Every summer we buy melons- watermelons, honeydews, cantaloupes, and so forth. However, as a family of four, we often have trouble finishing the whole melon. Last summer I made a muffin with a cake mix and watermelon. This summer I decided to work on that recipe. These muffins turned out delicious! They were light, fluffy and very healthy. They are also dairy free and egg free. If you would like to use eggs instead of the flax seed, replace the water and flax seed with 2 eggs. Enjoy the recipe!
Melon Muffins with Lime Caramel Sauce
Ingredients
1 Cup Blended Melon
1 Cake Mix (White, Yellow, or French Vanilla)
1/2 Cup Multi Grain Hot Cereal (I used Hodgkins Mills)
1/2 Cup Applesauce
1/4 Cup Juice (I used mango/tangerine, but any juice would work)
1/8 Cup Flax Seed
3/8 Cup Water
Lime Caramel Sauce (Optional)
1/4 Cup Honey
Juice of 1 Lime
Lime zest
Melon Muffins
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Microwave water for 45 seconds. Mix flax seed into water and stir. Set aside to cool.
2. In your magic bullet or blender, blend about 2 cups fresh melon (I used cantaloupe and watermelon). Your goal is 1 cup of blended melon. You want a thick juice. Small chunks of melon are okay, they actually taste delicious in the muffin!
3. In a large bowl, mix together melon, muffin, multi-grain cereal, applesauce, and juice. After mixing, mix in flax seed. Thoroughly spray muffin tins with non-stick spray. Fill each muffin tin almost to the top. It will make 12 muffins. Bake for 23 to 25 minutes. Muffins will start to crack and pop up when gently pushed. They will also start to brown around the edges. Let cool before adding sauce. (I let ours sit covered overnight)
Lime Caramel Sauce
Poor honey in a small pan. Juice 1 lime into pan (make sure to remove seeds). Mix together. Cook on high, stirring constantly. It will take 2 to 3 minutes to make the caramel. I let mine boil for almost 5 minutes and that was too long. The caramel and lime will start to boil and then froth up. Keep stirring, it burns easily. After it has reached a rapid boil, let boil for a minute. Pull off the heat and let continue boiling for a minute, stirring while it cools. Drizzle over muffins. Grate lime zest over top of the muffins.
I am on the countdown- 6 more days of students and 1 teacher workday!!! I LOVE summer! I especially love all of the fresh fruits and vegetables! Here is a great slaw recipe if you are tired of traditional slaw. It is sweet and crunchy, a favorite combination of mine! Enjoy :)
Strawberry Apple Slaw
Ingredients:
3 Cups Cabbage, shredded
1 Red Bell Pepper, thinly chopped
1 Apple, thinly chopped
8 to 10 Large Strawberries, chopped
1/4 Cup Red Onion, finely diced
3/8 Cup Vinegar & Oil Fruit Based Salad Dressing (E.g. raspberry vinaigrette, strawberry balsamic, etc.)
1/8 Cup Honey
Juice of 1/2 a Lime
1/2 Cup LaChoy Rice Noodles (the crunchy, salad topping kind)
In a large bowl, mix together cabbage, pepper, apple, strawberries, and onion. In a separate bowl, mix together salad dressing, honey and juice of 1/2 a lime. Pour over salad and mix gently. Serve immediately or refrigerate until ready to serve. Immediately before serving mix in the LaChoy rice noodles. Serves 6 to 8.
I've posted a lot about a little bit of dip, but it always seems like we have a tablespoon or two left in the containter and I can't throw it out. I made these potatoes the other night and they were E.A.S.Y. There are only 3 ingredients! They would be great with bbq chicken or ribs this summer. Once again, I ate them cold for lunch the next two days (I am a traveling teacher and I have to eat lunch in my car). They were still great! Enjoy!
Weeknight Potatoes
Ingredients:
6 Small Baked Potatoes
3 TBSP Dip (I used French Onion, but Ranch, Dill, Spinach or Bacon would work just as well)
1 Cup Shredded Cheese (I used Colby)
1. Thoroughly wash potatoes (you're going to keep the skin on so this is important). Cut off the ends and cook in the microwave for about ten minutes until soft. I usually check at 5 minutes, and 7 minutes to make sure they're not finished yet. You don't want your potatoes exploding!
2. When potatoes have cooled, slice into thin slices. Pour into a bowl. Mix in cheese and dip. Spray a large skillet with non-stick spray. Spread potato mixture into the skillet. Broil on high for 8 to 10 minutes until cheese is melted and bubbly (keep an eye on them, you don't want to burn them). Serves 5 to 6
I love the dessert cups they sell for strawberry shortcake, but it seems we always run out of strawberries before we finish the cakes. This past weekend, I took our leftover dessert cups and make sorbet sandwiches out of them for Celia and Charlie. They were beautiful and delightfully tasty and messy: a perfect dessert combination! This would work even if your cakes are a little stale! You can make them ahead and freeze them for a party or a children's play date.
Sorbet Sandwiches
Ingredients:
Dessert Cups
Sorbet or Ice Cream
Scoop one big ball of sorbet or ice cream into the center of the dessert cup. Place other dessert cup on top. Cut through the middle to make two ice cream sandwiches. We sprinkled sprinkles on top to make them even fancier :) Enjoy!
I love zucchini! Celia, Charlie, and Andy- not as much. However, it is my goal in life (while this seems like a strange goal, it's true!) to get my family to eat as many fruits and vegetables as possible. I strictly stick to the 5 to 9 a day rule and try to sneak them in as many meals and dishes as possible. Last night for dinner I made these Zucchini Pancakes as a side dish. I loved them! In fact I ate them cold for lunch the next 2 days. Charlie and Celia did not like them as much, but Celia did eat the batter before I cooked them and Charlie was impressed that they were green. I think in general, it is an adult recipe, at least for our family. They would be great served with Tzatziki sauce.
Zucchini Pancakes
Ingredients:
1 Small to Medium Zucchini
1/2 Cup Cooked Oatmeal (I used plain, but I think Apple Cinnamon would taste okay too)
1 TBSP French Onion Dip I(if you don't have this, use salad dressing)
1 Egg
1/3 Cup Chopped Green Peppers
2/3 Cup Flour
1/2 Tsp Sea Salt
1/2 Tsp Curry Powder
1. Cook oatmeal in microwave following oatmeal directions.
2.. Chop Zucchini into large chunks. Put into Magic Bullet, blender or food processor with dip, egg and green pepper. Blend until at least semi-smooth. Small bits of pepper or zucchini are okay.
3. In a bowl, mix together zucchini mixture, oatmeal, flour, sea salt and curry powder.
4. Heat a large skillet to med-high. To cook mine, I used 2 TBSP of coconut oil, but olive oil would work as well. When oil is hot, add scoops of batter to the pan. Cook on each side 1 to 2 minutes until lightly browned. Add more oil as needed. Makes 10 - 12 pancakes.
I know cold weather foods aren't on everybody's menus right now, but my mom's work had chili the other day and she brought me the leftovers. I often make chili dogs after we have chili, but I wanted to make something a little different this time. Instead, I made Chili Cheese Burritos and they turned out great! Plus, they have to be somewhat healthier than chili dogs :) Enjoy the recipe!
Chili Cheese Burritos
Ingredients:
3 Small to Medium Baked Potatoes or 2 Large
1 & 1/2 Cups Chili
1/2 TBSP Minced, Dried Onion
1/2 TBSP Fresh, Minced Garlic
1 TBSP Fresh, Chopped Parsley (I was out of Cilantro, but you can use that instead)
1 &1/2 Cups Shredded Cheese (Colby, Cheddar or Mexican Mix)
8 Large Flour Tortillas
Salsa
Frito Corn Chips, crushed (I used a snack-size bag, but you'll want about 1/2 to 1 Cup)
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spread a thin layer of salsa into the bottom of a 9x13 baking pan.
2. Deskin potatoes and cut into chunks. In a large bowl, mix together potatoes, chili, onion, garlic, parsley, and shredded cheese.
3. Microwave tortillas until soft (I microwaved mine separately for about 10 to 15 sec. each). Put a large scoop of filling on each tortilla and roll. Place into baking dish. Spray burritos with Pam and bake for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, cover burritos with a thin layer of salsa and sprinkle Fritos on top. Bake for 5 minutes more. Makes 8 large burritos. Top with lettuce, tomatoes and sour cream if desired.
Happy Sunday! I recently discovered our local CSA. For an incredibly reasonable price I got a huge bag of fruits and vegetables for our family from local farms. I love that in the bag there are tons of kinds of fruits and vegetables that I wouldn't normally buy. Here is a recipe using Kale. I have never bought Kale in my life, but my children not only ate it, they loved it in this dish! Plus, it's a great way to use leftover coleslaw. I used a vinegar and oil based coleslaw, but I think a mayo based one will work as well, it will just be creamier.
Kale with Bacon and Onions
4 Slices Bacon (ours was brown-sugar which added to the taste!)
1/2 Cup Chopped Red Onions
4 Cups Kale, torn and lightly packed
1 Cup Cole Slaw
1 Hard Boiled Egg
1 Large Pinch Sea Salt
Chop bacon into bite-sized pieces. Throw into a large skillet and start sauteing. Add chopped onions to the skillet. Cook bacon and onions while washing and tearing the kale. Add kale to the skillet and stir. Next add coleslaw and stir. Chop hard boiled egg and add it to the skillet. Sprinkle the sea salt on top and stir. Cover and continue cooking for another 5 to 8 minutes until bacon is finished cooking, onions are translucent and kale has wilted completely. Stir occasionally during this time. Serves 4 to 5.
I know fish is healthy for you, and I try to feed it to my family, but unfortunately they only like it when it's fried shrimp or sushi. For just about as many meals as I've made with fish, I've gotten just as many no thank yous. However, tonight that changed!!! I got sneaky with my cooking. My lovely children consumed tuna taquitos tonight quite happily. They weren't even fried! I hope you can trick your family into eating this delicious fish meal too :) Enjoy!
Italian Taquitos
Ingredients:
1 Can Tuna, drained
1 Can Beans, drained (I used Kidney beans)
1/2 Cup Cooked White Rice
1/8 Cup Italian Salad Dressing (I used Ken's Northern Italian)
1/4 Cup Diced Onions
1/3 Cup Diced Green Peppers
1 TBSP Mayonnaise
1 Tsp Dried Basil
1/2 Tsp Salt
1 Heaping Tsp Minced Fresh Garlic
1 and 2/3 Cup Shredded Mexican Cheese
12 to 15 corn tortillas
1. Mix together tuna, beans, white rice, Italian dressing, onions, green peppers, mayo, basil, salt, garlic and 1 Cup of the shredded cheese.
2. Preheat oven to broil- high. Place oven rack on the second to lowest level. Spray a large baking sheet liberally with non-stick spray.
3. Wrap 3-5 corn tortillas in a damp pamper towel and microwave for about 45 minutes. They need to be flexible so you can wrap them easily without the corn tortillas cracking. Uncover one at a time. Lay a large spoonful (about 1 and 1/2 to 2 TBSP) of tuna mix on one end and roll. Lay taquito folded side down on baking sheet. Continue with the rest of the tortillas, heating up more when needed. If you have any mix left, push a bit more into the ends of the taquitos.
3. When finished folding, spray taquitos with another liberal spray of non-stick spray. Broil in the oven for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, sprinkle the remaining 2/3 cup of shredded cheese on top. Turn off the oven and let them sit in there for 5 minutes until cheese is melted. Serve with a side of salsa.
It's Friday night and Miss Celia and I decided to do some leftover cooking. A couple of nights ago my dad, "Papa", bought Celia and Charlie a giant bag of kettle corn- yum! Unfotunately we also had a tin of popcorn leftover from Christmas. Needless to say the kettle corn did not get eaten, but I could not let such yummy goodness go to waste, so here's a recipe for popcorn bars. I have never made popcorn balls, but I would guess it is a version of that recipe- but it's for lazy people :) I mean who really wants to make all those sticky balls? Enjoy!
Cashew Popcorn Bars
Ingredients:
4 TBSP Butter, melted
10 Cups Popcorn*
2 Cups Cashews
4 Cups Mini Marshmallows
1/4 Cup Light Corn Syrup
Chocolate Cookie Icing (optional)
1. Measure out 10 cups of popcorn in a large bowl. Add 2 cups of cashews to the popcorn. Set aside.
2. Spray a 10x15 bar pan with pam. In a small bowl, melt butter in microwave.
3. Put marshmallows in a third bowl. Pour corn syrup on top. Microwave marshmallows in 30 second intervals for 2 minutes. They will expand to 3 to 4 times their size. When expanded, fold pour popcorn mixture and butter into marshmallows. Pour into pan and pat down. Let sit for 30 minutes. Swirl icing over top of bars and let sit until hardened. Cut into squares and serve.
*I would not use popcorn with extreme amounts of butter on it.
To get new What's for Leftovers? recipe updates, Like What's for Leftovers? on Facebook
I love the Superbowl- not necessarily for the football but because of all the wonderful leftovers you can use in recipes afterwards! Here's one for your leftover bits of dip. I used a ranch dip in our Crescent Cups but you can use dill, french onion, bacon cheddar or what every kind of dip you have leftover and your family loves. Enjoy!
Ham and Broccoli Crescent Cups
Ingredients:
1 Cup Chopped Ham
1 Cup Chopped Broccoli, cooked
3 TBSP Dip (ranch, dill, french onion, bacon cheddar, etc.)
1 Egg
1/2 Cup Shredded Cheddar Cheese
1 Tube Crescent Rolls
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Mix together ham, broccoli, dip, egg, and cheddar cheese in a large mixing bowl.
2. Spray a 12 muffin, regular size muffin pan with Pam. Unroll crescent rolls. Take each triangle, and make it into a triangular cup (see picture, use long perforated side to join together). Place into muffin pan. Fill with ham and broccoli mix.
3. Bake at 375 for 14 to 15 minutes. Let sit for 5 minutes to set before serving. Makes 8 Cups.
Rice always seems to be the gift that never stops growing. Our neighbor made us a huge dish of Mexican rice the other day, and it was delicious! For a week I have been making dishes with this rice. This is my last one, I have finally used it all up! This happens to us when we eat out at a Mexican restaurant too.
I made this for our church lunch on Sunday. It was delicious and soooooo easy! Just like the name says, you should probably have everything on hand in your pantry. It is easy to make this soup really spicy or really mild according to your family’s taste. So, the next cold, snowy day you have- don’t go out to buy ingredients to make a soup, just look in your pantry!
Everything you already have Mexican Crockpot Soup
2 and ½ Cups Mexican Rice
1 to 1&½ Cups Hamburger, browned with diced onions
1 Can Rotel
1 Can Tomato Sauce
1 Can Chicken Broth
1 Can Black Beans
1 Can Tomato Soup
½ Cup Salsa
5 Cups Water
1 TBSP Onion Powder
1 TBSP Chili Powder
½ TBSP Cumin
1 TBSP Dried Cilantro
½ TBSP Garlic Powder
1&½ Cups Frozen Corn
4 Slices of American Cheese
Tortilla Chips
Shredded Cheese
Put all ingredients in your crock pot. Cook on high 3&½ to 4 hours, stirring occasionally. Top with crushed tortilla chips and shredded cheese. Serves 12 to 15 people.
I love when we have Chinese take-out, it's like the dinner that never ends :) There are so many uses and creations that can come for it. Over the New Year's holiday we got Chinese take out. We had several cartons of rice left over. Earlier in the week I made a batch of cheesy, broccoli rice with it. Apparently it miraculously grew because it felt like we had more leftover than I started with. Well you know how I hate to throw away food, so our cheesy broccoli rice became meatballs. The nice thing about this recipe is if you don't feel like taking the time to make meatballs, you can use the mixture to make meatloaf or even hamburgers. While the meatballs were baking, I made a gravy to serve with them, but they would be great by themsevles or as a sandwich with cheese melted on top. Enjoy!
Easy, Cheesy, Meatballs
2 cups Broccoli Cheese Rice
1 lb Ground Beef
1 Egg
1/2 TBSP Onion Powder
1/2 tsp salt
 |
| Browned Meatballs |
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix together all ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Form 1" to 1 and 1/2" meatballs. Spray a large frying pan with non-stick spray. Brown meatballs on all sides. Transfer to a baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes. Makes around 15 meatballs.
 |
| My Helper :) |
*Your meat mixture should have the consistency of a meatloaf mixture. If your rice is dry, add a little milk to the mixture to moisten it up. Be cautious though, if it is too moist, your meatballs will fall apart!
