Healthy Snack Combos

While visiting my cousin, I found a great list of snack ideas on the side of her fridge. I typed the list, then began adding some of our favorite snacks. I'd love to know your families favorite snacks too, so I can add them to the compilation. Here's what we have so far:

1. orange sections & pretzel sticks
2. banana bread & lowfat milk
3. low fat yogurt & fruit
4. whole-wheat toast, spread w/ applesauce & topped w/ cinnamon
5. apple wedges & cheese
6. toasted english muffin w/ cheese
7. refried beans & cheese on tortillas
8. shredded whole wheat cereal w/ fruit slices & milk
9. pumpernickle bread & a tangerine
10. bran muffin & juice
11. oatmeal cookie & a plum
12. cinnamon rice cake & a peach
13. whole wheat toast & a sliced tomato
14. waffle square & strawberries
15. graham crackers & a pear
16. raisin toast & orange juice
17. pita bread & peanut butter
18. gingersnaps & applesauce
19. saltines & vegetable sticks
20. whole wheat breadsticksa & juice
21. toasted English muffin & lowfat milk
22. cinnamon toast & pineapple juice
23. bagel & orange slices
24. corn muffin, jam & juice
25. tortilla & nonfat refried beans
26. crackers & cheese
27. cheese & a fruit cup
28. trainl mix & juice
29. rye wafers, light cream cheese & juice
30. cucumber, carrot & cottage cheese
31. rice cakes & light cream cheese or peanut butter
32. cut up vegetables w/ non-fat ranch dressing
33. string cheese & celery
34. cottage cheese w/ crushed pineapple
35. low fat granola & a baked apple
36. sliced peaches in light syrup & lowfat milk
37. chocolate chip cookie & pineappple chunks
38. beef chili & lowfat milk
39. broccoli flowerets 2/ lowfat French salad dressing & corn muffin
40. French toast sticks w/ maple syrup & lowfat milk
41. graham crackers & lowfat milk
42. banana & lowfat chocolate milk
43. peanut butter & jelly sandwich on whole-wheat bread
44. soft bread sticks w/ spaghetti sauce
45. salad-in-a-bag: mixed salad greens w/ lowfat Italian dressing
46. baked potato wedges w/ cheese sauce & lowfat milk
47. pear & lowfat milk
48. apple & lowfat flavored yogurt
49. bagel w light cream cheese & juice
50. pasta & vegetable salad & lowfat milk
51. tuna salad sandwichmixed fruit in light syrup & lowfat chocolate milk
52. brownie & lowfat milk
53. sliced peaches in light syrup & lowfat milk
54. wheat crackers & lowfat chocolate milk
55. grape juice & lowfat American cheese cubes
56. soft pretzel & broccoli flowerets w/ lowfat French salad dressing
57. oatmeal-rasin cookie & lowfat milk
58. banana & lowfat flavored yogurt
59. carrot sticks/pepper strips w/ lowfat ranch dressing & lowfat milk
60. orange juice & soft bread sticks w/ spaghetti sauce
61. cereal bar & lowfat chocolate milk
62. pineapple chunks & blueberry muffin square
63. red or green grapes & mozzarella string cheese
64. raisin bread w/ light cream cheese & lowfat milk
65. cereal & lowfat milk or juice
66. tortilla chips w/ salsa & lowfat milk
67. apple juice & turkey ham cubes
68. sliced pears in light syrup & English muffin w/ peanut butter
69. pretzel sticks & lowfat milk
70. celery stuffed w/ cottage cheese & topped w/ rasins
71. baked apple filled w/ pineapple chunks & topped w/ nuts
72. cheese slice & a pickle
73. tomato slice w/ tuna & melted cheese
74. raw veggies w/ hummus (chickpea) or yogurt dip
75. open-face tomato & cucmber sandwich on whole-wheat bread
76. orange slices, dates, & shredded coconut
77. sliced cucumbers sprinkled w/ vinegar
78. health shake (yogurt, pineapple juice, strawberries, & banana mixed in blender)
79. cottage cheese w/ apple slices
80. banana pops (sliced bananas dipped in orange juice & rolled in wheat germ, finely chopped nutes, or coconut; wrapped in foil & refrigerate)
81. quick pizzas (tomato sauce, grated lowfat cheese, seasonings, chopped vegetables on half an english muffin)
82. a frozen banana
83. honeydew melon wedge sprinkled w/ lime juice
84. partially thoawed frozed strawberries w/ milk & vanilla
85. cantaloupe w/ cottage cheese
86. glass of buttermilk, flavored w/ orange juice concentrate
87. tahini (ground seasme-seed butter) on whole wheat toast
88. broccoli flowerets steamed & sprinkled w/ lemon
89. plain yogurt topped w/ fresh or water-packed peaches
90. banana slices topped w/ yogurt & cinnamon
91. cherry tomatoes dipped in yogurt
92. dates w/ lowfat cottage cheese
93. applesauce topped w/ cinnamon
94. peanut butter on oatmeal bread
95. carrot-rasin salad & yogurt dressing
96. air-popped popcorn & a smoothie (banana, frozen/fresh fruit, juice/gatorade, yogurt all blended together)
97. tortilla chips & salsa
98. chips w/ con queso cheese & sour cream
99. sliced apples w/ peanut butter
100. graham crackers w/ applesauce
101. saltine crackers w/ peanut butter
102. Quesadilla / cheese crisp (tortilla w/ cheese warmed in microwave or skillet)

Please! Add a commet with your favorite health snack ideas. I'd love to hear more ideas. ;)

Recipe - Chicken and Dumplings

Presented to you, by request of Mara Jade...

Chicken & Dumplings
Tom & Suzy, June 2004

Tired of super salty, quick-prep chicken and dumplings, my hubby and I set out to create a simple homemade version. In 2004 we came up with this, and we've been making it (to rave reviews from guests) ever since! Straight forward and simple, the trickiest part is remembering to put the flour and milk in AND remove the Bay Leaf. We hope you enjoy this "comfort food" as much as we do!

Ingredients:
1.5 lbs chicken, boneless skinless breasts, cut into one-inch cubes
2 cloves garlic
2 tablespoons oil

3 cups vegetable broth (or water)
2 teaspoons chicken bouillon
1 teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper, freshly cracked
1 bay leaf
½ onion, chopped
4 stalks celery, sliced
5 carrots, sliced
if desired, fresh chopped broccoli
if desired, fresh snipped parsley (3 Tablespoons)
if desired, frozen / fresh corn

1/3 cup flour
½ cup milk

1 package Pillsbury Grands Biscuits

Directions:
1. Heat oil in Dutch oven (or a nice big pt that you have a lid for) on medium high heat, add cubed chicken and garlic. Stir; cooking until chicken is white.
2. Add broth, bouillon, salt, pepper, bay leaf, and fresh vegetables to create a stew. Bring to a boil.
3. Reduce heat on stew; simmer on low, covered, 30 minutes, or until chicken and vegetables are tender. Remove bay leaf from broth.
4. While stew simmers, open biscuits and set out on a plate (to rise) or make your own biscuits.
5. In separate container, mix flour and milk. After 30 minutes of simmering, whisk flour and milk into broth on stove. Stir well.
6. Add biscuits to top of stew. Cover and continue cooking on low heat 15 minutes.
7. Let stand a few minutes before serving.

Variation:
1. Make homemade or Biquick biscuits instead of canned.

Generously serves four.

As ever, I'd love to know if you make this and how you like it! :D

We Make Homemade Bread

Yes.

It's true.

If Tom comes home with a bag of store-bought bread, he gets (at least) a glare, and usually Some Words. I think it's happened only three or four times since last Fall.

I'd have to say it all started with Jakob and Karin Herrman... German friends of mine from my early 20's. Karin was a full-time, stay-at-home-wife. They didn't have kids; didn't want them. She was an amazing homemaker. I was awestruck at how she made fresh bread, everyday, without a recipe, just "by feel".

Then, about five years ago, Becky showed me to a website about frugality in the kitchen (Hillbilly Housewife). There was a list of Store Bought Convenience Foods that got me thinking. Store bought bread was listed as a "Convenience Food"?!? This idea shocked me. I thought Karin was an anomaly. I thought you HAD to buy bread and those who always made it were simply, NUTS!


Last Fall we finally started making my own bread. Now, Tom is often better at it than I am. Here's our Honey Oat Bread recipe.

Honey Oatmeal Bread
by Suzy Sholar
September 2008

Ingredients:
½ cup butter
¾ cup honey
2 ¼ cups water

2 cups oatmeal
2T + ¾ tea yeast (3 packets)
1 T salt
5 ½ cups flour

3 eggs
½ to 2 cups MORE flour

Directions:
1. In small saucepan, combine butter, honey, and water. Heat over low-medium heat until mixture is very warm (120F -130F).
2. Place a pan of water on bottom oven rack. Turn oven on very low (170F).
3. Meanwhile, place oatmeal, yeast, salt, and 5 ½ cups flour into mixing bowl. Attach dough hook to mixer. Mix dry ingredients together.
4. Turn mixer to speed 2. Gradually add warm mixture to flour and mix about 1 minute.
5. Add eggs and mix 1 more minute.
6. Continuing on speed 2, add remaining flour ½ cup at a time, mixing about 2 minutes, or until dough clings to hook and cleans side of bowl. Knead on speed 2 about 2 minutes longer*.
7. Butter two bowls.
8. Split dough into two balls, about 1/3 and 2/3 of dough. Put dough into each bowl.
9. TURN OFF THE OVEN. Place each bowl on the top rack of oven.
10. Wet a flour sack towel with hot tap water. Squeeze out excess water. Cover the bowls, in the oven, with the damp towel.
11. Prop a wooden spoon in the door of the oven. Set a timer for one hour. Check the dough. It should have doubled in size. Remove from oven.
12. Reset the oven (with the water still in it) to a low temperature (170F).
13. Punch down dough. Use smaller portion as four mini-loaves OR 32 rolls OR one artisan loaf OR pretzels OR another regular loaf of bread. Divide larger portion in half. On lightly floured surface; roll each half into rectangle (about 9” x 14”). Starting at a short end, roll dough tightly. Pinch dough as you go. Pinch to seal seam. Pinch ends and turn under. Place in loaf pan, seam side down. (When using seasoned stoneware, there is no need to grease the pan, if using other types of pans, you will need to butter / grease the loaf pans first).
14. TURN OFF THE OVEN. Place pans on the top rack of oven. Rewet and wring towel. Cover dough. Prop wooden spoon in door of oven. Set timer for an hour.
15. When dough has doubled in size (finger pressed in leaves a dent) remove all pans from oven (including water pan). Turn oven on to 375F (385F high altitude).
16. Once oven has preheated, cook rolls / mini loaves for about 20-25 minutes and regular size loaves about 45 minutes. Pretzels should cook about 50F higher for 12 minutes.

Yield: 48 servings (16 slices per loaf).

Per serving: About 134 calories, 4 grams protein, 24 grams carbohydrates, 3 gram fat, 13 mg cholesterol, 162 mg sodium.

* You can remove this from the mixer at any point, and work the dough by hand! :D

This is the recipe as we use it in Wyoming (high altitude), but we didn't really "adjust" it for High Altitude, we just have a "feel" for the dough now and know what we need to do. Anyway, we like it a lot. We make dough for three loaves twice a week. We make two full size loaves and the third piece we do different things with: rolls, mini-loaves, pretzels, pizza dough, artisan-style loaves, baguettes, etc. By changing the shape or brushing with oil and herbs, you can really change the way the third loaf looks.


Here's a link to the crockery method of bread that I tried a few weeks back. We liked it, but I've only made it once (just because I'm so familiar with my Honey Oat Recipe).

One of my biggest obstacles to making regular bread was how to keep it fresh without wasting lots of plastic bags or wraps (plastic/aluminum/etc). I finally found a suitable container in the Lock'N'Lock 38 cup Rectangle. It's just the right size to hold a whole, uncut loaf (although I prefer to let the loaves cool to room-temperature and then cut before they are cold and hard). I can fit two of these on one of my fridge shelves, and put all three loaves (when cut up) in both tubs. I picked my tubs up for $9.99 at a Bed Bath & Beyond, so, if you are close to one, you probably can save a few dollars getting it in a store versus online.

At the beginning, every batch seemed a chore. Now, Tom and I have the recipe memorized. One of us can start the recipe and the other pick-up and finish it seamlessly.

We have been very pleased at how filling and satisfying it is to always have fresh, hardy bread on hand... for about $1.50 a loaf (including electricity and such). It tastes better. It's better for us. And we just plain enjoy it. :D

Let me know if you too give switching to your own homemade bread a try.

Recipe - A Couple O’ Bowls of Chicken Soup

Since we've been feeling yucky, I've come up with this Delightful Little Diddy. It's Just Enough Soup for the day, without making you feel like you'll be eating soup all week... even if you will! I know it's simple, but I'm just delighted by my discovery of it and wanted to share with you, for when those inevitable sniffles come. This is simple and quick enough that you can make it even when you feel like... well, when you don't feel well!

A Couple O’ Bowls of Chicken Soup

This is simple and quick enough to make, even when you’re not feeling well. When you’re not feeling great, this makes “just enough” soup, without having buckets of leftovers! I use leftover chicken and pasta if I have them, otherwise, I use frozen components. If your chicken is seasoned, you won’t need as many of the extra spices.

Ingredients:
4 c water*
4 t chicken bouillon
1 chicken breast
½ c carrots (frozen) or other veggie
1 t parsley, dried
2 t onions, dried chopped
1/8 t celery salt
1 pinch garlic powder
2 pinches ginger powder (thanks to Celise's comment!)
4 oz pasta (dried)

Directions:
1. Put water and bouillon in sauce pan on high heat; bring to a boil.
2. Using microwave, defrost frozen chicken breast just until it's soft-frozen, then cut into small bits (or cut up cooked meat). Drop it in the pot.
3. Add veggies of choice and seasoning to taste.
4. Bring to boil again.
5. Slowly add pasta. Return to boil. Cook however long your pasta calls for.

Variations:
1. When I use broken (chopped) angel hair pasta, this feels like a Hearty “Lipton Cup O’ Noodles”.
2. Substitute rice or barley for the pasta.
3. Add another cup or two of water (plus bouillon) for when you need the broth, or just go easy on the pasta/carbs!

* We save our vegetable broth (from whatever veggies we eat) in the freezer. If you have veggie broth, you may substitute it for the water.

2-3 Servings
Prep: 5 min, cook 10-20 min (depending on the type of pasta)

Let me know if you try this and how you like it. :D

PS: The "egg yolk looking things" in the bowl are sliced carrots! :D

Recipe - Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins

I was reading a blog requesting muffin recipes. So far I've only tried one, but we are LOVING IT! Here is my HIGH ALTITUDE Adaptation of Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins with High Altitude Adjustments
Oct 2008

Regular Ingredients	High Altitude Adjustments
4 eggs	4 eggs
2 cups white sugar	2 cups LESS 2 T sugar
1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin	15 oz can pumpkin
	2 T water
1-½ cups vegetable oil	1-3/8 cup oil
3 cups all-purpose flour	3 cups PLUS 2 T flour
2 teaspoons baking soda	2 t baking soda
2 teaspoons baking powder	1-¾ t baking powder
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice*	1 t pumpkin pie spice*
1 teaspoon salt	1 t salt
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips	1-2 cups chocolate chips

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (410 degrees F). Lightly grease two 12 cup muffin pans, or line with paper baking cups.

2. In a medium bowl, mix the flour, baking soda, baking powder, spices and salt.

3. In a large bowl, beat the eggs, and mix in the sugar, pumpkin and oil.

4. Blend flour mixture into the egg and pumpkin mixture.

5. Fold in the chocolate chips (I use about 1 to 1½ cups). Transfer to the muffin pans.

6. Bake in the preheated oven 15 to 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove muffins from pans, and cool on a wire rack.

* To make your own pumpkin pie spice equivalent to the 1 tsp the recipe asks for add: 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon, 1/4 tsp ground ginger, and a pinch ground cloves.

If you try this, please let me know what you think.

Delicious Dinner

Yesterday I started cooking dinner at one in the afternoon. I continued working on it until it went on the table at 6:45. I was on my feet from the time my friend arrived to help at 3, until 6:45. Today I'm sore and tired, but the dinner was DELICIOUS! Here's our Menu:

• Au Jus ala Jessica (see recipe below)
  
• Homemade Buns - Wonderful! Terrific! Amazing! Even great COLD and PLAIN, straight out of fridge, the next morning!
  
• Steamed Rice - A good, simple side for this. Not really necessary, but nice to enjoy sauce on.
  
• Microwave Steamed Frozen Broccoli Pictsweet Deluxe Baby Broccoli Florets) - which was surprisingly delicious!
• Perfect Pie Crust (The Pioneeer Woman)
• Carmel Apple Pie (The Pioneeer Woman)

Actually, the dinner was so delicious, that even thought the pie looked amazing, we still haven't tasted it. After lunch we'll cut into it! ;)

Here's the recipe for the Au Jus & Roast:

Au Jus ala Jessica
by Jessica Cecrle
Summer 2007

Ingredients:

• Center Rump Roast
• S&P
• Onions – 3 med – sliced thinly
• Mushrooms – sliced thinly
• Butter
• Johnny's Au Jus Concentrate

1. Rub generous amounts of salt & pepper into roast.

2. Roast in oven 2-3 hours low heat (250 F' ish) to internal temperature of 145F.

3. Once the roast reaches about 145F, remove from the oven, be careful not to overcook this roast. (It's easy to do!) It should be a little pink when it comes from the oven because it will continue to cook a bit more on it's own. Let sit 10-20 minutes.

4. Thinly slice the meat (which will still be a bit pink – if it's too pink, just warm it a little in an oven),

5. Melt 2 T butter over medium-low heat. Add onions. Sauté slowly, adding more butter as needed until onions caramelize. At the end, add Mushrooms to onions or cook mushrooms separately.

6. Use drippings plus water to make Au Jus sauce according to directions on bottle.

Serving Suggestions:

1. Serve over steamed white rice.

2. Serve with Asparagus or other fresh green veggie.

8-10 Servings

Mmm Good?

Yesterday the following “Mmm! This is good. I like this!” was heard at our lunch table.

Had I FINALLY found a meal that would delight my children? No. Jack had high praises for his sandwich, but it was made not by I, but by his brother, Frank.

“What’s on it?” you may wonder. Well, it’s a combination I’m sure I NEVER would have thought of. Here’s a picture of the inside of Frank’s similar sandwich…

• Butter or Peanut Butter
• Cheddar Cheese
• Sunflower Seeds (unsalted)
• Saltine Crackers
  

Like I said. I NEVER would have thought of this. Both of the boys (ages 3 years 4 months and 5 years 7 months) ate EVERY BITE! They did so without complaints, but with “this is really good” and “I like this.”

Now I guess I know why they complain while eating what I fix them! If they think this is “good food”, I also suppose they think my food looks really weird.

And, “no”, I didn’t even THINK to taste it!

Recipe - The Pioneer Woman's Cinnamon Rolls

One of my favorite things to do online is read Confessions of a Pioneer Woman. Ree, the author, has recently redone her site to have several main sections, including cooking. For almost a year, I've been wanting to try one of her rich decadent recipes, Cinnamon Rolls, but just couldn't justify it until this past weekend. While staying at my cousins', his wife ask for Cinnamon Rolls for breakfast on Mother's Day. We substituted milk for the coffee in the frosting and were all delighted with the results!

If you are interested in trying these light, tender, sweet, buttery, maple-y rolls, you can view the complete article, including lots of pictures, at The Pioneer Woman's website. If you'd like a condensed version that reads more like a recipe, please take a peek at RecipeZaar, where I posted the recipe.

Let me know what you think.

Recipe - Chicken Cordon Bleu in a Pot

In honor of, and for, Mother's Day, here's one of my Mom's newest recipes that is quite simple to make, even for novices. So... if you're still looking for ideas of something to do for your Mom/Wife tomorrow, take a peek at this recipe. It's rich and creamy and definitly a Holiday / Company recipe.

I've posted Chicken Cordon Bleu in a Pot on Recipe Zaar. It is a rich, creamy soup with all the flavor the popular baked dish, and all the warmth you need on a cool day. Take a look and try it out. I know you will find it as delightful as we have!

Enjoy, and please let me know (in this forum OR on Recipe Zaar itself) how much you love it!

Recipe - RecipeZaar Resource

Frequently, others ask me to share my recipes with them. This has now moved into the blog-o-sphere. I already have a couple of my most-requested recipes posted online at RecipeZaar. I'm always intending to post more of my favorites out there. Since I've been receiving online requests, I'm now starting to add more to my que on online offerings. (Is this post making any sense? I'm a *little* tired!)

Take a peek at these two that my hubby and I created:

• Flavorful Chicken Enchilada Soup - Not to sound concieted or anything, but I created this recipe ALL ON MY OWN. The first batch was PERFECT! People always ask for the recipe and then make it on their own. Honestly, whenever we make a batch, I'm always tickled at MY CREATION and how DELICIOUS it is! :D
  
• Chicken and Rice Soup - My hubby came up with this soup. It's simple and tasty. We usually have all the ingredients on hand. Whenever anyone in the house starts to feel sick, we make a big pot of this and all start eating it... did you know that scientist have now PROVEN that Chicken Soup helps you feel better faster! Really, it's true! I read about it. Oh yeah, I also like to swap up the grains... you know, barley, rice, pasta. It freezes well, but PRE-pasta, if you please!
  

And these are a few of my personal favorites from other RecipeZaar contributors:

• Oven Fried Southern Style Cinnamon Honey Chicken
• Papa John's Pizza Sauce
• Chops and Chunky Applesauce

RecipeZaar is the only recipe site I tend to go to, and I do go there, usually when I'm feeling bored with my kitchen repertoire and wanting a little inspiration. I really enjoy the search features there, like I can tell it a few ingredients or tools I want to use and get a list of recipes. There are also all sorts of themed "cookbooks" you can "thumb" through.

So. For now, entertain yourselves surfing around RecipeZaar. I'll be posting more recipes there soon!