#HomeMadeisBetter

Sweet Potato Fritters

Super Jenn Things to Eat! , , , , , ,

My Husband and I are once again starting on the #Whole30 diet. I, for one, am super excited for all the yummies that we are going to make!

One of our most favorite are these fritters. They are great to have as a side, as an alternative as a bun, as a snack, because the sky is blue… And Bonus! They are super easy! (of Course)

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Ingredients:

2 C Sweet Pots (shredded)

3 Scallions (chopped)

3 Large Eggs

1/4 C Coconut Flour

2 Tablespoons Tapioca Starch

1 Teaspoon Sea Salt

1/2 Teaspoon Black Pepper

1/2 Teaspoon Onion  Powder (this is optional)

1/4 C Oil (Olive or Avocado)

Directions:

  1. Lightly beat eggs
  2. Add Potatoes and scallions
  3. Mix dry ingredients in a separate bowl
  4. Mix with wet ingredients
  5. Heat oil in a skillet on Medium
  6. Make balls with mixture and then flatten into disks to fry
  7. Once oil is hot, fry 3-4 mins on each side until brown and crisp!
  8. Enjoy!

 

Pumpkin Custard

Super Jenn Things to Eat! , , , ,

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I absolutely love anything and everything pumpkin! When we started the whole 30 that we would be on for most of the fall, I was slightly concerned I would not get my fill of pumpkin this year. Thankfully, that has turned out to not be the case. This custard is great as a dessert, or breakfast with some black coffee!

Ingredients:

1 Cup Coconut milk (full fat)

1/2 cup chopped pecans (optional – for garnish)

2 very ripe bananas

3 Tablespoons almond butter

4 eggs

Pumpkin pie spice

15 oz pumpkin puree

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350
  2. In a bowl combine all ingredients (except nuts)
  3. Bland with a hand mixer until combined well. Add spice to taste
  4. Pour into 13×9 baking dish
  5. Sprinkle top with nuts (I am not a huge fan of pecans, so I omit this step)
  6. Bake 30 minutes until set.

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Oven Braised Mexican Beef

Super Jenn Things to Eat! , , , ,

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I absolutely love this dish! It’s great for when you have company, it’s relatively easy and has a nice kick! You can always get bone-in short ribs, and save the bones to make broth with. If you are making it for company, double the recipe. Also, if you are getting bone-in ribs, make sure you add an extra pound or two to account for the bones. Of course, for us, you can never make too much of this dish.

Ingredients:

2 1/2 lbs. boneless beef short ribs (cubed)

1 Tablespoon chili powder

1 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1 Tablespoon coconut oil

1 medium onion (chopped)

1 Tablespoon tomato paste

6 cloves garlic (minced)

1/2 cup roasted salsa

1/2 cup chicken stock

1/2 teaspoon fish sauce

Garnish – chopped cilantro and sliced radishes

Directions:

  1. Heat oven to 300
  2. In large bowl toss beef in the chili and salt
  3. In a large oven proof dutch oven, melt oil over medium heat
  4. Saute onions until translucent
  5. Stir in tomato paste
  6. Add garlic and beef
  7. Add salsa, stock, and fish sauce. Bring to a boil
  8. Cover and cook in the oven for 3 hours.
  9. Serve over cauliflower rice and top with cilantro and radishes.

Creamy Coconut Chicken

Super Jenn Things to Eat! , , , ,

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My new Husband and I have been having a wonderfully creative time on the Whole 30 diet. This chicken was easy to make, full of flavor and is great on a budget.

Ingredients:

1 Shallot (chopped)

2 cloves garlic (chopped)

Lemon-garlic seasoning

5-6 chicken thighs

2 cans full fat coconut milk

1/2 teaspoon cardamom

6 black peppercorns

1 teaspoon chili powder

1 teaspoon turmeric

2 teaspoons ghee (if you do not have any ghee, you can use coconut oil, olive oil, or avocado oil)

Directions:

  1. In a large skillet, heat 1 teaspoon of oil on Med-high heat
  2. Season chicken to taste, and brown skin side down
  3. Set aside
  4. Add 2nd teaspoon of oil
  5. Lower heat to medium and add shallots and garlic.
  6. Sautee for -3 minutes
  7. Add coconut milk and spices
  8. Return chicken to pan
  9. Simmer 40-50 minutes until chicken is cooked.
  10. Serve over cauliflower rice and chopped mint. ( I like to add the mint to the cauliflower while I am cooking it for added flavor)

Pumpkin Muffins

Super Jenn Things to Eat! , , , , , ,

Anyone who knows me knows that I can’t get enough of anything pumpkin! I know over the years it has become a growing tend and most people feel the market is over saturated with all things pumpkin. I will say that I liked Pumpkin ice cream before it was cool, and I always loved pumpkin pie.

Anyway, I finally got around to making some pumpkin muffins and they are absolutely delicious! In this recipe I again reduced the amount of sugar so I feel a little better about eating glorified cupcakes for breakfast! Of course you can make your own Pumpkin Pie spice and I use my own vanilla extract. It really makes a difference!

Ingredients:

  • 3 Cups Flour
  • 1 Tbl plus 2 tsp Pumpkin pie spice (4 teaspoons ground cinnamon, 2 teaspoons ground ginger, 1 teaspoon ground cloves, 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg)
  • 2 tsp baking soda
  • 1 1/2 tsp salt
  • 3 Cups sugar ( I used 2)
  • 15 oz Pure pumpkin Puree
  • 4 large eggs
  • 1/2 Cup Vegetable oil
  • 1/2 cup water or OJ (since I reduced the sugar, I used OJ)

Directions:

  • Preheat oven to 350 and prep muffin pans
  • In a large bowl combine flour, spice, soda and salt (It’s easiest to just sift it all together and makes mixing easier later too)
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  • In a large mixing bowl blend sugar, pumpkin, eggs, oil and juice. Beat until just blended
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  • Add flour mixture to pumpkin mixture stir until just moistened
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  • Spoon into muffin cups filling about 3/4 full
  • Bake 25-30 mins or until wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean

Enjoy!

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Blueberry Muffins

Super Jenn Things to Eat! , , ,

These days my life seems to be so busy that I don’t usually have time to actually cook a good breakfast. I do however manage to find the time during my days off to make some muffins to last me through the week. I absolutely adore these Blueberry muffins. his time I used frozen berries, and a lot of them, and reduced the sugar by about a third. They still taste sweet and will tide me over until I can actually have a meal.

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 Cup butter (at room temperature)
  • 1 Cup sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 tsp. vanilla
  • 2 t baking powder
  • 1.4 tsp salt
  • 2 cups flour
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 2 1/3 cups blueberries
  • Optional topping
    • 1 Tbl Sugar
    • 1/4 tsp nutmeg

Directions:

  • Heat Oven to 375
  • Prep muffin pans
  • Mix butter until creamy, then add sugar and continue to beat until pale and fluffy
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  • Add eggs one at a time beating after each
  • Beat in vanilla, baking powder and salt
  • With spoon fold in half of the flour and half of the mix then repeat
  • Fold in Blueberries
  • Spoon into muffin cups (sprinkle on topping if desired)
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  • Bake 15-20 minutes until golden brown and springy

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Enjoy! 

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Vanilla pudding with Banana’s and Nila wafers

Super Jenn Things to Eat! , ,

When I was a kid, I always remembered having banana pudding over at my Aunts house. It’s never tasted as good as an adult as it did then… Until I made this recipe. It’s not as difficult as it sounds like it would be, so there is no reason to be intimidated. The hardest part of this recipe is to not eat it all in one sitting!

Ingredients

  • 2 cups half-and-half
  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 3 egg yolks
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • 2 tablespoons pure vanilla extract
  • 2 egg whites
  • 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
  • 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1/4 cup powdered (confectioner’s) sugar
  • 1/2 12 ounce box vanilla wafer (about 44)
  • 3 ripe bananas, sliced 1/4-inch thick

Directions

  • For the pudding, combine half-and-half and sugar in a stainless-steel bowl or top of a double boiler set over simmering water. Whisk in flour and salt until combined, about 2 minutes; remove from heat. Place egg yolks in a separate bowl. Gradually add half of the hot cream mixture, stirring constantly to temper the eggs. Whisk egg mixture into remaining hot cream and place back over the simmering water. Cook, whisking constantly, until mixture has thickened to the consistency of pudding, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in butter and vanilla; set aside.
    • The pudding will thicken pretty quick on you, so it’s really important that you keep stirring it so it doesn’t get lumpy. I use vanilla extract that I made myself, so when it’s first added it smells very strongly of alcohol. After it’s mixed in the alcohol dissipates and the vanilla is very strong
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  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. For the meringue, beat egg whites in a bowl with an electric mixer for 1 minute. Add the cream of tartar, vanilla, and confectioner’s sugar. Beat on medium-high speed until the whites form stiff peaks.
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  • To assemble, cover the bottom of a 2-quart square baking dish with half of the vanilla wafers. Top with half of the banana slices and half of the pudding. Make a second layer, ending with pudding. With a spatula, spread meringue over entire banana pudding, forming attractive peaks. Place dish in the oven and bake for 15 minutes or until mixture is golden brown on top. Makes 8 to 10 servings.
    • I used individual souffle cups, either method works well provided whatever you use can be used in the oven!

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Enjoy!

Pizza from scratch!

Super Jenn Things to Eat! ,

Pizza is an everyday favorite for those in their early 20’s. As I have gotten older I have yet to outgrow my pizza cravings.

I have a great recipe that is easy to make – start to finish you can have a delicious pizza in an hour. The same amount of time it takes for delivery on busy nights!

The best thing about Pizza is the ability to customize it for all tastes.

First you make to dough – if you like a crispier crust then you should bake the crust alone for about 10 minutes before adding your toppings, While the dough is resting, or baking you can make your sauce and shred the cheese. I like to use a variety of cheeses on my pizza.

For the Dough:

The ingredients:

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  • 1 (.25 ounce) package active dry yeast
  • 1 teaspoon white sugar
  • 1 cup warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
  • 2 1/2 cups bread flour
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon salt

The directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C). In a medium bowl, dissolve yeast and sugar in warm water. Let stand until creamy, about 10 minutes.
  2. Stir in flour, salt and oil. Beat until smooth. (I like to knead it by hand to make sure it’s well mixed) Let rest for 5 minutes.
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  4. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and pat or roll into a round. Transfer crust to a lightly greased pizza pan or baker’s peel dusted with cornmeal. Spread with desired toppings and bake in preheated oven for 15 to 20 minutes, or until golden brown. Let baked pizza cool for 5 minutes before serving.10426198_10205142648430950_1997271476674860397_n

For the Sauce:

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  • Diced tomatoes
  • tomato paste
  • rosemary
  • basil
  • oregano
  • salt and pepper
  • garlic
    • Combine all above in a blender and mix well

*If you are not lucky enough to have a mother like mine who grows her own herbs and sends them to you, or if you do not grow them yourself, then you will find them dried in the spice isle in your local market*

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I loved it!

Enjoy!

Cinnamon Rolls! (With nuts and fruit)

Super Jenn Things to Eat! , ,

In keeping with easy breakfast solutions, these Cinnamon rolls are easy to make and freeze well. I am excited to try them again!

The Ingredients:

For the Rolls:

  • 5 3/4 – 6 1/4 Cups Flour
  • 2 Pkg active Dry yeast
  • 2 1/2 Cups warm water
  • 1 Tablespoon packed brown sugar
  • 1/4 Cup butter, softened
  • 2 Tablespoon ground cinnamon
  • 2 Teaspoon salt
  • 1 Cup packed brown sugar
  • 5 Tablespoons butter, softened
  • 1 Cup chopped walnuts or pecans – I used Pecans!
  • 1 Cup dried fruit (raisins, apricots or cherries) I used Cherries!

For the Icing:

  • 1 Cup sifted powdered sugar
  • 1 Tablespoon light cream
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
    • Combine all ingredients, adding additional powdered sugar if necessary, until drizzling consistency.

The directions:

  • In a large mixing bowl stir together 1/2 cup of the flour, yeast, 1/2 cup of the warm water and 1 Tablespoon brown sugar. Let stand about 15 minutes or until surface is bubbly.
  • Add 1 3/4 cups of the warm water, 1 cup of the flour, 1/4 cup butter, 1 tablespoon cinnamon and salt. Beat with a wooden spoon until smooth. Stir in as much of the remaining flour as you can. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead in enough of the remaining flour to make a moderately soft dough that is smooth and elastic. Let dough rise in bowl in a warm place for 15 minutes.
  • Preheat oven to 400, Meanwhile, for filling, in a bowl combine the 1 Cup brown sugar, the 5 Tablespoons softened butter, and 1 Tablespoon cinnamon. Stir in nuts and fruit.
  • On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough into a large rectangle. Sprinkle with the filling, then carefully roll up into a spiral, starting from one of the long sides. Slice into 20 equal pieces. Place rolls in a greased baking pan
  • Bake about 20 minutes or until tops are golden brown. Cool slightly: remove rolls from pans. drizzle with icing.

** If you are going to only eat about 2-3 at a time, slice into 4th’s and put in freezer bags. Freeze until the night before. Defrost in the fridge, and slice up and bake as directed above. **

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Enjoy!

Maple Waffles with Bacon Weave

Super Jenn Things to Eat! , , , ,

I have been interested in experimenting with my bacon pancakes. i wanted to try a bacon weave to see how it worked. I also love maple waffles, so I knew already I was going to make those.

Making the batter is super easy. If you have a mix, then add a little less water and stir in your flavoring. In this instance it’s Maple syrup. You always want to use pure Maple syrup – it tastes better, it’s better for you, and it lasts longer. If you do not have an add water/milk mix, it’s easy to make the batter and then just add in you flavoring.

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My new oil to use for cooking has been coconut oil. I love it. Especially on my waffle iron! It is light and it tastes great! Added bonus – when it’s at a temperature less than 70, it’s a solid! It’s fun to work with!

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The Bacon weave, however, it a little trickier. I tried to do it in a pan, and that was a disaster. It was a shame to have to waste so much bacon! However, cooking it in the oven worked a lot better! I definitely recommend covering your pan with foil, and just building your weave on the pan itself. Pre-heat to 425. It takes about 15 minutes, depending on how crispy you like your bacon. I must say my first attempts were very successful.

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Stay tuned for the next stage in my experimentation!

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