Recipes

BREAKFAST

Pancakes

Homemade pancakes are a weekend staple in our house. I ususaly serve them with a side of fresh fruit or filled with chocolate chips. Either way, they melt in your mouth and keep the little bellies full.

3/4 cup milk
2 tbsp white vinegar
1 cup unbleached flour
2 tbsp white sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 egg
2 tbsp melted butter

1. Combine mile with vinegar in a medium bowl and set aside for 5 minutes to 'sour'.
2. Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large mixing bowl.
3. Whisk egg and butter into 'soured' milk.
4. Pour the flour mixture into the wet ingredients and whisk until lumps are gone.
5. Let the batter sit for 5 minutes
6. Heat a large skillet over medium heat and coat with a pat of butter
7. Pour 1/4 cupfuls of batter onto the skillet and cook until bubbles appear on the surface. Flip with a spatula. Cook until golden brown on the other side.

The other staple in my weekend breakfast repertoire (after all there are 2 days in the weekend :))...

Waffles

2 c unbleached flour
1 tsp salt
4 tsp baking powder
2 tbsp white sugar
2 eggs
1 1/2 c warm milk
1/3 c butter
1 tsp vanilla extract

• In a large bowl, mix together flour, salt, banking powder and sugar. Set aside. Preheat waffle iron to desired temperature.
• In a separate bowl, beat the eggs. Stir in the milk, butter and vanilla. Pour the milk mixture into the flour mixture, beat until blended
• Let sit for 5 minutes
• Ladle the batter into a preheated waffle iron. Cook the waffles until golden and crisp.

Lemon Blueberry Muffin Bread

• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 ½ tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp salt
• 1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 cups blueberries (12 oz)
• 2 tsp lemon zest
• ½ cup plain yogurt, regular or lowfat

Directions

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Spray a loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.
2. In a medium sized bowl, whisk together your flour, baking powder and salt. Add the blueberries and lemon zest and toss to combine.
3. Cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the yogurt then the dry ingredients, mixing only until incorporated and being careful not to crush the blueberries.
4. Scoop batter into your prepared loaf pan and bake for 1 hour 10 minutes, until golden brown. Let cool in the pan for 10 minutes before inverting gently onto a plate.

Eggs in Hashbrown Nests

• 6 whole Medium Russet Potatoes (6 To 8)
• Salt And Pepper, to taste
• 24 whole Large Eggs
• Non-stick Cooking Spray

Preparation Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
Bake the potatoes until almost tender (potatoes should still have a little bite) 45 minutes to 1 hour. Allow to cool, and then peel and grate them. Season well with salt and pepper.
INCREASE OVEN TEMP TO 425 DEGREES.
Spray two muffin pans generously with cooking spray. Scoop 3 to 4 tablespoons of grated potato into each muffin cup. Use your fingers to gently press the sides and bottom in each muffin hole to make a nest (don't press the potatoes firmly against the pan; they should sit lightly in the pan.) Spray again (very lightly!) with cooking spray. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes. Watch and make sure they do not burn. (If they seem like they're not browning, kick up the temp to 450.) Remove when the nests are golden brown.
Allow the nests to cool. Crack an egg into each one. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and bake until the whites are set, about 15 minutes. Don't be concerned if some whites bake differently; no two nests will look alike!
Remove from the muffin pan with a spoon or fork and serve


LUNCH & DINNER

Chicken Carbonara
Bella's favorite dish :)

2 tbsp Olive oil
4 ounces sliced pancetta
2 tsp minced garlic
2 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
1 c freshly grated parmesan
8 large egg yolks
1/4 c chopped parsely leaves
1/4 c chopped basil leaves (I use less)
salt
1 lb spaghetti
4 c coarsley shreaded chicken (I buy the already roasted chicken to save time)

• Heat the oil in a large heavy frying pan over medium heat. Add the pancetta and saute until it's crisp, about 8 min. Cool slightly
• Meanwhile in a large bowl, whisk together the cream, cheese, yolks, basil and parsley to blend
• Bring a large pot of salted wanter to boil over high heat. Add the spaghetti and cook until it is just tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes. Drain
• Add the chicken to the pan with the pancetta and stire to combine.
• Add the spaghetti and the cream mixture and toss over medium to low heat until the chicken is heated through and the sauce coats the spaghetti thickly (about 4 minutes. Make sure your pan is not too hot or your eggs will cook too quickly and it'll look like scrambled eggs instead of a sauce.
• Season the pasta with salt and pepper

Lasagna Bolognese

2 oz. Diced pancetta, finely chopped

1 Medium Spanish onion or yellow onion, finely chopped

1 Stalk celery, finely chopped

1 Carrot, finely chopped

4 Tbsp unsalted butter

11 oz Ground beef

4 oz Ground pork

4 oz Ground Italian sausage

1 freshly ground clove

Dash of freshly ground cinnamon

1 tsp freshly ground black pepper

2 lb peeled and chopped tomatoes (or 1 28-oz can whole peeled tomatoes)

1 cup whole milk

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

Béchamel Sauce:

• 2 cups whole milk
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter
• 1/4 cup all-purpose unbleached flour

Lasagna:

• Enough lasagna noodles to make four layers in a 13x9-inch baking pan with the lasagna pieces overlapping each other a little bit.
• Recommended 16 sheets of lasagna noodles.

• 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Enchiladas & Mexican Rice

Enchiladas

2 c chicken (Shortcut: buy a roasted chicken)

1 can Enchilada Sauce

1/4 c onions

3 garlic cloves

1 tbsp corn oil

12 corn tortillas

Shreaded Monterrey Jack Cheese

*Optional - black olives and diced tomatoes

• Preheat oven to 350
• Saute in medium pan onion and garlic in oil for 5 minutes, or until onions are translucent. Be careful to not burn the garlic.
• Add chicken. If roasted, stir in pan for 3 min. If raw, stir until cooked through. Then add 2 tbsp of enchilada sauce just to coat chicken
• Prepare enchiladas in 9x13 dish, using 2 tbsp enchilada sauce at the bottom of the dish to keep enchiladas from sticking
• Heat corn tortillas in a cast iron pan on low heat to make them pliable.
• To assemble enchiladas, in the prepared baking dish:
• Take warmed tortilla and fill with chicken mixture, sprinkle with shredded cheese, roll to close
• Repeat until all enchiladas have been rolled
• Pour remaining enchilada sauce over enchiladas being sure to coat each enchilada (to prevent burning)
• Generously sprinkle with shredded cheese over enchiladas
• Bake for 25 minutes

Mexican Rice

1 tbsp corn oil

2 c long grain rice

2 c chicken stock

1 can stewed tomatoes

• In a small saute pan, heat oil (medium high heat)
• Add 2 c rice, and stir to coat
• Continue to cook rice until lightly toasted
• In the meantime lightly blend chicken stock and stewed tomatoes
• Turn down heat on the rice
• Carefully add chicken tomato mixture into the lightly toasted rice and stir
• Cover and stir every 5 minutes until cooked through (approximatly 25 minutes)

Rice Greek Salad with Roasted Tomatoes

• 1 c brown rice - prepared
  

  
• 1 c chickpeas - drained and rinsed
• 1 c cherry tomatoes - roasted or fresh
• 1 c cucumber - diced
• 1/2 c scallions - minced
• 1/2 c corn - fresh, frozen, left over grilled, etc
• 1/4 c feta cheese - crumbled
• 1/2 c kalamata olives
• zest and juice of one lemon
• 1 tbs olive oil
• 1 tbs dried oregano
• 1 tbs dried mint
• 2 cloves garlic - grated
• Salt and pepper to tast

1. To roast cherry tomatoes, pre-heat oven to 400 degrees. Line baking pan with an even layer of tomatoes and drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper. Roast for 30 minutes; let cool
2. In a medium bowl, combine brown rice with tomatoes, chickpeas, cucumber, scallions, corn, feta and olives.
3. Stir in lemon juice, zest, olive oil, oregano, mint, garlic, salt and pepper
4. Check for seasoning and adjust accordingly.

Detox Soup

1 leek, cut half, cleaned well, dried and cut into small pieces

3 cloves of garlic, crushed

3 cups of baby carrots

4 celery stalks, cut into medium dice

3 small turnips, peeled and cut into medium dice

7 cups veggie (or chicken) stock

1/2 cup diced onion

1 can of diced tomatoes

1 tomato, chopped

1 cup white beans

1 cup pinto beans

2 bunches of kale, thinly sliced

1 tsp salt

1 tsp black pepper

1. Heat a large pot over medium heat
2. Add the leek, onion, and garlic over low heat, about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally until onion and garlic have softened.
3. Add carrots, celery and the rutabagas. Cook for about 3 minutes
4. Add the stock, tomatoes, garbanzo beans, and pinto beans. Let simmer over low heat for one hour.
5. Place soup in the crock pot and cook on low for 8 hours.
6. About 20 minutes before serving add the kale and stir well.
7. Season with salt and pepper before serving

 Mushroom Soup

SNACKS
Raspberry Bites
Two of my favorite things... raspberries and chocolate.

Fruit Salad

2 Tbsp dry instant vanilla pudding mix
1 lb strawberries quartered
1/2 pint blueberries
1/2 pint raspberries
1/2 pineapple cubed
1 bunch grapes

Churro Bites

1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup water
3 Tbsp butter, diced
2 tsp granulated sugar
1/4 tsp + 1/8 tsp salt
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
vegetable oil, for frying

Caramel Apple Bites

This is a great after school snack... or something easy for the lunchboxes
Granny Smith apples
Caramel - melted

Pour melted caramel into apple and let cool.
Slice once caramel is hardened and server

 

KIDDO LUNCHES

Kiddo Lunches

Hope this helps your weekly meal planning for the kids

• French Toast
• Cup of fruit
• Yogurt
• Juice/Water
• Peanut Butter & Jelly
• Cup of fruit
• Goldfish crackers
• Juice/Water
• Pizza Bagels**
• Apple slices
• 2 choc chip cookies
• Juice/Water
• Cheese Quesadilla**
• Carrot sticks & Ranch
• Grapes
• Juice/Water
• Black bean burrito**
• Spanish Rice
• Strawberries
• Juice/Water
• Spaghetti
• Cheese sticks
• Grapes
• Juice/Water
• Chicken Strips
• Harvest Cheddar Chips
• Strawberries
• Juice/Water
• Lasagna
• Pirate Booty
• Apple slices w/Caramel
• Juice/Water
• Quinoa & Roasted Vegetables
• Harvest Cheddar Chips
• Yogurt
• Juice/Water
• grilled cheese
• soup
• smoothies/muffins
• sliced veggies and cheese
• chicken nuggets
• peanut butter and jelly or honey
• lunch meat
• ravioli
• egg salad
• tuna salad with crackers
• grilled peanut butter and jelly
• nachos
• pizza
• egg breakfast sandwiches
• mini pizzas on english muffins
• chicken patty sandwiches
• calzones
• pancakes
• BLTs
• muffins/fruit
• hard boiled eggs

I make them in the morning and then put them in a thermos so that they don't need to be reheated at school