Panko Breaded Tilapia with Lemon & Garlic Mayo

We just had this for dinner tonight and is absolutely delicious.  We all loved it! Carson almost had 2 whole pieces!! Which is absolutely amazing.  He also helped me make it so it was really fun for him to eat what he helped make...I found the recipe through pinterest from a blog called Once Upon a Chef. Awesome blog... I made a few minor changes but nothing huge...

Candied Japanese Sweet Potatoes

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Yield: Serves 2

Ingredients:

• 11 oz. (300g) Japanese sweet potato
• 3 Tbsp. vegetable oil
• 5 Tbsp. sugar
• 1/4 tsp. soy sauce
• 1/4 tsp. rice vinegar or lemon juice
• 1 tsp. roasted black sesame seeds

Instructions:

1. We don’t peel the skin of sweet potato so wash carefully.

2. Cut diagonally while rotating the sweet potato a quarter between cuts. This Japanese cutting technique is called “Rangiri”.

3. Soak in water for 15 minutes to remove starch. Change the water a few times.

4. Wrap the frying pan’s lid with kitchen cloth. This is to prevent condensation on the lid dripping into sweet potatoes while cooking.

5. Do not heat the frying pan yet. Add sugar, oil, soy sauce and rice vinegar in the pan and combine all together.

6. Dry the sweet potatoes completely with paper towel and place in the pan.

7. Cover with the lid and turn on the heat to medium.

8. When you hear bubbling sound from the pan, turn the heat to low to medium-low, and set timer for 2 minutes. Open the lid and flip the sweet potatoes every 2-3 minute so that all sides will have nice golden brown color and get flavored.

9. Depends on the size of sweet potatoes, the cooking time varies, cook for 8-10 minutes or until an inserted skewer goes through smoothly (I personally prefer it a bit tougher than completely soft texture). Now transfer to the serving plate/bowl and sprinkle black sesame seeds.

Notes

* Vinegar or lemon juice helps the sugar from hardening when it cools down.

Finnish Sticks (Fins Kapinnar)

2 sticks butter
2 cups flour
5 tbls. sugar
1 tsp. almond extract

Cream butter & sugar. Add exact. Add flour.
Roll into a snake , slice into 2 inch pieces.
Brush with egg white, then dip egg side into pearled sugar.
Bake @ 350 degrees for 8 - 10 minutes.

These taste like shortbread cookies and are yummy!!

Zucchini Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients

• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 cups whole wheat flour (can substitute 2 cups all-purpose flour for 4 cups total)
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups grated zucchini (about 1 large or 2 medium zucchini)
• 1½ cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

Instructions

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment or in a large bowl with a hand mixer, beat together the butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar on medium speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs one by one until completely blended, and mix in the the vanilla.
3. In a medium bowl, sift together the flours, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt.
4. Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and beat on low (or stir by hand) just until the ingredients are incorporated. Do not overmix. The batter will be stiff.
5. Add the zucchini and chocolate chips and mix just until incorporated.
6. Scoop the cookies in approximately 2-tablespoon increments, about 2 inches apart, onto an ungreased non-stick cookie sheet or cookie sheet lined with silicone mat. (I recommend a cookie scoop for this step.)
7. Bake for 10 – 12 minutes, until the cookies seem set and light golden brown around the edges. Remove from oven and let sit on baking sheet for about 5 minutes, then move to a wire rack to cool completely.
8. Store at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

Notes

Adapted from Food.com

**britt: I just made these and I halved the recipe but kept the 2 eggs. Exactly how I like it!!**

Veggie tacos

*obviously all amounts can be changed. this was how much I did to feed 5 of us. no leftovers
 2 T. olive oil
1 T. butter
1/2 yellow onion diced
3 small red potatoes diced
2 t. minced garlic
1/2 -1 red bell pepper diced ( I didn't have a bell pepper but if I had one would add it, but delish w/o)
1/3 of a zucchini diced
1/3 of a yellow squash diced
1/2 c. (heaping) corn (I used frozen)
1 c. black beans
small handful cilantro minced

Spice to taste:
Salt
Pepper
Garlic powder
Cumin
Chili powder
Parsley
Oregano


shredded cheese
sour cream
lime wedges
salsa
corn tortillas

In large skillet over med heat, melt butter and oil, and  saute onion, potato, bell pepper and garlic. Salt and pepper. cook about 8-10 min or until potatoes are brown and al dente. throw in the frozen corn at about 8 min and stir. you may need to add a little more oil or butter at this point. Add the squash, zucchini, and beans and cook for another 3-4 min. Salt, pepper, and other spices. once everything is hot remove from heat and stir in the cilantro.

To serve: scoop a spoonful onto a heated corn tortilla. top with cheese, sour cream, salsa and a squeeze of lime. the lime is a MUST!!

Blender Oatmeal pancakes

2 1/2 c milk
2 eggs
1/3 c. oil
1 t. salt
3 T. sugar
2 1/2 t. baking powder
1 t. vanilla
2 c. old fashioned oats
1 c. whole wheat flour

Mix all ingredients in a blender til smooth. let sit for 5 min. and gently stir. cook on a hot skillet!!

Rhubarb Crisp

Rhubarb Crisp (Carolyn Downey)

1 c. flour 
3/4 c. oatmeal 
1 c. sugar
1 c. brown sugar
5 c. rhubarb, chopped
2 T. cornstarch
1/2 c. butter 
1 c. water
1 tsp. cinnamon 
1 tsp. vanilla

Cut together flour, oatmeal, brown sugar, butter and cinnamon until crumbly. Press lightly half of crumbs into 9-inch square pan. Cover with rhubarb. Stir together sugar and cornstarch. Cook until thick the sugar, cornstarch, water and vanilla. Pour over rhubarb. Top with remaining crumbs. Bake 1 hour at 350 degrees. Serve warm with ice cream.

Eggplant burger

*makes 4-5 normal size patties

2 Japanese (or one large regular would probably work)
About 1 cup shreded cheddar cheese
1/2 c bread crumbs (more if needed)
2-3 green onions, chopped
1/2 bell pepper (I did yellow) diced
1 egg beaten

To taste:
Garlic powder
Salt
Pepper
Parsley
Worchestershire sauce (I did about 2-3 shakes)
Cajun seasoning

Sauté  on med/heat diced eggplant with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and dried parsley until shrunk by almost half, very soft and carmalized. Once cooked, let cool for 10 min. In a mixing bowl combine all ingredients and mix together (or squish together) by hand. Heat skillet hot and melt some butter. Form patties and fry on each side until crunchy and brown on each side.

Serve on a faccacia bread (recipe in breads) or a ciabatta bread, with carmalized onions, spicy pickles, spring greens and spicy mustard mayo.  (Stone ground mustard mixed with mayo)

Homemade wheat crackers

*from greenlifepages.com

1 1/4 c whole wheat flour
1 1/2 t sugar
1/2 t salt, plus more for sprinkling
1/4 t paprika
4 T butter
1/4 c + 2 T water
1/4 t vanilla

Preheat oven to 400
Mix flour, sugar, salt, and paprika and butter in bowl with 2forks or pastry cutter. Mix the water and vanilla in a small bowl and add to flour mixture. You will probably have to use your hands to really squish it and knead it together until not dry. Divide dough into 2. Roll out the half really thin. Cut into whatever shape you'd like with pizza cutter. Bake for 8-10 min. My gas oven took a good 10 min.

Zephyr Pancakes

Ok so these are pancakes that you make when you are not caring at all about being healthy...like at all ha ha. They are not good for you but oh so yummy!!! They are from Mels Kitchen Cafe

Ingredients

• 2 cups (8 1/2 ounces) all-purpose flour
• 2 1/2 tablespoons (1 3/4 ounces) sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3 large egg yolks
• 1 1/4 cups (10 ounces) heavy cream
• 1 1/4 cups (10 ounces) buttermilk
• 2 tablespoons (1 ounce) butter, melted
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)

Directions

1. In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, cream, buttermilk, melted butter, and vanilla. Whisk the wet ingredients into the dry, just until combined - it's okay if there are a few lumps.
2. Preheat and lightly grease (I didn't grease my griddle and they didn't stick) a heavy skillet or griddle. Scoop the batter onto the griddle with a 1/4 cup measure or a large spoon. Make sure the heat is slightly less than medium. The pancakes will puff up very high. When the first side is golden brown and the edges start to look dry, turn the pancakes over to finish cooking the second side. Remove the pancakes from the griddle and keep them in a warm serving dish until you have enough to feed everyone.

Pesto Chicken Lasagna Roll Ups

Found this recipe on foodgawker...So yummy. Also really great for a freezer meal if you want to just make a bunch at one time.

INGREDIENTS:

• 12 lasagna noodles
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 2 cups milk
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 2 cups shredded chicken breast
• 2 (15-ounce) container ricotta cheese
• 1 cup basil pesto...I used the kirkland bottled pesto and did not use a full cup.  that seemed like way too much to me so just do it to taste.
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
• 2 cups marinara sauce, divided
• Grated Parmesan, for serving

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Lightly oil a 9x13 baking dish or coat with nonstick spray.

In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook lasagna according to package instructions; drain well.

To make the béchamel, melt the butter in a large saucepan. Whisk in the flour until lightly browned, about 1-2 minutes. Gradually whisk in the milk and cook, whisking constantly, until thickened, about 3-4 minutes; season with salt and pepper, to taste. Spread 1/2 cup béchamel in the bottom of the prepared baking dish.

In a large bowl, combine the chicken, ricotta, pesto, 1 cup mozzarella, salt and pepper, to taste. Lay the noodles flat and spread 1/3 cup ricotta mixture evenly along each noodle. Roll up and place seam side down in the baking dish; repeat with remaining noodles and filling. Top with remaining béchamel and 1 cup marinara and sprinkle with mozzarella.

Place into oven and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until lasagna rolls are heated through and the cheese is beginning to brown.

Serve immediately on a bed of marinara and garnished with Parmesan, if desired.