My Favorite Swiss Oatmeal

One thing my husband and I had in common before we even met, was our love of Corner Bakery’s Swiss Oatmeal. After we met, we would eat swiss oatmeal for breakfast before church on a weekly basis. While my husband was on a business trip, I discovered this recipe that tastes exactly like swiss oatmeal from Corner Bakery, and perhaps even better since I can customize it with my favorite fruits! What I love about this recipe is that it is so healthy, loaded with fruit, and is low in fat and calories. I fix this for breakfast almost every morning, and my husband and I haven’t been back to Corner Bakery in while now.

Feel free to change the types and amounts of fruits you put into the oatmeal to make it your own favorite! My husband actually will only eat his with bananas. He hates apples and dried fruit. So like I said, feel free to make this your “own” recipe. Enjoy!

Here are the ingredients you need!

First, add the oatmeal.

Next, add the yogurt, milk, honey.

Now add the chopped banana.

Finally, add the dried fruit and chopped apple.

Swiss Oatmeal
Ingredients
1/4 cup oatmeal (I use Quaker Old Fashion Oats)
1/4 cup nonfat yogurt or Greek yogurt
1/4 cup nonfat/skim milk
squirt of honey
1/2 of a chopped banana
1/4-1/2 of a chopped apple, depending on its size (I use either Pink Lady, Honey Crisp, or Gala apples)
1 tbsp of dried fruit (I use dried cranberries and dried blueberries)
handful of fresh blueberries (optional)
sliced almonds (optional)

Directions
Mix the oatmeal, yogurt, milk and honey and let sit for a few minutes to let the oatmeal soak in. Meanwhile, chop the banana and apple, and gather your dried fruit. Mix the fruit in with the wet ingredients and dish up!

Serves: 1

I serve this immediately, but for a thicker consistency, cool in refrigerator a few hours before. Can keep in refrigerator for up to two days.

Lemon Bars

I love tart and fruity desserts, so here is one of my recipe’s for lemon bars. I’m not sure where this recipe came from, all I know is that they are super easy and very good. Enjoy!

Beat 2 sticks of butter with powdered sugar and flour. Then press in pan and bake for 25 minutes.

Meanwhile beat eggs and sugar.

Combine flour and baking powder and add to egg mixture.

Pour filling onto baked crust and return to oven for 25 minutes.

Cool and sprinkle with powdered sugar and cut into squares.

Lemon Bars
Ingredients
Crust:
2 cups sifted flour
1 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup powdered sugar, plus more for dusting

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Mix the three ingredients together in an electric mixer. Shape into a ball, and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
3. Butter a 9 x 13 inch pan.
4. Press dough in pan, and bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes.

Filling:
4 eggs, beaten lightly
2 cups sugar
dash of salt
6 tbsp lemon juice
4 tbsp flour
1 tsp baking powder

1. Beat eggs, sugar, salt, and lemon juice in an electric mixer.
2. Combine flour and powder and add to egg mixture.
3. Pour filling over baked crust, return to oven and bake for 25 minutes or until craters form.
4. Cool, sprinkle with powdered sugar, and cut into bars.

Buttermilk Biscuits

Biscuits are one of my favorite breads so I had to try this new recipe for Buttermilk Biscuits out of Williams-Sonoma’s new cookbook called “Comfort Food”. They were fast, easy, buttery, delicious, and great with your favorite jam or honey.

Buttermilk Biscuits
Ingredients
1 cup flour
1 cup cake flour (I just used all-purpose flour)
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
6 tbsp unsalted butter, chilled
3/4 cup buttermilk

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Have ready an ungreased rimmed baking sheet.
2. In a bowl, sift together the flours, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Cut the butter into tablespoons and scatter over the flour mixture.
3. Using a pastry blender or 2 knives, cut the butter into the flour mixture just until the mixture forms coarse crumbs the size of peas.
4. Add the buttermilk and stir just until the dough comes together. Knead the dough a few times in the bowl.
5. Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured work surface. Using a light touch, pat out the dough into a round 3/4 inch thick.
6. Using a 2 1/2 inch round biscuit cutter or cookie cutter, cut out as many rounds as possible.
7. Place them 1 inch apart on the baking sheet.
8. Bake the biscuits until they have risen and are golden brown, 18-20 minutes. Serve hot with honey, butter, or jam.

Makes 6-8 biscuits

Individual Meatloaf

I never really grew up liking meatloaf, so when I say this is the best meatloaf I’ve ever tasted, I mean it. Last time I made meatloaf, the fat just sat in the loaf pan, and the meat was too tender and crumbly. These individual meatloafs by Ina Garten are the opposite…they do not crumble, they have the right amount of flavoring, and it is so much fun to eat your own meatloaf. As usual, I halved the recipe and made 3 rather than 6 meatloaves. The recipe is below…enjoy! By the way, my husband loved this!

Saute the yellow onions with salt, pepper, and thyme for about 8 minutes on medium-low heat.

Lightly combine the ground chuck, onion mixture, eggs, and bread crumbs.

Form into 10-11 oz individual loaves. Top with 1 tablespoon of ketchup on each meatloaf.

Bake for 40-45 minutes or until internal temperature reaches 155-160 degrees.

Sorry about the half-eaten meat loaf picture… it was so good I just had to dig in!

Individual Meatloaf
Ingredients
1 tbsp olive oil
3 cups chopped yellow onions
1 tsp chopped fresh thyme leaves
2 tsp salt
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
3 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1/3 cup canned chicken stock or broth
1 tbsp tomato paste
2 1/2 pounds ground chuck
1/2 cup plain dry bread crumbs
2 extra large eggs, beaten
1/2 cup ketchup

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Heat the olive oil in a medium saute pan. Add the onions, thyme, salt, and pepper, and cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, for 8-10 minutes, until the onions are translucent but not brown.
3. Off the heat, add the Worcestershire sauce, chicken stock, and tomato paste. Allow to cool slightly.
4. In a large bowl, combine the ground chuck, onion mixture, bread crumbs, and eggs and mix lightly with a fork. Don’t mash or the meatloaf will be dense.
5. Divide the mixture into 6 (10 to 11-ounce) portions and shape each portion into a small loaf on a sheet pan lined with foil. Top with 1 tablespoon of ketchup on each meatloaf.
6. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, until the internal temperature is 155 to 160 degrees and the meat loaves are cooked through. Serve hot.

Giada’s Shrimp Lasagna Rolls

I love shrimp and I love lasagna, so why not combine them? I have never heard of shrimp lasagna before, but when my mom and I saw it in Giada de Laurentiis’s cookbook, we just had to try them. They were very good, our only complaint was that we should have baked them longer in the oven for the cheese to melt more, but we were pressed for time.

Boil the noodles.

Season the shrimp with salt and pepper and cook on the stove for about 4 minutes.

Make two sauces: the marinara and the ricotta/shrimp sauce mixture.

Lay out a noodle and spoon ricotta/shrimp mixture on it.

Roll up each individual lasagna and place in baking pan layered with marinara sauce and cheese.

Bake for 25 minutes at 350 degrees. We should have baked ours for about 40 minutes. Enjoy!

Giada’s Shrimp Lasagna Rolls
Ingredients
1 lb lasagna noodles
3 tbps olive oil
1 pound large raw shrimp, peeled and deveined
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 large clove garlic, chopped
2 (15 oz) container whole-milk ricotta
1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
2 egg, lightly beaten
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
3 cups marinara sauce
1 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Bring a large pot of water to boil over high heat. Add the pasta and partially cook until tender but still firm to the bite, about 6-8 minutes. Drain.
3. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Season the shrimp with salt and pepper. Add the shrimp and garlic to the pan and saute until shrimp are cooked, about 4 minutes, stirring often.
4. Remove from heat and let cool. Coarsely chop the cooled shrimp and place in a bowl with 1 cup ricotta cheese, the parmesan cheese, eggs, basil, salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Stir to combine.
5. In another bowl, combine the marinara sauce with the remaining 1 cup ricotta and stir to combine.
6. To make lasagna, cover the bottom of a baking dish with 1/2 cup marinara mixture. Lay 4 noodles flat on a dry work surface. Spread about 1/4 cup shrimp mixture evenly over each noodle. Roll up and place seem-side down in a baking dish. Repeat to make 12 rolls total.
7. Drizzle the rolls with the remaining marinara mixture and top with mozzarella. Bake until the lasagna rolls are heated through and cheese begins to brown, about 25 minutes (we would recommend 40 minutes).

Irish Soda Bread

While St. Patrick’s Day is a day to celebrate the luck of the Irish and wear GREEN, some people get a little quesy when it comes to green food.

Case in point. My mom.

Mom writes: “I always hated teacher’s luncheons on St. Patrick’s Day because everyone brought GREEN food. Green jello is okay, but I draw the line at green rice or green noodles. So this year, Irish Soda Bread was the recipe we chose to celebrate the holiday.”

So, in case you’re not a fan of green food, this recipe is au natural … no food coloring included.

The recipe comes from one of our favorite cookbooks, Barefoot Contessa at Home by Ina Garten.

Combine all of the ingredients to form your dough.

Lightly cut an “X” into the top of the bread and bake it for 45-55 minutes in a 375 degree oven.

You know the bread is done when a cake tester comes out clean and when you tap on the loaf it produces a hollow sound.

Cool the bread on a baking rack. Serve it warm with a drizzle of honey or butter. Enjoy!

Irish Soda Bread

Ingredients

4 cups flour, plus extra for currants (we used raisins)
4 tbsp sugar
1 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp salt
4 tbsp (1/2 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch dice
1 3/4 cups cold buttermilk, shaken
1 extra large egg, lightly beaten
1 tsp grated orange zest
1 cup dried currants (we used raisins)

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper.
Combine the flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Add the butter and mix on low speed until the butter is mixed into the flour.
With a fork, lightly beat the buttermilk, egg, and orange zest together in a measuring cup. With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the buttermilk mixture to the flour mixture.
Combine the raisins with 1 tablespoon of flour and mix into the dough. It will be very wet.
Dump the dough onto a well-floured board and knead it a few times into a round loaf.
Place the loaf on the prepared sheet pan and lightly cut an X into the top of the bread with a serrated knife.
Bake for 45-55 minutes, or until a cake tester comes out clean. When you tap the loaf, it will have a hollow sound.
Cool on a baking rack. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Serving size: 1 slice Calories: 205 Fat: 4g Saturated fat: 2g Carbohydrates: 37g Sugar: 11g Sodium: 312mg Fiber: 2g Protein: 5g Cholesterol: 23mg

Notes

Source: “Barefoot Contessa at Home” by Ina Garten

Dried Cranberry Scones with Crystallized Sugar Crust

These are officially my favorite scones in the whole wide world! Last time we made them with all dried cranberries, so this time we tried them with half dried blueberries. We actually prefer them with only cranberries….the blueberries are almost too strong. This is from “Once Upon a Tart…” Cookbook from the Once Upon a Tart… cafe and bakery in New York City.

Cut the butter in 1/4 inch cubes.

Mix together the dry ingredients.

Combine butter with dry ingredients.

Now add the egg and buttermilk mixture.

Next mix in the dried blueberries and cranberries with the dough.

Form dough into 8 rounds and place them evenly on a cookie sheet.

Place in 400 degree oven and bake for 20-25 minutes.

Slightly cool and serve warm!

Dried Cranberry Scones with Crystallized Sugar Crust.
Ingredients
3 cups flour; plus more to flour your hands to roll out the scones
1/3 cup sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
20 tbsp (2 1/2 sticks) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/4-inch cubes
2 large eggs
1/2 cup cold buttermilk
3/4 cup dried cranberries (we used half dried blueberries and half dried cranberries)
1 large egg whisked with 1 tbsp cream or milk (egg wash)
1 tbsp or more granulated or raw sugar for sprinkling

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Dump the dry ingredients into the bowl all at once, and run the electric mixer on low for 15 seconds.
3. Add the butter and mix until pea-size clumps form. Be careful not to let the dough form a paste.
4. In a separate, small bowl, whisk the eggs to break up the yolks. Whisk in the buttermilk, and use the whisk to stir in the dried fruit.
5. Pour the wet ingredients into the bowl with flour-butter crumbs. Stir the dough with a wooden spoon until it just comes together and there is no trace of flour visible. You don’t want to work the dough a moment longer than necessary.
6. With a little bit of flour on your hands, scoop out a small handful (1/2 cup) of dough with your hand or a big spoon, and roll the dough until it forms a ball. Drop the dough onto your baking sheet, and press it into a 1 to 1 1/2 inch thick disk with the heel of one hand. Leave 2 inch spaces between the pressed disks.
7. Use a pastry brush and coat each scone with the egg wash. Sprinkle the scones with a thick layer of sugar.
8. Place the baking sheet on a center rack in the oven, and bake for 20-25 minutes, until the tops are golden brown and a small knife or toothpick inserted into the center of one comes out clean.
9. Remove the baking sheet from the oven, and place it on a wire rack to allow the scones to cool for a few minutes. Lift the baking sheet off the rack, and used a spatula to transfer the scones from the baking sheet to the rack, or directly to the dish from which you’ll be serving the scones. Serve fresh out of the oven, or at room temperature.

Yield: 8 scones
Recipe from: Once Upon a Tart by Frank Mentesana and Jerome Audreau

Neiman Marcus Chocolate Chip Cookies

The Neiman Marcus Chocolate Chip Cookie is my all-time favorite cookie recipe in the entire world. Why?

They are super easy and I always have the ingredients.
They only make two dozen cookies.
Neiman Marcus is where I buy all my clothes. (Right, in my dreams!)

P.S. My mother-in-law (Paula), and my husband’s best friend (Kenny) are HUGE fans of these. These are my “go-to” cookies for when I have company over at the house.

Enjoy and I hope I make a Neiman Marcus chocolate chip cookie fan out of you!

Add the butter, light brown sugar, and granulated sugar.

Next mix in the egg and vanilla.

Once you’ve added the dry ingredients, expresso, and chocolate chips, form into balls onto a greased cookie sheet.

Bake for 15-20 minutes, and voila! I like them very chewy, so I bake them for the shorter amount of time.

Neiman Marcus Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
1 cup light brown sugar
3 tbsp granulated sugar
1 large egg
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 3/4 cup all purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips (I use half Nestle semi-sweet chocolate chunks and half Guittard milk chocolate for added sweetness)
1 1/2 tsp instant expresso coffee powder

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees
2. Place the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar in the workbowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Beat on medium speed for about 30 seconds until the mixture is fluffy.
3. Beat in the egg and vanilla for 30 seconds longer, until well combined.
4. In a mixing bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add to the mixer, while beating on slow speed.
5. Beat for about 15 seconds, stir in the chocolate chips and expresso powder, and mix for 15 seconds longer.
6. Prepare a cookie sheet with about 2 tablespoons of shortening (or nonstick spray). Using a 1 oz scoop or 2 tablespoon measure, drop the cookie dough onto the cookie sheet in dollops with 3 inches apart. Gently press down on the dough with the back of a spoon to spread out into 2 inch circles.
7. Transfer to the oven and bake for about 15-20 minutes, or until cookies are nicely browned around the edges. Bake longer for crispier cookies.

Yields: 2 dozen
Recipe from: Neiman Marcus Cookbook by Kevin Garvin and John Harrisson

Bow Tie Pasta

This is a casserole that I have not made in years, but it is sooo good. The dried tomatoes add a unique flavor, and who doesn’t love chicken with pasta? I recommend making it the day of because if you let it sit in the fridge until the next day, the sauce soaks into the pasta and it is not as creamy when you bake it.

Bow Tie Pasta

Ingredients
10 ozs. pasta, such as bow ties or penne
2 shallots, chopped*
1 clove garlic, minced
1 T. olive oil
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, cubed
1/4 c. dry white wine**
1/4 c. chopped fresh basil
1 T. chopped parsley
1 10 oz. container refrigerated light alfredo sauce
3/4 c. oil-packed dried tomatoes, drained and chopped
1/3 c. milk
1/2 c. grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 tsp. pepper
Fresh basil (optional)

Directions
Cook pasta according to package directions; drain. Meanwhile, in a large skillet cook shallots and garlic in hot oil over medium-high heat for 1 minute. Add chicken. Cook and stir for 5 to 7 minutes or until no pink remains in chicken. Carefully add wine, basil, and parsley. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes more.

In large mixing bowl combine cooked pasta, chicken mixture, alfredo sauce, dried tomatoes, milk, 1/4 cup of the Parmesan cheese, and pepper.

Turn into a 2 1/2 quart baking dish. Sprinkle with remaining Parmesan cheese. Cover and bake in a 350 degree oven for 15 minutes. Uncover and bake for 10 to 15 minutes more or until heated through and top is slightly golden. If desired, garnish with fresh basil.

Serving Ideas: Serve with French Bread or breadsticks and a green salad.

Notes: *I substituted onions for shallots. Shallots are much smaller than onions, so if using an onion, chop about 1/4 cup.
**I substituted chicken broth for white wine.
Instead of the prepared alfredo sauce, I prepare a dry packet of McCormick alfredo sauce according to package directions and use that in the recipe…it is less expensive.

Enjoy!

Tastes Like the Inside of a Reese’s Peanut Butter Cookie

This recipe fulfills its name and they are incredibly easy to make. They were my first peanut butter cookie recipe to make and I would say its a keeper. The recipe comes from The Pioneer Woman’s ‘Tasty Kitchen’.

Tastes Like the Inside of a Reese’s Peanut Butter Cookie

Ingredients
1 cup peanut butter (smooth or chunky-I used smooth)
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp baking soda

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Combine all ingredients until incorporated.
3. Drop by tablespoonfuls or cookie scoops onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Use a fork to flatten dough because they don’t spread much.
4. Bake for 8-10 minutes. They will not look done, but they are.
5. Let cool 5 minutes before taking them off the cookie sheet and placing them on a cooling rack.