Month: February 2014


Feb
2014

Pan Seared Creole Salmon

categories: Main Dishes, Seafood
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Make delicious, lightly seasoned, pan seared Creole salmon fillets, using only a few ingredients, and have it on the table in under 15 minutes!Make delicious, lightly seasoned, pan seared Creole salmon fillets, using only a few ingredients, and have it on the table in under 15 minutes!
If you are looking for an EASY and DELICIOUS way to prepare salmon…look no further. I debated whether even to post this Pan Seared Creole Salmon as a “recipe”, but decided to preserve it on my blog for all time. This is my “go to” way to prepare salmon fillets. Seriously- this is THE way I have prepared salmon fillets in our home for the past several years. It is so easy to prepare this delicious seafood.

One of my dearest friends (who happens to be a fantastic cook) said it was fantastic after being served this for dinner in our home recently. In the summer my husband loves to grill salmon on a cedar plank on our Weber BBQ (when it sunny and dry outside!), but this truly is how we cook salmon 9 times out of 10. We LOVE it!

I sure hope you will give it a try. Salmon is so good for you, and this recipe only takes 15 minutes, from start to finish! EASY! Here’s how to make this yummy dish:

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

How To Make Pan Seared Creole Salmon

Lightly sprinkle the creole seasoning onto one side of the salmon fillets. I used skinless fillets.

Salmon fillets are lightly seasoned with creole (cajun) seasoning.

This is the seasoning I use (shown below) in case you were wondering. NO, I do not receive any compensation for this product. If you do not have access to this seasoning mix, I recommend my recipe for homemade Cajun seasoning mix. It is a great substitute, and is very easy to make!

The seasoning mix used for this recipe.

Pan-Sear The Salmon Fillets

Heat oil on medium high heat in a large skillet. Place the salmon fillets, seasoned side down, into the hot skillet.

The salmon fillets are pan seared, seasoned side down, in hot oil.

When half of the way done, carefully turn the salmon to the other side and continue cooking until the salmon is done. Depending on the size of the salmon used, it “usually” only takes about 8-9 minutes total to cook the fillets.

Pan seared creole salmon cooking in skillet.

Baste Pan Seared Cajun Salmon With Melted Butter

After turning the fillets to the other side, butter is added to skillet. Let the butter melt in the skillet. Continue cooking side 2 of the salmon, and spoon the melted butter up and all over the salmon continuously while it finishes cooking. As the salmon cooks, the butter browns, and will add GREAT browned butter flavor to the salmon!

Melted butter is used to baste the creole salmon.

Once the fish is cooked through and flakes easily, this pan seared Creole salmon is ready to eat. See just how EASY it is to make? Enjoy!

A pan seared creole salmon fillet is served with rice and vegetables on the side.

Hope you enjoy this delicious pan seared creole salmon. We LOVE it! Have a good day, and I hope you will come back soon.

Looking For More SALMON Recipes?

You can find all of my recipes in the Recipe Index, located at the top of the page. I have quite a few salmon 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

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Pan Seared Creole Salmon
Prep Time
5 mins
Cook Time
10 mins
Total Time
15 mins
 

Make delicious, lightly seasoned, pan seared Creole salmon fillets, using only a few ingredients, and have it on the table in under 15 minutes!

Category: Entree
Cuisine: Cajun
Keyword: pan seared Creole salmon
Servings: 2 servings
Calories Per Serving: 353 kcal
Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Ingredients
  • 2 Skinless salmon filets (we've used salmon with skin on, it's ok, but messy to remove at serving time).
  • Tony Chachere's Original Creole Seasoning (I'm sure any Cajun or Creole seasoning will work)
  • 1 Tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 Tablespoon butter
US Customary - Metric
Instructions
  1. Lightly (do not put too much seasoning on!) sprinkle the surface of ONE side of each of the salmon filets.
  2. Heat the olive oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Once the skillet is very hot (but not smoking), place the salmon in SEASONING SIDE DOWN. It should sizzle.
  3. After 3-4 minutes (depending on thickness of filets), carefully turn salmon over; continue cooking. After 2-3 minutes (when salmon is right on the verge of being done, add the butter to the pan.
  4. Once the butter is melted, continually spoon up the melted butter and pour over tops of salmon. Continue to "baste" the salmon with butter for a couple of minutes. Remove salmon from skillet and serve!
Nutrition Facts
Pan Seared Creole Salmon
Amount Per Serving (1 g)
Calories 353 Calories from Fat 207
% Daily Value*
Fat 23g35%
Saturated Fat 6g38%
Cholesterol 108mg36%
Sodium 124mg5%
Potassium 833mg24%
Protein 33g66%
Vitamin A 245IU5%
Calcium 20mg2%
Iron 1.4mg8%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!Make delicious, lightly seasoned, pan seared Creole salmon fillets, using only a few ingredients, and have it on the table in under 15 minutes!

 

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Feb
2014

Blueberry Cheesecake Ice Cream

categories: Desserts, Ice Cream/Frozen Treats
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Blueberry Cheesecake Ice Cream is the PERFECT frozen treat! Blueberry sauce, cream cheese and graham cracker crumbles add to the taste!Blueberry Cheesecake Ice Cream is the PERFECT frozen treat! Blueberry sauce, cream cheese and graham cracker crumbles add to the taste!
It’s Winter (brr!) and guess what? I’m sharing a recipe today for homemade Blueberry Cheesecake Ice Cream (ironic, isn’t it?). However… ice cream is good any time of the year, right? THIS ice cream is absolutely amazing! Why? Because it’s beautiful and delicious, AND is there ever a reason to NOT have ice cream?!  I don’t think so… Two summers ago I received a new ice cream maker as a gift, and I’ve LOVED trying lots of delicious ice cream recipes since then.

Previously I made homemade ice cream outside in our trusty electric ice cream maker, loading the salt and ice in layers, then waiting and waiting. It always turned out wonderful, but was a bit time consuming and messy.

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

I LOVE My Indoor Ice Cream Machine!

I received a Cuisinart indoor ice cream maker for a birthday… and it has been a game-changer! Now it can be pouring down rain or snowing outside (not that it would EVER happen in Oregon-ha ha) and I can be in my warm little kitchen making ICE CREAM (I know…I’m shouting, but don’t we all scream for ice cream?) No salt or ice to add, and ready in approx. 25 minutes. Yeah…this little ice cream maker is convenient and dangerous (to my waistline).

“Summer Of the Great Ice Cream Experiment”

So…back to my story: I decided to call that summer the “Summer of the Great Ice Cream Experiment”. I tried a new recipe almost every week or two and posted the pics on Facebook. Check out my Recipe Index to see all the ice cream recipes I’ve posted, including Strawberry, Chocolate Peanut Butter, Peach, and Coffee!

Out of all the recipes I tried, this one was my favorite! I made a couple of changes to the original recipe to suit my taste, and voila! An instant “keeper”.

This blueberry cheesecake ice cream is filled with cheesecake flavor, mingled in with with the graham cracker crust swirls, and I must say, the blueberry sauce is amazing! Give this recipe a try…it will NOT disappoint! It’s a party for your mouth.

Note: I am posting the recipe the way I modified it for my 2 quart ice cream maker. I made the topping ingredients and graham cracker crust ingredients as per the original recipe (so I would have extras for storing in my freezer). Refer to original recipe if you are making it in full sized ice cream maker.

Making The Blueberry Sauce

A blueberry sauce is cooked to add to ice cream.

Making Blueberry Cheesecake Ice Cream

A graham cracker mixture is made, then it is layered with the blueberry sauce onto the prepared ice cream…

Graham cracker crumbs are added to finished ice cream in a layer.

The ice cream is layered with graham cracker mixture, and the blueberry sauce. The blueberry cheesecake ice cream is then put into freezer to fully firm up and “ripen” for several hours.

Graham crackers crumbs and blueberry topping are layered in with the ice cream.

Now the blueberry cheesecake ice cream is almost ready to serve, after it has firmed up in the freezer. Now all that is left to do before serving is to top it with additional blueberry sauce and graham cracker mixture! That helps to make the presentation of the blueberry cheesecake ice cream look amazing, too!

Now the scoop of blueberry cheesecake ice cream just needs a topping.

Serving The Blueberry Cheesecake Ice Cream

When you’re ready to serve, just add a little bit of additional toppings to make it pretty! A little spoonful of blueberry sauce, and a sprinkle of graham cracker mix finishes off the blueberry cheesecake ice cream beautifully! Isn’t it gorgeous??? Grab a spoon, and dig in!

The blueberry cheesecake ice cream is topped with blueberry sauce and graham cracker crumbles to serve.

I sure hope you will consider making this delicious dessert!  I’m confident you and your friends or family will really enjoy this yummy frozen treat! The only thing left to do is… grab a spoon, take a big bite, and ENJOY some Blueberry Cheesecake Ice Cream!

Looking For More ICE CREAM Recipes?

You can find all of my recipes in the Recipe Index, located at the top of the page. I have quite a few ice cream recipes 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

Have a GREAT day!

Author's signature

Adapted From: http://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/blueberry-cheesecake-ice-cream

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Blueberry Cheesecake Ice Cream
Prep Time
20 mins
Cook Time
10 mins
Total Time
30 mins
 

Blueberry Cheesecake Ice Cream is the PERFECT frozen treat! Blueberry sauce, cream cheese and graham cracker crumbles add to the taste!

Category: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: blueberry cheesecake ice cream
Servings: 8 1/2 cup servings (2 quarts)
Calories Per Serving: 669 kcal
Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Ingredients
For Blueberry Sauce:
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 Tablespoons cornstarch
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1 1/4 cups fresh or frozen blueberries
  • 1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice
For Graham Cracker Mixture:
  • 2 1/4 cups graham cracker crumbs (about 36 squares)
  • 2 Tablespoons granulated sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 cup butter , melted
For Ice Cream:
  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 8 oz. package cream cheese , room temperature
  • 2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • 2 cups heavy whipping cream
  • 1 cup milk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
US Customary - Metric
Instructions
  1. In a saucepan, combine the sugar and cornstarch. Whisk in the water until the mixture is smooth. Stir in the blueberries and the lemon juice, then bring this mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat, then simmer (uncovered), for 5-6 minutes or until the mixture has thickened slightly. Stir mixture occasionally. Once the berry mixture has thickened, remove from heat. Cover and refrigerate until fully chilled. (I made this hours before making the ice cream)
  2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, combine the cracker crumbs, sugar and cinnamon. Stir in the melted butter and mix till combined. Pat this crumb mixture into an ungreased 9x13 baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 10-15 minutes or until the crumbs are lightly browned. When done, remove; cool mixture completely. (I did this ahead of time, as well). When the mixture is completely cooled off, crumble the graham cracker mixture and set aside.
  3. To make the ice cream: In a large bowl, beat all the ice cream ingredients together until the sugar has dissolved (you will have some small cream cheese lumps...this is okay). Fill the ice cream container (the FREEZING cold ice cream container) 2/3 full. Freeze as per the manufacturer's instructions.
  4. When ice cream is done, evenly disperse layers of ice cream, cooled and crumbled graham cracker mixture, and blueberry sauce 3 times. Remember to only use half of the crumbled graham crackers and berry sauce for this (it made extra, remember?) Remember to repeat the layers (for a total of 3 times).
  5. Layer 1: Ice Cream
  6. Layer 2: Graham Cracker Crumbles
  7. Layer 3: Blueberry Sauce
  8. Swirl through the layers with a knife, being sure to take the tip of the knife all the way to the bottom of the bowl or ice cream storage container you are using. Freeze for at least a couple of hours for the ice cream to "firm up".
  9. Once you are ready to serve, scoop it into serving dishes; lightly top each serving with a spoonful of the blueberry sauce and a sprinkling of graham cracker crumbles. Enjoy!
Nutrition Facts
Blueberry Cheesecake Ice Cream
Amount Per Serving (1 (1/2 cup) serving)
Calories 669 Calories from Fat 405
% Daily Value*
Fat 45g69%
Saturated Fat 27g169%
Cholesterol 144mg48%
Sodium 384mg17%
Potassium 187mg5%
Carbohydrates 61g20%
Fiber 1g4%
Sugar 44g49%
Protein 5g10%
Vitamin A 1680IU34%
Vitamin C 4.8mg6%
Calcium 127mg13%
Iron 1.2mg7%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!Blueberry Cheesecake Ice Cream is the PERFECT frozen treat! Blueberry sauce, cream cheese and graham cracker crumbles add to the taste!

 

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Feb
2014

Classic Creme Bruleé

categories: Desserts
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Classic Creme Bruleé is a decadent dessert that can be made with only 5 ingredients. It has a custard filling, and a “crackable” sugar crust on top. And… it’s SO GOOD!Classic Creme Bruleé is a decadent dessert that can be made with only 5 ingredients. It has a custard filling, and a "crackable" sugar crust on top.
Well, another Valentine’s Day has come and gone. My husband and I have been sick for the past 10 days with major head colds and stubborn coughs. Time for Classic Creme Bruleé to make it all better, right? We were going to go out together as is our tradition, but neither of us felt like it this year. We were just too tired and sick to enjoy the celebration.

Well that’s a great sad tale, but the bottom line is “You still have to eat, right?” Right. Believe me, if I could’ve snapped my fingers and summoned my own personal chef to cook a fabulous meal and then clean it all up, I wouldn’t have batted an eyelash.

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

Valentines Day Dinner For The “Sickies”

But I live in reality world, so to ensure we didn’t shrivel up and die from starvation (*note: this might be an over-exaggeration on my part*), I decided to DRAG my “sniffle-y, cough-y” self (in my pajamas, I might add) into the kitchen and rustle up a decent dinner.

I ended up making pan seared Creole Salmon, with fresh asparagus and rice. Not bad for a sicko, right? But wait…there’s more. I decided to give it the old college try and make a nice dessert for my Valentine, even if it killed me. What did I make, you ask?

Classic Creme Bruleé! An easy, but decadent dessert that my husband LOVES. If you have never made creme brulee, give it a try. It’s truly a delicious classic! Hope you enjoy it… I know we did and we will (it made 4 portions…just our luck…leftovers tomorrow!!!!!) I even changed out of my “sick-girl” pajamas to eat dinner and dessert. A proud moment. The End.

Making Classic Creme Bruleé

Here is the classic creme bruleé, right after it came out of the oven.  My handy dandy butane kitchen torch is waiting patiently nearby to make the “magic” happen!

The creme bruleé has been baked, and chilled. Now time for torching!

Ready For The Blow Torch!

The top of each creme bruleé is sprinkled with a layer of granulated sugar, and now they are ready for the blow torch to crystallize the sugar on top into a crackly delight!

Granulated sugar is spread on the top of each creme bruleé before torching.

The sugar has been torched, and is now browned and hardened to form a crunchy crust on top of this classic creme bruleé.  Ooh… I can hardly wait!

The sugar has been browned and forms a crackable crust on top of the creme bruleé.

Ready To EAT!

Grab a spoon and crack through the top of one of these decadent desserts! Can you see how the sugar crust cracks? That is perfect, and exactly what it is supposed to do!  This creme bruleé dessert is so creamy, rich tasting, and good. Go ahead… take another bite. You’re gonna enjoy this treat.

The crust is cracked open on the creme bruleé, revealing the custard filling.

Hope you enjoy this classic creme bruleé. It truly is a classic “must try” dessert. Be sure to check out my recipe for Chocolate Creme Brulee. It’s really tasty, too. Have a great day, and come back soon for more recipes!

Looking for More DECADENT DESSERT Recipes?

You can find all of my recipes in the Recipe Index, located at the top of the page. I have LOTS of yummy dessert recipes you might 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 the back of the box my ramekins came in… true story.

↓↓ PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW ↓↓

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Classic Creme Brulee
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
50 mins
Total Time
1 hr
 
Classic Creme Bruleé is a decadent dessert that can be made with only 5 ingredients. It has a custard filling, and a "crackable" sugar crust on top,
Category: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: classic creme brulee
Servings: 4 servings
Calories Per Serving: 468 kcal
Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Ingredients
  • 6 egg yolks
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
  • 3/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 6 teaspoons granulated sugar (for the caramelized tops)
  • 6- piece Creme Brulee set , OR 4 ramekins + baking pan (with sides) that will hold all 4 ramekins
US Customary - Metric
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
  2. In a medium bowl, whisk the egg yolks and 1/4 cup sugar together. Whisk until sugar has dissolved and egg yolk mixture is thick and light in color.
  3. Add the whipping cream and vanilla extract; whisk until blended. Strain the mixture into a large bowl, skimming off any foam or bubbles.
  4. Place wire rack in baking pan (if using brulee set) and fill pan halfway with water.
  5. Place the ramekins into the wire rack (if using brulee set) or into the baking pan and carefully pour the brulee mixture into the 4 ramekins. (Note: the water should cover the bottom half of the ramekins)
  6. Bake brulee at 300 degrees until the edges are set, but still slightly loose in the center, approximately 50-55 minutes. Remove pan from oven (carefully!), and let it rest on a wire rack until completely cooled. Once cooled, remove the cups from the rack and chill the brulee at least 2 hours or more.
  7. Before serving, sprinkle 1 1/2 tsp. granulated sugar evenly across the top of each one. Using a small, hand-held torch, carefully melt the topping by keeping the flame approx. 2-3 inches from the top of the sugar and move flame around, as the sugar melts, then caramelizes. Do not burn the sugar...it just needs to be a nice caramel color. As the caramelized sugar cools, it will form a hard "crackable" surface for your brulee. This is my favorite part!
If NOT using a butane torch to carmelize sugar: If you do not own a hand-held torch, you can use this method to caramelize the sugar:
  1. Once you remove the ramekins from the refrigerator where they have chilled, place them back in the pan (no water), and place them NO MORE than 5 inches under the oven's broiler until the sugar melts (in as little as 2 minutes). Remove pan promptly from the oven and cool. Re-chill the brulee in the refrigerator for several minutes, for optimum serving temperature.
Recipe Notes

Other flavor options: replace vanilla with 1 tsp. orange extract, 1 tsp. grated orange peel and 1/4 tsp. nutmeg OR use your favorite chocolate or espresso flavoring.

Nutrition Facts
Classic Creme Brulee
Amount Per Serving (1 g)
Calories 468 Calories from Fat 360
% Daily Value*
Fat 40g62%
Saturated Fat 23g144%
Cholesterol 415mg138%
Sodium 47mg2%
Potassium 96mg3%
Carbohydrates 22g7%
Sugar 18g20%
Protein 6g12%
Vitamin A 1700IU34%
Vitamin C 0.6mg1%
Calcium 93mg9%
Iron 0.7mg4%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!Classic Creme Bruleé is a decadent dessert that can be made with only 5 ingredients. It has a custard filling, and a "crackable" sugar crust on top,

 

 

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Feb
2014

Italian Sausage and Spinach Quiche

categories: Breakfast, Main Dishes, Pork
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This delicious Italian sausage spinach quiche (with mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses) is a meal you can enjoy for breakfast, lunch or dinner! This delicious Italian sausage spinach quiche (with mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses) is a meal you can enjoy for breakfast, lunch or dinner! Nothing like a great piece of Italian Sausage Spinach Quiche to satisfy your hunger pangs, right? I think it’s going to be a great day!  It’s a great day to make a yummy Italian Sausage Spinach Quiche!

I woke up this morning with such peace and anticipation about what God will bring into my life today. I am so grateful He has proved Himself over and over through the years to be completely worthy of my trust and whole heart. “I lift up my eyes to the hills – where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth”. (Psalm 121:1-2). I sure do love that Bible verse.

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

Breakfast For Dinner!

Sometimes I feel like having “breakfast” for dinner. Do you ever feel that way? Yesterday I asked my husband for his input on choices for dinner. One of the ideas I gave him was quiche, but I really didn’t think (i.e. never dreamed) he would choose this option. But he did! He constantly surprises me. Hmmm… breakfast for dinner (I know some think of quiche as a lunch entree, but for us it’s been a breakfast option). This sounded like a good plan to me.

So… in the afternoon I checked out the ol’ refrigerator to see what my options were. I also found my old “faithful, tried and true” Quiche Lorraine recipe (handwritten on a 3×5 card), that I’ve used for over 25 years, but since I didn’t have any bacon or Swiss cheese in the fridge (bummer!), I decided to experiment with my original recipe a bit and make a quiche with what I DID have!

Necessity Is The Mother Of Invention, Right?

This monumental decision was influenced by the fact that 1) I was sick, 2) I remembered my car battery had died (again…ugh) during our recent snowstorm and 3) my husband was away working on inspections for the afternoon. I knew I wasn’t going to be headed to the grocery store any time soon.

So…being the determined woman I am, I decided to make our quiche with Italian sausage, Parmesan and mozzarella cheeses, and spinach. Sounded promising…I mean, really…how bad could THAT be? Right?

One More Mouth To Feed!

Success! It turned out to be quite delicious. Our oldest son, the same one who asked me a few weeks ago to teach him how to make quiche since he was craving it, but our schedules never came together, happened to drop by after work. He was surprised we were having quiche for dinner.

I was pleasantly surprised and thrilled to have an extra mouth to feed. Perfect! It was wonderful to have him join us. We really enjoyed the quiche, and even had seconds (yep…it WAS good)!  I promised him I would put the recipe on my blog so he could make one, also! So here ya go, Michael…this one’s for YOU! Hope you enjoy it! Love, Mom.

Preparing The Italian Sausage Spinach Quiche

Cooking the Italian sausage and onion…

Italian sausage slices and onions are cooked in skillet.

Spinach and garlic added to Italian sausage and onion…

Spinach and garlic are added to the skillet of sausage and onions.

Pie crust is pricked, and is ready to add the ingredients for quiche.

Pie crust is made and is ready to fill.

Ingredients added to pie crust… now for the egg filling…

Cheeses and meat mixture is added to the unbaked pie crust.

Whipping cream/egg mixture is added to pie shell, and ingredients are gently mixed together. In to the oven it goes!

A whipping cream and egg mixture is added to the quiche filling.

Hot and straight out of the oven!

The Italian Sausage Spinach Quiche is golden brown after baking is complete.

Time for a delicious slice of Italian sausage spinach quiche!

A side view of a slice of Italian sausage spinach quiche on a plate.

Hope you enjoy this Italian sausage spinach quiche! Have a great day.

Looking For Other QUICHE Recipes?

You can find all of my recipes in the Recipe Index, located at the top of the page. A couple quiche recipes you might enjoy include:

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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Italian Sausage and Spinach Quiche
Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
50 mins
Total Time
1 hr 5 mins
 

This delicious Italian sausage spinach quiche (with mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses) is a meal you can enjoy for breakfast, lunch or dinner!

Category: Breakfast
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Italian sausage quiche
Servings: 8 servings
Calories Per Serving: 484 kcal
Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Ingredients
  • 1 unbaked deep dish pie crust (make sure it is a deep-dish crust/pan)
  • 2 links mild Italian sausage , sliced 1/2 " thin, then quartered (**slice while sausage is still partly frozen...makes it so much easier to slice. You can also remove sausage casing and crumble the sausage, if you prefer!)
  • 1/3 cup onion , finely chopped
  • 1 teaspoon minced garlic
  • 1/3 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
  • 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese (the real stuff)
  • 2 Tablespoons grated Kraft Parmesan cheese
  • 1/2 box frozen chopped spinach (thawed, cooked according to pkg. and drained well)
  • 2 cups heavy whipping cream
  • 4 large eggs
  • 1/4 teaspoon granulated sugar
  • 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 3/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
  • small pinch of red pepper flakes (optional)
US Customary - Metric
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. While oven is preheating, cook the Italian sausage and onion in a non-stick skillet, till completely cooked through. (5-10 minutes approx.). Drain grease.
  2. In a separate saucepan, cook the spinach per pkg. instructions. Remove from heat, and drain really well to get excess moisture out. Add the cooked/drained spinach and the minced garlic to the skillet with sausage/onion mixture and mix well. Cook for an additional 1-2 minutes.
  3. Prepare the unbaked pie shell by piercing shell with the tines of a fork - (this is to prevent the crust from creating air pockets and puffing up too much while baking)
  4. Add cooked sausage, mozzarella and Parmesan cheese, garlic, onions, and spinach to the unbaked, prepared pie crust.
  5. In a separate bowl, whisk together whipping cream, eggs, sugar, cayenne pepper, salt, and red pepper flakes, until well blended.
  6. Pour egg mixture on top of the sausage/spinach/cheese mixture in pie crust. Gently mix ingredients together (I use a fork-be careful not to mix too hard or you will damage the crust. Just enough to blend the ingredients evenly together!)
  7. Carefully put quiche into the preheated 425 degree oven. Don't spill it!
  8. Bake at 425 degrees for 15 minutes, then reduce heat to 300 degrees and bake for an additional 35-40 minutes. (quiche is done when a knife comes out clean).
  9. Remove quiche pan to a wire rack. Let it cool a bit, slice, serve... and enjoy!
Nutrition Facts
Italian Sausage and Spinach Quiche
Amount Per Serving (1 slice)
Calories 484 Calories from Fat 396
% Daily Value*
Fat 44g68%
Saturated Fat 21g131%
Cholesterol 194mg65%
Sodium 720mg31%
Potassium 189mg5%
Carbohydrates 16g5%
Protein 13g26%
Vitamin A 1110IU22%
Vitamin C 1.6mg2%
Calcium 170mg17%
Iron 1.4mg8%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!This delicious Italian sausage spinach quiche (with mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses) is a meal you can enjoy for breakfast, lunch or dinner!

 

 

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Feb
2014

Triple Chocolate Zucchini Muffins

categories: Breads, Breakfast, Chocolate, From Our Veggie Garden, Muffins
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These triple chocolate zucchini muffins have a secret ingredient (shhh… it’s a vegetable!) and are an absolutely delicious treat your family will love!These triple chocolate zucchini muffins have a secret ingredient (shhh... it's a vegetable!) and are an absolutely delicious treat your family will love!
Ah… there’s nothing like a good cup of coffee and a good muffin – especially these Triple Chocolate Zucchini Muffins!  Chocolate AND zucchini for breakfast? They MUST be healthy, right? Seriously… chocolate AND zucchini? Who knew?

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

About Triple Chocolate Zucchini Muffins

I found this recipe for muffins on Pinterest several months ago (where else?). These are extremely “chocolate-y” muffins (3 types of chocolate)! Surprisingly, these yummy triple chocolate muffins have zucchini as a secret ingredient!

I’m pretty positive the fact that there is a vegetable inside these muffins makes them HEALTHY, right? RIGHT. I’ve found these muffins are a GREAT way to use up some of our summer garden zucchini!

Zucchini is the secret ingredient for these chocolate muffins!

Muffins and Morning Quiet Times Are A Good Combo

Here’s something I read this morning: “But I trust in Your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salvation. I will sing to the Lord for He has been good to me.” (Psalm 13:5-6).  I love those verses from the Bible, and am reminded daily of the never-ending love God has for me. He HAS been trustworthy, good, and faithful to me (and our family) over the course of a lifetime of good times, bad times, and everything else in-between…for that I am so grateful!

I love to have a little quiet time in the early morning hours. I delight in this time with God… just little old me and a couple cups of strong coffee. Occasionally I will make muffins and of course, I invite one of the muffins to join me in this special time… where I feed my soul and my tummy.

The Mystery Ingredient Is One Way To Eat More Veggies

Maybe you’re looking for a new muffin recipe. Maybe you get excited about camouflaging a vegetable in your child’s chocolate muffin (hey, we do what we have to, to get them to eat their veggies!).

Whatever your reasons, this is a fantastic recipe for triple chocolate zucchini muffins! See the grated zucchini that will be hiding in the muffins? You will never know it’s there, because all you can taste is the CHOCOLATE!

Grated zucchini ready to go into muffin batter

Below you see the triple chocolate zucchini muffins, right after they came out of the oven… all they need is to be lightly dusted with some sifted powdered sugar before serving! Don’t they look yummy?

Muffins out of oven- now they need a dusting of powdered sugar!

The finished chocolate zucchini muffins sure look good… see that CHOCOLATE? Time to take a bite! Ooh… they are so good! And by the way, if you like these you will probably also LOVE my Banana Espresso Chocolate Chip Muffins!

A dusting of powdered sugar and the muffins are ready to eat!

This Recipe Makes A LOT Of Triple Chocolate Zucchini Muffins!

These triple chocolate zucchini muffins are easy to make and extremely yummy; I sure hope you will enjoy them! The recipe as written makes quite a lot of muffins, 30 of them! If that sounds like a lot, cut the recipe in half! These muffins are easily “freezable”, if wrapped and sealed well! Then you will have some of them saved for another day after only cooking once!

Hope you will consider making these scrumptious triple chocolate zucchini muffins! They truly are delicious, and because you added zucchini, I’m POSITIVE they must be 100% healthy, as well! (wink, wink!). Have a wonderful day!

Looking For More MUFFIN Recipes?

You can find ALL my recipes in the Recipe Index, located at the top of the page. I have lots of delicious muffin recipes you’ll 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

Have a fantastic day.

Author's signatureRecipe source: carriesexperimentalkitchen.blogspot.com/2013/08/triple-chocolate-zucchini-muffins-html

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Triple Chocolate Zucchini Muffins
Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
15 mins
Total Time
30 mins
 
These triple chocolate zucchini muffins have a secret ingredient (shhh... it's a vegetable!) and are an absolutely delicious treat your family will love!
Category: Breakfast
Cuisine: American
Keyword: chocolate zucchini muffins
Servings: 30 muffins
Calories Per Serving: 157 kcal
Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Ingredients
  • 4 eggs
  • 2 cups granulated sugar
  • 1 cup canola oil (I used vegetable)
  • 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoons salt
  • 3/4 cup cocoa powder
  • 2 1/2 cups grated zucchini (well drained/pressed to reduce water content)
  • 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • 2 oz. dark chocolate , chopped
  • Cooking spray
  • 2 Tablespoons confectioners sugar (powdered), to sift on top of baked muffins
US Customary - Metric
Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

  2. In a large mixing bowl, place the eggs, sugar and oil. Whisk these together until smooth. 

  3. Add flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cocoa powder to the egg mixture; mix these ingredients very well.

  4. Add the drained/pressed grated zucchini, along with the chocolate chips and the dark chocolate pieces to the batter. Stir well by hand until ingredients are completely blended.

  5. Take the cooking spray and spray a standard sized muffin tins (liners are optional...I didn't use them). Fill the muffin holders about 3/4 of the way to the top with the batter. There is enough batter to yield approx. 30 muffins. Sprinkle a few extra chocolate chips on top before baking. (this is optional)

  6. Bake the muffins at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes or until the top springs back when touched. Remove muffins from oven and cool on a wire rack. Dust with sifted powdered sugar for a nice presentation. Serve and enjoy!

Recipe Notes

That's a LOT of muffins! You can freeze extra muffins for another day, or easily cut the recipe in half and make 15 muffins.

Nutrition Facts
Triple Chocolate Zucchini Muffins
Amount Per Serving (1 muffin)
Calories 157 Calories from Fat 27
% Daily Value*
Fat 3g5%
Saturated Fat 1g6%
Cholesterol 22mg7%
Sodium 143mg6%
Potassium 127mg4%
Carbohydrates 29g10%
Fiber 1g4%
Sugar 15g17%
Protein 3g6%
Vitamin A 50IU1%
Vitamin C 1.8mg2%
Calcium 19mg2%
Iron 1.5mg8%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
 Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!These triple chocolate zucchini muffins have a secret ingredient (shhh... it's a vegetable!) and are an absolutely delicious treat your family will love!

 

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Feb
2014

Orange Glazed Pork Roast

categories: Main Dishes, Pork
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You’ll really enjoy this delicious Orange Glazed Pork Roast, with dry rub spices, baked until tender, coated and served with a sweet citrus glaze.You'll really enjoy this delicious Orange Glazed Pork Roast, with dry rub spices, baked until tender, coated and served with a sweet citrus glaze.
Today’s recipe is for an Orange Glazed Pork Roast I made recently for the first time.  We loved the flavor the pork receives from the orange sauce… totally scrumptious!

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

Why I Decided To Try This Recipe For Orange Glazed Pork Roast

So here’s the “back story”…  My husband and I shop at Costco occasionally when we feel the urge to buy a 20 pound jar of peanut butter or some other “can’t live without this” product.

This was the case recently when we decided to buy a 4 pack of pork roasts. The price was right, so even though it’s usually just the two of us here for dinner, we grabbed a package and threw it into the cart. Can you believe it? FOUR roasts for TWO people.

What On Earth Do You Make With FOUR Pork Roasts?

Then the fun of figuring out new ways to cook 4 pork roasts began for me. Hmmmm. Well, let’s see- the first one I threw in the crock pot with seasonings. This was used for shredding, for pork enchiladas. The next roast was used to make BBQ pork for sandwiches.

Now for the one I pulled out of the ol’ family freezer this morning. I’ve been sick for a week now and snowed in. Really snowed in. I needed to fix something that would taste good with food items we already had around the house. Dinner needed to be not too hard…not too fancy…but tasty. I searched online for recipes and came up with this one to try.

A Dry Rub And Orange Glaze Give This Pork Roast GREAT Flavor!

A dry rub on the pork (garlic, ginger, brown sugar, thyme, etc.) gives GREAT flavor to the roast. The real star is the the orange flavored glaze that is “brushed” onto the meat for the second half of cooking! Orange marmalade and juice in the citrus glaze is a perfect flavor addition for this orange glazed pork roast.

My husband and I totally enjoyed our dinner, and look forward to the leftovers! Hope you will enjoy this recipe as much as we did. My husband declared it “A KEEPER”! It is delicious!

Prepare The Pork Roast

A small pork roast is coated with a dry rub mix (including garlic!), then it is baked. The original recipe calls for a 4 pound roast, but I used a 2.5 pound roast, with no problem.

Pork Roast is covered with spice rub (including garlic).

While the pork roast is baking, a simple orange glaze is mixed together. The glaze is simmered on the stove top while the pork bakes.

Orange glaze for pork roast is cooked on stove.

Orange Glaze Is Added To Pork During Baking Time

After the first 2 hours of baking, the glaze is brushed onto the pork roast. The glaze is brushed on, in 15 minute intervals for the rest of the baking time. The slow baking time ensures this orange glazed pork roast is tender and juicy. Who wouldn’t want that, right?  As an added benefit, your kitchen will sure smell good while it bakes!

Here’s a photo of the first time the orange sauce was added to make this a true orange glazed pork roast!

The Pork Roast being brushed with orange glaze part way through baking time.

Continue to glaze the pork roast with the orange sauce every 15 minutes.  Think of it as adding layer upon layer of delicious orange flavor! The pork roast is ready when it reaches an internal temperature of 160 degrees F.

Orange Glazed Pork Roast is ready when internal temperature reaches 160 degrees F.

Orange Glazed Pork Roast Is Ready To Eat!

Here is the finished orange glazed pork roast! The roast is golden brown on the outside, and rests for a few minutes before being sliced.

Orange glazed pork roast is finished baking and rests for a few minutes before slicing.

To serve the orange glazed pork roast, place a couple thin slices of pork on plate. Spoon some of the orange glaze over the top. Once that is done, all that is left to do is dig in! I served the pork slices with mashed potatoes and garden peas on the side. It tasted so GOOD! the pork was very juicy, full of flavor, and quite tender!

Mashed potatoes and peas are served with orange glazed pork roast.

I really hope you enjoy this delicious recipe for orange glazed pork roast! We sure did! Hope you have a wonderful day, full of encouragement and good things!

Looking for More PORK Recipes?

You can find ALL my recipes in the Recipe Index, located at the top of the page. I hav lots of great pork 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: Cookingwithdoyle.com/index.php/orange-glazed-pork-roast  

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Orange Glazed Pork Roast
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
3 hrs
Total Time
3 hrs 10 mins
 
You'll really enjoy this delicious Orange Glazed Pork Roast, with dry rub spices, baked until tender, coated and served with a sweet citrus glaze.
Category: Entree
Cuisine: American
Keyword: orange glazed pork roast
Servings: 8 servings
Calories Per Serving: 358 kcal
Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Ingredients
  • 4 lb. boneless pork roast
For the rub:
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 clove garlic , minced
  • 1/4 teaspoon thyme (dried)
  • 1/4 teaspoon ginger (dried)
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
For the orange glaze:
  • 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
  • 1 Tablespoon cornstarch
  • 1 cup orange juice (I use fresh squeezed)
  • 1/3 cup water
  • 1 Tablespoon Dijon mustard (I used Dijon - original recipe calls for spicy brown)
  • 1 Tablespoon soy sauce (I added this just because I thought it would be good.)
  • 2 Tablespoon orange marmalade ( I added this to original recipe)
US Customary - Metric
Instructions
  1. Combine the rub ingredients in a small bowl. Rub this mixture over the entire pork roast; then place the roast in a baking pan that has been sprayed with non-stick spray. Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 2 hours.
  2. While roast is cooking, make the orange glaze. In a saucepan, combine the brown sugar and cornstarch, then stir in the remaining glaze ingredients. Bring this mixture to a simmer over medium heat. Simmer for two minutes, then remove pan from the heat. The mixture should have thickened a little bit. Set aside 1/3 of the glaze to drizzle over the meat slices when you serve them.
  3. After the roast has cooked for the first two hours, remove it from oven. With a pastry brush, "paint" the rest of the glaze (the non-reserved) over the roast every 15 minutes for another 60-90 minutes, or until the roast reaches an internal temperature of 160 degrees (check in the thickest part of the meat with a meat thermometer). Once the internal temperature of the roast has reached 160 degrees, remove it from oven. Let it stand for 10 minutes before slicing (if you cut into it too soon, all those great juices will run out...be patient).
  4. When meat has rested for 10 minutes, slice and serve, with additional glaze spooned over the slices of roast. Enjoy!
Recipe Notes

NOTE: I used a smaller 2 1/2 lb. roast and adapted the baking times to match, but have kept the recipe as originally written for a 4 lb. roast. I also used the glaze and rub ingredients in the amounts as originally written.

Nutrition Facts
Orange Glazed Pork Roast
Amount Per Serving (1 g)
Calories 358 Calories from Fat 81
% Daily Value*
Fat 9g14%
Saturated Fat 2g13%
Cholesterol 142mg47%
Sodium 494mg21%
Potassium 919mg26%
Carbohydrates 14g5%
Sugar 12g13%
Protein 51g102%
Vitamin A 60IU1%
Vitamin C 15.8mg19%
Calcium 22mg2%
Iron 1.4mg8%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!You'll really enjoy this delicious Orange Glazed Pork Roast, with dry rub spices, baked until tender, coated and served with a sweet citrus glaze.

 

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Feb
2014

Joy’s Spinach Salad

categories: Salads, Sauces and Dressings, Vegetable Dishes
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You’ll love Joy’s Spinach Salad, with bacon, eggs, mushrooms, water chestnuts, and fresh baby spinach drizzled with a delicious, homemade salad dressing!You will love Joy's Spinach Salad, with bacon, eggs, mushrooms, water chestnuts, and fresh baby spinach drizzled with a delicious, homemade salad dressing!

The recipe I want to share today is called “Joy’s Spinach Salad”. The salad and the homemade dressing that tops it all of is outstanding and would be a delicious, welcome addition to any dinner table!

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

How I Got The Recipe For Joy’s Spinach Salad

Years ago (almost 20), we lived in Central California, where my husband was a Music Pastor in a large church. We were privileged to get to know many wonderful and truly kind-hearted people during our five year ministry there, and always enjoyed getting to share a meal with some of these friends.

My husband and I were fortunate to have dinner one evening with a sweet couple from our church…Marv and Joy. We were served a wonderful dinner, which included an absolutely delicious spinach salad.

Well… I * totally * loved that salad, and decided right then and there that I needed the recipe for all time forward! So I asked Joy for her recipe…and she graciously shared it with me.

Simple Ingredients and Homemade Salad Dressing

The ingredients are simple for the salad… and the homemade salad dressing!  Baby spinach leaves, hard boiled egg crumbles, crispy bacon, etc. all pair wonderfully with the delicious homemade salad dressing.

Baby spinach used for Joy's spinach salad.

Hard boiled eggs are cut then crumbled for Joy's spinach salad.

Bacon is cooked until crispy, then crumbled for Joy's spinach salad

The Salad Dressing For The Spinach Salad

Joy’s Spinach Salad is the only traditional spinach salad recipe I have used ever since then.  Joy made her own salad dressing, too (kind of like a French dressing), which is not heated as some spinach salad dressings are. It is delicious!

To this day, I think of them fondly when I prepare this and see her name on that stained 3×5 index card. I accidentally took the picture of the salad before I added the mushrooms and bean sprouts… my bad! (just use your imagination!)

Here’s the homemade Spinach Salad Dressing…ready to go! (I hope you like the bottle label…keepin’ it classy!)

Homemade salad dressing for Joy's spinach salad

This absolutely delicious spinach salad and salad dressing are very easy to prepare (my favorite kind of recipe!). Give my friend Joy’s recipe a try…I think you will love it! If you enjoy a good spinach salad, be sure to also check out my recipes for Bacon Lover’s Spinach Salad or Spinach, Apple and Goat Cheese Salad. YUM!

Looking For More SALAD Recipes?

You can find all my delicious salad recipes in the Recipe Index, located at the top of the page.  A few of our family favorites include:

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 Source: Joy Scott

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Joy's Spinach Salad
Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
10 mins
Total Time
25 mins
 
You will love Joy's Spinach Salad, with bacon, eggs, mushrooms, water chestnuts, and fresh baby spinach drizzled with a delicious, homemade salad dressing!
Category: Salad
Cuisine: American
Keyword: spinach salad
Servings: 4 servings
Calories Per Serving: 193 kcal
Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Ingredients
For salad:
  • 2-3 bunches fresh spinach , leaves torn into small pieces (or use equal amount of baby spinach)
  • 1 can water chestnuts , drained and chopped
  • 3-4 green onions , chopped (both green and white parts)
  • 1/2 cup fresh bean sprouts
  • 6-8 slices bacon , cooked crisp, then crumbled
  • 2 hard boiled eggs , chopped
  • 8 white mushrooms , sliced thinly
For the salad dressing:
  • 1 cup oil (I use olive, but vegetable or canola work, as well)
  • 1/4 cup wine vinegar (red or white-both will work)
  • 1/3 cup ketchup
  • 2/3 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 medium brown onion , finely chopped
  • salt (to taste)
US Customary - Metric
Instructions
  1. In a medium bowl, whisk all the salad dressing ingredients together till fully blended. Cover and refrigerate. Remove from refrigerator about 15 minutes before serving, and whisk again.
  2. Mix all the salad ingredients together (reserving some bacon, egg, and mushrooms for garnish on top so it looks nice).
  3. When ready to serve, pour the dressing on top (you will not need it all-just put on as much of the dressing as you prefer), and toss to coat. Serve. Enjoy!
Recipe Notes

The salad dressing is NOT part of the caloric calculation (recipe makes more than you will need for the salad). The calorie count is approximately 43 calories per Tablespoon of salad dressing.

*The leftover dressing is great on any mixed green salad. Store it in a closed bottle or mason jar in the refrigerator. It will keep for quite a while!

Nutrition Facts
Joy's Spinach Salad
Amount Per Serving (1 serving)
Calories 193 Calories from Fat 135
% Daily Value*
Fat 15g23%
Saturated Fat 5g31%
Cholesterol 115mg38%
Sodium 254mg11%
Potassium 268mg8%
Carbohydrates 3g1%
Sugar 1g1%
Protein 9g18%
Vitamin A 265IU5%
Vitamin C 4.2mg5%
Calcium 19mg2%
Iron 0.9mg5%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!You will love Joy's Spinach Salad, with bacon, eggs, mushrooms, water chestnuts, and fresh baby spinach drizzled with a delicious, homemade salad dressing!

 

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Feb
2014

Fiesta Rice

categories: Meatless Meals, Mexican / Southwestern, Side Dishes
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Fiesta Rice is a totally EASY, hearty, and delicious side dish made with white rice, black beans, corn, tomatoes, scallions, cilantro and lime juice.Fiesta Rice is a totally EASY, hearty, and delicious side dish made with white rice, black beans, corn, tomatoes, scallions, cilantro and lime juice.
This fiesta rice just might be one of the easiest side dishes ever created. Really. It’s almost too easy to call it a “recipe”, but yet it is! Guess what? It is DELICIOUS!

I discovered the recipe on Pinterest, and found it to be a perfect accompaniment for Taco Night! The flavors in the fiesta rice are a refreshingly nice change from my recipe for Spanish Rice that I have made and served over the years.

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

Fiesta Rice Is So Easy To Make

Basically to make fiesta rice, all you will need to do is cook rice, and then add the remaining ingredients and mix them all together. That’s it!

This rice is so good, I suppose you COULD just eat it right out of the bowl before it gets to the table. Not that I would ever do such a despicable thing (*cough, cough). Didn’t take photos other than the finished product, because, honestly, it’s SO EASY!

Fiesta rice is a great side dish, and it’s super easy if you already have leftover cooked rice to use. This would be delicious paired with chicken, pork, shrimp.

You could also morph it into a yummy burrito bowl, and add some barbacoa shredded beef, etc.! Hope you enjoy it!

Looking For More Mexican-Style Dishes?

You can find all of my recipes in the Recipe Index, which is located at the top of the page. I have a good variety of Mexican-style dishes (and side dishes), including:

Want More Recipes? Get My FREE Newsletter!

I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1st and 15th) 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

Author's signature

Recipe Source: http://www.skinnytaste.com/2011/04/fiesta-lime-rice.html

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Fiesta Rice
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
25 mins
Total Time
35 mins
 

Fiesta Rice is a totally EASY, hearty, and delicious side dish made with white rice, black beans, corn, tomatoes, scallions, cilantro and lime juice.

Category: Side Dish
Cuisine: Mexican
Keyword: fiesta rice
Servings: 6 servings
Calories Per Serving: 295 kcal
Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Ingredients
  • 1 1/2 cups cooked , long-grain rice
  • 1 can black beans-rinsed and heated
  • 1 cup corn (canned or frozen), heated
  • 1 large tomato , diced
  • 1 large scallion , finely diced
  • 2-4 Tablespoons chopped cilantro (I used 4)
  • 1 heaping Tablespoon fresh squeezed lime juice (I added an extra Tablespoon)
  • Salt (to taste)
US Customary - Metric
Instructions
  1. Cook the rice.
  2. In a large serving bowl, mix the hot rice with the remaining ingredients (salt to taste).
  3. Toss and Serve.
  4. The End. Wasn't that EASY? Enjoy!
Nutrition Facts
Fiesta Rice
Amount Per Serving (1 g)
Calories 295 Calories from Fat 9
% Daily Value*
Fat 1g2%
Saturated Fat 1g6%
Sodium 5mg0%
Potassium 437mg12%
Carbohydrates 61g20%
Fiber 8g33%
Sugar 2g2%
Protein 11g22%
Vitamin A 330IU7%
Vitamin C 6.4mg8%
Calcium 35mg4%
Iron 2.1mg12%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!Fiesta Rice is a totally EASY, hearty, and delicious side dish made with white rice, black beans, corn, tomatoes, scallions, cilantro and lime juice.

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Feb
2014

White Chocolate Raspberry Scones

categories: Breads, Breakfast, Chocolate, Scones
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White chocolate raspberry scones are delicious, easy to make treats, filled with white chocolate chips and raspberries, and topped with a sweet glaze.White chocolate raspberry scones are delicious, easy to make treats, filled with white chocolate chips and raspberries, and topped with a sweet glaze.
It’s definitely a day for decadent White Chocolate Raspberry Scones and humongous cups of coffee. I’m sitting in my home office looking out at a forest filled with snow, and it has begun snowing again. We are on Day 3 of what Portland locals call “Snowpacalypse 2014”. Tonight we are expecting a coating of ice on top of it all. Yippee.

My husband and I both have been sick (we’re on Day 4-ugh), so we’re content to be house-bound and off the slippery streets. However, there’s only so much napping and taking medicine that one girl can take, so off to the kitchen I went yesterday to find something to bake.

I ended up trying a new recipe for white chocolate raspberry scones. I mean- if you’re going to be sick and snowbound…make sure you have treats, right?

Yay For New Scone Recipes!

I found the original recipe on Pinterest and tweaked it just a bit, and voila! A new, tasty recipe for a delicious scone! I had raspberries in my freezer that I picked this past summer, and happened to have a bag of white chocolate chips left over from Christmas baking. How convenient…it must be DESTINY…Perfect!

The recipe was very easy, although my kitchen work surface did look like a murder scene (blasted raspberries) when I was done, but no big deal! It just made it a bit more exciting! Hope you enjoy these tasty white chocolate raspberry scones!

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

How To Make White Chocolate Raspberry Scones

Cut the butter into the flour. I use a food processor to do this simple step, but you can also use a pastry blender by hand. When done, the butter should be about the size of peas.

Butter is cut into the scones dough until it is in small pieces.

Add the white chocolate chips and raspberries to the scones dough. Can you tell my raspberries were still frozen?

White chocolate chips and raspberries are added to scone dough.

A Murder Scene, Perhaps? Nope… Just Some Scones!

The top of the white chocolate raspberry scones dough looks like a murder scene. Ha Ha! Roll the scone dough out into a circle, then slice it into 8 pie-shaped wedges.

The raspberry scones dough has been sliced and they are now ready to bake.

Bake And Then Glaze The White Chocolate Raspberry Scones

Bake the scones. The photo below shows how the white chocolate raspberry scones looked right when they came out of the oven.

Making the glaze is done by simply mixing powdered sugar, vanilla and warm water together. The glaze can be made while the scones cool. Once cooled, drizzle the glaze over them! After the glaze firms up, they are ready to eat!

The white chocolate raspberry scones have baked, and cool before being drizzled with glaze.

These scones look pretty good, and boy, do they ever taste good, too! Pretty sure you will really enjoy this decadent treat! Now it’s time to eat one of these delicious scones!

A few of the white chocolate raspberry scones, glazed and ready to eat!

Hope you enjoy these delicious white chocolate raspberry scones. We sure did, even while sick, and snowed in! Have a GREAT day!

Looking For More SCONE Recipes?

You can find all of my scone recipes in the Recipe Index, located at the top of the page. A few favorites include:

A collage of some of the scones featured on my blog.

Interested In More Recipes?

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Recipe Adapted From: http://www.pastryaffair.com/blog/raspberry-white-chocolate-scones.htm

↓↓ PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW ↓↓

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White Chocolate Raspberry Scones
Prep Time
20 mins
Cook Time
25 mins
Total Time
45 mins
 

White chocolate raspberry scones are delicious, easy to make treats, filled with white chocolate chips and raspberries, and topped with a sweet glaze.

Category: Breakfast, Snack
Cuisine: American
Keyword: white chocolate raspberry scones
Servings: 8 servings
Calories Per Serving: 435 kcal
Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Ingredients
For Scone Dough:
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 Tablespoons granulated sugar
  • 1 Tablespoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 6 Tablespoons cold butter , cut into pieces
  • 6 oz. raspberries (fresh or frozen will work-I mixed mine in while still frozen)
  • 1/2 cup white chocolate chips
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/3 cup milk (or heavy cream-I used milk)
For Glaze Topping:
  • 1 1/2 cups confectioner's sugar (powdered)
  • 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 3-4 teaspoons warm water (to get glaze to correct "painting" consistency)
For White Chocolate Drizzle:
  • 1/2 cup white chocolate chips + 1 teaspoon vegetable shortening- melted (microwave 30 seconds, stir, microwave 20 seconds stir.-don't let them burn!)
US Customary - Metric
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a baking sheet with non-stick spray.
  2. In the bowl of a food processor (or in a large bowl if making them by hand), combine all of the dry ingredients. Add the cold chunks of butter to the processor and pulse to cut in butter (or cut in by hand with a pastry cutter).
  3. In a separate bowl, mix the egg, milk (or heavy cream), and the vanilla; Mix these ingredients together, till well blended.
  4. Add the egg mixture to the dry ingredients and pulse till the dough comes together into a dough ball (If mixing by hand, stir and stir till you have a cohesive dough ball).
  5. Turn the dough ball onto a floured work surface (or into a large bowl) and GENTLY mix in the white chocolate chips and the raspberries by hand (might want to flour your hands) till blended. Note: Don't worry if it looks like a murder occurred at this point...it will all be okay. Really.
  6. With floured hands (sprinkle a bit more flour on dough if necessary, cause the dough is sticky), gently form the dough ball into a round "disc" approximately 8 inches across.
  7. Using a sharp knife or a pizza cutter (my weapon of choice!), cut the disc into 8 scones.
  8. Gently pick up each scone and re-arrange them in a circle on the prepared baking sheet, with a bit of space between each one.
  9. Bake the scones at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes (mine were ready at the 25 minute mark-just keep an eye on them). Bake till golden brown.
  10. When done, remove from baking sheet to a wire rack, with parchment or foil underneath (to catch any drips from glaze icing). Let cool.
  11. While cooling, mix up the glaze ingredients. Once scones are completely cooled off, "paint" the icing over the tops of the scones, completely covering the surface; when that glaze hardens add the white chocolate drizzle in a decorative pattern. ENJOY!
Nutrition Facts
White Chocolate Raspberry Scones
Amount Per Serving (1 scone)
Calories 435 Calories from Fat 144
% Daily Value*
Fat 16g25%
Saturated Fat 10g63%
Cholesterol 48mg16%
Sodium 255mg11%
Potassium 303mg9%
Carbohydrates 66g22%
Fiber 2g8%
Sugar 39g43%
Protein 5g10%
Vitamin A 320IU6%
Vitamin C 5.6mg7%
Calcium 138mg14%
Iron 1.9mg11%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!White chocolate raspberry scones are delicious, easy to make treats, filled with white chocolate chips and raspberries, and topped with a sweet glaze.

 

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Feb
2014

Olive Garden Toscana Soup

categories: Copycat Recipes, Italian, Main Dishes, Soups
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Olive Garden Toscana Soup is a delicious copycat recipe for a beloved, hearty soup with potatoes, Italian sausage and kale, in a seasoned broth!Olive Garden Toscana Soup is a delicious copycat recipe for a beloved, hearty soup with potatoes, Italian sausage and kale, in a seasoned broth!
I’m sitting in my office at home looking out the window at freshly fallen snow in our backyard. We had a crazy snowstorm yesterday (it gets crazy in Portland when we have significant snow). Today another 3-5 inches of snow is expected. Whoa! 

This is a great day for Olive Garden Toscana Soup! My husband and I have both been fighting pesky head colds for several days now, and we decided a big pot of soup was what we needed.

This way we can have soup made for 1) the snowstorm, and 2) leftovers (so I don’t have to cook much while sick). It was a really good idea (we occasionally have good ideas!).

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

Where I Found The Recipe For Olive Garden Toscana Soup

Once my hubby and I settled on what KIND of soup it was easy: A big pot of Toscana Soup, a copycat version of the popular soup found at Olive Garden restaurants nationwide. It is also known as Zuppa Toscana.

I dug out my trusty cookbook called “Top Secret Restaurant Recipes”, by author Todd Wilbur, and got busy in the kitchen. Honestly, I can’t count how many times I’ve made this recipe over the years.

We find this soup wonderfully tasty, filling, and it’s ridiculously easy to make. The blended flavors of Italian sausage, potatoes and kale are enhanced by a light, creamy broth.

Olive Garden Toscana Soup is a seriously good soup to cozy up with on a cold, snowy day, or any time you want a great bowl of soup!

How To Make Olive Garden Toscana Soup

Place four Italian sausage links into a large skillet. Pan-sear the sausage links on medium heat until they are browned, and cooked through.

Cooking the sausage links will take between 10 and 15 minutes to cook the sausages all the way through.

Italian sausage links are pan-seared in skillet.

Once they are finished cooking, transfer the sausages out of the skillet, and let them cool for about 10 minutes before attempting to slice them..

Use a sharp knife to slice the cooked Italian sausage links into thin rounds. Set the sausage slices aside to rest while you add other ingredients to the soup.

The cooked Italian sausage links are cut in thin slices.

Time To Slice Those Potatoes!

Slice the cleaned, unpeeled potatoes into thin slices, and then cut them into quarters. The potato slices will cook more evenly if they are all cut about the same size.

Unpeeled russet potatoes are cut into thin slices, then cut into quarters.

Add Potatoes And Kale To The Toscana Soup

Add the sliced potatoes (make them “walk the plank”) to the Toscana soup base that is simmering in a large soup pot.

Potatoes being added to the Olive Garden Toscana Soup in pan.

Next into the soup pot goes the kale. Yes… this recipe calls for lots of fresh chopped kale (the HEALTHY veggie)! Stir to incorporate the potatoes and kale into the soup.

The kale will wilt and reduce in volume as it heats in the hot broth. Now your big ol’ pot of Olive Garden Toscana Soup is almost ready to eat! Are you getting excited? I know I am!

Chopped kale is added to the soup in pan.

Final Step, Then It’s Time To EAT!

Add the cooked and sliced Italian sausage to the soup, and stir, to combine. Continue to heat the soup, until it is very hot, and then get ready to serve it!

Ladle the hot Toscana Soup into individual serving bowls. Serve Olive Garden Toscana Soup with some crusty Italian bread on the side, and enjoy!

The sliced, cooked Italian sausage pieces are added to the pot of Olive Garden Toscana Soup.

Hope you will give this Olive Garden Toscana Soup a try and will discover (if you haven’t already), how delicious it really is!

It’s pretty easy to make a big pot of this soup to enjoy! Sure hope you like it!  If you enjoy the soups at The Olive Garden, be sure to check out my recipe for Olive Garden Chicken Gnocchi Soup! It is fantastic, and is one of my all-time favorites!

Thanks for stopping by today. Please come back soon for more family-friendly recipes. Take care, and have a great day.

Looking For More SOUP Recipes?

You can find ALL of my recipes in the Recipe Index, located at the top of the page. I have lots of delicious soups for you to enjoy, including:

Want More Recipes? Get My FREE Newsletter!

I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1st and 15th) 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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Author's signature
Recipe adapted from the cookbook: “Top Secret Restaurant Recipes”, by Todd Wilbur, (published 1977).
 

↓↓ PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW ↓↓

0 from 0 votes
PRINT
Olive Garden Toscana Soup
Prep Time
20 mins
Cook Time
1 hr
Total Time
1 hr 20 mins
 

Olive Garden Toscana Soup is a delicious copycat recipe for a beloved, hearty soup with potatoes, Italian sausage and kale, in a seasoned broth!

Category: Soup
Cuisine: Italian
Keyword: Toscana soup
Servings: 6 servings
Calories Per Serving: 396 kcal
Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Ingredients
  • 4 Italian sausage links (mild or hot flavors are okay-I typically use mild)
  • 6 cups chicken stock
  • 3/4 cup milk (for an even creamier version, use heavy whipping cream, then omit the butter)
  • 2 Tablespoons butter
  • 3 cups chopped kale
  • 3 small russet potatoes- unpeeled (or 1 1/2 large potatoes-unpeeled)
  • 3/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
US Customary - Metric
Instructions
  1. Grill or sauté the sausages till done (approx. 15 minutes). Remove from heat and let cool. Once sausage has cooled, slice the sausages at an angle into slices about 1/2 inch thick.

  2. In a large saucepan, combine the chicken stock and the milk/butter (or heavy cream) over medium heat. Add the grilled Italian sausage slices and kale to the soup. Slice the unpeeled potatoes into 1/4 inch slices, and then quarter each slice. Add the quartered potato slices to the soup.

  3. Add the spices (salt, pepper, garlic powder, and red pepper flakes) to taste. Let the soup simmer on low, uncovered for about 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Serve, and enjoy!

Recipe Notes

Recipe adapted from the cookbook: "Top Secret Restaurant Recipes", by Todd Wilbur, (published 1977).

Nutrition Facts
Olive Garden Toscana Soup
Amount Per Serving (1 (1/6 of total))
Calories 396 Calories from Fat 279
% Daily Value*
Fat 31g48%
Saturated Fat 12g75%
Cholesterol 77mg26%
Sodium 1245mg54%
Potassium 1000mg29%
Carbohydrates 28g9%
Fiber 1g4%
Sugar 5g6%
Protein 20g40%
Vitamin A 3560IU71%
Vitamin C 47mg57%
Calcium 116mg12%
Iron 2.6mg14%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!Olive Garden Toscana Soup is a delicious copycat recipe for a beloved, hearty soup with potatoes, Italian sausage and kale, in a seasoned broth!

 

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