Saturday, January 29, 2011

Cinnamonny Rice Pudding

Rice pudding has recently become a favorite dessert of mine.  So of course I started looking for recipes to make on my own.  This "Cinnamonny Rice Pudding" is a variation of a recipe that I found to be fairly simple & fast.  I made this in about 30 minutes, with ingredients that I had on hand.  So if you're at home, craving something sweet & creamy, this rice pudding is sure to satisfy!  There's going to be plenty to share or enough to save for your sweet craving the following day.

To make my "Cinnamonny Rice Pudding" you'll need- 1 1/2 cups of rice, 3 cups of water, 1/2 tsp of salt, 1 tbsp of butter, 2 1/2 cups of milk, 1 cup of cinnamon creamer, 1 cup of sugar, 2 eggs, 1 tbsp of cinnamon, 1/2 tbsp of pumpkin pie spice, & 1 tsp of vanilla.

Start by bringing 3 cups of water to a boil, in a medium saucepan.  Add 1 & 1/2 cups of rice, 1/2 tsp. of salt, 1 tbsp of butter, & stir. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 20 minutes on low heat.  In another pot, combine 2 cups milk, 1 cup of cinnamon creamer, sugar & vanilla. Cook over medium-low heat until warmed (10-15 min.).  Next, beat 2 eggs, then SLOWLY add some of the warm milk mixture to the eggs, to bring up the temperature before adding it to the mixture & to prevent making scrambled eggs.  :)  When the rice is finished cooking, fluff, then add it to the milk mixture & stir together completely.  Then little by little, add the beaten egg & milk to the rice mixture.  Once completely incorporating the eggs with the rice, add the 1 tbsp of cinnamon & the 1/2 tbsp of pumpkin pie spice.  Lastly, let the rice pudding cook on medium-low heat for 15 minutes.  Then serve warm or chill in the refrigerator over night.  If serving cold, add 1 cup of milk the next day, before serving, to loosen up the rice pudding & to give it a smoother consistency.

If there's something in the recipe that you don't have on hand, such as cinnamon creamer or pumpkin pie spice, you could certainly work without it.  Just replace the creamer with another cup of milk or use extra cinnamon if you're without pumpkin pie spice.  I used Truvia, a sugar substitute, & fat free milk.  The taste wasn't lacking at all.  This recipe is open to variation.  Try it like it is or omit what doesn't work for you.  Either way, all the basic steps to a perfect rice pudding are there!  Enjoy!!

Sunday, January 23, 2011

Tinfoil Dinners

Tinfoil dinners, also known as hobo dinners, or campfire dinners, are one of the most simple dinners that I've ever made.  The end product is always delicious & the clean-up, or lack there of, can't be beat!   My mom used to make these dinners for my family growing up.  Over the years I've known a few other families that have had tinfoil dinners too, but incase there is someone out there who hasn't, this is for you! 

To make your own tinfoil dinners you'll need nothing more than a few sheets of tinfoil, 1 lb. of ground beef (will make 3 dinners), 1/2 head of cabbage, 3 potatoes, 3 carrots, 1 small onion, Allegro marinade or worcestershire, salt & pepper.  To make, start by preheating the oven to 375 degrees.  Get 3 sheet of tinfoil, about 1 1/2 ft. long.  Divide the ground beef into 1/3 lb. hamburger patties.  Place the patties in the middle of the sheets of tinfoil.  Cut the potatoes into 1in. cubes, the carrot into 1/2 in. slices, the onion into rings, & the cabbage into small pieces.  Place all the vegetables around & on top of the burger patties.  Then pour a few dashes(or as much as you'd like) of Allegro marinade or worcestershire over the entire tinfoil dinner.  Salt & pepper to taste.  Wrap the tinfoil up into a packet, tightly.  Place the tinfoil packets onto a baking sheet & then they're ready for the oven.  Bake for 45 min. or until the beef is done & the vegetables are tender. 

These tinfoil dinners can be made into several different variations.  The last time I made them, I made 1 extra with a chicken breast instead of beef.  You could also try these at your next cook-out or bon fire get-together.  My son enjoys to eat his with a side of A1 steak sauce.  I believe it's my sister who prefers her's with ketchup.  I think they're perfect just the way they are!  But you decide for yourself.  I hope you & your family enjoy them as much as our family has!

Thursday, January 20, 2011

Jerk Chicken & Vegetable Skewers

If you're looking for a way to spice up boring chicken, I may have found just the thing for that.  I've tried lots of different marinades, but one that does the trick, for giving an extreme amount of flavor without needing a lot of prep time, is KC Masterpiece's Caribbean Jerk marinade.  It's packed with sweet & tangy flavors & goes great on both chicken & vegetables.  The marinade is a 30-marinade, but I've found that if you're short on time, the marinade's flavor comes through without having to wait out the 30 minutes.  Which is ideal for a quick & easy dinner option.

My favorite way to enjoy the Caribbean Jerk marinade is on grilled chicken & vegetable skewers.  I love using the vegetable combination of squash, zucchini, onions.  The prep time takes just minutes & the ingredient list is super simple.  All you need is 3 boneless, skinless chicken breast, 2 squashes, 2 zucchinis, 1/2 onion, 1 & 1/4 cup of KC Masterpiece's Caribbean Jerk marinade,  & skewer sticks.

Start by heating a grill, or if using a grill pan, heat to medium-high heat.  Then you'll need to prep your ingredients.  Cut the chicken breasts in half, then into 1 in. cubes.  Do the same with the vegetables.  Once all the chicken & vegetables are diced, pour 3/4 cup of marinade on the chicken & 1/2 cup of marinade on the vegetables (keep the vegetable separate from the chicken).  Then assemble your skewers.  Keep the chicken on one skewer & the vegetables on another, due to the fact of different cooking times.  You'll want to leave a little space between the chicken, on the skewers, to give each piece room to cook.  Spray the grill or grill pan with non-stick spray, then lay the skewers across the grill.  Sear each side of the chicken & vegetables, then let them cook until the vegetables are tender & the chicken is white throughout.  If you're using a grill pan, turn the heat down to medium heat to prevent burning or over-cooking.  The finished product goes great along side of some of my spicy spuds!  :)

This is a sure way to give plain chicken & vegetables a flavor jump start!  If zucchini & squash don't sound appealing to you, switch out those veggie's for something more to your liking.  Such as bell pepper, mushrooms, or cherry tomatoes.  Whatever you choose to make your skewers from, the KC Masterpiece marinade is sure to pack the punch you may be looking for to spice up a simple chicken dinner.

Wednesday, January 5, 2011

My Quiche Lorraine

A quiche is enjoyed as a breakfast, lunch, or dinner.  It's simple to make & is definitely rewarding afterwards.  I recently made a couple of quiche for my family to enjoy over the holidays & am making more for a teachers breakfast this week.  Another great thing about quiche is it's one of those meals that you can turn into anything you want.  While I enjoy a traditional quiche lorraine, you may want to make a spinach quiche, or another one that my mother-in-law enjoys to make is a green chili & mushroom quiche.  There are an endless amount of  ways to make the perfect quiche just for you.  Just follow the recipe below, changing ingredients where you want, or you may enjoy this quiche just as it is.

For my quiche lorraine- I use 1 store bought 9 in. pie crust, 3 eggs, 1 cup of half & half, 3/4 cup of shredded white cheddar cheese, 1/2 pkg of Oscar Mayer bacon bits, 1 green onion & 1/8 cup of yellow onion, 1 tsp. of both salt & pepper & 1 tbp. of flour.  Start by pre-heating the oven to 400 degrees.  Cover the edges of the pie crust with tinfoil to prevent burning, then bake the crust for 7 minutes.  Reduce the oven heat to 325 degrees & then start on your filling.  Whisk the eggs together as you would for scrambled eggs.  Next add the half & half to the eggs & mix together.  Mix the flour in with the shredded cheese.  Then stir in the cheese, bacon bits, onion, & salt & pepper to the eggs & milk..  Place the pie crust on a baking sheet before adding the egg mixture, to prevent spillage when transferring the quiche to the oven.  Pour the filling into the pie crust & slowly put the quiche into the 325 degree oven.  Let it bake for 35-40 min. or until the top is browned & the quiche is completely set.  Remove from oven & let it set for at least 10 minutes before serving.

We found that the longer the quiche sat the more flavor it had, so feel free to make more than one at a time.  You could freeze them to have on hand when needed.  Just bake them, from frozen form, for 30 min. @ 350 degrees.  I had purchased quiche for years from the frozen section at the grocery store, but once you see how easy it is to make your own you won't go back to buying frozen.  The variety for quiche is really endless.  Try you own & see what quiche is just right for you.