Broccoli Tots

This recipe was one I had wished I had doubled or tripled when we sat down to dinner.  They were tasty little poppers, and E loved them almost as much as Frog Prince and I did. 

We used them atop our tater tot hotdish recipe, and munched on them as a snack. 

Broccoli Tots – Adapted from Skinny Taste

Ingredients

• 2 C broccoli (fresh) or 12 oz broccoli (frozen)
• 1 egg
• 1 T minced onion
• 1/2 C shredded extra sharp cheddar cheese
• 1/2 C whole wheat panko bread crumbs
• 1/4 tsp. pepper
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. Italian seasoning

Directions

Bring a pot of water to a boil.  Add in broccoli and boil for 1-2 minutes.  Drain and rinse with cold water.  Then, chop the broccoli into small pieces. 

Add 1 egg , 1 Tminced onion and 1/2 C shredded cheese to a large bowl.  Mix in the broccoli, 1/2 C panko and spices (salt, pepper and Italian seasoning).

Spoon 1 T of mixture into your hand and shape into a tater-tot.  Place on a lightly greased cookie sheet. 

Bake at 400 for 18-20 minutes.   Ideally, you’ll want to flip these over once during cooking, but I didn’t and they still tasted great. 

Serve warm.  Enjoy!

Rhubarb Lemon Cookies

These cookies, friends, are fabulous.  Tangy and sweet, the combo is nearly irresistable.  I was hesitant to use rhubrarb in a cookie, but it was worth the risk. 

Rhubarb Lemon Cookies – Adapted from PickleBums

Ingredients

• 1 stick + 5 T butter, softened
• 1/2 C brown sugar
• 1/2 C sugar
• 1 egg
• 2 C white whole wheat flour
• 3/4 tsp. salt
• 3 tsp. baking powder
• 2 tsp. corn starch
• 1 C rhubarb
• 1 tsp. lemon zest
• 2 T lemon juice
• 1/2 T sugar

Directions

Add 1 C rhubarb and 1/2 T sugar to a bowl.  Add in 1 tsp. lemon zest and 2 T lemon juice and allow the mixutre to sit while you make the dough.  Then, preheat your oven to 350 degrees.   

Cream together the softened butter (13 T), with 1/2 C brown and 1/2 C white sugar.  Mix in 1 egg.  

Next, mix together 2 C white whole wheat flour (measure just a little shy of 2 C), 3/4 tsp. sald, 3 tsp. baking powder and 2 tsp. corn starch. 

Add these dry ingredients to the wet ones and stir until a stiff dough forms. 

Add the rhubarb mixture to the dough and stir until combined. 

Scoop out the dough and place 1 T balls onto a lightly greased cookie sheet.  I love using ice cream scoopers to do this!  The cookies do not spread too much, so you can easily get 12-16 on a cookie sheet. 

Bake for 10-15 minutes in your 350 degree oven.  Cookies will brown slightly around the edges, but will not get brown like your typical cookie.  Do not overbake. 

Cool and enjoy!   

Rhubarb Banana Apple Muffins

Our 16 month old has kept us on our toes over the last few months.  She’s running, climbing, playing, and of course eating.  As you can imagine, feeding her good, whole foods, is of the utmost importance to us.  She loves her fruits and veggies, and pretty much everything else. 

These muffins are full of whole wheat flour, oats, banana, eggs, buttermilk and rhubarb.  Our little E polished off two for breakfast.  That’s a win! 

Banana Rhubarb Muffins – Adapted from My Project Mommyhood

Ingredients

• 3 3/4 C white whole wheat flour
• 1/2 C old fashioned oats
• 2 C brown sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
• 3 over ripe bananas
• 2 eggs
• 1 1/2 C buttermilk
• 1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
• 3/4 C applesauce
• 1/4 C olive oil
• 3 C chopped/sliced rhubarb

Directions

Begin by mixing together all the dry ingredients, in a large bowl: 3 3/4 C white whole wheat flour, 1/2 C oats, 2 C brown sugar, 1 1/2 tsp. salt, 1 1/2 tsp. baking soda, 1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon.  Stir well. 

In a second bowl, combine 3 mashed bananas, 2 eggs, 1 1/2 C buttermilk, 3/4 C applesauce, 1/4 C olive oil and 1 1/2 tsp. vanilla.  Stir well.  Then, add to the dry ingredients and stir until moist and combined. 

Stir in 3 C chopped rhubarb. 

Lightly grease 32 muffin cups (or use liners), and pre-heat your oven to 375.  Using an ice cream scoop, add 2 scoops (about 1/4 C) muffin batter to each muffin cup.  Bake for 16 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.   

Cool on a wire cooling rack and serve after cooling.  Makes 32 muffins.  Store extra muffins in an airtight container in the freezer.  Keep the ones you want to eat on the counter, but don’t keep those air tight! 

Thanks for hanging in there with me during our busy season; I hope to share some more yummy recipes this summer. 

Top 15 of 2015

Dear readers, thank you for your encouragement and faithful reading of this tiny little blog during 2015. 

As you know, it was a year full of big changes for our family.  Our daughter is nearing her first birthday, and it’s been a joy-filled yet busy ride!  I am finding it quite challenging to be a full time wife and mom while working full time as a college professor and finding time/space to maintain this blog.  Thank you for your patience as I didn’t post as many new recipes over the past year.
 
I can’t make any promises for a better run in 2016, but I can let you know that this blog will continue to be here, and I’ll pop in from time-to-time with a new recipe our family loves.  This is my recipe box too! 

While this is no Countdown to the new year-style recap, here are some of our favorites from 2015:

15. Skillet Chili Cheese Shells – Easy and filling; leftovers are even better.



14. Rustic Tuscan Chicken Skillet – A change of pace from our typical meals, this one ranks high our favorites from 2015.



13. Butternut Squash and Kale Quesadillas – What a fantastic combination of ingredients, and inside a quesadilla?!



12. Pizza Twists – A fun twist (no pun intended) on pizza!  Perfect for those upcoming football playoff games (Go Green!!)



11. Pulled Chicken Parmesan Wraps – Oh so easy!  Lovely flavors too.  Our go-to lunch this summer. 



10. Banana Bread Baked Oatmeal – An old favorite got a new flavor combination. Excellent way to use up over-ripe bananas and it’s faster and healthier than banana bread, yet tastes just like it!
 


9. Lemon Skillet Chicken with Vegetables – Pucker up!  This lemon skillet chicken is tangy and delicious. 



8. Tomato, Mozzarella and Vegetable Penne Pasta Bake – Easy and simple ingredients here, surprising yummy flavor.  Love the use of the tri-colored penne! 



7. Veggie-Stuffed Mushrooms – another winner in our stuffed-mushroom exploration.  Frog Prince’s co-workers asked if he could bring enough for all of them; the leftovers were that good!
 


6. Buttermilk Chicken with Sweet Tomato Relish – The relish alone on this one was enough to warrant a top 10 slot.  Paired with the chicken… yum!



5. Tortellini Primavera – Pioneer Woman’s recipe lightened up.  Delish. 



4. Banana Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Squares – These banana bars are chocked full of oats, qualifying them as a breakfast food, but sweet enough to also count for dessert. Our little one LOVES these… minus the chocolate chips.   



3. S’more Oatmeal Bars – These are a delightful dessert.  Campfire indoors anyone?



2. Vegetable Beef & Barley Soup – Love, love, love this soup.  We don’t do beef often, but when we do, it has to be a delicacy.  This qualifies for sure! 



And, the winner…..

1. Bread Machine Cheese Bread – The best bread we’ve made in a while.  Awesome dipped in soups, or served with over-easy eggs, fantastic on it’s own for a snack, or in a sandwich, this white-cheddar cheese stuffed bread is out of this world good. 



Have a happy and wonderful new year!