Pear Muffins Revised

I didn't make many changes, but I thought I'd note them:

-reduced sugar to 1/2 cup

-I had extra pears so I omitted the applesauce

-used 2 cups whole wheat flour and 1 1/4 cups all purpose

The result is a little dense and not super sweet, but it's perfect for my fill-your-belly-snack purpose! My kids and hubby loved them. So did our little neighbor friend.

January 22 Menu

Breakfast: cereal, muffins at church activity

Snack: granola bars, bananas

Lunch: quesadillas, apples

Snack: pear muffins

Recipe--Spiced Pear Bread

3 cups pears, mashed

3/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce

1/4 cup bean puree

3 eggs

3 1/4 cups flour

3 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp ground cloves

1/2 tsp salt

Combine first five ingredients in large mixing bowl. In separate bowl, mix dries. Add to pear mixture until just combined--do not overmix. Fill greased muffin cups 3/4 full. Bake at 350, 10-15 minutes for mini muffins, 15-20 minutes for regular muffins, or until toothpick comes out clean.

Dinner: cheese ravioli, broccoli, sourdough garlic bread

cooked ravioli pictured without the sauce

Recipe--Cheesy Garlic Ravioli , adapted from Reader's Digest Kitchen Secrets

Pasta Dough:

2 cups flour

1/2 tsp salt

2 eggs

2 tsp olive oil

2 T oil

Filling:

2 tsp olive oil

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp basil

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

1 cup ricotta cheese

1/2 cup grated parmesan

1/4 cup shredded mozarella

1 egg

Sauce:

2 tsp olive oil

1 small onion, chopped

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1 (28 oz) can Italian diced tomatoes

salt, optional

To prepare dough, combine dry ingredients. In separate bowl, combine wet ingredients and mix well. Make well in center of dries and dump in wet. Work dough with hands and knead for at least 5 minutes or until pliable. Wrap in plastic wrap and let rest 1 hour. Combine all ingredients for filling in bowl. For sauce, sautee onions in oil until tender, about 5 minutes. Add remaining ingredients and simmer until thickened.

Divide dough into two equal portions. Roll each to 9x12" rectangle. Cut into 4 strips 3x9". Drop 3 mounds of filling on two of the rectangles, spacing about 1" apart and leaving 1/2" margins. Brush edges with water and place empty strip on top. Firmly press dough around edges to seal. Slice each strip into 3 ravioli. Repeat with both halves of dough.

Bring large pot of water to boil. Cook ravioli until semi-firm, yet tender--about 6 minutes. Drain well. Serve with sauce and freshly grated parmesan. Serves 4. (Makes 12 ravioli.)

Scob Scones

A 100% original muffin recipe, good for breakfast and snacks. The cornmeal, banana and soy milk provide enough flavor and sweetness to make sugar completely unnecessary. In spite of all the dry ingredients, these muffins are fluffy and moist.

A note on the name: a good name makes it much more likely that you'll look for and reuse a recipe, so I tossed around a few ideas and thought of an acronym using all the exciting healthy ingredients: SCOB (soy milk, cornmeal, oats and banana). I did a search to see if the word actually meant anything (I didn't want to name my muffins after anything gross, right?) and this is what I found:
-The word Scobs, meaning scrapings or dross of metal or other rough substances (dictionary.com). That sort of describes the origin of these muffins, which I made one day when I had to scrape together whatever was in my kitchen and try to come up with something edible.
-An archaic variation of scobe, "To scoop out roughly; to make hollow" (Joseph Wright, 1904). With all the fiber in these things, I'd say that fits!
-An American Kennel Club description of cocker spaniel breeds: ASCOB is "any solid color other than black." These muffins are yellow. There you go.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Blend together in a large bowl (if you don't have a stand mixer you can use a giant fork like I did):
1 banana, which can be fresh or overripe
1 to 1 1/4 C vanilla soy milk
1/3 C oil or butter (you're welcome to try a substitute but I can't guarantee the results; this recipe has no eggs so you need something stickyish)

Stir in, one at a time:
2 1/2 tsp baking powder and 1/4 to 1/2 tsp salt
1 C flour
1/2 C cornmeal
3/4 to 1 C oats

All that stirring should have made your batter nice and smooth, rather than heavy-looking.

Scoop with a 1/4 measuring cup into a greased muffin tin, filling cups 2/3 to 3/4 full, and bake at 350 degrees for 18-20 minutes.

I personally prefer unimposing flavors in the morning, but if you find these muffins to be somewhat bland, try topping them (or slicing them in half and stuffing them) with sliced bananas, strawberries or apples.

-Laura

Apple Cinnamon Rolls

Cinnamon rolls for breakfast, not dessert. My friend Katie and I adapted this butter-free recipe from allrecipes.com (original: "Heavenly Cinnamon Rolls"). It's a healthier variety than a lot of cinnamon rolls, and it is quick, light (as in fluffy), and sweet!
-Laura

Prep time: about 2 1/2 hours (rises twice for 30 mins. each, bakes for 30 mins.)
Yield: 20 small or 12 large rolls

Ingredients

3 T brown sugar, divided
2 1/2 teaspoons dry yeast
3/4 cup warm water
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 eggs
3/4 cup applesauce (note: use at room temperature or dough will rise slowly)
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons honey
1 cup diced apples (sweeter apples make better rolls)

Directions

1. Stir 1 tablespoon of the sugar and the yeast into the warm water in a small bowl.
2. In another small bowl, whisk together the cinnamon and 2 tablespoons sugar.
3. With stand mixer, beat together the eggs, applesauce, salt, and the remaining 1 tablespoon of sugar in a large bowl. Add the yeast mixture. Beat in half of the flour until no dry spots remain.
4. Change to a dough hook. Stir in the remaining flour, a 1/2 cup at a time, mixing well after each addition to form a sticky dough. Allow to knead for about 8 minutes.
5. Spray a large bowl with cooking spray, then place the dough in the bowl. Cover with a light cloth and let rise in a warm place for 30 minutes.
6. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough into a large inch rectangle. Spread the honey over the dough (it is hard to actually spread the honey, so try to use honey that drizzles slowly); sprinkle evenly with the cinnamon sugar and apples. Beginning with the long side, roll the dough tightly and cut into 20 pieces (if you roll a smaller rectangle, you can cut 12 rolls instead). Place the rolls into a greased 9x13-inch pan. Cover with a damp cloth and let rise until doubled in volume, about 30 minutes.
8. Bake in a preheated 350-degree oven until golden brown, about 30 minutes.

January 21 Menu

Breakfast: oatmeal

Snack: pear muffins, bananas

Lunch: quesadillas, tangerines

Snack: carrots & peanut butter, ABC cookies

Dinner: pigs in blankets, leftovers (we've had a plethora this week, I know, but I'm cleaning out the fridge and freezer!)

Recipe--Pigs in Blankets

2 packages (16) hot dogs

3 cups flour

4 1/2 tsp baking powder

3/4 tsp salt

1/2 cup shortening

1 1/16 cup milk

Combine dry ingredients. Cut in shortening. Stir in milk until just moistened. Divide dough into 16 equal portions, roll into balls. Flatten ball with hand. Cover hot dog with dough, wrapping around all sides. Place onto greased baking sheet. Bake at 450 for 10-12 minutes, or until golden brown. Makes 16; freeze leftovers. Reheat in microwave.

*without the hot dogs, this recipe makes really great biscuits. Especially drenched in butter.

January 20 Menu

Breakfast: blackberry spice oatmeal

Recipe--Blackberry Spice Oatmeal

4 cups water

2 1/2 cups rolled oats

1/2 tsp allspice

pinch salt

1 T brown sugar

1 cup blackberries (fresh or frozen)

Bring water to boil. Add oats, salt and allspice. Boil until water is mostly absorbed, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat; add blackberries and sugar. Mix well. Serves 4-6.

Snack: granola bars, tangerines

Lunch: PB&J, apples, milk

Snack: pear muffins

Dinner: soft tacos

Recipe--Soft Tacos

1 lb ground beef or turkey

1/4 cup (1 packet) taco seasoning & water

shredded lettuce

diced tomatoes

green onions, chopped/sliced

black olives, sliced

shredded cheddar or monterey jack

sour cream

salsa/guacamole

flour or corn tortillas

Tacos are really well suited to personal taste--these are just all the options I could think of. Brown meat and season with taco seasoning. Serve with toppings.

January 19 Menu

Breakfast: leftover cinnamon apple oatmeal

Snack: carrots, tangerines, pretzels

Lunch: PB&J, leftovers

Snack: apples, peanut butter nuggets

Dinner: pancakes, leftovers

Yeah, it was that kind of day!

January 18 Menu Revised

Well, it just wasn't meant to be! My cucumber has gone bad and tonight's not a great night for grilling. So I'll keep those recipes on the shelf, and this is how it's going down today:

Breakfast: Cinnamon Apple Oatmeal

Snack: peanut butter nuggets

Recipe--Peanut Butter Nuggets, adapted from allrecipes.com

1/2 cup natural peanut butter

1/4 cup whole milk

1/4 cup honey

1/4 cup wheat germ

1/4 cup shredded coconut

1/4 cup finely chopped peanuts

1/3 cup rolled oats

Combine all ingredients in small mixing bowl. Form into 1" balls (cookie scoop is easiest). Place on waxed paper and set in fridge or freezer. Serve cold.

Lunch: tangerines, leftovers

Snack: brownies and juice (yikes!) and then, because little tummies were still hungry, "ants on a log"

Recipe--Ants on a Log

celery sticks

peanut butter

raisins

Wash and cut celery into sticks. Spread with peanut butter. Little fingers have more fun doing their own ants. If you're lucky, they might even say, "mommy! I need more logs!"

Dinner: breaded pork chops and creamed peas and potatoes

Recipe--Breaded Pork Chops

4 thin pork chops

1 cup bread crumbs

1/4 cup flaxseed meal

1/2 tsp garlic powder

2 T grated parmesan

salt and pepper, to taste

1 egg

1/4 cup spinach or broccoli puree

Combine egg and puree in bowl and beat well. Combine all dry ingredients in separate bowl. Dip pork chops in egg mixture, then in breading, coating both sides well. Place in greased baking dish. Bake at 375 for 30-40 minutes, or until center reads at least 160 degrees F.

Recipe--Creamed Peas and Potatoes

(I've never made this well, so I'll give you a method, not a recipe)

potatoes

peas

white sauce

Cook the potatoes and peas to your liking, add the white sauce. In hindsight, I might have sauteed some onions, then cooked the potatoes with the onions like I would for potato soup. My problems are a major lack of flavor and creaminess--maybe because I'm too cheap to use cream in my white sauce? Maybe it needs cheese?

January 18 Menu

Today we had a family day and didn't follow our menu at all! So if your family takes a day trip, here are a few ideas:

Breakfast: cereal

Snack: drinkable yogurt

Lunch: PB&J, tangerines

Snack: bananas and pudding

Dinner: leftovers!

We'll be using today's menu tomorrow.

January 17 Menu

Breakfast: cinnamon apple oatmeal

Recipe--Cinnamon Apple Oatmeal

4 cups water or milk

2 1/2 cups old fashioned oatmeal

1 tsp cinnamon

1 cup canned apples, drained and chopped (can use water from jar to boil oatmeal)

sugar, to taste

pinch salt

Bring water to boil. Add salt and oatmeal. Cook until water is absorbed, 3-5 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in cinnamon and apples. Sugar, if desired, or let each choose desired amount per bowl. Serves 4 very hungry boys, 6 regular eaters, or some combination of the two!

Snack: cheese cubes, pretzels, juice

Lunch: PB&J, bananas, carrots, milk

Snack: smoothies

Dinner: Honey Mustard Pork Chops, Sweet and Spicy Cucumbers

Recipes--both dinner recipes adapted from http://www.ourbestbites.com/

Smoky Honey Mustard Pork Chops

4 4-6 oz. pork loin or sirloin chops

Kosher salt and pepper

Liquid Smoke (I don't use it, so I omit)

3 Tbsp. Dijon or whole grain mustard

1 1/2 Tbsp. honey

2 cloves minced garlic

Sprinkle pork chops with Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper. Give them a liberal dousing of liquid smoke (you can usually find this either near the seasonings or the BBQ sauce/condiments in the grocery store). Set aside.

Heat oven broiler to high or preheat grill. Combine honey, garlic, and mustard. Place pork chops on broiler pan/grill and cook for 4-5 minutes. Turn and cook another 4-5 minutes. You want the internal temperature to be at least 165 (that's a little pink inside), but you also don't want to overcook them because they'll become tough. So you may need to adjust your cooking times a little, bearing in mind that they have two minutes to cook after the initial 8-10 minutes.

Baste with honey mustard mixture and cook an additional minute. Turn and baste other side; cook for one additional minute. Remove from heat and allow to stand a few minutes to seal in the juices.

Sweet and Spicy Cucumber Slices

1-1/2 lbs cucumber (about 3 medium), peeled, halved lengthwise & thinly sliced
2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 c rice vinegar, seasoned or regular (I substitute 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar and 1/4 cup regular distilled)
1/2 c water
3 Tbs sugar
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
2 Tbs minced red onion

Place cucumber slices in a colander sitting over a bowl, sprinkle with salt and toss well. Let sit for 1 hour refrigerated. Toss the cukes a few times while they drain as well. While cucumber slices are draining, prepare marinade below.

Combine vinegar, water, sugar and red pepper in a small saucepan; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cook until reduced to a 1/3 cup (about 10 minutes). If for some reason you boil for too long, just add a little water until you have 1/3 C. Remove reduction from heat and add onion. Let mixture cool to room temp.

When cucumbers are done resting, pat them dry with a few paper towels and then combine with the vinegar reduction. This can be served immediately, but for best results refrigerate until well chilled.

January 16 Menu

Breakfast: cereal

Snack: tangerines, pretzels

Lunch: tuna sandwiches, apples

Recipe--Tuna Sandwiches My Way

1 can light tuna packed in water, drained

2 T plain yogurt

1 T mayo

6 slices bread

Combine yogurt and mayo; add tuna. Divide between three slices bread and top with other three slices. Makes 3 sandwiches. *I love fresh slices of tomato on tuna, too!

Snack: dump truck special

Recipe--Dump Truck Special

More of a method than a recipe: Find small toy truck, freight train, purse, teacup, mini muffin tin, or other fun container with small compartment. Search kitchen for small snacks, like cheese cubes, raisins/cranberries/dehydrated bananas (or other fruits), baby carrots, pretzels, goldfish, nuts, chocolate chips, etc. Snack time can be a game if you do one "load" at a time and send junior to go hide between loads. Treats like chocolate/butterscotch chips are fun to do every 2-3 loads, because it brings an extra surprise into the game. Then when your little one gets to something not so appealing, they know they have to finish the load before they can have a new surprise. If they don't finish the more "healthy" option, you know they're full!

Dinner: chicken cordon bleu, asparagus

Recipe--Easy Chicken Cordon Bleu

1 sheet puff pastry

5 or 6 chicken tenders, or 3 chicken breast halves, cut in half lengthwise

12 slices ham, very thinly sliced

3 slices swiss cheese

basil

paprika

Allow puff pastry to soften 1 hour at room temperature, rolled in towel. Roll puff pastry to large rectangle, with the width just longer than the length of the chicken tenders (approx 5") and the length approximately 25-30". Cut into 6 equal rectangles. The end results should be the length of a single chicken tender and twice the width, so as to be wrapped around the outside. Slice chicken tenders down center lengthwise, creating long piece of chicken with one side open, like a hot dog bun. Cut slices of cheese in half and place on one side of sliced open chicken. Sprinkle all with paprika and basil, to your liking. Top each piece puff pastry with two slices ham. One piece can be left without chicken and just stuffed with ham and cheese, for a more kid-friendly option. Otherwise, fold chicken tenders back to original size and place in center of ham, rolling both in puff pastry. Stretch pastry and seal completely. Place seam-side down on foil-lined baking sheet. Bake at 375 for 30 minutes, or until center of chicken reads 170 degrees F. Cool 5-10 minutes before serving.

Chicken Peanut Curry

This is one of our favorite recipes. I made it just the other night, and with the exception of the mint we had everything ready to go. You can find the recipe at this link:

http://simplyrecipes.com/recipes/chicken_peanut_curry/

This recipe is a little bit more involved than I usually make, but not that I have made it a few times it goes a bit faster. The biggest hint that I can give you is to do all the prep before you start cooking.

INGREDIENTS

• 3lbs boneless, skinless chicken pieces (or you can use bone in for added flavor) cut into 1 1/2 inch wide chunks
• 1/2 c flour
• 4 T curry powder (our favorite is Hot Madras)
• 2 t kosher salt
• 1/2 t pepper
• 1/2 olive oil (I cut this way down... i probably only use a few table spoons)
• 2 T fresh ginger, minced
• 2 T garlic, minced
• 2 serrano chili peppers, seeded, de-veined, minced
• 4 c chicken broth
• 1/2 c peanut butter (if using freshly ground peanuts, add 2 t of sugar)
• 1 t ground coriander seeds (i use whole seeds)
• 8 green onions, chopped, greens included
• 1/3 c each finely chopped mint and cilantro
• 2 limes cut into wedges

INSTRUCTIONS

• Rinse chicken and pat dry (very important to pat dry). In a zip lock bag, combine the flour, curry powder, salt, and pepper. Shake well. Add the chicken pieces and shake to coat well.
• heat oil in a large saucepan on medium high heat. Add chicken pieces. Cook 5-10 minutes tossing occasionally to cook chicken evenly. Add the ginger, garlic,chili pepper, and 1/2 c of the chicken broth. Cook for 3 more minutes, scraping the pan with a spatula and stiffing to combine everything well.
• Add the peanut butter, stirring quickly to incorporate it with the chicken. Add the remaining 3 1/2 c of broth slowly, stirring continuously to maintain an even texture. Let simmer for 10 minutes.
• Right before serving, add the coriander and green onions. Salt to taste.
• Serve over rice. Top each serving with fresh cilantro, mint, and fresh lime juice.
• Serves 6-8

January 11 Menu

Breakfast: oatmeal w/dried cranberries

Snack: orange cranberry muffins

Lunch: whole wheat waffles, homemade syrup, carrots, peanut butter

Recipe--Whole Wheat Waffles, adapted from Reader's Digest Kitchen Secrets

1 cup whole wheat flour

1 cup all purpose flour

2 T sugar

4 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

2 eggs

1 1/2 cups milk

6 T oil, melted butter or margarine

*for pancakes, decrease oil to 1/4 cup

Combine dry ingredients. Mix wet ingredients in separate bowl. Whisk together gently, or until just moistened. Lumps will remain. Cook on preheated waffle iron or griddle. Serves 4.

Snack: ABC cookies, sweet secret cocoa

Dinner: pizza, winter salad

Recipe--French Bread or Pizza Dough

6 cups flour (can do half whole wheat)

1 T yeast

1 1/2 tsp salt

2 cups warm water

cornmeal, egg white, water (optional)

In large bowl, combine 2 cups flour, yeast and salt. Stir in 2 cps warm water and beat until well blended. Using dough hook attachment or wooden spoon, mix in remaining flour 1 cup at a time. Knead 10 minutes by hand, or 5 minutes using dough hook. Form dough into ball and place in greased bowl. Grease top of dough, cover with towel or plastic wrap. Let rise in warm place 1 hour, or until doubled. Punch down and form into desired shapes.

For pizza, divide into 4 balls and roll or stretch to desired thickness. Top and bake at 425; 8-12 minutes for thin crust, 15-20 for thick crust. Serves 6-8.

For bread, divide in two. Roll each half to large rectangle. Roll into loaf and place on greased jellyroll pan sprinkled with cornmeal. Cover and let rise 30 minutes. With sharp knife, make 3 or 4 diagonal slashes on top of loaf. Bake at 375 for 30-40 minutes. Optionally, brush with egg white mixed with 1 T water before baking and again half way through. Makes two loaves.

January 10 Menu

Breakfast: smoothies, cinnamon rolls

Recipe--Clone of a Cinnabon from allrecipes.com

1 cup warm milk

2 eggs

1/2 cup butter or margarine, melted

4 1/2 cups bread flour

1 tsp salt

1/2 cup sugar

2 1/2 tsp yeast

1 cup brown sugar

2 1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 cup butter, softened

3 oz cream cheese

1/4 cup butter, softened

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

1/2 tsp vanilla

1/4 tsp salt

Place first seven ingredients in bread machine in order recommended by manufacturer. Run dough cycle. When complete, roll out dough to 16x21" rectangle. Combine brown sugar, 1/3 cup butter and cinnamon and spread mixture onto dough. Roll up and cut into 12 pieces. Place into greased 9x13 inch pan. Let rise, covered, 30 minutes. Bake at 400 for 15-20 minutes, or until golden brown and centers are not doughy. Combine remaining ingredients and frost.

Snack: brown rice cakes, milk

Lunch: peanut butter & jelly, carrots, fruit salad

Snack: tangerines, chocolate chip cookies

Dinner: leftovers

January 9 Menu

Breakfast: cereal

Snack: cheese sticks, pretzels

Lunch: macaroni & cheese, tangerine

Snack: cranberry orange muffins, milk

Dinner: pork wellington, mashed potatoes, garlic parmesan green beans (this dinner was AMAZING)

Recipe--Pork Wellington, by Alton Brown

Ingredients

• 1 whole egg
• 1 tablespoon water
• 1-ounce dried apple rings
• 1 whole pork tenderloin, approximately 1 pound
• 4 1/2 ounces thinly slice prosciutto ham
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
• 1 teaspoon all-purpose flour
• 1 sheet puff pastry, thawed completely
• 1 tablespoon whole-grain mustard

Directions

Place a rack in the upper third of the oven and heat to 400 degrees F.

Whisk the egg and water in a small bowl and set aside. Place the apple rings into the bowl of a mini food processor and process for 30 to 45 seconds or until they are the size of a medium dice. Set aside.

Trim the pork tenderloin of any excess fat and silver skin. Slice the tenderloin down the middle lengthwise, creating 2 separate pieces. Lay the tenderloin pieces next to each other head to tail, so when laid back together they are the same size at the ends.

Lay out a 12 by 16-inch piece of parchment paper on the counter and arrange the pieces of prosciutto in the center, overlapping them enough to create solid layer that is as long as the tenderloin. Top with a second piece of parchment, and using a rolling pin, roll over the prosciutto to help adhere the pieces to each other. Remove the parchment paper and sprinkle the prosciutto with the salt, pepper, and thyme. Set the tenderloin down the middle of the prosciutto. Spread the dried apples in between the 2 pieces of tenderloin and push back together so the apples are held between them. Using the parchment paper to assist, wrap the prosciutto around the tenderloin to completely enclose in a package.

Sprinkle the counter with flour and roll out the pastry to 12 by 14 inches. Spread the mustard thinly in the center of pastry and lay the prosciutto wrapped tenderloin in the center of the pastry on the mustard. Fold the puff pastry up and over the top of the tenderloin, then roll to completely enclose, brushing the edges of the pastry with the egg wash in order to seal. Turn the tenderloin over so the side of the tenderloin with the double thickness of pastry is underneath. Pinch the ends of the pastry to seal.

Brush the entire pastry with the egg wash. Place the tenderloin on a parchment lined half sheet pan and bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until the pork reaches an internal temperature of at least 140 degrees F.

Remove the tenderloin from the oven, transfer to a cooling rack and let rest for 10 minutes before slicing and serving.

**note: the prosciutto ham is expensive ($1/oz) but vital to the flavor of the meal. This is not a frugal dinner; it cost about $20, and serves 4-6, depending on portion sizes.

January 6 Menu

Breakfast: cereal

Snack: animal crackers and cheese sticks

Lunch: peanut butter and honey sandwiches, tangerines, cookie

Snack: cranberry orange muffins

Recipe--Cranberry Orange Muffins (adapted from Reader's Digest Kitchen Secrets)

1 1/2 cups flour

1/2 cup wheat germ

1/2 cup brown sugar

2 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 ground allspice

1 1/4 cups buttermilk

1/4 cup bean puree

1 egg, separated

1 tsp grated orange zest

1 cup fresh or frozen cranberries

Combine dry ingredients in large mixing bowl. In small bowl, whisk buttermilk, bean puree, egg yolk and orange zest. In separate bowl, beat egg white until soft peaks form. Add liquid ingredients to dries until just combined, then gently fold in egg whites and cranberries. Divide between 12 muffin cups. Bake at 400 for 20 minutes, or until toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Dinner: black bean soup, sour dough garlic bread

Recipe--Black Bean Soup (adapted from ourbestbites.com)

1 T olive oil

4 large cloves garlic, roughly chopped

3/4 C diced carrots (about 2 med carrots)

3/4 C diced celery (about 2 ribs)

1 C diced onion (about 1 sm-med onion)

2 cans black beans, rinsed and drained

1 3.5oz can green chilies

2 cans low-sodium beef broth

1 t kosher salt

1/8 tsp black pepper

1/2 t chili powder

1/4 t cumin

1/2 t dry oregano leaves

1 bay leaf

Optional Toppings: sour cream, tortilla chips, grated cheese, chopped cilantro, etc.

Combine olive oil, garlic, onions, carrots, celery and beef broth in crock pot. Cook on low 4 hours. Add remaining ingredients, cooking on low 4 more hours.

Place soup in a blender. (You could use an immersion blender in place of this step) Place lid on blender, but remove the stopper in the lid to let heat escape. Place a paper towel over the hole to avoid splatters.

Puree soup until completely smooth. Optionally you could pulse until a semi-chunky soup is achieved. Squeeze in the juice from one lime and pulse to combine.

Ladle into bowls and top with desired toppings. Serve with extra lime wedges. Makes about 8 C soup.

January 5 Menu

Breakfast: cereal

Snack: cheese cubes, pretzels, tangerines

Lunch: peanut butter and honey sandwiches, bananas, milk

Snack: smoothies

Recipe--Smoothies

2 cups frozen fruit (berries, peaches, bananas, etc)

2 T frozen juice concentrate (orange, pineapple, white grape, apple)

1/3 cup plain yogurt

1/4 cup water, or to desired consistency

splash vanilla

1 T honey, optional, for sweetening

1 T wheat germ, optional

Blend in blender until smooth. Serve immediately.

Dinner: dinner out with the family tonight!

January 4 Menu

Breakfast: cereal

Snack: banana bread, milk

Lunch: leftover pizza and broccoli ham braid

Recipe--Broccoli Ham Braid

1/2 large onion, chopped

2 T olive oil

2 cups chopped broccoli

1 cup cubed ham

1/2 cup shredded cheddar

2 T sour cream

1 lb bread or pizza dough--store bought okay

1 egg, beaten

Sautee onions in oil. If broccoli is fresh, add broccoli and steam for 3-5 minutes, until bright green and still firm. If frozen, remove from heat and stir in broccoli pieces. Add ham, cheddar and sour cream. Roll dough to 10x12 inches. Spread mixture down center, leaving 1" on either short end and 3" on the long ends. Cut 1" strips down long sides, overlapping to form braid. Tuck in at ends. Brush with beaten egg. Place on greased baking sheet. Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes, or until very golden brown. Check middle for doughy-ness, add time if necessary.

Snack: pears, animal crackers

Dinner: spinach quiche, apple slices

Recipe--Spinach Quiche

One 9" unbaked pie shell

One 10 oz package spinach, thawed

3 eggs, beaten

1/3 cup milk

1 cup shredded Italian blend cheese

1/2 tsp garlic

1/2 tsp parsley

salt and pepper, to taste

Combine last seven ingredients and pour into pie shell. Bake at 325 for 30 minutes, or until toothpick inserted comes out clean.

January 3rd Menu

Breakfast: Baked Oatmeal Leftovers

Recipe

6 c. old fashioned oatmeal

3/4 c. brown sugar

4 tsp. baking powder

3/4 tsp. salt

4 eggs

2 1/2 c. milk

2 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 c. oil

2 tsp. vanilla

about 2 cups chopped fruit or whole berries, no juices

walnuts, optional

Combine all but fruit and nuts. Let stand 5 minutes. Fold in fruit. Spread in greased 9x13 baking dish. Sprinkle with nuts. Bake 35-40 minutes, or liquid is absorbed, but oats are still moist. Let cool 10 minutes before cutting. Serve alone or with milk.

Snack: tangerines and banana bread

Lunch: leftover pizza, pears

Snack: graham cracker & peanut butter sandwiches, sweet secret cocoa

Recipe-sweet secret cocoa

1 1/2 cups milk

1 T cocoa

1 T sugar

2 T sweet potato puree

dash vanilla, pinch salt

Mix sugar, cocoa and salt. Stir in milk and sweet potatoes. Heat through, stirring occasionally, until mixture is smooth. Serve warm. Serves 2.

Dinner: chimichangas, brown rice, corn

Recipe-Crunchy Baked Chimichangas, adapted from Family Feasts for $75 a Week

1 1/2 cups chopped cooked chicken

1/2 cup green salsa

1 cup shredded cheddar

2 green onions, chopped

1/4 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp onion powder

1/2 tsp oregano

salt and pepper, to taste

six 8-inch flour tortillas

2 T melted butter

salsa, for serving

Combine all but tortillas, butter and extra salsa in mixing bowl. Distribute evenly between tortillas, placing mixture in center. Fold opposite sides of tortilla inward and roll. Place seam side down onto baking sheet. Brush with butter. Bake at 400 degrees for 25 minutes, or until crispy. Can make extra, cool and freeze.