Fruity Pancake Topping

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Makes: About 2 cups (enough for 8 pancakes)

3 cups fresh or frozen blueberries
2 to 4 Tbsp sugar (to taste)

1 to 2 Tbsp cornstarch, optional
Whipped cream

Put blueberries, sugar, and cornstarch in a microwave-safe bowl; mix well. Microwave on high for 2 to 3 minutes or until bubbling; stirring after each minute. Serve hot over warm pancakes or waffles. Top with whipped cream.

Variation: Substitute strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, or mixed berries for the blueberries.

My sister made something like this when Christian was at her house and now he requests it every time I make pancakes. I've tried to take a picture, but by the time I remember, it's almost all gone!

Ultimate Balsamic Pasta Salad

Prep Time: 30 minutes
Serves: 6 to 8


Warning: This salad is highly addictive!

1 lb box rotelle or rotini pasta, uncooked
1/4 cup olive oil
1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup fresh basil, sliced (stack leaves, roll up, and slice diagonally)

Add at least 5 of these:
1 can olives, drained
1 pkg grape tomatoes
1 green bell pepper, cut in 1" pieces
1/2 cup dried cranberries
2 cups cooked chicken
1 can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 jar artichoke hearts, drained
1 jar marinated sliced mushrooms, drained
1 jar roasted red peppers, drained and sliced
8 oz. mozzarella, cubed
1/2 cup real bacon bits or cooked, crumbled bacon
2 to 3 green onions, sliced diagonally (white and green parts)

Prepare pasta according to package directions; drain and rinse in colander until cold. Drain well.

Meanwhile, prepare all other ingredients and add to a large bowl. Add drained pasta and gently toss.

Variation: Substitute leaf lettuce for the pasta to make a delicious tossed salad.

I used all of the ingredients, except the green onions, and it was delicious. The cranberries add a nice texture and flavor, so don't be tempted to leave them out if you have them. When I make this again, I will use either the beans or the chicken (most likely the beans because they look nicer and taste great in here!)

Easy Shredded Beef

Prep Time for Meat: 4 to 8 hours
Prep Time for Meals: 20 to 30 minutes
Serves: About 4 per pound of meat

Put London Broil (the amount is up to you) into a crock pot on high for 4 hours or on low for 8 hours. When it pulls apart easily with a fork, shred it with two forks, removing any fat.

Now make a recipe using shredded beef or freeze it in two- or four-cup portions in quart-size freezer bags. Flatten the meat out and remove as much air as possible. Label and freeze up to six months.


Tacos or Tostadas
Put 2 cups shredded beef in a skillet and add taco seasoning and water (according to package directions) to make 1-pound of taco meat.
Meanwhile, fry corn tortillas in a little oil for a couple of minutes on each side over medium-high heat. For tostadas, fry until tortilla is crisp. Top with chopped tomatoes, shredded lettuce, shredded cheddar cheese, sliced black olives, sour cream, and salsa.

Burritos or Chimichangas
Thaw beef if frozen and add salt and pepper to taste to 2 cups shredded beef. Heat over medium until warm. Optional: add a can of green chilies, 1 to 2 cups cooked rice, a can of pinto beans and/or refried beans. Put 1/4 to 1/2 cup beef in the middle of a burrito-size flour tortilla. Top with shredded cheddar cheese. Fold up bottom, then both sides, and roll over (To make rolling tortillas easier, warm slightly in microwave).
For burritos, make all the burritos and put in a baking dish. Top with more cheddar cheese and salsa and cook at 375 degrees until cheese is melted.
For chimichangas, heat about an inch of oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Fry on both sides until golden. Drain on a paper towel-lined plate.

Beef Flautas
Thaw 2 cups of beef and make as for tacos. Mix in 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese (optional). Spread 2 tablespoons meat mixture in a line across corn tortillas and roll up (if needed, dip tortillas in warm oil to make rolling easier). Fry in 1/2 inch hot oil (over medium-high heat) until light golden brown. Remove to paper towel lined plate. Serve hot with salsa and sour cream.

BBQ Beef Sandwiches
Add 1/2 to 1 cup barbecue sauce to 2 cups shredded beef and heat in microwave or on the stove. Serve on kaiser rolls or hamburger buns when heated through.

Yummy, Healthy Waffles

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Makes: 12, 4-inch waffles


1 1/2 cups Krusteaz Pancake and Waffle Mix
1/2 cup soft white whole wheat flour*
1 1/2 cups cold water
2 Tbsp oil

Blend ingredients together; batter will be slightly lumpy (do not overmix). Cook waffles according to waffle iron instructions. Serve immediately.

Topping Ideas:
Sliced bananas and nuts (almonds, pecans, or walnuts - roasted or not, chopped or whole)
Sliced strawberries and whipped cream
Whole raspberries or blackberries
Cinnamon applesauce
Apple butter
Ice cream
Berry Compote
Jam or preserves
Fresh peaches

Peanut butter and honey

The possibilities are endless!

*Regular whole wheat flour is fine, too, but the soft white isn't as "crunchy". If you don't have whole wheat flour, just use more pancake mix. The wheat flour is just to make it healthier.

German Pancakes

Prep Time: 25 minutes
Serves: 4

We've been making this in my family since I was young. I have seen a few different versions, but this is how I make it:

1/4 cup butter
1 cup milk
1 cup all-purpose flour*
4 eggs
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1 Tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla

Preheat oven to 375F. Put butter in 13x9 pan and put in oven. Meanwhile, mix the rest of the ingredients in a blender. When butter is melted, add batter to pan and immediately return to oven. Cook 15 to 20 minutes, until edges are puffy and golden. Remove from oven and serve immediately.

Serve topped with:
Pancake syrup
Powdered sugar
Fresh berries

*I like to use 1/2 cup all-purpose flour and 1/2 cup soft white whole wheat flour to make it a bit more "healthy".


The way we used to make it is:

1/2 cup butter
1 cup milk
1 cup all-purpose flour
6 eggs

Follow the above instructions.

Go ahead and experiment!

Confetti Bella Chicken

Prep Time: 30 minutes
Serves: 4

3 Tbsp olive oil
1 lb chicken tenderloins
1 large green bell pepper, cut into strips
1 large red bell pepper, cut into strips
1 large onion, cut into wedges
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
8 oz baby bella mushrooms, quartered

In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat; add the chicken and saute for 5 to 10 minutes or until cooked through; remove from pan. Add peppers, onion, and garlic to pan; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Saute for 5 to 7 minutes, or until the peppers are tender, mixing well. Add the mushrooms and cook for 5 minutes. Add the chicken and cook until mushrooms and chicken are heated through and tender.

Serve on a roll for a really yummy sandwich or with buttered pasta and a tossed salad

I got this recipe from "Mr. Food's Italian Kitchen" by Art Ginsburg (Confetti Portobello Mushrooms, 28) and adapted it.

Spanish Chicken with Yellow Rice

Arroz Amarillo con Pollo

Prep Time: 40 minutes
Serves: 4

This is another recipe that my mother-in-law gave to me and it is one of my favorite Puerto Rican dishes.

1 lb. Boneless skinless chicken breasts, cubed
Goya Adobo All-Purpose Seasoning
2 Tbsp oil
2 Tbsp butter
1 large onion, diced
2 cups uncooked rice
1 envelope Sazon Goya con Azafran
1 Knorr Chicken-flavor bouillon cube
1 tsp dry parsley
Pepper, to taste
4 cups water, divided
1 can (15.25 oz) whole-kernel corn, drained (optional)

Sprinkle the chicken with Adobo. In a 3-quart chicken fryer or saucepan, saute chicken in oil over medium heat until light brown; remove chicken from pan. Add butter and onion to pan and saute until soft, stirring often. Meanwhile, dissolve bouillon in one cup water in microwave. Add rice to onion and stir to coat with oil. Add Sazon Goya, dissoved bouillon cube, parsley, pepper, remaining 3 cups of water, and corn; bring to a boil over medium-high heat and cook until all liquid is gone. Add chicken and gently toss with rice; cover and reduce heat to low and cook until rice is tender about 15 to 20 minutes, turning rice once halfway through cooking. Let stand about 5 minutes before serving.

Substitutions:

• 4 cups chicken stock for bouillon and water
• 4 chicken breast halves (not cubed, with or without bones, but skinless)
  
• 4 center-cut pork chops
  

Serve with a tossed salad, sliced avocado, mango, and/or tostones.

Blueberry Crumb Pie

Prep Time: 90 minutes
Serves: 8

This is Michael's favorite pie, so I have taken some pains to get it just right. I'll probably change it again, but here it is so far:

Filling:
3 1/2 cups blueberries, fresh or frozen*
1/3 cup sugar
1 1/2 Tbsp flour

Preheat oven to 400F. Mix berries, sugar, and flour and put in an unbaked pie shell.

*If using frozen blueberries, increase flour to 3 to 4 Tablespoons.

Topping:
1 cup brown sugar
1 stick cold butter, cut in quarters
3/4 cup quick oats
1/2 cup flour

Pulse all ingredients in a food processor until it forms lumps and butter is mixed in.

Top pie with crumbs, cover crust with strips of foil, and bake for about 1 hour.