Grilled Marinated Chicken & Pineapple

This marinade is my Mom's for her Flank Steak, but she also uses it for this delicious meal. 

We've also added chunks of red or green peppers and it's delicious!

Marinade:

1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup canola or vegetable oil
1/4 cup vinegar
1/2 cup soy sauce
1 Tbs. minced onion (I use 2 Tbs. dried)
3 shakes Lawry's seasoned salt

Chicken breasts or tenders

1-2 fresh pineapples, skinned and cut into spears

Mix marinade in a mixing bowl. Marinate chicken and pineapple (and peppers, if desired) in separate Ziplock bags and refrigerate for at least 3 hours, or overnight. Discard marinade and grill.

Chicken Rice Salad

This salad works well for a large group. We've served it at baby showers, book clubs and countless gatherings. It needs to be started the night before you serve it, so please keep that in mind:) Recipe from family friend Valerie Terry. Serves about 12-14.

Mix in a large bowl: Cover and refrigerate overnight:

2 Tbs. brown sugar

1 tsp. salt

3 Tbs. oil

1 Tbs. white vinegar

3 c. cooked rice, with no salt added

4 chicken breasts, cooked & cubed

1 (20 oz.) can well-drained crushed pineapple

Next day, add and combine well. Refrigerate until serving:

1 cup chopped celery 

1/2 cup each red & green peppers

1/2 cup seedless green grapes

1/2 cup seedless red or black grapes

2 cans mandarin oranges, drained

3/4 cup cashews (optional)

1/2 cup mayonnaise

Fresh Apple Cookies

I am shocked it's been so long since anyone has posted a recipe here! I use this blog for meal planning every week and I'm grateful for a collection of amazing recipes. THANK YOU readers for not losing hope! We still have about 150-300 readers each day. Now that school has started for my kids, I will be posting all the fun recipes I made over the summer. I'm starting with this one because it seems like a great cookie for FALL! They taste a lot like a Snickerdoodle cookie, but with fresh apples! Recipe from my friend Marlynn Avery.

1/2 cup shortening (I sub butter)

1 cup sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

3/4 teaspoon salt

3/4 teaspoon baking powder

1 apple, peeled and grated 

Roll cookies in: 

2 Tablespoons sugar

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon nutmeg

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Cream shortening and sugar in a medium mixing bowl. Add vanilla, flour, soda, salt and baking powder. Grate apple and mix in. Roll into 1 inch balls. Dough will be moist. Roll balls in cinnamon mixture and bake on greased cookie sheet for 10-12 minutes. Makes about 25-30 cookies.

Fruit Salsa & Baked Cinnamon Chips

My family has made this recipe for as long as I can remember. It's an impressive snack to serve at a party and easy to customize to your taste. The "recipe" is just a guideline, so feel free to use fruit that's in season or whatever sounds good to you:) I'd recommend making the Cinnamon Chips a few hours ahead of time so they get nice and crisp.  

Baked Cinnamon Chips:

Flour tortillas (I think thick, store-bought tortillas work best)

softened butter or butter spread

cinnamon & sugar, mixed

Line 2 baking sheets with tin foil and set aside. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Spread each tortilla with butter using a rubber spatula and sprinkle generously with cinnamon & sugar. Cut into 2 inch strips using a pizza cutter. I cut either end into a long strip, then cut each strip in half. Then, I cut the remaining piece into strips and then into thirds (SEE PHOTO BELOW). 

Arrange on prepared baking sheet in single layer and bake for 10-12 minutes, or until just beginning to brown. Here's the slightly TRICKY part: These are best when they are crisp, but they are not good when they burn! Keep a close eye on them so they don't get too brown. 

While one pan of tortilla strips is baking, get the next pan ready to go.

When baked, remove tortilla strips from the oven and cool on the pan or remove to a baking sheet. As I mentioned, these are great if they sit out for a few hours before serving so they get a little crisp. 

Fruit Salsa:

strawberries, hulled and chopped

blackberries, coarsely chopped

apples, diced (I use a combination of green and red apples and I leave the skin on)

fresh oranges, peeled, sectioned and coarsely chopped

kiwi, peeled and diced

pineapple (fresh: peeled and chopped) or (canned: tidbits, well-drained)

mango, peeled and chopped

Drain fruit well and combine. I usually add a little brown sugar or powdered sugar. Serve as soon as possible or refrigerate until serving.

Amish Baked Oatmeal

This is another version of baked oatmeal from my friend Kaly Batson. 

We love the baked apples on top! Serves 9.

3 cups oats (I used instant)

3/4 cup white sugar

2 1/2 cups milk

1/2 cup water

1/4 cup butter, melted

2 eggs

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

2 teaspoons vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a glass 9" casserole dish with non-stick cooking spray and set aside. Combine all ingredients and pour into prepared pan and bake for 30 minutes, or until set in the center. Top with milk & sugar, berries or Baked Apples Topping.

Baked Apples Topping:

3-4 apples, peeled and sliced

Dab of butter or spray butter

cinnamon & sugar

Place apples in a glass dish and top with butter  and sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar. Cover with plastic wrap and microwave for about 2 minutes. 

Nutritional info (9 servings, without apples):

・494 calories ・16 g fat ・113 mg cholesterol ・619 mg sodium ・77 gms carbohydrate ・5.3 g dietary fiber ・14 g protein

Coconut Banana Bread with Lime Glaze

My family loves banana bread, so when I found this recipe for yummy banana bread, with a twist, I was really happy. This recipe comes from Cooking Light and the only change I made is suggesting some substitutions for the rum. I hope you'll love this banana bread with a hint of lime & coconut as much as we do!

2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup butter, softened
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups mashed ripe banana (about 3 bananas)
1/4 cup plain low-fat yogurt
3 Tablespoons dark rum (or substitute rum extract or milk)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup flaked sweetened coconut
1 tablespoon flaked sweetened coconut
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lime or lemon juice

Preheat oven to 350°.

Combine flour, baking soda, and salt. Place granulated sugar and butter in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until well blended. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Add banana, yogurt, rum (or rum extract or milk), and vanilla; beat until blended. Add flour mixture; beat at low speed just until moist. Stir in 1/2 cup coconut. 

Spoon batter into a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan coated with cooking spray; sprinkle with 1 tablespoon coconut. Bake at 350° for 1 hour or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.  Check at about 35 to 40 minutes and cover with a tin foil tent to prevent over-browning, if necessary. Cool in pan 10 minutes on a wire rack; remove from pan. 

Combine powdered sugar and juice, stirring with a whisk; drizzle over warm bread. Cool completely on wire rack.1 loaf makes 16 slices.

Nutritional Info: Each slice provides: 193 calories, 4.6 grams fat, 2.9 grams protein, 35 grams carbohydrate, 1.1 grams fiber, 35 mg. cholesterol and 179 mg. sodium.

Apple Cider Crisp

Here's another Weight Watchers recipe that's lightened up, but doesn't skimp on flavor. It's sure to satisfy your sweet tooth. Funny thing is, the second time I made it, I left out the apple cider and I liked it better. Either way, it's delicious!

1/2 cup(s) all-purpose flour 
1/4 cup(s) sugar 
1/4 cup(s) packed light brown sugar 
1/4 cup(s) salted butter, chilled and cut into small pieces 
7 medium Granny Smith, apple, peeled and sliced 
1/3 cup(s) apple cider (optional)
2 Tbsp sugar 
1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice 
1 Tbsp all-purpose flour 
1 tsp ground cinnamon 
1 spray(s) cooking spray 

Preheat oven to 375°F. Combine first four ingredients in a blender or food processor; pulse four times or until crumbly. Set aside.

Combine apple and next five ingredients in a large bowl; toss gently to combine. Spoon apple mixture into an 8-inch square baking dish coated with cooking spray; sprinkle with crumb mixture. Bake at 375°F for 40 minutes or until lightly browned. Serve warm. 

Yield: 8 servings (serving size: 3⁄4 cup).
WW Points Plus: 6 points
Each serving provides: 273 calories, 6.8 grams fat, 15.3 mg cholesterol, 44.6 mg sodium, 77 mg potassium, 58.1 grams carbohydrate, 4 grams fiber, 1.9 grams protein

Apple Cake with Butter Sauce

This is another favorite dessert for cooler weather. I made it yesterday for a baby shower and when I looked up the recipe here.... Gasp!... I hadn't posted it yet! It's full of apples and just tastes like Fall. Recipe from my friend Heather Fenn.

*February, 2012 update: I currently live at 5,290 feet above sea level and I've had better results with this cake when I bake it at 315 degrees F. instead of 325. It still cooks in about the same time, but doesn't brown as quickly and sets nicely in the center. I'd recommend that adjustment, especially if the middle is still wiggly at the end of your baking time :)

Apple Cake

Combine:

     4 cups apples, peeled and chopped

     2 cups sugar

Stir in:

     2 cups all-purpose flour

     1 1/2 tsp. baking soda

     2 tsp. cinnamon

     1 tsp. salt

     1 cup pecans, chopped (optional)

Combine in a separate bowl, then add to the apple mixture:

     2 eggs

     3/4 cup vegetable oil

     2 tsp. vanilla

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.* Pour cake mixture into a greased 9 x 13" pan. Bake for 45-50 minutes, until golden brown and set in the center. Cook the Butter Sauce ingredients in a small saucepan until it comes to a boil and thickens slightly. Sauce will thicken even more while it cools. Serve warm sauce over warm cake. 12 servings.

Butter Sauce:

     1 cup sugar

     1/2 cup butter

     1/2 cup evaporated milk

     1 tsp. vanilla 

Fruit Tart Dessert ("Fruit Pizza")

This is another 4th of July-inspired dessert that my daughter loves to make. Fruit tart has always been one of her favorite desserts and I admit, I am partial to it as well. We use homemade sugar cookie dough (try this one or this one or this one), but you could very easily save time with the store-bought refrigerated sugar cookie dough. We made this version red, white and blue, but you can use many different kinds of sliced fruit. It just tastes like Summer to me! Recipe adapted from Kraft.

2 cups sugar cookie dough (homemade, or use a 20 oz. roll of refrigerated dough)

1 pkg. (3.4 oz.) vanilla instant pudding mix (I use sugar-free)

1 1/4 cups cold milk

1 cup thawed whipped topping (such as Cool Whip)

2 cups sliced mixed fresh fruit (strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, blackberries, kiwi, mandarin oranges...)

Miniature marshmallows (optional)

1. Heat oven to 375° F. Line a 12" pizza pan with foil; spray with cooking spray. Roll out cookie dough to form a crust. Flute the edges, if desired. Bake 14-16 minutes, or until lightly browned. Cool completely. Carefully remove cookie from pan and foil; place on a serving plate.
2. Beat pudding mix and milk in a large bowl for 2 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes. Stir in whipped topping; spread onto cooled crust.
3. Top with sliced fruit. Refrigerate up to 4 hours before serving.

NOTES: If pizza pan is not available, trace a 12-inch circle on parchment paper or foil and place on rectangular. Place cookie dough onto circle pattern. Bake as directed.

Best if eaten the same day you make it. Serves 16.

Chicken and Rice Salad

Great for showers and luncheons!

Adapted from Sylvia Terry's recipe.

3 Tbs. brown sugar
1 tsp salt
1/4 cup Canola oil
2 Tbs. white vinegar

Mix together and pour over:

4 chicken breasts, cooked and cubed
1 (20 ounce) can pineapple tidbits, drained
3 cups cooked white rice

Stir together and refrigerate overnight.

The next day add:

1 cup chopped celery
1/4 cup chopped green pepper
1/4 cup chopped red pepper
1 - 2 cups washed grapes
1/2 - 1 cup cashews
1/2 cup mayonnaise

Stir well. Fold in: 

2 (15 ounce) cans mandarin oranges.

Chill until time to serve. Serves 10 -14.

Summer Delight

This is a super easy, make-ahead dessert that is fabulous for those hot summer months and prefect for serving a crowd. I doubled this recipe to serve to my husband's family this weekend and they ate every last bit!

1 carton pineapple sherbet

1 small carton (approx. 12 oz.) frozen strawberries

2 ripe bananas

Soften the ice cream and strawberries and then pour into a large mixing bowl. Coarsely mash the bananas and add as well. Use a large spoon to mix it all together and then place in the freezer for at least 4 hours before serving. If you double the recipe, it will fill one 9x13 pan to the brim.

Homemade Freezer Jam

Strawberries are in season here and I just brought home a huge container of huge, juicy strawberries from Costco. We eat them like candy, but also love them on top of pancakes or waffles. When fresh fruit is in season, I love to make homemade freezer jam. My Mom and Nana always made it too and my husband refuses to eat store-bought jam now! It's so simple to make and the jam lasts for about a year in the freezer, actually tastes like fresh fruit and has no preservatives. I'm writing this post to encourage those of you who have never made freezer jam to give it a try! 

Start with a box of pectin. You can find it with the canning supplies at the grocery store. I prefer Sure Jel For Less Sugar Recipes (in a pink box, pictured below), because it uses more fruit than sugar and we think the jam is still plenty sweet. Inside the box of pectin will be several different recipes for whichever type of fruit you are using. I usually make strawberry and raspberry, but have also had good results with fruit blends, such as Strawberry-Blueberry and the Strawberry-Raspberry that I made this year. Last summer I made a batch of Strawberry-Citrus Jam that was divine!

1. First, wash your canning jars and lids. I like to run mine through the dishwasher. As for size, I like the 1/2 pint (1 cup, or 8 ounce) Ball mason jars for jam.
2. Wash your fruit and measure it. Some fruit needs to be chopped or crushed before measuring. When I use raspberries, I just wash and measure them. They tend to get obliterated when your stir the jam, so I don't crush them first. As for strawberries, blueberries or peaches, I like to coarsely chop them with my Pampered Chef food chopper or pulse them with a food processor. You don't want to overdo it though. Pureeing your fruit too much can prevent your jam from setting.
3. Next, you'll measure your sugar into a saucepan, add the pectin and water and bring to a boil (pictured below). *BE SURE TO FOLLOW THE RECIPE IN YOUR BOX OF PECTIN; SOME RECIPES MAY VARY.*

  4.   Typically, the next step is to pour the hot pectin into the prepared fruit and stir.

 5.   Spoon the jam into clean jars, screw on the lids and let sit for up to 24 hours to set the jam. Store in the freezer until ready to use.

 Freezer jam makes a wonderful gift! I love to give jam with a fresh loaf of homemade bread... Yum! We also like jam spread on toast, crepes or in these Berry Oat Bars.

I hope this has helped inspire those who have never made jam before to give it a try! 

Happy summer!!!

Digital strawberry from "Juicy" kit by Pamela Donnis.

Spring berry salad

Spring mix greens

Blueberries

Blackberries

sliced strawberries

Mandarin oranges

pineapple tidbits

(may add feta cheese, sliced almonds, dried cherries, Craisins)

Dressing:

1/2 cup sugar

1 tsp dry mustard

1 tsp salt

1/3 cup vinegar

1 cup canola oil

Combine all but oil in blender and mix until well blended.

Pour oil in slowly while blender is on "stir" position. When all oil is in, blend at high speed for 30 seconds.

Stir in 1 tsp. celery seeds

All Things Strawberry

I don't know about other parts of the world, but where I live, the strawberries right now are huge, beautiful, and relatively inexpensive. We have been eating them in salads, sliced on top of waffles for breakfast, and straight out of the fridge for snacks. So tonight for family night we fixed strawberries in two of my favorite ways.... Chocolate dipped and slathered in brown sugar. These are two very easy and heavenly recipes that I hope you will enjoy!

Perfect Chocolate Dipped Strawberries

1 pint strawberries

6 oz. milk chocolate chips

6 oz. semi-sweet chocolate chips

2 Tbs. shortening

Wash strawberries and lay out on a towel to dry. They need to be fully dried before you dip them or the chocolate won't stick. Combine chocolate chips and shortening in a small bowl and microwave in 20-30 second intervals, stirring in between each one. Hold strawberries by the stem and dip into the chocolate, swirling to cover all sides and then lay out on a piece of wax paper to dry. Allow to sit for about 1 hour before serving.

Sweet and Savory Strawberries

strawberries- washed and dried

sour cream

brown sugar

I love to serve this for an appetizer or side dish. Just a small bowl with sour cream and another with brown sugar. Your guests can roll their strawberries in the cream and then in the sugar. It sounds like a strange combination, but it is amazing.

Apple Squares

A few weeks ago, I found this recipe on allrecipes.com and followed the directions exactly. They were okay, but I followed the suggestions in the comment section and made them again this week for my daughter's Book Club. I just doubled the recipe and halved the topping and they were ★★★★★ marvelous! Recipe by BarbiAnn...

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/2 cup butter, melted

1 cup packed brown sugar

1 cup white sugar

2 eggs

2 tsp. vanilla 

1 cup apple, chopped (about 1 apple)

1 cup finely chopped pecans or walnuts (optional)

Topping:

2 Tbs. white sugar

2 tsp. ground cinnamon

1. Preheat oven to 350° F. Grease a 9 x 13" pan. Stir together flour, baking powder, salt and 1/2 tsp. cinnamon; set aside.
2. In a large bowl, mix together melted butter, brown sugar and 1 cup of white sugar with a wooden spoon. Stir in the eggs and vanilla. Blend in the flour mixture until just combined, then stir in the apples and nuts, if desired. 
3. Stir together white sugar and cinnamon for the topping in a small bowl and sprinkle evenly over the top of the bars.
4. Bake for 28-35 minutes or until bars spring back when lightly touched and are browned. Cool in pan; cut into squares. Makes about 24-28 bars.

Favorite Fruit Salad

1 large apple- diced

1 banana- peeled, cut in half lengthwise and then sliced

1 large orange (or about 3 clementines)- peeled and diced

lemon juice

cinnamon and sugar

Dice all your fruit and place in a serving bowl. Sprinkle liberally with lemon juice and cinnamon and sugar. Toss and serve.

No-Bake Cheesecake with Raspberry Sauce

This would be a perfect dessert to make for VALENTINE'S DAY! Our family has been making this No-Bake Cheesecake for years. It's much lighter and fluffier than other cheesecakes and this crust is divine! 

The recipe for the Raspberry Sauce is my creation. We've also used it on french toast, pancakes, crêpes, and angel food cake...

GRAHAM CRACKER CRUST:

     9 full rectangular graham crackers, finely crushed (1 1/2 cups)

     6 Tbs. butter, melted

     1/3 cup sugar

     1/2 tsp. cinnamon

Spray an 8 or 9" pie plate with non-stick cooking spray and set aside. (I use a springform pan.) Mix all ingredients together and press firmly into pie plate. Chill until cheesecake filling is ready.*

* Can bake at 375° F. for 7 minutes for other recipes, but for this recipe, it's best chilled.

           

CHEESECAKE:

     8 oz. light cream cheese, softened

     1/3 cup sugar
     1/3 cup light sour cream

     1/2 tsp. vanilla

     1 (8 oz.) container frozen whipped topping (such as Cool Whip), thawed in refrigerator

With an electric mixer, beat cream cheese, sugar, sour cream and vanilla together until smooth. Stir in Cool Whip until smooth. Carefully pour into unbaked graham cracker crust and chill at least 4 hours until serving. Top individual slices with chilled raspberry sauce.

RASPBERRY SAUCE:

     2 cups frozen raspberries (can also use fresh)

     2/3 cup sugar

     2 Tbs. cornstarch

     3/4 cup water

     1/2 tsp. vanilla

     1/4 tsp. almond extract

Place frozen raspberries in a saucepan with sugar and cornstarch. Pour water over raspberries and stir with a whisk until cornstarch is dissolved. Cook over medium heat, stirring often, until sauce thickens. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla and almond extracts. Chill until serving. Can heat to serve with pancakes or french toast. Store leftovers in refrigerator for up to a week.

Mom's French Pear Pie

This pie gets my vote for being both elegant and unique! Recipe from Nancy Miller...

Picture (above) is before pie was baked. The finished pie should be golden brown. Yum!

Mom's Pie Crust (click here for recipe)

Filling:

     4-5 (somewhat firm) pears, peeled sliced

     3 Tbs. frozen orange juice concentrate, thawed

Drizzle orange juice concentrate over sliced pears in a bowl.  Pile pears into a non-baked pie crust. Sprinkle with topping.

Topping:

     1 1/2 cup sugar

     1/3 cup butter, softened 

     3/4 cup flour

     pinch salt

I use a crust shield or wrap a thin band of tin foil around the exposed edge of the crust to prevent burning. Bake at 400° F. for 38-40 minutes, or until crust and topping are slightly browned. Serve warm with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

Pictured above: Pear Pie with orange juice drizzle. 

(Fat-free!) Crème Brûlée

This is my 10 year old daughter's favorite dessert. I found the recipe in a cooking magazine over 10 years ago, though I don't remember which one. You'll never know it's fat-free!

Heat to boiling over medium heat, stirring frequently until thickened:

           1/3 cup sugar

           3 Tbs. cornstarch

           1/4 tsp. salt

           2 cups fat-free half and half

Remove from heat and stir in vanilla:

           1/2 tsp. vanilla

           1 cup fresh raspberries, blackberries or sliced strawberries 

           3/4 cup brown sugar

Set oven control to broil. Spray 4 custard cups or small bowls with cooking spray. Divide berries between 4 dishes, then spoon hot crème over the top. Sprinkle 2 Tbs. brown sugar over the top of each crème. Broil 4-6 inches from heat in oven for 2-3 minutes, or just until sugar melts. Serve immediately. Serves 4.

Berry Oat Bars

This is another recipe I've had for so long, I don't even know where I found the recipe. It makes me feel a little better because it uses rolled oats and berries... So it almost cancels out the scoop of vanilla ice cream or whipped cream you add on top!

1 1/2 cups quick-cooking rolled oats

1 cup flour

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/4 tsp. salt

1/2 cup butter, melted

1/2 cup raspberry jam, warmed

2 cups berries (blueberries, blackberries or raspberries- fresh, frozen or a combination of both)

Preheat oven to 350°. In a small bowl, combine the oats, flour, sugar and salt. Stir in the butter until well-blended.

Press 1 and 1/2 cups of the oat mixture into an 8-inch square baking dish coated with cooking spray. Carefully pour jam over the crust (don't worry if its not perfect) and sprinkle with berries. Top with remaining oat mixture.

Bake at 350° for 25-30 minutes, or until lightly browned. Cut into bars and serve warm with ice cream or whipped cream. Serves 9.