recipe adapted from allrecipes.com
I made this cake to celebrate my baby's first birthday. I'm not a big fan of the traditional cake smash for such young little kiddos, especially when their diets still mainly consist of breast milk with a side of nursing! Somehow, in my mind, carrot cake is superior to other cakes. It proved to be a tasty treat for all those who ate it!
4 eggs
3/4 C. olive oil
1/2 C. crushed pineapple (in juice, -not- syrup)
1 C. white sugar
1 C. brown sugar
3 tsp. vanilla
2 C. flour
2 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
3 1/2 C. grated carrots
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour a 9x13 pan. In a large bowl, beat together first 6 ingredients. In another bowl, mix dry ingredients, then add to the large bowl. Mix well. Stir in the carrots. Pour into the pan and bake for 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean.
Cream Cheese Frosting
1/2 C. butter, softened
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
3 C. powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
Combine butter, cream cheese and vanilla and beat until smooth. Add sugar a little at a time, mixing until moistened. Once all sugar has been added, beat until smooth. Frost the cake when it has completely cooled.
Tuesday, August 23, 2011
Monday, July 18, 2011
Jambalaya
recipe is my own
I need to get this recipe up on this blog as much for myself as for my friends and readers. I have never written it down before, and I have a feeling it has changed slightly each time I make it. Luckily, it still tastes great every time! This is how I made it tonight:
2 TBS. olive oil
1 onion, diced
1/2 green bell pepper, diced
1 1/2 C. celery, chopped
2 cans kidney beans
1 can diced tomatoes
1/2 pack of kielbasa/smoked sausage, cut into coins, then quartered
1 C. rice, uncooked
2 TBS. (or more, according to taste) Cajun seasoning
water, as needed
Heat the oil in a large pot, add the onion and cook until transparent. Add the bell pepper, and cook for a few more minutes (this is when I cut up my sausage). Add the sausage, and cook for a few more minutes (this is when I cut up my celery). Add celery, beans, tomatoes, and seasoning. Add enough water to just barely cover everything in the pot. Add the rice. Once boiling, lower heat and let simmer. Stir occasionally, and add more water if needed, until the rice has fully cooked and all the water has been absorbed (about 30 minutes). I like things spicy, so I usually add more Cajun seasoning....enough to get my nose running by the end of the meal! But you can add as much or as little as you prefer. You could easily replace the sausage with shrimp, if you wanted to make a seafood jambalaya!
I need to get this recipe up on this blog as much for myself as for my friends and readers. I have never written it down before, and I have a feeling it has changed slightly each time I make it. Luckily, it still tastes great every time! This is how I made it tonight:
2 TBS. olive oil
1 onion, diced
1/2 green bell pepper, diced
1 1/2 C. celery, chopped
2 cans kidney beans
1 can diced tomatoes
1/2 pack of kielbasa/smoked sausage, cut into coins, then quartered
1 C. rice, uncooked
2 TBS. (or more, according to taste) Cajun seasoning
water, as needed
Heat the oil in a large pot, add the onion and cook until transparent. Add the bell pepper, and cook for a few more minutes (this is when I cut up my sausage). Add the sausage, and cook for a few more minutes (this is when I cut up my celery). Add celery, beans, tomatoes, and seasoning. Add enough water to just barely cover everything in the pot. Add the rice. Once boiling, lower heat and let simmer. Stir occasionally, and add more water if needed, until the rice has fully cooked and all the water has been absorbed (about 30 minutes). I like things spicy, so I usually add more Cajun seasoning....enough to get my nose running by the end of the meal! But you can add as much or as little as you prefer. You could easily replace the sausage with shrimp, if you wanted to make a seafood jambalaya!
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
Catalina Chicken with Quinoa
original recipe from Milford Ward Relief Society Cookbook
I made this dinner in double amounts yesterday so I could pack up half and take it to a friend who just had a baby. She liked it and told me that I should put the recipe up here on my recipe blog. What a good idea...considering I've already started neglecting this tasty blog!
4 large chicken breasts, boneless/skinless (or about 8 chicken tender strips, boneless/skinless)
1 small bottle Catalina salad dressing
1 package onion soup mix
1 can pineapple rings
4 servings quinoa, cooked
Put the chicken in a 9x13 pan, sprinkle the onion soup mix over it, then pour the bottle of dressing over it all. I usually shake up a little bit of water to the dressing bottle after I've emptied it and pour that in, too. It makes me feel like I'm not wasting! Top the chicken with pineapple rings. Bake at 350 degrees F for 1 hour.
While your chicken is baking, you can cook your quinoa. I was pleased as punch to discover that I could cook quinoa in my rice cooker. Last time I made quinoa, I did it on the stove, and it was pretty miserable. (Meaning, I burned the bottom.) In a rice cooker, add the quinoa (1 C. dry) and water (2 C. water) and push the "white rice" button. Tada!
Serve the chicken (with added sauce from the pan) over the quinoa. And, if you want, add a small side salad and some Oreo cookies! (I'm sure that's why my friend thought it was so good!)
I made this dinner in double amounts yesterday so I could pack up half and take it to a friend who just had a baby. She liked it and told me that I should put the recipe up here on my recipe blog. What a good idea...considering I've already started neglecting this tasty blog!
4 large chicken breasts, boneless/skinless (or about 8 chicken tender strips, boneless/skinless)
1 small bottle Catalina salad dressing
1 package onion soup mix
1 can pineapple rings
4 servings quinoa, cooked
Put the chicken in a 9x13 pan, sprinkle the onion soup mix over it, then pour the bottle of dressing over it all. I usually shake up a little bit of water to the dressing bottle after I've emptied it and pour that in, too. It makes me feel like I'm not wasting! Top the chicken with pineapple rings. Bake at 350 degrees F for 1 hour.
While your chicken is baking, you can cook your quinoa. I was pleased as punch to discover that I could cook quinoa in my rice cooker. Last time I made quinoa, I did it on the stove, and it was pretty miserable. (Meaning, I burned the bottom.) In a rice cooker, add the quinoa (1 C. dry) and water (2 C. water) and push the "white rice" button. Tada!
Serve the chicken (with added sauce from the pan) over the quinoa. And, if you want, add a small side salad and some Oreo cookies! (I'm sure that's why my friend thought it was so good!)
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
Black Bean Brownies with Strawberry Topping
original recipe found on Allrecipes.com
After our wild and crazy long weekend, including a birthday date, birthday surprise, graduation party, Memorial day picnic, and a bout of mastitis....I think it's time for me to put up a yummy dessert recipe! (Don't worry, I made it a healthy one!)
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained (15.5oz)
3 eggs
1 TBS. ground flax seed
2 TBS. olive oil
1/4 C. cocoa powder
1 tsp. vanilla extract
3/4 C. white sugar
pinch of salt
Add all ingredients to a blender. Blend until mixed well (there will be small black flecks still, from the bean skins). Pour mixture into a greased 8x8 pan and bake at 350 degrees F for 30 minutes.
These brownies have a little bit of a different texture (they are a lot less cake/cookie like, because of the lack of flour), but they are still really yummy. Plus, they are gluten-, dairy- and soy-free....if that stuff matters to you. (I used that as an excuse to let 9 month old Gizmo eat some!) If you don't even tell your kids that these brownies are made from black beans...they won't know the difference!
Apparently, most people top these yummy brownies with chocolate chips. I, personally, prefer my brownies made into s'mores brownies by adding hot fudge, crushed graham crackers and marshmallow fluff. But, I actually decided to be a bit more healthy instead, and made this Strawberry Topping:
1lbs. strawberries, hulled and quartered (fresh is always best, but you can also use frozen)
3/4 C. white sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
Put all the ingredients into a medium sized pot on medium heat. Mash the strawberries a bit with a masher or a fork. Stir frequently for about 5 minutes, until the sugar appears melted and the mixture thickens a bit. Spoon over your yummy brownies!
After our wild and crazy long weekend, including a birthday date, birthday surprise, graduation party, Memorial day picnic, and a bout of mastitis....I think it's time for me to put up a yummy dessert recipe! (Don't worry, I made it a healthy one!)
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained (15.5oz)
3 eggs
1 TBS. ground flax seed
2 TBS. olive oil
1/4 C. cocoa powder
1 tsp. vanilla extract
3/4 C. white sugar
pinch of salt
Add all ingredients to a blender. Blend until mixed well (there will be small black flecks still, from the bean skins). Pour mixture into a greased 8x8 pan and bake at 350 degrees F for 30 minutes.
These brownies have a little bit of a different texture (they are a lot less cake/cookie like, because of the lack of flour), but they are still really yummy. Plus, they are gluten-, dairy- and soy-free....if that stuff matters to you. (I used that as an excuse to let 9 month old Gizmo eat some!) If you don't even tell your kids that these brownies are made from black beans...they won't know the difference!
Apparently, most people top these yummy brownies with chocolate chips. I, personally, prefer my brownies made into s'mores brownies by adding hot fudge, crushed graham crackers and marshmallow fluff. But, I actually decided to be a bit more healthy instead, and made this Strawberry Topping:
1lbs. strawberries, hulled and quartered (fresh is always best, but you can also use frozen)
3/4 C. white sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
Put all the ingredients into a medium sized pot on medium heat. Mash the strawberries a bit with a masher or a fork. Stir frequently for about 5 minutes, until the sugar appears melted and the mixture thickens a bit. Spoon over your yummy brownies!
Friday, May 27, 2011
Manicotti
Sometimes I feel like Italian food is all the same: noodle of some type, tomato base sauce with meat, and cheese. Lots of cheese. The cheese makes it yummy every time, though. (And the type of cheese can apparently have a big difference in how it tastes...go figure!) Manicotti is one of those dishes that follows all the rules. But it is soooo yummy!
16oz ricotta cheese
2 C. (8oz) mozzarella cheese, shredded
1/2 C. cottage cheese
2 TBS. Parmesan cheese, grated
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 tsp. minced garlic
salt and pepper, to taste
1 package manicotti shells, uncooked
1lb. ground beef
1 jar (26oz) pasta sauce
1/2 C. water
Mix all the cheeses, eggs, garlic, salt and pepper. Fill the shells with the cheese mix. This part can be kind of hard, I've heard you can use a big Ziploc bag or an icing bag full of the cheese mixture to just squeeze the cheese into the shells. I just use a spoon and a lot of patience. Place in 9x13 pan. Brown the ground beef, add pasta sauce. I put the water into the empty sauce jar and swish it around before adding it, because it gets more of the sauce out of the jar...but you can add your water directly to the meat and sauce in the skillet if you want. Stir well, then pour over the manicotti shells. Cover with foil. Bake at 375 degrees F for 1 hour.
A lot of the recipes that I like to use call for 1lb of ground beef. Lately, I have been trying to cut back on the amount of meat that we eat in our home. If you want to cut back on the meat, use only 1/2lb. of ground beef. If you feel like you need to add more substance after removing half the meat, then you can saute some onions, peppers, or squash to add to the sauce, depending on the recipe that you are making (and what you think would taste best). I imagine manicotti would be delicious if you added chopped and sauteed zucchini!
16oz ricotta cheese
2 C. (8oz) mozzarella cheese, shredded
1/2 C. cottage cheese
2 TBS. Parmesan cheese, grated
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 tsp. minced garlic
salt and pepper, to taste
1 package manicotti shells, uncooked
1lb. ground beef
1 jar (26oz) pasta sauce
1/2 C. water
Mix all the cheeses, eggs, garlic, salt and pepper. Fill the shells with the cheese mix. This part can be kind of hard, I've heard you can use a big Ziploc bag or an icing bag full of the cheese mixture to just squeeze the cheese into the shells. I just use a spoon and a lot of patience. Place in 9x13 pan. Brown the ground beef, add pasta sauce. I put the water into the empty sauce jar and swish it around before adding it, because it gets more of the sauce out of the jar...but you can add your water directly to the meat and sauce in the skillet if you want. Stir well, then pour over the manicotti shells. Cover with foil. Bake at 375 degrees F for 1 hour.
A lot of the recipes that I like to use call for 1lb of ground beef. Lately, I have been trying to cut back on the amount of meat that we eat in our home. If you want to cut back on the meat, use only 1/2lb. of ground beef. If you feel like you need to add more substance after removing half the meat, then you can saute some onions, peppers, or squash to add to the sauce, depending on the recipe that you are making (and what you think would taste best). I imagine manicotti would be delicious if you added chopped and sauteed zucchini!
Thursday, May 26, 2011
Beef Enchilada Gravy on Rice
recipe submitted by my sister-in-law, Pamla
My sister-in-law sent me this recipe and told me that it is "DELISH". So, of course, I'm going to put it up as soon as possible to share it with everyone. And I think I might just have to add it to my menu for this next week, too!
1lb ground beef
1 can enchilada sauce
1 can cream of chicken (or a preferred cream soup)
salt, pepper, seasoned salt, onion powder; to taste
Cheese, shredded (use whatever cheese you want! Pamla says she is a sucker for mozzarella, though!)
Rice, cooked
Brown the ground beef with the spices. Add the enchilada sauce and cream soup. Serve over the rice, with cheese on top of it all!
So easy! And I imagine a side of smooth guac with tortilla chips would be divine with this!
My sister-in-law sent me this recipe and told me that it is "DELISH". So, of course, I'm going to put it up as soon as possible to share it with everyone. And I think I might just have to add it to my menu for this next week, too!
1lb ground beef
1 can enchilada sauce
1 can cream of chicken (or a preferred cream soup)
salt, pepper, seasoned salt, onion powder; to taste
Cheese, shredded (use whatever cheese you want! Pamla says she is a sucker for mozzarella, though!)
Rice, cooked
Brown the ground beef with the spices. Add the enchilada sauce and cream soup. Serve over the rice, with cheese on top of it all!
So easy! And I imagine a side of smooth guac with tortilla chips would be divine with this!
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
Aztec Chicken
I'm pretty sure I found this recipe on the Internet somewhere. But I have stored it in my brain pretty much ever since the first time I made (and loved) it. It has already evolved a bit....I think I've doubled the cumin from the original recipe....because everybody needs more cumin!
2 large chicken breasts, boneless/skinless (or chicken tender equivalent)
2 cans black beans
1 can corn, drained
1 C. salsa
1 tsp. cumin
salt and pepper, to taste
1 8oz block cream cheese
6 servings cooked rice
torillas, if desired
Put all the ingredients, except the cream cheese, rice and tortillas, into a slow cooker on low for 6-8 hours. (I actually usually put it on high for 5 hours. Right after lunch until dinner time.) Remove chicken, shred, replace into the slow cooker. Add cream cheese, stir every now and then until it is thoroughly melted. Add the rice, stir well. Now you can either serve it like mush on a plate, or burrito style (our preferred method). So yummy!
Also, you might noticed that I have a preference for Latin-inspired dishes. And spicy stuff. Or Latin, spicy stuff. That's just because it's so doggone delicious!
2 large chicken breasts, boneless/skinless (or chicken tender equivalent)
2 cans black beans
1 can corn, drained
1 C. salsa
1 tsp. cumin
salt and pepper, to taste
1 8oz block cream cheese
6 servings cooked rice
torillas, if desired
Put all the ingredients, except the cream cheese, rice and tortillas, into a slow cooker on low for 6-8 hours. (I actually usually put it on high for 5 hours. Right after lunch until dinner time.) Remove chicken, shred, replace into the slow cooker. Add cream cheese, stir every now and then until it is thoroughly melted. Add the rice, stir well. Now you can either serve it like mush on a plate, or burrito style (our preferred method). So yummy!
Also, you might noticed that I have a preference for Latin-inspired dishes. And spicy stuff. Or Latin, spicy stuff. That's just because it's so doggone delicious!
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
Carrot Soup
original recipe from unknown...too bad I can't claim it myself!
I don't remember where I found this recipe. It was on an Internet forum -somewhere-. I've altered it to make it really, really easy. And it is so delicious...especially with a nice, crusty (and/or dense) bread!
1 onion, chopped
1 cloves garlic, chopped
2 TBS. butter
2 medium potatoes, peeled and chopped
6-8 large carrots, peeled and chopped
1/4 tsp. thyme
1/8 tsp. bay leaf flakes
salt and pepper, to taste
4 C. chicken stock (you could also use vegetable stock for a vegetarian meal. And of course, you can also use bullion with water.)
Dump everything into a slow cooker on low for 6 hours. Before serving, blend in a blender or food processor. (Make sure to vent it, so it doesn't explode...which can happen when you blend hot things.) I leave a few carrot/potato chunks in the soup for more texture.
This just screams cool fall evening to me, but we actually had it just a couple weeks ago on a rainy, spring night, and you know what....it was just as delicious!
I don't remember where I found this recipe. It was on an Internet forum -somewhere-. I've altered it to make it really, really easy. And it is so delicious...especially with a nice, crusty (and/or dense) bread!
1 onion, chopped
1 cloves garlic, chopped
2 TBS. butter
2 medium potatoes, peeled and chopped
6-8 large carrots, peeled and chopped
1/4 tsp. thyme
1/8 tsp. bay leaf flakes
salt and pepper, to taste
4 C. chicken stock (you could also use vegetable stock for a vegetarian meal. And of course, you can also use bullion with water.)
Dump everything into a slow cooker on low for 6 hours. Before serving, blend in a blender or food processor. (Make sure to vent it, so it doesn't explode...which can happen when you blend hot things.) I leave a few carrot/potato chunks in the soup for more texture.
This just screams cool fall evening to me, but we actually had it just a couple weeks ago on a rainy, spring night, and you know what....it was just as delicious!
Sweet Potato and Lentil Burritos
original recipe found in Nov/Dec 2010 issue of Mothering Magazine
I don't care for sweet potatoes all the much...and neither does my husband. But this recipe is actually really good. And I feel good about eating it, because it is so stinkin' healthy!
2 large sweet potatoes
2 C. cooked lentils
1 C. salsa
2 C. Pepper Jack cheese (or cheddar, or Monterey Jack, or whatever strikes your fancy), shredded
1 TBS. cumin
2 tsp. chili powder
salt, to taste
whole wheat tortillas
Bake the potatoes for an hour at 425 degrees F. When they come out, let them cool enough to handle (I usually skip this part...because I'm hungry and don't want to wait), peel them and mash them in a large bowl. Add the cooked lentils, salsa, spices and about 1 1/2 C. of the cheese. Mix it all up really well. Put a big dollop of the mix onto a tortilla and roll it up like a burrito. Place in a greased 9x13 pan. Fill the pan tightly with your rolled burritos. Sprinkle the remaining cheese on top and put in the oven (still at 425 degrees) for 10-15 minutes.
My husband (who, remember, doesn't like sweet potatoes) says that these taste like they are full of taco meat...with just a slightly softer texture. In other words, he likes them...except for the fact that they are sweet potatoes.
I don't care for sweet potatoes all the much...and neither does my husband. But this recipe is actually really good. And I feel good about eating it, because it is so stinkin' healthy!
2 large sweet potatoes
2 C. cooked lentils
1 C. salsa
2 C. Pepper Jack cheese (or cheddar, or Monterey Jack, or whatever strikes your fancy), shredded
1 TBS. cumin
2 tsp. chili powder
salt, to taste
whole wheat tortillas
Bake the potatoes for an hour at 425 degrees F. When they come out, let them cool enough to handle (I usually skip this part...because I'm hungry and don't want to wait), peel them and mash them in a large bowl. Add the cooked lentils, salsa, spices and about 1 1/2 C. of the cheese. Mix it all up really well. Put a big dollop of the mix onto a tortilla and roll it up like a burrito. Place in a greased 9x13 pan. Fill the pan tightly with your rolled burritos. Sprinkle the remaining cheese on top and put in the oven (still at 425 degrees) for 10-15 minutes.
My husband (who, remember, doesn't like sweet potatoes) says that these taste like they are full of taco meat...with just a slightly softer texture. In other words, he likes them...except for the fact that they are sweet potatoes.
Fire Beef
original recipe from Becky Stansbury
This is the recipe that broke the camel's back....but in a good way. I have been talking to my aunt and my sister about sharing recipes for a while, and I was having a really hard time actually getting around to typing out the recipes and emailing them to whoever wanted them. Finally, while talking to my sister, I decided that I would start a blog to have an easy way to share all the recipes that I'm learning about and loving. (Also, I get another excuse to show off my love of alliteration....do you like the blog title??) This is the recipe that I really wanted to share with my sister, but I knew I had so many other recipes to share as well....and so the blog was born. I LOVE fire beef. Full of flavor and absolutely delicious! Enjoy!
2 C. soy sauce
1/2 C. olive oil
1 C. water
3/4 C. sugar
1 TBS. ground ginger
2 1/2 TBS. crushed red pepper
2 TBS. garlic powder
2 TBS. dark sesame oil
1 bunch green onions (about 6)-sliced thin
2lbs flank steak
Mix all ingredients (but not the steak yet) in a large pan (I use a 9x13...or that one Pyrex that is bigger...what size is that?). Slice the steak into thin strips, add to the pan. Marinade for at least 6 hours. I usually prepare it the night before I'm planning to eat this for dinner. Fry over medium heat until brown.
I usually heat the leftover marinade enough to kill off any germies, then put in on the table along with the steak, rice and stir fried veggies. Sooooo good! But be warned, the longer this marinates, the spicier it gets!
This is the recipe that broke the camel's back....but in a good way. I have been talking to my aunt and my sister about sharing recipes for a while, and I was having a really hard time actually getting around to typing out the recipes and emailing them to whoever wanted them. Finally, while talking to my sister, I decided that I would start a blog to have an easy way to share all the recipes that I'm learning about and loving. (Also, I get another excuse to show off my love of alliteration....do you like the blog title??) This is the recipe that I really wanted to share with my sister, but I knew I had so many other recipes to share as well....and so the blog was born. I LOVE fire beef. Full of flavor and absolutely delicious! Enjoy!
2 C. soy sauce
1/2 C. olive oil
1 C. water
3/4 C. sugar
1 TBS. ground ginger
2 1/2 TBS. crushed red pepper
2 TBS. garlic powder
2 TBS. dark sesame oil
1 bunch green onions (about 6)-sliced thin
2lbs flank steak
Mix all ingredients (but not the steak yet) in a large pan (I use a 9x13...or that one Pyrex that is bigger...what size is that?). Slice the steak into thin strips, add to the pan. Marinade for at least 6 hours. I usually prepare it the night before I'm planning to eat this for dinner. Fry over medium heat until brown.
I usually heat the leftover marinade enough to kill off any germies, then put in on the table along with the steak, rice and stir fried veggies. Sooooo good! But be warned, the longer this marinates, the spicier it gets!
Welcome to Tasty Thalman's
I have been working hard to organize my family meal planning. I am also trying to choose healthy meal options. And I'm trying to beat the mealtime boredom...I'm sure you all know about that! In my quest, I have gathered together dozens of recipes that I love enough to eat over and over again. Most of them are so good, that I want to share them over and over again! What better way to do that than through a public blog!?
Most of these recipes came from somewhere other than my own head, and I will try to give credit where it is due. Luckily, you can't really copyright a recipe...unless you've written a book. (And even then, it's sketchy.) I would be glad to add tried and true recipes from my readers, too. Just send me an email (thisismallory at yahoo dot com) and I will try to get it up in a timely manner.
I want the comment section to be full!!! If you try the recipe, come back and tell me how you liked it. If you have a similar recipe, let me know. If you have tweaked the recipe, share what you did! If you know how to make a recipe healthier, please advise!
Everybody has to eat, so we might as well make it enjoyable and interesting! Let's eat!
Most of these recipes came from somewhere other than my own head, and I will try to give credit where it is due. Luckily, you can't really copyright a recipe...unless you've written a book. (And even then, it's sketchy.) I would be glad to add tried and true recipes from my readers, too. Just send me an email (thisismallory at yahoo dot com) and I will try to get it up in a timely manner.
I want the comment section to be full!!! If you try the recipe, come back and tell me how you liked it. If you have a similar recipe, let me know. If you have tweaked the recipe, share what you did! If you know how to make a recipe healthier, please advise!
Everybody has to eat, so we might as well make it enjoyable and interesting! Let's eat!
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