Month: April 2022

Sometimes when you’re entertaining you need something that will make everyone happy and satisfied AND is easy to get on the table! This can be served with wild rice pilaf, regular rice or cauliflower rice on the side along with a serving of your favorite vegetables or salad. Plus, making this in a pressure cooker means you can enjoy time with your guests or just relax because you’re not standing over a stovetop!

I served it with roasted asparagus and my stretch long grain & wild rice.

Because this is a recipe I like to use for entertaining and since I also like to keep my costs down, I make my stretch rice… I take one box of wild & long grain rice mix and prepare it as the package directs. At the same time I’ll make 1 cup long grain white rice in my pressure cooker. Once both are finished, I mix them together. The flavor is still perfect and usually the box serves 3, but making this way will serve at least six!

Bill couldn’t get enough of this sauce! He asked me to just make it alone so we can keep it on hand!

Sunday Chicken
Makes 8 servings

¼ cup rice vinegar
1 6oz can tomato paste
3 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 garlic clove, pressed
¼ cup honey
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon paprika
½ cup olive oil
salt and pepper
¼ cup white onion, chopped
3 tablespoons Pantry French Onion Dip Mix
1 8oz can whole cranberry sauce
¼ water
8 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves

1. In a tall cup, combine the vinegar, tomato paste, mayonnaise, garlic, honey, Worcestershire sauce, paprika, oil and salt and pepper. Using an immersion blender, blend until smooth. Pour into a bowl and combine with the onion, dip mix and cranberry sauce, mixing well.
2. Pour ¼ water in the bottom of a pressure cooker inner pot. Place the chicken breasts in the pot and pour the sauce evenly over the chicken.
3. Secure the lid and adjust the time to 8 minutes on HIGH pressure. Press START.
4. When the timer is up, let the pressure cooker manually release for 10 minutes.  Remove the chicken and serve with the sauce on top.

Enjoy!

SHOP MY KITCHEN!

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Some of the links in this post may be affiliate links. Colleen Finley is an independent advanced director for Pampered Chef. She earns a commission by linking to products she uses and trusts. If you purchase a product through her website link, your cost will be the same, and Colleen will automatically receive a small commission. Your support is greatly appreciated and helps us enrich lives, one meal and one memory at a time!

Everything on this site, recipes and photos belong to the author and any reprints are only by permission of the author.

In our health journey I realized that portion control became an issue… well, using the word “control” doesn’t really describe what was going on! We were eating way too much and somehow justifying it. So I made these as mini cakes that we could share. Plus, since it’s just the two of us, we can freeze the remaining portions and just pop them in the air fryer to warm up when we want one!

Lemon Blueberry Coffee Cake
Makes 12 servings

Cake:
1/2 cup butter or margarine
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups plus 1 tablespoon all-purpose gluten free flour, divided
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup fresh blueberries
powdered sugar

1. Heat the oven to 350°F.  Combine the butter, brown sugar and sugar in a mixing bowl of an electric mixer.  Beat until light and fluffy.  Add the eggs, sour cream and vanilla and mix well.  Gradually mix in 2 cups flour, baking powder, soda and salt, mixing well. 
2. Toss the blueberries with 1 tablespoon flour. Remove the bowl from the mixer and gently fold in the blueberries. 
3. Spoon the batter into the wells of a mini-fluted pan (be sure to oil your pan if it’s not non-stick!) Spread the filling evenly over the batter. 
4. Bake in the oven 45-50 minutes or until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean.  Let cool in the pan for 10 minutes.  Invert onto the a serving plate and cool completely.
5. When cool, sprinkle powdered sugar on top.

Enjoy!

SHOP MY KITCHEN!

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Some of the links in this post may be affiliate links. Colleen Finley is an independent advanced director for Pampered Chef. She earns a commission by linking to products she uses and trusts. If you purchase a product through her website link, your cost will be the same, and Colleen will automatically receive a small commission. Your support is greatly appreciated and helps us enrich lives, one meal and one memory at a time!

Everything on this site, recipes and photos belong to the author and any reprints are only by permission of the author.

I love strolling through the produce section at the farmer’s market when all of the vegetables are fresh and the colors are vibrant. I just makes me want to make primavera. Normally this dish is served over pasta, and you can totally do that by eliminating the squash noodles. This is a lightened up version that removes the pasta and cream but still has all of the same rich flavors of the original. I’m sure you won’t miss either one!

Spring Harvest Primavera
Serves 8

1/2 cup pine nuts
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon olive oil, divided
1/2 pound button mushrooms, sliced
1/2 pound asparagus, cut in 1-inch pieces
1 zucchini, cut into matchsticks
1/2 cup frozen peas, thawed
salt and pepper
1/4 cup white wine (such as chardonnay)
3 yellow squash, spiralized (I use this one)
1 pint multicolor grape tomatoes, halved
2 garlic cloves, pressed

1. In a small skillet set over medium heat, toast the pine nuts 4 minutes. Transfer to a plate to cool.
2. In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium-high heat. Sauté the mushroom for 5 minutes, then add the asparagus, zucchini and peas. Season with salt and pepper and cook 4 minutes.
3. Add the wine and cook 2 minutes, then reduce the heat to low and simmer 3 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, in a small skillet, heat 1 teaspoon oil over medium heat. Add the tomatoes and garlic and cook 3 minutes or until the tomatoes are soft. Remove from the heat.
5. Add the squash noodles to the large skillet and toss until coated with the sauce and combined and heated through.
6. Transfer the primavera to a large bowl and top with the tomatoes and pine nuts.

Enjoy!

SHOP MY KITCHEN!

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Some of the links in this post may be affiliate links. Colleen Finley is an independent advanced director for Pampered Chef. She earns a commission by linking to products she uses and trusts. If you purchase a product through her website link, your cost will be the same, and Colleen will automatically receive a small commission. Your support is greatly appreciated and helps us enrich lives, one meal and one memory at a time!

Everything on this site, recipes and photos belong to the author and any reprints are only by permission of the author.

Every Sunday I make a big batch of breakfast hash with russet potatoes, sweet potatoes, bacon, sausage and any vegetables I didn’t end up using last week. Each week it’s different and I love making it ahead because it’s ready to go when Bill makes us each two fried eggs to go over the top. This is also great for brunch or a side for dinner when feeding a crowd.

Now, the reason I do this on Sundays is because it does take a while so be sure to plan accordingly. But it’s easy and you can definitely be doing other things while the potatoes are roasting.

And you can truly mix in any veggies. Some week’s it’s asparagus or Brussels sprouts and others, like this week, it’s just bell peppers.

Kitchen Sink Breakfast Hash
Makes 10 servings

1½ pounds russet potatoes, peeled and cut into ½-inch cubes
1½ pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into ½-inch cubes
¼ cup olive oil
salt and pepper
½ cup yellow onion, chopped
3 cups assorted vegetables, chopped if large
6 slices bacon, cooked and chopped (be sure the bacon is GF)
1 pound breakfast sausage (be sure the sausage if GF)

1. Heat the oven to 375˚F.
2. Place the cubed potatoes into a bowl of water and let soak for 20 minutes. This draws out the starch in the potatoes and makes them crispier. Drain the potatoes and wipe out the bowl. Return the potatoes to the bowl and toss with the olive oil and salt and pepper.
3. Spread the potatoes on a sheet pan and bake 20 minutes.
4. Remove the potatoes from the oven and let rest 20 minutes. Increase the oven temperature to 450˚F.
5. Meanwhile, in a large skillet set over medium heat, cook the sausage for 8 minutes, breaking into crumbles as it cooks. Add the onion and any vegetables you are using and continue to cook until the sausage is no longer pink and the vegetables are soft.
6. Return the potatoes to the oven and roast for 20 minutes until golden around the edges.
7. Add the bacon to the sausage and vegetables. Remove from the heat and set aside.
8. Remove the potatoes from the oven and combine with the vegetables.
9. Serve immediately or keep covered in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
10. To reheat, heat a small skillet over medium heat. Add the hash and heat until warmed through, about 5 minutes.

Enjoy!

SHOP MY KITCHEN!

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Some of the links in this post may be affiliate links. Colleen Finley is an independent advanced director for Pampered Chef. She earns a commission by linking to products she uses and trusts. If you purchase a product through her website link, your cost will be the same, and Colleen will automatically receive a small commission. Your support is greatly appreciated and helps us enrich lives, one meal and one memory at a time!

Everything on this site, recipes and photos belong to the author and any reprints are only by permission of the author.

This greek salad has all of the classic flavors mixed and since it’s served while the protein is still warm, we can enjoy it on a cool spring night! This is a kitchen-sink salad… you can use any protein you have on hand (I used ground beef) and ground lamb or chicken would be delicious too! You can also use sun dried tomatoes in place of the roma tomatoes if you want. I didn’t have any cucumbers on hand but they would be a delicious addition as well!

Warm Greek Salad
Makes 4 servings

Dressing:
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 teaspoon Lemon Pepper (I use this one)
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon dijon mustard

Salad:
1 pound ground beef
1 tablespoon Greek seasoning (I use this one)
¼ cup finely chopped yellow onion
1 yellow bell pepper, sliced
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
4 cups baby spinach leaves
½ crumbled feta cheese
1 roma tomato, cut in half and sliced
½ cup pitted ripe olives, cut in half or quarters if large

1. In a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, lemon pepper, olive oil and mustard and set aside. (You could also put this in a blender or use an immersion blender… it would be more emulsified that way and I’ll do it that way next time.)
2. In a medium saute pan set over medium heat, cook the ground beef, Green seasoning, onion and bell pepper, breaking up the ground beef, until no longer pink and the onion and pepper are soft. Mix in the Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper.
3. In a salad bowl, combine the spinach, feta, tomato and olives. Pour the warm ground beef mixture over the top and toss to combine and slightly wilt the spinach.
4. Divide among serving bowls and drizzle with the dressing.

Enjoy!

SHOP MY KITCHEN!

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Some of the links in this post may be affiliate links. Colleen Finley is an independent advanced director for Pampered Chef. She earns a commission by linking to products she uses and trusts. If you purchase a product through her website link, your cost will be the same, and Colleen will automatically receive a small commission. Your support is greatly appreciated and helps us enrich lives, one meal and one memory at a time!

Everything on this site, recipes and photos belong to the author and any reprints are only by permission of the author.

Remember rocky road ice cream? Here’s the same great taste in a brownie! YUM!

The history of rocky road has been debated but most guesses take it back to Australia in the 1850s. Some add cherries, coconut and dried fruits but I’ve kept this one Americanized!

Rocky Road Brownies
Makes 16 servings

1 15oz can black beans, rinsed and drained
4 tablespoons water
2 teaspoons vanilla
12 tablespoons butter, melted
3 eggs
2 cups sugar
1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 cup gluten free flour (I use this one)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup dark chocolate chips (I use these), divided
1¼ cups mini marshmallows
½ cup chopped peanuts

1. Heat the oven to 350˚F. Line a 9×9 metal baking pan with parchment paper.
2. In a food processor, process the beans, water and vanilla until smooth. Transfer the bean mixture to a mixing bowl.
3. Stir in the melted butter and eggs. Mix until well combined.
4. Add the sugar, cocoa powder, flour and salt to the bean mixture and mix well.
5. Mix in ½ cup chocolate chips just until combined. The batter will be very thick.
6. Transfer the batter to the prepared pan and smooth to the corners and into an even layer.
7. Bake 30-35 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean.
8. Remove from the oven and immediately sprinkle with the remaining ½ chocolate chips, marshmallows and peanuts. Return to the oven for 2 minutes.
9. Remove from the oven and cool completely before cutting.

Enjoy!

SHOP MY KITCHEN!

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Some of the links in this post may be affiliate links. Colleen Finley is an independent advanced director for Pampered Chef. She earns a commission by linking to products she uses and trusts. If you purchase a product through her website link, your cost will be the same, and Colleen will automatically receive a small commission. Your support is greatly appreciated and helps us enrich lives, one meal and one memory at a time!

Everything on this site, recipes and photos belong to the author and any reprints are only by permission of the author.