Sep
2022

Raspberry Surprise Muffins

categories: Breakfast, Muffins
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Raspberry Surprise Muffins taste great and are easy to make! You’ll enjoy their light almond flavor and raspberry jam inside. Makes 1 dozen.
Raspberry Surprise Muffins taste great and are easy to make! You'll enjoy their light almond flavor and raspberry jam inside. Makes 1 dozen.

Do you enjoy muffins for breakfast? We sure do at our home! What I enjoy about muffins is that they typically don’t take a lot of time to make, but yield quite a few that (in our house) can last my husband and I for a few days (or more, if we freeze some of them). A little work for several meals or snacks… YESSSS!

Today I am sharing a delicious recipe with you that I discovered in a wonderful cookbook that was published quite a few years ago. The recipe is very simple to prepare, and yields a dozen delicious muffins that I’m sure you’re going to enjoy! Here’s how to make them:

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

Make The Muffin Batter

Before making the batter, preheat your oven to 400°F, and line a 12 cup standard muffin pan with paper liners (or spray). It doesn’t take long to make the muffin batter, so you will want both the oven and the muffin pan ready to go!

Okay… now let’s make the muffin batter! Place all purpose flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in a large mixing bowl. Stir until these dry ingredients are combined. Add in milk, melted butter, one egg, vanilla extract and almond extract. Stir the batter only until all ingredients have been combined and moistened. Yes… you may have some small lumps, but do not overmix the batter.

Dry ingredients for the muffins are measured into a large bowl and combined.Milk, egg, melted butter, vanilla and almond extracts are added to the dry muffin batter ingredients.Batter for the muffins is stirred only until all ingredients have been incorporated.

Preparing The Muffins For Baking

Spoon the batter into the muffin cups only until HALFWAY FULL. Top the batter in each muffin cup with one teaspoon of raspberry jam (seeded or seedless). Divide and spoon the remaining batter over the muffins to cover the jam.

Sprinkle the top of each muffin with the reserved 2 Tablespoons of granulated sugar, dividing the sugar evenly between the 12 muffins. Now the raspberry surprise muffins are ready for the oven. NOTE: If desired, you can add a few thinly sliced almonds to decorate the top of the muffins before baking, but that is OPTIONAL (we prefer them without).

Muffin cups are filled only halfway with the batter for raspberry surprise muffins.Raspberry jam (regular or seedless) is spooned on top of the muffin batter.Muffin batter is added to cover jam, then muffin tops are sprinkled with sugar before baking.

Bake The Muffins

Bake the raspberry surprise muffins at 400°F. for between15-17 minutes (or more, if necessary). When done, a toothpick inserted into the top of a muffin should come out clean. The tops of the muffins should also be very light golden brown in color, as well.

Transfer the muffin pan to a wire rack and let the muffins cool (in the pan) for 5 minutes, then transfer the muffins out of the pan to the wire rack to finish cooling.

A dozen Raspberry Surprise Muffins cooling on a wire rack after baking.A close up reveals a bit of the surprise raspberry filling peeking out from the muffin.

Time To Enjoy Some Raspberry Surprise Muffins!

We enjoy eating these raspberry surprise muffins when they are just slightly warm! You really can’t see the raspberry jam from the outside looking at the muffins, but it is a nice SURPRISE to take a bite and SEE the surprise raspberry filling inside. YUM!

The muffins taste good with a dab of softened butter spread on them, too, if you like that on your muffins. The subtle almond flavor pairs very well with the sweet raspberry jam filling. I think you’re going to like these tasty muffins for breakfast or enjoyed as a snack! They freeze well, if wrapped tightly and stored in the freezer in an airtight container or bag!

A bite taken from the muffin shows the surprise raspberry filling inside the muffin.One of the raspberry surprise muffins is cut apart, revealing the surprise filling hidden inside.

I hope you have the opportunity to try these delicious muffins, and trust you’ll enjoy them as much as we do! Thank you so much for stopping by, and I invite you to come back soon for more family-friendly recipes. Have a GREAT day!

Looking For More MUFFIN RECIPES?

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

Interested In More Recipes?

Thank you for visiting this website. I appreciate you using some of your valuable time to do so.  If you’re interested, I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1st and 15th) with all the latest recipes, and other fun info. I would be honored to have you join our growing list of subscribers, so you never miss a great recipe!
There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right side (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use, where you can easily submit your e-mail address (only) to be included in my mailing list.

You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:

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

Author's signature

Original recipe source: “Gooseberry Patch – Have Yourself A Homemade Christmas”, page 162, published by Time Home Entertainment/Oxmoor House in 2014

↓↓ PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW ↓↓

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Raspberry Surprise Muffins
Prep Time
13 mins
Cook Time
17 mins
Total Time
30 mins
 

Raspberry Surprise Muffins taste great and are easy to make! You'll enjoy their light almond flavor and raspberry jam inside. Makes 1 dozen.

Category: Breakfast, Snack
Cuisine: American
Keyword: raspberry surprise muffins
Servings: 12 muffins
Calories Per Serving: 230 kcal
Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Ingredients
  • 2 cups all purpose flour
  • ⅔ cup granulated sugar
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup milk whole, 1% or 2%
  • ½ cup butter melted
  • 1 large egg lightly beaten
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ½ teaspoon almond extract
  • ¼ cup raspberry jam regular or seedless
  • 2 Tablespoons granulated sugar to sprinkle on top of muffin batter
US Customary - Metric
Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 400°F, Line a 12 cup standard muffin pan with paper liners (or use non-stick spray).

  2. Measure flour, ⅔ cup of sugar, baking powder and salt into a large bowl. Stir until combined. Add milk, melted butter, egg, vanilla and almond extracts. Stir batter only until ingredients are combined and moistened. Don't overmix batter.

  3. Spoon batter into muffin cups only until HALFWAY FULL. Top the batter in each muffin cup with one teaspoon of raspberry jam. Finish filling muffin cups with remaining batter (dividing it evenly) to cover the jam.

  4. Sprinkle each muffin with reserved 2 Tablespoons of granulated sugar, dividing sugar evenly between the muffins. NOTE: If desired, you can also add thinly sliced almonds to the top of the muffins before baking (OPTIONAL).

  5. Bake muffins at 400°F. for 15-17 minutes (or more, if necessary). When done, a toothpick inserted into the top of a muffin should come out clean. Tops of the muffins should be light golden brown in color. Transfer muffin pan to wire rack and let muffins cool (in the pan) for 5 minutes. Transfer muffins out of the pan to wire rack to finish cooling. Serve and enjoy. (NOTE: Leftover muffins freeze well, if wrapped tightly and stored in the freezer in an airtight container or bag!)

Recipe Notes

NOTE: Caloric calculation made using 1% milk.

Nutrition Facts
Raspberry Surprise Muffins
Amount Per Serving (1 muffin)
Calories 230 Calories from Fat 81
% Daily Value*
Fat 9g14%
Saturated Fat 5g31%
Trans Fat 0.3g
Polyunsaturated Fat 0.5g
Monounsaturated Fat 2g
Cholesterol 37mg12%
Sodium 175mg8%
Potassium 135mg4%
Carbohydrates 35g12%
Fiber 1g4%
Sugar 18g20%
Protein 3g6%
Vitamin A 297IU6%
Vitamin C 1mg1%
Calcium 63mg6%
Iron 1mg6%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!Raspberry Surprise Muffins taste great and are easy to make! You'll enjoy their light almond flavor and raspberry jam inside. Makes 1 dozen.


Sep
2022

Coney Dogs

categories: Beef, Lunch - Quick and Easy, Main Dishes
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Looking for an easy meal for your family? Make Coney Dogs! Learn how to make this simple, flavorful meat sauce for your favorite hot dogs.
Looking for an easy meal for your family? Make Coney Dogs! Learn how to make this simple, flavorful meat sauce for your favorite hot dogs.

Coney dogs have been around since the early 1900’s, in one version or another. There has always been some disagreement regarding how coney dogs became popular in the United States. Years ago I found this recipe in one of my old cooking magazines, and knew I had to try it out. My husband wasn’t sure he would like it, but he (and I) ended up loving this sauce and our coney dogs! 

I grew up thinking Coney dogs got their name because originated in Coney Island, New York, but according to historians, that may not actually be the case. If you are interested in the history of this classic hot dog and sauce, check out this article from the Smithsonian magazine here. It is quite fascinating to read about its origins, and is a quick, easy read!

If you enjoy traditional chili dogs, then you will most likely enjoy coney dogs, as they share some similarities, but have a slightly different flavor profile (slightly sweet).  The sauce for coney dogs is incredibly EASY to prepare, using ground beef, onions, celery, brown sugar, tomato sauce and spices, etc. When this sauce is used to top your favorite hot dogs, I’m confident you’ll enjoy them! Here’s how simple it is to prepare Coney dogs!

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

Cook The Ground Beef

Cook ground beef, chopped onions and celery in a large skillet on Medium heat. Break the beef up until it is in small pieces. Stir often, and continue cooking the beef until fully cooked through. Once the meat is done cooking, drain off any accumulated grease in the skillet and discard. 

Ground beef is cooked in a skillet with chopped onions and celery.Hamburger meat is cooked until it is fully browned and cooked through.

Let’s Make The Sauce For The Coney Dogs!

Now it’s time to make the Coney sauce for the hot dogs. Add tomato sauce, brown sugar, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, chili powder, yellow mustard and salt to the ground beef mixture. Bring the sauce to a boil on MEDIUM heat. Once it begins to boil, reduce the heat to LOW. Let the sauce simmer UNCOVERED on LOW heat for 15 minutes, stirring it occasionally while it cooks. 

While the sauce is simmering, cook the hot dogs according to the instructions on the package or by using your favorite method (boil, grill, oven broil, air fryer, etc.). Plan your time so that the hot dogs will be ready when the sauce is finished cooking!

Tomato sauce, brown sugar and other seasonings are added to the browned ground beef in skillet.The sauce for the Coney dogs is cooked for 15 minutes until it has thickened.

Once done, the Coney dog sauce will have thickened considerably, and most of the liquid will have been absorbed. Once this occurs, and the meat is fully heated through, the sauce is ready to serve as a topper for the hot dogs!

Once thickened and fully cooked through, the Coney sauce is ready to add to cooked hot dogs.

Who’s Ready For Some Coney Dogs?

Place the cooked hot dogs into hot dog buns, and then spoon some of the sauce onto each hot dog. A lot of folks enjoy eating Coney dogs just like this (only adding the sauce), but you can obviously add your favorite condiments, as well.

My favorite way to enjoy a Coney dog is to add diced fresh onion and yellow mustard on top of the sauce. My husband enjoys adding chopped onions and shredded cheddar cheese to his. Serve the Coney dogs hot, and enjoy their wonderful flavor! This recipe makes enough sauce to top 8 hot dogs. Any leftover Coney sauce can be frozen for later use when sealed in an airtight freezer bag or container.

The Coney meat sauce is spooned on top of cooked hot dogs in buns, to serve.Mustard and chopped onions are added to the top of one of the Coney dogs to enjoy.

I hope you enjoy this simple meal. We really do, because it is so simple to prepare, and is a nice change from plain hot dogs or traditional chili cheese dogs! Thank you for stopping by and I hope you will come back for more family friend recipes again soon. Take care, and have a great day!

Looking For More EASY LUNCH or DINNER Recipes?

You can find ALL of my recipes in the Recipe Index, which is located at the top of the page. I have some yummy lunch recipes you can check out, including:

Interested In More Recipes?

Thank you for visiting this website. I appreciate you using some of your valuable time to do so.  If you’re interested, I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1st and 15th) with all the latest recipes, and other fun info. I would be honored to have you join our growing list of subscribers, so you never miss a great recipe!
There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right side (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use, where you can easily submit your e-mail address (only) to be included in my mailing list.

You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:

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

Author's signature

Original recipe source: “Taste of Home” magazine, June/July 2005 edition, page 54, published by Reiman Publications

↓↓ PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW ↓↓

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Coney Dogs
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
15 mins
Total Time
25 mins
 

Looking for an easy meal for your family? Make Coney Dogs! Learn how to make this simple, flavorful meat sauce for your favorite hot dogs.

Category: Dinner, Lunch
Cuisine: American
Keyword: coney dogs
Servings: 8 coney dogs
Calories Per Serving: 84 kcal
Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Ingredients
For Coney Sauce:
  • ½ pound ground beef
  • ¼ cup chopped yellow onions
  • 2 Tablespoons chopped celery
  • 8 ounces canned tomato sauce
  • 2 Tablespoons brown sugar light or dark
  • 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
  • 2¼ teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
  • ¾ teaspoon chili powder
  • ½ teaspoon prepared yellow mustard
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
For Hot Dogs (these items not included in caloric calculation as varieties/brands of hot dogs and buns may vary greatly):
  • 8 hot dogs/weiners
  • 8 hot dog buns
US Customary - Metric
Instructions

  1. Cook beef, onions and celery in a large skillet on Medium heat. Break beef up until it's in small pieces. Stir often; continue cooking beef until fully cooked through. Drain off any accumulated grease in skillet and discard.

  2. Add tomato sauce, brown sugar, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, chili powder, mustard and salt to ground beef mixture. Bring sauce to a boil on MEDIUM heat. Once it begins to boil, reduce heat to LOW. Let sauce simmer UNCOVERED on LOW heat for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally while it cooks. NOTE: While sauce is simmering, cook hot dogs according to pkg. instructions or use your favorite method (boil, grill, oven broil, air fryer, etc.). Plan ahead so hot dogs will be ready when sauce is finished cooking!

  3. When done, the sauce will have thickened considerably, and most liquid will have been absorbed. The sauce is now ready to serve as a topper for the hot dogs!

  4. Place cooked hot dogs into warm hot dog buns. Top each one with sauce. Enjoy the hot dogs with just the added coney sauce OR add additional condiments like cheese, yellow mustard, chopped onions, or other condiments you enjoy.

  5. NOTE: This recipe makes enough sauce to top 8 hot dogs. Any leftover meat sauce can be frozen for later use when sealed in an airtight freezer bag or container.

Recipe Notes

NOTE: Hot dogs and buns were not included in caloric calculation, as varieties/brands/calories of hot dogs and buns will vary greatly. Caloric calculation is for the coney sauce (1/8th portion of total sauce).

Nutrition Facts
Coney Dogs
Amount Per Serving (1 serving sauce)
Calories 84 Calories from Fat 36
% Daily Value*
Fat 4g6%
Saturated Fat 2g13%
Trans Fat 0.3g
Polyunsaturated Fat 0.2g
Monounsaturated Fat 2g
Cholesterol 19mg6%
Sodium 257mg11%
Potassium 204mg6%
Carbohydrates 6g2%
Fiber 1g4%
Sugar 4g4%
Protein 6g12%
Vitamin A 189IU4%
Vitamin C 3mg4%
Calcium 15mg2%
Iron 1mg6%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!Looking for an easy meal for your family? Make Coney Dogs! Learn how to make this simple, flavorful meat sauce for your favorite hot dogs.


Sep
2022

Tuscan Cannellini Tuna Salad

categories: Lunch - Quick and Easy, Salads
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Tuscan Cannellini Tuna Salad is an easy dish with albacore tuna, cannellini beans and red onion tossed in a delicious, light salad dressing!
Tuscan Cannellini Tuna Salad is an easy dish with albacore tuna, cannellini beans and red onion tossed in a delicious, light salad dressing!

If you’re looking for a protein-filled salad to enjoy for lunch or a simple dinner, how about Tuscan Cannellini Tuna Salad? I found the original recipe in one of my very old Weight Watcher cookbooks (from 1998), and it’s delicious.

This salad has wonderful flavor, and is a CINCH to make! You NEED TO PLAN AHEAD, though, because for best flavor, the salad dressing needs to be made about 45 minutes ahead of time. This extra time allows the flavors to develop fully! You can always mix the salad dressing up in the morning, then it’s ready for a quick lunch later!

The actual salad itself is made up of only 3 ingredients… a can of albacore tuna, red onion, and protein-packed cannellini beans. Cannellini beans are also called white kidney beans, and can be found in most grocery stores. The salad is then tossed with the amazing salad dressing before serving. Let me show you how to make this tasty salad, which yields enough for four portions.

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

Make The Salad Dressing

The salad dressing used is the source of this salads great flavor! Best part? It only takes a minute or two to make! Place dried sage, olive oil, white wine, garlic, white wine vinegar, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Use a whisk to combine these ingredients very well.

PLAN AHEAD! For the very BEST flavor (recommended!), cover the salad dressing once it’s fully combined. Let the salad dressing sit (covered) at room temperature for 45 minutes. Plan ahead for this, because this time gives the flavors a chance to fully develop!

Salad dressing ingredients are placed in a small bowl before combining.Tuscan Cannellini tuna Salad dressing is mixed together before adding it to the salad.

Combine The Salad Ingredients

It’s time to finish making the Tuscan Cannellini Tuna Salad, once the salad dressing has “rested”. Place the drained, rinsed cannellini beans, drained and flaked albacore tuna and chopped red onion into a medium bowl. Toss lightly to combine these three ingredients.

Rinsed, drained cannellini beans, red onion, and albacore tuna are combined in a large bowl.

Dressing The Salad

Give the salad dressing a quick stir to re-combine the ingredients and pour it over the tuna, cannellini beans and red onion. Toss the salad, so that the dressing is coating the salad ingredients very well.

Salad dressing is poured over the Tuscan Cannellini Tuna Salad before mixing.After mixing in the salad dressing, the salad is ready to be served.

Time To Enjoy Tuscan Cannellini Tuna Salad!

Transfer the Tuscan Cannellini Tuna Salad into a pretty serving bowl, if desired, and then serve. The salad has wonderful flavors, thanks to that delicious salad dressing! This recipe makes four servings, and you can store any leftovers (covered or in airtight container) in the refrigerator for several days.

A bowl filled with Tuscan Cannellini Tuna Salad is ready to be served.A close up photo of the Tuscan Cannellini Tuna Salad.

That’s how simple it is to make this yummy Tuscan Cannellini Tuna Salad, which can be served on its own for lunch, dinner or as a side dish. I hope you enjoy it, and trust you will come back soon for more family-friendly recipes. Take care 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 yummy salad recipes for you to check out, including:

Interested In More Recipes?

Thank you for visiting this website. I appreciate you using some of your valuable time to do so.  If you’re interested, I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1st and 15th) with all the latest recipes, and other fun info. I would be honored to have you join our growing list of subscribers, so you never miss a great recipe!
There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right side (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use, where you can easily submit your e-mail address (only) to be included in my mailing list.

You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:

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

Author's signature

Original recipe source: “Weight Watchers New Complete Cookbook”, page 433, published by Wiley Publishing, Inc., 1998

↓↓ PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW ↓↓

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Tuscan Cannellini Tuna Salad
Prep Time
5 mins
Cook Time
0 mins
Resting Time-Salad Dressing (inactive prep)
45 mins
Total Time
50 mins
 

Tuscan Cannellini Tuna Salad is an easy dish with albacore tuna, cannellini beans and red onion tossed in a delicious, light salad dressing!

Category: Lunch, Salads
Cuisine: All Cuisines
Keyword: Tuscan cannellini tuna salad
Servings: 4
Calories Per Serving: 235 kcal
Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Ingredients
For Dressing:
  • 4 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 Tablespoon white wine vinegar
  • 1 Tablespoon dry white wine
  • 2 teaspoons dried sage or 2 Tablespoons fresh (minced)
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper
For Salad:
  • 16 ounces cannellini beans (canned) rinsed/drained
  • 7 ounces albacore tuna (canned, in water) drained. flaked
  • 1 Tablespoon chopped red onion
US Customary - Metric
Instructions
Make Salad Dressing (at least 45 minutes before assembling salad)

  1. Place dried sage, olive oil, white wine, garlic, white wine vinegar, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Use a whisk to combine these ingredients very well. For the very BEST flavor, cover salad dressing once combined. Let salad dressing sit (covered) at room temperature for at least 45 minutes. Plan ahead, because this time gives the flavors in the salad dressing the chance to fully develop!

Finish Salad

  1. Place cannellini beans, tuna and red onion into a medium bowl. Toss lightly, to combine.

  2. Give salad dressing a stir to re-blend ingredients; pour it over the salad Toss gently, so that salad dressing is coating salad ingredients well. Serve, and enjoy!

  3. Any leftovers can be stored (covered or in airtight container) in refrigerator for several days.

Nutrition Facts
Tuscan Cannellini Tuna Salad
Amount Per Serving (1 (1/4 of total))
Calories 235 Calories from Fat 54
% Daily Value*
Fat 6g9%
Saturated Fat 1g6%
Polyunsaturated Fat 1g
Monounsaturated Fat 3g
Cholesterol 21mg7%
Sodium 339mg15%
Potassium 648mg19%
Carbohydrates 25g8%
Fiber 6g25%
Sugar 0.5g1%
Protein 20g40%
Vitamin A 13IU0%
Vitamin C 1mg1%
Calcium 95mg10%
Iron 4mg22%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!Tuscan Cannellini Tuna Salad is an easy dish with albacore tuna, cannellini beans and red onion tossed in a delicious, light salad dressing!

 

 


Sep
2022

Chocolate Chip Swirl Bars

categories: Bar Cookies, Desserts
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Make a dozen Chocolate Chip Swirl Bars in about 30 minutes! Be warned! These delicious, simple bar cookies are so good, they’re dangerous!
Make a dozen Chocolate Chip Swirl Bars in about 30 minutes! Be warned! These delicious, simple bar cookies are so good, they're dangerous!

Do you enjoy warm chocolate chip cookies? Well, I sure do! If you enjoy them as much as I do, I’m positive you’re going to love these chocolate chip swirl bars! The bar cookies are filled with chopped pecans (or walnuts), and a layer of chocolate chips are swirled through the batter after a minute or two of baking. They are so good!

I originally found this recipe in one of my old cookbooks that was published way back in 2005. The recipe is super simple to prepare, and the results are outstanding! Chocolate Chip Swirl Bars are a decadent treat, that take only about 10 minutes prep to get into the oven. The rest is about 20 minutes of baking time, and then you get to enjoy one (or seven!) of these yummy dessert bars! Here’s how to make them.

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

Make The Bar Cookie Dough

First thing you’ll need to do is preheat your oven to 375°F. and spray an 8″x8″ square baking pan with non-stick spray. The dough doesn’t take long to prepare, so you will want your oven hot and ready to go, once it is made. Now you’re ready to mix up the dough for these chocolate chip dessert bars!

Sift together flour, baking soda and salt into a Medium sized bowl, then set the bowl aside. In a separate Large bowl, use an electric mixer to beat softened butter, granulated and brown sugars, vanilla extract and water together until fully combined.

Once combined, use the electric mixer to beat an egg and the flour mixture into the dough, a little at a time, until incorporated. Remove the mixer, and STIR chopped pecans (or walnuts) into the dough until they’re incorporated.

Chopped pecans (or walnuts) are stirred into the prepared dessert bars dough.

Getting Ready To Bake

Evenly spread the dough into the prepared baking pan. Sprinkle the chocolate chips over the entire surface of the dough. Now you’re ready to bake the chocolate chip swirl bars! See how easy it was to get them ready to bake?

Dough for the chocolate chip swirl bars is spread in a greased baking dish.Chocolate chips are sprinkled over the surface of the dough.

Bake The Chocolate Chip Swirl Bars

Place the baking pan into a preheated 375°F. oven and let them bake for ONLY 2 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and quickly take a butter knife and run it through the dough, creating marbleized “swirls” throughout the dough in the pan.

After creating swirls of softened chocolate chips, put the pan back into the hot oven, and continue baking for 16-18 minutes longer. When done, the top of the chocolate chip swirl bars will be nicely browned, and a toothpick inserted into the top middle should come out free of dough batter (clean).

After baking for 2 minutes, a knife is used to swirl the softened chocolate chips through the dough.Chocolate chips are swirled through the dough, then pan is put back in oven to finish baking.

Remove the pan from the oven once done, and transfer it to a wire rack to cool. The chocolate chip swirl bars will slice easier once they have had several minutes to cool, so make sure to let them “rest” a bit.

Golden brown and firm on top, the chocolate chip swirl bars are removed from oven.Chocolate chip swirl bars, in baking dish, cooling down before slicing.

Serve The Chocolate Chip Swirl Bars

We enjoy these cookie bars best when served slightly warm, but if you prefer them hot OR at room temperature, that is your choice. Either way, when you’re ready to serve, slice the bars into 12 pieces. However, when served warm, the chocolate chips will still be ooey gooey and delicious (just sayin’)!

Serve and enjoy these decadent treats. IF you have any leftovers (notice I said “IF”?), they can be wrapped tightly or placed in a freezer bag or airtight container and frozen for use at a later date. YUM!

The chocolate chip dessert bars are cut into 12 pieces before serving.Four of the chocolate chip swirl bars are served on a white plate.

I hope you have the chance to make these yummy dessert bars for those you love. They’re REALLY delicious! Thanks for stopping by today, and I hope you can come back soon for more family-friendly recipes. Take care, have a GREAT day, and may God bless you in all you do.

Looking For More BAR COOKIE 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 amazing bar cookie recipes for you to enjoy, including:

Interested In More Recipes?

Thank you for visiting this website. I appreciate you using some of your valuable time to do so.  If you’re interested, I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1st and 15th) with all the latest recipes, and other fun info. I would be honored to have you join our growing list of subscribers, so you never miss a great recipe!
There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right side (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use, where you can easily submit your e-mail address (only) to be included in my mailing list.

You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:

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

Author's signature

Original recipe source: Betty Green, in “Church Suppers”, page 351, published by Black Dog & Leventhal Publishers in 2005

↓↓ PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW ↓↓

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Chocolate Chip Swirl Bars
Prep Time
12 mins
Cook Time
18 mins
Total Time
30 mins
 

Make a dozen Chocolate Chip Swirl Bars in about 30 minutes! Be warned! These delicious, simple bar cookies are so good, they're dangerous!

Category: Bar Cookies, Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: chocolate chip swirl bars
Servings: 12 bars
Calories Per Serving: 272 kcal
Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Ingredients
  • 1 cup + 2 teaspoons all purpose flour
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 8 Tablespoons butter, softened = 1 stick or ½ cup
  • 6 Tablespoons packed brown sugar
  • 6 Tablespoons granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ¼ teaspoon water
  • 1 large egg
  • ½ cup chopped pecans (or walnuts)
  • 6 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips
US Customary - Metric
Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 375°F. and spray an 8"x8" square baking pan with non-stick spray.

  2. Sift together flour, baking soda and salt into a medium bowl; set bowl aside. In a separate large bowl, use electric mixer to beat butter, granulated and brown sugars, vanilla and water together until combined. Add egg and reserved flour mixture to the dough, a little at a time, beating until incorporated. STIR chopped pecans (or walnuts) into the dough until incorporated. Evenly spread dough into baking pan. Evenly sprinkle surface of dough with chocolate chips.

  3. Place pan with dough into 375°F. oven and bake dough for ONLY 2 minutes. Remove pan from oven. Take a butter knife and run it through the dough, creating marbleized "swirls" throughout the dough. Put the pan back into oven; continue baking 16-18 minutes longer. Bars should be nicely browned, and a toothpick inserted into the top should come out free of dough (clean). Transfer pan to a wire rack to cool before attempting to slice.

  4. When you're ready to serve (warm or room temperature), slice into 12 bars. Serve and enjoy! NOTE: If you have leftovers, they can be wrapped or placed in a freezer bag or airtight container and frozen for later use.

Nutrition Facts
Chocolate Chip Swirl Bars
Amount Per Serving (1 (1/12 of total))
Calories 272 Calories from Fat 153
% Daily Value*
Fat 17g26%
Saturated Fat 8g50%
Trans Fat 0.3g
Polyunsaturated Fat 3g
Monounsaturated Fat 4g
Cholesterol 36mg12%
Sodium 212mg9%
Potassium 130mg4%
Carbohydrates 28g9%
Fiber 2g8%
Sugar 17g19%
Protein 3g6%
Vitamin A 264IU5%
Vitamin C 0.1mg0%
Calcium 25mg3%
Iron 2mg11%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!Make a dozen Chocolate Chip Swirl Bars in about 30 minutes! Be warned! These delicious, simple bar cookies are so good, they're dangerous!


Sep
2022

Smoked Whole Turkey

categories: Main Dishes, Traeger Grill Recipes, Turkey
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Make a delicious 20 lb. smoked whole turkey (with butter and a variety of dried spices) in about 6 hours, using a pellet grill or smoker.
Make a delicious 20 lb. Smoked Whole Turkey (with butter and a variety of dried spices) in about 6 hours, using a pellet grill or smoker.

The first time I ever cooked a whole turkey was a LONG TIME ago (I was 20 years old). I won’t bore you with the details, but I’ll just say my husband and I had some single friends over for Thanksgiving and it wasn’t pretty! It ended with a turkey that was cooked and pretty on the “outside”, but the middle/insides of that bird were an entirely different story. UGH.

True story- and we all ended up having a good time, and lived to tell the tale… ha ha! After that disaster I learned how to perfectly roast a turkey in our oven, and have never had a problem since, thank goodness. 

My husband and I received a FREE 20 lb. turkey last Christmas, and decided to smoke it on our pellet grill, and this is the “recipe” we used. The finished turkey, covered with melted butter and lots of spices, had great seasoning and smoky flavor! Here’s how we make a smoked whole turkey on our pellet grill. We enjoy making smoked turkey outside, because it doesn’t heat up our kitchen cooking it all day, especially during our Summer heat!

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

Preheat The Smoker

The prep time to get the turkey ready to cook is minimal, so the first thing you need to do is preheat your smoker or pellet grill according to the manufacturers instructions. Once preheated, set the temperature for 250°F. This is the temperature you will smoke the turkey at for the first half of the cooking time (low and slow!). 

While the smoker preheats, make the spice mix and prep the turkey (it only takes a few minutes). You can use whatever type smoker pellets you prefer, but we love using mesquite or applewood.

Make The Spice Mix For the Turkey

The ingredients for the seasoning mix are simple to prepare. Measure dried Cajun seasoning, Italian seasoning, basil, oregano, rosemary, salt, pepper, rosemary, celery seed and garlic powder in a small bowl. Stir to combine these ingredients, and your spice mix is done. See how easy that is?

Melt a stick of butter in a saucepan, and then stir in the seasoning mix until completely combined. Remove the pan from the heat.

A variety of spices used to season a whole turkey are combined in a bowl.Spice mix is combined with melted butter in a saucepan, before basting the turkey.

Remove the giblets from the inside cavity of the turkey. Pat the turkey dry on all sides, using paper towels to absorb the moisture, then set it on a small wire rack (to slightly elevate the turkey) in a large roasting pan.

Brush the butter seasoning mixture over the entire surface of the turkey, including inside the turkey cavity. Try to get some seasoning under the skin of the breast, as well. Use ALL of the seasoning mixture on the turkey. 

A 20 lb. turkey is patted dry, then placed on wire rack in a roasting pan.Butter and spice mixture is brushed over the surface of the turkey before it is cooked.

Time To Smoke The Turkey!

Once the smoker grill has reached 250°F. and the turkey has been seasoned, it’s ready to cook! Place the roasting pan in the smoker, then insert a temperature probe into the thickest part of the turkey.

Let the turkey cook UNCOVERED until it reaches an internal temperature of 100 – 110°F. Once it begins cooking, don’t open the grill… just be patient, and let it smoke away. It typically takes about 3 hours to reach this temperature for a turkey this size, but keep an eye on the temp, because we know the temps in various smokers can vary quite a bit!

The seasoned whole turkey is now ready to go on a pellet grill or into a smoker.Temperature probe is inserted into thickest part of the turkey before cooking.

Halfway Point

Once the turkey reaches an internal temp of 100 – 110°F., remove the turkey pan from the grill. Baste the turkey with any accumulated juice on the bottom of the pan. Add 3 Tablespoons of additional butter to the pan. Cover the pan with aluminum foil, then place the pan back on the grill.

TURN THE HEAT UP TO 300°F. and continue cooking the turkey (covered) for another 2-3 hours, OR until the internal temperature reaches 165°F. We have found that on our smoker (a Traeger), this second half of the cooking time usually takes somewhere between 2½ – 3 hours.

Obviously if you are cooking a much smaller weight turkey, your cooking time will be considerably less. Remember- your cooking time might vary, depending on the size turkey you’re using, model of smoker you’re using (and other conditions), so keep an eye on that internal temperature! The temperature probe is your friend!

Halfway through cooking time, turkey is basted with juices from pan, then covered with foil.

Smoked whole turkey rests after being removed from grill, before slicing.

Serving The Smoked Whole Turkey

Once the turkey is done, remove it from the smoker, and let it rest (covered) for 25-30 minutes before carving. The turkey will continue to cook slightly as it rests. This resting time allows the juices time to redistribute inside the turkey. After the turkey has rested, baste it again with the accumulated juices from the bottom of the pan, then slice and serve.

We enjoyed the smoky flavor of the well-seasoned meat, and served our turkey slices with steamed broccoli and a delicious Sweet Potato Apple Bake, which complimented the meat well.

The smoked whole turkey is cut into slices and served.Turkey slices, along with broccoli and a sweet potato apple side dish are served on a white plate.

I hope you have the opportunity to make a smoked whole turkey for yourself and those you love. We really enjoy having lots of leftovers when we cook a large turkey, which we use for sandwiches, Turkey Fiesta Casserole, and Turkey Tortilla Soup!

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

Looking For More SMOKER GRILL Recipes?

You can find ALL of my recipes in the Recipe Index, located at the top of the page. I have a variety of Smoker Grill Recipes, including:

Interested In More Recipes?

Thank you for visiting this website. I appreciate you using some of your valuable time to do so.  If you’re interested, I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1st and 15th) with all the latest recipes, and other fun info. I would be honored to have you join our growing list of subscribers, so you never miss a great recipe!
There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right side (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use, where you can easily submit your e-mail address (only) to be included in my mailing list.

You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:

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

Author's signature

Recipe adapted from: https://anaffairfromtheheart.com

↓↓ PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW ↓↓

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Smoked Whole Turkey
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
6 hrs
Total Time
6 hrs 10 mins
 

Make a delicious 20 lb. Smoked Whole Turkey (with butter and a variety of dried spices) in about 6 hours, using a pellet grill or smoker.

Category: Main Dish
Cuisine: American
Keyword: smoked whole turkey
Servings: 16 (8 oz. servings) approx.
Calories Per Serving: 328 kcal
Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Ingredients
  • 20 pound turkey giblets removed
  • ½ cup butter = ½ cup or 8 T.
  • 2 teaspoons Cajun seasoning or Creole seasoning
  • 1½ teaspoons salt
  • 1 teaspoon dried basil
  • 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
  • 1 teaspoon celery seed
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
  • 3 Tablespoons butter additional to be added later
US Customary - Metric
Instructions

  1. Preheat smoker or pellet grill according to manufacturer instructions. Once preheated, set temperature for 250°F.

  2. Combine Cajun seasoning, salt, basil, rosemary, oregano, Italian seasoning, celery seed, black pepper, and garlic powder in a small bowl. Melt a stick of butter in saucepan; add seasoning mix; stir until combined. Remove pan from heat.

  3. Pat turkey dry, using paper towels. Set turkey on small wire rack (to slightly elevate turkey) in a large roasting pan. Brush butter mixture over surface of turkey (all sides), including turkey cavity. Put some seasoning under skin of the breast, as well. Use ALL of the seasoning mixture.

  4. Place roasting pan in smoker; insert temperature probe into thickest part of turkey. Cook UNCOVERED until it reaches an internal temp. of 100° - 110°F. It typically takes about 3 hours to reach temperature. Keep an eye on the temp, because smoker temps can vary! When turkey reaches an internal temp of 100° - 110°F., remove pan from grill. Baste turkey with any accumulated juices in bottom of the pan. Add 3 Tablespoons more butter to the pan. Cover pan with aluminum foil; place pan back on the grill.

  5. TURN THE HEAT UP TO 300°F. and continue cooking turkey (covered) another 2-3 hours, OR until internal temp. reaches 165°F. Remember- your cooking time might vary, depending on the model of smoker (and other conditions), so keep an eye on that internal temperature! 

  6. Once done, remove pan from the smoker; let turkey rest (covered) for 25-30 minutes before carving. Turkey will continue to cook slightly as it rests. Resting time allows juices to redistribute in turkey. After resting, baste turkey again with juices from pan, then slice and serve.

Recipe Notes

NOTE: A 20 pound turkey will yield approximately 8½ - 9 pounds of white and dark meat after cooking. The caloric calculation listed is an approximation that uses both dark and white meat in the total per serving. Your caloric amount will vary depending on portion size, and type of turkey meat consumed (white or dark meat).

Nutrition Facts
Smoked Whole Turkey
Amount Per Serving (1 (8 oz. portion))
Calories 328 Calories from Fat 162
% Daily Value*
Fat 18g28%
Saturated Fat 8g50%
Trans Fat 0.4g
Polyunsaturated Fat 3g
Monounsaturated Fat 5g
Cholesterol 151mg50%
Sodium 484mg21%
Potassium 422mg12%
Carbohydrates 1g0%
Fiber 0.3g1%
Sugar 0.2g0%
Protein 39g78%
Vitamin A 473IU9%
Vitamin C 0.04mg0%
Calcium 31mg3%
Iron 2mg11%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!Make a delicious 20 lb. Smoked Whole Turkey (with butter and a variety of dried spices) in about 6 hours, using a pellet grill or smoker.


Sep
2022

Banana Nut Bagels

categories: Bagels, Breads, Breakfast
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Make a batch of 9 homemade New York-style Banana Nut Bagels from scratch! They’re chewy, delicious, and can be made with pecans or walnuts!
Make a batch of 9 homemade New York-style Banana Nut Bagels from scratch! They're chewy, delicious, and can be made with pecans or walnuts!

Do you like a good chewy New-York style bagel? You know… the kind that are boiled and then baked? That’s the best way to make them, and this recipe I am sharing with you today fits the bill perfectly! Over the years I’ve shared several bagel recipes on my blog, and I love to make bagels from scratch.

Years ago a recipe for Banana Nut Bagels was shared on a blog from a woman in Sweden named Anne. She shared the recipe back in 2006, and I am just now getting around to sharing it here on my blog. I knew I would have to try them, and after adapting the recipe from European measurements to an American measuring system, I made a couple changes to her original recipe and then made them. Guess what? They’re GOOD! Let me show you how simple it is to make a batch of 9 delicious banana nut bagels!

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

Make The Bagel Dough

Measure active dry yeast, sugar, and warm water (110°F) in a mixing bowl or in the bowl of an electric mixer (like a KitchenAid). If the water is too hot, it can kill the yeast, so use a kitchen thermometer if you have it. Stir to combine these ingredients, then let it sit for 5 minutes. The yeast should bubble on the surface during this time, ensuring the yeast is “good” to use to help the dough rise.

In a separate small bowl, mash 2 bananas with ground cinnamon. After the yeast mixture has rested, add the banana mixture to the mixing bowl. Combine on Low speed and mix until the bananas and cinnamon have been incorporated into the batter. NOTE: You can also mix this by hand, if you prefer.

Yeast is bubbling in a small bowl, indicating the yeast is "good" to use.Bananas are mashed with a fork before adding them to the bagel dough.Ground cinnamon and mashed bananas are mixed into the yeast mixture.

In another bowl, mix all purpose flour with salt, then slowly add these ingredients, a little at a time, to the mixer. Continue adding and slowly mixing until all flour/salt has been added and a thick dough has formed. About half way through the mixing, toss in chopped pecans (or walnuts, if using), and mix them into the dough The dough should end up being smooth and very elastic in texture.

NOTE: If necessary, you may need to add a tiny bit more flour a little at a time to achieve this texture. You do NOT want the dough to be sticky when touched, however be careful not to add too much flour or the dough will become really dry and “floury”.

Roll the dough into a large ball, and put it into a lightly-oiled (or sprayed) large bowl. Turn the dough over so some of the oil (or spray) gets on all sides of the dough. Cover the bowl with a dish towel, and let the dough rise in a warm place for 1 hour. When done, the dough should have almost doubled in size.

Halfway through the mixing time, chopped pecans (or walnuts) are added to bagel dough.Ball of dough is placed in a greased large bowl, covered, and left to rise for 1 hour.

Shape The Bagels

After dough has risen for about an hour it will be fluffy and puffy. Punch the dough down a couple times with your fist, which helps to knock excess air out of the dough. Let the dough rest for 10 minutes. After the dough has rested, evenly divide it into 9 dough balls. If you have a kitchen scale it helps ensure each dough ball weighs about the same.

Shape each piece into a round ball, then take one dough ball into your hands. Use your fingers to make a small hole in the middle of the bagel, then gently stretch the hole out until the bagel has a nice shaped hole in the middle (like a doughnut). Repeat this with all the dough balls, placing each of the 9 bagels onto a baking sheet. Cover the bagels with a dish towel, and let them rest again for 10 more minutes.

Banana nut bagel dough is punched down after rising, to remove excess air.Using fingers, a hole is made in the center of each of the 9 bagel dough balls.Banana nut bagels have been shaped, and wait to be boiled.

Boil the Bagels

Bring a large saucepan (or Dutch oven) of water to a boil, then lower the temperature to a gentle simmer. Place 2-3 bagels at a time into the simmering water. Let them cook undisturbed for about 1 minute, then flip them over to the other side. I use a couple of chopsticks to easily flip the bagels because I can fit one in the middle of the bagel for stability. Two large spoons will do the trick, as well!

Cook the 2nd side for another minute, then carefully remove the boiled bagels to a baking sheet. Repeat until all bagels have been boiled on both sides. Use a slotted spoon to remove the bagels one at a time, letting excess water drain through the spoon back into the saucepan. Now the bagels are ready for the final step… BAKING them!

The bagels are boiled, a few at a time, in hot simmering water.

Bake The Bagels

Place the bagels in a single layer on a large baking sheet with a little space between each one. Bake them at 425°F. for 18-20 minutes. When done, the banana nut bagels will be golden brown in color and should be firm to the touch. Remove them from the oven, and place the bagels on a wire rack to cool.

After boiling, the banana nut bagels are put on baking sheet to be baked.Golden browned on top, the baked bagels come out of the oven to cool.

The Banana Nut Bagels Are Ready To Eat!

Let the bagels cool on a wire rack, then serve them any way you prefer, plain or toasted! I love them served with some cream cheese spread on them… yum! Another way I enjoy banana nut bagels is to toast (or broil) them, then generously butter them while hot. Those are really, really good, too! However you choose to eat them, I’m confident you’ll enjoy these chewy, delicious homemade bagels.

A close up of one of the banana nut bagels cooling on a wire rack.A bagel, cut in half and smeared with cream cheese, ready to be eaten.

Thanks for stopping by today, and I hope you have the opportunity to try these yummy bagels! Don’t forget the butter and/or cream cheese! Please come back again soon, for more family-friendly recipes. Take care, and have a GREAT day!

Looking For More BAGEL Recipes?

You can find ALL of my recipes in the Recipe Index, which is located at the top of the page. I have some wonderful bagel recipes for you to enjoy, including:

Interested In More Recipes?

Thank you for visiting this website. I appreciate you using some of your valuable time to do so.  If you’re interested, I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1st and 15th) with all the latest recipes, and other fun info. I would be honored to have you join our growing list of subscribers, so you never miss a great recipe!
There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right side (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use, where you can easily submit your e-mail address (only) to be included in my mailing list.

You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:

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

Author's signature

Recipe adapted from: annesfood.blogspot.com/2006/02/banana-pecan-bagels-with-cinnamon.html?spref=pi

↓↓ PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW ↓↓

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Banana Nut Bagels
Prep Time
20 mins
Cook Time
20 mins
Inactive- Dough Rising Time
1 hr
Total Time
1 hr 40 mins
 

Make a batch of 9 homemade New York-style Banana Nut Bagels from scratch! They're chewy, delicious, and can be made with pecans or walnuts!

Category: Bread, Breakfast, Snack
Cuisine: American
Keyword: banana nut bagels
Servings: 9 bagels
Calories Per Serving: 336 kcal
Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Ingredients
  • 2¼ teaspoons active dry yeast =1 small envelope
  • 1 Tablespoon granulated sugar
  • 1¼ cups warm water 110°F, DIVIDED USE
  • 2 medium bananas very ripe, mashed
  • 1 Tablespoon cinnamon
  • 5 cups all purpose flour + more as needed
  • 1 pinch salt
  • ½ cup chopped pecans (or walnuts)
US Customary - Metric
Instructions

  1. Stir yeast, sugar, and warm water (110°F) together in mixing bowl or in the bowl of an electric mixer (like a KitchenAid). If water is too hot, it can kill yeast, so use a kitchen thermometer if you have one Let it sit for 5 minutes. Yeast should bubble, ensuring the yeast is "good" to use to help the dough rise.

  2. In separate bowl, mash 2 bananas. After the yeast mixture has rested, add the bananas and cinnamon. Mix on Low speed until bananas/cinnamon have been incorporated. NOTE: You can mix this by hand, if you prefer.

  3. In another bowl, mix flour with salt, then slowly add, a little at a time, to the mixer bowl. Continue adding SLOWLY, mixing on Low until all flour/salt has been added and thick dough has formed. Half way through mixing, add chopped nuts; mix them into the dough. Dough should end up being smooth and very elastic in texture. NOTE: If necessary, you may need to add a bit more flour (a little at a time) to achieve this texture. You do NOT want dough to be sticky when touched, however be careful not to add too much flour or dough will become really dry and "floury".

  4. Shape dough into a ball; put it in lightly-oiled (or sprayed) large bowl. Turn dough over so some oil (or spray) gets on all sides. Cover bowl with dish towel; let dough rise in warm place for 1 hour.

  5. After 1 hour, dough should be almost doubled in size. Punch dough down a couple times with your fist to remove excess air. Let dough rest 10 minutes, then evenly divide into 9 dough balls. Shape each into a round ball, then take one into your hands. Use your fingers to make a hole in the middle of the bagel, then gently stretch/shape hole until bagel has a round hole (like a doughnut) in the middle. Repeat with all dough balls, placing shaped bagels on a large baking sheet. Cover bagels with a dish towel; let them rest for 10 minutes.

  6. Preheat oven to 425°F.

  7. Bring a large saucepan (or Dutch oven) of water to a boil, then lower temp. to a gentle simmer. Place 2-3 bagels at a time into simmering water. Let cook undisturbed for 1 minute, then flip them over to the other side. Cook second side for 1 minute. Carefully remove boiled bagels with slotted spoon (to drain water); transfer to a baking sheet. Repeat until all bagels have been boiled.

  8. Place bagels in a single layer on large baking sheet leaving space between each one. Bake at 425°F. for 18-20 minutes. When done, bagels should be nicely browned on top, and firm to the touch. Remove from oven; place on a wire rack to cool. Serve and enjoy!

Recipe Notes

NOTE: Caloric calculation made using walnuts.

Nutrition Facts
Banana Nut Bagels
Amount Per Serving (1 bagel)
Calories 336 Calories from Fat 45
% Daily Value*
Fat 5g8%
Saturated Fat 1g6%
Polyunsaturated Fat 3g
Monounsaturated Fat 1g
Sodium 9mg0%
Potassium 229mg7%
Carbohydrates 63g21%
Fiber 4g17%
Sugar 5g6%
Protein 10g20%
Vitamin A 21IU0%
Vitamin C 2mg2%
Calcium 29mg3%
Iron 4mg22%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!Make a batch of 9 homemade New York-style Banana Nut Bagels from scratch! They're chewy, delicious, and can be made with pecans or walnuts!


Sep
2022

Roasted Parmesan Acorn Squash

categories: Side Dishes, Vegetable Dishes
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Roasted Parmesan Acorn Squash is a tasty veggie side dish! Squash is seasoned with butter, spices, and Parmesan, and it’s ready in 30 minutes!
Roasted Parmesan Acorn Squash is a tasty veggie side dish! Squash is seasoned with butter, spices, and Parmesan, and it's ready in 30 minutes!

Tender and seasoned well with butter, spices and Parmesan cheese, this simple acorn squash recipe is delicious, and I think you’ll enjoy it! I’ve been experimenting with acorn squash recipes for the past couple of years, have enjoyed the process!

I’ve already posted delicious “sweet” recipes for Apple Pecan Stuffed Acorn Squash and Baked Praline Acorn Squash on my blog. Now it’s time for a “SAVORY” recipe for this versatile winter squash! It is ready in 30 minutes from start to finish, so you can’t go wrong with this recipe! Here’s how easy it is to make:

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

Prepare The Acorn Squash For Baking

Before beginning, remember to preheat your oven to 400°F. Okay- here we go:  Start with a 1½ to 2 pound acorn squash. This is considered a medium sized squash, since they can get as large as 5 pounds! Carefully slice the squash in half through the middle (NOT stem to bottom!) then scoop out and discard the seeds and pulp from each half.

Place the squash, cut side down, and slice each half into 1″ wide slices, creating a half moon-shaped slice. Place all the slices into a large mixing bowl, and set aside.

A medium sized acorn squash ready to slice in half for this recipe.Seeds and pulp need to be removed from each of the acorn squash halves.One inch slices are cut from each of the acorn squash halves.

This is what the slices will look like after they have been cut.

The acorn squash slices resemble a half-moon in shape after being cut.

Seasoning The Acorn Squash

Now it’s time to make the seasoning sauce for the squash. Melt butter in a small saucepan. When melted, add garlic powder, oregano, thyme, salt and pepper, and stir to combine. Pour the sauce over the acorn squash slices, and toss gently, until the squash is covered on all sides with the buttery spice mixture.

Spices are combined with melted butter in a small saucepan.

All the acorn squash slices are gently tossed to coat them with butter/spice mixture.

Bake The Acorn Squash

Lay the seasoned acorn squash slices in a single layer on a large baking sheet. Sprinkle each slice on top with a little grated Parmesan cheese (either fresh grated or the kind you get in a green shaker can). Bake them at 400°F. for 20 minutes, or until the squash is tender.

Test for doneness by inserting a knife into the middle of a slice. It should glide in smoothly, showing you the squash is tender. Remove the pan from the oven, and serve the roasted Parmesan acorn squash while hot.

Acorn squash is sprinkled with Parmesan cheese and baked in a single layer for 20 minutes.

 

Serve The Roasted Parmesan Acorn Squash

To serve, arrange the roasted Parmesan acorn squash slices on a serving platter or onto individual plates. Garnish with fresh parsley, if desired. Serve immediately and enjoy this savory vegetable side dish. A butter knife can easily be used to separate (cut away) the tender squash from the peel.

The roasted Parmesan acorn squash is garnished with fresh parsley and served.Roasted Parmesan acorn squash is served hot, and is very tender to the bite

I hope you have the opportunity to try this easy to prepare side dish, and trust you will enjoy it as much as we do. Thank you for stopping by today, and I invite you to come back soon for more family-friendly recipes. Take care, and have a GREAT day!

Looking For More VEGGIE SIDE DISH 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 vegetable side dish recipes for you to choose from, including:

Interested In More Recipes?

Thank you for visiting this website. I appreciate you using some of your valuable time to do so.  If you’re interested, I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1st and 15th) with all the latest recipes, and other fun info. I would be honored to have you join our growing list of subscribers, so you never miss a great recipe!
There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right side (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use, where you can easily submit your e-mail address (only) to be included in my mailing list.

You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:

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

Author's signature

↓↓ PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW ↓↓

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PRINT
Roasted Parmesan Acorn Squash
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
20 mins
Total Time
30 mins
 

Roasted Parmesan Acorn Squash is a tasty veggie side dish! Squash is seasoned with butter, spices, and Parmesan, and it's ready in 30 minutes!

Category: Side Dish, Vegetable
Cuisine: American
Keyword: roasted Parmesan acorn squash
Servings: 4
Calories Per Serving: 161 kcal
Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Ingredients
  • 1 medium acorn squash between 1½-2 pounds
  • 3 Tablespoons butter
  • ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
  • ¼ teaspoon oregano
  • ¼ teaspoon thyme
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper
  • 3 Tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese fresh or shaker container
  • fresh parsley (optional for garnish)
US Customary - Metric
Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 400°F.

  2. Carefully slice squash in half through the middle (NOT stem to bottom!). Scoop out/discard seeds and pulp. Place squash cut side down, and slice each half into 1" wide slices, creating half moon-shaped slices. Place into large bowl; set aside.

  3. Melt butter in a small saucepan. Add garlic powder, oregano, thyme, salt and pepper; stir to combine. Pour sauce over acorn squash; toss gently, until squash is covered on all sides with sauce. Lay slices in single layer on large baking sheet. Sprinkle slices with grated Parmesan (fresh grated or green shaker can type).

  4. Bake at 400°F. for 20 minutes, or until the squash is fork-tender. Test for doneness by inserting knife into the middle of a slice. It should glide in smoothly. Remove from the oven; serve roasted Parmesan acorn squash immediately, garnishing with fresh parsley, if desired.

Nutrition Facts
Roasted Parmesan Acorn Squash
Amount Per Serving (1 (1/4 of total))
Calories 161 Calories from Fat 90
% Daily Value*
Fat 10g15%
Saturated Fat 6g38%
Trans Fat 0.3g
Polyunsaturated Fat 0.4g
Monounsaturated Fat 2g
Cholesterol 26mg9%
Sodium 284mg12%
Potassium 606mg17%
Carbohydrates 19g6%
Fiber 3g13%
Sugar 0.02g0%
Protein 3g6%
Vitamin A 928IU19%
Vitamin C 19mg23%
Calcium 95mg10%
Iron 1mg6%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!Roasted Parmesan Acorn Squash is a tasty veggie side dish! Squash is seasoned with butter, spices, and Parmesan, and it's ready in 30 minutes!

 


Sep
2022

Thai Green Curry Mussels

categories: Main Dishes, Seafood
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Thai Green Curry Mussels are a delicious dish! Mussels are served in a coconut curry sauce, with ginger, garlic, lime, shallots and peppers.
Thai Green Curry Mussels are a delicious dish! Mussels are served in a coconut curry sauce, with ginger, garlic, lime, shallots and peppers.

Do you enjoy eating fresh steamed mussels? If so, you may enjoy this slight twist on traditional mussels! Today I want to share with you a recipe I developed for Thai Green Curry Mussels. The flavor palette is slightly spicy from the green curry paste, but is balanced well with coconut milk and other veggies.

The sauce tastes wonderful not only on the steamed mussels, but it’s a perfect dipping sauce for crusty slices of hot sourdough or French bread. We always try to have hot bread on the side to use to dip in the sauce from the bowls! YUM! This recipe is fairly simple to prepare, but has the look and taste of a meal you could get at a nice seafood restaurant! Here’s how to make Thai Green Curry Mussels:

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

Before Starting

Please Note: Before cooking fresh mussels it is very important to check them. If any of the shells have already opened, discard them, as they are not safe to eat. You want those shells CLOSED before cooking! The mussel shells will open on their own, once they have been successfully cooked.

Prepare The Veggies For The Sauce

Heat coconut oil in a LARGE skillet (one that also has a lid) on medium heat. When the oil is hot, add 1/3 cup (total) of chopped red/yellow bell peppers, minced shallot, and a grated 1″ piece of fresh ginger. Add a small pinch of red chili pepper flakes, then season lightly with a couple pinches of salt and pepper.

Stir to combine, and cook these veggies on Medium heat for a couple minutes until they begin to become tender. Add minced garlic and cook for another 30 seconds, stirring often so the garlic doesn’t burn. Pour in 1/2 cup of chicken broth, and stir again, to combine these ingredients.

Chicken broth, ginger, red peppers and shallots ready to season the mussels.Minced garlic is added to the sauteed veggies in the skillet.

Cook The Mussels

Now it’s time to cook the mussels. You will cook the mussels in the same skillet. Add the mussels to the skillet, and quickly stir to cover them with the “veggies” and broth. Put a lid on the skillet, and let the mussels steam for 4-5 minutes on Medium heat or until all the mussel shells have opened. Give the cooked mussels another stir to coat with the broth.

Remove the skillet from the heat. Discard any mussels that did NOT open while cooking, as they’re not safe for consumption. Cover the skillet again (off heat) and keep the mussels warm.

Mussels are added to skillet with veggies and steamed for 4-5 minutes.

Make The Green Curry Sauce

TIP: Make the green curry sauce while the mussels are cooking, because they take about the same time to cook. To make the green curry sauce you will need a can of unsweetened coconut milk (NOT coconut cream). Use either lite or regular canned coconut milk, whichever you prefer. You can typically find this in the Asian foods section at the grocery store.

You will also need Thai style green curry paste, which is usually found in the Asian foods section. I have found various brands available at our local Safeway, Kroger and Wal Mart. This recipe uses 3 Tablespoons GREEN curry paste, so buy a small jar and refrigerate the leftover paste. If you happen to prefer a really hot and spicy green curry sauce, feel free to add another Tablespoon.

Canned coconut milk is used in the green curry sauce for the mussels.Thai green curry paste is used to season the sauce for the steamed mussels.

 To make the curry sauce, add 3 Tablespoons of green curry paste into a separate large skillet. Cook the sauce on low heat for two minutes, stirring occasionally.

Open the can of coconut milk, and stir it until mixture is well blended. Add the canned coconut milk and the juice of one lime to the curry sauce. Stir again, then let the sauce simmer on low heat 2-3 minutes, or until heated through. Stir in half of the total amount of cilantro leaves.

The green curry sauce cooks in a large skillet before pouring over cooked mussels.Cilantro leaves are added to the green curry sauce in the skillet.

Serve The Thai Green Curry Mussels

To serve, evenly divide the cooked mussels (and veggies) into individual serving bowls. Pour the hot green curry sauce over the mussels, dividing all the sauce evenly between the portions. Garnish each serving with the remaining cilantro leaves, then serve and enjoy! Be sure to serve some warm crusty bread on the side to dip up some of that curry sauce out of the bowl.

Thai green curry mussels are served in a large white bowl.One of the cooked Thai green curry mussels shown inside its open shell.

I hope you enjoy this tasty recipe for Thai green curry mussels. Thanks for taking the time to visit my blog today, and I invite you to come back soon for more delicious recipes. Take care, 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 great variety of seafood recipes for you to enjoy, including:

Interested In More Recipes?

Thank you for visiting this website. I appreciate you using some of your valuable time to do so.  If you’re interested, I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1st and 15th) with all the latest recipes, and other fun info. I would be honored to have you join our growing list of subscribers, so you never miss a great recipe!
There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right side (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use, where you can easily submit your e-mail address (only) to be included in my mailing list.

You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:

Facebook page: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Pinterest: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
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Thai Green Curry Mussels
Prep Time
20 mins
Cook Time
5 mins
Total Time
25 mins
 

Thai Green Curry Mussels are a delicious dish! Mussels are served in a coconut curry sauce, with ginger, garlic, lime, shallots and peppers.

Category: Main Dish
Cuisine: American, Thai
Keyword: Thai green curry mussels
Servings: 3
Calories Per Serving: 365 kcal
Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Ingredients
  • 1 Tablespoon coconut oil
  • ⅓ cup red/orange bell peppers combined/chopped
  • ¼ cup shallot minced
  • 1 inch piece of fresh ginger finely grated
  • 1 pinch red pepper flakes
  • ¼ teaspoon salt and pepper ¼ tsp. EACH
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • ½ cup low sodium chicken broth
  • 2½ pounds fresh mussels
  • 3 Tablespoons green curry paste
  • 13.7 ounces lite coconut milk (canned)
  • 1 lime (juice only)
  • 4 Tablespoons cilantro leaves Divided Use
US Customary - Metric
Instructions

  1. *Note: Before cooking fresh mussels it is very important to check them. If any of the shells have already opened, discard them, as they are not safe to eat. You want shells CLOSED before cooking! The mussel shells will open on their own, once they've been cooked.

  2. Heat coconut oil in large skillet on Medium heat. When oil is hot, add chopped red/yellow peppers, shallot, and grated ginger. Add a pinch of red pepper flakes; season with salt/pepper. Stir to combine; cook on Medium for a couple minutes until veggies begin to soften. Add minced garlic; cook another 30 seconds, stirring often. Pour in chicken broth; stir again to combine ingredients.

  3. Add mussels to the same skillet; quickly stir to coat mussels with veggies/broth. Put a lid on the skillet. Steam mussels for 4-5 minutes on Medium heat or until you see the shells have opened. Give mussels another stir to coat with broth. Remove skillet from heat. Discard any mussels (if there are any) that did NOT open while cooking. Cover skillet (off heat); keep mussels warm.

Make Curry Sauce While Mussels Are Steaming To Save Time!

  1. Place curry paste into separate skillet. Cook on Low heat for two minutes, stirring occasionally. Open can of coconut milk; stir until contents are well blended. Add coconut milk and lime juice to skillet. Stir again; let simmer on Low 2-3 minutes, or until heated through. Stir in ½ of the cilantro leaves, then serve.

  2. To serve, evenly divide cooked mussels (and veggies) into serving bowls. Pour hot green curry sauce over mussels, dividing all the sauce evenly between portions. Garnish each serving with remaining cilantro. Serve and enjoy!

Nutrition Facts
Thai Green Curry Mussels
Amount Per Serving (1 (1/3 of total))
Calories 365 Calories from Fat 171
% Daily Value*
Fat 19g29%
Saturated Fat 14g88%
Polyunsaturated Fat 2g
Monounsaturated Fat 2g
Cholesterol 54mg18%
Sodium 870mg38%
Potassium 792mg23%
Carbohydrates 20g7%
Fiber 2g8%
Sugar 4g4%
Protein 25g50%
Vitamin A 3241IU65%
Vitamin C 44mg53%
Calcium 91mg9%
Iron 9mg50%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!Thai Green Curry Mussels are a delicious dish! Mussels are served in a coconut curry sauce, with ginger, garlic, lime, shallots and peppers.


Aug
2022

Spicy Sweet Potato Bites

categories: Side Dishes, Vegetable Dishes
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Spicy Sweet Potato Bites (2 servings) are an easy to make, oven-roasted side dish. Seasoned with Southwestern spices, you’ll enjoy them!
Spicy Sweet Potato Bites (2 servings) are an easy to make, oven-roasted side dish. Seasoned with Southwestern spices, you'll enjoy them!

If you enjoy sweet potatoes, then I am pretty sure you’ll enjoy these yummy, oven-roasted spicy sweet potato bites! They have a tiny little “kick” from the Southwestern-inspired spices, but honestly, they are not TOO spicy for most folks.

The recipe, as written, is enough for two servings (or three, if serving a smaller portion). A medium-sized fresh sweet potato is sliced, cubed, seasoned with oil and spices, then roasted until soft and tender. It really is a simple dish to make, and tastes great, especially when paired with beef, chicken or pork! Let me show you how easy it is to make this delicious veggie side dish!

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

Preparing The Sweet Potatoes

Before beginning, preheat your oven to 350°F. It doesn’t take long to prepare the sweet potatoes, and you want the oven preheated once they’re ready to go! Okay? Okay. Now let’s get the sweet potatoes ready to be roasted.

Clean the unpeeled sweet potatoes well with water to remove any dirt present, then pat dry. Carefully cut the UNPEELED sweet potato into  1″ long wedges (the length of the sweet potato). Cut each wedge into thirds, lengthwise (like a long French fry). Now cut each piece into small cubes (a width of about an inch or so). Place the sweet potato cubes into a mixing bowl.

Fresh, unpeeled sweet potatoes are cut in wedges, then diced into cubes.Diced sweet potatoes in a large glass bowl, ready for seasoning.

Seasoning The Sweet Potatoes

The spicy seasoning mix is a cinch to make. Simply measure garlic powder, chili powder, cumin, cayenne pepper, salt and black pepper into a small bowl or container. Stir to mix, then set aside. See how easy that was? Now it’s time to season the sweet potatoes before roasting.

Spices are combined in small dish to season the Spicy Sweet Potato Bites.

Add 2 teaspoons of extra virgin olive oil to the sweet potato cubes, then stir or toss them, to lightly coat them with the oil. Lightly coating the sweet potatoes with oil helps the spices to “stick” to the potatoes for baking.

Sprinkle the spice mix over the sweet potatoes, and then stir or toss them well, making sure all potatoes are covered with the oil and spices. Now the sweet potatoes are ready to roast in the oven.

Olive oil is added to sweet potato cubes, then tossed to combine.Seasoning mixture is added to oil-covered sweet potato cubes before cooking.

Time To Bake!

Line a baking sheet with a piece of parchment paper or a Silpat liner, then add the seasoned sweet potatoes in a single layer. Bake the spicy sweet potato bites in a 350°F. preheated oven for 45-50 minutes. Your total baking time may vary slightly, due to the size of the potato cubes you’re using, or temperature variations in different ovens.

When done, the spicy sweet potato bites should be slightly crispy on the outside, yet soft and tender on the inside. You can test for doneness by inserting a knife into a piece to see if it is soft inside. If nice and tender, they’re ready to serve. If still a bit firm, place them back in the oven for 2-3 more minutes, then check again.

Single layer of spicy sweet potato bites on parchment paper, ready to bake.

Who’s Ready For Some Spicy Sweet Potato Bites?

Once done, transfer the hot, roasted sweet potatoes to a serving bowl or individual plates, and serve hot. This recipe (as written below) will yield 2 good sized servings (or 3 small servings). The recipe can easily be doubled or tripled to make the quantity you need, if necessary!

Spicy Sweet Potato Bites are served as a side dish, on a white plate.

I hope you enjoy this simple recipe for spicy sweet potato bites… we sure do! Thanks for stopping by this blog today, and I invite you to come back again soon for more yummy recipes! Take care, and have a GREAT day!

Looking For More SWEET POTATO Recipes?

You can find ALL of my recipes in the Recipe Index, located at the top of the page. I have a nice variety of sweet potato and yam recipes for you to enjoy, including:

Interested In More Recipes?

Thank you for visiting this website. I appreciate you using some of your valuable time to do so.  If you’re interested, I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1st and 15th) with all the latest recipes, and other fun info. I would be honored to have you join our growing list of subscribers, so you never miss a great recipe!
There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right side (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use, where you can easily submit your e-mail address (only) to be included in my mailing list.

You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:

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

Author's signature

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Spicy Sweet Potato Bites
Prep Time
5 mins
Cook Time
45 mins
Total Time
50 mins
 

Spicy Sweet Potato Bites (2 servings) are an easy to make, oven-roasted side dish. Seasoned with Southwestern spices, you'll enjoy them!

Category: Side Dish, Vegetable Dish
Cuisine: American
Keyword: spicy sweet potato bites
Servings: 2 (or 3 smaller portions)
Calories Per Serving: 142 kcal
Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Ingredients
  • 1 medium sweet potato unpeeled
  • 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • ¾ teaspoon chili powder
  • ¼ teaspoon cumin
  • ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper
US Customary - Metric
Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper OR Silpat liner.

  2. Clean sweet potatoes with water to remove any dirt present; pat dry. Carefully cut UNPEELED sweet potato into 1" long wedges (length of the sweet potato). Cut each wedge into thirds lengthwise (like a French fry). Now cut each piece into small cubes (width of about 1"). Place sweet potatoes in a mixing bowl.

  3. Measure garlic powder, chili powder, cumin, cayenne pepper, salt and pepper into a small bowl. Stir to mix; set aside.

  4. Add olive oil to sweet potatoes; stir or toss, to lightly coat them with oil. Sprinkle potatoes with spice mix; stir or toss well, making sure potatoes are covered with oil/spices.

  5. Place sweet potatoes onto prepared baking sheet in a single layer. Bake at 350°F. for 45-50 minutes. When done, potatoes should be slightly crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside. Test for doneness by inserting a knife into a piece. If soft inside, they're ready to serve. If still a bit firm, place back in oven for 2-3 more minutes, then check again. Serve hot.

Nutrition Facts
Spicy Sweet Potato Bites
Amount Per Serving (1 (1/2 of total))
Calories 142 Calories from Fat 36
% Daily Value*
Fat 4g6%
Saturated Fat 1g6%
Polyunsaturated Fat 1g
Monounsaturated Fat 3g
Sodium 367mg16%
Potassium 424mg12%
Carbohydrates 25g8%
Fiber 4g17%
Sugar 5g6%
Protein 2g4%
Vitamin A 16310IU326%
Vitamin C 3mg4%
Calcium 41mg4%
Iron 1mg6%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!Spicy Sweet Potato Bites (2 servings) are an easy to make, oven-roasted side dish. Seasoned with Southwestern spices, you'll enjoy them!

 


Aug
2022

Chicken Enchilada Quiche

categories: Chicken, Main Dishes, Mexican / Southwestern
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Make a delicious Chicken Enchilada Quiche, with a corn tortilla crust filled with two cheeses, chicken, eggs, spices, onions and green chilis!
Make a delicious Chicken Enchilada Quiche, with a corn tortilla crust filled with two cheeses, chicken, eggs, spices, onions and green chilis!

If you enjoy eating quiche or chicken enchiladas, then I’m confident you’ll enjoy this Chicken Enchilada Quiche! This Mexican-inspired quiche comes together easily and then it’s cooked in a MICROWAVE! How convenient is that? That’s a big plus, especially when it’s hot outside, so your kitchen doesn’t heat up from using an oven. Hooray!

Another cool feature about this yummy quiche is that the crust is made entirely from corn tortillas. Yep… you don’t have to make a pastry crust… you use corn tortillas! They’re layered into a pie plate, then two cheeses, shredded chicken, green chilis, spices and an egg filling are added. As the filling cooks, it “bonds” with the corn tortillas, creating a nice, simple crust for this tasty quiche.

Are you a Vegetarian but want to try this recipe? If you follow a vegetarian diet or just want a “meatless” meal occasionally, simply leave the chicken out! This quiche will still taste wonderful! Here’s how easy the quiche is to make: 

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

Prepare The “Crust” And Chicken Filling

For this recipe I use 6 small corn tortillas to fill a standard 9″ pie plate. There is no need for any cooking spray! Overlap the tortillas enough to cover the pie plate, being sure to leave some up on the rim, which will become the visible “crust”.  If you use larger corn tortillas, you may only need 4 or 5 of them, but using little standard sized ones require 6 to fill the dish.

Mix together the grated Jack and Cheddar cheeses, then measure out 1/2 cup of the cheese and set it aside for later (used during cooking). Once the tortillas have been arranged, sprinkle grated cheeses on top (except for reserved cheese).

Sprinkle the cheese with shredded chicken breast, sliced green onions, and diced green chilis. I use rotisserie chicken because it’s convenient, but feel free to use any  cooked chicken breast, as long as you shred it with a couple of forks. Set the pie plate aside while you make the egg filling.

Six corn tortillas form the crust for the chicken enchilada quiche.Shredded chicken, chilis, and cheeses are placed in the tortilla crust.

Prepare The Egg Filling

Combine six lightly beaten eggs, salt, cumin, chili powder, garlic powder and a Tablespoon of salsa in a medium bowl. Whisk well, to fully combine these ingredients. Set the bowl aside.

In a glass measuring cup, heat milk in the microwave for 2 minutes on HIGH power, stirring once after 1 minute. Remove the milk from the microwave, and let it cool slightly. Drizzle the milk VERY SLOWLY into the egg mixture, whisking the entire time you are adding the milk. Keep whisking as you SLOWLY pour, to ensure the eggs don’t scramble from the heated milk.

Eggs, salsa and spices are combined in a medium sized bowl for the quiche filling.A cup of milk is heated slightly in a microwave before adding to egg mixture.Eggs, milk, salsa and spices make up the liquid filling for the quiche.

Prepare The Quiche For Cooking

Carefully pour the egg mixture over the top of the chicken enchilada quiche ingredients in the pie pan. Gently stir the filling, doing the best you can to combine the cheeses, onions, etc. with the egg mixture. Try to evenly distribute the chicken, etc. throughout the quiche. Once combined, the quiche is ready to be cooked in the microwave.

Egg mixture has been added to the chicken enchilada quiche in a pie pan.After the quiche filling is stirred to combine, it is ready to be cooked in microwave.

Final Step

Cook the chicken enchilada quiche (uncovered) in the microwave on 70% power for 15 minutes. NOTE: If your microwave does NOT have a carousel (that moves in a circle), rotate the quiche a 1/3 turn every 5 minutes. At the end of 15 minutes, sprinkle the reserved ½ cup of cheese evenly over the top of the quiche and put it back into the microwave.

Continue to cook for 3 minutes on HIGH (100% power), then remove the chicken enchilada quiche from the microwave. When done, the cheese should be melted and the surface will be fairly firm to the touch. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let the quiche cool 5-6 minutes before slicing. This gives the filling and the melted cheeses time to firm up and solidify even more, as well.

After microwaving 15 minutes, more cheese is added to the quiche and cooked 3 more minutes.The chicken enchilada quiche is fully cooked, and cools for a few minutes before slicing.

Serving The Chicken Enchilada Quiche

Slice the chicken enchilada quiche into 6 wedges. Dollop each serving with sour cream, guacamole, and salsa, if desired. Those extra ingredients are optional, but they do add even more color and flavor to the quiche! All that’s left to do is “Dig In!” and enjoy this yummy meal.

A slice of chicken enchilada quiche, with dollops of salsa, guacamole and sour cream.A white plate with a piece of the chicken enchilada quiche, ready to be devoured.

I really hope you enjoy this absolutely delicious chicken enchilada quiche! Thanks for taking time out of your day to visit this blog today. Please come back again soon for more family-friendly recipes. Take care, and have a GREAT day!

Looking For More QUICHE Recipes?

You can find ALL of my recipes in the Recipe Index, located at the top of the page. I have some delicious quiche recipes you might want to check out, including:

Interested In More Recipes?

Thank you for visiting this website. I appreciate you using some of your valuable time to do so.  If you’re interested, I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1st and 15th) with all the latest recipes, and other fun info. I would be honored to have you join our growing list of subscribers, so you never miss a great recipe!
There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right side (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use, where you can easily submit your e-mail address (only) to be included in my mailing list.

You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:

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

Author's signature

Recipe inspired by: Bonnie Spycher’s recipe for Acapulco Quiche in the “Cooking With Love” Monte Vista Chapel Ladies Fellowship cookbook, page 110, published in 1988

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Chicken Enchilada Quiche
Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
18 mins
Total Time
33 mins
 

Make a delicious Chicken Enchilada Quiche, with a corn tortilla crust filled with two cheeses, chicken, eggs, spices, onions and green chilis!

Category: Dinner, Lunch
Cuisine: Mexican, Southwestern
Keyword: chicken enchilada quiche
Servings: 6 slices
Calories Per Serving: 292 kcal
Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Ingredients
  • 6 6" corn tortillas
  • 1 cup Cheddar cheese grated
  • 1 cup Monterey Jack cheese grated
  • 1 large cooked chicken breast shredded
  • 1 stalk green onion (green stem and white bulb) thinly sliced
  • 4 ounces diced green chilis (4 oz.) drained
  • 6 large eggs lightly beaten
  • 1 Tablespoon salsa
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
  • ½ teaspoon ground cumin
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 cup milk
OPTIONAL GARNISHES: guacamole, sour cream, salsa, etc.
    US Customary - Metric
    Instructions

    1. Layer tortillas in pie pan. Overlap tortillas enough to cover bottom and sides, leaving some on the rim, to become a visible "crust". 

    2. Mix together grated Jack/Cheddar cheeses. Measure out ½ cup of cheese and set aside for later. Sprinkle grated cheese evenly on top of tortillas (except for reserved cheese). Add chicken, green onion, and green chilis. Set pie pan aside.

    3. Combine eggs, salt, cumin, chili powder, garlic powder and salsa in a medium bowl. Whisk well, to fully combine. Set bowl aside. Heat milk in a glass measuring cup in microwave for 2 minutes on HIGH, stirring once after 1 minute. Remove milk; let cool slightly. Drizzle milk VERY SLOWLY into egg mixture, whisking constantly, to ensure eggs don't scramble from heated milk. Carefully pour over ingredients in pie pan. Gently stir filling to evenly distribute ingredients.

    4. Cook (uncovered) in microwave on 70% power for 15 minutes. NOTE: If your microwave does NOT have a carousel (that moves in a circle), rotate ⅕ turn every 5 minutes. After 15 minutes, sprinkle reserved cheese evenly on top; put quiche back in microwave. Continue to cook for 3 minutes on HIGH. When done, cheese should be melted and surface will be fairly firm to the touch. Transfer pan to wire rack; let quiche cool 5-6 minutes before slicing.

    5. To serve, slice quiche into 6 wedges. Dollop each serving with sour cream, guacamole, and salsa, if desired. Serve, and enjoy!

    Nutrition Facts
    Chicken Enchilada Quiche
    Amount Per Serving (1 slice (1/6 of total))
    Calories 292 Calories from Fat 162
    % Daily Value*
    Fat 18g28%
    Saturated Fat 9g56%
    Trans Fat 0.02g
    Polyunsaturated Fat 2g
    Monounsaturated Fat 5g
    Cholesterol 248mg83%
    Sodium 631mg27%
    Potassium 278mg8%
    Carbohydrates 5g2%
    Fiber 1g4%
    Sugar 2g2%
    Protein 26g52%
    Vitamin A 745IU15%
    Vitamin C 7mg8%
    Calcium 367mg37%
    Iron 2mg11%
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

    Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!Make a delicious Chicken Enchilada Quiche, with a corn tortilla crust filled with two cheeses, chicken, eggs, spices, onions and green chilis!