Ruth Anne Benziger's Blog
February 11, 2022
Raspberry Almond Kiss Cookies
https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/26221/raspberry-almond-kiss-cookies/Ingredients½ cup butter, softened½ cup white sugar½ cup packed brown sugar1 egg1 teaspoon almond extract2 cups all-purpose flour1 teaspoon baking soda¼ teaspoon salt¼ cup white sugar for decoration40 milk chocolate candy kisses, unwrapped1 cup confectioners’ sugar1 tablespoon milk4 teaspoons raspberry jam¼ teaspoon almond extractDirectionsStep 1 In a medium bowl, cream together the butter, 1/2 cup white sugar and brown sugar until smooth. blend in the egg and 1 teaspoon almond extract. Combine the flour, baking soda and salt; stir into the creamed mixture. Cover dough and refrigerate for at least one hour, or until easy to handle.Step 2 Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Roll dough into 1 inch balls, roll the balls in the remaining white sugar and place them 2 inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheets.Step 3 Bake for 10 to 12 minutes in the preheated oven, or until golden brown. While hot from the oven, immediately press a chocolate kiss into the center of each one. Remove from cookie sheets to cool on wire racks.Step 4 In a small bowl, mix together the confectioners’ sugar, milk, raspberry jam and 1/4 teaspoon almond extract until smooth. Drizzle over cooled cookies.
February 10, 2022
Chicken Piccata
https://www.theeasyhomestead.com/chicken-piccata-recipe/Ingredients4 large Chicken Breasts- Butterflied and Cut (or you can use 8 chicken cutlets)11 Tablespoons Salted Butter7 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil 2/3 Cup Fresh Lemon Juice (about the juice of two large lemons)1 1/4 Cup Chicken Stock1/2 Cup Capers (roughly one 3.5oz jar)2/3 Cup Fresh Parsley- chopped (optional)Flour (roughly 1-2 cups as needed for dredging chicken)Salt, Pepper, Garlic Powder (to taste) Directions1. Place flour onto large dinner plate. Set aside.
2. Take your 4 chicken breasts and butterfly them and cut in half. This will make 8 chicken cutlets. (If you bought cutlets then skip this step.)
3. Sprinkle both sides of each chicken cutlet with salt, pepper, garlic powder (to taste). Around these parts we LOVE salt, pepper, and garlic powder- we use LOTS- and yes the pepper matters to us. You can taste the difference!
4. Place 4 Tablespoons of butter and 4 Tablespoons of olive oil into a pan. Heat on medium-high heat.
5. While butter and olive oil are heating up, lightly dredge each chicken cutlet in the flour. Shake of excess flour and set aside.
6. Place 4 chicken cutlets into the pan. Cook/brown for 3-4 minutes. Flip and cook 2-3 minutes. Take out of pan and place on plate. (Chicken does NOT have to be cooked all the way through at this point- you will be putting it back into the pan.)
7. Add 3 Tablespoons of butter and 3 Tablespoons of olive oil to the pan.
8. When heated, add the remaining 4 chicken cutlets. Cook/brown for 3-4 minutes. Flip and cook 2-3 minutes. Take out of pan and place on plate. (Chicken does NOT have to be cooked all the way through at this point- you will be putting it back into the pan.)
9. Now remove your pan from the heat. Stop trying to taste the sauce- you will BURN your tongue. Been there- done that 1,000 times over.
10. Add lemon juice, chicken stock, and capers. Put back onto burner and bring to a boil. Whisk like it’s going out of style, baby! You want to scrape up all those yummy-scrumptious-brown bits from the bottom of the pan.
11. At this point you MAY taste test your AMAZING sauce, but be careful- you may be tempted to Eat. It. All. Not like I’ve sat over the stove and slowly slurped (unlady-like-and-all) all of it up. *AHEM*. Seriously. It’s THAT good. Add salt, pepper, garlic powder- to taste.
12. Now, add remaining 4 Tablespoons of butter to the pan. DO NOT SKIP THIS STEP. If you thought the sauce tasted like heaven in step 11- just wait, baby! I promise this will make your dress fly up!
13. Once the butter is melted, add all 8 cutlets to the pan. Cook on medium-low for five minutes. Try not to stand over the pan sneaking bites of chicken/sauce like you stood by your window trying to sneak out in high school. Not like I did that either- I’m just sayin’- patience people!
14. And FINALLY! Serve. If you are using parsley add now. You can serve by itself with sides like Mama’s Soy Sauce Broccoli and potatoes, or serve over whole wheat pasta. We like to put a serving of pasta on the plate, top with cutlet, sauce & capers, and serve with a veggie.
February 9, 2022
Homemade Artisan Bread
I made bread from the first time and it was delicious. I have to say thank you to Kevin and Sarah over at Living Traditions Homestead on YouTube. I used their recipe and I want to share it with you.
Ingredients3 cups flour (all-purpose) I used organic unbleached like they did. 1/4 tsp dry active yeast1 tsp. salt1 1/2- 1 3/4 cup waterDirectionsAdd dry ingredients and whisk together until combined.
Add water slowly until you get a sticky dough
Cover with plastic wrap and let rest on counter for 3 hours
Take your dough out with a dough scraper or spatula on a floured board. Put flour on top and coat flour by folding it in a circular pattern until coated. I did 4 rotations.
Pre-heat oven at 450 degrees with a Dutch oven inside the oven. It needs to be heated before you cook the bread.
Put the dough in a piece of parchment paper and cover with a towel. The dough needs to rest for 35 minutes so let it rest while your oven is pre heating.
After 35 minutes, put the dough with the parchment paper into your Dutch oven and put the top on. Bake for 30 minutes.
Optional: Take off the lid for an additional 5-10 minutes until it is toasty brown.
Take the bread out of the Dutch oven and let cool on a rack before serving.
Enjoy!
February 8, 2022
Strawberry & Cream Croissant French Toast
1. Preheat the oven to 375° F. Grease a baking sheet with butter.
2. In a large shallow dish, whisk together the eggs, milk, 2 tablespoons St. Germain, 1 tablespoon vanilla, and the salt.
3. Grab the croissants and make a 1 inch slit at the top of each, move your knife to create space in the croissant, being careful not to poke through the other sides (see above photos).
4. In a bowl, gently stir together the cream cheese and strawberry jam, leaving streaks of red and white. Spoon the mix into a ziplock bag and snip the corner off the bag. Squeeze approximately 2 tablespoons of the strawberry cream into each croissant where you created your hole. Don’t stress about making it perfect. Dip each croissant into the egg mixture, allow it to sit 1 minute per side. Arrange half the croissants on the prepared baking sheet.
5. Brush each croissant with a little leftover egg batter. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until the croissant is golden.
6. Melt together the butter, brown sugar, and 2 tablespoons maple syrup. Spoon the butter evenly over each croissant. Bake another 10 minutes, until the croissants are caramelized on top and crisp.
7. Toss the berries with 1 tablespoon St. Germain, 1 teaspoon vanilla, and 1 tablespoon maple. Serve the french toast warm, topped with whipped cream, berries, and maple. Enjoy!
Tuesday Weigh-in (21 Weeks Post-Op VSG)
Hi, everyone.
This week has been a fun one for me culinarily speaking. I’ve been having fun in the kitchen. I’ve had some fun recipes and started to get some canning and preserving done.
Recipes/MealsHere are some recipes and projects I did this week.
[image error][image error][image error][image error][image error][image error][image error][image error][image error]We’ve tried a few new recipes. We tried the chicken and broccoli bake. You can find that recipe here.
I roasted radishes for dinner last night and it was really good. The kids even enjoyed them.
ProjectsMy daughter Arielle made cookies all by herself. They came out really well and I did have one for dinner.
[image error][image error]I had some grapefruit and lemons that were about to go bad. So, I canned the grapefruit and squeezed the lemons to keep in the fridge.
[image error][image error]WeightThis week, I did much better at keeping slider foods out of my diet. It has been so easy to eat pretzels and stuff that is not good for me. So, I have been better. However, my week before caught up to me. I didn’t lose any weight this week. Which is perfectly normal and okay.
This week I weigh:
[image error]I gained .2 lbs but I’m just going to count it as maintaining my weight. I’m going to continue to drink water with lemon juice for my kidney stone prevention. I add 1 tablespoon to an 8 oz glass of ice water. Perfect for a cool afternoon drink.
We shall see what the new week brings. I’m still about 5 pounds away from losing 100 pounds. That is pretty motivating.
February 7, 2022
Cowboy Beans
I am enjoying learning all sorts of recipes from homesteaders and cowboy beans sounds super yummy.
Enjoy!
https://iamhomesteader.com/cowboy-beans/?fbclid=IwAR2r-GhZfvsLslaPm3IZJCgF-mwQepmwu43gx47peNtTfuzU9Ib63Lq8PhcINGREDIENTS
1 pound ground beef1 medium yellow onion, diced (approximately 1 cup)1 green bell pepper, diced (approximately 1 cup)½ teaspoon garlic salt½ teaspoon onion powder8 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled¼ cup brown sugar (this is optional – you could omit)2 cans (28 ounces each) baked beans, we used Bush’s Original Baked Beans½ cup barbecue sauce2 tablespoons dijon mustardDirectionsPreheat oven to 350°F.In a 4 quart, heavy bottom, oven-safe pot (like a Dutch oven) over medium heat, add ground beef, onion, bell pepper, garlic salt, and onion powder. Cook until the hamburger is no longer pink. Drain the excess liquid.Add cooked bacon crumbles, brown sugar, baked beans, barbecue sauce, and dijon mustard. Stir to incorporate all ingredients.Cover and bake for 1 hour. (When done, the beans should be hot and bubbly and thickened.) Serve warm.
February 6, 2022
Dauphinoise Potatoes
https://www.thekitchn.com/dauphinoise-potatoes-recipe-23009449#post-recipe-241080001Ingredients1 tablespoon unsalted butter8 ounces Gruyère cheese2 1/2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes3 cloves garlic2 cups heavy cream2 cups whole milk1 teaspoon kosher salt1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg2 dried bay leaves1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
Directionsheat the oven to 350°F. Coat a 9×13-inch baking dish or other 4-quart baking dish with 1 tablespoon unsalted butter. Grate 8 ounces Gruyère cheese on the large holes of a box grater (about 2 cups).Peel 2 1/2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, remove any blemishes, slice into 1/4-inch thick rounds, and place into a large pot. Mince 3 garlic cloves. Add the minced garlic, 2 cups heavy cream, 2 cups whole milk, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, 1 teaspoon black pepper, 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg, and 2 dried bay leaves. Bring to a simmer over medium heat. Simmer, stirring often, until the potatoes are fork tender but still slightly firm, 5 to 7 minutes. Remove and discard the bay leaves.Using a slotted spoon, transfer half of the potatoes into the prepared baking dish and arrange in an even layer. Top with half of the grated cheese. Arrange the remaining potatoes on top of cheese in an even layer. Pour about 2 cups of the cream mixture over the potatoes, stopping just below the top layer. (Do not use all of the cream mixture.) Top with the remaining cheese.Bake until the potatoes are golden brown and easily pierced with a knife all the way to the bottom of the baking dish, 40 to 45 minutes. Garnish with 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves and let cool at least 15 minutes on a wire rack before serving.
February 5, 2022
Berry Heart Parfaits
https://weelicious.com/berry-heart-parfaits-recipe/Ingredients1 pint blueberries8 large strawberries, stemmed2 cups plain greek yogurt1 tablespoon strawberry preservesDirections1. Divide blueberries between 4 small (about 7-9 ounce) cups.
2. Slice the strawberries lengthwise and then cut a notch in the top to form heart shapes.
3. Place 5 strawberries inside the cups so you see the heart shapes through the glass.
4. In a small bowl, stir together the yogurt and preserves.
5. Spoon the yogurt mixture into the cups on top of the blueberries.
optional toppings: an additional heart strawberry, mini chocolate chips.
February 4, 2022
Chicken and Broccoli Bake
One of my diet goals for the month is to try a new recipe each week. This week, I made a bake. I’m happy to check off one part of my goal off my list.
We eat a lot of chicken and broccoli and I wanted to come up with a new way to put it together. So, I went searching on the internet and came across some casseroles.
A lot of them called for rice or potatoes or noodles. Since, I can’t eat either of those foods, I decided to take a similar recipe and omit the ingredients that doesn’t appeal to us and that I can’t eat. A lot call for mayonnaise and sour cream. Both of those are not liked by any of the people in my home.
So, I came up with a simple recipe and added what I thought would be delicious.
Chicken and Broccoli Bake by Ruth Anne GarciaIngredientsBroccoli florets. I personally cut them into smaller pieces and put them in a sprayed pan.
BroccoliCooked Chicken Tenderloins (or cut of chicken you like). I boiled the chicken and cut it into small squares and added it on top of the broccoli.
Cream of Mushroom soup. I added 1 can.
Cream of Mushroom1/3 cup of Milk. You mix the soup and the milk together and pour the mixture over the broccoli and chicken.
Mixture added over top1 cup Shredded Mild Cheddar Cheese. Sprinkle the cheese evenly over the top.
Mild Cheddar CheeseBread Crumbs. Top with bread crumbs if desired. We personally used shake and bake. I used one packet and evenly distributed it over the top of the cheese layer.
BreadcrumbsBake for 30 minutes at 350°F.
Let Cool for 15 minutes, serve, and enjoy!
The kids and I really enjoyed this meal. It was filling and will keep well. We will be having this again tomorrow night. Delicious meal, simple, and kid approved. I’m quite happy with it.
Yum!
February 3, 2022
STRAWBERRY VALENTINE CHEX MIX
For the month of February, I will be sharing Valentine’s Day Recipes. First is this Chex Mix by Jessica over at Butter With A Side Of Bread. There is a video if you click on the link under the image. You can see the original recipe and see the other amazingly gorgeous photos on her site.
Enjoy!
https://butterwithasideofbread.com/strawberry-valentine-chex-mix/STRAWBERRY VALENTINE’S DAY CHEX MIX INGREDIENTS
-4-6 cups Rice Chex cereal
-1 8-oz bag Strawberry Candy Melts OR
-1 bag of white chocolate baking chips {12 oz} AND
-1 box of Strawberry Creme Jell-O Pudding** {pudding, NOT gelatin!}
-Valentines M&M’s and/or Sprinkles
HOW TO MAKE VALENTINES DAY CHEX MIX
Measure out the Chex cereal into a large bowl. Note: if you’re using the Strawberry Candy Melts, you’ll use 4 cups of cereal. If you’re using the white chocolate chips + pudding mix, you’ll use 6 cups of cereal.
Pour the chocolate into a small glass dish. Add in 1/2 tsp of shortening, if desired, to help the chocolate coat the cereal more easily.
Microwave for 1 minute 20 seconds. Let sit in the microwave for 3 minutes. Remove and gently stir. If once stirred the chocolate looks smooth, it’s done. If not, return to the microwave in 15 second increments, letting it sit for 2-3 minutes each time, until melted and smooth.
If you used White Chocolate Chips + Pudding Mix: Add in 4 TBSP of the strawberry cream pudding into the white chocolate and stir gently until smooth. Add in 2 drops of red food coloring, if desired.
Pour the chocolate mixture over the Chex cereal and then stir gently to coat.
Transfer the cereal mixture to a large piece of wax paper. Sprinkle with M&M’s and Valentine’s colored sprinkles, if desired.
Let cool to set. Break into pieces and then store in an airtight container to save. Candy can be made up to 3-4 days ahead if desired. It saves really well!
