Citrus Marinated Ham

As we start to transition to summer- It's times to break out the fruit fusion dishes!  This one is easy and fast--Citrus Marinated Ham.  It's featured here as being served with peppered green beans and baked potatoes, but any number of sides would complement this dish.  I hope you enjoy the light and sweet flavors that compose this dish :)

Ingredients:

2lbs baked and sliced ham
1 can green beans
4 potatoes
3tbs butter

For marinated:

2 organes (for zest AND juice)
1tsp mustard powered
1tsp nutmeg
1tbs cinnamon
1tsp basil
1tbs black pepper
1tsp cayenne peper
1tbs sugar

Serves: 4
Time: 20 min (post marinade)

This recipe also does really well with chicken breast.  However, as those are marinated raw, please be careful to keep the meat chilled, and cook thoroughly :)  I hope you enjoy this easy, summer-loving dish as much as we do!

Directions:

1) In a large ziplock bag or deep dish pan, combine marinade ingredients.  Whisk together with an actual whisk, or a fork will do :)

2) Place the baked ham slices in the marinated.  It's best to cover the meat with the marinated, but if the two oranges don't do it, rather than buy another orange, just flip the meat over periodically.

3) Continue to marinated for whatever time you can.  At least 30 minutes and no more than 36 hours.  If you are marinated for a longer time, it's best to do so in a ziplock bag.  For this recipe I marinated in a deep dish pan for about 4 hours. As the meat is already cooked, it will take up the new flavors more slowly.  However, you also not need to worry about spoilage.

4) During this time you can prep the green beans by rinsing the can of beans and placing them in a microwavable container.  Add 2tbs of butter and a 1tbs of black pepper to them and set them aside.  Once the meat is almost done cooking at the end, you only need to microwave the green beans for a minutes, stir, and serve them hot!  During the marinade time is also a good time to preheat and/or start baking the potatoes if you choose.

5) Add a 1tbs of butter to a large frying pan.  On medium heat, melt and distribute the butter around the pan.

6) Add the orange zest to the frying pan and sauté the zest for a few minutes to soften them. (As pictured on the right.)

7) Add the marinade to the soften zest BEFORE you add the ham.  The reason for this is that you wan the meat to stay moist but to also finish infusing the ham with the marinade, which will work better with heat.

8) Once the marinade has come to a light simmer, place the baked ham slices in the frying pan and cook until warm.

9) This is a great time to cook the beans, and check that the potatoes are done.  If the potatoes are NOT done-- You will want to finish them in the microwave. 

10) Serve hot!  The rest of the cooked marinade make a great gravy once thickened with heat.

Cost:
ham                   $5
butter                 $0.20
seasoning          $0.60
breen beans       $1
potatoes             $1
oranges             $0.70         
Total                 $8.50
Per serving       $2.12

Russian Tea Cakes with Jam

These are an all year cookie-- Easy to do, fast, and travel well!  Customize them with your favorite jam, and you will have a buttery goodness treat whenever you want! Since there is no egg in them, or milk, they are party friendly!

Ingredients:

1c softened butter
1/2c sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 1/2c all-purpose flour
2/3c seedless jam or choice

Makes: 48+ cookies
Time: 30min total

These cookies store very well in an air tight container-- for up to two week!  They go great with tea, milk, champagne, and by themselves.  Can you tell they are one of my favorites ;)

Directions:

1)Preheat oven to 400 degrees

2)Mix all the ingredients in a large mixing bowl.  the dough should be crumbly but firm.

3) Hand shape into small balls of dough.  Think about 1 heaping tables spoon per cookie.  When you roll the dough in your hands, it should form a ball easily that holds form.

4) Place the cookie dough balls on a baking sheet.  There is enough butter in these that the baking sheet does NOT need to be greased :)

5) Bake for 10 min.

6) Use a spoon to create a pocket in each cookie.

7) Bake another 2-5 minutes.

8) Let the cookies cool before you add the jam to the pocket you created via spoon.

9) Serve these cookies the next day... They are best having had time to "set."

Cost:

Total               $2.35
Per cookie      $0.05... That's five cents a cookie!!

• 
  

Carrot Cake Cookie Sandwiches: Spring is in the Air!

These cookies were created for and inspired by my sister for her Bridal Shower-- And they were  big hit!  Per her request, there are no nuts or raisins in these carrot cake sandwich cookies, but both of those ingredients could easily be added according to taste.  In-spite of have cream cheese based frosting, the cookies last a surprisingly long time in the fridge, and travel well :)  I held off on posting the recipe so that it would be just in time for Easter-- But pretty much any reason for these little, sweet, sandwiches of joy will do!

Ingredients:

Cookies:

2 1/2c all-purpose flour

3 tbs cinnamon

1tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

2c unsalted butter, softened

2/3c packed light brown sugar

2/3c granulated sugar

2 large eggs

1tbs vanilla extract

2c grated carrots

Frosting/Filling:

16oz cream cheese (2 bars)

1/2c honey

Makes: 3 doz. cookie sandwiches, (so 6 doz. cookies)

Serves: a small army of hungry ladies and gents!

These cookies have also been called Inside-out cookies.  The larger and flatter you want your cookie sandwiches, the more butter to flour you should add.  As this recipe tends to spread on the baking sheet, baking the cookies slightly longer will achieve the same thing to an extent.  Small, round cookies are recommend for the best tea-side cookie size!

Directions:

1) Put oven racks in upper and lower thirds of oven and preheat oven to 375°F. Butter 2 baking sheets, or as many as you have-- this is an assembly style recipe.

2) Whisk together flour, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt in a large mixing bowl.

3) Beat together butter, sugars, egg, and vanilla before adding the graded carrots.

4) After you have mixed all of your "wet" ingdients, shift in the flour mixture.

5) Beat the cookie dough until the consitancy is smooth.

6)  Drop 1 1/2 tablespoons batter per cookie 2 inches apart on baking sheets and bake. remember these cookies tend to spread!

7) Bake the cookies at 375 degrees until cookies are lightly browned which should take about 17 minutes, depending on your oven.

8) Quickly transfer the cookies to cooling sheets.  (Kitchen hack: cut open brown paper bags to use as cookie cooling "sheets." Easy clean up too-- Just throw on the bag when you are done!)

Frosting/Filling:

9) Thoroughly blend cream cheese and honey in a food processor until smooth. (Or a blender if that's what you have...)

10) Chill the filling/frosting in the fridge while the cookies bake-- This will help when you spread the mix on the cookies later.  It will also help the the cookies are cooled before you assemble them.

11) Assemble the cookie sandwiches and store in an air tight container until ready to consume!

Cost:

Total $6.15           
Per cookie  $0.20

Twice Baked Potatoes, Family Size :)

Although I know football season just ended-- there is ways the next season... football, baseball, hockey, the olypics, and because it goes well with beer.  The twice baked potatoes featured here are easy, fast, and fool-proof!  The simple and universals approach for these means that even people who think they don't like potatoes will love these ;) Enjoy

Ingredients:

5 baking potatoes

1/2c bacon bits
3/4c moterilla cheese
1/4c milk
black pepper and seasonings to taste

Serves: 5, with two per person... but you know your guest!

Time: 1 hour and 20 minutes, almost all of which is back time

These are such an easy party food- But they also go great with steak and breaded chicken!  Twice baked potatoes also freeze amazingly for the busy days of the week.


Directions:

1) Preheat the oven to 350 degrees

2) Bake five washed potatoes for 40 minutes.  Make sure you poke holes in to skin of the potatoes in several places first to avoid having to clean up an explode potato from your oven!

3) Grate or slice cheese and mix with bacon and milk. The milk is a healthier version of the butter you usually see in recipes like this :)

4) Once the potatoes are cook enough to touch-- cut them in half longways (as shown in the image to the right).

5) Scoop out the soft potato centers and add them to your bacon bit  mixtures.

6) With a serving fork or potato smasher, mix the potato thoroughly with  the bacon bit mixture.

7) Re-fill the potato skins with the bacon bit mixture to just over the hight of the potato skin-- this will help make the potatoes look decadent AND it will make sure you use up your ingredients  evenly ;)

8) Place the filled potato skins on a backing sheet and return to the oven for 30 minutes, if a crisp top is desired.  The crisp top is highly recommend! 

9) Serve hot!

Cost:

Potatoes       $1.50
Bacon bits    $1.00
Milk                $0.15
Cheese         $0.75
Total              $3.40
Per serving   $0.68

Cheesy Easy Party Poppers!

Parties are definitely happening this time a year-- and warm treats are always a big hit.  This recipe is a super easy and fast guest favorite. As much as I am usually a fan of doing things from scratch, that isn't always the best plan with the holiday bustle... So enjoy this Party Poppers right out of something you would except from a 1950's kitchen!

Ingredients:

 12 slices of cheddar cheese
2-3 slices of smoked turkey sandwich meat
(Depending on thickness)
1 roll of Ready-to -Bake Biscuits
That's it!

Serves: 12 poppers... But VERY easy to scale up ;)

Time: 18 min, with 12min  of that being the baking!

Directions:

1) Pre slice the cheddar cheese into slivers that can easily be rolled into the biscuits... The size will depend on the biscuits you buy.  The slicing of the turkey is the same.

2) Assemble cheddar cheese and turkey into the biscuit, pinching shut each one to create a roll.

3) Place on a baking sheet and bake at 350 degrees for 12 minutes.  Serve hot!

And that's it!!

Cost:

Biscuits    $1.35

Cheese     $0.35

Turkey     $0.80     

Total        $2.50 

I recommend serving with BBQ, or the Honey Hot Sauce as featured next ;)

Comfort Food For the weekdays: Itlain Sausage in Angle Hair Pasta

Pasta is one of those dishes that can be quick and pretty good, or slow and Mama Mia good.   I offer a weeknight compromise: Quick pasta, slow rest-of-the-ingredients, and dinner is served on time!

Ingredients:

1lb Italian sausage
1 red onion
4tbs olive oil
1 jar red sauce
2tbs basil
1tbs oregano
1tsp black pepper
1/2 package angle hair pasta

Serves: 4+

Time: 35min

Directions:

1) Start boiling the water.  You will need about 4 cups.  Feel free to add a little salt and olive oil as well, as discussed in prior posts :)

2)Add the olive oil to the pan and turn onto medium heat.  Give extra time to warm up if using an electric oven.

3) Add all the sausage, pre-chopped or separated in the pan.  I prefer to separate in the pan, personally.  Also add your sliced onions at this time.

4) If you choose to use all the spices listed, add them now, so they have time to soften and mellow.  If you are using less spices than listed above, you may want to add them later on so they will taste more potent. Yes, spices are always optional.  Well... usually.

5) While you are cooking the meat thoroughly, and keeping a close eye on it, add the pasta to the boiling water.

6) Add most of the the jar of red sauce to the pan.*

*The reason for "most of the jar" is you may want to save a little out for making pizza!  Its super easy to do with pasta left overs.  Just save a little of the sliced onion, and a little of the meat too-- all in separate baggies of course.  We will come back to this at a later post ;)

7) Angle hair pasta cooks quickly, making it both elegant and time efficient.  After about 5 to 7 minutes, you should be prepared to drain the pasta and add it directly to the pan of yummy stuff.

8) Mix everything well and serve hot!

Cost:

Italian sausage    $3.56
red onion            $0.50
olive oil              $0.20
red sauce            $2.00
spices                 $0.35
pasta                   $0.50      
Total                  $7.11
Per serving         $1.77

Whole Wheat Banana Bread with Sunflower Seeds!

Banana bread is always a classic, as a snack, desert, or breakfast!  However, this recipe has been update for the more health conscious.  Also- This recipe makes two to there loafs, as banana bread freezes fantastically well! I hope you enjoy this easy and tasty recipe :)

Ingredients:

3 very ripe bananas

1/3c melted butter

1c of white sugar 

(can easily use 3/4 cup, or drop it down to 1/2 cup if you want it less sweet)

2 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

2 1/2 cups of whole wheat flour

1c unsalted sunflower seeds, shelled

Time:

Make the dough   7min

Bake                  45-60 min

Total                 About an hour

Serves: Varies

Although I did make this recipe in a mixer, that is far from necessary with this recipe. However, if you do not have an electric mixer of some kind, hand held or otherwise, then you would want to pre mash, shift and melt ingredients.

Directions:

1) Preheat the oven to 350°F 

2) In a mixing bowl, add the ingredients, except the baking soda and the sunflower seeds.  You actually don't need to pre melt the butter, or smash the bananas, but you are welcome to.

3) Grease the baking dish.  I prefer more smaller loafs, but it is your personal preference. mash the ripe bananas with a fork until smooth. Stir the melted butter into the mashed bananas.

4) Carefully add the baking soda to the mix, covering as much of the surface as possible with the baking soda. Mix into the dough.

5) Add about 3/4c of the shelled and unsalted sunflower seeds to the mix, and mix in as well.  Keep a 1/8c of sunflower seeds to the side to decorate the loafs. 

6) Fill baking dish 1/2 to 2/4 full of the dough and back for 45 min to an hour. Add the sunflower seeds to the top of the loafs-- Just for fun!

7)  Remove from the oven when the loaf is firm and a slightly darker brown, and let rest on it's side.  This will help with the removing of the bread later.

8) Once cool- remove the loafs.  Serve as is or warmed up!  Wrap whatever is left in aluminum foil before freezing.  I hope you enjoy!

Cost:
bananas              $0.60
flour&sugar         $1.00
butter                  $0.30
eggs                    $0.30
sunflower seeds  $0.70
baking soda        $0.10
vanilla                  $0.10
salt                      $0.01       
Total:                  $3.11
Makes three small loafs :)