Category Archives: Quick and Easy

Soft Pumpkin Cookies with Apple Cider Glaze

18 Tuesday Oct 2016

Posted by in Dessert, Quick and Easy, Vegetarian

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Soft Pumpkin Cookies With Apple Cider Glaze

I was in the mood for a cookie this weekend and was inspired by the flavors of fall, so this is what I came up with!  The cookies are incredibly soft, almost cake-like, and the apple cider glaze adds a nice hit of sweetness.  I hope you enjoy these as much as my nephews did!

Soft Pumpkin Cookies with Apple Cider Glaze
Yield:  3 to 4 dozen cookies
Time:  15 minutes prep, 15 minutes baking per batch

For the pumpkin cookies:
2½ cups flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1½ tsp. cinnamon
½ tsp. ground ginger
½ tsp. salt
1½ cups sugar
½ butter, softened to room temperature
1 cup of canned 100% pure pumpkin
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla extract

For the apple cider glaze:
1¾ to 2½ cups confectioner’s sugar
1 tbsp. melted butter
¾ tsp. vanilla bean paste (or vanilla extract)
¼ cup apple cider

  1. Preheat your oven to 350°F.  Grease a baking sheet and set aside.
  2. In a medium bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, and salt.
  3. In a larger mixing bowl, beat together the butter and sugar.  Stir in the egg, vanilla, and puréed pumpkin.
  4. Add the flour mixture to the sugar mixture and stir until well blended.  Drop heaping teaspoons of batter onto the greased baking sheet.
  5. Bake at 350°F for about 15 minutes, until the edges of the cookies are golden brown and the tops of the cookies spring back when pressed gently.  Cool at room temperature.
  6. Whisk together all of the glaze ingredients.  Start by using only 1¾ cups of the confectioner’s sugar, gradually adding more until you get the desired consistency.  The glaze should be just runny enough that it’ll spill down the sides of the cookies.  Top each cookie with about half of a tablespoon of glaze.  Allow cookies to fully set (30+ minutes at room temperature) before wrapping them up.

PFD to Print Recipe for Soft Pumpkin Cookes With Apple Cider Glaze

Cookie recipe inspired by:  https://www.verybestbaking.com/recipes/32364/old-fashioned-soft-pumpkin-cookies

Ham, Apple and Brie Quesadilla

07 Wednesday Sep 2016

Posted by in Appetizers, Dinner, Lunch, Quick and Easy

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Ham, Apple and Brie Quesadilla

Who doesn’t love a good quesadilla?  To me, the combo of gooey cheese and a crispy tortilla is the ultimate comfort food!  This spin on the classic food makes the perfect lunch or dinner!

Ham, Apple and Brie Quesadilla
Yield:  1 serving
Time: 15-20 minutes total

1 large flour tortilla
1½ tbsp. strawberry jam
1 oz. brie, thinly sliced
1 oz. shredded Gouda
1 oz. shredded pepper jack cheese
4 slices of deli ham, diced up
½ tsp. dried rosemary
¼ of an apple, very thinly sliced (I used a Honeycrisp, but use whatever you like!)

  1. Spread the strawberry jam over the entire top surface of the tortilla.  Arrange the slices of brie and shredded pepper jack across half of the tortilla.  Top with the slices of apple and deli ham.  Sprinkle with rosemary and Gouda.
  2. Transfer the tortilla, still open (with toppings covering half of it) to a large non-stick skillet over medium heat.  Cook over medium heat for about 4 minutes, then fold the tortilla in half.  Continue cooking over medium heat until the bottom of the tortilla begins to get golden brown and slightly crispy (about 3-4 minutes).  Flip the quesadilla over to brown the other side of the tortilla.  Once both sides are golden brown, remove from the skillet and cut into thirds.
  3. Enjoy!

PDF to Print Recipe for Ham, Apple and Brie Quesadilla

Flank Steak Salad with Chipotle Lime Vinaigrette

22 Friday Jul 2016

Posted by in Dinner, Healthy, Quick and Easy, Salad

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Flank Steak Salad w Chipotle Lime Vinaigrette

Flank Steak Salad with Chipotle Lime Vinaigrette
Yield:  4 servings
Time: 25 minutes active, 50 minutes total

For the flank steak:
1 lime
2 tbsp. chili powder
2 tbsp. brown sugar
1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. chipotle chile powder
½ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. black pepper
1½ to 2 lb. flank steak

For the Chipotle Lime Vinaigrette:
1/3 cup lime juice (fresh squeezed is ideal but bottled works too!)
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
¼ cup canola oil
1½ tbsp. adobo sauce (from a can of chipotle peppers in adobo sauce) –could substitute with 1 tsp. of chipotle chili powder, if needed
½ tsp. cumin
¼ tsp. garlic powder

For the salad:
8 cups mixed greens
¾ cup fresh blackberries
2 avocados, diced
24 grape tomatoes, halved
3 ears of corn, cooked and cut off the cob

  1. Zest the lime, then slice the zested lime in half.
  2. Mix together the lime zest, chili powder, brown sugar, cumin, chipotle chile powder, salt and pepper.
  3. Squeeze the lime over both surfaces of the steak.  Sprinkle half of the spice mixture onto the top of the steak, rubbing it into the meat.  Repeat with the remaining spice mixture on the underside of the steak.  Let stand at room temperature for 15-30 minutes.
  4. Meanwhile, prepare the vinaigrette:  Combine the lime juice, adobo sauce, cumin, and garlic powder.  Whisk together, and slowly drizzle in the oils.  Mix thoroughly.
  5. Grill the steak over medium high until well browned and the center registers 130ºF with a meat thermometer* (about 4-8 minutes per side, depending upon the thickness of the cut of steak).  Transfer to a cutting board and allow to rest at room temperature for 10 minutes before slicing.  Thinly slice against the grain.  (Note: flank steak is a fairly tough cut of meat.  Slicing it against the grain maximizes its tenderness.)
  6. Prepare the salads: Toss together the mixed greens, blackberries, avocados, tomatoes, corn, and prepared vinaigrette.  Split between four plates.  Top each salad with sliced flank steak.

PDF to Print Recipe for Flank Steak Salad with Chipotle Lime Vinaigrette

* When measuring the temperature of cooked meat, always insert the thermometer into the meat sideways, away from any bones.  This ensures an accurate reading.

Recipe Credit:  The flank steak recipe was modified from the Chili-Lime Flank Steak recipe that was published in the June 2016 edition of Food Network Magazine.

No Bake Strawberry Pineapple Pie

03 Friday Jun 2016

Posted by in Dessert, Fruit, Quick and Easy, Vegetarian

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No Bake Strawberry Pineapple Pie

This pie is a cinch to throw together, and always comes out delicious.  It’s one of husband’s all-time favorite desserts, and one that he requests frequently.  It’s especially refreshing in the summer, but it hits the spot any time of year!

No Bake Strawberry Pineapple Pie
Yield: 8-12 servings
Time: 20 minutes active, 2+ hours chilling

For the graham cracker crust:
1¾ cup graham cracker crumbs
¼ cup sugar
½ cup butter, melted

For the pie filling:
8 ounces reduced fat cream cheese, softened
¼ cup skim milk
3 ounce package of instant vanilla pudding
8 ounces crushed pineapple (juice and all!)
2 tbsp. strawberry preserves (optional)
8 ounces Cool Whip, or other whipped topping

For garnish:
2 cups sliced fresh strawberries
whipped cream (optional)

  1. Make the graham cracker crust by mixing together the graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and melted butter until the mixture resembles damp coarse sand.  Gently press the mixture into the bottom and sides of a lightly greased 9-inch pie pan.  Set aside.
  2. Using a hand-held mixer, beat together the cream cheese and milk in a large mixing bowl until well blended.
  3. Stir in the dry pudding mix, crushed pineapple (undrained), and strawberry preserves.  Fold in the Cool Whip.  Mix until all ingredients are evenly distributed.  Pour the filling into the prepared graham cracker crust.  Refrigerate for at least two hours, overnight is fine.  Just prior to serving, top with fresh sliced strawberries and whipped cream.

PDF to Print Recipe for No Bake Strawberry Pineapple Pie

 

Rhubarb Compote

19 Thursday May 2016

Posted by in Breakfast, Dessert, Fruit, Healthy, Quick and Easy, Side Dishes, Vegan, Vegetarian

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Rhubarb Compote

I can’t help myself this time of year.  As soon as rhubarb appears in the grocery store, I buy it in bulk.  I feel like I need to get my fix while it’s available, since the season always seems to end too soon.  After a recent splurge on tons of fresh rhubarb, I needed creative ideas of what to make with it.  Hello compote!  This could honestly be my new favorite food.  I can’t stop eating it!  It’s delicious on waffles and pancakes for breakfast, as a filling in crepes or blintzes, or over vanilla ice cream for dessert.  For a simple and healthy snack, try some drizzled over fresh cut strawberries.  I even stirred some adobo sauce into some reserved compote and ate it with grilled pork.  Any way you eat it, I promise, you won’t be disappointed!

Rhubarb Compote
Yield: 2 cups
Time: 15 minutes total

4 cups diced rhubarb (roughly 1¼ lbs)
½ cup sugar
¾ tsp. ground cinnamon
½ tsp. ground ginger
1 tsp. vanilla bean paste (or vanilla extract)

  1. In a medium saucepan, mix together the sugar, cinnamon, and ginger.  Add the rhubarb and toss to coat.  Bring to a simmer over medium heat for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.  (I know, it seems weird that the mixture has no liquid in the beginning, but after a few minutes the rhubarb will start to break down and provide all the moisture you need!)
  2. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for about 5 minutes to allow the rhubarb time to break down a bit.  Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla.

Serve warm or chilled.  I love this compote over waffles or pancakes, over vanilla ice cream with fresh cut strawberries, or straight off the spoon!

PDF to Print Recipe for Rhubarb Compote