Food

Roasted New Potatoes with Garlic, Bacon & Blue Cheese

/ Jodi / 23 Comments

Roasted New Potatoes with Garlic, Bacon, & Blue Cheese on fork

Can you imagine any more amazing way to make potatoes?

Garlic, Crisp Smokey Bacon, and Creamy Blue Cheese?!?!

If you are looking for a SIMPLE, but KNOCK-OUT potato dish to serve for special company, with a steak for dinner, or to take to a potluck, get ready to make a lot of new friends with this dish and make your tummy VERY happy too!

Roasted New Potatoes with Garlic, Bacon, & Blue Cheese

My friend Janet came over for dinner the other evening, so I wanted to step up the potatoes a little and thought of this.  We had them with marinated grilled London Broil, Sauteed Fresh Green Beans and Fresh, Sweet Cantaloupe.  YUM!

And if you don’t like Blue Cheese (I realize some people do have an aversion for this cheese that I absolutely ADORE), you can substitute Cheddar or Swiss, or Monterrey Jack, or your favorite cheese – or – you can even eat them without cheese.  They are good that way too.

Here’s the recipe.  I dare you to not like this!

Roasted New Potatoes with Garlic, Bacon & Blue Cheese

Ingredients:Roasted New Potatoes with Garlic, Bacon, & Blue Cheese on fork

  • 3 lbs Baby New Potatoes – I used 1.5 lbs of Yukon Golds and 1.5 lbs of Red
  • 8-10 Strips Thick Sliced Bacon – I used Peppered Slab Bacon
  • 4 Large Cloves Garlic, Minced
  • 2-3 Tbsp Olive Oil
  • Salt & Pepper to taste
  • 4-6 oz. High Quality Blue Cheese, Crumbled

Directions:

  • Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
  • Dice bacon into small bite-sized pieces and fry in skillet until cooked well, but not too crisp as it will continue to cook and crisp when you roast the potatoes in the oven.
  • Drain the diced bacon on paper towels, and remove all but 1 Tbsp of bacon drippings from pan.
  • Add Olive Oil, Garlic and Potatoes.  Mix to coat potatoes.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper, and stir fry for 3-4 minutes.  Add bacon back in, and stir.
  • Place all in a shallow baking dish and roast at 450 for 20 minutes or until potatoes are done.
  • Remove from oven and crumble blue cheese over all.  Stir to coat, and ENJOY!

Cheers & Hugs,

Jodi

Blackberry Pie Squares

/ Jodi / 24 Comments

Blackerry Pie Bars 1

I made another dessert this week…

I feel like I am at a meeting admitting my addiction.

But when I found this recipe for Blackberry Pie Squares via Pinterest from Kathleen at Gonna Want Seconds, I just couldn’t resist!

And besides, I was on vacation last week and baked NOTHING (as my son – with like 6% body fat –  has reminded me at least twice).

blackberry pie bars 3

And besides, my recipe for Sugar Free (Almost) Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies earlier this week WAS almost sugar free.

blackberry pie bars 2

As summer is drawing to a close, recipes with blackberries and raspberries and peaches will make way for pumpkin and apples and cinnamon.

I sorta can’t wait!

Blackberry Pie Bars

But in the meantime, this recipe turned out BERRY good and got thumbs up from the guys as well as my son’s friend who was over last evening who claims he does not like dessert…. except he always loves mine!

And he even asked for a second!

Oh – he knows the way to my heart… ❤

Hope you'll give this yummy recipe a try before we call it quits for summer.  You won't regret it!

Here is the recipe from Gonna Want Seconds, and I’m guessing you are gonna want seconds.

Blackberry Pie Squares

  • Servings: 16 squares
  • Print

Crust:Blackerry Pie Bars 1

  • 1 1/2 Cups Flour
  • 3/4 Cup Sugar
  • 1/8 tsp Salt
  • 1 1/2 Sticks Cold Butter, cubed

Filling:

  • 2 Eggs
  • 1 Cup Sugar
  • 1/2 Cup Sour Cream
  • 1/3 Cup Flour
  • Pinch of Salt
  • 2 Cups Fresh Blackberries 

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Line an 8″x 8″ baking stone or pan with parchment paper, allowing to extend a couple of inches up on all four sides.  Spray with nonstick cooking spray.  (This makes it easy to remove from pan once cooled)

For the crust,  mix flour, sugar and salt in a medium bowl.  Add the cubed cold butter and blend with pastry blender until the butter pieces are about the size of peas.   Set aside 1 cup of the mixture to use as a topping.  Press the rest of the crumb mixture into prepared pan.  Bake for 12 minutes.

Remove from oven and lay the berries in a single layer on top of the crust.

Combine the eggs, sugar, sour cream, flour and salt in a medium bowl, and pour over the berries.

Sprinkle the reserved crumb mixture on top of the filling.

Bake for 40-45 minutes, or until the filling is just beginning to turn golden and is set.

Cool bars completely on a baking rack, and then refrigerate to completely set.

Enjoy these yummy treats!

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

Sugar-Free (Almost) Chocolate Oatmeal No Bake Cookies

/ Jodi / 32 Comments

almost sugar free chocolate no bake cookies 2

Do you remember these chocolately no-bake cookies from your childhood?

My Grandma’s friend and neighbor, Audrey, used to make these in the summer, and I loved them.

almost sugar free chocolate no bake cookies 3

I hadn’t thought about them or had them in a long time.  Then I noticed my friend, Janet, posted this healthy, no-sugar version on her Facebook page.

Yesterday was our first day home from vacation, and there were no cookies in the house.  That is something that doesn’t happen often around here! 

Knowing we were heading over to our oldest son’s and daughter-in-law’s house for a visit, I didn’t want to go empty handed, so I thought I would give this recipe a try.

almost sugar free chocolate no bake cookies 1

The original recipe from my childhood calls for 2 cups of sugar, 1/2 cup of butter and 1/2 cup of milk.

This recipe has NO sugar (except for what is in my peanut butter – but if you used natural peanut butter, it would have NONE!).  Honey is used instead, and I use local honey (Molinaro Apiaries here in Mars).  Have you heard that using local honey can help treat those with allergies as you ingest small doses of pollen the bees carry that is local to you and builds antibodies like getting a “vaccine?”

This recipe has no butter.  It uses healthy coconut oil instead.  And it uses no milk.

And best of all…. these “healthy” cookies taste DELISH!

almost sugar free chocolate no bake cookies 4

And… they take only minutes to make.

They are best eaten right out of the freezer on hot summer days.

The recipe Janet shared is from 12 Tomatoes, and they say the recipes makes three dozen cookies.

WHY do I always only get HALF the number of cookies any cookie recipe calls for?  I got exactly 18…. One and one half dozen.  Do I really make my cookies TWICE as big as everyone else!?!!???  🙂

It was good to be back in the kitchen – even if only briefly – and not really baking!

But it was even better to be with our “kids.”  And I played ladder golf for the first time.  Us girls ALMOST won!

Sugar Free (Almost) Chocolate Oatmeal No Bake Cookies

  • Servings: 1-1/2 - 3 dozen
  • Print

Ingredients

  • 3 cups quick-cooking oats
  • 3/4 cup honey
  • 2/3 cup natural peanut butter (I didn’t have “natural” so used Jif – thus the “almost” sugar free reference)
  • 1/2 cup coconut oil
  • 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions

  1. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
  2. In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, combine honey, peanut butter and coconut oil, stirring until well blended and smooth.
  3. Stir in oats, cocoa powder, vanilla and salt and mix well.
  4. Drop cookies by tablespoonful onto parchment-lined baking sheets
  5. Place in freezer for at least 15 minutes to set.
  6. Store in an airtight container or Ziploc bag either in the fridge or freezer.

Enjoy!

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

Chocolate Chunk and Fresh Red Raspberry Chocolate Muffins

/ Jodi / 29 Comments

raspberry chocolate chunk chocolate muffins

Last week I wrote about “perfect pairs.”

But seriously…

does anything “pair” better than the divine taste of rich, creamy semi-sweet chocolate and the tangy, sweet, juiciness of fresh red raspberries?

raspberry chocolate chunk chocolate muffins 1

Oh these muffins!

raspberry chocolate chunk chocolate muffins 2

They are pretty much heaven in a paper liner!

raspberry chocolate chunk chocolate muffins 3

If you are looking for an amazing muffin recipe that goes as wonderfully with coffee in the morning for a decadent breakfast treat as it does with red wine or milk for dessert or as a snack, look no further.  Here is a recipe I slightly adapted from Creme de la Crumb.  ENJOY!

Chocolate Chunk and Fresh Red Raspberry Chocolate Muffins

raspberry chocolate chunk chocolate muffins

Ingredients:
  • 2 cups flour
  • 1 cup white sugar
  • 1 cup semi sweet chocolate chunks or chips
  • ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 egg
  • 1 cup red raspberry Greek yogurt
  • ½ cup Half & Half
  • ½ cup vegetable oil
  • ¼ cup semi sweet chocolate chunks or chips
  • 1 pint fresh red raspberries

Directions:

  • Preheat oven to 400 degrees and line muffin pan with liners.
  • Combine flour, sugar, 1 cup chocolate chunks or chips, cocoa powder, and baking soda in a large bowl.
  • Whisk egg, yogurt, milk, and vegetable oil in another bowl until smooth.
  • Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and mix until just combined.
  • Scoop into muffin pan.
  • Divide raspberries and remaining ¼ cup chocolate chunks among the muffins (just sprinkle the chocolate chips on the tops of the batter and gently press the raspberries into the top – I used 3 raspberries per muffin)
  • Bake for 18-20 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.
  • Allow to cool for about 10 minutes before removing.

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

Caramel Stuffed Milky Way Cookies

/ Jodi / 33 Comments

Caramel Stuffed Milky Way Cookies

Can you even imagine…..

cookies with chopped up mini Milky Way bites…

and then….

stuffed with some ooey gooey caramel right in the middle?!

Caramel Stuffed Milky Way Cookies 3

Yep – that’s what I made last weekend when I needed a treat to take to a party.

I had the cookie dough ready with the chopped up Milky Way bites, when my oldest son texted me a photo of some caramel stuffed chocolate chip cookies with this message:

“Here is your next challenge.”

Well – I do love a challenge…

And I did happen to have a bag of caramels in the pantry…

Caramel Stuffed Milky Way Cookies 4

so why not?!  If caramel stuffed chocolate chip cookies are good, wouldn’t they be even more amazing with chopped up Milky Way bites?

And O. M. G.!

My youngest son said they are his new fave!  Woohoo!  Score!

Caramel Stuffed Milky Way Cookies 5jpg

Milky Way Caramel Stuffed Cookies

Ingredients:Caramel Stuffed Milky Way Cookies 2

4 sticks butter, softened
1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar
1 1/2 cups white granulated sugar
2 tsp vanilla
4 eggs
2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp salt
5 cups all purpose flour
2 8-oz bags Milky Way Unwrapped Bites, chopped
1 bag of Kraft Caramels, unwrapped

Directions:

With electric mixer, beat butter and sugar together until completely incorporated. Add vanilla and eggs, and beat until light and fluffy. Add baking soda and salt, and mix another minute. Gradually add flour and beat until well incorporated, but do not overbeat.

Fold in chopped Milky Way Bites. Refrigerate dough for at least 2 hours or up to 2 days.

When ready to bake, preheat oven to 375 degrees F. With your hands, form a cookie dough ball about 1-1/2 inches in diameter.  Push a small indentation in center with your thumb and place an unwrapped caramel.  Wrap dough around to enclose.  Place on baking stone. Bake for 8-10 minutes. Do not overbake. Allow to cool on baking stone for 2-3 minutes, then remove to cooling rack to cool completely.

Enjoy the chocolatey, caramely, ooey, gooey yumminess!

Cheers & Hugs,

Jodi

Crockpot Chicken Philly Cheesesteak Sandwiches

/ Jodi / 27 Comments

chicken philly cheesesteak 2

Last week, I made some yummy chicken sandwiches: Chicken Philly Cheese Steaks, which were easy peasy and full of flavor.

Just imagine juicy, shredded chicken with ooey gooey melted cheese and sweet caramelized onions and peppers on a buttery, toasted bun.  Sound like heaven?

Crockpot meal to the rescue!

If you’re looking for an easy, satisfying dinner, lunch, picnic or party pleaser, look no further, and enjoy these yummy sammies.

I know we did!  We enjoyed ours with some fresh garlic green beans and a vinaigrette-based light cole slaw.  Do I have you hungry yet?

I found a recipe I tweaked every so slightly from CinnamonSpiceandEverythingNice.com.

chicken philly cheesesteak

Crockpot Chicken Philly Cheesesteak Sandwiches


Ingredients:chicken philly cheesesteak 2

  • 1 cup chicken broth
  • 1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
  • 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 1/2 tsp chili powder
  • 1/4 tsp ground cumin
  • 1/2 tsp each onion and garlic powder
  • Olive oil for sauteing
  • 2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs
  • 2 large sweet onions, sliced
  • 2 large red or orange or yellow bell peppers sliced
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 8 buns
  • 8 slices Mozzarella or Provolone cheese (or your fave)
  • Pickled Jalapeno or Banana Peppers or Pickles to garnish
  • Hot sauce if you want to “zip” it up some more

Directions

Add the broth, mustard, Worcestershire, chili powder, cumin, onion powder, garlic powder, salt and black pepper to a crockpot set on high and whisk together.

Season the chicken with salt and pepper and place on top of sauce in the crockpot.

In a skillet, saute the onion, peppers and garlic in olive oil. Season with salt and pepper, cook, stirring occasionally for 5 – 7 minutes. Remove half the mixture and place on top of chicken in the crockpot and save the other half for serving.  You can store it in a small covered container in the refrigerator.

Cook the chicken mixture on low for 6 – 8 hours.

During the last hour shred the chicken with 2 forks right in the crockpot and let cook in the juice.

Reheat the onion, pepper and garlic mixture you set aside earlier.

Butter the insides of the buns and toast on a hot skillet until golden brown. Lay your choice of cheese down then top with chicken, some of the onion mixture and pickles or pickled peppers and hot sauce if you like.

Enjoy!

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

How I turned Peach Coffee Cake with Browned Butter Peach Glaze into the HEALTHIEST Fruit Dessert EVER!

/ Jodi / 47 Comments

peach coffee cake with brown butter glaze

First, I spent about an hour or so early in the morning blanching, dicing, mixing, melting, streuseling,  spreading, baking, glazing, and plating.

peach coffee cake with brown butter glaze 2

I then cut a slice,
took a photo of the whole cake,
plated a slice for a photo,
placed it on the edge of the deck railing with the cake where I was photographing for good lighting so I could share here,
considered how I should be careful balancing so much on the railing….

peach coffee cake disaster

Shrieked!
Cursed……
cleaned up the broken plate, ENTIRE cake AND plated slice out of the mulch 10 feet below the deck…

and cut up a ripe, juicy cantaloupe for dessert.

cantelope

I’ll have to try that one again another time…

or not….

The upside:

We saved hundreds of calories,
The cantaloupe was SUPER sweet,
and I allowed myself an extra glass of wine that evening.  🙂

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

PS  If you would like the recipe for the Peach Coffee Cake (which I cannot tell you how it tasted), here is a link to The SeaSideBaker where I found the recipe.  If you would like the recipe for my Cantaloupe dessert: cut up one fresh, ripe, juicy delicious cantaloupe into bite-sized pieces, and enjoy.  🙂

Chicken Noodle Soup Casserole

/ Jodi / 34 Comments

chicken noodle soup casserole

I’m a soup lover.  My guys – not as much.

I ADORE homemade chicken noodle soup, so when I saw this recipe for a Chicken Noodle Soup Casserole, I knew it was right up my guys’ alleys!

chicken noodle soup casserole 2

I made it even a little more hearty than the original I found by adding more chicken, cheese, and veggies, and it turned out to be another Winner Winner Chicken Dinner!

chicken noodle soup casserole 3

I make chicken for dinner at least once, if not twice a week, so am always looking for new chicken recipes to try.  I am sure this one will be made again.  And what a great casserole to take to someone who is recovering from an illness, welcoming a new baby, just moving into a new home…  It is comfort food for the soul.

Here is how I adapted it from the recipe I found at The Weary Chef:

Chicken Noodle Soup Casserole

Ingredients:chicken noodle soup casserole 2
1 lb of your favorite pasta
4 Tbsp butter
1 large sweet onion, chopped
1 cup chopped carrots
1 cup chopped celery
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 cup sliced green onions
2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts, diced
2 Tbsp chopped fresh rosemary
1 tsp chopped thyme
1 tsp sage
1/2 tsp nutmeg
salt and black pepper to taste
3 Tbsp flour
2 1/4 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup shredded fresh Parmesan cheese
8 oz. sliced Havarti cheese (or our favorite – this is what I had on hand)

Directions:

Boil pasta according to package directions to al dente.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F, and spray a 9×13 baking stone or pan with cooking spray.

Melt butter in a large skillet over medium to high heat. Add onions, carrots, celery, garlic and green onions, and saute for 2-3 minutes. Add in chicken and seasonings, and stir fry until chicken is cooked through – about 10 minutes.

Stir in flour and 1 cup of the chicken broth until smooth. Add remaining broth and bring to a low boil, then simmer for a few minutes as the broth thickens.

Place pasta in greased baking dish, and pour the chicken mixture on top. Gently stir until all pasta is coated in the yummy sauce. Layer the cheese on top and sprinkle additional green onions if desired.

Bake for 20-30 minutes until cheese is melted.

Enjoy!

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

Thank You Berry (Salsa) Much

/ Jodi / 9 Comments

thank you berry much

Thank you cards might be my favorite cards to make and send.  There is something so heartwarming about putting to art and words your feelings of gratitude and sharing it with the person you are thankful to.

So when one of my co-workers did something especially nice and helpful (which is a regular occurrence from her – lucky me – eh?!), I had this little card I had made a while back when I was practicing water color painting where I had laid out some fruit and mint leaves and tried to create it.  I was goofing around with making it a (not sure of the term?) combination of words and “art.”  (Anybody know the technical name for this or is there even such a thing?)  Need to work on my handwriting, but thought it was fun… or maybe I ruined it??

Nonetheless, I used this, along with a little batch of my Fresh Raspberry Chocolate Chip Cookies as a way to thank my friend and co-worker.  (Thank you Judy!!)

And while we are talking about the wonderful fruits of summer and berries, it brought to mind a favorite recipe I used to make and demonstrate from Pampered Chef years ago when I was a “Pampered Chef Lady” that I thought I’d share with you here today.  Only, I kicked it up a notch by adding fresh red raspberries too!  I’ve got to make this again soon!

Berry Salsa with Cinnamon Chips

Photo courtesy of myreciperoundup.blogspot.com

Ingredients:
2 Medium Granny Smith Apples, chopped
1 Cup Strawberries, hulled and chopped
1 Kiwi, peeled and chopped
1 Cup Red Raspberries
1 Medium Orange, juiced and zested
2 Tbsp Brown Sugar
2 Tbsp Apple Jelly
4 Large Tortillas
2 Tbsp Sugar
1 tsp Cinnamon

Directions:

Gently mix together first seven ingredients in a bowl.

Preheat oven to 475 degrees F.  Brush tortillas with water using a pastry brush.  Combine cinnamon and sugar and sprinkle over tortillas.  Cut each tortilla into eight wedges, and place on a baking stone (or cookie sheet).  Bake 5-7 minutes until golden brown and crisp.  Remove to cooling rack, then place in a bowl or basket alongside the salsa, and ENJOY!

Recipe from The Pampered Chef (modified)

Cheers & Hugs & Thank You BERRY Much for Visiting LifeinBetween.me,
Jodi

Old-Fashioned Fresh Peach Pie

/ Jodi / 37 Comments

old fashioned fresh peach pie 2

It is fresh peach time in our little corner of the world, and some of the best come from Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, an area known for micro-climate, soil and slopes conducive to growing sweet, juicy, high-quality peaches.  Though Chambersburg is about three hours from Mars, we have a local feed store (that I frequent for bird food) whose owner has a connection and receives fresh peaches and several varieties of plums for just a few weeks every August from a farm in Chambersburg.

old fashioned fresh peach pie slice

Fresh warm peach pie a la mode is one of hubby’s all-time favorite desserts.  He is a fruit pie lover, and peach is at the top of his list.

Old Fashioned Fresh Peach Pie

I was happy to have an opportunity to bake a pie in my less-than-usual spare time this weekend.

blanched peaches

You see, we got a new family member Saturday morning…

Meet Charlie.  We rescued him from a shelter about an hour and a half away.  They believe him to be about a year old.  Day one, he was very shy, but warmed up quickly enough to actually help himself to jumping up and snuggling right in between hubby and me at bed time.  (not sure how long that is going to fly!)

Day two found him to be 45 pounds of galloping, fetching and retrieving exuberance.  His confidence is growing, and his puppy-ness kept me busy.

charlie 080215

He was right by my side in the kitchen while we made this yummy pie for “dad.”  We were both in our happy place!

Enjoy the old-fashioned taste of this classic recipe from our family to yours.

Old-Fashioned Fresh Peach Pie

Ingredients:old fashioned fresh peach pie 2

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.

Blanch, peel and slice peaches.  (To blanch, place peaches in boiling water for 3-4 minutes, then remove with slotted spoon and place immediately in large bowl of ice water.  The skin will slip right off. )

Mix peaches, sugars, juice of lemon, flour and cinnamon in bowl and let set aside while you prepare pie crust

Line pie pan with one crust.  Add filling.  Cut remaining crust into strips to form lattice top.  Brush with milk, sprinkle with a little white sugar.

Cover edges of pie with aluminum foil to prevent pie crust from burning or overbaking.

Bake at 450 degrees F for 10 minutes.  Reduce heat to 350 degrees F and back for another 30-35 minutes.  Remove aluminum foil during last 10 minutes.

Peach pie is good served warm or cold, and especially yummy with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi