BLT Bacon Bites

Everyone but Kate really liked these. They were more like a muffin than I was expecting but really tasted good. I left out the tomatoes because I didn't have them, but I'm sure it would be good with them too. I just served them as a side dish to our Brinner (breakfast for dinner).

3/4 cup flour + 1/2 cups for flouring your muffin tin
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 cup whole milk
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 1/2 cups colby-jack cheese, shredded
1 small roma tomato, diced
3 slices SMITHFIELD Bacon, cooked and crumbled
1/4 cup chopped spinach
A pinch of salt & lots of fresh-cracked pepper
Ranch Dressing for Dipping

Instructions
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Spray a mini-muffin tin with a generous layer of non-stick cooking spray, then sprinkle a generous layer of flour. Tap the muffin tin to remove any excess flour. In a large bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, milk, and egg until a thin batter forms. Stir in the remaining ingredients (except for the ranch dressing!) and spoon into your greased muffin tins. Bake immediately in a preheated oven for 10-20 minutes, or until puffs are golden brown and cooked through. Remove from the oven and cool slightly before serving. Serve with Ranch dressing for dipping. Enjoy!

I can't remember where I got this...sorry

Zucchini Coins

I'm hoping to need a lot of zucchini recipes this summer, we'll see how it goes! But this was one I tried last summer and it was really good.

Olive oil
2 zucchini, sliced into thick slices
Sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste
Marinara
Parmesan cheese, shredded
Italian seasoned panko crumbs

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with tin foil then coat with cooking spray.
Slice the zucchini into thick slices. Toss the zucchini coins with a drizzle of olive oil, sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste, until evenly coated. Place the coins on the baking sheet then spoon a bit of marinara on top, followed by Parmesan cheese, and a bit of panko crumbs. Place into the oven and bake for 15-20 minutes or when the zucchini is just tender and the panko is golden brown. Serve immediately. Enjoy.

From: For the Love of Cooking

Norwegian Pancakes

Jeff and I have been looking for Norwegian recipes so we can do a Norwegian dinner once a year...this isn't dinner, but when I saw it on my friends blog I thought I'd better try it. Jeff said it tasted like the ones on his mission, so I guess it's a keeper. They were yummy, but I thought there was too much vanilla, so I changed that on here.

6 eggs
1/2 C sugar
1 Tbs. vanilla
1 3/4 C milk
1 1/4 C sifted flour
2 Tbs. cooking oil

Mix together until runny and smooth. In large skillet, put about 1/2 c and tilt skillet around to make it one large pancake. Flip over when golden brown. Serve plain, with butter and syrup, with whipped cream, strawberries and bananas or however you like it. Roll up and enjoy!

From: Annie Hiatt

Stuffed Pork Chops

4 Boneless Center-cut Loin Chops, at least 1" thick
4 oz. Smoked Gouda Cheese
4 Strips of Bacon, cooked and crumbled
2 T. Chopped Fresh Parsley
2 T. Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grate the cheese and mix with the bacon and parsley. Cut pork chops horizontally most of the way through (but not all the way) to create a pocket for the filling. Divide the cheese mixture among the pork chops filling them by hand. Heat oil in a frying pan or grill pan if you have one. A panini maker or george foreman grill would probably work too. Sear each side of the pork chops for about 2 minutes per side. Transfer pork chops to a cookie sheet. Cover with tin foil and bake for 15 minutes or until juices run clear when pork chops are pierced with a knife. From: Five Little Peaches

Brunch Squares

12 Frozen Hash Brown Patties, thawed completely 2 C. Colby and Monterey Jack cheese blend 15 Eggs 1 8oz. pkg. Low Fat Cream Cheese 1/2 tsp. Pepper 1 tsp Salt 1/2 lb. bacon 2 tomatoes, seeded and chopped small 4 green onions Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Cut up bacon into small pieces and saute in a small frying pan until crispy. When bacon is done, drain off grease and transfer to a plate lined with paper towels. Wipe out pan. Slice the white parts of the green onions and add them to the frying pan. Set aside the tops of the green onions for use later in the recipe. Saute the onions for about 3-4 minutes. Set aside. Spray a large cookie sheet with cooking spray. Crumble the hash brown patties and press firmly onto cookie sheet. Sprinkle cheese over top of hash browns and bake 13 minutes. While hash browns are baking, whip cream cheese to soften. Add eggs, salt, pepper and sauteed green onions to cream cheese and whip with an electric mixer. When hash browns come out of the oven, pour egg mixture over top, then sprinkle bacon over top of egg mixture. Bake for an additional 8 minutes. During baking time seed and chop the tomatoes small and slice the tops of the green onions. After the brunch squares finish baking sprinkle with the tomatoes and green onions and serve immediately. From: Five Little Peaches

Buffalo Chicken Dip

6 oz cream cheese ¼ c. cup blue cheese or ranch dressing (I used ranch) 1 cup mozzarella (I used cheddar because I didn't have moz.) Parmesan cheese (enough to sprinkle a thin layer) 2 large Chicken Breasts, cooked and shredded (or you can use 2 cans of canned chicken) Franks Hot Sauce to taste (I used Texas Pete Hot sauce and we really liked it) In a 11x7 (or 9x9) pan layer cream cheese, blue cheese dressing, mozzarella cheese and Parmesan cheese. Mix chicken with hot sauce (to the amount of heat you like). Place the chicken on top of the cheeses. Bake 20-25 min at 350 degrees. Serve with carrots, celery, pita chips, artisan bread, tortilla chips etc. I used bread and tortilla chips and preferred the tortilla chips. This was so yummy! I served it as a side to Pizza, but I'd recommend it for an appetizer or as a finger food for a party. Jeff and I both really liked it. Recipe from: The Sisters Cafe...with a few changes.

Twice Baked Potatoes

This is a recipe my boss really likes.  I have only tasted a bite of them, but they tasted pretty good if you like cumin.

4 potatoes
3-1/2 X 3-1/2 in. banana squash
1 Tbs. butter or dairy free margarine
1/4 tsp. cumin
1/2 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp pepper
Milk or rice milk

Wrap the banana squash in tin foil and bake the banana squash and potatoes for 1 hour and 10 minutes, at 400 degrees.  (Place banana squash on the upper wrack so it does not cook as fast.  When the potatoes are cooked cut them in half and hallow them out.  Scrape the banana squash into the same bowl and add the butter, cumin, salt, pepper, and just enough milk to give them the correct consistency.  Spoon the mashed potatoes back into the potato skins and sprinkle with paprika.  Bake just long enough to heat them up.

Quinoa

Yeild 6 to 8 servings

1/2 cup quinoa
2 Tbs oil
1/2 cup chopped onion
1-1/4 cup vegetable or chicken broth
3/4 cup chickpeas, cooked or canned, (drained and rinsed)
1 cup peeled, chopped sunchokes ( also known as Jerusalem artichokes)
1/2 cup peas, fresh or frozen
1/4 tsp pepper

Place the quinoa in a large bowl; fill with cold water.  Pour into a strainer, then return the quinoa to the bowl and rinse 2 to 3 times more.  Drain well.

Heat the oil in a 2-quart saucepan over medium-high heat.  Add the rinsed quinoa and cook, stirring, until it cracks and pops, about 3-5 minutes.  Add the onion and cook, stirring, until the onion is soft.

Add the vegetable broth and bring to a boil over high heat.  Add the chickpeas, sunchokes, peas, and pepper, and return to a boil.  Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, 20 minutes.  Fluff with a fork.

Alfredo Sauce

I really like this sauce and it is super quick and easy.  I usually make it with Fettuccine and Chicken, but the other day I decided to put it on a pizza.  It as so yummy!

2 TBS Butter
2 TBS Flour
1 Cup Milk
1/4 tsp. Garlic powder
1/4 tsp Salt
Parsley Flakes

Milt butter.  Stir flour into butter until it is a nice paste.  Slowly stir in milk.  Cook and stir over medium heat until thickened and bubbly.  Stir in garlic and salt and cook one more minutes.  Remove from heat and stir in cooked chicken (if you are using it or you could add 2 Tbs Parmesan cheese).

Pizza Sauce

I love this because I don't have to open a whole jar of spaghetti sauce (which is what I used to always do) just to use half of it and let it go bad in the fridge. Plus it tastes good!

Pizza Sauce

1 6-oz. can tomato paste
6 oz. water
1 Tbsp. Parsley
1 tsp. basil
1/4 tsp. garlic salt
1 Tbsp. sugar or honey
3/4 tsp. onion powder
1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes (optional)

Empty tomato paste into a bowl and add water a few tablespoons at a time, stirring constantly until combined. Continue adding water until you reach desired consistency. Add remaining ingredients, stir to combine, and allow to stand until ready to use. Covers two average-sized pizza; freezes extremely well.

I go easy on the garlic because I'm ultra sensitive to the smell...but I'm sure if you love garlic it would be better to add some in some form!

Adapted from Melanie Andrews