New Recipe Contest! You Can Try and Rate My Submission!

Simply Potatoes has teamed up with Food.com to use the Ready, Set, Cook! (RSC) contest format to promote recipe creations using their brand of refrigerated potato products.

I'm normally not one to push myself on others and I avoid the activities that require getting pledges to participate, but this time I'm doing something I love to do and have the chance to win $2000. Since this is the first time the contest recipes are not being posted anonymously, we are allowed to promote our creations and hopefully encourage enough friends and family to try and rate our recipes.

I've just posted my first submission and if you'd like to try it out and share your rating during the contest, please make and review it on Food.com by March 21st.

Sun-Dried Tomato and Roasted Garlic Skillet Breakfast

Of course, I wouldn't feel good about myself if I didn't let you know that anyone can submit a recipe creation. Just like the annual Food.com RSC contest, there is an official list of ingredients. We must use 5 of them in our recipe creation, and in this case there are 3 Simply Potatoes products to choose from and then an additional 4 from the required list. You may use more than 5 from the list and any other ingredient from your pantry, fridge or freezer to complete your recipe.

So, if you've got a favorite way to use mashed, shredded or diced potatoes, check out the Ready, Set, Cook: Special Edition Rules and Required Ingredient List and go for it!

Everything Chicken Tenders

I have a new favorite, go-to, busy weeknight chicken recipe! Seriously, you can never have too many of those, right? This one is for the everything bagel lovers. I found Everything Chicken Tenders posted on Food.com by MommyDiva, with it's origin credited to Rachael Ray and her friend, Andrew Kaplan.


The best thing about this recipe is that you can make up the dry ingredients and store in a bag or spice jar until needed. The only other ingredient you need, and probably always have on hand, is a little extra virgin olive oil. The dipping sauce is wonderfully addictive, but the chicken has plenty of flavor on it's own, so if I didn't have the ingredients one night for the sauce, we could still have a satisfying dinner on the table in 25 minutes.

This is also a great recipe for kids to hone their cooking skills. Last night I let my 5 year old and her BFF do everything but the oven. They measured each ingredient, and then oiled and coated the chicken tenders. They wore such proud little faces at having made this chicken all by themselves, and over the years I've discovered that the more involved in the cooking a child is, the more likely they are to eat or at least try the food. For the kids' version we skipped the skewers and just placed the chicken in a baking dish.
*Note to self and sage advice for the rest of you: Next time reduce the mess of seeds everywhere by covering the table with some aluminum foil.

I served the chicken with Mixed Green Salad with Oranges, Dried Cranberries and Pecans, also found on Food.com, but credited to a 1998 issue of Bon Appetit magazine.

I love mixed greens with cranberries and pecans, but I don't usually use fresh oranges. The cranberries plumped nicely after simmering in the orange juice, and the balance of bitter greens, sweet cranberries and tangy oranges was very refreshing. I'll definitely remember this recipe when the holidays roll around again, but I also think it would be an excellent summer weather salad.

Facebook statuses I didn’t post - Parenting.com

Facebook statuses I didn’t post - Parenting.com

For all parents, internet generation or not, this blog post is worth the read. We can all relate to it!

Rapunzel Doll Giveaway at the Cookie & Claire Blog!

Anyone with a little girl in your life needs to run visit the Cookie & Claire Blog to enter to win a Rapunzel Doll!
It's a wonderful blog I found through Pinterest and she had a great tip posted for combing the Rapunzel doll's hair. The post became so popular that the Tollytots company contacted her to sponsor a giveaway for her readers.

I love her story of getting the email from Tollytots, because I can so relate! I just went through a similar range of emotions when I got published in the Taste of Home book back in... October or November. I can't remember, but scroll back through my blog if you missed that post. I thought the package was going to cost me money and/or time to return it, but instead found out they'd published one of my original recipes!

Anyway, with the length of Sophie's hair and how much she loves it and the movie Tangled, I know we'd have a lot of fun with the Rapunzel doll.



So now, go check out her blog and enter yourself in the Rapunzel giveaway also!

Cherry Limeade Cupcakes

I've seen several blog posts and Pinterest pins for the same Cherry Limeade Cupcake recipe, and since the Cherry Limeade drink at Sonic Drive-In is Bryan's favorite, I thought it would be fun to make the cupcakes for his and Nick's birthday dinner. I started out with every intention of following the recipe, but while walking the grocery aisles my brain began to juggle a few variations. There were three basic parts to the recipe; the cake, glaze and frosting, and by the time I arrived home I had made part one easier, deleted part two, and made part three more complicated!

I was also inspired by another technique I found on Pinterest. A way to frost the swirl on the cupcakes using two small piping bags, filled with different colors of frosting, inside one large bag and coupler. The technique mom and I learned many years ago is messy, time consuming and the results will change every time you refill the piping bag, so this new technique really appealed to me.

Since I was making these cupcakes for my husband and our 19 year old son, I was fairly certain pink frosting wouldn't be their first choice. That's okay with me, but since I want my colors to match the drink this was based on, I had to come up with a way to incorporate the flavors and colors without making them look too girly. Ummm.... yeah. That didn't work out. Regardless, I think flavor is definitely going to trump color this time.

Cherry Limeade Cupcakes

For Cake:
1 white cake mix (I used Duncan Hines Moist Deluxe)
1 cup water
1/3 cup canola oil
1/3 cup frozen limeade concentrate, thawed
3 eggs
1 lime, zest and juice of

For Frosting:
1 cup vegetable shortening
1 cup butter (2 sticks), softened
8 cups (2 lbs) sifted powdered sugar
2 Tablespoons frozen limeade concentrate, thawed
2 Tablespoons maraschino cherry juice
1/8 teaspoon almond extract (optional)
green paste or gel icing color (or food coloring)
pink (or red) paste or gel icing color (or food coloring)

For Garnish (optional):
24 maraschino cherries, drained on paper towels
24 slices of lime

Preheat oven to 350° and line muffin tins with 24 cupcake liners. Combine all cake ingredients in a large bowl or bowl of stand mixer. Beat on low speed for 30 seconds, scrape sides of bowl, and then beat on medium speed for two minutes. Bake for 19 minutes or until toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Allow cupcakes to cool in pan for about 5 minutes and then remove to wire rack to cool completely. For the frosting, cream together the shortening and butter in a large bowl or bowl of stand mixer. Begin adding the powdered sugar, one cup at a time. Beat well and scrape the bowl occasionally. When the powdered sugar has been incorporated, remove half of the frosting to another bowl and set aside. To the mixer, add the 2 Tablespoons limeade concentrate and a drop of green icing color. Mix well and add small amounts of coloring until the desired shade is reached. If the frosting gets too soft, beat in additional powdered sugar. Remove the icing to a small bowl, wash the mixer bowl and return the reserved white frosting to it. Add the cherry juice and almond extract (if using) and beat well. If you would like a darker pink than the cherry juice provides, begin adding a drop or two of the pink or red icing color, beating well after each addition, until the desired color is reached.
Fill two small (8-10 inch) disposable piping bags 1/2 full; one color per bag. Cut about 1/2 inch off the tip of each bag and then flatten each bag slightly. Slip both bags into a larger (16-20 inch) bag, fitted with the large coupler and a Wilton brand 1M star tip. Begin swirling the icing onto cupcake at the outer edge, working your way toward the center, overlapping the previous rotation slightly. End the swirl by releasing pressure on the bag, and pulling straight up from the top of the cupcake. Garnish each cupcake with a cherry and slice of lime, if desired.

Cranberry White Chocolate Quick Bread Mix in a Jar

Nothing says I love you better than a gift from the kitchen, especially one that fills the house of your recipient with the aroma of sweet, fresh baked bread. This recipe makes a moist and delicious quick bread, but the dry ingredients can be layered, ahead of time, in a quart-sized jar for gift giving.

The jar can be decorated in any number of ways to reflect the occasion. Be sure to attach a recipe card or an embellished tag with the recipe, additional ingredients needed and baking instructions before presenting your gift.

I created this recipe for the winter 2010 Category Craze-E Contest on Food.com when the category was gifts from the kitchen, which I love! Beautiful red and white layers make this a great Valentine gift for friends, family or your child's teacher. These instructions make one quart jar and one loaf of bread, but feel free to double or triple the recipe to make several gifts at a time.






Cranberry White Chocolate Quick Bread Mix in a Jar

For Gift:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg (I use fresh grated, but ground is fine)
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup white chocolate chips
1/2 cup pecans, chopped

For Making the bread:
2 eggs
1/2 cup sour cream
1/4 cup butter, melted
1/4 cup powdered sugar
1/2 tablespoon milk


To make the gift jar: Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt and then spoon into a quart-sized jar with a tight-fitting lid. (I use a wide-mouth funnel to easily get the ingredients into the jar.) Tap the jar gently on the counter top to settle the flour.

Combine the sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger and pour over the flour in the jar.

Continue the layers with the dried cranberries, then the white chocolate chips and finally the pecans. Put the lid on the jar and decorate as desired.

To make bread: Preheat oven to 350°F and lightly grease a 9x 5 loaf pan.

Pour all the dry ingredient from the jar into a large mixing bowl and stir to combine.

In a small bowl, use a fork to beat the eggs lightly and then add the sour cream. Continue mixing with the fork until the sour cream is incorporated.

Add the melted butter to the dry ingredients and then add the egg and sour cream mixture. Stir just until combined.

Spread into prepared loaf pan and bake in preheated oven for 50 minutes, or until toothpick inserted near center comes out clean.

Cool 10 minutes in pan and then turn out onto a cooling rack (with a layer of foil or waxed paper under the rack, to keep your counter clean.).

Stir together powdered sugar and milk until smooth. Drizzle or spread over top of loaf. Serve immediately or cool completely before slicing, to keep the slices looking nice. Yield: 1 loaf

What's on the menu in 2012?

In November, the Daily News ran an article about food trends for 2012. The New York based international food consultant company, Baum + Whitman predicted that Korean flavors could be the It flavor offered by chain restaurants in 2012. Their observation of global eating habits over the last few years shows that when the economy took a down-turn, the American people turned to what they call "crisis foods". Inexpensive comfort foods like meatloaf, macaroni and cheese and roast chicken made a big comeback, but these days our palettes are getting bored with those flavors, and we're looking to put some life back onto our plates. Then, last week I was looking for ways to use up round steak when I found this Korean Sirloin recipe posted on Food.com by Jolene#20fan. Remembering the article I had read, I decided to try it.

I love the idea and the results of marinades, but the process of getting the meat into a giant, floppy bag full of liquid can get a little tedious. It's one of the first things that popped in my mind when I saw a new gadget on the market called the Bagwell. Essentially, a sturdy plastic base that holds your Ziplock bag up and open while you fill it. The other time I find myself needing something like this is when I buy meats in bulk, portion them out into bags, and then use the FoodSaver vacuum sealer to prepare them for freezing. After doing this for over 10 years, I've developed a system for the procedure, and a sizable collection of glass liquid measuring cups to hold the bags as I fill them. The only trouble is that a bag stuffed inside a glass measure leaves only a small amount of room to fill before overflowing. When I tested the Bagwell last week, using several pounds of ground beef, I was very impressed with the large mouth in which to fill the bag, and that the bag was suspended at least 6 inches above the counter. That meant I could fill the bag easily with a full pound of ground beef, while not juggling several small amounts of raw meat and an unruly baggie.

As you all know, I'm an admitted Gadget Junkie and can't resist testing out any kitchen gadget that I see or hear about. The Bagwell was one of those gadgets that makes you think, "Now why didn't I think of that?!" It's such a simple idea, but for $10 it's one of the most useful gadgets in the house. It folds flat, about an inch tall, is dishwasher safe and was quite sturdy considering what I was using it for. The FoodSaver bags were not what the Bagwell was designed for, so they were a little stiff and took some coaxing to get the bags over the four Bagwell arms, but once they were on they were held open a good four inches square, making filling them really easy.



The Bagwell with a FoodSaver bag. Note the large mouth for filling:


Since I had decided to make the Korean marinade within a day or two of getting the Bagwell, I was able to test it's usefulness with the resealable-type bag that it's designed for. I have a large, flat container made just for marinating meats, but I never use it. I prefer to use Ziplock bags for marinating instead. They take up less room in the refrigerator and it's easier to shake and re-distribute the meat and marinade periodically. It could not have been easier to fill a Ziplock with marinade ingredients and large chunks of round steak than it was with the Bagwell. The gallon-size Ziplock went smoothly over the four Bagwell arms and I found that being able to measure ingredients, and even grate fresh ginger, directly into the bag was not only a time-saver, but it saved me from washing extra dishes. I haven't tried it yet, but I can tell that this gadgie will also be like having an extra hand when trying to pour leftovers into a bag from a large pot. I make a lot of recipes that will divide into several meals, that I bag, label and freeze for busy nights. The Bagwell will make doing the OAMC (Once A Month Cooking) technique even more efficient.

The Bagwell with Ziplock bag for marinating:


The Korean marinade goes together easily, with mostly pantry items and can marinate in as little as one hour. It's great for those of us that usually decide to make this kind of recipe with only an hour to spare before mealtime. Since I already had lasagna in the oven, but was playing with my new Bagwell, I made the marinade then and the meat ended up marinating for 24 hours. The only complaint about this dish was from Bryan, who doesn't like the strong flavor that fresh ginger imparts. I'll just reduce the amount of ginger next time. The following night I used the George Foreman indoor grill to cook the marinated meat, the microwave to bake some potatoes, and we had a delicious meal on the table in less than 20 minutes. This is definitely a main dish that can be assembled, bagged, and frozen for future use. Just transfer the bag from freezer to refrigerator the night before, or the morning of, and let the meat marinate as it thaws. This is my version of the original recipe, as I don’t like to cook and eat the liquid that the raw meat has marinated in, so I doubled the marinade ingredients and reserved half for the sauce. I suggest serving this recipe on a bed of white rice with a side of steamed broccoli. Delicious!

Korean Sirloin

1 cup reduced sodium soy sauce
4 tablespoons grated peeled fresh ginger
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons sesame oil
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
6 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 boneless top sirloin steak, 1 inch thick or 1 top round steak, 1 inch thick

In a large re-sealable bag, combine soy sauce, ginger, brown sugar, sesame oil, cayenne and garlic. Remove about 1/2 cup of the marinade to a small bowl (or baggie), cover and refrigerate for later. Add the steak to the large baggie, seal and turn to coat. Refrigerate for 1 to 4 hours, turning bag several times. Heat a ridged grill pan over medium-high heat until very hot. Remove the steak from the bag, pat dry with paper towels and cook for 6 to 8 minutes per side for a medium rare steak. Remove steak to a cutting board and let stand for 10 minutes. Pour the reserved marinade into a small saucepan and add 2 tbsp of water. Heat to boiling, and boil for 2 minutes. Slice the steak into thin strips, diagonally against the grain and serve with the cooked sauce.