My husband and I discovered the Tropical Smooothie Cafe this past week. It got me thinking about making my own smoothies. This recipe is my first attempt. I imagine there will be plenty more to follow, especially with spring on the way. Nothing says warm weather like fresh fruit! Blend the following ingredients: 4 ounces fresh strawberries…
Monthly Archives: February 2009
Mocha Espresso Cupcakes
My mocha espresso layer cake is one of my most popular recipes. It is frequently requested by my family for holidays and birthdays. Most days, however, I don’t want to bake and decorate a layer cake. So, I scaled down the recipe a bit to make 12 cupcakes. Mocha Cupcake Ingredients: 1 cup sugar 3/4 cup…
Hearty Mac and Cheese
This weekend, I was reminded that it is still winter. Sunday was a cold, windy day with flurries flying in the air – a perfect day for macaroni and cheese! When I make macaroni and cheese, I often add cooked butternut squash. It helps to thicken the sauce and makes the dish just a bit…
Spinach Artichoke Pizza
I am a huge fan of spinach artichoke dip. I frequently order it at restaurants, and I love to make my own at home, as well. I picked up the ingredients at the grocery store, intending to make it this weekend. Instead, I decided to use the dip as inspiration for a new twist on pizza….
Banana Chip Muffins
This muffin recipe is a great use for those bananas sitting on the counter that have gotten too ripe to eat. It’s quick and easy to make, and they taste great! Don’t let whole wheat flour scare you away – my husband didn’t even notice there was whole wheat flour in these muffins… and I…
Cajun Chicken Burgers
Here’s another recipe using my Cajun spice mix. These Cajun chicken burgers aren’t quite as spicy as the jumbalaya recipe – and for a version with a little less heat, substitute plain mayonnaise for the creamy Cajun dip. I have trouble finding good lean ground chicken at my grocery store. They sell ground chicken, but…
Spicy Jumbalaya
When I think of cajun cooking, the first thing that comes to my mind is jumbalaya. It is made in one pot, combining meat, the trinity of vegetables – bell pepper, onion, and celery, spices, and rice. This recipe is made with my cajun spice mix. The jumbalaya is quite spicy – I don’t recommend…
Cajun Spice Mix
In honor of Mardi Gras, I thought I would make a few cajun-inspired dishes this week. You can purchase a cajun spice mix at the store, but I enjoy making my own spice mixes. They make great gifts – simply attach your favorite recipe using the spice mix. This cajun spice mix can be stored in…
Parmesan Penne with Sausage and Asparagus
Asparagus is one of my favorite vegetables. Unfortunately, my husband is not nearly as fond of it as I am. So, I am always trying to come up with creative new ways to trick him into eating asparagus. This week, I decided to make penne pasta with asparagus and italian sausage. To ensure that it…
Weighing In
I was recently inspired to buy a kitchen scale when I received a baking cookbook that contained measurements in grams, instead of cups. I had always been aware that the most accurate way to measure ingredients when baking was to weigh them, but it was always so much easier to just whip out the measuring…
