German Apple Pancakes

One of my favorite breakfasts is the Apple Pancake from the Original Pancake House.  It is sticky, sweet, cinnamon, apple goodness.

Right now those videos that show how something is made step-by-step in fast forward are super trendy.  When I saw the Tip Hero video for a German Apple Pancake I jumped at making it, and it sure was tasty.  Needs more sticky sweet syrup and apples to compete the the OPH dish, but a suitable substitute for at home, especially when served with apple cider syrup or buttermilk syrup.

See Tip Hero's recipe here. 

Avenger's Shwarma

Remember that after the credits scene at the end of Avengers where they are all finally trying some Shawarma? 

Anyway for dinner before seeing Avengers: Age of Ultron I decided to make up some of Tony Starks favorite shawarma as well as some quick other character inspired stuff.

-Thor's Hummus.
-Black Widow Brownie Bites:  Buy premade brownie round bites or make brownies and cut into small squares.  Pipe with vanilla frosting and top with a maraschino cherry.
-Hulk Punch:  I just bought some strawberry kiwi Hawaiian punch and printed up a label, 3 inches tall and centered in the middle of a word document.  Cut out to be the perfect length to wrap.

-Hawkeye Fruit Arrows:  Use the strawberry for the arrow tip and cut out some feathery end to complete the arrow.  Served with 8oz of cream cheese, softened and mixed with 1 cup brown sugar.
-Nick Fury Fries:  Just cooked up some frozen Ore-Ida garlic and parmesan fries and added cheese in the last few minutes.
-Captain America Cookies:  Some store bought red-velvet cookies

I got this particular shawarma recipe from KSLs Studio5.   This is my slight variation:

Shawarma:

2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs
1/3 cup olive oil

2 tsp cumin

2 tsp paprika

1 tsp allspice

1 tsp turmeric

1/4 tsp garlic powder

1/4 tsp cinnamon

1/8 tsp cayenne (optional)

3 Tbsp lemon juice

1 tsp salt, to taste

1/2 tsp black pepper, to taste

 

Place chicken thighs in gallon-sized Ziploc bag and seal, pound with a rolling pin to flatten chicken a bit.

In a bowl stir together the rest of the ingredients.

Pour over chicken in the bag, reseal, and squish around to make sure chicken is coated. 

Marinate in refrigerator for at least 30 minutes, the longer the better.

Broil on a broiling pan (you can grill on an actual grill as well, and probably cook on a regular pan, but I haven't tried it) for 10 minutes on each side, until juices run clear and temperature is at least 165. 

Allow to rest and cool a bit.  Rough chop it into thin strips.  Serve.

 

 

 

To Serve:

 

Pita pocket bread

Jerusalem Salad

Tzatziki sauce

 

Jerusalem Salad:

the original recipe also found on the KSL studio5 link above.

 

1 large cucumber, chopped into small pieces

4 Roma tomatoes, chopped into small pieces

1/2 green bell pepper, chopped into small pieces

rough chop handful of mint leaves

rough chop handful of fresh parsley

1/2-1 cup tahini sauce

 

Stir all ingredients together.  You can eat this on the side or stuff in the Pita with the Shawarma.

Cookie Salad

I have made this twice the spring already.  Cookie salad is easy, delicious, and a fun change from other fruit and side salads. Also it doubles as dessert.  We enjoyed this salad today for a family Easter dinner along with Resurrection Potatoes (What we call Mormon Funeral Potatoes during the Easter season), ham, glazed carrots, Cottage Cheese Jello salad, and awesome cupcakes.

6 oz of vanilla instant pudding (2 small boxes)
2 cups buttermilk
16 oz cool whip
2 lbs strawberries
4 bananas
11 oz can of mandarin oranges
1 package of Keebler Fudge Stripe cookies

Stir together vanilla pudding packets and buttermilk.
Add cool whip.
Chop or slice strawberries, slice bananas, and drain mandarin oranges. 
Stir fruit into vanilla pudding and cool whip mixture. 
Crumble up all of the fudge stripe cookies.  Stir in 3 rows worth of cookies, and top with last row of cookie crumbs.

*For a fun tropical version, use Samoa Girl Scout cookies and replace strawberries with 1-2 cans of pineapple tidbits.  Also double mandarin oranges.

Homemade Waffles

I love waffles.  So much so that I bought a Belgium Waffle maker, like the kind they have in Hotels.  This waffle recipe is from my roommate Anne.  I love the flavor, and while it isn't quite fluffy enough to make those giant Belgium waffles it still works in that particular waffle maker as well as any regular one.

 

Anne's Waffles:

2 eggs
1 1/2 cups whole milk (I used 2%)
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups flour
3 Tbsp. sugar
1 Tbsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt

Beat together eggs, milk, melted butter, and vanilla extract.
In a separate bowl stir together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
Make a well in the flour mixture.
Pour in wet ingredients and whisk all together, there will be lumps, don't over mix.
Pour in waffle iron and enjoy!

Anne makes a lot of really good waffles, here are some other recipes:

 

Coconut Rice Waffles with Mangoes and Lime Cream:

Waffles:
2 eggs
1 can(13.5 oz) coconut milk, well shaken
1/4 cup canola or coconut oil
1 tsp. vanilla
1 cup flour
1/4 cup white sugar
1 Tbsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1 cup cooked rice

Whisk together eggs, coconut milk, oil, and vanilla.
In a separate bowl stir together flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and rice.  Make a well and whisk in wet ingredients.  Cook and serve with toppings.

Toppings:
2-3 ripe mangoes, sliced and diced as desired to top
Lime Cream

Lime Cream:
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup sour cream
1/4 cup powdered sugar
2 tsp. lime zest
2 tsp. lime juice

Whip together heavy cream and sour cream for 3-4 minutes.  Add powdered sugar, lime juice, and lime zest and blend.

Sour Cream Orange Waffles:

Orange Cream sauce:
1/3 cup sour cream
1/2 tsp orange zest
2 Tbsp Orange Juice (fresh)
1 1/2 Tbsp honey (orange blossom honey is best)

Mix all ingredients together until smooth.  Can warm up.

Waffles:
2 eggs
1 cup milk
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup butter, melted
2 Tbsp. Orange zest
2 Tbsp. Orange juice (fresh)
1/2 tsp. Vanilla
1 1/2 cup flour
2 Tbsp. white sugar
2 Tbsp. brown sugar
2 Tbsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt

Whisk together eggs, milk, sour cream, butter, orange zest, orange juice, and vanilla.
In a separate bowl stir together flour, sugars, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.  Make a well and whisk in wet ingredients.  Cook and serve with Orange Cream sauce.

Lemon-Ricotta Waffles with Blueberry Citrus Syrup

Waffles:
2 eggs, seperated
1 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup butter, melted
2/3 cup ricotta
2 Tbsp. lemon zest
2 Tbsp. lemon juice
1/4 cup sugar
1 1/4 cup flour
1/4 cup cornmeal
2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp nutmeg

Whisk egg yolks, buttermilk, and butter.  Add ricotta, lemon zest, lemon juice.  In a separate bowl beat egg whites and sugar into soft peaks.  In a separate bowl mix flour, cornmeal, baking powder, salt, nutmeg.  Mix all ingredients together and cook. 

Berry Citrus Syrup:
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 1/2 cup blueberries (fresh or frozen)
6 strips of lemon peel

Stir all ingredients over stove top until bubbly  and thickened.  Remove lemon peel before serving on waffles.

Pioneer Strawberry Shortcake

For Pioneer Day I decided to make some simple strawberry shortcake.  It is an easy summer dessert.

Shortcake:

2 cups flour

1 Tbsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

3 Tbsp sugar

1 stick butter, chilled

3/4 cup milk

 

Stir together flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar in a bowl.  Cut in the butter by cutting it into Tbsp sized pieces, and use a fork, pastry cutter, a food processer, or your fingers to mix butter with flour until it is a coarse meal.  Add milk and stir until just mixed in, don't over mix.  Form into 6-8 patties and bake on a greased cookie sheet for 10 minutes (until lightly browned) at 425 degrees.  When cooled slice in half.

 

Strawberries and cream:

 

1 pint strawberries, sliced

3-4 Tbsp sugar

1/2 tsp vanilla

 

Sprinkle sugar over strawberries, and stir with vanilla.  Allow to sit for awhile before eating.  Strawberries will get nice and juicy.

 

Heavy whipping cream

1/4 cup powdered sugar

 

Whip cream and powdered sugar until it is at whipped cream consistency.

 

 

Banana Cake

I had some leftover bananas and wasn't in the mood for banana bread so I had to give this cake a try.  AWESOME.

2/3 cup sugar

1/2 cup sour cream (I used fat-free)

1 egg

1 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

2 large or 3 medium ripe bananas, mashed

1 tsp vanilla 

1 cup flour

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 tsp baking soda

 

Cream together sugar, sour cream, butter, egg.  Add bananas and vanilla, mix well.  Stir in salt, baking soda, and flour.  Pour into a greased 8x8 or 9x13 pan (I made mine a 9x13 pan it was a lot thinner but I was feeding a lot of people, still delicious but if you want a thicker cake use an 8x8 pan or double the recipe for a 9x13).  Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes until lightly browned.

 

I frosted my cake with a Brown-sugar glaze...

 

3 Tbsp butter, melted
3 Tbsp  brown sugar
2 Tbsp milk
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 – 2 cups powdered sugar

 

Blend together melted butter, brown sugar, milk, and vanilla.  Stir in powdered sugar until desired consistency.  Spread over warm cake and serve.

tasty time.

Haven't posted a new recipe for awhile, here are a couple that I have tried recently that were super good and easy.

Chicken Pasta Salad

(This one Becca made for Sakerra's Wedding)



1 bag cooked bow tie pasta
2-3 cups cooked chicken, shredded or cubed
1 cup mayo
1 cup Miracle Whip or mayo
1/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup sweet pickle juice
Chopped Celery
Craisins
Grapes or Apples
Unsalted Cashews

Mix together the mayo, salad dressing, sugar and pickle juice. Toss with the pasta and add remaining ingredients.

Flatbread Cheeseburgers

(adapted from Life as a Lofthouse)

1 pound lean ground beef
1/2 cup water
1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 pkg dry onion soup
1/2 cup ketchup
1 Tbsp mustard
1 clove garlic, minced (1 tsp preminced garlic)
1 (11 ounce) can refrigerated pizza dough
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Romaine lettuce, chopped


Brown ground beef in a large skillet. Add water, vinegar, onion soup mix, ketchup, mustard and garlic. Stir to combine then simmer over low heat until warmed through and thickened.

Heat another large skillet over medium heat. Divide the pizza dough into 8 parts. Roll each piece as round as possible..

Place one piece of dough onto the warm skillet. Cook on each side for 45  seconds or until puffed and golden. Place each flatbread onto a cookie sheet in a 200 degree warm oven, to keep warm until all flatbreads are made.

Take one flatbread and fill with meat mix, shredded cheese, and lettuce.  Fold in half like a taco.

 

Earth Week

We have heard a lot about the earth these last few years. April 22nd is Earth Day, so go green and make some good food while you are at it.

At Family Fun they have featured a Earth Day Bar recipe.

To learn more about Earth Day check out the EarthDay Network.

Kaboose is featuring some Green recipes for Spring.

And for fun Make some Dirt cups and Earthworms to eat. Yes eat, didn't you ever have these as a kid?

Dirtcups and Earthworms

Chocolate pudding

CoolWhip

Crushed oreos

Gummy worms

Check out an official concoction at Kraftfoods.com

At "The Scrap Review" they issued an Earth Day challenge. Check out what I made here.

Spring Pictures

It's spring. Some things I want to get pictures of:

1. Easter festivities*
2. daffodils*
3. Tulip festival at Thanksgiving Point *
4. day at the park
5. gardening
6. Temple Square
7. Baby animals *
8. CLEAN ROOM

What are some other good Spring things to take a moment and remember?

*- for the ones I have done.

Lots of Easter Sweets Ideas

There are so many great Easter crafts, decoration, celebration ideas. Here are a few I found that I think are extra sweet.

If you are feeling ambitious, Bakerella has concocted some darling Cakepops for this holiday season. Check out the ideas on her site. Thanks for all the imaginitive inspiration Bakerella!

Make and Takes gave us a great cookie recipe for all those extra cadbury creme eggs.

Bakerella also brings us one of the greatest Easter cupcake ideas.

A super easy spring cupcake idea I have seen floating around is to make flowers out of sliced marshmallows and colored sugar crystals, or out of gumdrops. This particular picture and instructions are from Crafting Cousins.

Womans Day Magazine had decorated a cupcake like this:

Oh so cute and adorable.

Baby Animal Days

This time of year always makes me think of Baby Animals. Back in Cache Valley they celebrate Baby Animal days up at the American West Heritage Center.

Here I am with a baby Llama last year at the Baby Animal Days.

So for a fun activity for adults and kids, go check out a Baby Animals Day somewhere, it's refreshing and adorable!

It's starting to feel like spring in the Wasatch Front...at least it is at my home, we haven't had snow for a few weeks, the birds are out, and I haven't needed my coat yipee!!

Some fun spring related crafts I want to try are...

Make and Takes fun spring straws.

I love this Happy Spring Apron from Feathered Nest...I think sassy aprons are so much fun!! too bad I suck at sewing but hey these don't look too hard... Another easy and darling apron she has posted is found here.

I love making mini-scrapbooks and finding new ways to display pictures. In January Martha posted this accordian album idea as a simple yet fun way to display some pictures.