Classic Buttermilk Pancakes

Classic Buttermilk Waffles

I often usually use at least half but sometimes 100% whole wheat flour (finely ground white wheat) for these and they are fantastic. Also, the old version of the recipe called for 8 tablespoons butter but for the last year I've made it with just 4 tablespoons and they are still tender and delicious.

INGREDIENTS

• 2 large eggs
• 1 3/4 cups (14 ounces buttermilk) here is a guide for making your own buttermilk
• 4 tablespoons butter, melted and cooled to room temperature
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 3/4 cups (7 1/4 ounces) all-purpose flour (see note)
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt

DIRECTIONS

1. In a medium-sized bowl, beat together the eggs, buttermilk, melted butter, and vanilla. In another bowl whisk together the dry ingredients; combine the wet and dry ingredients just until smooth.
2. For an 8-inch round waffle iron, use about 1/3 cup batter (adjust according to waffle iron size). Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until the iron stops steaming. If making cheese waffles, pour 1/3 cup batter on waffle iron and sprinkle 2-3 tablespoons shredded cheddar cheese over batter before closing iron.

Recipe Source: adapted from King Arthur Flour’s Baking Companion/Melskitchencafe

Creamy Green Chile Chicken Enchiladas

INGREDIENTS

Filling:
• 3 cups cooked, chopped chicken (a rotisserie chicken works great here or this simple method for quick, cooked shredded chicken)
• 2 cans (4-ounces each) green chiles, lightly drained
• 1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, light or regular, softened and cubed
• 1 can (15-ounces) white or black beans, rinsed and drained (you can really use any type of bean you prefer here or leave them out)
• 1/2 cup chopped cilantro
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
Sauce:
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1/2 cup chopped onion (about 1/2 medium onion)
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 1/3 cup low-sodium chicken broth
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1 cup (8 ounces) green chile enchilada sauce (or salsa verde)
• 1/2 cup sour cream, light or regular
Assembly:
• 8 ounces (about 2 cups) Monterey jack cheese, shredded
• 8 medium (soft taco size) flour or corn tortillas
• Handful of chopped fresh cilantro for garnish

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Lightly grease a 9X13-inch baking pan and set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, combine the softened cream cheese and green chiles. Mix well. Add the chicken, black beans, cilantro and lime juice. Mix to combine. Set aside.
3. In a large nonstick skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion softens and starts to turn translucent, about 3-4 minutes. Sprinkle the flour over the onions and stir well. Cook for 1 minute, stirring. Slowly whisk in the chicken broth and milk. As you whisk and the mixture cooks, the flour will get less lumpy around the onions and the mixture will become smooth. Cook over medium heat until the mixture is bubbling and has thickened, about 2-3 minutes. Remove the skillet from the heat and stir in the enchilada sauce and sour cream.
4. Lightly grease a 9X13-inch baking dish. Spread 1/4 cup of the sauce in a thin layer on the bottom of the dish. Fill each tortilla with about 1/2 cup of the chicken/cream cheese filling. Top with a small handful of shredded cheese, a couple tablespoonfuls for each enchilada. Save at least 1/2 cup cheese for the top of the enchiladas.
5. Roll the tortillas up and place seam side down in the prepared baking dish. Continue filling enchiladas until the dish is full (I get about 8 enchiladas for this recipe).
6. Pour the white sauce over the top of the enchiladas and spread evenly. Top with remaining cheese. Bake for 20-30 minutes until the enchiladas are bubbling, hot and lightly browned. Sprinkle fresh cilantro over the top and serve.

NOTES

Make Ahead Instructions: Follow the recipe instructions, letting the sauce cool to warm room temperature before proceeding with filling the enchiladas. Assemble the enchiladas as directed in the recipe with the cooled sauce. Cover the baking pan with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 8-12 hours before baking. Bake according to the recipe, adding an additional 5-10 minutes if needed since the enchiladas were refrigerated. Alternately, after assembling, the baking pan can be covered with a double layer of foil and put in a jumbo-sized resealable bag and frozen for up to two months. Bake from frozen by decreasing the baking temperature to 350 degrees F and baking the enchiladas for 1 1/2 hours. Uncover and bake an additional 30 minutes to 1 hour until the dish is hot and bubbly.

dont' add chickpeas-eric doesn't like them

Source: Melskitchencafe.com

Aidell's Chicken Sausages

Aidell’s Chicken Sausages: I’m not affiliated with this company/product at all but man, we love these (I get mine at Costco). I keep the Pineapple & Bacon Chicken Sausages in the fridge/freezer constantly. I use them in real, live recipes of course, but many nights, we heat them up in a skillet and dip them in BBQ sauce for a quick dinner (served with fresh fruit/vegetables). Sometimes I roast them on a baking sheet with vegetables that need to be used up (broccoli, potatoes cut in small cubes, etc) and if you like really down-home foods, myAunt Marilyn clued me into a great, fast dinner: throw chopped cabbage, thinly sliced potatoes, and some of these chicken sausages, sliced, into a large skillet with a little olive oil. Cook over medium heat for a few minutes letting the sausage brown a little, adding salt and pepper to taste (season well!). Pour in a bit of water, maybe 1/2 cup or so, cover the skillet and let it all steam until tender and flavorful, 10 or so minutes. We put a little shredded sharp cheddar cheese on top and it is muy delicioso (and so, so easy).

Source: Mel's kitchen cafe

*Note my favorite Aidell's sausages are the pineapple chicken sausages, we buy them from Costco however they are seasonal-so I would recommend stocking up on them.  

Southern Buttermilk Biscuits

Southern Buttermilk Biscuits

2 cup flour

1/4 t. baking soda

1 T. baking powder 

1 t. salt

6 T. butter

1 c. buttermilk

1. Preheat your oven to 450°F.
2. Combine the dry ingredients in a bowl, or in the bowl of a food processor.
3. Cut the butter into chunks and cut into the flour until it resembles course meal.
4. If using a food processor, just pulse a few times until this consistency is achieved.
5. Add the buttermilk and mix JUST until combined.
6. If it appears on the dry side, add a bit more buttermilk. It should be very wet.
7. Turn the dough out onto a floured board.
8. Gently, gently PAT (do NOT roll with a rolling pin) the dough out until it's about 1/2" thick. Fold the dough about 5 times, gently press the dough down to a 1 inch thick.
9. Use a round cutter to cut into rounds.
10. You can gently knead the scraps together and make a few more, but they will not be anywhere near as good as the first ones.
11. Place the biscuits on a cookie sheet- if you like soft sides, put them touching each other.
12. If you like"crusty" sides, put them about 1 inch apart- these will not rise as high as the biscuits put close together.
13. Bake for about 10-12 minutes- the biscuits will be a beautiful light golden brown on top and bottom.
14. Do not overbake.

Source: Food.com 

Balsamic Reduction

Balsamic Reduction

1 c. balsamic vinegar
1/4 c. honey, sugar or maple syrup

Bring to boil reduce heat to low simmer until vinegar mixture is reduced to 1/3 c. about 10 minutes.



Balsamic Reduction w/ herb
1 c. balsamic vinegar
maple syrup

1 bay leave
1 T rosemary
part of orange rind
Boil- then simmer for 10-15 minutes

Serve over asparagus or spinach salad

Pumpkin Pie Smoothie

Pumpkin Pie Smoothie

1 cup old fashioned oatmeal
4 cups unsweetened almond milk
1 c. plain greek yogurt
2 c. pumpkin puree
2 t. cinnamon
1 t. nutmeg
1/2 t. cloves
4 medjool dates,(buy big bag at costco, or bulk at winco foods) or add 1 T. stevia, or sweet and condensed milk.

Serve immediately or refrigerate with lid on up to one week (will thicken in refrigerator)

Makes 4 pint sz mason jars

9 g. fiber
9 g. protein

Source: thestayathomechief.com

Fruit Mocktail

Fruit Mocktail (nonalcoholic drink)

1 tsp. fresh chopped up basil
1 c. fruit (oranges, raspberries, blueberries)
1 c. water
2 white grape flavored medifast powdered pkg

Stir,
add in club soda  right before serving

Source: Rachel Bevan Hoffman

Greek Yogurt Dip

Greek Yogurt Dip

17-1/2 oz. Plain Greek yogurt
2 T. parsley
1 T. minced onion
1 t. garlic salt
1 t. dill
1/2 t. paprika

Serve with fresh veggies.

Source: Rachel Bevan Hoffman

Mandarin Orange Chicken Salad

Mandarin Orange Chicken Salad

YIELD: SERVES 6

I freeze 1-inch segments of fresh ginger (unpeeled) and pull them out to grate on my microplane or the small holes of a box grater for recipes like this. Works like a charm. Also, the chile-garlic sauce adds great flavor to the dressing - add more if you want a touch of heat and just a tad if you want to enhance flavor without a lot of spice.

INGREDIENTS

Dressing:
• 2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
• 3 tablespoons rice vinegar
• 1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger (see note above)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• 1-2 teaspoons chile-garlic sauce (see note above)
• 1 clove garlic, finely minced or pressed through a garlic press
• 1 tablespoon honey
• Salt and pepper to taste
Salad:
• 3-4 cups shredded cabbage (can use coleslaw mix)
• 3-4 cups chopped romaine lettuce
• 2 cans (11-ounces each) mandarin oranges, drained
• 3 cups cooked, chopped chicken (from a rotisserie chicken or this simple, stovetop method)
• 3 green onions, chopped
• 1-2 cups chow mein noodles or toasted, chopped almonds (or both)

DIRECTIONS

1. For the dressing, whisk together all the ingredients and season to taste with salt and pepper. Set aside or refrigerate until ready to use (it can be made several days in advance and refrigerated).
2. In a large bowl, toss together all the salad ingredients except for the chow mein noodles.
3. When ready to serve, pour the dressing over the salad and toss to combine (add the dressing gradually if you like less dressing - you may not need to add it all). Sprinkle the chow mein noodles or almonds on top and serve immediately.

Recipe Source: from Mel’s Kitchen Cafe

Sonora Grill Guacamole Dip

Sonora Grill Guacamole Dip

2 hass avacados (use haas brand avacados)
kosher salt
1 whole lime juiced

mash together, then add:

fresh cilantro
yellow onion
1/2 t. serrano pepper

last stir in: tomatoes



Optional: You can garnish the guacamole with:

bacon and white gotta cheese
or
Cucmbers, pineapple, and roasted pumpkin seeds
or
reecha powder and almonds

Source: Today.ksl.com

White cream hummus

White cream hummus

2 can white beans
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup parmesean cheese
1/2 cup monzarella cheese
EVOO drizzle
salt and pepper
5 fresh basil leaves
2 roma tomatoes

Place all food in food processor

Serve with:
celery
carrots
bread

source: ksl.com