I have to admit, In the past I wasn't much of a soup fan, but as time goes on, I realize just what a great meal soup is to have when the weather starts to turn cool.
I love that most recipes make enough food for a couple of meals...
I love that soup freezes so well...
I love that most soups are pretty healthy and diet friendly...well, most soups that aren't cream based that is. At least that's what I thought...until THIS soup entered my life.
This month, as an Allrecipe Allstar, I was given the opportunity to expand my palate and experience one of the best healthy animal protein options out there today...bison. I fully admit, my experience with bison has been very limited. Bison do not roam the prairies of Ohio...(wait, there are no prairies in Ohio!) I remember having a bison burger one time in a local restaurant years ago. I remember it being good...but that's where my bison story ends.
I was very excited to be a part of this campaign with The Bison Council and Allrecipes. So I began my adventures with bison by going onto The Bison Council's website and educating myself a bit on the wonders of bison. The Bison Council's website is great resource for all things bison.
Sweet Orange Cupcakes with Orange Buttercream Frosting are a sweet little orange treat! Soft and moist cake is accented with orange flavor and then more orange flavor is added with the Orange buttercream for a treat everyone loves!
I can't believe that today is the last Tuesday in September!! Is it just me, or did that go by in the blink of an eye?
I'm wondering if any of you have been joining me in celebrating "turkey" this month? If you haven't it's not too late to get on the bandwagon, because this recipe is absolutely delicious. If you have never had greens and pasta together, you are missing out!
Around my house, Sunday "Supper" is almost always Sunday "Brunch/Breakfast". It's the one meal a week, I insist anyone in my home, come down and join the table. It doesn't matter if you were up late the night before and you really want to sleep till noon ( I have 3 teens!)...that just isn't an option around here. Families can get so busy with activities, it can be a real challenge to find time when everyone is at home. Sunday mornings, for us, is that time.
Apple season is here!! In all it's apple-y glory. Living in NE Ohio, I can't even imagine Fall without apples...lots and lots of fresh apples. Beginning in September, local apples are abundant and available at just about every road side stand and farmers market you go to. They are priced right too! You will find even the big grocers in the area carrying local apples at a very good price!
So what to do with those apples once you bring them home?
Yup. I'm currently obsessed with making scones. I can't seem to stop. The possibilities are endless.
This latest creation, Mini Apple Cinnamon Swirl Scones with Caramel Drizzle are some of the best ones yet!
I need an intervention. I've still got more ideas for other scone flavors swirling around in my head...like a bad disease!
Fortunately, these are mini. So less damage done. Unfortunately, they are extremely delicious. Stopping at one might be an issue.
Remember when I mentioned making the Pumpkin Scones with Cream Cheese Glaze I made last week into mini's to make them more diet friendly? Well, I took my own advice, and did just that with these delectable treats.
Instead of forming one large disc, I formed two and cut each one into 8 minis. Oh, and by the way, this surface I'm using...it's one of those silicone mats and it rocks!! If you make a lot of biscuits or pies or bread, you NEED one of these in your life! (I got this super inexpensive one from Aldi--it was a special buy for those of you familiar with Aldi, but I know you can find them at other stores too! )
I also baked these on a silpat. (Love them!) My silpat got very greasy a few weeks ago...I threw it in the dishwasher, then read you aren't supposed to. Oops! I didn't ruin it, but I got that greasy film off and it works just fine.
I got the taste of caramel in the drizzle using this product right here. These flavorings are fantastic and you can get a wide variety of flavors from Wal-mart (so they are easy to find too!)
Remember to follow the technique suggestions I mentioned in my post for Pumpkin Scones. You can find them HERE.
Now don't you want a bite of this deliciousness?
Mini Apple Cinnamon Swirl Scones with Caramel Drizzle
milk (1%) to brush on tops of scones before baking
For Drizzle:
1 cup confectioners sugar
2 TBS 1% milk
1 tsp. caramel flavoring (or more to taste)
Directions:
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Line baking sheet with silpat or use parchment.
In a small bowl or large glass measure, combine the buttermilk, egg and vanilla. Set aside.
In a large food processor, with blade attachment, combine the flour, 1/4 cup granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, 1 tsp. ground cinnamon, and nutmeg. Pulse a few times to combine.
Add in cubed butter and process until butter is pea shaped.
Add in the cubed apples, and pulse once or twice to combine.
Dump the contents of the food processor into a large bowl and make a well in the center. Pour the buttermilk mixture in and mix until just combined with a wooden spoon.
Dump the dough onto a lightly floured surface, and work into a large ball. Divide the ball into two separate balls. Flatten each one and sprinkle some of the combined granulated sugar+cinnamon on top of each. Fold dough over and repeat. Gently knead dough a few more times (so you maintain the cinnamon swirl) , then flatten into discs that are about 1" to 3/4" thick. Cut each disc into 8 wedges. Transfer wedges to prepared baking sheet and brush tops of mini scones with milk.
Bake for 12 - 14 minutes or until slightly brown and firm. Remove from baking sheet and cool on rack. While still warm, in small bowl, combine the ingredients for the drizzle. Mix until smooth and drizzle over warm scones. Allow to sit to set up drizzle. Store loosely covered.
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AH-mazing. I'm taking what's left to work with me today. I don't want to be tempted! Of course, I am already thinking about the flavors I want to put together next time I make these! You can most definitely go old school and work the butter into the flour mixture with a pastry blender or (gasp) a fork...but I have found using the food processor takes so much work out of that process...I really wouldn't do it any other way.
I'd
love to try the Maple & Brown Sugar! It would definitely help me
in the mornings when I need to feed the baby her cereal as well as get
my toddler her breakfast!
and
Kelly
Kelly MoranSeptember 14, 2013 at 1:12 PM
I'd like to try apples & Cinnamon
The above comments were chosen randomly amongst the list of qualifying
comments. I will be emailing both winners to notify them. If you have
won, you will have 24 hours to respond to my email with contact
information so I can send out your prize or new winners may be
chosen.
HUGE thanks to all that participated in this giveaway and HUGE thanks to
all of you that visit this blog, comment, make the recipes...I wish I
could award a prize to each and every one of you!
It's Tuesday again, and that means another recipe for Turkey Tuesdays! Have any of you been making a point of having turkey on your menu on Tuesdays during the month of September?
This one is my very own creation. After trying an assigned recipe and not being thrilled with it, I wanted to create something I liked that had the same flavors going on...and Smoked Turkey and Cranberry Slaw Wrap was born!
I prefer smoked turkey as a choice for turkey deli meat over oven roasted or honey flavored. I think it has better flavor and texture than turkey deli meat that isn't smoked. I also think it keeps longer once you bring it home from the store. Maybe it's my imagination.
I used smoked deli turkey meat in this wrap and recreated a wonderful salad I had purchased from Costco a few weeks back to add to the wrap. OH MY...so good!
The slaw is a combination of broccoli slaw, raw pepitas, and dried cranberries dressed with a poppyseed dressing (I used Kraft). The flavors go PERFECTLY with the smoked turkey and there is a good deal of crunch going on too! It is all snuggly wrapped into a low carb tortilla. This wrap made my mouth very happy! The slaw is so good it can stand on it's own too, as a side dish.
I discovered a new low-in-carb wrap. (This is the tortilla wrap I used in this wrap recipe) They are soft and not rubbery at all. They are 60 calories, 2 g fat, 13g carbs, 5g protein, and 7g fiber each. They have good flavor. Yes, like most low carb wraps...they do have some not so natural preservatives in them...which doesn't thrill me. You can use whatever wrap you like to make this recipe, just keep in mind THIS is the wrap I used and calculated nutrition information from, so nutritional values may change if you use a different product.
In a small bowl, combine the broccoli slaw, pepitas, cranberries, and poppyseed dressing. Mix well.
Lay out 2 tortillas. On one end, put 2 oz. of smoked turkey topped with the slaw evenly divided between the two tortillas in a strip. Fold in the sides, and then roll up from bottom holding in the filling.
Cut in half, if desired, and enjoy!
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This was so darn good, I think I am going to have this several times this week for lunch! Like I mentioned, the slaw really could stand on it's own as a side. The sweet pop from the cranberries and the crunch from the broccoli slaw and pepitas make a winning combination!
Butterball has teamed up with Allrecipes
for "Turkey Tuesdays" and several allstars (including myself) have been
asked to bring you delicious turkey recipes each Tuesday in the month
of September. (Disclaimer: I was provided with product for this recipe via
Allrecipes as part of the Allstars program. All opinions expressed in this post are mine.)
I have to admit, even though I have committed to the Sunday Supper movement this month, most Sundays my family eats out. I make a nice big breakfast that we all sit down and enjoy, but then I get the rest of the day off from cooking. This week, we enjoyed an excellent Italian meal in Cleveland's Little Italy. I had the most amazing veal Parmesan I have ever eaten. It was pounded paper thin and not coated in any breading nor deep fried, but simply topped with a tomato sauce and melted mozzarella. It was fork tender and I enjoyed every last bite!
On Sundays, we usually only eat the two meals, breakfast and dinner...which, depending on what time we eat dinner, leaves us a little munchy in the evenings. Insert: Black Bean Hummus.
I know I've mentioned before, how much my entire family is hooked on AMC's Breaking Bad, and well, Sunday nights around here are scheduled for Breaking Bad! My son comes down and for an hour in the evening, we all sit and watch the show together...and sometimes enjoy a snack. And hey, if Breaking Bad isn't your thing and football is, this makes a great football or tailgate snack too! This Black Bean Hummus is the PERFECT snack to enjoy together!
No need to have any special ingredients, because this hummus is made with things you will probably all have in your pantries already. It's spicy and flavorful and makes a great healthy snack. You can serve this hummus with pita triangles, tortilla chips or assorted veggie dippers.
Black Bean Hummus
adapted from Allrecipes
Printable Recipes
Servings - 8 Serving Size - 1/8th of recipe Points Plus per Serving - 2 Points+
Calories - 83.8, Total Fat - 1.3g, Carb.- 13.5g, Protein 5.3g, Fiber - 4.8g
Ingredients:
2 cloves garlic, peeled
1-15oz. can of black beans, rinsed and drained
1 TBS creamy peanut butter
2 TBS lemon juice
2 TBS water
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
cayenne pepper, to your liking
paprika, olive oil and olives, for garnish, if desired
Directions:
In food processor, combine the garlic, black beans, peanut butter, lemon juice, water, ground cumin and salt. Process until creamy. Add in as much cayenne as you like. Garnish with paprika, olive oil, and olives, if desired.
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I know, you are probably thinking...ewww...beans and peanut butter?? But it really works so good. You don't really taste the peanut butter at all, but there is a great depth of flavor going on here.
Give this "different" hummus a chance! Call your whole family around and enjoy this healthy snack together!
If you like a more traditional hummus, check out my Homemade Hummus.
So after record high temps well into the 90's for the past couple of days, the struggle between the Winter Gods and the Summer Gods has taken a turn. Today it is 35 degrees cooler than it was 2 days ago. The winds are brisk and it is downright chilly out!! So yes, Fall has arrived. BAM!
So...because it is feeling so very Fallish outside my house right now, I bring you Pumpkin Scones with Cream Cheese Glaze...and let me tell you...perfect!!
I've been playing around with a recipe I found on Allrecipes a few days ago for scones. It was "faceless" (needed a picture) and it happened to be a recipe submitted by fellow Allstar, Paula who also has a wonderful food blog called The Rusty Spatula. It's a great recipe. I have made Banana Scones, Blueberry Orange Buttermilk Scones with Orange Glaze (perhaps a post for another day), and today these delicious Pumpkin Scones with Cream Cheese Glaze. These scones are light, flaky and just a tad drier than a good buttermilk biscuit. If you have never enjoyed a scone, you really need to. Think sweet biscuit with flavors.
Tips for making the best scones:
Make sure your butter is COLD. I mean, you can even cut it up into chunks and stick it in the freezer for a few minutes while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.
Less is more. Mix and handle the dough as little and as gently as possible once the dry and wet ingredients are combined.
When cutting the wedges, use a smooth edged knife (not serrated) and use a straight up and down movement to cut. DO not saw the pieces or they will not rise well.
Make sure you oven is pre-heated to the correct temperature given in the recipe before you put your scones in to bake. This will allow maximum rise and help them be light and flaky.
These scones really "hit the spot" for breakfast today, still warm from the oven with the glaze all oozing, along side my warm cup of coffee. These scones are HUGE!! They are an indulgent 9pp when they are divided up by 8, but if you make mini scones, you can enjoy one for 5pp. Directions for making mini scones can be found below.
Servings - 8 BIG scones Serving Size - 1 scone w/ glaze Points Plus per Serving - 9 Points+
Calories - 322.3, Total Fat - 10.5g, Carb. - 54.6g, Protein - 5.6g, Fiber - 1.7g
Ingredients:
2 cups all purpose flour
1/4 cup brown sugar, packed
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp fresh ground nutmeg
pinch of cloves
6 TBS COLD unsalted butter, cubed
1/2 cup pure pumpkin puree
2/3 cup low-fat buttermilk
1 large egg, slightly beaten
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/4 cup golden raisins
For Glaze:
1 oz. softened 1/3 reduced fat cream cheese
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 cup powdered sugar
2-3 TBS 1% milk
Directions:
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Line large baking sheet with parchment OR a slipat liner.
In small bowl or large glass measure, combine the pumpkin, buttermilk, egg, and vanilla extract. Set aside.
In food processor, add flour, brown sugar, salt, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves. Pulse a few times to combine.
Add COLD butter and pulse until the butter is pea-sized
Pour the flour-butter mixture into large bowl, make a well in the middle, and pour the pumpkin mixture into the center. Mix with wooden spoon just until combined. Add in the raisins.
Dump the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead gently a few times to combine. Shape into a disc about 1 inch thick and cut like a pie, into 8 slices. Place slices on prepared baking sheet about 2" apart. Bake in 425 degree oven for 12 -15 minutes. Remove to wire rack to cool.
While scones are baking, combine the cream cheese, vanilla extract and powdered sugar in small bowl until smooth. Add 2 - 3 TBS milk and mix until the glaze is thin and smooth. Spoon onto warm scones and allow set up. Enjoy warm or at room temp. Cover loosely to store.
-----------------------
YUM...these scones were great!! If you want to cut down on the calories, you can make mini scones by forming two discs and cut both discs into 8 pieces, yielding 16 scones instead of 8. You may need to adjust baking time if you choose to make mini scones.
I love the golden raisins in these, but I know many people are not raisin fans. You can omit the raisins or replace them with mini chocolate chips if you wish (nutrition information may change if you do either).
The weather sure did change quickly this week. It's one of those crazy Lake Effect days here...sunny, cloudy, pouring rain, sunny...repeat. I'm not fond of Lake Effect at all. Has it turned fall where you are?
For this week's turkey recipe, I am sharing with you Hawaiian Turkey Burgers made with Butterball® Seasoned Frozen Turkey Burgers. The Butterball® Frozen Turkey Burgers come 6 HUGE burgers to a box and they cook right from the frozen state...no need to thaw before cooking. I really liked that! You can grill, broil, or skillet cook them. I grilled them on my gas grill. They are pre-seasoned and remain quite juicy after cooking. They are on the salty side and a bit high in sodium (680mg per burger) so that was a negative for me.
The real "stars" of this turkey burger are the grilled pineapple and the sweet chili mayo though. I mean grilled pineapple? YUM! The sweet chili mayo is simply a one to one ratio of light mayonnaise to chili sauce and it's delicious! I served some baked fries along side and this sauce was not only great on the burger, but it was also great to dip the fries in instead of ketchup.
The nutritional stats for his burger are high... but I found the burger was so big and thick, I could only eat about half until I was full. Overall, this is a good recipe to make on a busy weeknight. Although if I made this recipe again, I think I would opt to make my own turkey burger from fresh ground turkey to help cut down on the fat and sodium that are in these pre-made burgers.
Since I didn't change a thing in this recipe (except for using light mayo and thin cheddar), I am just going to provide you with a link for the recipe HERE.
The nutrition information is as follows: Servings - 6, Serving size - 1 burger with all the fixings as described in the recipe, Points Plus per Serving -16 Points+ Calories - 653, Total Fat - 37g, Carb. - 37.4g, Protein - 31.4g, Fiber - 2.1g *Like I mentioned, this burger is HUGE...I was completely satisfied with half a burger with all the fixings which would cut the PP in about half.
Butterball has teamed up with Allrecipes
for "Turkey Tuesdays" and several allstars (including myself) have been
asked to bring you delicious turkey recipes each Tuesday in the month
of September. (Disclaimer: I was provided with product for this recipe via
Allrecipes as part of the Allstars program. All opinions expressed in this post are mine.)
-----------------------------
Don't forget to enter to win some coupons for FREE Weight Watchers® Oatmeal and enter for a chance to win $5000!!! Go HERE for details!
And...I'm kinda excited, because I just realized that season 2 of "Homeland" is being released today! Yay! I got sucked into the series after buying my husband season one for Christmas. We don't have any premium cable channels at our house, so we've just been enjoying it on DVD. I'm also a recent fan of "Breaking Bad" (son got me hooked). We power watched the entire first 4 seasons and half of the fifth over the summer to get ready for it to go back on TV. I'm really sad that the series will be ending after a few short episodes....but ya know, as they say..."all bad things must come to a end!" Never fear though, BB will be replaced by the new season of "The Walking Dead" which I sure hope is better than the last season! Are you a fan of any of the series I've mentioned above?
Sunday Supper is a simple concept..."eat a great meal around the table with your family".
This is a concept that is near and dear to my heart. A concept I have always believed in and practiced in my own family and even now that two of my kids are gone away to college, I still practice daily with my youngest son. But it is more than just about the food...it is about families spending quality time together. It is about making a commitment to one another. It is about positive communication.
During the month of September, I will be joining Allrecipes in celebrating #Sunday Supper.
Allrecipes has put together a recipe collection that is perfect for sharing Sunday Supper with your family. Healthy, tasty meals that everyone will enjoy. For meal inspiration, you can browse the AR collection HERE or check out the pinterest collection HERE. Chipotle Crusted Pork Tenderloin is one of those recipes in the collection. It's wonderful. I only made a few changes to the original recipe. I cut the chili powder called for in half and I didn't put the tenderloins in the refrigerator once they were coated in the rub so that they could come closer to room temperature before grilling to make for a more even cooking. One serving of this delicious pork tenderloin is about 183 calories, 6.1g fat, 11.7g carbohydrates, 20.4g protein, and 1.4g fiber (nutrition info source: Allrecipes) That is only 5pp per serving! You can find the recipe HERE. If you scroll through the pictures for this recipe on AR, you might even spot the one above, which was my contribution to the gallery!
Won't you join me in this wonderful movement? All you need to do is make a meal (or hey, have someone else in your family make it! ) then sit down and enjoy the food and each others company! That's it! If you feel so inclined, snap some pictures and share them on your facebook, twitter, or instagram and use the #SundaySupper. And it doesn't have to happen on Sunday either...any day of the week is a good day for Sunday Supper!
Flat Iron Steak with Egg and Arugula Salad is a quick and easy low carb weeknight meal option featuring tender Flat Iron Steak served with a fried egg and a delightful arugula salad with bacon. A MUST TRY!
What is a Turketarian? A Turketarian is, simply, someone who enjoys eating turkey and it's Butterball's® latest campaign. Sure, almost everyone knows turkey is synonymous with Thanksgiving, but turkey is great every single day of the year! Butterball has teamed up with Allrecipes for "Turkey Tuesdays" and several allstars (including myself) have been asked to bring you delicious turkey recipes each Tuesday in the month of September. (Disclaimer: I was provided with product for this recipe via Allrecipes as part of the Allstars program. All opinions expressed in this post are mine.)
Butterball® feels there is a bit of Turketarian in everyone. I have joined the Turketarian movement and you can too! Just following this link: Join the Turketarian Movement and discover your inner Turketarian. I found out I am a Healthy Hero (I eat turkey as part of a healthy lifestyle.) No surprise there! By joining the movement, you will also have access to a great FREE mobile app for turkey recipes and be able to grab some great money saving coupons! Who doesn't like to eat healthy AND save money?
Turkey is a great protein option for those of us concerned with health and fitness. Turkey is naturally low in fat without the skin, containing only 1 gram of fat per ounce of flesh. A 5-ounce serving provides almost half of the recommended daily allowance of folic acid, and is a good source of vitamins B, B1,B6, zinc and potassium. Most importantly, TURKEY TASTES GREAT!!
Today, so many turkey products are available for purchase...From whole birds, to sausages, to ground meat, to bacon, to deli meats...and the ways you can incorporate turkey into your everyday meal plans are almost endless. When it comes to variety, Butterball® has got you covered! Click HERE to see all that Butterball® has to offer!
One turkey item, that is almost always in my freezer is turkey smoked sausage. Butterball® makes a Smoked Turkey Dinner Sausage that is lower in fat and calories than smoked sausages made from beef and/or pork but is every bit as delicious.
I only made a few changes to adapt it for my family. I substituted the eggs for fat free egg product (ie Eggbeaters®), reduced the oil, and substituted yellow onion for green (because that is what I had on hand). I served this beautiful frittata for breakfast, but this dish would make an awesome dinner or lunch as well. This frittata is full of flavor and guess what? No one in my family even knew I used fat free egg product!
What takes this frittata over the top in flavor, is the combination of the turkey smoked sausage, sun-dried tomatoes and the fresh basil. If you can't get fresh basil, I think fresh spinach would be a suitable substitute, but it would definitely change the flavor. To help keep the calories in check I used the dry packed sun-dried tomatoes, and not the ones packed in oil.
So why not join me and give "Turkey Tuesdays" a try in your house too?
Servings - 8 Serving Size - 1/8th of the frittata Points Plus per Serving - 5 Points+
Calories - 177.6, Total Fat - 8.6g, Carb. - 6.8g, Protein - 18.3g, Fiber - 0.3g
Ingredients:
1 (14 ounce) packageButterball® Smoked Turkey Dinner Sausage, halved lengthwise, and cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices
1/2 cup yellow onion, diced
1 TBS olive oil
1 (16 oz) carton of egg substitute (ie Egg Beaters®)
3/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese, part skim
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
16 torn fresh basil leaves
1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes, NOT packed in oil
fresh ground black pepper, to taste
additional basil, for garnish, if desired
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
2. Heat an oven-proof 10"skillet over med heat with olive oil. Add in the sausage and onion and cook until onion is translucent and the onion and sausage begin to brown. About 5 minutes.
3. In medium bowl, combine the egg substitute, cheeses, torn basil, sun-dried tomatoes, and black pepper. (resist the urge to add salt, as the Parmesan cheese and the sausage add enough salt to the dish)
4. Pour the egg mixture onto the sausage and onion mixutre. Continue to heat on stovetop, on medium heat until edges just begin to set. (about 6 minutes or so)
5. Once the edges begin to set, transfer the skillet to the preheated oven. Bake, uncovered, until the middle is set. ( I found it took about 15-20 minutes at 375 degrees, but it will depend on how long it cooked stove top. If you jiggle the pan, and you don't see any movement in the middle, it's done)
6. Let frittata cool for about 5 minutes before cutting it into 8 wedges.* Garnish with additional basil, if desired. Serve warm.
*Traditionally, frittatas are supposed to be inverted onto a serving platter before serving, but I don't like to do that. I prefer to serve it from the pan.
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After a slow start this year, my patio basil is finally doing fantastic. I was happy to find a recipe to use some of it up in. The flavors in this frittata are amazing, especially if you love basil and sun-dried tomatoes. The turkey sausage compliments the flavors perfectly.
Be sure to visit the Butterball® site and take the quiz to find out what type of Turketarian you are! Then leave me a comment here and let me know what you got!
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