Herby Garlic Bread

This week, our Food Network Chef's Challenge Chef is Paula Deen.  I know Paula is notorious for unhealthy dishes.... so I scoured her recipes to find one that was a little more figure-friendly, if you know what I mean :)



What a found was a recipe for garlic bread made with olive oil!

That will do.

I called mine Herby Garlic bread because my friend Rachel and I just had a discussion about how much fun it is to say "herby"!

Plus - it reminds me of the Love Bug... good 'ol Herby.

Herby Garlic Bread - Adapted from Paula Deen

4-6 slices of sourdough bread (I used leftover dinner rolls)
1-2 T olive oil
Garlic salt (I used sea salt and garlic powder)
Herbs -- I used parsley and chives

Lightly brush each piece of bread with olive oil.  I used butter on a couple just to test the difference.  I actually liked the olive oil better!

Then, sprinkle each with salt and garlic powder.

Top with herbs.

Place in the oven at 350 for 10 minutes until bread is warmed and nicely browned.



Enjoy!

Crockpot Green Bean Casserole

Cooking for Easter this weekend?



Try making one of our favorites in the crockpot!



Crockpot Green Bean Casserole - SnoWhite

1 batch of Cream of Mushroom Soup
1/8 C milk
4 C green beans, cut and cooked
1 tsp. soy sauce
pepper, to taste
1 6oz can of French Onions (or 2 C homemade bread crumbs)

Prepare the cream soup.

Stir the cream soup, milk, soy sauce and green beans together and place in the crockpot.



Cook on low for 4 hours, and then add the French Onions before serving.



Enjoy!

Menu - March 28

Before we get down to business, I need to wish my grandma a very happy birthday!  My grandma turns 91 today, and she's an amazing lady... still living on her own, working and volunteering nearly every day of the week, gardening and cooking up a storm!  And -- get this -- she does not take ANY medications.  None.  Zilch.  Zero. Nada.  Wow.

She raised 9 {yes, nine} kids together with my grandfather and is a true farmer.  She's an amazing lady, and I'm blessed to be her granddaughter!  It was fun to see her on my visit a few weeks ago... but I don't have any excellent photos of her, because she glared at me when I tried to take her photo.  

Happy Birthday, Grandma!  

Now, for the food -- last week, we enjoyed:

Ricotta Pancakes 

with Lemon Curd

Deep Dish Pizza

(made with whole wheat crust)

Lasagna Soup

Crockpot Chicken
(I finally did it!)

 

Chicken Pot Pie

(with leftover chicken)

Spinach Chicken Pasta

 

Dark Chocolate Brownies

('cuz we all need a little chocolate, right?!)

Saturday, our menu plan flew right out the window.  I hosted a wedding shower for my dear friend Kim, and the boys had a day-o-fun (they went flying -- one of our friends has his pilot's license) while we ladies had our shower!  All that fun meant we didn't get home in time to make Lucy's Chili before church, so that's on our menu for tonight.

I scored a great deal on organic spinach this week, so many of our recipes include spinach!  What are your favorite recipes in which to use spinach?  I am also including our Easter menu -- with our favorite whole wheat zucchini carrot cake!!

Sunday

Breakfast - Veggie Omelet (with spinach), grapefruit

Dinner - Lucy's Chili and Lucy's Dinner Rolls

Monday

Breakfast - Pineapple Pancakes (freezer), fresh pineapple

Dinner - Minestrone with Spinach, garlic bread (new)

Tuesday

Breakfast - Oatmeal Muffins (freezer), grapefruit

Dinner - Brown Rice Casserole (new), green beans

Wednesday

Breakfast - Pancakes (freezer), fresh pineapple

Dinner - Veggie Stir Fry, with Brown Rice

Thursday

Breakfast - Oatmeal Muffins (freezer), dried fruit

Dinner - Leftovers
Dessert for Life Group: Chocolate Oatmeal Cake (new)

Friday

Breakfast - Baked Oatmeal (carry over)

Dinner - Baked Veggie Sandwich and Roasted Sweet Potatoes

Saturday

Breakfast - French Toast, apple-y topping

Dinner - Spinach Mushroom Calzone

Sunday {Easter}!
Breakfast - Veggie Scramble
Dinner - Crockpot Scalloped Potatoes and Ham, Green Bean Hotdish, and Lucy's Dinner Rolls
Dessert - Whole Wheat Carrot Zucchini Cake

Ricotta Pancakes

I was looking for a different, non-traditional pancake recipe when I stumbled upon Michael's recipe for Ricotta Pancakes.  I was sold when it used up the ricotta cheese I had leftover in my fridge and had lemon curd.

Frog Prince kind of turned up his nose when he saw me adding the cheese to the batter... but was pleasantly surprised by the taste!

Ricotta Pancakes with Lemon Curd - Adapted from Michael's Kitchen

Pancakes
1 C ricotta cheese
3/4 C whole wheat flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1 1/2 T sugar
pinch of salt
3/4 C milk
2 eggs, separated
1/2 tsp. vanilla


Lemon Curd
3 egg yolks
2 T lemon zest
1/4 C lemon juice
6 T sugar
4 T butter

Begin by making the lemon curd -- (I made a half batch..., so the pictures will reveal this)

In a saucepan, combine the yolk, sugar, lemon juice and zest.

 Heat the mixture over medium heat - and stir constantly until the mixture thickens.

 The mixture will acquire a pudding-like consistency.  When this happens, remove the mixture from the heat, and stir in the butter, allowing it to melt and make the curd creamy.  Cover and refrigerate the curd while you make the pancakes.  

To make the pancakes:

Mix together the flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt.

In another bowl, mix the ricotta cheese, milk, vanilla and egg yolks.

Combine the wet and dry ingredients together until you have a nice batter.  You may need to add a little more flour, or milk to achieve the desired consistency you and your family like in pancakes.

Whip the egg whites until fluffy.

Fold the fluffed whites into the pancake batter.

See... all the fluff!

Cook on a preheated (350 degrees) griddle until pancakes are lightly browned.

Serve with warm (or cold) lemon curd and sprinkle with powdered sugar, if desired.

This recipe is linked to:

• Lemon Round-Up

Spinach Chicken Pasta

Last week, I found a yummy recipe that's been circulating the blogsphere -- first from Melanie at My Kitchen Cafe, then at  Kara's Kitchen Creations, and most recently on Recipe Shoebox.  Thus -- I needed to try it.

I ended up using chicken leftover from my crockpot chicken - it made the prep for this recipe really easy!  My chicken was more shredded than cubed, which changed the appearance and texture of the dish, but it was still a hit at our place.  

Spinach Chicken Pasta - Adapted {most recently} from Recipe Shoebox

2 T olive oil
4 garlic cloves, minced
8 oz. mushrooms, sliced
1 1/2 C diced chicken*
1/2 lb. whole wheat penne pasta
1 1/2 C fresh spinach
salt and pepper, to taste
2 tsp. basil (dried)
1 T lemon juice
3/4 C Parmesan cheese, shredded

Mix the olive oil and minced garlic in a microwavable bowl - warm for about 1 minute to blend flavors.

Meanwhile -- bring pasta to a boil and cook until pasta is done.  Drain.

Add the olive oil mixture to a stir fry pan.  Saute the mushrooms and chicken in the olive oil.

When chicken is cooked, add in the fresh spinach.  Cover, and cook about 5 minutes until wilted.

Season with salt and pepper, to taste.  Then, add in the cooked pasta.

Stir in the basil, Parmesan cheese and lemon juice.

Toss in the stirfry pan over very low heat.

Remove from the heat and serve immediately.

Enjoy a tasty and easy dinner!

Thanks, ladies, for such a great and tasty dinner!

Friday Favorites

I'm starting a new tradition here at Finding Joy in My Kitchen...!

Friday Favorites

Each Friday, I plan to highlight some of the recipes I've stumbled upon during the week that I've bookmarked into my "favorites" category.  

I've mentioned before that I love finding recipes from you -- other bloggers out there cooking for their families.  Since there are so many great recipes out there, I want to share some of the ones I've added to my "must try" file!  

Hope you enjoy taking a gander at some of these yummy recipes:

Pepperoni Pizza Pie

(Lynn's Kitchen Adventure)

100% Whole Wheat Cinnamon Raisin Bread

(Like a Bubbling Brook)

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cheesecake Bars

(Bake at 350)

Chocolate Oatmeal Cake

(Getting Freedom from Debt)

Mushroom and Herb Mac and Cheese

(Annie's Eats)

Black Bean Veggie Burgers

(Our Life Upstate)

De-Luscious Lemon Cake

(Vanderbilt Wife)

Zucchini Rotini

(The Gluten Free Homemaker)

Healthy Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins

(The Frugally Rich Life)

Mac and Cheese with Broccoli

(Eat at Home)

Bunny Tails for Easter
(Kara's Kitchen Creations)

I hope you stop by and visit these great bloggers and take a gander at their delicious recipes!  

This post is linked to:

• I'm Lovin' It!

Deep Dish Pizza

To celebrate basketball season, we try to find recipes that we don't typically make as a treat!  Deep dish pizza is one of those things we love but rarely treat ourselves to.  Leigh Anne had posted her version of a deep dish, personal pan pizza at her site over the summer -- and now was the perfect time to try it!



I adapted it to our tastes -- made the dough with 100% whole wheat (combo of white wheat and wheat) and used toppings we love {read: mushrooms}!  It was a hit around here :)

Deep Dish Pizza - Adapted from Your Home Based Mom

Dough
1 1/3 C warm water
1/4 C dry milk
1/2 tsp. salt
4 C flour (2 C white wheat, 2 C wheat)
1 T sugar
2 1/4 tsp. yeast
2 T olive oil
Olive oil spray
2 T butter, melted
Garlic salt

Toppings
1/3 C tomato paste (mixed with a little carrot puree, if desired)
1-2 tsp. Italian seasoning
20 turkey pepperoni slices
8 oz mushrooms, sliced (and sauted)
1/8 C diced green peppers
Mozzarella cheese, as desired

In a large bowl, combine yeast, salt, sugar and dry milk. Add in the warm water and stir. Allow the mixture to sit for about 2 minutes.



Then, add in the olive oil, stir again, and allow the mixture to sit for 2 more minutes.

Add in the flour until a dough forms. Then, knead the dough for 10 minutes on a lightly floured surface, adding more flour as needed.

I cheated... and used my mixer to make the dough!!



After 10 minutes -- I had beautiful dough :)



Then, stretch the dough out into three well-greased 8-9 inch cake pans, or a cake pan and a 9x13 pan.

 I ended up making half of the dough recipe and used one 9x13 baking dish -- it was a perfect fit.

Go ahead, use a little more olive oil spray than you usually do... it will make a crunchy crust :)



Cover, and allow the dough to rise for 1 to 1 1/2 hours in a slightly warmed kitchen.

Note - setting dough next to a dehydrator makes the dough rise faster!



When dough is roughly doubled in size, cover the top with the tomato paste and Italian seasonings.



I ended up using tomato paste and carrot puree together -- it was delicious.

Then sprinkle some cheese on the top...



Add your toppings....



And finish off with cheese :)

Bake at 450 for 10 minutes.

Pull the pizza out after 10 minutes and brush garlic butter (made by melting the butter and seasoning it with garlic salt).

Return to the oven and bake for 5-10 more minutes until cheese is nicely browned.



Slice and serve!



We really enjoyed this pizza. The dough was great and even crispy on the bottom (thanks to a well-greased baking dish)! It was a healthier way to enjoy deep dish pizza.

Don't want to knead the bread? I think using my no-knead fococcia bread recipe with similar toppings would yield a similar product :)



At least that's what I think (and I believe some of you may have already tried this)!

This post is linked to:

• Grocery Cart Challenge
• Tempt My Tummy Tuesday
• DIY Tuesday