Sweet Potato Biscuits

Original Recipe HERE

I made these because I had a rogue sweet potato that I wasn't inspired by.  Then I stumbled upon this recipe.  The results were good, all-purpose, standard biscuits.  The sweet potato flavor wasn't as strong as I'd expected, but that was perfectly fine.  Both kids loved these, and they held up pretty well in a sealed container for two days (got a little "humid" before they dried out, but it wasn't a big deal).

I made this with a food processor per the directions, but I think they could be made with a regular bowl, whisk, pastry cutter, and serious elbowgrease.  I also used a silpat and a star-shaped cookie cutter to make it interesting for the kids.  The puffed-up biscuits held their shape well, so next time I'll be more adventurous.

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup butter, chilled and cubed

1 cup cooked & mashed sweet potatoes, cooked & mashed

1/3 cup milk

2 Tablespoons honey

Cooking Spray

Directions

(1) Preheat oven to 400 F.

(2) Place flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in food processor.  Pulse to combine.

(3) Add butter.  Pulse until it resembles coarse meal.

(4) Add sweet potatoes, milk and honey.  Pulse until dough comes together.

(5) Place dough onto parchment paper and knead 5 times.

(6) Place another parchment paper on top.  Roll out to 1/2" to 3/4" thick.  Cut into biscuits.

(7) Place biscuits on silpat or parchment-lined baking sheet coated with cooking spray.

(8) Bake 12-15 minutes (depending on size of biscuits) or until lightly golden.  Cool and serve.

Notes: I would serve them with salted butter or honey. Pumpkin or apple butter could be tasty but might overwhelm the slight sweet potato flavor.

Kid Participation:

* Add dry ingredients to food processor bowl

* Pulse food processor

* Knead dough

* Roll dough

* Cut out biscuit shapes

Cauliflower & Craisin Couscous

Original Recipe HERE

I wasn't sure how this recipe was going to turn out.  It had definite potential for being too bland for my taste.  But with two key additions (that are included below), it was a great meal that I was happy to have for lunch the next day.  The salty garlic-ness of the Roasted Garlic Caesar "Almond Accents" (aka, salad toppers) and distinct goat cheese flavor made the dish more interesting than it would've been otherwise.

I really like the TJ's Harvest Blend and think it's worth the extra shopping trip to stock up on as many bags as they have in stock (which usually isn't many).  If using couscous, I recommend the Israeli variety so that it doesn't seem like you're just eating sauteed vegetables mixed in with a mushy base.  The kids liked the craisins but weren't fans of the rest of it...they're so unpredictable when it comes to cauliflower.

This made enough for two adults to each dinner and each have some for lunch the next day.

Ingredients

8 ounces Trader Joe's Harvest Blend or couscous

1/2 Tablespoon butter

1/2 Tablespoon olive oil

1 head of cauliflower, broken and chopped up into bite size pieces

1/2 onion, chopped

1 large carrot, shredded or chopped

1/4 cup slivered almonds
1/2 cup dried cranberries or raisins

salt & pepper
goat cheese crumbles (optional)

Directions

(1) Cook Harvest Blend or couscous according to package directions (I used half chicken broth and half water).

(2) In large frying pan on low heat, toast almonds and set aside.

(3) In same frying pan on medium low heat, melt butter and add olive oil until heated through.

(4) Add cauliflower, onion and pinch of salt. Toss to coat. Cook about 2 minutes.

(5) Add carrots and craisins. When cauliflower is fork tender, add couscous and stir together. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

(6) Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly.  Sprinkle in toasted almonds and goat cheese, if using.

Notes: I used garlic and herb goat cheese but may experiment with other cheeses.

Kid Participation: None.

Easy Marinated Chicken Breasts

This is a good recipe to have in a collection when you don't know what else to make for dinner, but plain chicken breasts sound totally unappetizing.  It's very flexible, so it's pretty much impossible not to have all the ingredients handy.  These turn out flavorful and can then be added to pasta or fried rice or whatever else you may have the time and energy to make.

Ingredients

1 to 2 Tablespoons vinegar (cider, balsamic, or red wine)

2 to 3 teaspoons dried herbs (thyme, oregano, rosemary, crumbled bay leaf, etc.)

1 to 2 Tablespoons mustard (whole grain or Dijon)

1 to 2 teaspoons garlic or onion powder (optional)

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

3-4 boneless skinless chicken breasts

Directions

(1) Put vinegar, herbs, mustard, powders, and oil in large re-sealable plastic bag or plastic storage container. Close and shake to combine.

(2) Add chicken to marinade and cover thoroughly.  Allow to marinate at least half an hour.

(3) Cook chicken on Foreman grill, grill pan, or in oven at 375 degrees 20-30 minutes or until cooked through.

Notes: None.

Kid Participation: Shake chicken and marinade together.

Slow Cooker Cranberry Chicken

Original Recipe HERE

A "seasonal" meal that adds a bit of autumn to your table - and is really easy to make.  I had trouble finding "whole berry cranberry sauce," but apparently half a bag of Craisins and 3/4 cup of water can be subsituted.  I usually add vegetables halfway through the cooking time so they retain a little of their crunch, but they can be added at the beginning with everything else and with no harm done.

I served this with brown rice because I was lazy.  Both kids ate what I gave them and asked for more.

Ingredients
3 skinless boneless chicken breasts
1 can (16 oz) whole berry cranberry sauce
1 cup barbecue sauce
1/2 onion, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Directions
(1) Put chicken, cranberry sauce, barbecue sauce, salt, and ppper into slow cooker.  Cook on low for 7-8 hours or high for 3-4 hours (until chicken is cooked through).
(2) Halfway through cooking time, add onion and celery.

Notes: I may try it with Craisins and water next time because I always have Craisins in the pantry.

Kid Participation: None.

Gnocchi with Chicken and Spinach

Original Recipe HERE

This is a recipe with a few basic ingredients that come together to make a tasty meal.  The key here is using gnocchi, since it's more filling than regular pasta, as well as a different texture.  This also lends itself easily to adding different spices (more garlic, dried basil or oregano, etc.) and increasing the amount of chicken or spinach, depending on how many people you're feeding.

I found the chicken to be somewhat dried out after browing it in the pan - perhaps I cooked it for too long.  But next time I'll Foreman grill or poach the chicken first and then brown it in the pan just enough to infuse some flavor in it.

Ingredients
2 large boneless skinless chicken breasts, diced
1 (17.5 oz) package shelf-stable gnocchi
2 large cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup onion, chopped
3 teaspoons olive oil, separated
1 Tablespoon butter
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt [or more to taste]
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
3/4 - 1 cup spinach, chopped

Directions
(1) Cook gnocchi according to package directions.
(2) Meanwhile, heat 1 teaspoon olive oil in large skillet on medium heat. Add diced chicken; sauté until lightly
browned.
(3) Add garlic and onion; cook until softened and fragrant (2-3 minutes).
(4) Add remaining olive oil, butter, drained gnocchi, salt, and pepper. Cook until gnocchi are golden brown on bottoms.
(5) Use spatula to flip the gnocchi. Add spinach and cook, tossing frequently, until wilted (about 3 minutes). Serve hot.

Notes: See above about alternate means for cooking chicken.  I could add a can of diced tomatoes or whisk together some tomato paste with a little water.

Kid Participation: None.

Mushroom Cheese Bread

Original Recipe Found in Taste of Home's 2006 Quick Cooking Annual Recipes

I rely on frozen, not-homemade garlic bread way too often, but we all love it...a hard, lazy habit to break.  So I was in the market for some new variations on a favorite side.  This was an easy way to dress up plain bread and more special than just tossing some shredded mozzarella on the frozen loaf.

I thought that there wasn't enough topping for an entire loaf of Italian bread, so I only used half of one.  This was a mistake, as the topping couldn't melt enough and the bread didn't get as crispy as I'd have liked.

Ingredients

1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

1 can (4 oz) mushroom pieces, drained or 1 cup fresh mushrooms, sliced thin

1/3 cup mayonnaise

2 Tablespoons grated parmesan cheese

2 Tablespoons chopped green onion

2 teaspoons Italian seasoning [optional]

1 loaf (1 pound) unsliced French or Italian bread

Directions

(1) Slice loaf in half length-wise.  Toast or broil until just crisped (not browned).

(2) In bowl, combine mozzarella, mushrooms, mayonnaise, parmesan, and onion.  Spread mixture over bread.

(3) Broil 5-10 minutes or until lightly browned and cheese is melted.

Notes: I used Italian bread this time, so I'll try French the next.  I'll also add some garlic powder to the cheese mixture.

Kid Participation:

* Mix topping ingredients together

* Spread cheese mixture over bread (if cooled)

Black Bean Spinach Pizza

Original Recipe Found in Taste of Home's 2006 Quick Cooking Annual Recipes

I love homemade pizza, but I worry my family gets tired of having it the same way every time.  This seemed like a somewhat healthy alternative version.

I didn't think the amount of beans would be enough, so I added another half-can of garbanzos.  In retrospect, there was too much bean-iness on the pizza, so I'll stick with the recommended one can next time.

Ingredients

pizza crust [I used this one]

1 can (15 oz) black beans, rinsed and drained

1/3 cup finely chopped onion

1 teaspoon chili powder

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon minced garlic

3/4 cup salsa

1/2 cup frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry

1/2 teaspoon hot sauce [optional]

1/2 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese

1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Directions

(1) Preheat oven to 450 degrees.  Prepare pizza crust according to directions

(2) In small bowl, combine beans, onion, chili powder, cumin, and garlic.  Mash (I used a pastry cutter) until a spreadable consistency is reached.  Spread over crust.

(3) In another bowl, combine salsa, spinach, and hot sauce.  Layer over bean mixture.

(4) Sprinkle cheese over pizza.

(5) Bake 8-10 minutes or until golden brown.

Notes: More toppings, like chopped green onions or canned diced green chilis, would add more flavor.  So would using different types of cheese.  A different salsa, like a pineapple-based one, could be good.

Kid Particpation:

* Mash bean mixture

* Stir salsa mixture

* Sprinkle cheese