Multigrain Oatmeal with Nuts

*updated 2/3/11 with corrected serving size and cooking instructions.

I recently found a few boxes of instant multigrain oatmeal on clearance. We loved them and when I went back to look for more, I found out that it was a closeout and they no longer make it. So I made a trip to the bulk section of Spouts (a new favorite grocery store of mine) and made my own mix. We're loving it and, if the nutritionists are right, so are our hearts. =)

6 cups of rolled oats

1/2 cup flaxseed (ground)

1 cup rolled barley, wheat bran or wheat germ

1/2 cup amaranth grain

1/2 cup almond meal

1 cup chopped nuts (pecans/walnuts)

1 heaping Tbs cinnamon

1 tsp salt

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup white sugar

Mix and put in a Ziplock back or airtight container. Store in the refrigerator or freezer.

Use 3/4 cup of mix and 1 1/2 cups water or milk. Microwave 1 minute. Stir and microwave 30 seconds more if needed.

Recipe: Banana Muffins

After doing some "research" and combining a couple recipes, I do believe I've come up with the world's best banana muffins (that may be a tiny overstatement). =) Anyway, give them a try. . . I think you'll like them!

Tip: These muffins freeze very well and make for a great fast breakfast. To freeze: cool muffins completely then wrap each one in plastic wrap. Place all muffins in a gallon sized freezer bag and freeze. Reheat individual muffins for 30-45 seconds.

Banana Muffins

Preheat oven to 350F. Spray muffin pan with nonstick spray.

In a mixing bowl, combine:

3 large mashed bananas (the riper the better)

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup white sugar

1 egg

1/3 cup softened butter

1 tsp vanilla

2 tsp cinnamon

In another bowl, sift together and then add all at once to wet mixture:

1 1/2 c flour

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp soda

1/2 tsp salt.

Fold in dry ingredients. Do not overmix.

Fill muffin tin (should make about 12 large muffins).

In a small bowl, combine until crumbly:

1/4 cup butter (not too soft)

2/3 cup flour

3 Tbs brown sugar

1 tsp cinnamon

Sprinkle crumb mixture on muffins.

Bake at 350F for about 25 minutes.

Banana Pops!

I know it's the end of summer for most of you, but if you're in the mood for one last taste of summer, give this a try. I'm not a banana fanatic, but these are delish and super easy to make. This is a great "cooking" project for toddlers. Caleb was able to do almost every step (with help) and he was so proud of the finished product.

Mmmmmmm!

(sorry, this is a terrible picture)

Chocolate & Peanut Butter Banana Pops

4 Bananas

8 popsicle sticks

about 1/2 cup chocolate chips

2-3 Tbs peanut butter

2 tsp butter

sprinkles

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Cut the bananas in half, leaving the peel intact. Insert a popsicle stick 1/2 into into each banana and then peel (this keeps the banana from breaking apart). Place the bananas a parchment paper lined baking sheet and freeze for about 15 minutes to chill the bananas (this makes the chocolate stick better).

Microwave the chocolate chips, peanut butter and butter for 30 seconds. Stir and repeat until melted. Dip the partially-frozen bananas into chocolate mixture. Sprinkle with decorations and return to freezer.

Allow to freeze for at least 3 hours.

The As-Good-As-Boxed Brownies

I love all things made from scratch. I'm into making bread, tortillas, muffins, cakes, cookies, egg noodles, yogurt, pizza and anything else I can find a good recipe for. But, I have a confession to make: I am a boxed brownie fanatic. That's right. . . boxed. The kind with a million preservatives and ingredients I can't pronounce. I love them. Seriously. I can eat a whole pan by myself if I forgo all self-control. Even when I exercise great self-control, I still end up nibbling away 3/4 of the pan over a period of a few days (no one else in my house loves brownies with the same passion).

So, when I finally found a from-scratch recipe for brownies that taste just like the boxed kind, I was thrilled! Why? What's the point? The point is, homemade brownies are way healthier (no preservatives and whatnot) so now I can eat the whole pan with no guilt =)

And, now, I am passing along this gift to you, my brownie-loving friends. May you eat your brownies in peace!

As-Good-As-Boxed Brownies
1/2 cup margarine
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 Tbs vanilla
6 Tbs cocoa
2 Tbs oil
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup nuts (optional)

Combine margarine, sugar and vanilla. Add eggs and beat well. Blend in cocoa, oil then flour. Add nuts, if desired. Bake in greased 8x8 pan at 325 for 30 minutes. Do not overbake (duh!)

Pizza Margherita

I have been experimenting with making homemade pizza lately (finding good pizza here is kind of hard). I think I finally settled on a pizza dough recipe. It's flavorful, thin but not crackery, and easy to make. Here is the dough recipe and an idea on what to do with it.

Honey & Wine Pizza Dough
(serves 2-3 people)

In a mixing bowl combine:

• 3/4 cups warm water
• 1/4 cup white wine
• 1 1/2 tsp active yeast
• 1 tsp honey
• 2 tsp salt
• 2 Tbs olive oil

Allow yeast to foam (about 5 minutes) before stirring in:

• 3 cups flour

Turn on to floured board and knead 2 minutes. Place in oiled bowl, cover, and allow to double (about 1 hour). Punch down and allow to rest 15 minutes. Divide in 2. Roll out into 8-10" rounds.



Pizza Margherita
(makes two small pizzas)

In a small bowl combine:

• 3-4 Roma Tomatoes (or any good ripe tomatoes)--diced
• 2 cloves garlic--minced
• 3 Tbs Olive Oil
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp cracked pepper

Allow to marinate for at least 1 hour (while dough is rising). Spread tomato mixture evenly on the pizza dough rounds. Sprinkle with:

• fresh chopped basil

Bake at 475 for 6 minutes then top with:

• shredded mozzarella cheese

Return to oven and finish baking, about 4 minutes. Top with fresh basil and serve immediately.

Spicy Lettuce Wraps with Even Spicier Garlic Ginger Dipping Sauce

Okay, this recipe is a little more involved that the last recipe I posted, but it is well worth the work. It looks like a lot of ingredients, but several of them are repeated, so it isn't as bad as it seems. I promise your taste buds will be tap dancing with glee.

Spicy Lettuce Wraps with Even Spicier Garlic Ginger Dipping Sauce

Ingredients:
Meat Mixture
1 lb ground pork
1/2 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbs spicy sesame oil (if you can't find this at the store, you can mix regular sesame oil with chili oil)

Stir Fry Sauce
1/4 c water
1 tsp cornstarch
1/3 c soy sauce
1/4 c vinegar
1/2 Tbs oil
1/2 Tbs spicy sesame oil
1 tsp red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp ceyenne pepper
1-2 tsps chili sauce (we like SinSin Extra Hot Chili Sauce)
1/2 tsp ginger (I just use ground ginger, but I'm sure fresh minced is even tastier)

Garlic Ginger Dipping Sauce
1/4 c water
3/4 tsp cornstarch
1/3 c sugar
1/3 c vinegar
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 tsp ginger
1 tsp spicy sesame oil
1-2 cloves minced garlic
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes

Extras:
2-3 green onions, chopped
1 head iceburg lettuce

Instructions:

1. Start with the dipping sauce, so it has time to cool. Mix together the water and cornstarch. Add mixture and all other ingredients to a large frying pan or wok. While stirring, heat over low heat until sugar is dissolved. Pour into a small serving bowl and set aside to cool to room temp.
2. In the same pan, prepare the meat mixture. Heat the oil and then add all other ingredients. Cook over med-high heat until meat is browned. Transfer to a serving bowl and set aside.
3. In the same pan, prepare stir-fry sauce by mixing together all ingredients (first dissolve cornstarch in water as for dipping sauce). Stir over med heat until slightly thickened.
   
4. Turn up the heat on stir-fry sauce and add meat mixture. Fry meat in sauce for about 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Transfer back into serving dish and add green onions. Stir.
5. To serve, spoon a small portion of meat onto a chilled lettuce leaf. Wrap leaf around meat and dip in sauce.

This dish is great accompanied by fresh pineapple! The spicy and sweet complement each other very well.

Spicy Tomato Soup

As promised in a recent post, here is the first of several of our spicy favorites. I debated about whether or not to even post this "recipe" because it is soooo simple, however since Josh and I eat this soup at least once a week, I decided it really did qualify as a favorite. Thankfully, simplicity and deliciousity aren't mutually exclusive =)

Rebecca's Spicy Tomato Soup

In a small saucepan, stir together 1 can of Campbell's Tomato Soup with 1/2 can water and 1/2 can of milk. Add several dashes of Lawry's Garlic Salt (Lawry's is the only brand I like), an 1/8 tsp of black pepper, and a scant 1/4 tsp Ceyenne pepper (start with small, dream big). Heat over low heat until steaming. Spoon into bowls and garnish with a little dried basil (or fresh is you're trying to pass this off as gourmet).
Serve with grilled cheese sandwiches and a salad.

All I can say about this meal is "YUM! YUM!" Skeptical??? Try it and let me know what you think.

Spicy Food Contest

While waiting in the doctor's office for hours on end last week (three appointments in one day: ultrasound appointment with specialist, prenatal appointment with OB, and Caleb's 18-month check-up with pediatrician!) I read an article about "Chili Heads". . . people who travel the world over to chase down the next hottest chili. Josh and I aren't Chili Heads (yet) but we're definitely addicted to spicy food. If I had to give up all other spices (besides salt and garlic because you have to have salt and garlic to even stay alive, right?) and was able to keep only one spice in my cupboard, it would definitely be Ceyenne pepper (Watkins, of course, right Grandma?)

In the next few days (as I have time) I am going to be posting a few of my recent spicy creations, recipes I've invented or tweaked to satisfy our spicy cravings.

Here's where the contest comes in: If you have a blog, I'm calling on you to post your favorite spicy recipe (let me know so I can link them back here and enter you in the contest). If you don't have a blog, but still want to participate, just leave the recipe as a comment on this post. The spicier the better!!

Since it would be totally subjective to choose the *best* recipe, all participants will be entered into a drawing for a sampling of some of the spicy food (soup mixes, etc) found here in Singapore. One winner will be chosen at random by a highly scientific method known only to me and a handful of world-renowned statisticians. Contest ends the 1st of May, so hurry!

Bon appétit épicé!

Baking is Better than Disneyland

Today, I introduced Caleb into the world of baking. . . well, sort of. Since we didn't actually do any baking because we made these, what I introduced to him was the world of dumping pre-measured ingredients into a pot and stirring.

Step 1: Dump everything Mom gives you into the pot.

Step 2: Take a sip of milk from the measuring cup.


Step 3: Smile real big.


Step 4: Clean-up. Be sure to lick every last bit of chocolately peanut butter goodness off!



To a curious, mess-loving 16-month old, I am pretty darn sure that dumping, stirring and "cleaning" are more exciting than a trip to Disneyland. And since Disneyland is a lot more expensive and time-consuming (especially considering the trans-Pacific flight such a trip to would entail right now), a 30-minute "baking" project ranks higher in this Mom's book, too!

Yummy Pie Recipe

We went over to a friend's house for dessert and she introduced me to this delicious recipe. She found it here on Oprah.com

Oats 'n Honey Granola Pie

Created by Suzanne Conrad

INGREDIENTS

Crust

1 Pillsbury® refrigerated pie crust (from 15-oz box), softened as directed on box

Filling

	1/2 cup butter or margarine
	1/2 cup packed brown sugar
	3/4 cup corn syrup
	1/8 teaspoon salt
	1 teaspoon vanilla
	3 eggs, lightly beaten
	4 Nature Valley® Oats 'n Honey crunchy granola bars (2 pouches) crushed. To easily crush granola bars, do not unwrap. Use rolling pin to crush bars.
	1/2 cup chopped walnuts
	1/4 cup quick-cooking or old-fashioned oats
	1/4 cup chocolate chips
	Whipped cream or ice cream, if desired

Heat oven to 350°F.

Place piecrust in 9-inch glass pie pan as directed on box for One-Crust Filled Pie.

In large microwavable bowl, microwave butter on high 50 to 60 seconds or until melted.

Stir in brown sugar and corn syrup until blended. Beat in salt, vanilla and eggs.

Stir crushed granola bars, walnuts, oats and chocolate chips into brown sugar mixture. Pour into crust-lined pan.

Bake 40 to 50 minutes or until filling is set and crust is golden brown. During last 15 to 20 minutes of baking, cover crust edge with strips of foil or pie shield to prevent excessive browning.

Cool at least 30 minutes before serving. Serve warm, at room temperature, or chilled with whipped cream or ice cream.

Store in refrigerator.

Holy Moly Green Guacamole!!

Does your guacamole turn brown overnight? Mine does! Or rather. . . DID. This weekend I was over at my dad's house for dinner and learned a kitchen secret that my gourmet granny taught my dad years ago. Somehow the knowledge didn't make it to me until just a few days ago.

The secret to keeping your guacamole green is in the pits! Prepare your guacamole as usual but instead of tossing those avocado pits, save them. When you're done making the guacamole, drop the pits into the dish. I'm not sure what the exact science of it is, but I guess the pits release some sort of chemical that keeps the avocado from turning brown.

On Sunday, I brought home some of my dad's delicious guacamole (pits included) and served the leftovers to guests last night. It was still as green as the day it was made. . .four days later!

Maybe this is one of those commonly known things and I was just out of the loop, but I thought I'd share it just in case!

Chicken Satay

Although it isn't exactly a Singaporean dish ("they" aren't sure where it originated, possibly Indonesia), Satay is a popular entree throughout Southeast Asia, Singapore included. There are a million versions of this simple meal but here is a recipe for one of Josh's and my favorite variations. Hope you enjoy!

Because several of the ingredients are unusual items (at least in my kitchen), I recommend doubling or tripling the recipe and freezing the extra prior to cooking. I'll include the freezer directions, just in case.


Chicken Satay
Serves 6

Marinade/Sauce
6 cloves minced garlic
4 Tbs grated ginger (you can usually find it in a jar where the garlic is)
4 Tbs cider vinegar
4 green onions, sliced
1/2 cup cilantro, chopped
1 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup Hoisin sauce (in Asian section of store)
1/2 cup soy sauce
4 Tbs peanut butter (smooth works better)
4 Tbs sesame oil (you can substitute veg oil, but the flavor of sesame is better)
2 Tbs honey
2 tsp crushed red pepper (or more to taste!)

Instructions:
Mix the above together. Divide in two. Half will be used to marinade the chicken. Half will be heated and used as a sauce.

Marinade 6 boneless, skinless breasts (cut into 1-2 inch slices) for at least an hour.
Skewer marinated meat and grill on BBQ. Use extra marinade to baste chicken, but be sure that marinade thoroughly cooked with the meat!

Heat reserved sauce. Serve chicken with sauce over rice. Grilled veggies and fresh tropical fruit round out the meal nicely.

Freezer instructions:
Make marinade/sauce and put half in a freezer bag with chicken. Put the other half in a quart-sized bag. Place both bags inside a 3rd bag and label. Allow meat/sauce to thaw completely before cooking.

Going Bananas Bread

I recently purchased a LARGE bunch of bananas, half of which turned brown before we could eat them. Why I purchased such a large bunch, I'll never know (call it Costco fever!). But don't worry. . . not a single banana went to waste. They got mushed up and baked into one of the best Banana Bread recipes I've found.

Hope you enjoy.

Going Bananas Bread

Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 generous cup mashed bananas
2 cups flour
1/2 tsp soda
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup chopped walnuts/pecans
5 Tbs milk
1 tsp vanilla

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour 9x5 loaf pan.
2. In large bowl, cream together butter and sugars. Add egg and bananas. Stir until just mixed.
3. Add flour, soda, powder, salt & cinnamon. (You can either sift the ingredients before adding OR dump them on top of the batter and use a fork to stir them slightly before mixing with rest of batter.) Mix until just combined. Do not overmix!
4. Stir in nuts, milk and vanilla.
5. Bake at 350 degrees for about 50-60 minutes, or until top is browned and cracked. Halfway through cooking time, sprinkle the top of the loaf with cinnamon and sugar for an added treat.

Arabian Nights (aka Shish Kebobs and Rice)

Hands down, one of our favorite meals is skewered beef and tomatoes with grilled onions over white rice. Add to that a side of cucumber salad and your taste buds will be jumping for joy.

Recipe for an Arabian Night

Prep Time 30 minutes (plus a few hours to soak meat in marinade*)
Cook Time 15 minutes
Serves 6

Ingredients:
1/2 cup ketchup
1 tsp salt
2 Tbs A-1 steak sauce
2 Tbs granulated sugar
2 Tbs cider vinegar
2 Tbs Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup water
2 Tbs olive oil
1 1/2 lbs boneless sirloin, cubed
6 Roma tomatoes, cut into large chunks seasoned lightly with salt & pepper
2 yellow onions, sliced into rings, seasoned with salt & pepper and olive oil
2 cups uncooked white rice
1 cucumber, peeled, quartered and then sliced
1 Tbs chopped onion
1 Tbs Olive Oil
2 Tbs White or Red Vinegar
salt & pepper to taste


Instructions:
Boil marinade ingredients (first 8 ingredients) until sugar dissolves. Cool slightly and pour into gallon sized zip-lock containing cubed sirloin. Allow meat to soak for several hours.
(Freezer Tip: at this point, you can also freeze the meat. When ready to serve, remove from freezer and allow to soak as it defrosts)
Prepare cucumber salad (cucumber, onion, oil, vinegar and spices). Soak in refrigerator for at least 20 minutes.
On approximately 12 skewers, skewer meat together with tomatoes, beginning and ending each skewer with meat.
Prepare rice according to directions.
BBQ or broil skewers and sliced onions to desired doneness (about 10-15 minutes, rotating several times).
Serve immediately over hot rice with cool cucumber salad. And, most importantly. . . Enjoy!

**I found the marinade recipe in Don't Panic, Dinner's in the Freezer. So far, it is the best freezer-cooking cookbook I've found.

Baked Burritos

Here is a fast and yummy recipe that has been a real hit around here. The nice thing about this recipe is that it can be easily prepared in bulk and frozen for future busy evenings. It's not the world's healthiest, but I promise it is yummy!

Baked Burritos

1 can pinto beans, undrained
1-2 cloves minced garlic
1 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp (more or less depending on taste)ground cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp black pepper
salt to taste

In large skillet, combine above ingredients and heat liquid to boiling. Mash beans to desired consistency (we like ours chunky). Add:

1 lb ground beef, browned
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup shredded monterey or pepper jack cheese
1/2 cup salsa
3 Tbs Chalula (hot sauce)
3 Tbs white or cider vinegar

Simmer and allow to thicken slightly.

Preheat oven to 500 degrees. Wrap 6-8 flour tortillas in a moistened dishtowel and heat for 1 minute in the microwave on high (this softens them and makes them easier to wrap). Spoon mixture onto warmed tortillas and wrap.

(If you plan to freeze, you would now individually wrap the burritos in plastic wrap and place in freezer bag. When ready to serve, remove however many you plan to serve and defrost in microwave. Continue with baking instructions.)

Place burritos in 9x13 pan. Brush tops generously with butter and sprinkle lightly with cheese and cayenne pepper.

Bake for about 10-15 minutes, or just until tortilla is golden brown.

Serve with a dollop of sour cream and salsa.

We like to eat this meal with a Mexican salad (regular salad with broken tortilla chips instead of croutons, and dressing mixed with salsa) and a bowlful of fresh fruit.

A Bowlful of Goodness

Everyone knows breakfast is the most important meal of the day. With that in mind, it makes sense to start the day with an added dose of goodness: whole-grains, nuts, dried fruit, and delicious taste. Homemade granola is a breeze to make and costs about 1/4 of the price of its store-bought counterpart. Here is my favorite recipe.

Crunchy Granola

1 1/2 cups brown sugar
1/2 cup water
4 tsp vanilla
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp nutmeg and/or cinnamon (optional)
8 cups rolled oats (you can substitute other dry goods, such as flaxseed, for a portion of the oats)
2 cups chopped nuts (I like pecans and almonds)
1- 2 cups dried fruit (I like raisins, coconut, and dried cranberries)

Preheat oven to 275.
Spray two cookie sheets with cooking spray and set aside.

In a Pyrex 4-cup glass, mix brown sugar and water. Microwave on high for 5 minutes (or until sugar is completely dissolved). Remove from microwave and add vanilla, salt and spices.

In a large mixing bowl combine oats and nuts. Pour brown sugar mixture over dry ingredients and stir until oats are evenly moistened. Spread the granola onto the cookie sheets and bake for about 1 hour, stirring halfway through.

When mixture comes out of the oven it is still soft. Add the dry fruit immediately and stir. Granola will harden as it cools. Once completely cool, store in an airtight container.

Beef & Barley Soup

Mmmm, mmmmm, good! No, not Campbells Soup, just soup in general.

Soups are to winter what salads are to summer. . . the versatile, healthy, easy and delicious way to serve a homemade meal. I love wintertime because it means I can serve soup several times each week and never get bored.

There are broth soups, cream soups, meaty soups, bean soups, spicy soups, noodle soups, grain soups, and everything soups.

Some of our favorites include Tortilla Soup, Taco Soup, Split Pea Soup, Lentil Soup, Italian Wedding Soup, Minestrone Soup, Beef & Barley Soup, and Spicy Chicken & Lime Soup.

There are 3 great qualities that soups boast. 1) They are usually CHEAP! That's a huge perk for a family that spent way too much money eating out over the last 2 weeks of vacation. 2) They are usually low-maintenance. Prep time is minimal and as long as you have an hour or two to let the soup simmer, you're fine. 3) You can almost always create something delicious with stuff you have on hand. For instance, last night, after a feverish day with the flu, I really didn't feel like cooking. I opened the refrigerator and pulled out some leftover steak from this weekend. What to do, what to do. . . add some carrots, an onion, a few stalks of celery, a can of tomatoes and some misc spices. Good start. Throw in a handful of barley and a ton of garlic and, VOILA!, a make-shift Beef & Barley Soup. Put it to simmer and forget about it. That's my kind of meal. No measuring, no recipe, no planning. . . perfect for those down-with-the-flu days.

Over the next few weeks, I'll try to post some of my favorite soups creations. As with most soup recipes, consider them to be guidelines. Soup is definitely best when improvised a bit.
***************************************
Beef & Barley Soup
3/4 cup pearl barley
1 Tbs minced garlic
6-8 cups beef stock (or water with bullion if you don't have beef stock on hand)
1 tsp black pepper
Mix together in large soup pot and boil rapidly for about 20 minutes. Then add:
2 cups chopped, cooked steak
2 carrots, chopped
1 onion, chopped
3 stalks celery, chopped
1 can of stewed Italian tomatoes, with juice (use kitchen shears to cut tomatoes in the can so they are bite sized)
1 Bay leaf
any other spices that sound good (like Oregano, Basil, Rosemary, etc)
Reduce heat and simmer for about 2 hours.

Serve with warm, buttered bread.