HASTY TASTY MEALS BLOG

August 13, 2012 · 8:31 am

Pecan Waffles

Making your own waffles is fun, especially if you have company. Make the batter ahead of time and store in a pitcher in the refrigerator. Then when you’re ready for breakfast, brunch, or (My favorite) dinner, you simply heat up the waffle iron and start cooking. These are so tasty, the syrup is optional!

RECIPE

Pecan Waffles

Ingredients:

½ stick real butter, melted

1 cup whole wheat flour

½ cup all purpose flour

2 tsp. baking powder

¼ tsp. salt

2 Tbsp. brown sugar (light or dark, your choice)

½ cup egg substitute or 2 eggs, lightly beaten

1 tsp. pure vanilla extract

1¼ cups milk

½ cup chopped pecan pieces

nonstick cooking spray

Directions:

Preheat the waffle iron.

Combine all ingredients and stir just to combine.

Spray waffle iron plates with nonstick cooking spray.

Pour about 1/3 of a cup of batter per waffle (mine cooks two waffles at a time) and spread to cover the waffle plate.

Close lid and time for 4 minutes (Or as your waffle iron’s manufacturer suggests). Waffles should release easily and be golden brown.

Serve immediately with pure maple syrup or honey.

Yield: Six waffles (waffle iron plates vary in size)

Variation: Dust with powdered sugar before serving and skip the sypup or honey.

The pecans and whole wheat flour bump up the protein and fiber. Resist cheap syrups. Use the real thing. As with butter, a little bit goes a long way. You’ll use less and get great flavor.

2 Comments

Filed under cooking, Healthful Eating, Recipes, whole wheat

Tagged as pecan waffles, waffles, whole wheat waffles

August 6, 2012 · 7:52 am

Oatmeal Chillers

It’s summer. As much as I love oatmeal, I save warm cereal for cold mornings. I don’t want hot oatmeal for breakfast when it’s 80°. Recently I read a blog post (the Yummy Life) about refrigerated oatmeal. I liked the idea, experimented with my own recipes, and came up with a couple of favorites. I’m not sure how it works, but it does. Perhaps the acidophilus in the yogurt “cooks” the oatmeal. Anyway, it’s a nutritious, easy breakfast, especially for those on the go.

Ingredients for making an oatmeal chiller.

RECIPES

Oatmeal Chillers

Basic ingredients:

¼ cup oatmeal (not instant or quick cooking)

¼ cup milk

¼ cup Greek style yogurt

1 tsp. ground flax seeds, ground nuts, or wheat germ

1 Tbsp. sweetener (your choice)

¼ cup chopped fruit, berries, or applesauce

Directions:

Add all ingredients except the fruit to a 1 cup glass jar.

Shake jar to combine.

Stir in fruit, seal, and refrigerate overnight.

Variations of fruit, sweeteners, or seasonings:

Cherry Vanilla Oatmeal Chiller

Cherry Vanilla Oatmeal Chiller

Use 1 Tbsp. honey for the sweetener, add ½ tsp. vanilla extract, and combine with milk, yogurt, oats, etc. Take 8 frozen cherries, half, and stir in the mixture. Refrigerate overnight. Stir again before eating.

Maple Walnut Applesauce Oatmeal Chiller

Use 1 Tbsp. real maple syrup for sweetner, add a pinch of apple pie spice (or ¼ tsp. cinnamon), and chopped walnuts. Combine then stir in ¼ cup unsweetened apple sauce.

Chocolate Hazelnut Oatmeal Chiller

Reduce sweetener to 1 tsp. sugar or omit. Stir in 2 Tbsp. Nutella® hazelnut spread. The Nutella® will be stiff and require a lot of stirring.

Peanutty Oatmeal Chiller

Same as the Hazelnut except use all-natural peanut butter instead of the Nutella®. Add a sprinkle of peanuts.

Strawberry Preserves Oatmeal Chiller

Reduce sweetener to 1 tsp. or eliminate (taste test and add before serving). Stir in 3 Tbsp. strawberry (or your choice) preserves.

I found ½ pint Mason jars work well. If you get the wide mouth jars, you can buy the plastic screw-on lids. (Save the two-piece rings and seals for canning.)

Experiment with other fruits and flavor combinations. I’m hooked, and soon you will be, too.

King Ranch Casserole

King Ranch Chicken Casserole is a South Texas favorite because it travels well, freezes, and tastes great. The best part for me is that it’s made in advance , which makes it a great time-saver, especially when you’re expecting company. I thank my Houston friend, Bonnie Clyburn, for introducing me to this delicious dish. I’ve downsized and lightened the original recipe. Feel free to double the recipe for a crowd.

KING RANCH CASSEROLE

Ingredients:
7 6” corn tortillas, cut into large strips
2 Tbsp. real butter
1 cup chopped onions
1 clove minced garlic
1 4-oz. can green chilies, rinsed and drained
1 14½-oz. can diced tomatoes and green chilies
½ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. black pepper, freshly ground
Pinch cayenne pepper
3 cups cooked chicken, diced
1 can low sodium condensed cream of chicken soup
1 can low sodium condensed cream of mushroom soup
½ cup light sour cream
2 cups grated 2% Colby-Jack cheese (I use my Vitamix to grate cheese)
1 cup low sodium chicken broth
¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro (optional) for garnish

Directions:
Spray a 9″ X 13″ baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Cover bottom of dish with half the tortilla strips.
In a large skillet over medium heat, melt the butter. Sauté onions, garlic, and green chilies until softened (about 3 minutes).
Add tomatoes and green chilies to the skillet and reduce heat. Simmer until liquid evaporates.
Stir in the salt, pepper, and cooked chicken. Remove from heat.
Spread half of this mixture over the tortilla strips covering the bottom of the baking dish.
In a mixing bowl, combine the soup and sour cream. Spread half of the soup mixture over the layer of chicken and tomato mixture in the casserole.
Sprinkle half of the cheese over the casserole.
Create another layer with the tortilla strips, chicken mixture, remaining soup mixture, and remaining cheese.
Pour the chicken broth over the casserole. Cover the casserole with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
To serve, preheat oven to 325° and remove casserole from the refrigerator to sit (at least 15 minutes, up to an hour).
Bake the casserole (uncovered) 1 hour, or until cheese browns and casserole bubbles.
Remove casserole from oven and allow it to cool at least 10 minutes. Sprinkle with fresh chopped cilantro (optional) and serve.

Yield: 4 – 6 servings.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

2 Comments

Filed under casseroles, chicken, Cilantro, Healthful Eating, Mexican, Recipes

Tagged as King Ranch Chicken, Tex-Mex

July 26, 2012 · 8:11 am

A Very Berry Shake

Very Berry Shake

It’s hot. We’re in the midst of summer, a time when we love a frozen treat. You can burn fuel driving to the local ice cream shoppe, spend several dollars for a milk shake, and return home feeling guilty for overindulging on sugar and fat. Or you can save time, money and calories by making your own milk shake. Here’s a recipe I make in my Vitamix.

RECIPE

Berry Shake

Ingredients:

1 cup 1% or skim milk

½ cup frozen cherries

¼ cup frozen berries medley (blackberries, raspberries, blueberries)

¼ cup frozen strawberries

1 prune for added natural sweetness (optional)

Directions:

Add all ingredients to the Vitamix. Secure lid but leave the plug out to insert the tamper.

Run the Vitamix on Variable Speed 1, gradually stepping up to 10 then High. Use the tamper to push the frozen fruit into the blades.

Run until the mixture is smooth but do not overprocess. When the consistency resembles a milk shake (about 1 minute), stop the Vitamix, remove container, and pour into a glass. Enjoy!

Yield: 1 large or 2 small shakes

Variation: Pour extra mixture into molds to make frozen pops.

If you make this for the kids, you don’t have to tell them it’s good for them. Using whole fruit and milk, you have a delicious treat that contains vitamins, antioxidants, and fiber. The milk adds calcium. Treat yourself and your family guilt-free!

HASTY TASTY MEALS BLOG

Pecan Waffles

RECIPE

Oatmeal Chillers

King Ranch Casserole

A Very Berry Shake

RECIPE