Good Morning Bran Muffins

Before you click away from this post because you're thinking, "Ugh, not another bran muffin that tastes like plywood." Don't. These muffins are the softest and most tender bran muffins I've ever had. They almost melt in your mouth they are so soft!

What I love about these muffins is that you make the batter, put it in a large tupperware container and stick it in your refrigerator. Then when you need a quick breakfast, just scoop out the batter into a muffin tin and bake. Whallah! A yummy, filling breakfast just like that! Even my toddlers love these so that's saying something.

Makes 24 muffins

3 cups All Bran cereal

1 cup boiling water

1/2 cup shortening

2 cups buttermilk

2 eggs, beaten

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1 cup sugar

1 1/2 t. baking soda

1 1/2 t. baking powder

1 t. cinnamon

1 t. salt

In a large bowl, mix cereal, shortening & boiling water until shortening has melted & cereal is soft. Add buttermilk & eggs & mix well. Set aside.

In another bowl, mix all dry ingredients together then add to your wet mixture all at once. Stir just until it's all combined. Grease a muffin tin and scoop batter into tins until filled 3/4 full.

Bake at 375 degrees for 15-17 minutes. Remove and enjoy with butter, jam, honey, etc.

Put the rest of the batter in a tightly fitted container. This will keep in your refrigerator for 3 weeks.

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Roasted Red Pepper Soup

Every once in awhile, you just need that homey, comforting bowl of soup. Usually creamy tomato soup fits the bill just fine, but sometimes I crave something different and often when I get that feeling...no, not the feeling that Marvin Gaye talks about, that need for something soothing, I pull out this recipe. This is a great soup recipe for when you're sick too.

It's full of wonderful vitamins and nutrition like Vitamin C, beta carotene, folic acid and lycopene. Major good for you! One of our favorite meals in our house is this soup with a BLT. Talk about an easy and delicious dinner.

Serves 6-8

adapted from Giada De Laurentis

Note: You'll need roasted bell peppers for this recipe. You can buy roasted peppers in a jar or roast them yourself. If buying store bought, you'll need 2 jars with juices. To roast bell peppers, set your oven to broil and place peppers whole on a cookie sheet. Drizzle with a little oil and rub all over the pepper. Roast on all sides til the skin is blackened then remove and place in a plastic container or a paper bag. Put in your refrigerator or even the freezer if you're short on time to cool it down and let them steam. When cool enough to handle, remove skins and seeds.

2 T. Olive oil

1 Large Onion, chopped

2 carrots, peeled and diced

4 garlic cloves, minced

6 cups of chicken broth

3-4 roasted red bell peppers

1 russet potato, peeled and coarsely chopped

1 T. sugar

2 t. Italian seasoning

Salt & pepper

pinch of crushed red pepper flakes

1/2 C. white wine vinegar or 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar diluted with 1/4 cup water

Garnish:

1/4 c. softened cream cheese mixed with 1/4 c. sour cream

Croutons

Heat olive oil in a large soup pot over medium high heat. Add onions and carrots and saute until soft, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook for an additional minute or so. Add broth, peppers, potato, seasonings, vinegar & sugar. Stir to combine and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook until the potatoes are soft, about 30 minutes. Take the soup off the heat and let cool about 5 minutes.

Using an immersion blender or a regular blender, puree the soup until it's a smooth consistency, mainly blending the potatoes and vegetables til creamy. Season the soup with more salt, pepper, Italian seasoning if needed. Dollop each serving with a teaspoon of the cream cheese mixture and scatter with a few croutons.

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Mexican Lasagna

I first made this dish several years ago for my then boyfriend,-not-yet-husband and it might be one of the reasons he married me. He would argue otherwise, but I'm pretty sure I'm right. Ever since, this has been a family favorite and it graces our table at least a couple of times a month. What I love about it is it's healthy, hearty and easy to put together. Since I've been making it for awhile, I can whip this meal up in about 30 minutes. Extra bonus: This is a great take-in meal for that somebody who's had a baby, had surgery or just plain lost their mind during the Christmas season. :) You just throw it together, foil it up and take it for them to bake when they are ready. It freezes great too.

Note: You will need to roast your poblano chili pepper beforehand. To roast poblano, set oven to broil. Put pepper on a cookie sheet and drizzle with a little oil. Place under broiler and roast til skin blackens, turning the pepper every couple of minutes til it's black on all sides. Place pepper in a plastic container with a lid and place in refrigerator for about 20 minutes. When ready, peel skin off and remove stem and seeds. It's okay if some seeds remain.

Serves 4 BIG eaters, 6 Normal ones

3 T. olive oil (or canola oil is fine)

1 red onion, diced

1 bell pepper, diced

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 1/2 lbs. ground meat of your choice (beef, turkey, chicken)

1 roasted poblano chili, diced

1 15 oz. can black beans, drained

1 cup frozen corn

1 15 oz. can fire roasted diced tomatoes (or regular)

2 T. chili powder

2 t. ground cumin

2 t. dried oregano

1 large can enchilada sauce

2 1/2 c. shredded colby jack or cheddar cheese

package of flour tortillas

Garnish with any of the following: cilantro, green onions or olives.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

In a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add diced onion and bell pepper and season with salt & pepper. Cook until softened and add garlic. Cook for another minute and add ground meat. Season with salt, pepper, chili powder & cumin. Brown meat for 3-5 minutes until it's not pink. Add diced poblano, black beans, diced tomatoes & corn. Mix until combined. Season with oregano and more chili powder, salt, pepper, etc if needed.

To assemble:

Spray a 9X13 pan with cooking spray and pour about a 1/2 c. of enchilada sauce in the bottom of the pan. Pour 1 -2 cups or so into a pie plate or other shallow dish so you can dip your tortillas in the sauce before layering. The layers of this dish go like this: enchilada sauce, flour tortillas, meat mixture, cheese and then we start over again. I like to tear my tortillas into large pieces and layer them that way, but you could also just lay them down whole and tear some pieces to fill in corners.

So, dip your tortillas and layer in the bottom of the dish, top with half of the meat mixture and a handful of cheese. Repeat with another layer of dipped tortillas, the other half of the meat mixture, some more cheese and end with another layer of tortillas. Take your extra enchilada sauce and pour over the top of your tortilla layer and top with the remaining cheese. Bake for 12-15 minutes or...until hot & bubbly. Remove from oven and wait 5 minutes before slicing. Garnish with any of the above mentioned items or just plain dig in!

If frozen:

Bake covered in foil at 400 degrees for 30-40 minutes. Remove foil and bake an additional 10 minutes. Check to see if center is warmed through before serving.

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Soft & Fluffy Snickerdoodles

I think if someone were to ask me my first love, it would be Snickerdoodle cookies. I don't know, maybe salsa...

Nope, it's this cookie.

It just brings so many good memories to my mind. It's the cookie my Mom always made for me on rainy days, its smell generates instant comfort to anyone in its presence plus it's just beautiful & delicious in its simplicity. It doesn't need a lot of bells and whistles to be divine! So, here is one of my favorite recipes for this delightful cookie.

Soft & Fluffy Snickerdoodles

1 cup butter at room temperature

1 1/2 cups sugar

2 eggs, room temperature

2 T. milk

2 3/4 c. flour

2 t. cream of tartar

1 t. baking soda

1/2 t. salt

1 t. vanilla

3 T. sugar

2 t. cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a stand mixer or large bowl, cream butter and sugar until smooth. Add egg, vanilla & milk, mix well until combined. In a separate bowl, add dry ingredients & mix. Add to wet mixture and mix until combined.

In a small bowl, combine cinnamon & sugar. Roll dough by medium spoonful into balls, about 1 1/2 inch diameter), then roll into sugar mixture. Set on greased cookie sheet. Bake for 8-10 minutes. Let cool on wire rack.

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New England Clam Chowder

I love the fall and winter season. I know I can say I love it because I live in Arizona and don't have to deal with snow and sleet. We have wonderful winters here where it gets cold (well, cold for us desert rats), but is still fairly warm & sunny throughout the day. I love soup & stews, casseroles & roasted foods most in the winter. It's just too scorching during the summer to fully enjoy these types of meals.

Clam Chowder is definitely a family favorite and this recipe hits the mark every time. There are NEVER any leftovers! My personal favorite is actually Manhattan Clam Chowder or as my family calls it, "the red kind", but "the white kind" is absolutely delicious and much loved in this house. This is sure to make the list for your family's soup night this winter.

New England Clam Chowder

adapted from The Comfort of Cooking

Serves 6-8

Note: You could add an extra can of minced clams if you like it meatier. One of my kids is a vegetarian so we keep it 2 cans.

2 X 6.5 oz. cans minced clams

2 T. olive oil

1 onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 stalks of celery, chopped

2 cups cubed red potatoes

2 carrots, diced

1/2 cup butter

1/2 c. all purpose flour

2 1/2 c. half and half

1 c. whole milk

1 1/2 t. salt

freshly ground pepper to taste

1 t. chopped thyme or 1/2 t. dried thyme

In a large stockpot or saucepan, heat olive oil over medium heat and add onion, celery and carrots. Season with salt and cook for 2-3 minutes. Add garlic and cook for another minute. Add potatoes and enough water to just cover all vegetables. Cover pot and let cook about 10 minutes. Remove lid and make a well in the center of the pot and add butter letting it melt. Add flour and whisk to combine, letting it cook for 2 minutes. Add half and half, milk thyme and more salt & pepper to taste. Turn heat down to medium low and just let everyone mingle and get to know each other. About 15 minutes. Be careful not to let the milk/cream boil, you just want it at a gentle simmer. A few minutes before serving, add clams with their juices and let it heat through. Season more if needed.

Serve with warm, crusty bread. This can also be made a day ahead.

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Roasted Butternut Baked Penne

This. Was. Sooooo Yummy!

In my family, we have 2 toddlers who are still trying to discover what they like and don't like, a teenage boy who eats everything in sight, a vegetarian tween daughter who ironically doesn't like many vegetables and a husband who tries to eat healthy during the week so he can splurge more on the weekends. Then there's me who is a combination of all of that. This dish pleased everyone!! Don't be afraid of that little bit of cream and the cheese if you're like my husband, it's really pretty healthy since it makes such a big pan.

The star of this dish was my awesome brown sugar bacon! Yes, I'm going to brag. I love brown sugar bacon! It's like magic! It combines those mouthwatering flavors of smokey and sweet, Oh my sweet fancy Moses, there are just no words! You just sprinkle a little bit of the bacon over each serving and it's just...well, it's just darn good! I like to pair this meal with a green garden salad for even more servings of vegetables.

Note: If you don't have mascarpone cheese, you can substitute with 1-2 oz. softened cream cheese, 2 t. heavy cream & 1 T. sour cream mixed together.

Additional Note: When reheating this, add a little splash of milk to help it come together better.

Serves 4-6

2 lbs. butternut squash

olive oil

salt & pepper

3 T. butter

1 shallot, chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

1/4 c. mascarpone cheese

2/3 c. milk

1/4. cream

1 lb. penne pasta

1/2 c. grated mozzarella

1-2 oz. mozzarella, cubed

1/4 c. parmesan, grated

1/2 t. dried sage

1 t. italian seasoning

Brown Sugar Bacon

5-6 slices bacon

brown sugar

pepper

Roasting Squash:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Half the butternut squash width wise and then half again length wise so you have 4 pieces of squash. Scoop out the seeds and membranes and place on a baking sheet. Season with a little olive oil, salt & pepper. Roast in oven for about 35-40 min. Set aside and let cool til you can handle comfortably. Once cooled a bit, scoop the squash out of the shell and put into a medium bowl. Mash with a potato masher or a fork, adding some of the milk to the squash to make it a little easier to work with.

Brown Sugar Bacon:

Lay bacon on a foil lined baking sheet or one of those roasting pans with the rack thingy. Sprinkle about a teaspoon of brown sugar over each slice of bacon and sprinkle some pepper. Bake at 400 degrees for about 12-14 minutes. You will be able to smell the sweet caramelized scent of baked brown sugar.

Prepare water for pasta and cook about 2 min. less than what the directions state.

While pasta is cooking, heat a medium saucepan over medium heat and add butter. Once butter is melted add shallots. Cook butter/shallot mixture til butter just begins to brown and add garlic. Cook for about 30 seconds more. Add any milk left over from mashing squash, then cream, mascarpone cheese, nutmeg, dried sage, Italian seasoning and additional salt & pepper to taste.

Drain pasta and pour back into pot you cooked it in. Add about 2/3 of the sauce to start and mix together. Add more sauce if you think it looks too dry. Stir in the cubed mozzarella. Pour into a greased 13X9 baking pan and sprinkle grated mozzarella & parmesan. Sprinkle some Italian seasoning over the top and place in preheated oven for 15-20 minutes or......until hot & bubbly.

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Banana Chocolate Chip Pancakes

There are many awesome, amazing and special things about being a stay at home mom. One of them is being able to make breakfasts like this every once in awhile. Especially now that it's getting to the fall/winter season here in Arizona, it's a lovely idea to wake up to. This is a pretty basic pancake batter, you can mix up some of the ingredients to your liking. Add applesauce or peanut butter or blueberries, etc. Possibilities go on and on with this one. By the way, they freeze great too!

Makes about 12 medium size pancakes

1 cup flour

1/2 cup whole wheat flour (or 1 1/2 cups white flour)

3 T. sugar

2 t. baking powder

1 1/2 t. baking soda

1/4 salt

1 t. cinnamon

1 1/2 cups buttermilk (or add 1 1/2 T. vinegar to a measuring cup and add milk, let sit for 3-5 min.)

1 t. vanilla

1 T. oil

1 large egg

2 small to med ripe bananas, mashed

Chocolate chips

Combine dry ingredients in one bowl. In another, combine wet ingredients. Mix wet ingredients into dry and stir just until moistened. Add mashed bananas and fold gently. You want the batter to be lumpy.

Heat a large griddle or pan, spray with cooking spray or spread a little butter. Add batter, about 1/4 cup for smaller pancakes and 1/2 cup for larger. Sprinkle chocolate chips over each pancake. Cook til bubbles appear and edges are set then flip and cook til golden. Serve with butter and warm syrup. Make sure you have a nice cold glass of milk ready too.

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