chewy chocolate chip oatmeal cookies

From 01/11/2012 (by Eye-Fi)

I love oatmeal cookies. And chocolate. I had told the kids we'd make cookies if they took good naps today... they did! So we made chocolate chip oatmeal cookies... a double reward pour moi! Mmmmm... so good!

Ingredients

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1/4 cup white sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3 cups quick-cooking oats
• 1 cup chopped walnuts
• 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
2. In a large bowl, cream together the butter, brown sugar, and white sugar until smooth. Beat in eggs one at a time, then stir in vanilla. Combine the flour, baking soda, and salt; stir into the creamed mixture until just blended. Mix in the quick oats, walnuts, and chocolate chips. Drop by heaping spoonfuls onto ungreased baking sheets.
3. Bake for 12 minutes in the preheated oven. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

chicken pot pie

From 01/10/2012 (by Eye-Fi)

This was the real deal... milk and flour... real ingredients. And a meal that at least one of my kids and my husband consistently love (the others eat it and don't complain too much... around here, that passes.).

Ingredients

• 1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - cubed
• 1 cup sliced carrots
• 1 cup frozen green peas
• 1/2 cup sliced celery
• 1/3 cup butter
• 1/3 cup chopped onion
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon celery seed
• 1 3/4 cups chicken broth
• 2/3 cup milk
• 
  
• 2 (9 inch) unbaked pie crusts

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C.)
2. In a saucepan, combine chicken, carrots, peas, and celery. Add water to cover and boil for 15 minutes. Remove from heat, drain and set aside.
3. In the saucepan over medium heat, cook onions in butter until soft and translucent. Stir in flour, salt, pepper, and celery seed. Slowly stir in chicken broth and milk. Simmer over medium-low heat until thick. Remove from heat and set aside.
4. Place the chicken mixture in bottom pie crust. Pour hot liquid mixture over. Cover with top crust, seal edges, and cut away excess dough. Make several small slits in the top to allow steam to escape.
5. Bake in the preheated oven for 30 to 35 minutes, or until pastry is golden brown and filling is bubbly. Cool for 10 minutes before serving.

salmon chowder

From 01/05/2012 (by Eye-Fi)

This is a good chowder. A really good, chunky chowder- I think the dill is what makes it- yum!

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons butter
• 3/4 cup chopped onion
• 1/2 cup chopped celery
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 2 cups diced potatoes
• 2 carrots, diced
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon dried dill weed
• 2 (16 ounce) cans salmon
• 1 (12 fluid ounce) can evaporated milk
• 1 (15 ounce) can creamed corn
• 1/2 pound Cheddar cheese, shredded

Directions

1. Melt butter in a large pot over medium heat. Saute onion, celery, and garlic powder until onions are tender. Stir in potatoes, carrots, broth, salt, pepper, and dill. Bring to a boil, and reduce heat. Cover, and simmer 20 minutes.
2. Stir in salmon, evaporated milk, corn, and cheese. Cook until heated through.

homemade pan rolls

From 01/05/2012 (by Eye-Fi)

We had these yummy rolls with our salmon chowder tonight for dinner- a bit easier to make than the last ones I made.

Here is the recipe.

orange cranberry walnut bread

From 12/20/2011 (by Eye-Fi)

A delicious wintry bread, perfect for a snow day (and for using up leftover cranberries)... the kids and I have been snacking on it all morning.

Ingredients

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup whole wheat flour
  
• 3/4 cup sugar (or a bit less)
  
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup orange juice
• Grated peel of 1 orange
• 2 tablespoons melted butter or margarine
• 2 tablespoons hot water
• 1 cup fresh or frozen cranberries
• 1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts

Directions

1. In a large mixing bowl, combine dry ingredients. In another bowl, beat egg. Add orange juice, peel, butter and hot water. Add to flour mixture, stirring just until moistened. Gently fold in cranberries and walnuts. Spoon into greased 9-in. x 5-in. x 3-in. loaf pan. Bake at 325 degrees F for 60 minutes or until toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack.

cinnamon swirl bread

Have you heard? Our collective kitchens just got a little more crowded, and just in time for Christmas!

I think my favorite day of the year might just be Christmas Eve. I have a lot of fond memories of the day growing up- all centered around being with family. I remember the wonderful smells of the kitchen vividly, probably because we've got the same scent conjured up in here now- from the cinnamon swirl loaves that recently came out of the oven. They smell amazing. They smell like Christmas. And the recipe I used (from allrecipes.com) couldn't be simpler (especially if you have a bread machine to do most of the work for you, as we do).

From 12/24/2011 (by Eye-Fi)

Ingredients

• 1 cup warm milk (70 to 80 degrees F)
• 1/4 cup water (70 to 80 degrees F)
• 2 eggs
• 1/4 cup butter or margarine, softened
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 5 cups bread flour
• 2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
• FILLING:
• 2 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
• GLAZE:
• 1 cup confectioners' sugar
• 4 teaspoons milk
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

1. In bread machine pan, place the first eight ingredients in order suggested by manufacturer. Select dough setting (check dough after 5 minutes of mixing; add 1 to 2 tablespoons water or flour if needed).
2. When cycle is completed, turn dough onto a lightly floured surface; divide in half. Roll each portion into a 10-in. x 8-in. rectangle. Brush with butter. Combine sugar and cinnamon; sprinkle over dough. Roll up tightly jelly-roll style, starting with a short side. Pinch seams and ends to seal. Place seam side down in two greased 9-in. x 5-in. x 3-in. loaf pans. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour.
3. Bake at 350 degrees F for 25 minutes. Cover with foil; bake 5-10 minutes longer or until golden brown. Remove form pans to wire racks to cool completely. Combine glaze ingredients; spoon over loaves.
   

Mexican orzo salad

From 12/23/2011 (by Eye-Fi)

I didn't have any chickpeas on hand- or any peppers other than orange (red would have made it even more festive), but it was still deelish- and a good combination of textures.

Ingredients

• 1 (16 ounce) package orzo pasta
• 1 small red bell pepper, chopped
• 1 small yellow bell pepper, chopped
• 1 bunch green onions, chopped
• 1 small red onion, finely chopped
• 1 (15 ounce) can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
• 1 (15 ounce) can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 (15 ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 (8.75 ounce) can whole kernel corn, drained
• 1 cup chopped cilantro leaves
• salt to taste
• pepper to taste
• 5 limes, juiced
• 6 tablespoons canola oil

Directions

1. Fill a large pot with lightly salted water and bring to a boil over high heat. Stir in the orzo, and return to a boil. Cook the pasta uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the pasta has cooked through, but is still firm to the bite, about 10 minutes. Drain.
2. Place the drained orzo in a large salad bowl, and fold in the red pepper, yellow pepper, green onions, red onion, chickpeas, kidney beans, black beans, corn, cilantro, and salt and pepper to taste. Pour the lime juice and oil over the salad, toss to coat, and refrigerate at least 2 hours to chill before serving.

homemade pizza dough

From 12/19/2011 (by Eye-Fi)

We've made this recipe (Jay's Signature Pizza Crust) the past couple of times we've made homemade pizza, and the dough has been loved by all.


Ingredients

• 2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
• 1/2 teaspoon brown sugar
• 1 1/2 cups warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 1/3 cups all-purpose flour

Directions

1. In a large bowl, dissolve the yeast and brown sugar in the water, and let sit for 10 minutes.
2. Stir the salt and oil into the yeast solution. Mix in 2 1/2 cups of the flour.
3. Turn dough out onto a clean, well floured surface, and knead in more flour until the dough is no longer sticky. Place the dough into a well oiled bowl, and cover with a cloth. Let the dough rise until double; this should take about 1 hour. Punch down the dough, and form a tight ball. Allow the dough to relax for a minute before rolling out. Use for your favorite pizza recipe.
4. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). If you are baking the dough on a pizza stone, you may place your toppings on the dough, and bake immediately. If you are baking your pizza in a pan, lightly oil the pan, and let the dough rise for 15 or 20 minutes before topping and baking it.
5. Bake pizza in preheated oven, until the cheese and crust are golden brown, about 15 to 20 minutes.

From 11/09/2011 (by Eye-Fi)

Christmas sugar cookies

From 12/16/2011 (by Eye-Fi)

We made these sugar cookies with the kids. I prefer them without icing, so we kept most of them plain or with a few sprinkles, Then today I set the kids loose with this icing (I used a bit of Agave nectar instead of corn syrup). If you can tell, I did quite a few myself, as our kids aren't known for doing anything in a reasonable amount of time. The cookies, however, are going fast.

tuna salad (with curry powder and Parmesan)

A easy on-the-go dinner (especially for a Friday)- we packed these tuna salad sandwiches to eat at the Children's Museum before their Member's Holiday Event yesterday. And I'd have to say it was some of the best tuna salad I've had. I doubled the recipe and added some celery to, too. And less mayo than called for, which, to me always seems like a good plan.

Ingredients

• 1 (7 ounce) can white tuna, drained and flaked
• 6 tablespoons mayonnaise or salad dressing
• 1 tablespoon Parmesan cheese
• 3 tablespoons sweet pickle relish
• 1/8 teaspoon dried minced onion flakes
• 1/4 teaspoon curry powder
• 1 tablespoon dried parsley
• 1 teaspoon dried dill weed
• 1 pinch garlic powder

Directions

1. In a medium bowl, stir together the tuna, mayonnaise, Parmesan cheese, and onion flakes. Season with curry powder, parsley, dill and garlic powder. Mix well and serve with crackers or on a sandwich.

Here is the original recipe/source.