The Grateful Girl Cooks!

06
Feb
2024

Blackberry French Toast Cups

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Make delicious Blackberry French Toast Cups in an oven OR an air fryer. They’re easy to make, and are decadent, single serving breakfasts.

Every now and then I make French toast cups for our breakfast. They are a delicious, occasional TREAT we really enjoy, and I’ve been making them in different variations for years.

I came up with this version because I wanted to use some of our blackberries last summer. What I like about this dish is you make it the night BEFORE you’ll be serving it, and refrigerate it overnight. The next morning, all you will need to do is bake and serve!

I have included instructions for cooking this recipe in a traditional oven or an air fryer. Both are convenient, trusted methods which can be used to make this yummy breakfast.

The recipe (as written) makes two servings, but can easily be doubled or tripled, etc. Here’s how to make Blackberry French Toast Cups.

Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of The Page

Butter And Fill The Ramekins

The first thing you need to do is prepare the ingredients for overnight “refrigeration”. Yes, you need to plan ahead for this recipe! Make it up the night before you want to enjoy it for breakfast the next morning. Here’s how:

Butter the bottom and sides of 2 oven-safe ramekins. The ramekins I use are a standard size, about 4½ wide by 2″ tall.

Cut some 1-2 day old, fairly stale Italian bread into bite-sized cubes, leaving the crusts ON the bread. You will need 2 cups total. Divide HALF the bread cubes between the 2 ramekins, reserving the rest for a second layer.

IMPORTANT: The reason for using stale bread is that it has become slightly hardened, which allows it to soak in an egg mixture overnight without becoming so soggy that it falls apart into MUSH.

Add The Blackberries In Layers

Gently stir ½ teaspoon lemon juice and 1 teaspoon granulated sugar into the blackberries until the sugar dissolves. Add HALF of the blackberries on top of the bread cubes, dividing them evenly between the ramekins.

Repeat with a second layer of bread cubes, and another layer of blackberries, until the ramekins are full.

Mix And Add The Egg Filling

In a medium bowl, place the eggs, vanilla, milk, and 2 teaspoons granulated sugar. Whisk these ingredients together with a fork or wire whisk until they’re well blended.

Carefully pour the egg mixture into the ramekins, evenly dividing it between the two dishes. The mixture should come very close to the top of the ramekins.

Time To Chill!

Use a spoon or fork to lightly press the bread cubes down into the egg mixture. You want as many of the bread cubes covered with the liquid as possible.

Cover the ramekins tightly with plastic wrap, and place them in the refrigerator overnight (at least 6 hours). The bread cubes will soak up some of the liquid overnight.

Remove the ramekins from the fridge about 15 minutes before baking, to take off some of the chill. Remove the plastic wrap, and press the bread cubes back down into any remaining liquid. Preheat your oven to 375°F. during this time.

Bake Or Air-Fry The Blackberry French Toast Cups

Now It’s time to cook the Blackberry French Toast Cups! They can be cooked using a traditional oven OR an air-fryer. When baking, place a sheet of foil underneath, to catch any spills (for easy cleanup).

To Cook In An Oven: Preheat oven to 375°F. Bake for 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out free of “batter”. The French toast cups should be nice and golden brown on top.

To Cook In An Air Fryer: Preheat air fryer to 350° F. Place ramekins carefully into the basket, being careful not to spill. Cook for 13 minutes, then reduce the temperature to 250°F, and cook 3 more minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out free of “batter”. The French toast cups should be nicely browned on top.

IMPORTANT: Since air fryer AND oven temps can vary with different manufacturers, be sure to check on the French toast cups occasionally toward the end of the cooking time, to ensure they do not overcook.

Serve And Enjoy!

Once they’ve finished cooking (either method), transfer the ramekins to a wire rack to cool for a few minutes. Sift powdered sugar over the top of each ramekin before serving.

We think they taste best when they’ve had time to cool a bit, and we like to eat them warm, but not blazing hot!

My husband likes to eat his right out of the ramekin, with only sifted powdered sugar. I prefer to slide a butter knife around the edges of the ramekin and remove the French toast cup from the ramekin.

Serve the blackberry French toast cups with powdered sugar, maple syrup or pancake syrup (whatever you prefer). Grab a fork, dig in, and enjoy this delicious breakfast treat!

I hope you have the chance to make this dish, and trust you will like it as much as we do! The recipe can easily be doubled or tripled to meet your needs.

Thank you for stopping by, and I invite you to come back again soon for more family-friendly recipes. Take care, may God bless you, and have a GREAT day!

Looking For More FRENCH TOAST RECIPES?

You can find ALL of my recipes in the Recipe Index, which is located at the top of the page. I have some delicious French toast recipes, including:

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0 from 0 votes

Blackberry French Toast Cups

Prep Time

10 mins

Cook Time

30 mins

Overnight Refrigeration (6-8 hours)

6 hrs

Total Time

6 hrs 40 mins

Make delicious Blackberry French Toast Cups in an oven OR an air fryer. They're easy to make, and are decadent, single serving breakfasts.

Category: Breakfast

Cuisine: American

Keyword: blackberry French toast cups

Servings: 2

Calories Per Serving: 385 kcal

Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!

Ingredients

1 teaspoon butter softened (for ramekins)
2 cups Italian bread cubes (stale-2 or 3 days old) cut in 1" cubes
¾ cup blackberries (if frozen, thaw/drain)
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
½ teaspoon lemon juice

For Egg Batter:

3 large eggs
1 cup 1% milk
2 teaspoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Serve With: powdered sugar, maple syrup or pancake syrup

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Butter bottom and sides of 2 oven-safe ramekins (4½" wide by 2" tall).
Cut bread into 1" cubes (can leave crusts on). Divide HALF the bread cubes evenly between the ramekins, reserving other half for a 2nd layer.
Gently combine lemon juice and 1 tsp. sugar with blackberries until sugar dissolves. Place HALF the blackberries on top of the bread cubes, dividing them evenly between ramekins. Add 2nd layer of remaining bread cubes, and 2nd layer of remaining blackberries, until ramekins are full. Set aside.
Place eggs, vanilla, milk, and 2 tsp. sugar in a medium bowl; whisk until fully blended. Pour into the ramekins, evenly dividing between the two. Liquid should come very close to the top of the ramekins.
Use a spoon or fork to press bread cubes down into egg mixture, covering as many as possible with liquid. Cover ramekins with plastic wrap; refrigerate overnight (at least 6 hours). Remove ramekins from refrigerator 15 minutes before baking. Remove plastic wrap; press bread cubes down into any remaining liquid. Preheat oven during this time.
To Cook In Oven: Preheat oven to 375°F. Bake for 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out free of “batter”. The French toast cups should be nice and golden brown on top.
To Cook In Air Fryer: Preheat air fryer to 350° F. Place ramekins carefully into the basket, being careful not to spill. Cook 13 minutes, then reduce temperature to 250°F. Cook 3 more minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out free of “batter”. The French toast cups should be nicely browned on top.
IMPORTANT: Air fryer/Oven temps can vary widely- check for doneness occasionally toward the end of cooking time, so they don't overcook.
Transfer ramekins to a wire rack; cool a few minutes. Serve in the ramekin or after removing it from the dish (use knife around edges to help remove it). Serve with sifted powdered sugar, maple syrup or pancake syrup, and enjoy!

Nutrition Facts

Blackberry French Toast Cups

Amount Per Serving (1 serving)

Calories 385 Calories from Fat 180

% Daily Value*

Fat 20g31%

Saturated Fat 10g63%

Trans Fat 0.2g

Polyunsaturated Fat 3g

Monounsaturated Fat 6g

Cholesterol 290mg97%

Sodium 273mg12%

Potassium 444mg13%

Carbohydrates 33g11%

Fiber 4g17%

Sugar 24g27%

Protein 16g32%

Vitamin A 814IU16%

Vitamin C 12mg15%

Calcium 207mg21%

Iron 2mg11%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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03
Feb
2024

Ham And Parmesan Gnocchi

categories: Main Dishes, Pork

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Ham and Parmesan Gnocchi with spinach is a simple, filling main dish. It’s easy to make (with pre-made gnocchi) and is absolutely delicious!

Looking for a quick meal to serve after a busy day? I hope you’ll try this recipe for Ham and Parmesan Gnocchi. The recipe (for 4) comes together in hardly no time at all, and is filling and delicious.

Thanks to the convenience of store-bought potato gnocchi, this recipe is a cinch to make, with minimal effort. Basically you will boil the gnocchi, then add it to a cooked ham, onion, garlic, butter, spinach, Parmesan and cream mixture.

Can you multi-task? If you boil the gnocchi while you are preparing the rest of the dish, this dish will only take about 15 minutes from start to finish!

It’s a simple, tasty recipe I believe you’ll enjoy! Here’s how to make Ham and Parmesan Gnocchi.

Scroll Down for A Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of The Page

Cook The Butter, Ham and Onions

Melt 5 Tablespoons butter on Medium heat in a large skillet. Once the butter has melted, add cubed ham and diced onion.

Cook this until the onions become translucent in color and tender, stirring often. This usually will take about 3-4 minutes.

Cook The Gnocchi

TIP: Packaged gnocchi only takes a few minutes to cook. If you boil the water for the gnocchi in a separate pan while melting the butter in step #1, you can save time by multi-tasking!

While the onions and ham are cooking, cook the gnocchi in boiling water, according to the package directions. Gnocchi is done cooking when they float to the top of the boiling water.

Time To Add The Baby Spinach

Once you begin cooking the gnocchi, go back to the skillet with the ham and onion. Add fresh baby spinach leaves to the skillet, and stir to combine the ingredients.

As the spinach leaves begin wilting from the heat, add a heaping teaspoon of minced garlic and stir to combine. Be careful to not let the garlic burn or it will become bitter.

Time To Add The Cooked Gnocchi

When the spinach is fully wilted (1-2 minutes), add the cooked and drained gnocchi to the skillet, and stir again, until combined.

Stir 3 Tablespoons of heavy whipping cream and 3 Tablespoons of grated Parmesan cheese into the gnocchi. Stir well, until the sauce is covering the other ingredients.

Season with a little black pepper. You can taste the gnocchi and then add salt, if desired. I find the Parmesan cheese and ham add enough saltiness, but it’s your choice.

Serve The Ham And Parmesan Gnocchi

Continue cooking only until everything is heated through, and then transfer the hot Ham and Parmesan Gnocchi to a serving bowl.

Garnish the gnocchi with additional Parmesan cheese, if desired. Serve immediately while hot, and enjoy this delicious main dish. It tastes wonderful!

I hope you have the chance to try this delicious meal, and trust you (and those you love) will enjoy it as much as we do.

Thank you for stopping by today. I’m so grateful you did, and invite you to come back again soon for more family-friendly recipes. Take care, may God bless you, and have a GREAT day!

Looking For More GNOCCHI Recipes?

You can find ALL of my recipes in the Recipe Index, which is located at the top of the page. I have several delicious recipes featuring gnocchi, including:

Want More Recipes? Get My FREE Newsletter!

I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1^st and 15^th) with lots of recipes, tips, etc..
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0 from 0 votes

Ham And Parmesan Gnocchi

Prep Time

5 mins

Cook Time

10 mins

Total Time

15 mins

Ham and Parmesan Gnocchi with spinach is a simple, filling main dish. It's easy to make (with pre-made gnocchi) and is absolutely delicious!

Category: Main Dish

Cuisine: All Cuisines

Keyword: ham and Parmesan gnocchi

Servings: 4

Calories Per Serving: 451 kcal

Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!

Ingredients

5 Tablespoons butter
2 Tablespoons chopped yellow onion
1½ cups cooked ham (cut in cubes)
1½ cups fresh baby spinach
1¼ teaspoons minced garlic
4 Tablespoons heavy whipping cream
4 Tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
salt and additional Parmesan for garnish (if desired)
16 ounces potato gnocchi (some pkgs. may be 17.5 ounces)

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

TIP: Packaged gnocchi only takes a few minutes to cook. If you boil the water for the gnocchi in a separate pan while melting the butter in step #1, you can save time by multi-tasking!
Melt butter on Medium heat in a large skillet. Add ham and onion. Cook until onions are translucent and tender, stirring often (3-4 minutes).
While cooking ham/onions, cook gnocchi in a saucepan of boiling water, according to pkg. directions. Drain well, when done.
Add baby spinach to skillet; stir to combine. As spinach wilts, add garlic; stir to combine. Don't let garlic burn or it becomes bitter. When spinach is fully wilted (1-2 minutes), add the cooked, drained gnocchi; stir to combine.
Stir whipping cream and Parmesan cheese into the gnocchi, until sauce covers all ingredients. Season with pepper. Taste and add salt, if desired. Cook only until heated through.
Transfer gnocchi to a serving bowl. Garnish with additional Parmesan, if desired. Serve immediately. Enjoy!

Nutrition Facts

Ham And Parmesan Gnocchi

Amount Per Serving (1 (1/4 of total))

Calories 451 Calories from Fat 225

% Daily Value*

Fat 25g38%

Saturated Fat 14g88%

Trans Fat 1g

Polyunsaturated Fat 1g

Monounsaturated Fat 7g

Cholesterol 90mg30%

Sodium 1087mg47%

Potassium 224mg6%

Carbohydrates 43g14%

Fiber 3g13%

Sugar 1g1%

Protein 15g30%

Vitamin A 1758IU35%

Vitamin C 14mg17%

Calcium 99mg10%

Iron 5mg28%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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30
Jan
2024

Blueberry Banana Bread

categories: Breads, Breakfast

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Make three mini-loaves of Blueberry Banana Bread in under 45 minutes! Filled with juicy blueberries, this is a great snack or breakfast!

Today I want to share with you a recipe to make three loaves of yummy blueberry banana bread. I’ve made many loaves of banana bread and blueberry bread over the years, but finally decided last Fall to combine the two in a recipe! DUH!

Not quite sure why I’ve not thought of this combination before, but oh well! Bananas and blueberries pair wonderfully in this delicious bread, and the easy recipe yields enough batter to bake 3 small loaves. Here’s how to make blueberry banana bread.

Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of The Page

Prepare The Batter

Before making the batter, preheat your oven to 350°F. and prepare 3 mini-loaf pans by generously spraying or greasing them on the bottom and sides.

To make the batter, sift flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, salt and baking soda in a large mixing bowl. Gently stir in blueberries until incorporated into the “dry ingredients”.

NOTE: You can use fresh OR frozen blueberries for this recipe. If you are using FROZEN blueberries, do NOT thaw them before adding.

In a separate bowl, mash the ripe bananas very well (until chunk-free), then add a large egg, vegetable oil and fresh lemon juice.

Stir until these ingredients have been fully combined (and are fairly smooth). Once combined, add these “wet ingredients” to the bowl of dry ingredients.

Gently stir until the banana mixture has been incorporated into the batter. Don’t overmix. The finished batter for the blueberry banana bread will be very thick.

Bake The Blueberry Banana Bread

Divide the batter evenly into the prepared mini-loaf pans, and top each loaf with additional blueberries (optional, but good!). These additional blueberries will decorate the top of each baked loaf nicely, when done.

Place the loaf pans on the middle rack of the preheated oven. Bake at 350°F. for 30-35 minutes OR until a toothpick inserted in the top/middle of the loaves comes out clean. The loaves should also be nicely browned on top.

NOTE: See the NOTES section in the printable recipe card below for baking time if using this recipe to make one 9″ x 5″ loaf of this bread.

Time To Enjoy Some Blueberry Banana Bread!

Transfer the loaf pans to a wire rack, and let the blueberry banana bread cool 12-15 minutes before removing the loaf from the pan.

Once they’ve cooled, run a butter knife around all the inside edges of the pans. Invert a plate on top of a loaf, then holding the platter and loaf pan tightly together, turn them upside down.

This should release the bread from the pan. If the bread fails to release from the pan, turn it back over, let it rest a few more minutes, then try again.

Let the blueberry banana bread cool slightly on the wire rack before slicing the loaf for serving. Cool the loaf completely before wrapping for storage or gift giving.

Who Wants A Slice Of Blueberry Banana Bread?

With three mini-loaves, you have the option of eating them all, storing them, or giving them as gifts. It’s your choice! I like to enjoy one loaf, freeze a loaf for later, and give one to family or friends.

To serve, slice a loaf into your desired thickness, spread butter on a warm piece, and take a big bite! YUM… it is so delicious!

NOTE: The calorie calculation given in the printable recipe card below is for one whole mini-loaf of this bread, because some people like THICK slices, while others prefer a THIN slice. Again… this is your choice!

I hope you enjoy this delicious blueberry banana bread, whether it’s for a light snack or breakfast! You can freeze this bread as well, as long as it is tightly wrapped and stored in an airtight container.

Thanks for stopping by today, and I invite you to come back soon for more family friendly recipes. Take care, may God bless you, and have a GREAT day!

Looking for More “Sweet” BREAD Recipes?

You can find ALL of my recipes in the Recipe Index, which is located at the top of the page. I have lots of delicious sweet bread recipes to choose from, including:

Want More Recipes? Get My FREE Newsletter!

I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1^st and 15^th) with lots of recipes, tips, etc..
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There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use.
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↓↓ PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW ↓↓

0 from 0 votes

Blueberry Banana Bread

Prep Time

10 mins

Cook Time

30 mins

Total Time

40 mins

Make three mini-loaves of Blueberry Banana Bread in under 45 minutes! Filled with juicy blueberries, this is a great snack or breakfast!

Category: Bread/Breakfast, Snack

Cuisine: All Cuisines

Keyword: blueberry banana bread

Servings: 3 mini-loaves

Calories Per Serving: 715 kcal

Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!

Ingredients

2 cups all purpose flour
½ cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
¾ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon baking soda
1 cup blueberries if frozen, do NOT thaw
1 cup mashed very ripe bananas approx. 2 medium
¼ cup vegetable oil
1 large egg
1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Additional Blueberries (15-20) For Garnishing Top Of Loaves (optional, but nice!)

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°F. Generously spray or grease 3 mini-loaf pans on the bottom and sides. **See NOTE section below if making one large 9x5 loaf.**
Sift flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and baking soda in a large bowl. Gently stir in blueberries until incorporated. Set aside. NOTE: If using FROZEN blueberries, do NOT thaw them before adding.
In separate bowl, mash ripe bananas very well (until chunk-free); add egg, oil and lemon juice. Stir until fully combined (and fairly smooth). Add this to the flour mix. Gently stir until banana mixture is incorporated. Don't overmix; batter is thick.
Divide batter evenly into 3 prepared mini-loaf pans; top each loaf with more blueberries, if desired. Place pans on middle rack of oven. Bake at 350°F. for 30-35 minutes OR until toothpick inserted in the top of loaves comes out clean. Bread should be nicely browned on top.
Transfer pans to a wire rack; cool 12-15 minutes before removing loaf from pan. Once cooled, run a butter knife around inside edges of the pans. Invert a plate on top of a loaf, then holding platter and loaf pan tightly together, turn them upside down. This "should" release bread from pan. If bread fails to release, turn it back over, let it rest a few more minutes, then try again. Let bread cool slightly on wire rack before slicing and serving. Enjoy!

Recipe Notes

NOTES: The caloric calculation given is for 1 whole mini-loaf of bread. Calories per serving will depend on the thickness of your slices.

**If you wish to use a large 9"x 5" loaf pan to make ONE loaf of this bread, bake for 55-60 minutes. Check it at 50 minutes for doneness, then continue baking until toothpick comes out clean.**

Nutrition Facts

Blueberry Banana Bread

Amount Per Serving (1 mini-loaf)

Calories 715 Calories from Fat 189

% Daily Value*

Fat 21g32%

Saturated Fat 4g25%

Trans Fat 0.1g

Polyunsaturated Fat 11g

Monounsaturated Fat 5g

Cholesterol 62mg21%

Sodium 793mg34%

Potassium 694mg20%

Carbohydrates 123g41%

Fiber 5g21%

Sugar 48g53%

Protein 12g24%

Vitamin A 165IU3%

Vitamin C 13mg16%

Calcium 145mg15%

Iron 5mg28%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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27
Jan
2024

Roasted Veggie Orzo Salad

categories: Salads, Vegetable Dishes

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Make Roasted Veggie Orzo Salad for lunch or dinner! Orzo pasta, broccoli, carrots, cauliflower, zucchini, etc. are mixed in Italian dressing.

Today I want to share a recipe I created for a delicious orzo salad with Italian dressing and lots of roasted vegetables! It can be enjoyed for dinners or quick lunches as a main dish or as a side dish.

The salad has 4 cups of seasoned, fresh roasted veggies in it, and you can use any combo of fresh veggies you enjoy, as long as you have 4 total cups of bite sized vegetables. I love to include many colorful vegetables with different textures, for a beautiful salad!

When I make this dish, I typically use broccoli, cauliflower, zucchini, red and green bell pepper strips, baby carrots and red onion slices. The amount of each of these ingredients can be adjusted to suit your personal taste OR you can make it using other fresh veggies you enjoy.

You can’t really hurt this simple recipe, folks! It’s delicious, and will keep several days in the refrigerator, so we can have it around for a quick bite. Here’s how to make Roasted Veggie Orzo Salad.

Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of The Page

What Veggies To Use?

For this recipe I use a TOTAL of 4 cups of chopped vegetables, which includes baby carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, red onion, zucchini, and red & green bell peppers. All are cut into bite sized portions.

NOTE: It’s important to note that this combination of vegetables adds lots of color AND flavor to the salad. However, you can use your own combination of fresh vegetables if you prefer. Keep the total amount of chopped veggies at 4 cups!

Roast The Veggies

The first thing you will need to do is prepare the vegetables for roasting (cut/slice, etc.). Put all the prepped veggies in a large bowl, drizzle with olive oil and toss, until the vegetables are covered with the olive oil.

Now season the veggies with salt, pepper, and garlic powder, then gently toss again, until the seasonings are evenly distributed. Place the seasoned veggies in a single layer on a large baking sheet.

Roast the veggies at 375°F. for 20-24 minutes. Halfway through the baking time, turn the veggies over in the pan, and then continue roasting.

When done, the vegetables should be lightly caramelized on the outside, and tender to the bite. Let them cool to room temperature, once done.

Cook The Orzo Pasta

While the vegetables are baking, prepare the orzo pasta according to the package directions. This involves cooking the pasta for approx. 9 minutes in boiling, salted water until done (easy!).

Once done, remove the pan from the heat, and drain the pasta, rinsing it with cold water to stop the cooking process.

After draining all the water from the cooked orzo, put the cooled orzo in a large serving bowl. Now it’s time to create the roasted veggie orzo salad.

Make The Salad

Add the cooled, roasted vegetables to the bowl of orzo. Stir gently, to combine the veggies with the pasta.

Pour Italian salad dressing over the veggies and pasta, and toss to fully combine all the ingredients. I like to use the salad dressing shown below (no- I’m not paid to endorse this product), but any well-seasoned Italian salad dressing will be perfectly fine to use.

NOTE: You want the salad ingredients to be well coated with Italian dressing, but not floating in it. I usually begin by adding ¼ cup of salad dressing and toss. Add more salad dressing and adjust to taste, as needed.

Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate the roasted veggie orzo salad for at least 30 minutes before serving.

As the salad cools, the pasta will absorb some of the Italian dressing. If desired, add a little bit more dressing to the salad when you’re ready to serve it, to suit your own taste.

Serve The Roasted Veggie Orzo Salad

Once the salad has had time to chill, it’s ready to serve. It is a wonderful side dish, but can also be enjoyed as a meatless main dish, too!

TIP: Remember to take a quick bite before serving, and add a little more salad dressing (if necessary) to suit your personal taste!

I hope you have the opportunity to make this roasted veggie orzo salad, and trust you (and those you love) will enjoy it, too!

Thanks for stopping by today. Please come back again soon for more family-friendly recipes. Take care, may God bless you, and have a GREAT day!

Looking For More SALAD Recipes?

You can find ALL of my recipes in the Recipe Index, which is located at the top of the page. I have lots of delicious salad recipes to check out, including:

Want More Recipes? Get My FREE Newsletter!

I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1^st and 15^th) with lots of recipes, tips, etc..
Would you like to join our growing list of subscribers?

There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use.
You can submit your e-mail address there, to be added to my mailing list.

Find Me On Social Media:

Facebook page: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Pinterest: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Instagram: jbatthegratefulgirlcooks

↓↓ PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW ↓↓

0 from 0 votes

Roasted Veggie Orzo Salad

Prep Time

10 mins

Cook Time

20 mins

Refrigeration (inactive prep)

30 mins

Total Time

1 hr

Make Roasted Veggie Orzo Salad for lunch or dinner! Orzo pasta, broccoli, carrots, cauliflower, zucchini, etc. are mixed in Italian dressing.

Category: Main Dish, Salad, Side Dish

Cuisine: All Cuisines

Keyword: roasted veggie orzo salad

Servings: 4

Calories Per Serving: 222 kcal

Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!

Ingredients

Vegetables: 4 cups total fresh veggies (I use red onion, baby carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, zucchini, red & green peppers)

4 cups fresh vegetables (your combination-see above) sliced or cut into bite sized florets/pieces
2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
½ teaspoon garlic powder
1 cup orzo pasta (uncooked)
¼ cup Italian salad dressing

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375℉.
Put prepared veggies in a large bowl. Drizzle with olive oil; toss, until veggies are covered with oil. Season with salt, pepper, and garlic powder; gently toss again. Place veggies in a single layer on a large baking sheet.
Roast veggies at 375°F. for 20-24 minutes. Halfway through baking time, turn veggies over in the pan; continue roasting, until lightly caramelized on the outside, and tender to the bite. Remove; cool to room temperature, once done.
While vegetables bake, prepare orzo according to package directions. Once done, remove pan from heat. Drain pasta, rinsing with cold water to stop the cooking process. Put well-drained orzo in large serving bowl.
Add cooled, roasted vegetables to the orzo. Stir gently, to combine. Pour Italian salad dressing over veggies/pasta; toss to combine. NOTE: You want salad ingredients to be well coated with Italian dressing, but not floating in it. Try adding about ¼ cup of salad dressing first and toss, then add more salad dressing, adjusting to taste, as needed.
Cover bowl with plastic wrap; refrigerate salad at least 30 minutes before serving. As the salad cools, the orzo will absorb some of the Italian dressing. Take a bite. If needed, add a bit more dressing right before serving, to suit your taste. Enjoy!

Recipe Notes

NOTE: The caloric calculation is a "basic" estimate because a variety of vegetables and/or salad dressings may be used. For the benefit of this "general calculation" I used 2 cups broccoli and 2 cups cauliflower. Obviously the combination (and individual quantity) of vegetables and Italian dressing you choose to use in this dish will yield a slightly different caloric value.

Nutrition Facts

Roasted Veggie Orzo Salad

Amount Per Serving (1 (1/4 of total))

Calories 222 Calories from Fat 27

% Daily Value*

Fat 3g5%

Saturated Fat 1g6%

Polyunsaturated Fat 0.5g

Monounsaturated Fat 2g

Sodium 1872mg81%

Potassium 385mg11%

Carbohydrates 41g14%

Fiber 3g13%

Sugar 3g3%

Protein 7g14%

Vitamin A 285IU6%

Vitamin C 65mg79%

Calcium 42mg4%

Iron 1mg6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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22
Jan
2024

Baked Chicken Thighs and Legs

categories: Chicken, Main Dishes

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Baked Chicken Thighs And Legs is a SIMPLE recipe for juicy baked chicken! Covered in a dry seasoning mix, they have great flavor, too!

If you happen to be looking for a simple, delicious chicken recipe, I hope you will check this one out! Baked Chicken Thighs And Legs are really easy to prepare with very minimal prep time or effort, and the results are wonderfully delicious!

You can use chicken thighs (bone-in is preferred) OR any combination of chicken thighs AND legs, which is how I prefer to make this dish.

The end result (after baking) is juicy chicken that has a great combination of spices and brown sugar, bringing great flavor to a simple dish. Here’s how to make baked chicken thighs and legs.

Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of The Page

Make The Spice Rub For The Chicken

Before making the spice rub, preheat your oven to 400°F. Line a 13″ x 9″ baking pan with parchment paper (or aluminum foil).

Place Italian seasoning, brown sugar, garlic powder, paprika, onion powder, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Stir or whisk the dry spices together until they are fully mixed.

This mixture is the dry spice rub you will use to season the chicken the chicken thighs and legs. Once fully combined, set the bowl aside for a moment while you prepare the chicken.

A Note About The Chicken

NOTE: This recipe calls for 8 total pieces of chicken (only 7 shown in photo below). You can use any combination you wish, including 8 thighs (or 5 thighs and 3 legs, etc.), which is what I typically use.

The recipe will yield about 6 servings. I only eat one chicken thigh when I cook this dish, but my husband likes to eat two pieces… a thigh AND a leg.

If you need more chicken for a larger family (or more adults), simply adjust the amount of chicken and seasoning mix accordingly. It is easy to do, so make it your own!

The chicken used in the recipe is bone-in and skin-on. That being said, if you only have boneless, skinless chicken thighs, your cooking time will be about 10 minutes less to cook the chicken through to a safe internal temperature.

Prepare The Chicken For Baking

First, pat the chicken pieces dry, using paper towels to absorb the moisture. Once dried, place the chicken in the prepared baking dish, in a single layer.

Rub or brush the chicken pieces with olive oil (on BOTH sides). Next, sprinkle each side with the spice mix, making sure to rub the spices into the chicken.

Once the chicken pieces are oiled and seasoned on BOTH sides, re-position them in the prepared baking dish, with the skin side UP.

Time To Bake The Chicken

Place the chicken thighs and legs into a preheated oven. Bake at 400°F. for approximately 30-40 minutes. The baking time may vary slightly in that range, because of the different size chicken thighs that you may use.

When done the internal temperature of the chicken should register 165°F. You can check the temp. by inserting a digital meat thermometer into a thick piece of the chicken thigh.

Transfer the cooked chicken thighs and legs out of the baking dish and onto a large platter, and serve immediately.

Serve The Baked Chicken Thighs And Legs

This is such a nice comfort food type meal for us. My husband loves mashed potatoes and petite peas served with this chicken, when we have it for dinner.

Whether you like eating 1 thigh and 1 leg, 2 legs, 1 thigh, or 2 thighs on your plate (so many combos!), I am confident you will enjoy this simply prepared, yet tasty chicken!

I hope you have the chance to make this yummy dish. Thank you for stopping by, and I invite you to come back soon for more family-friendly recipes. Have a GREAT day!

Looking for More CHICKEN Recipes?

You can find ALL of my recipes in the Recipe Index, which is located at the top of the page. I have LOTS of wonderful chicken recipes to choose from, including:

Want More Recipes? Get My FREE Newsletter!

I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1^st and 15^th) with lots of recipes, tips, etc..
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Original recipe source (and with thanks to) Kristine, at: https://kristineskitchenblog.com/baked-chicken-thighs/

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0 from 0 votes

Baked Chicken Thighs and Legs

Prep Time

10 mins

Cook Time

35 mins

Total Time

45 mins

Baked Chicken Thighs And Legs is a SIMPLE recipe for juicy baked chicken! Covered in a dry seasoning mix, they have great flavor, too!

Category: Main Dish

Cuisine: All Cuisines

Keyword: baked chicken thighs and legs

Servings: 6

Calories Per Serving: 453 kcal

Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!

Ingredients

For Chicken: You will need approx. 3 pounds bone-in chicken legs and thighs in total (this is the combo I use)

6 bone-in chicken thighs
2 chicken legs
1½ Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

To Make Seasoning Mix:

1 Tablespoon Italian seasoning
2 teaspoons garlic powder
2 teaspoons paprika
2 teaspoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon onion powder
½ teaspoon salt (table salt) (or use 1 t. coarse Kosher salt)
½ teaspoon black pepper

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 400°F. Line a 13" x 9" baking pan with parchment paper (or aluminum foil).
Place Italian seasoning, garlic powder, paprika, brown sugar, onion powder, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Stir or whisk spices together until fully combined.
Pat chicken pieces dry, using paper towels to absorb moisture. Once dried, place chicken in prepared baking dish in a single layer. Rub or brush chicken pieces with olive oil (on BOTH sides). Next, sprinkle each side with spice mix, making sure to rub the spices into the chicken. Once chicken is oiled/seasoned on BOTH sides, re-position pieces in baking dish, skin side UP.
Bake chicken at 400°F. for 30-40 minutes. Do not turn the chicken during this time. Your total baking time may vary slightly, based on the size of chicken pieces used. When done, internal temp. of chicken should register 165°F. Check temp. by inserting a digital meat thermometer into a thick piece of a chicken thigh.
Transfer cooked chicken out of the baking dish and onto a large platter; serve immediately. Enjoy!

Nutrition Facts

Baked Chicken Thighs and Legs

Amount Per Serving (1 thigh)

Calories 453 Calories from Fat 306

% Daily Value*

Fat 34g52%

Saturated Fat 9g56%

Trans Fat 0.1g

Polyunsaturated Fat 7g

Monounsaturated Fat 15g

Cholesterol 182mg61%

Sodium 343mg15%

Potassium 428mg12%

Carbohydrates 4g1%

Fiber 1g4%

Sugar 1g1%

Protein 31g62%

Vitamin A 496IU10%

Vitamin C 0.2mg0%

Calcium 34mg3%

Iron 2mg11%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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17
Jan
2024

Apricot Almond Breakfast Quinoa

categories: Breakfast

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Make delicious Apricot Almond Breakfast Quinoa with dates, apricots, honey, almonds and cinnamon. It’s a simple, healthy, protein-packed meal!

If you’re looking for a healthy, unique, and protein-packed breakfast, may I suggest this recipe for Apricot Almond Breakfast Quinoa?

I found the original recipe in one of my cookbooks, featuring healthy recipes from the Mediterranean. It sounded good, so I tweaked the recipe a bit to suit our tastes, and this delicious breakfast dish (which I’ve made again and again) is the result!

Quinoa is the star ingredient, and it is now recognized world-wide as a “super food”, full of fiber, nutrients and protein! It’s an ancient food that has made a huge comeback in our modern food culture!

The quinoa is cooked with cinnamon and milk, then fresh chopped dates, toasted almonds, dried apricots, honey and vanilla are added to it, for a huge boost of flavor! It’s delicious, and I would like to show you how easy it is to make.

Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of The Page

Toast The Chopped Almonds In A Skillet

The first thing you need to do is lightly toast raw almonds. Place raw, chopped almonds in a skillet. Turn the heat to MEDIUM, and cook the almonds, stirring often, for about 3 minutes.

The almonds are finished toasting when they become fragrant, and are lightly browned. Once done, transfer them out of the hot skillet to a plate or paper towel, and let them cool.

Once cooled, set aside about a Tablespoon of the almonds, because you will garnish the finished dish with them after it’s done. Let the rest of the almonds continue cooling.

Warm The Quinoa And Cinnamon

Put the uncooked quinoa and ground cinnamon in a medium sized saucepan. Give it a quick stir to combine the two ingredients, then heat this for about a minute (Medium heat) until it is warmed through.

Time To Cook The Quinoa

Now add low fat milk and salt to the quinoa in the saucepan, and stir to combine. Bring this mixture to a boil on Medium heat.

Once the milk comes to a boil, turn the heat down to very LOW. Put a lid on the saucepan, and simmer this mixture on low heat for approximately 13-14 minutes. Stir the quinoa every 3-4 minutes, then put the lid back on and continue cooking.

Check the quinoa at the halfway point. If it seems like it is cooking and absorbing the milk really fast, add a couple more Tablespoons of milk, make sure the heat setting is at it’s lowest, and continue cooking.

Stir the milk into the quinoa and continue cooking until it is done. The quinoa should be tender, and the liquid absorbed when it has finished cooking.

Add Remaining Ingredients To The Cooked Quinoa

Once all the milk is absorbed (and the quinoa is tender), stir in the chopped apricots (reserving a few to garnish each serving).

Add the chopped dates, honey, vanilla extract and the chopped, toasted almonds (except the reserved almonds for garnish).

Stir to fully combine these ingredients. Now all that is left to do is divide the quinoa into serving dishes, garnish and serve.

Serve The Apricot Almond Breakfast Quinoa

Equally divide the apricot almond breakfast quinoa into two small serving bowls or dishes. Garnish the top of each portion with a few of the reserved toasted almonds and apricots.

Serve the apricot almond breakfast quinoa immediately while it is still hot (or warm, depending on your personal preference). Grab a spoon and dig in to this delicious, protein-filled breakfast!

I really hope you have the opportunity to try this yummy breakfast, and trust you will enjoy it as much as we do. The recipe can easily be adapted to make more servings, depending on the quantity you need.

Thank you for stopping by today, and I invite you to come back again for more family-friendly recipes. Take care, may God bless you, and have a GREAT day!

Looking For More BREAKFAST Recipes?

You can find ALL of my recipes in the Recipe Index, which is located at the top of the page. I have a wonderful variety of delicious breakfast recipes to choose from, including:

Want More Recipes? Get My FREE Newsletter!

I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1^st and 15^th) with lots of recipes, tips, etc..
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Recipe adapted from: “The Essential 450 Best Mediterranean Diet Recipes” (Kindle Edition), published in 2016 by Topflight Cookbooks

↓↓ PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW ↓↓

0 from 0 votes

Apricot Almond Breakfast Quinoa

Prep Time

10 mins

Cook Time

13 mins

Total Time

23 mins

Make delicious Apricot Almond Breakfast Quinoa with dates, apricots, honey, almonds and cinnamon. It's a simple, healthy, protein-packed meal!

Category: Breakfast, Brunch

Cuisine: Mediterranean

Keyword: apricot almond breakfast quinoa

Servings: 2

Calories Per Serving: 393 kcal

Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!

Ingredients

5 dried apricots *DIVIDED USE, chopped
1 dried date pit removed, finely chopped
2 Tablespoons chopped raw almonds *DIVIDED USE, chopped
½ teaspoon sea salt
¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 cup low fat milk
½ cup quinoa uncooked
¾ teaspoon vanilla extract
1 Tablespoon honey

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Place chopped almonds in a skillet. Cook on Medium heat, stirring often, for 3 minutes. Transfer almonds to a paper towel; let cool. Set aside one Tablespoon almonds (as garnish for finished dish). Let the rest continue cooling.
Put quinoa and cinnamon in a medium saucepan. Stir to combine, then heat for about 1 minute (Medium heat) until warmed through.
Add milk and salt to the quinoa; stir to combine. Bring to a boil on Medium heat, then reduce heat to very LOW. Put a lid on pan; simmer mixture (LOW) heat approx. 13-14 minutes. Stir every 3-4 minutes, cover and continue cooking. Check quinoa at the halfway point. If it seems like it's cooking and absorbing the milk really fast, add a couple more Tablespoons of milk, make sure heat setting is at it's lowest, and continue cooking. Quinoa should be tender to the bite, and liquid absorbed when it's done.
Remove pan from heat. Stir in chopped apricots (reserve a few for garnish). Add chopped date, honey, vanilla and almonds (except reserved almonds for garnish). Stir until combined.
Equally divide quinoa into 2 small bowls. Garnish each with toasted almonds and apricots. Serve immediately, and enjoy!

Nutrition Facts

Apricot Almond Breakfast Quinoa

Amount Per Serving (1 (1/2 of total))

Calories 393 Calories from Fat 90

% Daily Value*

Fat 10g15%

Saturated Fat 2g13%

Trans Fat 0.1g

Polyunsaturated Fat 3g

Monounsaturated Fat 5g

Cholesterol 9mg3%

Sodium 642mg28%

Potassium 804mg23%

Carbohydrates 66g22%

Fiber 7g29%

Sugar 34g38%

Protein 13g26%

Vitamin A 867IU17%

Vitamin C 1mg1%

Calcium 216mg22%

Iron 3mg17%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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13
Jan
2024

Garlic Butter Herb Rolls

categories: Breads, Side Dishes

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Delicious Garlic Butter Herb Rolls are easy to prepare (using canned biscuit dough!), and are a perfect accompaniment for your favorite meal!

If you’re looking for a totally EASY recipe for a dinner roll or bread to serve with a favorite soup, salad or main dish, then you’ve got to try these garlic butter herb rolls!

Because they’re made using canned jumbo biscuits as the base, there is hardly any prep work involved. That’s a wonderfully quick way to get these yummy rolls on the table!

The biscuit dough is halved, rolled into balls, then covered in a simple garlic butter herb sauce, and baked. That’s it, and I think you will love them because they have great flavor! Here’s how simple they are to make.

Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of The Page

Make The Dough Balls

Preheat your oven to 375°F. before shaping the rolls, because you will want the oven hot and ready to go when you’re finished, to save time. Lightly grease a 10″ cast iron skillet or a large square baking dish and set aside.

Remove the biscuit dough from the package and place the dough onto parchment paper or wax paper. Use a sharp knife or kitchen scissors to cut each of the biscuits in half. You will have 16 biscuit dough halves at this point.

Using your hands, roll each piece between your palms into a ball, pinching the dough together to close any seams. Once done, let the dough balls rest on the paper while you mix the garlic butter herb sauce.

Make The Garlic Butter Herb Sauce

To make the garlic butter herb sauce, combine melted butter, Parmesan cheese, minced garlic, parsley and oregano in a small bowl. It will be a slightly thick sauce once it’s fully mixed.

Dipping The Dough Balls

Dip each of the dough balls, one at a time, in the garlic butter herb sauce. I find it helpful to use a spoon to turn the dough balls over so all sides get coated with the sauce.

As you finish coating each dough ball, place it into the prepared skillet OR baking dish. Repeat this process until all the dough balls are coated in sauce.

TIP: Make sure to leave a small space between each of the rolls in the skillet or baking dish, so they have some “personal space” to rise and spread as they bake!

Time To Bake The Rolls!

Now it’s time to bake these little cuties! Bake the garlic butter herb rolls at 375°F (or 190° C.) for 18-20 minutes. They’re done when the tops of the rolls are wonderfully golden brown.

Remove the garlic butter herb rolls from the oven. There’s usually some seasoned, melted butter that ends up on the bottom of the skillet or baking dish.

Use a pastry brush to brush the seasoned butter from the skillet or baking dish onto the tops of the finished rolls while they’re still hot.

Serve The Garlic Butter Herb Rolls

Serve the garlic butter herb rolls right out of the skillet or baking dish while they’re HOT. Each of these tasty dinner rolls can be pulled apart from each other, to enjoy!

We enjoyed them (this time) served with a delicious main dish of Salmon in Spinach Cream Sauce, and they paired perfectly with this meal. YUM!

The rolls are beautiful to look at, they taste WONDERFUL, and it “might” appear like it took a lot of work to make them! You can see how simple these dinner rolls actually were to make, though, so that can be your little secret (wink, wink).

I really hope you have the opportunity to make these delicious garlic butter herb rolls, and trust you’ll enjoy them as much as we do!

We always love this super easy recipe that tastes GREAT every time! Any leftover rolls can easily be reheated in an oven or microwave!

Thanks for stopping by today, and I invite you to come back again soon for more family friendly recipes. Take care, may God bless you, and have a GREAT day!

Looking For More BREAD Recipes?

You can find ALL of my recipes in the Recipe Index, which is located at the top of the page. I have some really delicious bread recipes to choose from, including:

Want More Recipes? Get My FREE Newsletter!

I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1^st and 15^th) with lots of recipes, tips, etc..
Would you like to join our growing list of subscribers?

There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use.
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Original recipe source (and with thanks to): Anna, at http://www.crunchycreamysweet.com/2017/02/17/garlic-parmesan-skillet-rolls/

↓↓ PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW ↓↓

0 from 0 votes

Garlic Butter Herb Rolls

Prep Time

15 mins

Cook Time

18 mins

Total Time

33 mins

Delicious Garlic Butter Herb Rolls are easy to prepare (using canned biscuit dough!), and are a perfect accompaniment for your favorite meal!

Category: Bread, Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Keyword: garlic butter herb rolls

Servings: 16 rolls

Calories Per Serving: 134 kcal

Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!

Ingredients

1 can jumbo biscuit dough (8 biscuits in pkg/can.)
4 Tablespoons butter melted
1½ teaspoons minced garlic = approx. 3 cloves, minced
2 Tablespoons grated Parmesan Cheese *fresh is best, if you have it.
½ teaspoon dried parsley
½ teaspoon dried oregano

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375°F. Grease a 10" cast iron skillet or large baking dish; set aside.
Remove biscuit dough from package; separate/place dough on parchment or wax paper. Use knife or kitchen scissors to cut each biscuit in half. Roll each piece between your palms into a ball, pinching dough to close any seams, then place them back on the paper.
Make sauce: Combine melted butter, Parmesan, garlic, parsley and oregano in a small bowl.
Dip each dough ball (1 at a time), in the sauce. Use a spoon to turn them over so all sides are coated with sauce. Place dough ball into prepared skillet OR dish. Repeat until all the dough balls are coated. TIP: Leave a small space between each of the rolls, so they have "personal space" to rise and spread as they bake!
Bake rolls at 375°F (or 190° C) for 18-20 minutes. They're done when the tops are nicely golden brown. Remove from oven. There will be seasoned melted butter that ends up on the bottom of the skillet. Use a pastry brush to lightly brush that butter onto the top of the rolls.
Serve immediately, and enjoy these delicious, pull-apart dinner rolls.

Nutrition Facts

Garlic Butter Herb Rolls

Amount Per Serving (1 roll)

Calories 134 Calories from Fat 72

% Daily Value*

Fat 8g12%

Saturated Fat 3g19%

Trans Fat 0.1g

Polyunsaturated Fat 2g

Monounsaturated Fat 3g

Cholesterol 8mg3%

Sodium 306mg13%

Potassium 69mg2%

Carbohydrates 14g5%

Fiber 0.4g2%

Sugar 1g1%

Protein 2g4%

Vitamin A 95IU2%

Vitamin C 0.1mg0%

Calcium 22mg2%

Iron 1mg6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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10
Jan
2024

Greek Cannellini Bean Stew

categories: Soups

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Greek Cannellini Bean Stew is an easy to make, meatless hearty stew with carrots, onion, garlic, celery and a hint of orange! It’s DELICIOUS!

If you’re looking for a healthy, filling dish that is scrumptious and has lots of healthy ingredients (and fiber) in it, may I suggest this recipe for Greek Cannellini Bean Stew? It’s a wonderful meatless dish that vegetarians AND meat-lovers will surely enjoy!

Greeks call this bean stew “Fasolada”, and it is a much-loved national dish that is considered “comfort food”. This simple stew has its origins in ancient Greece and was typically made using dried cannellini beans.

This version of the bean stew uses canned beans, which is very convenient, because it dramatically reduces the time needed to make this dish.

The stew only takes 15 minutes of prep, and then it is simmered on the stove for 30-35 minutes. When it’s done cooking, you will be left with a creamy, thick stew I’m confident you’ll enjoy!

The surprising ingredient in this soup is the addition of fresh orange slices while it cooks! The natural oils in the orange peel and the fruit itself provide a hint of orange flavor (not overpowering at all!), which is a nice touch. Here’s how to make the stew.

Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of The Page

Prepare The Veggies

Heat olive oil on Medium heat in a large soup pot. Add the chopped onion, and carrot and celery slices to the hot oil.

Cook the veggies 8-10 minutes in the hot oil, stirring occasionally, until they become soft and tender (especially the carrots).

Building The Stew

Once the onions, carrots and celery have softened, add dried oregano, 1 bay leaf, tomato paste and two slices of fresh orange (including peel) to the soup pot.

Stir to combine these ingredients, then let them cook 2 more minutes on Medium heat, stirring occasionally.

Now it’s time to add the canned cannellini beans to the soup pot. You will use a total of 2 cans of beans, following the instructions below.

Drain ONLY 1 CAN of cannellini beans and then add the beans (without liquid) to the stew. The remaining can of beans should be added to the stew INCLUDING THE LIQUID.

Stir in 1 cup of water to the soup pot, salt and pepper, then stir to combine all the ingredients.

Cook The Stew

Cook the Greek Cannellini Bean Stew (uncovered) for 30-35 minutes on a LOW simmer, stirring occasionally. The stew will thicken considerably as it cooks, which is a GOOD thing!

If at any point, you notice the stew is cooking too fast or begins sticking to the bottom of the pan, make sure the heat is very low. You may wish to add a tiny bit of water.

When the stew has finished cooking, and it’s thick and creamy, it is done. Remove the bay leaf and orange slices from the pot before serving.

Serve The Greek Cannellini Bean Stew

Ladle the Greek Cannellini Bean Stew into 4 bowls, dividing evenly. If desired, garnish each serving with half an orange slice (this is optional).

Serve the stew hot, and enjoy the wonderful flavor of this vegetarian dish. We especially enjoy eating the stew with a thick, crusty piece of garlic bread on the side. YUM!

I really hope you enjoy this hearty cannellini bean stew. Even though it is meatless, it has lots of protein (from the beans) and vegetables, and always fills us up!

Thank you for taking time out of your busy day to visit my blog. I appreciate it, and invite you to come back again soon for more family-friendly recipes. Take care, and have a GREAT day!

Looking For More SOUP And STEW Recipes?

You can find ALL of my recipes in the Recipe Index, which is located at the top of the page. I have lots of soup and stew recipes, including:

Want More Recipes? Get My FREE Newsletter!

I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1^st and 15^th) with lots of recipes, tips, etc..
Would you like to join our growing list of subscribers?

There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use.
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Facebook page: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
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Recipe adapted from: Koula Barydakis at: mediterraneanliving.com/white-bean-soup/

↓↓ PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW ↓↓

0 from 0 votes

Greek Cannellini Bean Stew

Prep Time

15 mins

Cook Time

30 mins

Total Time

45 mins

Greek Cannellini Bean Stew is an easy to make, meatless hearty stew with carrots, onion, garlic, celery and a hint of orange! It's DELICIOUS!

Category: Main Dish, Soup

Cuisine: Greek

Keyword: Greek Cannellini Bean Stew

Servings: 4

Calories Per Serving: 405 kcal

Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!

Ingredients

¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
½ large yellow onion chopped
3 medium carrots , peeled, thinly sliced
3 stalks celery thinly sliced
¼ teaspoon dried oregano
1 bay leaf
1 Tablespoon tomato paste
2 thin slices orange round slices, include peel and flesh
31 ounces canned cannellini beans =2 (15.5 oz. cans), DO NOT DRAIN
1¼ cup water
¼ teaspoon salt or more, to taste
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper or more, to taste

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Heat olive oil on Medium heat in a large soup pot or Dutch oven. Add chopped onion, carrot and celery slices to the hot oil. Cook 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they become soft/tender (especially the carrots).
Add oregano, 1 bay leaf, tomato paste and two slices of orange (including peel) to soup pot. Stir to combine, then let them cook 2 more minutes on Medium heat, stirring occasionally.
Drain 1 CAN of cannellini beans and then add the beans (without liquid) to the stew. The remaining can of beans should then be added to the stew INCLUDING THE LIQUID. Add water, salt and pepper to the stew; stir to combine ingredients.
Cook for 30-35 minutes on a LOW simmer, stirring occasionally. The stew will thicken considerably as it cooks. If at any point, you notice stew cooking too fast or sticking to the bottom of the pan, make sure the heat is very low. You may add just a tiny bit of water. When the stew has finished cooking, and it's thick and creamy, it is done. Remove bay leaf and orange slices from stew before serving.
Ladle stew into 4 bowls, dividing evenly. Garnish each serving with a fresh half of an orange slice (OPTIONAL). Serve hot, and enjoy!

Nutrition Facts

Greek Cannellini Bean Stew

Amount Per Serving (1 (1/4 of total))

Calories 405 Calories from Fat 126

% Daily Value*

Fat 14g22%

Saturated Fat 2g13%

Polyunsaturated Fat 2g

Monounsaturated Fat 10g

Sodium 248mg11%

Potassium 1294mg37%

Carbohydrates 55g18%

Fiber 13g54%

Sugar 5g6%

Protein 17g34%

Vitamin A 7845IU157%

Vitamin C 6mg7%

Calcium 199mg20%

Iron 7mg39%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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07
Jan
2024

Hoisin Vinaigrette For Salads

categories: Sauces and Dressings

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Make Hoisin Vinaigrette For Salads in 5 minutes! Recipe yields enough vinaigrette for 4 side salads or 2 entrée salads, and it’s delicious!

Today I want to share a simple, quick recipe for a delicious and unique salad dressing I’ve made for several years.

Hoisin Vinaigrette For Salads is incredibly EASY to make, with 8 ingredients and a blender or food processor. It is a flavor-filled Asian inspired vinaigrette that bumps mixed green salads up a notch, in my opinion.

Did I mention how ridiculously easy it is to make in 5 minutes or less? Oh… I did? Okay! Here’s how to make it.

Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of The Page

What Ingredients Will I Need?

There are 8 ingredients used to make this hoisin vinaigrette for salads. All of them can usually be found in local grocery stores.

You will need soy sauce, sesame oil, garlic, Dijon mustard, oil, white wine vinegar and hoisin sauce for the vinaigrette. Sesame oil and hoisin sauce are typically found in the Asian food section of most grocery stores.

Hoisin Sauce Is The “Star” Of This Vinaigrette

Hoisin sauce is really the “star” of this vinaigrette. It is a dark-colored, flavorful, slightly sweet and tangy thick sauce, commonly used in Asian recipes.

Did You Know You Can Make Homemade Hoisin Sauce?

If you don’t have access to a jar of commercially prepared hoisin sauce, you can make a homemade version that has a fairly similar flavor. Granted, it’s a “version” of the original but it will work perfectly fine for this vinaigrette recipe.

Authentic hoisin sauce uses fermented soybean paste as one of its main ingredients. I don’t know about you, but I don’t normally keep that ingredient in my pantry!

Many Asian recipes call for hoisin sauce in their ingredient list. If I don’t have a jar of hoisin sauce when I need it, I make my own, using this recipe (found on my blog).

If you don’t have authentic hoisin sauce, this works well in recipes as a good stand-in for the original. The ingredients for the homemade version of hoisin sauce are shown below.

Prepare The Vinaigrette

Making the hoisin vinaigrette for salads is super easy! Place all the ingredients into a blender or food processor.

Process (or blend) all of the ingredients until completely mixed into a smooth and creamy vinaigrette. Transfer the salad dressing into a small container.

Cover and refrigerate the vinaigrette until you’re ready to serve it on a favorite mixed green salad. It tastes best when its had a little time to chill, so all the flavors can “mingle” and get to know each other!

Time To Enjoy The Hoisin Vinaigrette For Salads

There should be enough of the hoisin vinaigrette to dress four small side salads. If you’re using it on a large, main dish salad, you should have enough of the dressing for two salads.

The photo below shows the vinaigrette on a main dish salad I make called Mixed Salad with Hoisin Vinaigrette and Crisp Panko Chicken.

This flavorful vinaigrette is a wonderful addition to many types of mixed green salad, and I think you’ll enjoy it. Be sure to store any leftover vinaigrette in the refrigerator (covered), for up to 4-5 days.

Thank you for taking time out of your busy day to visit my website. I trust you enjoy this easy to prepare salad dressing as much as we do. This recipe can easily be doubled or tripled, to suit your needs.

Please come back soon for more family-friendly recipes. Take care, may God bless you, and have a GREAT day!

Looking For More SALAD DRESSING Recipes?

You can find ALL of my recipes in the Recipe Index, which is located at the top of the page. I have a nice variety of homemade salad dressings for you to check out, including:

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Original recipe source: “Cooking Light- Annual Recipes 2007”, page 103, published by Oxmoor House, Inc.

↓↓ PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW ↓↓

0 from 0 votes

Hoisin Vinaigrette For Salads

Prep Time

5 mins

Cook Time

0 mins

Total Time

5 mins

Make Hoisin Vinaigrette For Salads in 5 minutes! Recipe yields enough vinaigrette for 4 side salads or 2 entrée salads, and it's delicious!

Category: Condiment, Salad Dressing

Cuisine: All Cuisines

Keyword: hoisin vinaigrette

Servings: 4 side salads

Calories Per Serving: 49 kcal

Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!

Ingredients

2 Tablespoons white wine vinegar
1½ Tablespoons hoisin sauce
1 Tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 Tablespoon fresh ginger peeled and finely grated
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
1½ teaspoons soy sauce or low-sodium, if available
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
½ teaspoon minced garlic or 1 large clove

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Place all ingredients into a blender or food processor.
Process until completely mixed into a smooth, creamy vinaigrette. Transfer salad dressing into a small container.
Cover and refrigerate vinaigrette until ready to serve on a mixed green salad. TIP: It tastes best when its had time to chill, so the flavors can "mingle" and get to know each other!
Recipe is easily doubled or tripled. Store any leftover vinaigrette (covered) in refrigerator.

Recipe Notes

Note: The caloric calculation was made using the amount needed for 4 small side salads. If using on a main dish salad (2 servings), the caloric count will be higher.

Nutrition Facts

Hoisin Vinaigrette For Salads

Amount Per Serving (1 (1/4 of total))

Calories 49 Calories from Fat 36

% Daily Value*

Fat 4g6%

Saturated Fat 1g6%

Trans Fat 0.01g

Polyunsaturated Fat 2g

Monounsaturated Fat 1g

Cholesterol 0.2mg0%

Sodium 207mg9%

Potassium 31mg1%

Carbohydrates 3g1%

Fiber 0.4g2%

Sugar 2g2%

Protein 1g2%

Vitamin A 3IU0%

Vitamin C 0.3mg0%

Calcium 6mg1%

Iron 0.2mg1%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!

04
Jan
2024

Stuffed Dover Sole For Two

categories: Main Dishes, Seafood

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Stuffed Dover Sole For Two features rolled fillets filled with rice, cheese and broccoli, covered with a lemon butter sauce and baked. Yummy!

Do you enjoy Dover sole? We like the Dover sole fillets, because they are mild in flavor, inexpensive to buy, and are very adaptable to the many ways they can be prepared.

Today I want to share a simple, but delicious recipe for Stuffed Dover Sole For Two, and hope you enjoy it like we do. With a little bit of pre-planning, this can be a very quick meal to get on the table, and it tastes and looks great, too!

The recipe makes four rolled and stuffed pieces of Dover sole. We usually serve two fillets per person because once rolled, the fish fillets are small, but you could serve four people (1 fillet per person) if you want smaller servings. Here’s how to make this dish.

Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of The Page

Make The Simple Lemon Butter Sauce

Preheat your oven to 350°F. before beginning, because the prep for the fish only takes a few minutes. Grease or spray a medium baking dish on the bottom, and set aside.

Now let’s make the sauce. In a small bowl, stir lemon juice, melted butter, salt and black pepper together until fully combined. Set the bowl aside while you prepare the stuffing for the fish.

You will use part of this sauce in the filling and then use the remaining sauce to drizzle on the fish roll-ups before they are baked.

Combine The Stuffing Ingredients

Now you’re ready to make the filling for the fish fillets. This rice, cheese, and broccoli stuffing will be rolled up in each of the fish fillets before baking.

In a separate medium-sized bowl, combine cooked broccoli, cooked brown (or white) rice, grated cheese, salt, pepper, and ½ TABLESPOON of the lemon butter sauce. Stir gently until these ingredients have been combined.

TIP: If possible, pre-cook the broccoli and rice for the dish early in the day (or the night before). I like to do that, so when I’m ready to make our dinner, they’re already cooked, and this dish takes less prep time.

Prepare The Dover Sole For Baking

Lay the fish fillets out on several thicknesses of paper towels, and blot the fish on both sides, to remove excess moisture.

Divide the rice/broccoli/cheese mixture evenly down the middle of each fillet, covering the entire length of the piece of fish. It typically averages out to approximately ½ cup of filling per piece of fish.

Into The Baking Dish They Go

Carefully roll up each piece of fish starting with the short end, then place them into the prepared baking dish, with the seam side DOWN.

If any of the stuffing falls out while transferring the fish to the baking dish, just pick it up and put it back inside! Place the fish roll-ups side by side in the dish, because they will give support and hold together better while baking.

Evenly divide and pour (or brush) the remaining butter mixture over the top of the fish fillets. Now the Stuffed Dover Sole for Two is ready for the oven!

Bake The Fish

Bake the fish at 350°F for 20-25 minutes (uncovered) OR until the fish flakes easily with a fork. Check the fish for “doneness” at 20 minutes.

Depending on the thickness of the fillets used, it may take 3-5 more minutes to finish cooking all the way through. The fish will be pale and opaque on the surface once fully cooked.

Remove the baking dish from the oven. Lightly sprinkle the top of each piece with paprika. The paprika adds extra color and flavor to the Dover sole, so don’t skip this final step.

Serve The Stuffed Dover Sole For Two

Use a spatula to transfer the Stuffed Dover Sole For Two onto serving plates. We serve two fillets per person for a filling meal (they’re fairly small once rolled and baked), but the serving size is your choice.

Serve with lemon slices on the side, so the juice can be squeezed over each piece, and then enjoy this simple, delicious dish.

Stuffed Dover Sole For Two has a simple, classic flavor I believe you’ll appreciate. The small amount of rice, cheese, broccoli, etc. in the filling adds additional color, texture, nutrients and flavor to the fish.

I really hope you have the opportunity to try this recipe or Stuffed Dover Sole For Two. If you choose to pre-cook the rice and broccoli ahead of time, this is a really quick meal to pull together at the last minute!

Thank you for stopping by, and I invite you to come back again soon for more family-friendly recipes. Take care, may God bless you, and have a GREAT day!

Looking For More SEAFOOD Recipes?

You can find ALL of my recipes in the Recipe Index, which is located at the top of the page. I have a wonderful variety of seafood recipes to choose from, including:

Want More Recipes? Get My FREE Newsletter!

I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1^st and 15^th) with lots of recipes, tips, etc..
Would you like to join our growing list of subscribers?

There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use.
You can submit your e-mail address there, to be added to my mailing list.

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Recipe adapted from: https://www.lovetoknow.com/food-drink/recipes/filet-sole-recipes

↓↓ PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW ↓↓

0 from 0 votes

Stuffed Dover Sole For Two

Prep Time

10 mins

Cook Time

20 mins

Total Time

30 mins

Stuffed Dover Sole For Two features rolled fillets filled with rice, cheese and broccoli, covered with a lemon butter sauce and baked. Yummy!

Category: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: stuffed Dover sole

Servings: 2 (two fillets per serving)

Calories Per Serving: 396 kcal

Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!

Ingredients

For Butter Sauce:

1 Tablespoon butter, melted **DIVIDED USE**
½ Tablespoon fresh lemon juice
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

For Fish:

16 ounces Dover sole fillets = four (4 oz. each) boneless, skinless fillets
1 cup cooked broccoli florets chopped, cooked, drained
½ cup cooked brown rice can substitute white rice
½ cup grated cheddar cheese
paprika to lightly sprinkle on baked fish.
2 thin slices lemon each cut in half, for garnish

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease/spray a medium baking dish on the bottom; set aside.
In a small bowl, stir lemon juice, melted butter, salt and pepper until combined. Set bowl aside.
In a separate medium-sized bowl, combine broccoli, rice, cheddar cheese, salt, pepper, and HALF (½)Tablespoon (only) of the lemon/butter sauce; stir until combined. TIP: If possible, pre-cook broccoli and rice early in the day (or the night before), for less prep time.
Lay fish fillets out on paper towels; blot fish on both sides, to remove excess moisture. Divide rice/broccoli/cheese mixture evenly down the middle of each fillet, covering length of the fish. It should be about ½ cup filling per fillet.
Carefully roll up each fillet starting with the short end. Place in prepared baking dish seam side DOWN. If any stuffing falls out while transferring the fillets, just pick it up and put it back inside! Place fish roll-ups side by side in dish, because they will support and hold together better while baking. Evenly divide and pour (or brush) remaining butter mixture over the top of the fish.
Bake (uncovered) at 350°F for 20-25 minutes OR until fish flakes easily with a fork. Check it at 20 minutes, then cook more, if necessary (depending on thickness of the fish). The fish will still be pale/opaque once fully cooked. Remove from the oven. Lightly sprinkle the top of each piece with paprika.
Use a spatula to transfer fish to serving plates. Serve immediately, with lemon slices on the side, and enjoy!

Nutrition Facts

Stuffed Dover Sole For Two

Amount Per Serving (2 fillets)

Calories 396 Calories from Fat 180

% Daily Value*

Fat 20g31%

Saturated Fat 10g63%

Trans Fat 0.3g

Polyunsaturated Fat 2g

Monounsaturated Fat 5g

Cholesterol 145mg48%

Sodium 1010mg44%

Potassium 577mg16%

Carbohydrates 16g5%

Fiber 2g8%

Sugar 1g1%

Protein 37g74%

Vitamin A 818IU16%

Vitamin C 43mg52%

Calcium 277mg28%

Iron 1mg6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!