My husband is Italian.  He loves all things Italian.  My oldest son is five.  I was so excited when he told me this was his favorite food!  It is super easy to make – and tasty to eat! 

One of the best things about it – you can add to it as you see fit.  Don’t like peas?  Don’t add them?  Like it with chicken and not ham – go for it!  Make it your own. 

Tasty Italian Soup

1 Tablespoon Olive Oil

1 small onion chopped

2 garlic cloves minced

2 peppers (green and/or red) chopped

1 carrot chopped

1 celery stock chopped

1 Ham Steak

1 box – 32 oz. Chicken Stock

2 cups water

1 can – 15 oz.  Diced Tomatoes

1/2 bag frozen veggies (they make a soup mix one)

1/2 pound of small shaped pasta – here I used orzo.

In a large stock pot heat oil over medium high heat.  Add onion and cook until translucent.  Add in garlic, carrot, peppers, celery and ham.  Cook 10 min until heated through and veggies are somewhat soft.  Add in chicken stock, water and tomatoes and cook for 20 minutes (can be held on low heat for longer if needed).  Just before serving add in pasta and cook 15 minutes. 

If soup is too thick you can add more water.  I like mine thick so I don’t.  Serve with garlic bread and salad!  Enjoy!

This recipe is being linked up on Beauty and Bedlam  and Blessed with Grace – be sure to go there and check out all the other Tuesday recipes!

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Thanks to my friend Amy – she told me how to make these great treats.  I added the frosting and nuts, as it’s one of those recipes you can play with.  Easy to make, and so yummy to eat – these cinnamon rolls with cream cheese frosting are a new family favorite!  They beat the kind that come out of a tube by a long shot! 

 Preparing the the dough into a log to be cut into rolls.

 Letting them rise before baking.

Fresh out of the oven – makes the whole house smell delish!

Cinnamon Rolls with Cream Cheese Frosting

1 Pound of Dough (can use fresh pizza dough)

1/2 stick melted butter

1/2 cup sugar

4 teaspoons cinnamon

1/2 cup raisins

1/2 pecans (toasted and chopped)

Method:  Grease a 9″ pie plate.  Mix the sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl.  Lightly flour your working surface and roll out dough to 12″ x 20″ rectangle.  Brush on melted butter.  Sprinkle on sugar & cinnamon and top with raisins & nuts.  Roll dough into a log as pictured above.  Using a serrated knife, gently cut into 1″ rolls.  Place rolls cut side up into prepared pie dish.  Be  sure to pinch seams after you place them in the pan.  Let them rise about an hour in a warm place until they have doubled in size. 

Bake in a 350 degree preheated oven for 20-30 minutes until puffed and lighted browned.  Check in between rolls to make sure they are done before removing from oven. 

While they are baking prepare frosting:

1/2 stick  butter, room temp

8 oz cream cheese, room temp

1 cup powdered sugar

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Cream butter and cheese together in a medium bowl and then mix in vanilla and powdered sugar – spread onto warm rolls.

They don’t store well – so be sure to eat them up!  If you do have leftovers, heat them in the microwave for 15 seconds to soften them up.

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For years I have wanted to make my own pastries at home.   But just the look of a cheese danish seem so complicated.   So I went without them, as where I live we don’t have any good bakeries that sell pastry.   Then I was inspired by an Barefoot Contessa episode and then shortly after that I read a recipe for them in Every Day with Rachel Ray magazine and I said I can do that too! 

The recipe is so easy thanks to using frozen puff pastry and a few simple ingrediants!   You can alter the filling as you see fit – add in different flavors – almond paste, lemon zest, cinnamon…..and for the fruit – same thing, choose what flavor you like.  Next time I am going to try them with some fudge sauce for a chocolaty danish!  Just make sure the jam is not to thin as it will spread too much.

Homemade Cheese Danish

4 ounces Cream Cheese, softened

1/2 cup confectioners sugar (separated)

1 egg yolk at room temperature

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/8 teaspoon kosher salt

Zest  of 1 lemon

1 sheet frozen puff pastry (defrosted in fridge overnight)

4 teaspoons jam (blueberry, raspberry, etc.)

1 egg beaten with a little water for egg wash

2 tablespoons cream or milk

1. Preheat oven 400 degrees F.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or silpat.  Put the cream cheese and 1/4  cup of the sugar in mixer and beat on low until smooth.  Beat in egg yolk, vanilla, salt and lemon zest.

2. Unfold puff pastry on lightly floured work surface, and roll out to a 10″ x 10″ square.  Using a sharp knife cut into 4 squares.  Evenly place dollops of the cream cheese mixture into the middle of each square.  Top each with 1 teaspoon of jam.  With a pastry brush, spread the egg wash around the boarders of the pastry, and fold two opposite corners together so they overlap and pinch lightly to seal together.  Brush the tops of pastry with egg wash.  Using a metal spatula transfer the pastries to the prepared baking sheet.  Refrigerate for 15 minutes.  Bake pastries about 18-20 minutes until puffed and lightly brown.  Cool completely.

3. In a small bowl combine the remaining 1/4 cup sugar with the cream.  Place in a ziplock bag, cut small hole in one corner to make a pastry bag and drizzle over pastries. 

Again you can experiment with this recipe.  To double use 8 oz. cream cheese, 2 egg yolks and 2 sheets puff pastry.  My family loved them, and wanted to know when we were going to have them again!

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Mess #1

I couldn’t take it anymore – it was taking forever to find anything in my messy drawers.  When we moved in, we had boxes everywhere and I just threw stuff in.   And for no good reason did I just dealt with it, until I had a good case of PMS and decided to organize it!!

#1 Organized

Right away I felt so much better.  And the best part?  It only took a few minutes to go through it – pitch the junk and organize the rest of it!

Mess #2

Even my husband was getting annoyed at not being able to find a spoon or thermometer…..it looked like the mess my kids leave in their playroom.  I knew I could do better than that!

Organized #2

 

Kitchen Drawer Organizer from organize.com

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Making playdough reminds me of being a kid.  I still remember that salty smell and the feeling of the warm dough when it is first made.  Recently we had a few rainy days here and had an old batch of playdough that needed to get tossed.  The boys loved “helping” make the playdough.  I think they almost liked making the playdough better than the playing with the dough part!

The recipe is easy – the kids can do everything themselves up until the part it needs to be put on the stove to cook. 

 Playdough Recipe

1 Cup Flour

1 Cup Water

1/4 Cup Salt

2 Tablespoons Cream of Tarter

1 Tablespoon Oil

Food Coloring (a few drops)

Recipe can be doubled. 

Mix all ingredients in a non-stick saucepan then place over medium heat and cook until it starts to come together in a ball.

Be patient – it takes a few minutes on until it starts to form into dough.  Just keep stirring until it forms.   Once it is all combined let cool and let the fun begin!

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These are my new favorite homemade pancakes.  Cheap and easy – made at home from scratch.  So tasty – and much better than a box mix, plus healthy for you as they are made with whole wheat flour – but your family will never know the difference!   

I have been using box pancakes mixes for years.  That’s how I grew up eating pancakes and that just seemed to be the way to go.  The idea of making pancakes from scratch just seemed like to much work for Sunday brunch.  As it is I am brewing the coffee, poaching eggs, grilling the sausage…..well I just didn’t think I had time to make pancakes from scratch and still make it to church on time! 

Well this weekend I go to the pantry – ugh - I am out of my pancake mix!  Darn- toast and eggs?  No – I really wanted pancakes.  I had collected a few recipes over the years, but never tried them.  This one looked good as it is made with whole wheat and is so easy and super delicious – I may never go back to the box!

Even better – these were the extras I  had to pop in the freezer as a quick fix for during the week! 

Yummy Whole Wheat Pancakes

1 Cup Whole Wheat flour

1 Cup regular flour

3 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

2 tbs. sugar

2 Cups Milk

2 Eggs

In a large bowl combine the dry ingredients.  In a separate bowl, combine the milk and eggs.  Gently stir egg mixture into bowl with flour until the lumps are gone.   Use non-stick spray to coat pan and cook pancakes over medium high heat. 

Thank you to my friend Dina DeMeo for this great recipe! 

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You’ve done it before – bought something that was a great price – only to find out that it was made cheaply and doesn’t work now.  If you had only bought the good quality one, you wouldn’t be replacing the cheap one!

My Grandmother was a true believer in you get what you pay for.  She always made sure to save up to get good quality cookware like the Cusinart Food Processor, which is expensive, but they last forever.  You could get one when you first get married and I bet it would last till your 25^thAnniversary.  I was so happy the Christmas when my dad bought me my Cusinart.  I use it all the time – for chopping, shredding, and pureeing.  And it even helps me save money!   How you say?  Because I do my own food shredding – and it only takes a minute.  Cheese for example when purchase pre-shredded is marked up a lot because you are paying for them to shred it for you.  I buy blocks of cheese at the wholesale club and shred it myself – so I am also saving money by buying in bulk.  Yes, some recipes say you can use a blender to puree the ingredients – but it takes twice as long and doesn’t come out in the right consistency.

My next love in the kitchen is my Kitchen Aid Mixer – yes, again expensive, but will also last a very long time.  Mine just turned 10 years old and purrs like a kitten and mixes like a pro.  Two reasons I love the mixer – you can put your ingredients in and have the freedom to walk away – continue cooking, bring dishes to the sink and it still is mixing, unlike the hand held kind that you are stuck holding.  Second are the attachments – a mixing paddle (which I use most of the time), a whipping whisk and a dough hook.   Don’t even get me started on the extra ones you can get – juicer attachment, sausage maker, and even a pasta roller!

So if you have been considering one, save up for one – in the long run you will save money.  You won’t be replacing either of these products any time soon.  My mixer 10 years ago was about $250, which is only $25 a year to own it!  See my logic!  And it will probably run about another 10-15 years!  Wow – only $10 a year by then!

I have written this post without any endorsement from these companies. 

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Homemade Cranberry Pecan Granola

I love granola, but I do not want to pay $7 for a box of it.  A few years ago I had the pleasure of staying at a bed-and-breakfast on the coast of Maine.  Every morning we would sit out on the patio watching the lobstermen working and the sailboats drifting by while enjoying our breakfast.  The chef would bring out homemade granola, yogurt and fresh fruit while she was preparing the main dish.   When I got home I was so excited to make my own granola!  And when I realized how easy it was, AND how cheap it was I was hooked!  The following recipe is so simple and tasty.  You can add to as you wish – it’s a flexible recipe.  And on a cold day it is a yummy way to warm up your home! 

Homemade Cranberry Pecan Granola

This loose-textured granola will stay fresh for at least three weeks if stored in an airtight container.

Vegetable oil spray

3 cups old-fashioned (not quick-cooking) rolled oats

1 cup pecan halves, roughly chopped (or any type of nut you like)

1 cup dried cranberries (or raisins)

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

¼  teaspoon table salt

1/2 cup packed light brown sugar

2 tablespoons canola oil

1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

Position racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven and heat the oven to   300°F.  Spray two rimmed baking sheets with vegetable oil spray. In a large bowl, mix the oats, pecans, cranberries, cinnamon, and salt.

Then in a small saucepan, combine the brown sugar and 1/4 cup water. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring until the sugar is melted. Stir in the oil and vanilla. Remove from the heat and pour over the oat mixture. Stir with a spoon until well mixed.

Divide the mixture evenly between the oiled baking sheets and spread in an even layer. Bake for 15 minutes, stir, and switch the positions of the pans, and then bake until the oats are golden brown and the nuts look well toasted, another 10 to 15 minutes. The oats may feel soft but will crisp as they cool. Let cool completely in the pans, and store in airtight container.  Yields 4 to 5 cups.  (Modified from a recipe by Robin Asbell)

- Wendy

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