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birthdaybrownies

I have a friend who requests one thing for his birthday every year - brownies. After a few trial and error batches with various recipes, I discovered this recipe two years ago and have never looked back - the combination of easy preparation and a texture that falls somewhere between a cake and a piece of fudge make this recipe a winner.

Ingredients:

  • 6 oz 70% bittersweet chocolate, chopped
  • 3/4 cup cold butter, cut into chunks
  • 1 1/2 cups sugar
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 t vanilla
  • 1 cup flour
  • 1 cup chopped nuts (optional)

Click to continue reading Recipe: Birthday Brownies


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Sauteed corn, spinach, and green beansI prefer to have vegetables prepared with every dinner that I serve my family, so it is nice to come across a recipe that is easy to prepare while the entree is cooking away. True, the kids may pick and choose which veggie is their favorite, as my 4-year-old would, but I enjoy all three as I hope your family will. This recipe calls for frozen vegetables to save time, but I always love to use fresh when given the choice…up to your preference.

Ingredients:

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 pkg. 10 oz. frozen corn kernels
  • 1 pkg. 10 oz. frozen cut green beans
  • 5 oz. fresh baby spinach
  • 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
  • 2 teaspoons white wine vinegar
  • coarse salt and ground pepper

Preparation:
Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high, add corn and green beans, and cook about 4-6 minutes, until green beans are warmed through. Next add the thyme and spinach, seasoning with salt and pepper. Toss until spinach is wilted, about 1-2 minutes, then stir in the vinegar. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve in a bright dish for added pizazz.


Tomato Chickpea salad

I absolutely love salads, so when I come across a new recipe, I have to share it with everyone - we all could use more veggies in our diets. This recipe is quite simple and tasty, as well as pleasing to the eye—because I am a huge believer in that we first eat with our eyes, before our mouths.

Ingredients:

  • 3 ounces baby arugula
  • 2 scallions, thinly sliced
  • 1 15 oz. can of chickpeas, rinsed and drained
  • 1 cup halved cherry tomatoes
  • 1/4 cup walnuts, toasted if desired(my preference)
  • 2 TB red wine vinegar
  • 2 TB olive oil
  • coarse salt and ground pepper to taste

Preparation:
In medium bowl, layer the first 5 ingredients and set aside. In separate tightly lidded container, combine vinegar, oil, salt, and pepper; shake until blended. Pour directly onto salad and toss.

Enjoy a fresh, quick salad.


Rosemary beef skewers

When our family is enjoying any kind of meat dish, I love to break out the horseradish and announce to whoever is within earshot, “Horseradish makes EVERYTHING taste better”. So when I came across this recipe in Everyday Food for beef skewers with rosemary (one of my favorite herbs to cook with), my mouth started watering at the thought of dipping the yummy skewers into a horseradish dipping sauce, bringing the whole dish to a new level.

Ingredients:

  • 3 flat iron (shoulder top blade) steaks (1 1/2 pounds total, with gristle removed)
  • 1/2 cup reduced fat sour cream
  • 1 tablespoon prepared white horseradish, drained
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • 2 tablespoon fresh rosemary leaves
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • coarse salt and ground pepper
  • Eight 6 inch wooden skewers

Click to continue reading Recipe: Rosemary Beef Skewers with Horseradish Dipping Sauce


Wet againg sirloins

Nothing says “good eating” like wet again sirloins, right? We snapped this picture during in Las Vegas outside of a Gallagher’s restaurant, and just had to post it when we found it in our iPhoto library. I mean, it just says so much - a little too much.

We have images of the full sign, as well as the actual aging beef, after the jump if you are interested.

Click to continue reading Gallagher’s beef aging process images


rl-biscuits

Seafood is not that big a thing around Gear Live’s virtual offices. And while I can’t speak for the other editors, I’ve been known to hit up the neighborhood Red Lobster solely for the biscuits. Unfortunately, the staff at the ol’ RL didn’t take kindly on a person who goes in alone and has nothing but biscuits, a side salad and water. That left me trying to recreate the little starchy wonders at home.

Ingredients:

  • 1/4 cup margarine or butter
  • 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 2 cups of baking mix (I use Bisquick)
  • 2/3 cup milk
  • 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Click to continue reading Recipe: Copycat Red Lobster Biscuits


No Bake Oatmeal Cookies

Our family likes to make up a batch or two of these healthy to keep in the freezer, they work great for when we are feeling like something sweet but not wanting to be “bad.” They make a healthy for the whole family, and they are so easy to make. I make these cookies if I am wanting to do some cooking with the kids but don’t have time to make something that is really involved. Because you don’t have to bake these cookies, they make up in less than 30 minutes.

Vegan No-Bake Oatmeal Cookies

Ingredients:

  • 2/3 cup maple syrup
  • 1/4 cup coconut oil (or other shortening of choice)
  • 4 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder, less if you don’t like a really rich flavor
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 cup peanut butter
  • 2 cup rolled oats
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:

  1. In a saucepan over medium heat combine the maple syrup, oil, cocoa and cinnamon. Boil for three minutes, stirring constantly.
  2. Remove from heat and stir in the peanut butter, rolled oats and vanilla until well blended.
  3. Drop by heaping spoonfuls onto waxed paper (I used foil and sprayed it so they wouldn’t stick) and chill to set, about 30 minutes. Keep refrigerated.
Blueberry Pecan Whole Grain Muffins

I made these last night to go with our dinner and, wow, they were awesome! The kids loved them—in fact, I think they would have preferred to just have muffins for dinner! I got this recipe from All Recipes and altered it quite a bit. I was very happy with how they turned out, very moist and full of flavor. If you want a little sweeter muffin, add more honey, or just drizzle a little honey on your warm muffin. These were great, we will be trying them again soon.

Click to continue reading Recipe: Blueberry Pecan Whole Grain Muffins


Strawberry

Many people would love to buy produce, organic meat, and live a more wholesome life. But what stops most of us? Money, time and space. The mindset I’ve struggled with is, “I can’t buy organic because it’s too expensive,” or “I don’t have the space to have a because we have such a small yard.” My husband, Chris, found this website called Path to Freedom, that really challenges those limiting mindsets. The website is put together by a family who lives in urban Pasadena, California. This family has turned their small 1/5 acre lot into a rich garden with around 400 varieties of edible plants, supplying nourishment for them as well as a sustaining organic produce company. I found this site interesting and extremely inspiring. Take a look at their site and see if it doesn’t inspire you to turn your rose bushes into string beans!

Read More | Path To Freedom

Blackberry Dressing

My friend Crystal is a creative cook, and she came up with this recipe when we were over for dinner the other day. It was amazing! I was so glad when she shared the recipe with me. We enjoyed this dressed over a lush bed of greens tossed with candied pecans and dried cranberries, the was to die for! I plan to share a pasta recipe from Crystal later this week.

BLACKBERRY DRESSING


Ingredients:

  • 2 cups blackberries
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 1/2 cup maple syrup
  • 1/2 tsp onion powder
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp pepper
  • 1/2 tsp dry mustard
  • 1/2 -3/4 cup olive oil
  • 1/2-34 cup apple cider vinegar

Directions:
Puree,  douse a bed of delicious greens, and enjoy.


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