pan. Pour batter into pan. Spread evenly. Bake at 350 for about 40-50 min until wooden pick inserted in centre comes out clean.

Top with a lemon glaze:

1/2 cup Icing sugar
enough lemon juice to make a thin syrup
Pour over cake.


I know I know, your probably looking at the picture and wondering where the black flecks of poppy seeds are. Well, I realized after I started to make it I didnt have any poppy seeds. So this time I omitted them. The cake was delicious. Very moist. Everyone really liked it.

*recipe from Company's Cooking cookbook.

Fruit Filled Cereal Bars

These are a healthy alternative to a Nutrigrain Bar.

Filling:
1 cup raspberries
1 cup blueberries
1 cup strawberries
1/2 cup water or juice

Dough:
1/4 cup butter, melted
1 cup applesauce
1/4 cup honey
1 cup quick oats
2 cups flour

In a saucepan on medium-high heat, simmer the filling ingredients until the fruit is soft. Blend until smooth and thick with an immersion blender.

While the filling cools, make your dough. Combine butter, applesauce and honey. Add in oats and stir. Slowly stir in flour until it forms a ball of dough. Knead the dough for a few minutes. On a floured surface, take half the dough at a time and roll it out into a rectangular shape with about 1/8" thickness. Cut the dough into long strips with about a 3" width. Spread a thin layer of filling down the centre of the strips. Fold the strips over and seal the edges shut. Cut the strips into 3" bars. Place on a lightly greased baking sheet at bake at 350F for 25-30 minutes.


These were a huge hit. The girls loved them. I am going to try out some other fruit mixtures as well. Use your imagination.

*recipe from FOOD AND WHINE