Blueberry Muffins

Do you ever go to the grocery store looking purely disgusting and then you run into someone you know, and they, of course look fabulous? You are embarrassed and trying to end the conversation quickly. You want out of the store before the person notices that your hair really hasn’t been washed for 4 days instead of the 2 you sheepishly admitted to. I went to the store the other night to get blueberries and I am happy to report that I was the one looking fabulous! That’s right, we had just had our family pictures taken and I was dressed for the occasion, makeup on, hair done, and I didn’t see a soul I knew! Isn’t that the way it always works? I had been craving these muffins for a while now and knew that I needed to make them this weekend. They were our Sunday morning breakfast. The hubs had 3! They are moist, tasty, and the streusel on top makes them seem so fancy! Oh, because they are! We all need a go-to delicious blueberry muffin recipe, right? Here ya go…you’re welcome!

Blueberry Muffins

• 1 1/2 cup flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 teaspoon lemon zest
• 1 egg
• 3/4 cup buttermilk
• 1/3 cup canola oil
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 1/2 cup fresh blueberries

Streusel:

• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup flour
• 1/4 cup butter, cubed
• 1 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

In a large mixing bowl combine flour, baking powder, salt, sugar and lemon zest. Make a well in the center. In a small mixing bowl whisk together egg, buttermilk, oil and vanilla. Pour in the middle of the well in the flour mixture. Stir until just combined. Gently fold in blueberries to batter. Either spray your muffin tin with vegetable spray or use cupcake liners and fill muffin tins 2/3 full.

For the streusel: Combine sugar, flour, and cinnamon. Then cut in butter with a pastry cutter or fork. Mixture should be crumbly. Sprinkle over the batter on top of each muffin tin. Bake for 18 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into muffin, comes out clean. (Makes 12 muffins)

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Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

Have you heard that we LOVE cookies here at LJB?  So how could I help but post this delicious recipe?  It finally feels like fall here in NorCal, and nothing says fall like pumpkin, so again I post a yummy pumpkin recipe!  These cookies are my favorite pumpkin cookies ever.  Just a touch of cinnamon to add some depth but subtle enough that the cookies don’t taste over run by spices.   You can just taste the yummy pumpkin and the melting chocolate.  A delicious combination!

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

 

• 1, 29 oz. can pumpkin
• 3 eggs
• 3 teaspoons vanilla
• 1 ½ cups butter (3 sticks), softened
• 3 cups dark brown sugar
• 6 cups flour
• 3 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
• 3 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1 ½ bags semi-sweet chocolate chips

Combine ingredients in order, adding one thing at a time and mixing to combine after each ingredient.  Scoop onto jelly roll pan lined with parchment paper using a large cookie scoop.  Bake at 375 degrees for 10-12 minutes.  Cookies will not look completely done, but bottoms will be lightly browned.

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Chicken Enchiladas

 

The guest post worked out so well yesterday, that we’ve decided to do it again today.  Today we’ve got our super cute sister-in-law, Michele,  and her yummy chicken enchiladas!  Michele is our health conscientious sister.  She cooks low-fat everything, watches what she eats, exercises everyday, takes her vitamins and tries to get plenty of rest (which is hard with 3 small adorable children.)  She always has that healthy glow, even on days she’s says she feels yucky.  I’m not sure how she does it!  I aspire to be like her when I grow up!

I love it when someone has a signature dish.  Something they make that they are known for.   These enchiladas are one of Michele’s signature dishes.  They are filling and yummy.  I know there are hundreds of enchilada recipes floating around out there, but these are one of the best.  For sure.  What I love about these is that they are a self-contained meal.  If you wanted to, you could just eat one of these and be fully satisfied.  No need for extra side dishes to complete the meal!  She usually serves them with a nice tossed or caesar salad, but, as I said, you don’t really have to because everything is already packed inside!  Thanks so much to Michele for sharing this yummy recipe and for just being so cute all the time!!!

Chicken Enchiladas Verde

• 2-3 chicken breasts, boiled and shredded
• 1-2 cans refried beans
• 2-3 cups of cooked white rice *
• 2 cups shredded mexican blend cheese
• 1 can green chile verde enchilada sauce
• 10-12 tortillas

Lay one tortilla flat and fill it with a large spoonful of refried beans. Next add a large spoonful of cooked white rice.  Then add a half cup of shredded chicken.  Followed by a quarter cup of cheese and a quarter cup of the enchilada sauce.

Carefully roll the tortilla up and lay it folded side down in a 9×13 pan.  Repeat process.

When finished pour leftover sauce on top of all enchiladas and top with cheese.

Bake at 350 degrees for 20-30 minutes or until cheese melts on top.  Enjoy!

*Kitchen tip:  when I make these I will often use the precooked rice the either comes in a bag at the grocery store or frozen at Trader Joe’s.  Just warm it for a few minutes in the microwave and it’s ready to use.  It saves so much time waiting for the rice to cook

 

 

Tomato Basil Bisque

Today we are having our very first guest blogger here at Lucy Jane’s Best!! And what better way to show you where lots and lots of our inspiration comes from than to have our own Mom be a guest and share a great recipe with you all!  She is one the greatest cooks and bakers that we know. And we were lucky enough to inherit many of her recipes and tricks in the kitchen.

Yes, we know, she looks like she could be our sister! She is beautiful, talented and smart! She goes by Victoria these days. We grew up in a home where we would have dinner together as often as possible. With 4 kids it wasn’t possible every night, but it was pretty darn close. Our mom made lots of great meals, but what we remember most was that she wasn’t afraid to try new recipes. And by trying new recipes she learned the art of cooking and baking.

In late fall, the air feels crisp and clean, the sky is a brilliant blue, and evening brings a chill that signals winter. Fall is soup weather and a good creamy tomato basil bisque is the perfect choice for those evenings when you crave comfort food. This recipe is one of my favorites and it goes great with a crisp green salad or a yummy grilled cheese sandwich. Add a little Havarti and some Gruyere to the Cheddar cheese you’re used to using—put it on a good crusty bread and you’ve given a little flair to your grilled cheese sandwich, plus you’ll have a great meal for dinner or lunch.

My daughters, Shannon and Emily have asked me to do a guest spot on their blog and they specifically requested this soup. It is yummy and so easy to make. 

A little about me? Besides the fact that my husband Bob and I have two amazing daughters, we also have two great sons and eleven brilliant grandchildren. I’m a lawyer turned writer and I love to cook when we’re having any or all of these relatives over. If you love tomato basil soup, this one will become a favorite.

Tomato Basil Bisque

• ½ cup chopped onion
• 2 Tablespoons butter
• 2/3 of 6 oz. can tomato paste
• 1 teaspoon sweet basil (I like to use fresh, but dried also works)
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• ¼ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
• ½ Tablespoon flour
• 2 to 3 cups chicken broth (depending on how thick you like your soup)
• ½ cup heavy cream, half & half or milk (this recipe works well with any of these choices)
• 2 -14.5 oz. cans Italian style tomatoes, drained and seeded (Buy diced Italian tomatoes and there won’t be many seeds)

 Chop the onion in a food processor or blender and sauté in the butter. Add tomatoes and cook briefly, breaking up with spoon. Remove from heat. Add tomato paste and seasonings. Dust with the flour and cool a few minutes more. Mixture should be thick. Purée in food processor or blender. Return to heat and add chicken broth and then cream or milk. Taste to correct seasonings.

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Panko Parmesan Chicken

Have you guys been hearing about Panko crumbs as much as I have recently? I decided that it was time I did my homework and learn about Panko. It is quite simple actually. Panko are the equivalent to American bread crumbs. But they are processed differently and so they don’t really come out as crumbs, but as flakes. So anything you can envision putting bread crumbs on, you could put Panko on. Casseroles, fish, chicken, Mac N Cheese, etc. Panko is great because it is lighter and fluffier than our traditional bread crumbs, so dishes become crispier. I decided to try these so called Panko on some chicken last night. I used my Parmesan chicken recipe and just substituted the Panko flakes where I would normally use bread crumbs. And the verdict is in: Delicious! Crispy!

Panko Parmesan Chicken

• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 4 Tablespoons Olive Oil (or butter)
• 1/2 c. flour
• 3 eggs, beaten
• 1 c. Panko flakes (plain)
• 1 c. parmesan cheese, freshly grated
• 2 Tablespoon dried basil
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• pepper to taste

Take a piece of plastic wrap and cover your chicken breasts. Pound them out with a mallet until they’re about 1/4″ thick.Place olive oil in large skillet and heat to medium high . While oil is heating, place flour in a shallow bowl. In another shallow bowl place eggs. In the third shallow bowl combine Panko crumbs, parmesan cheese, basil, salt and pepper. Then dip chicken in flour, then the eggs, then the Panko mixture. Make sure it is breaded on both sides. Put chicken in skillet and cook until golden brown, about 3 minutes on each side. You may have to cook these in batches as I did. If you are looking for a healthier version, simply bake the chicken at 350 degrees for about 25 minutes or until juices run clear.

Pumpkin Squares with Cream Cheese Frosting

Through the fall months I love to make plenty of “pumpkin” goodies.  This recipe is one of my favorites because it’s easy, fast and most importantly, delicious!  Plus, it makes a ton so you can share!  I offer a sincere thank you to my friend Carrie L, who passed this lovely recipe on to me!

Pumpkin Squares with Cream Cheese Frosting

Dough:

• 1 tsp. Salt
• 2 cups flour
• 1 2/3 cups sugar
• 2 tsp. Cinnamon
• 1 tsp. Baking soda
• 2 tsp. Baking powder
• 4 eggs, beaten
• 1 cup oil
• 1 small can pumpkin

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In large bowl, combine dry ingredients.  Add wet ingredients and stir to mix.  Spread into a greased jelly roll pan.  Bake for 20-25 minutes.  Do not over bake.  Let cool completely and frost with cream cheese frosting.

Cream Cheese Frosting:

• 8 oz. cream cheese, softened
• 2 ½ cups powdered sugar
• ½ cup butter, softened
• 1 tsp. Vanilla

With an electric mixer, cream butter and cream cheese together until blended.  Add sugar and blend until thoroughly incorporated.  Add vanilla and stir to combine.

Spread onto cooled pumpkin cake and cut into squares.

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The Lovelies (Cheesecake Yumminess)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Growing up, every summer our family would take a vacation up to Bear Lake. I have great memories of these summer trips. We would cram like 4 and 5 families into 2 small cabins. It was all about the waterskiing, relaxing and eating. When you got too old to sleep in the same room as your parents, there was a big kid room downstairs. Of course the girls were in one cabin and the boys were in another. The girls that slept in the downstairs bedroom were known as The Lovelies. It was a great honor to finally be a part of The Lovelies. The Lovelies spent many hours on the boat and outside working on our tans, but lots of time was also spent devouring carmel popcorn, sticky buns, chocolate chip cookies and homemade goodness.  (remember when you could eat whatever you wanted and it didn’t matter?) These little morsels of deliciousness reminded me of something that The Lovelies would eat. So in honor of our many years as the Bear Lake Lovelies, I shall call these cheesecake yummies, The Lovelies!

The Lovelies

• 18 Oreo’s, crushed
• 1 Tablespoon sugar
• 3 Tablespoons melted butter
• 2 (8oz) packages of cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 1/2 cup sour cream, room temp.
• a lovely candy of your choice (ie: York Peppermint Patties, Snickers, Heath Bar, Butterfinger, Reese’s, Twix…)

Preheat oven to 275 degrees.

In a medium bowl combine crushed Oreo’s and sugar. Mix to combine. Then add melted butter. Stir until well combined. Put one Tablespoon of Oreo mixture into muffin liners in muffin tin. Press firmly down to create a bottom crust.

In a mixer beat cream cheese until fluffy and smooth, about 3 minutes. Add sugar and mix. Then add vanilla and eggs. Mix until well combined. Add sour cream and mix well. (I even scrape the sides down and give it one last good mix)

Chop whatever candy you are using into small pieces. (I used York Peppermint patties in 6, and Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups in the other 6. And 6 mini bars of each seemed to do the trick) Gently fold the candy into the cream cheese mixture. Using a large cookie scoop, or even an ice cream scoop, put batter into each cupcake liner. Fill almost to the top as these Lovelies do not raise much. Bake for 30 minutes and then chill in your fridge for at least 4 hours. Overnight is best!

Cheesy Baked Tortellini

If you like cheese and you like pasta, then you need to make this dish tonight! This is one of my family’s favorites. What I love about this recipe is that you can change it up to you and your family’s tastes. I added chicken to this one. You could add diced tomatoes. You could change the herbs up and use basil instead of Italian parsley. And if I didn’t have little kids at home, Safeway’s generic brand marinara sauce is spicy with a kick! I love serving this with a Caesar salad and bread of some sort. In case you forgot, I am in love with the Caesar. This Cheesy Baked Tortellini seems to be a dish that is kid friendly and adult satisfying. If you make this for a get together or family party, just double it!

Cheesy Baked Tortellini

• 24 oz.of your favorite marinara sauce (I used Bertolli MARINARA ORIGINAL)
• 6 oz. cream cheese
• 1/4 c. chopped fresh Italian parsley
• 2 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves (roughly chopped)
• 20 oz. cheese tortellini
• 8 oz. thinly sliced mozzarella cheese
• 1/2 c. freshly grated parmesan cheese
• 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Lightly oil a 9×9 baking dish. In a medium saucepan whisk together marinara sauce, cream cheese, parsley and thyme. Cook on medium heat until cream cheese is blended. Then cook the tortellini in a large stockpot until just tender, about 3 minutes. (if you are doing chicken, chunk it up and cook it in a skillet over medium heat with some butter and Extra Virgin Olive Oil)

 Drain tortellini and then add to the sauce. (add the chicken to the sauce if you are using it, also) Mix to coat. Transfer entire mixture to prepared baking dish. Top mixture with mozarella and parmesan cheeses. Cover and bake until sauce bubbles and cheeses have melted, about 30 minutes.

Sorry for the obvious blurry picture here. The fam was ready to eat and I was busy snapping pictures. This was the only one I had that showed the meal in its entirety on the plate. All hell was about to break loose. I had to quit with the picture taking and start with the eating.  I know none of you can relate to this.

 

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What’s for Lunch?

(Disclaimer:  The blog post below contains way more information than just a normal post.  Sorry if it’s TMI, but I get asked this A LOT, so I’m writing now for all who may care!)

People often ask me how come I don’t weigh a thousand pounds with all the cooking and baking that I do.  My answer is, “I don’t eat all of everything I make!”  Remember, I’m feeding a family of 5, and I give away a lot of the “treats” I make.  Inevitably though, that question is followed by, “Well, what DO you eat?”  Meaning, what foods do I eat and at what time of day?

I don’t diet!  I hate diets!  They only work if they work for YOU.  And everyone is different, so I really think you have to find a way of eating and exercising that works for you personally.  I won’t go into any more detail on that as this is a food blog.  What I will say here is this:

I eat a small breakfast everyday, usually a small bowl of Special K, topped with a little of our honey almond granola and some berries.   Or our scrambled egg burrito.  I want something filling, but not too high on the calorie scale.  I do believe that eating a good breakfast jump starts your metabolism for the entire day, besides the fact that the food fuels your body for whatever you’ll be doing that day.  How can you be productive, or active if you are running on fumes?

Lunch is my BIG meal.  I try to make sure it has lots of veggies and protein.  I am usually at home during the lunch hour and can use that time to cook for myself, and make something  I really like.  I’m lucky because I don’t really care for sandwiches… there are exceptions, of course, but in general a sandwich is not something I’d make for myself at home.  I’d much rather eat grilled salmon, or sautéed veggies, or a big yummy salad.

Here’s a couple examples of a typical lunch for me:

Fire roasted veggies, on top of pulled spaghetti squash, paired with a few Aidell’s Chicken teriyaki meatballs

When I buy a spaghetti squash, I try to bake it and pull it as soon as I can.  Then I put it in an airtight container and put it in the fridge so I can easily enjoy it throughout the week,

• To cook the squash:
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
• Half the squash lengthwise
• Place the squash, skin side up in a oiled baking dish (I use olive oil)
• Bake for 45 minutes until squash meat is tender
• Remove from oven and let cool till it can be easily handled
• Strip the meat out of the shell using a fork
• It will come out in long strands (thus the spaghetti)

To fire roast veggies:

• Pick your favorite veggies… I happened to be doing a mix of peppers and onions this day, but you could really use anything… asparagus, onions, peppers, zucchini,  tomatoes, corn, squash… sky’s the limit!
• Put in a grill basket and drizzle with olive oil.
• Cook over medium heat on the outdoor grilled to the desired doneness… stirring occasionally.

*****

Another great lunch is a BIG salad:  Something with veggies, fruits, nuts and protein.  Give me all of those things and I’m a happy camper!  Wouldn’t you love to be eating this:

Chicken, Fruit & Cheese salad

Ingredients:

• Mixed greens, 2 cups each of baby spinach, romaine,  spring mix
• 1 cup cottage cheese curds (in strainer or colander rinse cottage cheese until just the curds are left)
• ½ cup crumbled feta cheese
• 2 cups grilled chicken strips
• 2 green onions, finely sliced
• ¼ of a small red onion, thinly sliced
• 1 avocado, cubed
• 2-3 baby cucumbers (Persian cucumbers), sliced and halved
• 1 can mandarin oranges drained
• 1 cup sliced strawberries
• ½ cup toasted sliced almonds
• ½ cup Swiss cheese finely grated

Dressing:

In blender, combine

• ¼ cup white vinegar
• ¾ cup olive oil
• ¾ tsp. Salt
• 1 tsp. Dry mustard
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1 Tbsp. Poppy seeds

Layer all ingredients except Swiss cheese, in a large bowl and toss.  Plate salad and top with a sprinkling of Swiss cheese.

*****

Another great, filling and yummy lunch is our Chicken Ceasar Wrap.  It’s one of my all time favorites.  If you haven’t tried it, you must!!!!  I promise, you must!

Then for dinner, I make a big meal for my family, like Chilighetti or Taco Soup or Flank Steak, but I typically have a few bites and I’m good.  I use my lunch meal to fill me up for the day.

And of course, I usually have treats around, like peanut butter cookies, key lime cupcakes, double delish or pumpkin bread… and let’s be honest, I do not refrain from partaking.  My MO is to sneak a sliver a few times throughout the day.  I never sit down with a big piece of anything and gobble it down.  I’m more of a nibbler, which in my mind counts for less calorically!  Hahaha.  But I do try to avoid over indulgence in the sweet department.

And that, is how I do it.  It might not be the right fit for you, but this is what works for me.  (Oh, and I do exercise, but that is a topic for another day… or not!)

Peanut Butter Crisped Rice Squares

Here at LJB we love virtually anything with peanut butter in it.  Love PB cookies, PB pie, PB cups, PB sandwiches.. whatever, if it has peanut butter in it, I’ll eat it!  This is another great peanut butter recipe, and a new, fresh version of the same old, same old Rice Krispie treats.  This recipe came to me via my good friend, and fellow awesome cook, Tammy D!  Thanks Tammy, it’s a favorite!

Peanut Butter Rice Krispies Squares

• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup light Karo syrup
• 1 cup creamy peanut butter
• 7 c. Rice Krispies cereal
• 1 (12 oz.) pkg. Milk chocolate chips

Heat sugar & Karo syrup in large non-stick pot on stove over medium heat until sugar is dissolved and tiny bubbles start to form around edges.  Do not boil.  Remove from heat and stir in peanut butter.  Stir in Rice krispies.  Pour the into a buttered 9 x 13 pan.  (* see tip below).  Do not smush the mixture too much or the rice krispies will get too compact.

In a small microwave safe bowl, melt the chocolate chips.  I usually put mine in for 1 minute.  Remove and stir.  Then 30 seconds intervals, removing and stirring each time, until melted.  Pour chocolate over top of rice krispies, and smooth out.

Chill to harden chocolate, but serve at room temperature.

* kitchen tip:  to butter an pan, take a cold butter quarter out of the refrigerator.  Peel back the wrapper one side.  Grip the butter with the wrapped half of the stick.  Rub the pan everywhere with the butter.  Done!

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