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Almond Cranberry Croissants

June 26, 2010 By The Recipe Mom Leave a Comment
croissantcookie

What You Need:

1 1/3 C of flour
3 1/2 oz. almond paste, cut small
2/3 C + 2 tbsp light brown sugar, packed and divided
1/4 tsp salt
6 tbsp unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1 (3 oz.) pkg. cream cheese
1 C almonds, toasted and chopped very fine
1 C of fresh cranberries, chopped very fine
3/4 tsp cinnamon, divided
1 large egg, lightly beaten
2 tbsp sugar

How to Make It:

Put the flour, almond paste, 2 tbsp of brown sugar and the salt into the blender.
Blend until the almond paste is blended into the flour well.
Place the butter and cream cheese into the mixture and pulse until a moist crumb forms.
Place the mixture onto a flat surface and knead until a soft dough forms.
Divide the dough into thirds and place on a lightly floured surface.
Shape the pieces into a 1/2 inch thick disk.
Cover with plastic wrap and chill 1 hour.
Line a baking sheet with foil and preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Place the almonds, cranberries, remaining brown sugar and 1/2 tsp of cinnamon into a bowl and toss to combine.
Place the chilled dough on a lightly floured surface.
Roll each disk out to form a 9 inch circle.
Place 1/3 of the cranberry filling onto each circle, pressing into the dough with your fingers.
Cut each dough circle into 12 wedges.
Roll the wedges into croissants beginning at the wide end and rolling to the point.
Place the croissants point down on the foil line baking sheet.
Toss together the sugar and remaining cinnamon.
Brush each croissant with egg and sprinkle with the cinnamon sugar mixture.
Bake the croissants for 22 minutes or until a golden brown.
Cool on wire racks before serving.

Makes 36 croissant

These cookies make a great snack in the middle of the afternoon or as a dessert at the end of a delicious healthy meal. Mix up your filling by using cherries and pecans or peaches and walnuts or any type of fruit nut mixture that you like.

Preparation Time: approximately 15 minutes
Chilling Time: approximately 1 hour
Baking Time: approximately 22 minutes
Total Time: approximately 1 hour 37 minutes

Nutritional Information: (approximate values per cookie)
Calories 105; Fat 5g; Saturated Fat 2g; Carbohydrates 12g; Protein 2g; Fiber 1g;
Cholesterol 14mg; Sodium 28mg

Filed Under: Desserts, Health Concious, Kid Friendly, Recipe Cards, Recipes, Snacks Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , ,

Sugar Who Needs It

June 24, 2010 By The Recipe Mom Leave a Comment
whitesugar

Real fast think of your favorite childhood holiday. Ok now real fast think of the one thing your favorite childhood holiday has in common with most other holidays. Is candy your answer? It should be. That’s what almost all holiday’s have in common. Yep that tasty sugar filled candy. It can be chocolate, caramel, marshmallow or any of those wonderful sugary treats every child and admit it every adult loves about their favorite holiday.

The reason we are looking at a single holiday event is because, due to the excess of candy ingested, it is easier to see the effects that take place. Most candy is made up of two dangerous ingredients – hydrogenated fat (trans-fatty acids) and sugar. We saw the removal of trans fats from almost all restaurants because they were finding a direct link to heart disease, type 2 diabetes and even Alzheimer’s disease. Studies have shown that trans fats don’t allow for any safe level of intake.

Ok but what about that sugar? The common denominator with almost every jaw-breaking, teeth-rotting, incredibly tasty piece of candy out there that has it’s spell on us, urging us to satisfy that one last sweet tooth addiction. Leaving the kids out of it, consider this fun fact; the typical adult consumes 15 to 20 teaspoons a day – we definitely have a lot to learn.

Sugar Plain and Simple

Sugar comes in many forms including white sugar (sucrose, aka table sugar), brown sugar, cane sugar, sugar in the raw, high fructose corn syrup, maple syrup, candies, pop, jams, ketchup, baked goods, juice, several packaged foods and many low-fat products for added taste. Refined flour, chips, pretzels, muffins, white rice and pasta also end up as sugar in our body. Although sugars are safest in their natural, unprocessed forms such as maple syrup, honey or sugar in the raw – all forms of sugar possess similar health risks.

The Highs and Lows of Sugar

When we consume foods high in sugar, the glucose enters the bloodstream, quickly causing blood sugar to rise. Insulin is then secreted by the pancreas, which causes the sugars to enter the cells. This sugar is either used as immediate energy or stored as fat to be used by the body later. Once the sugar is used up for energy, the levels in the blood quickly fall back to normal or even below normal.

During the holidays this ebb and flow is quite evident in children. They get all wound up, running around like crazy, then crash out on the floor amidst their toys, where they are found lying asleep in a ball and chaos all around. This drop then triggers another craving for sugar to restore the balance that once was, causing the process to start all over again.

Sugar and Immunity

In the early 1970s, studies were done – and again in 1997 – that showed a suppression of white blood cells after sugar was consumed. White blood cells act as the body’s first line of defense against a virus or bacterial infection. This leaves our immune system weakened and compromised, and to top it all off, this process increases exponentially with the regular consumption of sugar. Many doctors have noted that adults who snack on sweets at their desk are usually the ones admitted with the flu, shingles and other illnesses.

Sugar and Our Aging Process

Glycation is a process where sugar molecules abnormally attach themselves to cells in the body. This imbalance of sugar causes the cells to begin to shrink, dehydrate and wrinkle. When this occurs, tissue elasticity reduces and causes sagging of the skin, stiffening of the arteries and organ function goes out the window. Sugar also has an effect on the brain, eyes and nervous system, and don’t forget about what it does to your teeth.

Reducing your sugar intake is a great step to take if you want to avoid the highs and lows, keep your immunity up and prevent aging. Of course, cutting out sugar all together is the best way, but start by taking it one step at a time and eventually you will get there. Make sure you consult your physician before making any drastic changes to your diet and keep an eye on your insulin levels at all times. The next time you go to grab for that delightful piece of chocolate-covered caramel, think about the kids you see during the holiday season – then opt for a more nutritious snack.

Filed Under: Today's Kitchen Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Cantaloupe and Pork Salad

June 11, 2010 By The Recipe Mom Leave a Comment
melonpork

What You Need:

1 (1 lb.) pork tenderloin
1 tbsp + 1 tsp dry Caribbean jerk seasoning, divided
1 tsp lime zest, grated
1/4 C lime juice
1 tbsp honey
8 C of mixed salad greens
1/2 cantaloupe, cut into wedges

How to Make It:

Heat the oven to 425 degrees.
Rub 1 tbsp of jerk seasoning over the loin and place the loin on a rack in a shallow baking pan.
Place in the oven and roast for 30 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 155 degrees.
Transfer the loin to the cutting board and cover loosely with foil to keep warm.
Let the loin stand at least 10 minutes, uncover and slice.
Whisk together the lime zest, juice and honey.
Place the greens on to a platter, add the cantaloupe wedges and carefully pour the sauce over the top.

Makes 4 servings

Jerk seasoning comes in many forms such as powder, dry paste or even as a marinade. Try making your own by mixing together allspice, hot chilies, salt and thyme then add your own special touch. These touches can be garlic, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger or even brown sugar. Pork and cantaloupe compliment each other well making this both a healthy and tasty salad main course meal.

Preparation Time: approximately 20 minutes
Cooking Time: approximately 30 minutes
Total Time: approximately 50 minutes

Nutritional Information: (approximate values per serving)
Calories 265; Fat 6g; Saturated Fat 2g; Carbohydrates 27g; Protein 26g; Fiber 2g Cholesterol 67mg; Sodium 104mg

Filed Under: Brunch Ideas, Dinner Ideas, Health Concious, Lunch Ideas, Pork, Recipe Cards, Recipes, Soups and Salads Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Grilled Orange Salsa Steak

May 29, 2010 By The Recipe Mom Leave a Comment
grilledsteak

What You Need:

1/2 C of soy sauce
1/2 C green onions, chopped and divided
3 tbsp lime juice
2 tbsp brown sugar
1/8 tsp hot sauce
1 garlic clove, minced
2 lbs. boneless sirloin steak, 1 inch thick
2 oranges, peeled, sectioned and chopped
2 tbsp orange juice
2 tbsp red wine vinegar
2 tbsp lemon, chopped
1 tbsp lime, chopped
1 tbsp sugar
1 tsp cilantro
1 tsp jalapeno pepper, minced
1/2 tsp lemon peel, grated
1/2 tsp lime peel, grated
1/8 tsp salt

How to Make It:

Put the soy sauce and 1/4 C of the green onions into a large sealable bag.
Add the lime juice, brown sugar, hot sauce and garlic, seal the bag and shake to blend.
Place the steak into the marinade, seal the bag and turn to coat.
Refrigerate at least 2 hours, turning the bag occasionally to keep the meat well covered.
Preheat the grill to medium heat.
Remove the steak from the marinade, place it on the grill and discard the marinade.
Grill the steak for 5 minutes.
Turn the steak and grill for 5 minutes longer or until the internal temperature reaches 160 degrees for a medium done steak.
Cool the steak and slice across the grain.
Place the remaining ingredients into a mixing bowl and stir until blended together well.
Sever the salsa over the slices of steak.

Makes 4 servings

The citrus salsa adds a little zing to this delicious grilled steak leaving you with no need for that heavy steak sauce. The marinade gives you a steak that is moist and full of flavor. To grill the steak to medium rare the meat thermometer should read 145 degrees and for well done it should read 170 degrees.

Filed Under: Beef, Dinner Ideas, Grilled, Recipe Cards, Recipes Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Slow Cooked Kielbasa Bites

May 26, 2010 By The Recipe Mom Leave a Comment
sausage

What You Need:

2 lbs. kielbasa sausage, fully cooked and cut into pieces
3/4 C of brown sugar
1 C chunky applesauce
2 garlic cloves, minced

How to Cook It:

Lay the sausages into the bottom of the crock pot.
Sprinkle the sausages with the brown sugar covering them well.
Stir in the applesauce and garlic until blended in well.
Cover the crock pot and cook on low for 6 hours or until heated through.

Makes 12 servings

The ideal slow cooker size is 3 quarts but they can be made in a 4 or 5 quart cooker just be sure to watch them carefully so they don’t over cook. These tasty little bites make a great get together appetizer. Even the kids will love them. The garlic is optional.

Preparation Time: approximately 15 minutes
Cooking Time: approximately 6 hours
Total Time: approximately 6 hours 15 minutes

Filed Under: Appetizers, Kid Friendly, Party Foods, Recipe Cards, Recipes Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,

Pineapple Pork Steak Dinner

May 15, 2010 By The Recipe Mom 1 Comment

What You Need:

2 pork steaks, trimmed
2 dehydrated pineapple slices
2 yams
1 C frozen peas and pearl onions
1 C chicken broth
1 tbsp honey

How to Make It:

Cover the inside of a pressure cooker with a cooking spray.
Lay the meat into the heated cooker.
Brown the meat for 5 minutes per side.
Place the pineapple slices over the top of the meat.
Slice both yams 3/4 of the way through, into 5 or 6 slices and place in the cooker.
Dump the peas and onions over the top.
Pour in the chicken broth.
Cover and bring to high pressure, cooking for 10 minutes after the pressure is reached.
Remove and drizzle the honey over the yams before serving.

Makes 2 servings

This is a complete meal in one cooker and ready in about 20 minutes from start to finish. Brown sugar may be used in place of the honey if you wish.

Filed Under: Dinner Ideas, Kid Friendly, One Dish Meals, Pork, Pressure Cooking, Recipe Cards, Recipes Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , ,

Maple Topped Cinnamon Rolls

May 11, 2010 By The Recipe Mom 1 Comment
cinnamonrolls

What You Need:

1/3 C + 1 tsp sugar, divided
1 pkg. dry yeast
3/4 C warm water, 100 to 110 degrees
5 tbsp butter, melted and divided
1/2 tsp salt
1 large egg
3 1/2 C of flour
2/3 C of brown sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp orange peel, grated
1/4 C pecans, chopped
1 C powdered sugar
2 tbsp maple syrup
1 tbsp fat free milk

How to Make It:

Stir 1 tsp of the sugar and the yeast into the warm water until dissolved.
Allow to stand undisturbed for 5 minutes.
Whisk together the remaining sugar, 3 tbsp of butter, the salt and the egg together.
Add the yeast mixture and beat with an electric mixer on medium until well blended.
Add the flour slowly, beating as you add on low until the mixture forms a soft dough.
Lightly flour a flat surface and turn the dough out onto the flour.
Knead the dough for 5 minutes, adding 1 tbsp of flour if necessary, until the dough is smooth and elastic.
Spray a non metal bowl with cooking spray and add the dough ball, turning to coat.
Cover and allow to rest 1 hour or until doubled in size.
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and punch it down using your knuckles.
Roll the dough into a rectangle and brush the top side with the remaining butter.
Toss together in a mixing bowl the brown sugar, cinnamon and orange peel.
Scatter the mixture over the dough to within 1/2 inch of all the edges.
Roll the dough, beginning with a long side into a tight jelly roll.
Slice the rolls into 18 pieces and place cut side up into a baking pan.
Cover and allow rising for 1 hour or until doubled in size.
Set the oven temperature to 375 allowing it to preheat.
Bake the rolls 20 minutes or until the tops are a golden brown.
Place the powdered sugar, syrup and milk into a bowl and whisk until smooth.
Top the warm rolls with the glaze and serve.

Makes 18 rolls

Try these rolls for breakfast or a brunch and see how fast they go. A regular glaze of powdered sugar and milk may used if you wish. Waiting on the dough to rise before you baking them is the only hard part when it comes to making these tasty breakfast treats.

Filed Under: Breads and Muffins, Breakfast Foods, Breakfast Ideas, Brunch Ideas, Kid Friendly, Recipe Cards, Recipes Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Budget Candy Bar Bars

April 22, 2010 By The Recipe Mom Leave a Comment
barcookies

What You Need:

1 C brown sugar, packed
2/3 C of butter
1/4 C light corn syrup
1 C of peanut butter, divided
1 tsp vanilla
3 1/2 C quick cooking oats
1 (12 oz.) pkg. semisweet chocolate baking chips
1/2 C of chopped nuts

How to Make It:

Preheat the oven to 375 and lightly spray a 13X9 baking pan with cooking spray.
Stir together in a saucepan the brown sugar, butter and corn syrup.
Place the pan over medium low heat and stirring constantly cook 2 minutes.
Remove the pan from the heat.
Stir in the 1/4 C of peanut butter and the vanilla.
Pour the mixture over the oats in a large bowl and stir until combined.
Press the mixture into the bottom only of the prepared pan.
Bake in the preheated oven for 10 minutes or until just beginning to brown.
Place the chocolate chips into a saucepan over low heat.
Add the remaining peanut butter and stirring constantly cook for 2 minutes.
Spread the mixture over the baked crust and sprinkle the top evenly with the nuts.
Cool on a wire rack until the chocolate is firm.

Makes 15 bars

These little bars are a sweet treat that can take the place of those expensive candy bars. As a dessert these will put a smile on everyone’s face while you count the dollars you saved. Use whatever baking chips you have on hand such as white or mint chocolate chips or even butterscotch. Do the same with the nuts. Whatever you have on hand will work just fine.

Preparation Time: approximately 30 minutes
Cooking Time: approximately 14 minutes
Total Time: approximately 44 minutes

Nutritional Information: (approximate values per serving)
Calories 166; Fat 9g; Saturated Fat 4g; Carbohydrates 16g; Fiber 2g; Protein 3g;
Cholesterol 7 mg; Sodium 64 mg

Filed Under: Cakes and Cookies, Candy, Chocolate, Desserts, Kid Friendly, Recipe Cards, Recipes Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Tasty Breakfast Apple Cakes

April 22, 2010 By The Recipe Mom Leave a Comment
applecakes

What You Need:

1 C of self rising flour
1 pinch of salt
5 Tbsp butter cut into small pieces
4 Tbsp light brown sugar
1 apple, peeled, cored and grated
2 Tbsp milk

How to Make It:

Place a heavy skillet over medium low heat and allow it to preheat.
Whisk the floor and salt together in a large bowl.
Place the butter into the mixture.
Rub it into the flour using your hands until it resembles fine bread crumbs.
Stir in the brown sugar until well combined.
Add the apples and just enough milk to form a soft dough ball.
Roll out the dough on a lightly flour surface to 1/4 inch thickness.
Cut the dough out into rounds using a cookie cutter or open end of a glass.
Melt a little butter in the preheated skillet.
Place the cakes into the skillet and cook 4 minutes or until nicely browned on the bottom.
Flip and continue to cook 4 minutes or until the bottom is browned.

Makes 3 servings

Don’t know what to do with that one apple that’s left in the bag that nobody seems to want to eat? Try these tasty breakfast cakes. Everyone will love the change of pace and it keeps you from having to throw away a rotten apple. Top each cake with a little butter and some apple jelly or try apple flavored syrup as a kicker. Pears also work in this recipe.

Preparation Time: approximately 20 minutes
Cooking Time: approximately 8 minutes
Total Time: approximately 28 minutes

Nutritional Information: (approximate values per serving)
Calories 121; Fat 6g; Saturated Fat 4g; Carbohydrates 17g; Fiber 1 g; Protein 2g; Sugars 7g; Cholesterol 15 mg; Sodium 45 mg

Filed Under: Breakfast Ideas, Brunch Ideas, Kid Friendly, Recipe Cards, Recipes Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Simply Scrumptious Baked Bananas

April 10, 2010 By The Recipe Mom Leave a Comment
bananas

What You Need:

4 large bananas in the skins

How to Make It:

Preset the oven to 350 degrees and preheat.
Place the bananas, unpeeled into a baking dish.
Bake 18 minutes or until the bananas are soft but not mushy and the peels have darkened.
Allow the bananas to cool enough to handle then split lengthwise in half.

Makes 4 servings

A fruit side dish can’t get any more budget friendly than this one. Sprinkle the bananas with a little cinnamon sugar or brown sugar. For a dessert instead of a side, top these bananas with a warm hot fudge, chocolate syrup or toffee sauce.

Preparation Time: approximately 5 minutes
Cooking Time: approximately 18 minutes
Total Time: approximately 23 minutes

Filed Under: Kid Friendly, Recipe Cards, Recipes, Side Dishes Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,
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