Prune Juice Marinade

Prune Juice Marinade

Sounds weird, right?  Don't be intimidated.  It's a great marinade, and you'd never know there was prune juice unless you made it!  This marinade is a Chinese recipe used primarily with pork tenderloin, but is said to also taste great with chicken, beef, turkey, and venison.
Source: PruneJuice

1/2 c. prune juice

1/4 c. soy sauce

3 T. extra virgin olive oil 

1 T. fresh squeezed lemon juice

1/2 t. garlic powder

3/4 c. ketchup

1/2 c. sugar

Add prune juice, soy sauce, extra virgin olive oil, fresh squeezed lemon juice, garlic powder, tomato ketchup, and white sugar into a mixing bowl. Using a metal whisk, rapidly stir these ingredients together until you have a smooth and even marinade, and all of the sugar granulates have fully dissolved.

Add meat to bowl and allow to marinate for a few hours or overnight, if time permits.

Fajita Seasoning Mix

Fajita Seasoning Mix

Makes the equivalent of one store-bought packet.

This is a great thing to have on hand. I eliminated a few ingredients that I didn't have -- and that you might not either? -- such as crushed chicken bouillon cube.

Looking for taco seasoning? Click here!

Adapted from: BusyCooks.About.com

1 T. cornstarch

2 t. chili powder

1 t. salt

1 t. paprika

1 t. sugar

1/2 t. onion powder

1/8 t. ground cumin

dash crushed red pepper flakes

1/2 c. water

1 to 1-1/2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into strips

1 T. olive oil

Combine all ingredients, except for water, chicken, and olive oil, to create seasoning.

In a large skillet over medium heat, cook chicken strips in olive oil, until cooked through. Add seasoning to skillet and toss to coat. Add water, a little bit at a time (you may not need an entire 1/2 cup), to combine flavors.

Serve with all your favorite fajita fixings!

A Note From The Little Lady: When the chicken was just about cooked, I added in 1 cup of sliced onions before seasoning. It proved to be a great addition! You could also add green/red sliced peppers at this point too.

Teriyaki Chicken (Marinade)

Teriyaki Chicken (Marinade)

Serves 4.

This is fantastic teriyaki marinade! We loved it and I will be using this recipe time and time again. It would also work well with pork.

Source: Ace Cooks, Bakers, and Miracle Makers cookbook

1/4 c. canola oil

1/4 c. soy sauce

2 T. ketchup

1 T. cider vinegar

1/4 t. freshly ground black pepper

2 garlic cloves, minced

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (or pork chops or pork loin)

Whisk all ingredients together. Pour over chicken. Marinate overnight, turning chicken over a couple times.

Grill and serve!

Whole Wheat Pizza Dough

Whole Wheat Pizza Dough

Makes one, two, or three crusts.

The original recipe calls for only all-purpose flour, but by substituting whole wheat flour for half of it, you get added health benefits without losing much taste. The Mr. and I love the rich, slightly denser taste of whole wheat crust. If you want, feel free to adapt the amounts however you'd like. Use 75% all-purpose and only 25% whole wheat - it's all up to you!

This is a great basic recipe, and since you have the appropriate amounts for one to three crusts, you can make pizza for two, or pizza for a crowd.

Slightly adapted from: Betty Crocker's Italian Cooking

One crust:

1 pkg. regular active dry yeast

1/2 c. warm water (105-115 degrees)

1/2 c. whole wheat flour

1/2 c. all-purpose flour

1 t. olive oil

1/2 t. salt

1/2 t. sugar

Two crusts:

2 pkgs. regular active dry yeast

1 c. warm water (105-115 degrees)

1 to 1-1/4 c. whole wheat flour

1 to 1-1/4 c. all-purpose flour

2 t. olive oil

1 t. salt

1/2 t. sugar

Three crusts:

3 pkgs. regular active dry yeast

1-1/2 c. warm water (105-115 degrees)

1-1/2 to 1-3/4 c. whole wheat flour

1-1/2 to 1-3/4 c. all-purpose flour

1 T. olive oil

1 t. salt

1/2 t. sugar

Dissolve yeast in warm water in large bowl. Stir in half of the flours, the oil, salt, and sugar. Stir in enough of the remaining flours to make dough easy to handle.

Place dough on lightly floured surface. Knead about 10 minutes or until smooth and springy. Place dough in greased bowl, turning dough to grease all sides. Cover and let rise in a warm place 20 minutes.

Gently push fist into dough to deflate. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours but no longer than 48 hours. If dough should double in size during refrigeration, gently push fist into dough to deflate.

Warm Barbecued Chicken Salad

Warm Barbecued Chicken Salad

Serves 2.

This is a great, versatile salad that could be easily adapted to complement a different dressing. We loved the chicken, and the barbecue vinaigrette was great too -- something different, unlike any dressing I had tried before.

Source: Cooking for the Weekend: Food for the Best of Times

1/4 c. all-purpose flour (or whole wheat flour)

2/3 t. salt

1/3 t. dried thyme, crumbled

1/3 t. dried mustard

1/3 t. sweet paprika

1/3 t. freshly ground black pepper

1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into small pieces

1/3 c. corn oil

4 c. mixed salad greens

Barbecue Vinaigrette (recipe below)

In a wide, deep plate, mix together the flour, salt, thyme, mustard, paprika, and pepper. Coat the chicken with the flour and shake off the excess.

In a large skillet, warm the oil over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook 5 minutes, Turn and cook 3 minutes, until done. Drain on paper towels.

Divide the greens among two plates. Top the greens with hot or warm chicken. Drizzle the chicken and greens generously with the vinaigrette and serve immediately.

Barbecue Vinaigrette

1/8 c. tomato-based barbecue sauce

1 egg yolk, at room temperature

1 t. red wine vinegar

1 t. Dijon-style mustard

1/4 t. salt

1/4 t. freshly ground black pepper

1/3 c. olive oil

In a medium bowl, whisk together the barbecue sauce, egg yolk, vinegar, mustard, salt, and pepper. Gradually whisk in the oil; the dressing will thicken. Adjust the seasoning, if necessary.

A Note From The Little Lady: I added shredded cheddar cheese and toasted Ramen noodles for some extra flavor. I would've also added sliced red onion, but I didn't have any on hand.

Julie's Cut-Out Cookies with Royal Icing

Julie's Cut-Out Cookies

Makes 3-4 dozen cookies.

I received this recipe from my friend, Michelle, when we were splitting up the task of making 8 dozen cookies for a weekly breakfast we do with 9th grade girls. This week, we decorated Valentine's Day cookies for a school downtown that gets its lunches donated each day. Since we only have an hour with the girls before we need to take them to school, Michelle and I baked the cookies ahead of time, leaving the decorating and packaging to be completed with the girls.

This recipe is unlike any other cut-out recipe I have. It creates a fluffier, more cake-like cookie, but holds its shape well. If you are looking for a denser, more buttery cookie, try these: Meme's Butter Cookies.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Sift Together:

3 c. flour

1/2 t. baking powder

1/2 t. salt

Cream Together:

1 c. butter - room temperature

1-1/2 c. sugar

Blend Into Butter Mixture:

4 large eggs - room temperature

Beat Into Butter Mixture:

2 t. vanilla

2 T. light cream

Add flour in three parts on slow. Divide dough into 4 flat cakes and wrap in plastic. Refrigerate at least 3 hours. When ready to begin, move dough to freezer for about 20-30 minutes and then roll out 1/4" thick with (A TON OF) flour, and use cookie cutters of your choice. Leave remaining dough in freezer until ready to use. Return dough scraps to freezer if dough warms too much while rolling and cutting.

Butter cookie sheet (if you have a nonstick baking sheet, this is not necessary). Bake for 8-10 minutes.

Optional: Brush cookie dough with egg whites (beaten) and add sprinkles before baking.

A Note From The Little Lady: This dough needs a lot of flour to keep it from sticking when rolling out. Don't be alarmed if you feel you need more flour than normal! If it's sticking to your rolling surface, you need more flour.

Royal Icing:

Combine 3 c. powdered sugar, 2 beaten egg whites, and food coloring in a bowl; mix well. Spoon into Ziploc bags (or, better yet, decorating bags with tips!), snip off a tiny section of one corner and start decorating!

Some of girls working on the cookies and valentines:

Taco Seasoning

Taco Seasoning

Makes equivalent to one store-bought "packet."

I found this on AllRecipes.com, and have adapted it slightly. Not only is it nice to have on hand in case you don't have a store-bought packet, but I think you'll also find that it's so easy you may write off buying packets forever.

1 heaping T. chili powder

2 t. ground cumin

1/2 t. salt

1/2 t. pepper

1/2 t. paprika

1/4 t. garlic powder

1/4 t. onion powder

1/4 t. crushed red pepper flakes

1/4 t. dried oregano

dash cayenne pepper

Combine spices together in a bowl.

Brown 1-1.5 lbs. of ground beef in a skillet, draining off fat. Sprinkle taco seasoning over meat; add 2/3 c. water.

Continue to cook over low heat until water has evaporated and "sauce" has thickened.

Best-Ever Bolognese Sauce

Best-Ever Bolognese Sauce

Serves 6-8.

I found this recipe in Better Homes and Gardens, and have adapted it just slightly. The Mr. loves it.

1-1/2 lbs. ground beef

1 large onion, chopped

4 cloves garlic

1 c. milk

1 c. chicken broth

1 T. white wine vinegar

1 vine-ripened tomato, chopped (optional)

28-oz. can crushed tomatoes

6-oz. can tomato paste

2 t. Italian seasoning

1 t. ground black peper

1/2 t. salt

16-oz. box of pasta, your choice

grated cheese, if desired

In a large stock pot, brown beef, onion, and garlic until meat is no longer pink, stirring occasionally. Drain off fat.

Add milk; bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, for approximately 10 minutes until milk is nearly evaporated. Stir in broth, vinegar, and fresh chopped tomato (not canned); return to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, for approximately 20 minutes until liquid is nearly evaporated.

Stir in crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, seasoning, pepper, and salt. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes or until thickened.

Meanwhile, cook pasta according to directions on the box. Drain. Serve with sauce and grated cheese.

A Note From The LL: Because The Mr. could eat "pasta with red sauce" every day of his life. And because one could say he's a little on the lazy side when it comes to food preparation, I freeze this (sauce and pasta) in individual portion sizes, so that he can reheat and enjoy as he likes. If you prefer, you could also freeze just the sauce.

Royal Icing

Royal Icing

My mom and I took a cake decorating class a few years ago. We are FAR from professionals, but learned a few basics, i.e. had more fun eating our frosting creations and chatting with classmates than actually perfecting our skills. I used royal icing to make the flowers for these basic yellow cupcakes. I used frosting tips #224, #3, and #10. Like any decorated cake, these are a little time-consuming but they are really easy and will definitely spruce up your basic cupcake.

5 T. meringue powder
1 pound powdered sugar
1/3 c. cold water

Combine meringue powder and powdered sugar in a mixing bowl. Add water 1 T. at a time. Mix at a medium speed for 10 minutes. For making flowers, you want the consistency to be more stiff. Soft peaks should form.

A Note From The Little Lady: To make this frosting thinner for flooding cookies, add 1-2 T. more water and beat for 2 more minutes.

Separate and tint with food coloring as desired. Form flowers on wax paper. Let sit for 6-8 hours in order to dry and harden completely. Adhere to a freshly-frosted cake/cupcake or stick using a little frosting on the bottom of each flower.


Another Note From The LL: Royal frosting gets hard as it dries. To prevent frosting from drying out before you want it to, store frosting in airtight containers until you are ready to use, and then tie a twisty at the top of your pastry bags when decorating.

I used frosting tips #10 (for flower petals below) and #3 (for flower center).

And the opposite (#3 for petals and #10 for center) for the flower below:

The tiny blooms (in between the purple and yellow flowers below) are made using frosting tip #224. Holding frosting bag straight up and down and with decorating tip just slightly above the wax paper, squeeze out frosting and left bag straight up and away. Simple. Easy. Yet makes a cute little flower. You could make hundreds of these in a few minutes!