Whole Wheat Blueberry Pancakes

Saturday pancakes are a little tradition of sort in our house. One morning we didn't have any mix on hand, I thought I'd search a homemade recipe. I'll be saving this as I liked it being 'health'ed' up a bit with the wheat flour and blueberries. I doubled the recipe and froze some to toss in the freezer laster this week.

Whole Wheat Blueberry Pancakes

Source: Allrecipes.com

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 cups whole wheat flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 egg
• 1 cup milk, plus more if necessary (we definitely used more)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon artificial sweetener (I used 1/2 Splenda, 1/2 brown sugar)
• 1/2 cup blueberries

Directions

1. Sift together flour and baking powder, set aside. Beat together the egg, milk, salt and artificial sweetener in a bowl. Stir in flour until just moistened, add blueberries, and stir to incorporate.
2. Preheat a heavy-bottomed skillet over medium heat, and spray with cooking spray. Pour approximately 1/4 cup of the batter into the pan for each pancake. Cook until bubbly, about 1 1/2 minutes. Turn, and continue cooking until golden brown.

Crab Cakes

A neighbor bought these tasty crab cakes to a neighborhood Christmas gathering. She kindly shared the recipe ~ it's the recipe used by a local country club. I made these for the Super Bowl and everyone commented how much they liked them. Sorry I forgot to take a picture. Last post without a picture. Promise. But do try these if you like crab cakes!

Crab Cakes ala Treesdale

Ingredients

3lbs of jumbo lump crab meat
7 1/2 TB mayo
3 TB Yellow Mustard
3 TB Worcestershire
3 TB Parsley
3 cups Bread crumbs
1 1/2 TB minced garlic
1 1/2 TB minced shallot

3 eggs

Directions
Mix together, shape & bake for 20-25 minutes @ 425 degrees

Chicken Milanese with Spring Greens

I've had this torn out of my Cooking Light magazine for quite awhile. Finally, I got everything to make this. I really liked it. A complete meal ~ very light, healthy, flavorful, delicious. A perfect portion for 2. Try it!

Chicken Milanese with Spring Greens
& Parmesan Browned-Butter Orzo
Serves 2
From Cooking Light Magazine
Notes: Letting the breaded chicken set for a few minutes ensures the coating will adhere.
While shallot soak - start preparing the orzo
While orzo simmers- pound the chicken, bread & cook the chicken.
While orzo rests - toss salad.

Ingredients

• 3/4 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
• 3/4 teaspoon white wine vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon minced shallots
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
• Dash of sugar
• 2 (6-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breasts
• 1/3 cup dry breadcrumbs
• 2 tablespoons grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 egg white, lightly beaten
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, divided
• 5 teaspoons olive oil, divided
• 2 cups packed spring mix salad greens
• 2 lemon wedges

Directions

1. Combine juice, vinegar, shallots, 1/8 teaspoon salt, and sugar; let stand 15 minutes.
2. Place chicken between 2 sheets of heavy-duty plastic wrap; pound to 1/2-inch thickness using a meat mallet or small heavy skillet.
3. Combine breadcrumbs and cheese in a shallow dish. Place flour in a shallow dish. Place egg white in a shallow dish. Sprinkle chicken with 1/8 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper. Dredge chicken in flour; dip in egg white. Dredge in breadcrumb mixture. Place chicken on a wire rack; let stand 5 minutes.
4. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken; cook 3 minutes. Turn chicken over; cook 2 minutes or until browned and done.
5. Add 2 teaspoons oil and 1/8 teaspoon pepper to shallot mixture; stir with a whisk. Add greens; toss gently. Place 1 chicken breast half and 1 cup salad on each of 2 plates. Serve with lemon wedges.

Serve with Parmesan-Browned Butter Orzo: Cook 1 tablespoon butter in a small saucepan over medium-low heat 4 minutes or until browned. Add ½ cup orzo; cook 1 minute. Add 2 tablespoons white wine; cook over medium-high heat 1 minute. Add 1¼ cups chicken broth. Bring to a boil; reduce heat, and simmer 13 minutes. Stir in 1 tablespoon grated Parmesan; cover and let stand 5 minutes. Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon chives.

I figured the meal to be about 15 points on the new weight watchers program.

Creamy Chicken & Pasta Bake

So this wasn't my favorite dish of all.. but, for an easy weeknight... I'd make it again. Easy, healthy and usually have most ingredients on hand. It also made a reasonable portion for a family dinner. I do think it is missing just a little something ~~ salt? garlic? a fresh herb maybe? Anyone have any thoughts if you make it?? I forgot to take a picture. I think the snow has me all thrown off.

Creamy Chicken & Pasta Bake
Source: Kraft Food & Family Magazine

Ingredients

1-1/2 cups multigrain rotini pasta, uncooked

1 small bunch broccoli, cut into florets (about 3 cups)

1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces

1/2 cup fat-free reduced-sodium chicken broth

2 oz. (1/4 of 8-oz. pkg.) cream cheese, cubed

1 cup 2% Milk Shredded Mozzarella Cheese, divided

2 Tbsp. Grated Parmesan Cheese

Directions

HEAT oven to 375ºF. Cook pasta in large saucepan as directed on package, adding broccoli for the last 3 min.

MEANWHILE, heat large nonstick skillet on medium-high heat. Add chicken; cook 3 min. or until no longer pink, stirring frequently. Stir in broth; simmer 3 min. or until chicken is done. Add cream cheese; cook and stir on low heat 1 min. or until cream cheese is melted. Stir in 1/2 cup mozzarella.

DRAIN pasta and broccoli. Add to chicken mixture; mix lightly. Spoon into 8-inch sq. baking dish; cover.

BAKE 15 min. or until heated through. Sprinkle with remaining cheeses. Bake, uncovered, 3 min. or until melted. Let stand 5 min.

WW points on points plus ~ 10.

Pan-Fried Onion Dip

Super Bowl meant trying out a new recipe or two. Chips and dip ~ a party requisite. We usually just buy a tub of Helluva. I thought I'd try my hand at a homemade version. This dip will reappear next football season, if not sooner. I really liked it. Thanks Brown Eyed Baker for sharing.

Pan Fried Onion Dip

Source: Brown Eyed Baker

Ingredients

2 large yellow onions
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
¼ cup vegetable oil
¼ teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
4 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
½ cup sour cream
½ cup mayonnaise

Directions

1. Cut the onions in half and then slice them into 1/8-inch thick half-rounds (will result in about 3 cups of onions). Heat the butter and oil in a large saute pan over medium heat. Add the onions, cayenne, salt and pepper and saute for 10 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook, stirring occasionally, for 20 to 30 more minutes until the onions are browned and caramelized. Allow the onions to cool.

2. Place the cream cheese, sour cream and mayonnaise in the bowl of an electric mixer and beat until smooth. Add the onions and mix well. Serve at room temperature. Refrigerate any leftovers.

Pepperoni Rolls

This has been a tailgate staple for years. These make me laugh as - when we would leave a tailgate to head into the Steeler game I'd see people loading up their pockets with these for a gametime snack! It works! With the Super Bowl looming it was time to pull out this recipe!

Pepperoni Rolls

Ingredients

1/2 stick better

1 1/2 cup, scolded milk

1/3 cup lukewarm water

1 egg

1 TBSP salt

5 cups flour

1/3 cup sugar, 1 tsp sugar

1 TBSP yeast - 2 packets

1 large pepperoni stick

1 egg beaten

Directions

Add butter & sugar to hot milk.

Stir and allow to cool.

Mix yeast with lukewarm water & tsp. sugar. It should puff up in 5 minutes

Mix the egg, salt and all but 1 cup of flour with the yeast mixture until a soft dough forms. Gradually add the rest of the flour and knead for 8-10 minutes or until elastics.

Cover and let rise 1-2 hours

Peel the casing from the pepperoni and cut into 1/2 in. X 2 in. logs. Place a log on a piece of dough. Fold the sides into the center & roll to completely covered.

Place on a greased cookie sheet and allow to rise an hour. (I don't always do this & they turn out fine)

Brush with a beaten egg.

Bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes until golden brown.