Orange Dreamcicle Drink Mix

Posted on January 30, 2012 by Chandra@The Plaid and Paisley Kitchen

I think one of the coolest compliments I have gotten in a long time was when my Step Son Steven said “Oh My Gosh how did you do that? You are like a Food Chemist!” This was his response when he took a sip of the drink. At first he didn’t think that it could possibly taste just like that Summer Time Favorite. Well it does!!

Now we are having a very mild winter here in the Mid West. Most days are in the 40′s and 50′s. I worry that we are going to have to pay for this gift from Mother Nature one way or the other…… Like 10 feet of snow in March or 120 degrees in July. Even with the mild winter it still is not the same as my Sunny California and warm Sunshine. So I do have a bit of the Winter Blues, not too bad just a touch. It doesn’t help that I am reading about all the fun our Foodie Friends are having Down in Australia for Australia Day festivities. It is Summer there after all! I see all these warm and sunny and fun dishes being created and I just felt I needed a bit of Summer here in Kansas City!

This little gem does just the trick and it is also going to make great little Valentines Gifts for teachers and Co Workers! All you need is little cute jars emptied of their original items and washed and dried and a little bit of cute ribbon and you have a cute little gift!

I used a jam jar, mustard jar, and small milk bottle for these! I need to wrap the mustard lid in cute fabric to hide the dumb bar code.

Orange Dreamcicle Drink Mix

Recipe type: Drinks

Author: The Plaid and Paisley Kitchen

Summer in a Glass!

Ingredients

2 packages instant vanilla pudding
1 cup tang mix
1/4 cup pink lemonade mix

Instructions

mix dry ingredients
divide into cute jars
mix 2 tbs of drink mix with 10 oz of cold water to serve

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Enjoy your summer in a glass!

Game Day Snacks!

Posted on January 27, 2012 by Chandra@The Plaid and Paisley Kitchen

So last weekend was the Big Championship Games and we all know how they turned out! Joy for some ANGUISH for others! If you are a Ravens Fan like I am you know exactly what I am talking about!!! So joy or anguish the line up that we have for next Sunday is the line up that we have. I can’t go back and change things so I guess I will have to toss a coin to see who I am going to Cheer for on Super Bowl Sunday! In 2008 I was all behind the Giants and super excited when they won! I usually go for the underdog. I am by no means a big football fan, I enjoy the get together and the party WAY More than the game, but I have for the past 5 years called the winner of the game by nothing more than a gut feeling. This year I don’t know…. I just can’t get my heart to Cheer for either of these teams! I am at this moment making my Husband very angry as these are his 2 Fav teams! I think I will keep debating Pats Vs Giants and reserve my decision for Feb 5th!!

Until that time we all have 1 week to get ready and prepare our menu’s for the big game! I am lucky this year and I get to be a guest so I only have to bring some treats! Yippee!!! I did host the Championship Games last Sunday. It was very impromptu. At 10 am Steve told me that 10 or more people would be at my house in 3 hours!!! Yikes!! I ran to store and this is the party that I threw together in such a short amount of time!

Beer Dip, Spicy Nut Brittle, Assorted Chips and Dips, Veggie and Fruit Tray, Little Debbie Brownie Footballs (no time to bake) and a Chicken Noodle Casserole! Thank heavens that I am Southern Living at Home addict (now called Willow House) and I have tons of pretty serving platters and bowls that make even plain old Lays Potato Chips look Pretty and Special!

Luckily every one was super nice and they thought I had worked for days other than just a frantic dash to get it all together!

Beer Dip with pretzels

Recipe type: appetizer

Author: The Plaid and Paisley Kitchen

Prep time: 5 mins

Total time: 5 mins

Ingredients

2 packages cream cheese (I used Fat Free) Softened
1 package dry ranch dressing mix
1/3 cup beer (I just grabbed the one my husband popped open and he yelled at me)
1/2 shredded cheddar cheese ( I used 2 handfuls)

Instructions

In a mixing bowl combine beer and cream cheese and beat with a mixer til smooth
add the ranch mix and the cheddar cheese
serve with pretzels

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Just take an assortment of your favorite nuts! I used peanuts, cashews, sunflowers seeds, and wheat chex cereal. Melt 6 tbs unsalted butter and 1/2 cup light corn syrup in a sauce pan add 1/3 cup brown sugar and 2 tbs curry powder and 1/2 tsp cayenne powder. Cook itll all is melted. No salt is needed if the nuts are salted. I couldn’t find unsalted ones on such short notice. Place the nuts and cereal in a 9 x13 baking dish and pour syrup over nuts and toss to coat. Bake at 300 for 30-40 min. Let cool and break up into bite sized pieces.

For the Chicken Casserole I made my Cauliflower and Noodle Au gratin http://www.pandpkitchen.com/2011/07/11/cauliflower-and-noodle-au-gratin-2/I

I just substituted diced chicken breast that I sautéed in a pan to brown first for the cauliflower. It was s quick and filling item to add to the menu!

Toffee Snickerdoodle Cookie Cupcakes!

Posted on January 25, 2012 by Chandra@The Plaid and Paisley Kitchen

For the past 11 years of our marriage I can count on 2 hands how many times we have gone to Mass. Not a very good Catholic am I? For whatever reason I always found some reason that I didn’t need to go. When Steven moved in with us and he started saying how he always wanted to go but no one ever took him. I knew it was time to head back to church. So with my crazy schedule we have been hitting Mass here and there. In an attempt to find a Church where he was comfortable and I didn’t feel too much a fish out of water…. We have been going to an Episcopalian Church and all three of us are really enjoying it. Kevin, just kinds goes because he wants to be with us as much as possible.

When I found out that the Church has a monthly dinner party group I was like sign me up for that! This past Friday was our first event with 3 other couples and we were asked to bring the dessert. Ok so now I need something fun, yummy, a little bit of a wow factor and portable….. Hmmmm let’s see…. Oh I know! CUPCAKES!!!! I am just about sure that everyone in the entire world loves cupcakes! So I found this recipe in a make your Christmas gifts thingy type magazine. It truly Delivered!

Dense, moist, oohey gooey, rich, and superbly easy to transport! They looked really cute and every one loved them! I even took some leftovers to work and my girls were like Yes Oh Yes please keep bringing the goodies!

Toffee Snickerdoodle Cookie Cupcakes!

Recipe type: Dessert

Author: The Plaid and Paisley Kitchen

Serves: 24

The cookie that became a cupcake Adapted from Food Gifts Magazine

Ingredients

For the Cupcakes:
1 cup butter room temp
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cream of tartar
1/4 tsp salt
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
3 cups ap flour
1 cup heath bars all chopped up (I used 2 large candy bars)
1 tsp cinnamon and 1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/4 cup sugar for rolling dough in
for the frosting:
2/3 cup softened butter
8 cups powdered sugar
1/4 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp cinnamon

Instructions

For the cupcakes
Beat the sugar, butter, baking soda, cream of tartar and salt till light and fluffy
add eggs in one at a time
slowly add the flour and cinnamon and nutmeg
beat till dough is formed
stir in candy pieces
chill dough for 30 min
line cupcake tin with papers. (Go ahead and use the cutest one you can find)
using a cookie dough scoop take bits of dough out and form into a ball and roll in the 1/4 cup sugar
place in the muffin tins and push down to make a uniform look
bake at 375 for 15-18 min
cool completely before frosting
For the Frosting:
Beat the 2/3 cup butter and milk and vanilla till combined
add 2 cups of the powdered sugar
add the cinnamon
add the remaining 6 cups powdered sugar
thin with 1 tbs of milk at a time until you reach your desired consistency

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After School Snack Bonanza!

Posted on January 23, 2012 by Chandra@The Plaid and Paisley Kitchen

When two hungry teenage boys come home from school and they stare at you like they have not eaten in days and if they don’t get food soon they will resort to seeing who is stronger and eating the weaker brother……. you know it is time to make something quick and filling!!! Now mind you these two boys are practically Latch Key Kids, so that when they come home from school they most often have to fend for themselves. When I have a day off I am home for them when they get home but most days I am at work when they first get off the school bus. The days that I am home I get big smiles as they know that their Step Mom that Loves them Sooooo Much will surely make them food!!! Nevermind when Dad is home and wants something real quick!

The cast of crazy characters!!! It just so happens that I Love all Three of these Boys with all my heart! So when your boys, men, kids, girls or any combination therein comes home this is great super easy, super quick, snack to make!

After School Snack Bonanza!

4.0 from 1 reviews

Recipe type: snack, lunch

Author: The Plaid and Paisley Kitchen

Ingredients

1 or 2 tubes refrigerator cresent rolls (I used 2 tubes)
a sampling of lunch meats (I used salami and deli chicken)
a sampling of sliced cheese (I used fresh mozzarella and swiss cheese)
a sampling of spreads (I used Italian dressing and dijon mustard)

Instructions

Unroll the cresent rolls and choose your flavor combinations to mix
I used the italian dressing, fresh mozzarella, and salami on 8 cresents
and dijon mustard, swiss cheese, and deli chicken on the other 8 cresents
roll the cresents up and bake according to package directions.
I baked at 375 for 15 min

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My three boys were very happy and less cranky after this snack. It also makes a great lunch with a bowl of chicken noodle soup!

Beef Rouladen and German Potato Salad

Posted on January 19, 2012 by Chandra@The Plaid and Paisley Kitchen

I should name this the Post that almost wasn’t! WordPress and I have not been getting along the past few days and this is the Third time I am writing this post! Arrrg! Ok enough of my whining… On to the good stuff

My Great Grandparents immigrated to America when Ellis Island was still open and they made their way from NYC to Chicago. Once settled there they opened a Bakery. I love my Grandpa’s stories of living above the bakery and growing up in downtown Chicago during The Great Deppression! I never met my Great Grandpa Schmidt but I spent much time with my Great Grandma. She spoke with a heavy accent and with broken English. My Grandmother’s kitchen was always alive with the sights and smells and sounds of great cooking! German cooking is heavy and filling and quite frankly not that healthy. We are a robust people. This is not my grandmothers recipe the sauce has no bacon fat or heavy cream in it like the traditional recipe calls for. Trust me when I say you won’t miss it! This is a lighter, healthier and tastier version. Traditional Rouladen is braised for a long time and uses a cheaper cut of meat. I get around this by using a leaner better cut of sirloin. I pan sear it and finish it off in the oven.

Have your butcher cut and trim your sirloin steaks to about 1/4″ thick. Like this:

When you get home, you will need to pound them to about 1/8″ thickness. Like this:

This recipe will be great for beginners learning cooking and knife skills, and also help hone some skills for those more advanced. If you are a beginner do not be intimidated, this is a dish that is very forgiving. If you cut one carrot thin and the other thick no worries…. We all have to learn and we all need to keep up our skills. Here is how my veggies came out. Not that perfect, yet I don’t think too bad.

Layering and rolling and securing your steaks can also be a skill set to practice. You can use kitchen twine or secure with toothpicks. I used toothpicks. You just have to be a bit more gentle when you turn the meat while you are searing it.

I make the Potato Salad first. You can always pop it in the microwave to heat it back through if it cools off too much.

Beef Rouladen and German Potato Salad

5.0 from 1 reviews

Recipe type: Main Dish

Author: The Plaid and Paisley Kitchen

Serves: 3-4

A healthy lighter version than the German Traditional Version

Ingredients

For the Potato Salad:
1 lb small red potatoes quartered
4 Strips Turkey bacon
1/2 cup chopped white onion
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
2 tbs brown sugar (I use slpenda)
For the Rouladen:
3-4 1/4″ inch thick sirloin steaks trimmed of fat
Stone Ground Mustard (for an authentic taste use a German brand)
3-4 slices black forest ham
1/4 white onion sliced thin
1 long carrot peeled and julienned
2 dill pickles julienned
handful of shredded red cabbage
1 tbs tomato paste (I use the concentrated in a tube kind)
1 can beef broth
1 tbs cornstarch and 3 tbs cold water to make a slurry

Instructions

For the Potato Salad:
boil potatoes until fork tender, meanwhile
slice turkey bacon into small strips and cook in a pan
sautee onion with the bacon untill soft and translucent
stir in the flour and cook til onions are thick. approx 1 min
add vinegar and brown sugar
simmer for 2-3 min and toss over the potatoes
place in a serving dish and keep warm
For the Rouladen:
pound the steaks to 1/8″ thick pre heat oven to 300
spread the mustard on the steaks and layer the black forest ham and the veggies on top of each steak
roll the steaks up and salt and pepper to taste
secure with toothpicks or kitchen string
sear meat in a hot pan for approx 8 min on each side
transfer to a baking sheet and place in oven to continue to cook. Leave in the oven for at least 10-15 min
In the pan that you browned the meat in add the tomato paste and beef broth. Scrape up the good brown bits off the bottom of the pan. Bring to a boil and reduce liquid to half
add the slurry and cook about 3-5 min more til sauce becomes thick
warm the potato salad up in the microwave if needed. You want this to be warm to almost hot
plate the steaks and pour the broth over and serve with the potato salad

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I hope that you will enjoy this healthy and tasty meal. I love the tangy flavors of German food, I also love how when I make this dish it smells like my Grandma’s Kitchen. It feels like home and I think that we all really relish that feeling!

Dan Dan Noodles and Cucumber Salad

Posted on January 18, 2012 by Chandra@The Plaid and Paisley Kitchen

I love P.F. Changs! I love Chinese food! I love Food in general! No big surprise to anyone. I also love to eat fairly healthy, my biggest downfall is portion control. If one serving is only 300 cal and I eat 2 and 1/2 servings it is not that great after all. I can’t help it! I am a Hungry Girl! I am really trying to get better at it. I need some help though….. This is my adaptation of P.F. Changs and a mixture of a couple of cookbook recipes. A few months ago I wrote a World Tour of Chicken and I did an Asian Fusion recipe. It was a mix of Pad Thai and Chop Suey. http://www.pandpkitchen.com/2011/08/21/asian-fusion-chicken/ That recipe was similar to this yet completely different in taste. Feel free to try both! This is my complete Dan Dan Noodle recipe.

Dan Dan Noodles and Cucumber Salad

4.0 from 1 reviews

Recipe type: Main Dish

Author: The Plaid and Paisley Kitchen

Serves: 4

Ingredients

For the Pickled Cucumbers:
1 large cucumber
1/4 of a red onion sliced
1/2 cup rice vinegar or white wine vinegar
1 tbs sugar
1/2 tbs red pepper flakes
For the Dan Dan Noodles:
1/2 package of spaghetti noodles
1 lb of ground chicken
1/2 cup chicken broth
3 tbs smooth peanut butter
2 tbs soy sauce
1 tbs brown sugar (I use splenda)
2 tsp chili garlic sauce
1/2 tsp sesame oil
2 tsp vegetable oil
1/2 tsp of each salt, white pepper, ground ginger, onion powder and garlic powder

Instructions

For the Cucumbers:
Take a vegetable peeler and slice off ribbons of cucumbers until you reach the seeds.
In a mixing bowl combine: all cucumber ingredients and cover and chill while you prepare the noodles.
For the Dan Dan Noodles:
Boil water and cook spaghetti. Meanwhile:
In a mixing bowl combine ground chicken and seasonings. Mix well.
In a hot pan drizzle the vegetable oil and cook the chicken in small spoonful batches.
In a mixing bowl combine all the broth and remaining ingredients and whisk til smooth.
Pour in the pan with the chicken and heat through
Plate with Noodles and Cucumbers.

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This is how your Cucumbers should look when you are making the ribbons

This is what I meant by Spoonful of Chicken

Here the chicken is cooked and the sauce is added and heating through. I hope that you have better luck at portion control than I do! Here is to healthy eating!!

Spiced Pear Bread

Posted on January 16, 2012 by Chandra@The Plaid and Paisley Kitchen

I am really good at looking in the pantry and the fridge and whipping something up off the cuff. I love to cook! Hence the one of reasons I write a food blog. I also love to bake and eat and bake and eat and….. Well you get the picture. I have yet to master my own creation of a baking recipe. I wish I could say that this is the ONE. Really though I am not that adventurous to even try. So alas it is not to be. This is from my Cuisine Lite Cookbook. I think I might have mentioned before how much I love that cookbook! This bread is very dense and super moist! Rachel Barefoot from Linden, Michigan is credited with this recipe, and Rachel I thank you! This recipe is healthy, easy, and YUMMY!

These amounts will make 2 loaves.

3-1/4 cups AP flour

1 cup sugar

3 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp each of baking soda, baking powder, and ground cloves

1/2 tsp salt

3 eggs

45 oz (3 15 oz cans) of sliced or halved pears

1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce

1/4 cup vegetable oil

Drain and mash the pears.

In a mixing bowl combine all the dry ingredients

Add the eggs, pears, applesauce, and vegetable oil and mix till all are combined.

Spray 2 loaf pans with non stick spray and fill with batter 2/3 full each and bake at 350 for 50-60 minutes. When it comes out of the oven it looks all brown and warm and sumptuous. Like this!

Let cool completely then you can slice and enjoy your healthy and scrummy dish!

Egg White Quiche

Posted on January 13, 2012 by Chandra@The Plaid and Paisley Kitchen

Sometimes I get a day off from work, not that often but every now and then it happens…… On this day I said I feel like a really big breakfast! Then I thought of just how many calories I would consume eating said “really big breakfast”. I knew that I have a recipe somewhere that offers a “really big breakfast” taste and would not cause me to lie around the house all day and bemoan my caloric mistake. Lo and behold I did have such a recipe. I love my Cuisine Lite cookbooks!! This is an adaptation of their Lite Quiche!

1 frozen deep dish pie crust 9″

3/4 cup cottage cheese

9 egg whites

3 eggs

1/4 cup diced onion

3 cups baby spinach

1 pkg frozen turkey sausage links thawed

salt and pepper to taste

1/2 tsp red pepper flakes

1/4 cup shredded 2% milk cheddar cheese

The recipe said to pre-bake my pie shell, then the directions on the pie shell package said not to. So please read your directions on the package of your pie shell and follow those for your first step.

In a hot pan with a drizzle of oil saute the onions untill translucent. Add the spinach and just flash cook for a couple of min.

In either a food blender or with an immersion blender blend the cottage cheese and all eggs. Slice the turkey sausage and add to egg mixture, and fold in the sautéed spinach and onions. Carefully pour into the pie shell.

Sprinkle the cheese on top and bake at 400 for 55-60 min or until eggs are set. When it comes out of the oven it is all hot and brown and yummy!!! Let it set for about 5 min before slicing (if you can control yourself). This will make for prettier slices.

Now you can have that “really big breakfast” meal without the guilt!!!

On the Healthier side of Spaghetti

Posted on January 11, 2012 by Chandra@The Plaid and Paisley Kitchen

I think that Italian food must be at the top of everyone’s favorite foods to eat. I know it ranks up there with me and most certainly with my Husband. Carbs, Carbs, Carbs!!! They taste fantastic and make us feel happy inside! Too bad they are most definitely not that great for the waistline. If your waistline did to you what mine did to me this winter you can understand…..

I don’t really advocate a certain brand of products, as I think we should all buy what we like, I am making an exception for this post. Dreamfields Pasta is a low carb pasta. Regular whole wheat and semolina pasta have approx 40g of carbs per serving. Dreamfields has a fantastic waistline friendly 5g!!!!

Please try this brand and you won’t have to starve on your diet and also it is just a healthier way to live!!! Plus it tastes way way better than chewy Whole Wheat Pasta!

1 pkg spaghetti cooked and drained

1 lb turkey or chicken italian sausage

3 large handfuls of fresh spinach torn

2 garlic cloves crushed

1 carton of grape tomatoes sliced

1 jar of best organic no sugar added spaghetti sauce

It can be hard to find bulk chicken sausage so I buy the links and then just squeeze the meat out of the casings. It is a bit messy but worth it for the fat gram savings over pork sausage.

Brown the sausage in a hot pan. Don’t add any extra oil. I let the sausage cool then I crumble it by hand.

Don’t worry if it is not cooked completely all the way through, you are going to put it back in to cook a bit more.

In a hot pan add the sliced grape tomatoes and a bit of salt and pepper. Cook untill they start to pop and release their juices. Then add the crushed garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Add the torn spinach and drizzle just about 1 tbs olive oil and bit more salt and pepper. Cook till the spinach is almost wilted.

Add the cooked sausage back into the stock pot that you cooked the pasta in. Heat back through, return the drained pasta to the pot and add the jar of sauce. Heat til almost bubbling. Add the spinach and tomatoes and toss. If you want you can add some parmesan cheese, but I left it off. It saved on fat grams and calories, plus this is so flavorful you won’t miss the cheese!

Enjoy!!!

Ham and Navy Bean Soup

Posted on January 9, 2012 by Chandra@The Plaid and Paisley Kitchen

After 2 months of over indulgence, late night noshing, cramming whole pieces of cake and calling it dinner….. It is time to get some real food in mine and my families bellies!!! On Christmas Eve we had a Honey Baked Ham and I froze the bone and the remaining meat on it just for this dish! My Grandma made the best and this is as close as I can get to her recipe. Now I must warn you don’t eat this meal and then go to a crucial work meeting or sit very close to anyone that you don’t love or know very very very well. The main ingredient is the magical fruit after all…..

1lb of dried navy bean soaked in water overnight or for 8 hrs and drained and rinsed

1 large onion diced

3 carrot stalks peeled and sliced

4 celery stalks diced

1 ham hock trimmed of fat and large portions of ham, dice large portions of meat

64 oz of good vegetable stock

salt and pepper to taste

1 1/2 tsp each of garlic powder, onion powder, and coriander

1 tbs of marjoram

In a stock pot heat 2 tbs olive oil over med high heat and add onions, celery, and carrots. Sprinkle with a bit of salt and pepper. This will help sweat the onions faster and add a depth of flavor layering. Sautee till vegetables are soft.

Add the ham hock to the stock pot and add remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil then cover and reduce to a simmer for 2-3 hours. At about 1 and 1/2 hours I do a taste test for seasoning and liquid adjustment. If you like a thicker soup don’t add any additional liquid if you like it thinner you can add 1 cup water at this point. At 2 hours remove the bone and the remaining meat will just fall off the bone. Add the diced ham in at this time. I hope that you will enjoy this healthy and hearty soup as much as we do! I serve it with a nice green salad on the side. Oh a dose of Beano might not be a bad idea.