It's My Recipe Blogaversary!

I have now been recipe blogging for 1 year! It has been a fun year and all my children expect the picture taking at the dinner table now. I love being a part of the food blogging community and thanks to everyone who tries my recipes! It makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside when I find out that someone has enjoyed a recipe from my blog. For the record I made Lentil Stew, Quick Bread Sticks, and Sugar Cookies to celebrate my little anniversary - all 3 are favorite recipes from this last year.

Quick Bread Sticks

These are fast and yummy breadsticks! We had them with Lentil Stew tonight and everyone loved them. I think I had to stop the kids after they had 3. My youngest thought they tasted like Wetzel's Pretzels. Yummy.

Quick Bread Sticks

1 1/2 cups warm water
1 tablespoon instant yeast (SAF)
2 tablespoons sugar
3 1/2 cups flour (+ 1/4 cup for high altitude)
1/2 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons butter, melted (3 tablespoons for each cookie sheet)
about 2 tablespoons melted butter (for brushing tops)
garlic salt
parmesan cheese

Mix water, yeast, sugar, flour, and salt in the bowl of a mixer with a dough hook. Mix for 3 minutes. Let dough rest for 10 minutes. Spread melted butter onto 2 11x17 inch baking sheets. Roll breadstick dough to about 1/4 - 1/2 inch thickness and cut into strips with a cookie cutter (10 strips and slice all the strips in half). Twist slightly if desired and place about 1/2 inch apart on baking sheets. Brush with melted butter and sprinkle with garlic salt and parmesan. You can sprinkle with Italian seasonings too if desired. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rise for 30 minutes. While bread sticks are rising preheat oven to 375 degrees. Bake 15-20 minutes or until golden brown.

Macaroni and Cheese (Freezer Meal)

This is a family favorite and definite kid pleaser! This recipe is for 2, 9x13 pans of macaroni and cheese or 4, 8x8 pans, so it's great for a crowd.

Macaroni and Cheese (Freezer Meal)
2 sticks butter (1 cup)
1 cup flour
2 teaspoons salt
8 cups or 1/2 gallon milk (2% or whole is the best)
3 tablespoons grated onion
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard powder (optional)
1/4 teaspoon cayenne (optional)
2 pounds sharp cheddar cheese, grated
2 pounds elbow macaroni, cooked, drained and rinsed with cold water

In a big stock pot melt butter and add onion. Stir till onion is cooked but not browned. Remove from heat and add flour and salt and stir until smooth. Over medium heat add milk in a steady stream, stirring constantly until thickened. It will talk a while for it to come to a slow boil and thicken, but keep stirring. Add cheese and blend well. Pour cooked and drained macaroni into pot and mix it all together. Remove from heat. This makes 4, 8x8 inch foil pans or 2, 9x13 inch pans. Pour into foil pans. Cover with plastic wrap, then foil (at least 2 layers), and label with cooking instructions. Freeze.

Cooking Instructions:
Thaw for 24 hours in refrigerator. Bake uncovered at 375 for 30-40 minutes or until its hot and bubbly and cheese on edge is browned. If it is partially frozen it will take longer to bake through.

Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

I'm reposting this from last year because I actually got a picture this year, but funny enough these comments I made last year still works for this year: We made these last night with the pumpkin seeds we saved from carving our jack-o-lanterns on Monday. I just loved the smell that radiated through out the house as they roasted away. Such a yummy snack! Nina would eat them all if we left them in her reach!!

Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

2 cups raw pumpkins seeds
2 tablespoons butter, melted (or you could use olive oil for a healthier version)
seasoned salt, probably 2 teaspoons (I have McCormick's Season All)
salt
pepper

To prepare seeds you can either rinse them a lot and pick off all the pumpkin goo or boil them in salted water for 20 minutes (cleans them right up). After you prepare the seeds spread them out on a cookie sheet to dry overnight. When seeds are dry combine with butter and seasoned salt to taste. Toss to coat well. Spread the coated seeds on a cookie sheet , sprinkle with salt and pepper and bake at 300 for 30 minutes, stirring seeds around at least once while roasting. When they come out of the oven sprinkle them with some Kosher salt and there you go. I love munching on them when they are still hot. Mmmmm!!!!

Biscuit Topped Chicken Pot Pie

I really love my chicken pot pie recipe, but as luck would have it I had Pillsbury biscuits in my fridge and an idea. I thought I'd double the filling recipe for my pot pie, make half of it into a casserole type pot pie with biscuits on top, and take the other half and make it into a freezer meal casserole. I haven't tried the one that I froze yet, so I hope it will work out, but I did try the one I made the night of and it was great! I think my kids even liked it better than my usual pot pie.

Biscuit Topped Chicken Pot Pie

2/3 cup butter
2/3 cup chopped onion
2/3 cup flour
2 cans, 14 oz each, low-sodium chicken broth
1 cup half and half or milk
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon chicken bouillon granules
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon pepper
about 1/4 teaspoon Mrs. Dash
4 cups cooked chicken, cubed
4 cups frozen mixed vegetables (I use 2, 12 oz each, bags Green Giant Fresh Steamers mixed veg.)
2, 12 oz each, tubes Pillsbury Grands Jr. Golden Layers Buttermilk biscuits (10 count packages)

Melt butter in a dutch oven or pot. Add onion and cook until translucent. Do not allow to brown. Add flour and whisk well. Pour in broth and half and half or milk and whisk well. Cook stirring until thickened. Add salt, bouillon, onion powder, pepper, and Mrs. Dash. Heat through and add vegetables. Heat through.

Grease a 9x13 baking dish (or 2, 9x9 pans if you are freezing one). Pour chicken mixture into baking dish and top with biscuits (9 biscuits for 9x9 pans and 15-18 for 9x13 pans). Bake at 375 for 15 minutes. Cover with foil and cook for an additional 15 minutes.

**Freezer Meal Instructions will be added soon.

Egg and Sausage Breakfast Sandwiches (Freezer Meal)

My family loves sausage and egg McMuffins, so when I saw this freezer recipe on Real Mom Kitchen I was wondering why I hadn't made these before. These sandwiches are great for quick breakfasts and my husband likes taking them to work with him. If you have a little microwave egg poacher like I have they are so fast to whip up.

Egg and Sausage Breakfast Sandwiches (Freezer Meal)

English muffins, toasted
eggs (number of eggs depends on number of finished sandwiches desired)
water (1/2 tablespoon per egg)
cheese slices (American singles, cheddar, colby jack etc.)
frozen breakfast sausage patties (or sliced ham or cooked slices of bacon)

Decide on the number of sandwiches you'd like; you'll need one egg mixed with 1/2 tablespoon of water for each sandwich. I put all the eggs and water I need into a bowl and whisk them up to make scrambled eggs. You can either cook the eggs omelet style and then cut them into squares for each sandwich, cook scrambled eggs in a skillet and then pile them up on each sandwich, or if you have a microwave egg poacher you can pour a small amount of egg mixture into the egg poacher and microwave for 1 minute and 40 seconds.

To assemble place 1 slice of cheese on half of an English muffin, then egg, sausage patty (or other meat), and top off with other half of English muffin. Wrap each sandwich tightly in plastic wrap and label with heating instructions. Place all your wrapped sandwiches in an extra large ziplock bag and freeze.

Heating Instructions:
Remove plastic wrap. Wrap sandwich in a paper towel. Microwave for 1 minute and 30 seconds on 30% power to defrost. Microwave on high for 1 minute or until hot.

Nordstrom Cafe Tomato Basil Soup (Freezer Meal)

This was a freezer meal from my friend K. It was delicious with grilled cheese sandwiches. Is there anything better than a new yummy soup recipe??

Nordstrom Cafe Tomato Basil Soup (Freezer Meal)

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
4 large carrots, diced
1 large yellow onion, diced
1 tablespoon dried basil
2 large cans whole tomatoes with juices
2 large cans tomato puree
4-5 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1-2 cups heavy cream
kosher salt (to taste)
freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons fresh basil, cut into fine ribbons (optional)

In a large stockpot over medium heat saute the carrots, onion, and dried basil in olive oil until softened, about 12-15 minutes. Do not allow to brown. Add the broth, tomatoes, and tomato puree. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer uncovered for 5 minutes.

Remove from heat. Using an immersion blender, puree the soup in the pot. (Or you can blend small amounts of the soup in a blender or food processor and return blended soup to the pot.) Simmer over low heat. Season the soup to taste with salt and pepper. Add the cream. Taste again and adjust seasonings if needed. Garnish individual serving with fresh basil if desired.

For Freezer Meal:
Prepare soup as directed above. Let soup cool. Put into a ziplock bag and label with heating instructions. Freeze.

Heating Instructions:
Allow bag of soup to thaw somewhat or completely in the fridge (you could double bag the soup or put the bag in a pan in case it leaks). Empty the soup into a pot and heat until soup is hot and steamy. Don't allow the soup to boil (cream in it can separate if boiled).