Posted in Recipes

A few weeks ago I received my Kraft Food and Family magazine. I love looking for and trying new recipes, and altering them to fit my family. As I was perusing this issue I came across a yummy looking dinner. It's called "Simple & Creamy Tortellini Alfredo". We tried a few night ago and man it was good!! I made some changes to suit our tastes however, I bet the original version is just as delicious. The recipe is as follows: (My changes will be in red) (I increased the recipe because I have a larger family)

 Prep Time: 5 min

Total Time: 30 min

Makes: 6 servings, 1 cup each

·         1 can (14-1/2 oz.) fat-free reduced-sodium chicken broth

·         1 cup water

·         Increase water to 2 cups if using more pasta

·         2 pkg. (9 oz. each) refrigerated cheese tortellini

·         2 pkg. (38 oz. total) Organic, Spinach and Cheese Stuffed Ravioli

·         4 oz.  (1/2 of 8-oz. pkg.) Cream Cheese, cubed

·         8 oz. Cream Cheese, cubed

·         1 cup frozen peas

·         1 ½ cups frozen peas (still frozen is fine)

·         3/4 cup  Finely Shredded Italian Five Cheese Blend

·         1 cup Finely Shredded Italian Five Cheese Blend

·         6-8 slices Bacon, cooked, drained and crumbled

·         ½ tsp ground black pepper

·         ½  tsp dried basil (you could use 1 tsp fresh as well)

POUR broth and water into large saucepan; stir. Bring to boil on medium-high heat. Add tortellini. Reduce heat to medium-low; cover. Simmer 8 to 9 min. or until tortellini is tender. (Do not drain.)

ADD cream cheese and peas; stir. Heat 2 to 3 min. or until cream cheese is completely melted, stirring occasionally.

STIR in shredded cheese and bacon.

Healthier alternative...use Neufchatel Cheese (1/3 less fat than cream cheese) also you could try turkey bacon.

I paired it with a Spinach Salad:

• fresh baby spinach (1 pkg washed and de-stemmed)
• 5-6 hard boiled eggs
• 1 cup fresh sliced mushrooms
• 1-2 Roma tomatoes, chopped
• shredded Mozzarella (as much as you like)
• Creamy Poppyseed dressing

I hope if you try it you will like it as much as we did...let me know.

Blessings,

~Renee~

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Posted in Recipes

I wanted to post a recipe for an icy cold coffee treat you can make yourself on these hot days of summer. Now, if you’re not a coffee person, then you can always substitute iced tea, or juice for the kiddos.

Easy Granita:

·        2 cups strong leftover coffee

·        about 1/3 cup sugar

·        and whipped cream (optional)

In a bowl or your measuring cup combine coffee and sugar. Mix until sugar is dissolved. Pour into 8x8 or 9x9 baking dish. Place in freezer, and let sit until it starts to freeze slightly. After that, scrape with a fork every 20 minutes or so until you have the consistency of icy slush. Pour into a glass and enjoy.

Tips: to avoid your Granita from defrosting too quickly place your glass into the freezer for 15 to 20 minutes as well, before serving.

Want to experiment with your Granita?  Try adding a little splash of your favorite coffee syrup, like vanilla, raspberry, mint, etc. before freezing.

Enjoy!

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Posted in Recipes

Hopefully many of you have read the latest edition of the HomeFront E-Newsletter. If so then you might remember my recipe for Patriotic Pie. Well I promised I would add a picture of it. So, here it is. I hope you all like it. If you try it, drop me a line and let me know.

 

 In case you hadn’t read the newsletter, I am offering out the recipe that I had featured there. I’m sure many of you are planning your 4^th of July celebrations and of course food is almost always a concern. Well here is a great dessert for your family and friends to share as we usher in another birthday for the USA. Next week, I’ll add my recipe for a yummy Potato Salad.

 

Patriotic Pie: serves 8

Crust

·        1 package blueberry muffin mix, separated

·        ¼ cup butter softened

 

Filling

·        1 quart vanilla ice cream, softened (see tips below)

·        ½ cup crumb mixture reserved from crust

 

Topping

·        Can of blueberries from mix (I prefer fresh or frozen blueberries, defrosted) 

·        1 pint fresh strawberries, rinsed, drained and sliced

·        2 TBSP sugar (optional)

 

1.     Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Grease 9-inch pie plate.

2.     For crust, place muffin mix in medium bowl. Cut in butter with pastry blender or two knives. Spread evenly in ungreased 9-inch square baking pan. Do not press down. Bake at 400 degrees for 10 to 12 minutes. Stir. Reserve ½ cup crumb mixture for filling. Press remaining crumb mixture against bottom and sides of pie plate to form crust. Cool completely. (In a hurry, stick the crust mixture in the freezer for a few minutes to cool.)

3.     For filling, spread ice cream over crust. Sprinkle with reserved crumb mixture. Freeze several hours or until firm.

4.     For topping, rinse blueberries from mix with cold water and drain. If using fresh blueberries just rinse them off. For frozen blueberries, defrost first according to package directions. Combine sliced strawberries with sugar if desired.

5.     To serve, let pie stand 5 minutes at room temperature. Top with blueberries and strawberries. Cut into 8 wedges using sharp knife.

Tips: 1. Ice cream can be softened by allowing to stand at room temperature for 15 minutes or placed in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. 2. Hold off on preparing topping until just before you are ready to serve the pie. 3. A nice way to present your pie is to arrange you blueberries in the middle and sliced strawberries around the blueberries in a circular fashion.

 

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Posted in Recipes

The HSB E-Newsletter “HomeFront” Chow Hall Article Continued…

For the month of May we at the HomeFront were not able to have our newsletter published as usual, so instead we posted our newsletter in various places. One of which is the Military/HomeFront Blog. My article for the Chow Hall "Rememberance and Celebration," gave a great recipe for my Potato Salad as well as a small devotional for Memorial Day. I also informed my readers that there was a redeeming dessert to accompany the Potato Salad. If you haven’t read it yet go check it out. Then come back here and pick up your dessert recipe. If you’ve already read it, here is the dessert below.

“Sorbet DeLight”

Prep time: 15 minutes    Total: 3 to 4 hours (this includes freezing and standing)

·        1 pt (2 cups) Strawberry Sorbet (or Raspberry) Sherbet can be used as well

·        1 cup cold milk

·        1 pkg. (4 serving size) Banana Pudding& Pie filling (tastes great with Vanilla also)

·        1 tub (8 oz) Whipped Topping, thawed

·        1 cup blueberries (for a Patriotic look.) You can also substitute any of the following…Bananas, Strawberries, or Raspberries.

Line a 9x5 loaf pan with foil. Spoon slightly softened Sorbet into pan; freeze 10 min.

Pour milk into large bowl. Add dry pudding mix. Beat w/ whisk 2 min. Gently stir in whipped topping. Spread pudding mixture over sorbet in pan.

Freeze about at least 3 hours. To unmold, invert pan unto plate; remove foil. Top with fruit just before serving. Let stand 10 to 15 minutes before cutting into slices.

Makes about 12 servings.

{This dessert is already pretty lite, however to save about 40 calories and about 3g fat use fat-free milk, sugar-free pudding mix, and lite whipped topping.}

Enjoy! If you use my “Popular Potato Salad” recipe, or this “Sorbet De-Light” recipe please come back and let me know how it was.  

~Renee~

Contributing Writer for the “HomeFront.”

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Posted in Recipes

Fun things to help your children celebrate Memorial Day….

Recently the children and I made some fun, and nutritious Frozen Banana Pops. I wanted to share the idea with you.

Frozen Banana Pops:

3 ripe bananas

1 container strawberry yogurt (or raspberry)

Red, White, and Blue Sprinkles

6 Popsicle sticks

Wax Paper (or foil will do in a pinch)

1.     Cut bananas in half (not length wise)

2.     Insert popsicle sticks into the cut end of the banana

3.     Pour yogurt onto plate, roll banana in yogurt to cover

4.     Add sprinkles

Freeze for at least 3 hours. Enjoy!!

Also here are some links to some websites where you can find fun, Memorial Day crafts as well as good info and facts, to share with your children.

·        http://www.enchantedlearning.com/crafts/memorialday/ (great crafts!)

·        http://abcteach.com/directory/theme_units/month_to_month/e_may/ (fun word search)

·        http://www.edhelper.com/Memorial_Day.htm (lots of things to do, and color)

·        http://www.factmonster.com/spot/memorialday1.html (awesome facts)

By the way…stop by the Military Blog to read the May issue of our E-Newsletter “The HomeFront.” There are great articles on there about Memorial Day.

~Renee~

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Posted in Recipes

Easy Slow Cooker Pulled Pork Sandwiches with Apple Coleslaw
My kids really love to cook alongside me, and I enjoy having them join in-I see it as a way to connect on many levels. Cooking with your kids teaches them that you care, as well as patience, good hand washing, measuring, nutrition, and the "science" of food. What better way to get kids to try something new! Below is one of my recipes I like making with the "troops."

Pulled Pork Sandwiches
Serves 6 + (6 quart slow cooker)
Adapt to fit your needs (Larger crowd for end-of-the-year celebration? Just double the recipe!)

3 lb. pork shoulder (butt) roast
2 bottles barbeque sauce (your favorite)
1/3 cup water
Rolls or buns

Spray slow cooker with nonstick spray. Trim excess fat from pork roast if desired. You will need to leave some for proper cooking (keeps it from drying out). Set roast in bottom of cooker and pour all of both bottles of barbeque sauce over meat. Add 1/3-cup water. Cook on low for 8 hours.

After roast is fully cooked, remove and place in large bowl. Shred completely with two forks. Serve on your choice of bread.

Apple Cole Slaw
Serves 6 +

2 packages coleslaw
1 apple (your favorite type)
½ cup chopped walnuts
Your favorite coleslaw dressing
2 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
1 Tbsp. honey

In large bowl, empty both packages of prewashed coleslaw. Add dressing-a little at a time, since it easy to add too much. You can add more but you can't take it away! Next, stir in apple cider vinegar and honey; mix well. Set aside. Chop apples into small, bite-sized pieces and add to coleslaw. Mix in walnuts. Chill until dinner is ready or at least 1 hour. Enjoy!

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Posted in Recipes

This Recipe was adapted from a Betty Crocker Recipe I found online. I am well known for finding recipes and adapting them for our family’s tastes. So here it is I hope you enjoy, come back and let me know. (In red you’ll find my adaptations, you’re welcome to use them, or use the original.)

Black Bean and Cheese Enchiladas

1   teaspoon vegetable oil

1   medium onion, finely chopped (1/2 cup)

1   teaspoon ground cumin

 ½ tbsp chili powder

1-2 cloves minced garlic

1   can (15 oz) black beans, rinsed and drained

1   package (11.5 oz) flour tortillas for burritos (8 tortillas), heated

I used corn tortillas instead

2   cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese (8 oz)

1   can (10 oz) enchilada sauce

You can use either red or green, we just tried green and it was de-lish!

Sliced Black Olives

1/2   cup shredded Cheddar cheese (2 oz)

Salsa and sour cream, if desired

1.      Heat oven to 350°F. Lightly spray 11x7-inch (2-quart) glass baking dish with cooking spray. Heat oil in 10-inch skillet over medium heat. Add onion, garlic, cumin and chili powder; cook and stir until onion is tender. Stir in beans. Turn off heat.

2.      Place about 3 (1-2 with smaller corn tortillas) tablespoons bean mixture in center of each warm tortilla. Top each with 1/4 cup Monterey Jack cheese. Roll up tightly; place, seam side down, in baking dish. Spoon enchilada sauce over tortillas. Add sliced black olives over top. Spray sheet of foil with cooking spray; cover baking dish with foil, sprayed side down.

3.      Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Sprinkle with Cheddar cheese. Serve enchiladas with salsa and sour cream.

 

I also serve this dish with some Spanish rice and fat free refried beans, or sometimes just a large salad depending on our mood. Enjoy!

 

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