Sauteed Cabbage & Apples

We love cabbage in this house so this seemed like a perfect recipe to try.   LOVED IT!  We served it as a side dish to the Skillet Pork Chops with Peaches.   It was quick & easy too. 

 

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter 
• 2 teaspoons canola oil
• 8 cups sliced green cabbage
• 2 cups sliced apple 
• 1 1/2 teaspoon caraway seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt (more or less to taste)

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add butter and oil to pan; swirl until butter melts. Add cabbage, apple, caraway seeds, and salt; cover and cook 5 minutes.

Uncover and cook 5 minutes or until cabbage and apples are tender, stirring occasionally.





*recipe adapted from Cooking Light Magazine
*picture courtesy of Cooking Light Magazine

Mu Shu Chicken Lettuce Wraps

This is one of the best new recipes that I have tried in recent months.   Very healthy, very quick to throw together (thanks to a Rotisserie chicken) and extremely flavorful.   Only 193 calories for 3 wraps!  My eight year old son had three of them which means they were obviously a big hit considering how picky he is.   Highly recommend this for a weeknight dinner.   We served ours with  sweet potatoes.

INGREDIENTS:
2 1/2 TBS low sodium soy sauce
1 TBS dry sherry
2 TBS hoisan sauce
1 teaspoon rice vinegar
1 TBS dark sesame oil
1 TBS minced garlic
1 TBS minced ginger
1 package (14oz give or take) package coleslaw mix (we didn't use all of this but it depends on taste preference)
2 TBS Mrs. Dash Table Seasoning Blend - Salt Free
1 1/2 cups shredded skinless boneless rotisserie chicken breast
1/2 cup sliced green onions, divided
12 Bibb or Iceberg lettuce leaves, washed & gently patted dry
1/2 cup chopped cashews (put in a ziplok baggie and crush with a crab mallet)


HOW TO MAKE:

Combine first 4 ingredients (through rice vinegar) in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk.

After you shred the chicken, put in a bowl and add the Mrs. Dash seasoning.  Mix well to evenly coat.

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add oil to pan; swirl to coat.

Add garlic and ginger to pan; sauté 30 seconds. Add soy sauce mixture and coleslaw; cook 1 minute, stirring frequently.

Add chicken and 1/4 cup onions to pan; cook 1 minute or until coleslaw just begins to wilt. Stir well.  Divide chicken mixture evenly among lettuce leaves; sprinkle evenly with remaining 1/4 cup onions and cashews.


*recipe adapted from Cooking Light
*photo courtesy of Cooking Light

Apple Pie Cheddar Dip

This dip is so delicious!!!! I had all of the ingredients in my refrigerator and threw it together for an impromptu girls night. We all inhaled it!

Ingredients:

2 apples, finely chopped
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1 8oz block of light cream cheese
2 cups cheddar cheese
1/2 cup light sour cream

Directions:
Toss apples, brown sugar and cinnamon together in a bowl.

Combine cheese in a bowl then spread into a greased pie pan. Top with apples.

Bake for about 20 minutes (until bubbly) on 375.

Serve with crackers or toasted bread.

recipe adapted from Gooseberry

Streusel Coffee Cake

I will definitely be making this recipe lot of times this fall/winter.  It was super easy and incredibly tasty.  My only disclaimer is that my cake did not turn out as pretty as the one in the picture shown.  My topping looked a little uneven even though I swore it was even when I sprinkled it on, lol.  This recipe took less than 30 minutes to make and I had all items on hand for it so I considered it a pretty easy baking project.  This would be a great dessert to take to someone's house over the holidays!  We served ours warm with vanilla bean ice cream.  yummm...    

Ingredients:

• TOPPING:
• 1/2 cup light brown sugar
• 1/4 cup sifted all-purpose flour (sift before measuring)
• 1/4 cup butter, room temperature
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon sugar
  
  CAKE:
• 1 1/2 cups sifted all-purpose flour (sift before measuring)
• 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 egg, beaten
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup melted butter (we used I Can't Believe It's Not Butter)
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 375.

In small mixing bowl, combine topping ingredients. Blend with fork until crumbly. This takes a few minutes longer than you may think.  Keep going until it gets to the right consistency.  Set aside.

Sift 1 1/2 cups sifted flour with baking powder and salt into a bowl.

In a medium bowl, stir together beaten egg and 3/4 cup sugar and 1/3 cup melted butter. Add milk and vanilla. Stir in flour mixture and mix well.

Pour batter into a greased and floured 8-inch square or 9-inch layer-cake pan. Sprinkle topping crumb mixture evenly over batter.  Bake 24 to 28 minutes, or until cake is done.   Be careful not to overcook.   Allow to partially cool.  Then cut coffee cake into squares while still warm.   Serves great with vanilla ice cream or a cup of coffee.  Enjoy!


*recipe adapted from here
*picture courtesy of here

Pumpkin Cupcakes With Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting

This recipe kept popping up on Pinterest and I could not deny it any longer! It was a perfect early fall day to bake while the rest of the weird world watches football.  ;)
I am amazed at the taste.....  absolutely mind blowing.  This recipe is the "lighter" version of the original that came from a recipe magazine. 
I've already had two....  consider yourself forewarned because I am not a big dessert type of person.  They are just that good! 

Ingredients

Cupcakes:
1/4 Cup Butter, Softened (we used I Can't Believe It's Not Butter sticks)
3/4 Cup CINNAMON apple sauce
1 Cup Granulated Sugar
3/4 Cup Brown Sugar, Packed Firmly (we used dark brown sugar)
2 Large Eggs (we used egg whites)
3/4 Cup 1% Milk
1 Tablespoon Lemon Juice
1 (15 Ounce) Can Pumpkin Puree
2 1/2 Cups All Purpose Flour
1 Tablespoon Pumpkin Pie Spice
1 Teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
1 1/2 Teaspoon Baking Powder
3/4 Teaspoon Salt
1/2 Teaspoon Baking Soda
1/2 Teaspoon Ground Ginger

FROSTING:
1 (8 Ounce) Package Reduced Fat Cream Cheese (Not Fat Free!)
1/4 Cup Butter, Softened
4 Cups Confectioners Sugar
1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
2 Teaspoon Ground Cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In a large mixing bowl, add in butter, applesauce, sugars, and eggs and beat over medium speed until combined. Add in pumpkin and continuing beating until thoroughly mixed in.  In a liquid measuring cup, combine milk and lemon juice and set aside.

In a medium bowl, combine remaining dry ingredients. Slowly, over medium speed, add the dry ingredients to the pumpkin mixture, alternating with the milk mixture, beating well after each addition. Line cupcakes trays with paper liners and then spray lightly with a non-stick cooking spray.

Fill cupcake liners 3/4 of the way full and bake for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely.
 
To make frosting, combine all ingredients in a medium mixing bowl and beat over low speed until ingredients begin to combine, slowly increase speed and continue beating until a frosting is formed. It takes a few minutes and several times I was worried that I did something wrong.  But in the end, it ended up perfect.

Frost the cooled cupcakes and enjoy! 

Summer Barley Salad

This salad has become my new food obsession. It is just plain wonderful! You can eat it as a side dish, main dish or serve it as an appetizer with some tortilla chips. The recipe makes a TON, but don't worry - it won't go to waste! **Warning** The barley takes about an hour to cook so allow enough time to make it!

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups  uncooked pearl barley
1 cup  fresh corn kernels (about 2 ears)
1 cup  diced seeded plum tomato (about 2 small)
1/2 cup  chopped green onions
1/4 cup  chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
20  kalamata olives, pitted and coarsely chopped (I used an entire container)
5 tablespoons  fresh lemon juice
5 tablespoons  olive oil
1/4 teaspoon  salt
1/4 teaspoon  freshly ground black pepper
1  garlic clove, minced
3/4 cup  (3 ounces) crumbled feta cheese (also used a whole container here)

Preparation
Cook barley according to package directions, omitting salt.
Drain and rinse with cold water; drain. Cool completely.
Combine barley, corn, and next 4 ingredients (through kalamata olives) in a bowl.
Combine juice and next 4 ingredients (through garlic), stirring well with a whisk; drizzle over barley mixture. Toss to coat.
Sprinkle with cheese.

recipe adapted from Cooking Light

Sausage Stuffed Jalapenos

I had these at a cookout recently and they blew my mind! So delicious with the perfect amount of spice. We have had an abundance of jalapenos from out garden this year so I decided to make these for a snack one evening. We definitely needed more people to help us eat them but hopefully they reheat well!



Ingredients
1 pound ground pork sausage (you can substitute with turkey sausage)
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened (I used light)
1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
1 pound large fresh jalapeno peppers, halved lengthwise and seeded
1 (8 ounce) bottle Ranch dressing (optional)

Directions
Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
Place sausage in a skillet over medium heat, and cook until evenly brown.
Drain grease.
In a bowl, mix the sausage, cream cheese, and Parmesan cheese.
Spoon about 1 tablespoon sausage mixture into each jalapeno half.
Arrange stuffed halves in baking dishes.
Bake 20 minutes in the preheated oven, until bubbly and lightly browned. Serve with Ranch dressing.

recipe courtesy of all recipes