Baked Sweet Potato Fries

A tasty way to eat sweet potatoes without adding butter and sugar. Baking them brings out their natural sweetness, the kids love them and I like that they're not fried!


Ingredients:


3 large sweet potatoes
2-3 tbs olive oil
kosher salt


Directions:


Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Peel sweet potatoes and cut into 1/4 x 1/2 inch strips. Place onto un-greased baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Toss to coat. Bake for approx 40 minutes flipping potatoes every 10 minutes until golden brown and tender.

Glazed Walnuts

I like to add a bag of these to gift baskets. They are really yummy I make extra because everyone eats them while I'm cooking them!


Ingredients:


1 egg white
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
2 tbs cinnamon
1 tsp ground cloves
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tbs vanilla extract
1 pound walnuts halves


Directions:


Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat a baking sheet with cooking spray. In a large bowl beat egg white until foamy. Stir in brown sugar, cinnamon, cloves, ginger and vanilla. Add nuts and stir to coat. Spread evenly onto prepared pan. Bake for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally until well toasted and golden brown. Remove from oven and cool completely. Store in airtight container.

Chocolate Mint Sandwich Cookies

• 
• 
  
• Cookie Ingredients:
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 6 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 10 tablespoon (1 1/4 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Filling Ingredients:
• 10 tablespoon (1 1/4 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
• Pinch of salt
• 1 1/2 cups Marshmallow Fluff
• 1/4 teaspoon peppermint extract
• Red and green food coloring

Directions:

1. 1. Make cookies: Mix flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt in a bowl. Using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat butter and sugar until light, about 3 minutes. Beat in egg and vanilla until smooth. Stir in flour mixture until just combined.
2. 2. Divide dough in half. Shape each portion into a log about 9 inches long and 1 1/2 inches in diameter. Wrap in plastic; chill for at least 2 hours and up to 1 day (or freeze for up to 1 month).
3. 3. Preheat oven to 350ºF. Place racks in upper and lower thirds of oven. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment. Slice dough into 1/4-inch-thick rounds (36 slices per log); place on baking sheets 2 inches apart. Bake until cookies are dry on top, about 10 minutes. Remove to a wire rack; cool. Repeat with remaining dough.
4. 4. Make filling: Using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat butter, confectioners' sugar and salt until combined. Stir in Fluff and peppermint extract. Beat on high until light, about 3 minutes. Divide filling between 2 bowls, add red or green food coloring to each bowl; stir until evenly dyed. Sandwich 2 cookies with a teaspoon of filling. Repeat with remaining cookies and filling.

Twice Baked Sweet Potatoes

Serves: 4
Time: 53 minutes

Ingredients: 

2 large sweet potatoes
2 oz Neufchatel cheese, cubed
2 tbs low fat milk
1 tbs brown sugar
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 cup pecans

Directions:

Heat oven to 425 degrees. Cut potatoes in half lengthwise. Place cut-side down in foiled lined baking pan. Bake 30-35 minutes or until tender. Scoop out center of potatoes into bowl leaving 1/4in thick edge. Add cheese, milk, brown sugar and cinnamon to potatoes and mash until blended. Spoon potato mixture into shells and top with pecans. Bake 8 minutes or until potatoes are heated through and nuts are toasted.

Parmesan Crusted Cod

Serves: 4
Time: 25 minutes

Ingredients:

3/4 cup milk
2 tsp salt
3/4 cup italian breadcrumbs
1/4 cup grated parmesan
1/4 tsp thyme
4 cod fillets
1/4 butter, melted

Directions:

Preheat oven to 500 degrees. In a small bowl, combine milk and salt. In a separate bowl, mix together bread crumbs, parmesan cheese and thyme. Dip the cod fillets in the milk then press into the crumb mixture to coat. Place the co fillets in a glass baking dish and drizzle with the melted butter. Bake on the top rack of the oven until the fish is flakey, about 15 minutes.

Leftover Turkey Sub

This is super quick less, than 15 minutes and can be as healthy or as unhealthy as you want. We used the leftover turkey from our roasted turkey dinner and the toppings were leftover stuffing, cranberry sauce and gravy. Serves 6-8.

Ingredients:

1 loaf italian bread

4-5 slices your favorite cheese

2 cups leftover or deli turkey sliced

Additional add-ons, use what you have:

cranberry sauce

stuffing

gravy

mayo

lettuce or baby spinach

Directions:

Set oven to broil. Cut the bread in half lengthwise. Place the bread cut side up on a baking sheet. Arrange cheese on one half of the bread and the turkey on the other. Broil for approximately 5-10 minutes or until cheese is bubbly. While you're waiting heat up the leftover stuffing and/or gravy. Remove bread from the oven and stack the two halves together. Slice into 6-8 servings. Serve additional add-ons buffet style so everyone can create their own delicious sub. 

Turkey Noodle Soup

The turkey recipe from yesterday came out great! If you have 2 cups of leftover turkey you can make this great soup. No turkey? That's OK too. Simply ask the deli counter to cut you 1 inch thick slices of real turkey breast to equal 2 cups(not the processed stuff). This is a quick recipe maybe 30 minutes tops. I serve it with some fresh whole grain bread if I have it. 

Turkey Noodle Soup

Serves 6 to 8

What better way to use leftover turkey from Thanksgiving than to make a satisfying pot of turkey noodle soup? Our hearty version gets a nutritional boost from kale and whole-wheat elbow macaroni.

Ingredients

1 medium onion, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
2 ribs celery, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
4 sprigs fresh thyme
1 bunch kale, thick stems removed and leaves thinly sliced
2 cups whole-wheat elbow macaroni
2 cups (10 ounces) cubed or shredded cooked turkey breast
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 

Method

Heat a large saucepan over medium-high heat until hot. Add onion, carrots, celery and garlic and cook 6 to 7 minutes or until vegetables are tender and beginning to brown, stirring occasionally. Stir in broth, 4 cups water and thyme and bring to a boil. Add kale and macaroni and return to a boil. Cook about 5 minutes or until macaroni is al dente. Stir in turkey and pepper and cook 2 to 3 minutes longer or until turkey is heated through. Remove thyme sprigs before serving.

Nutrition

Per serving: 220 calories (35 from fat), 4g total fat, 1g saturated fat, 30mg cholesterol, 220mg sodium, 32g total carbohydrate (4g dietary fiber, 3g sugar), 17g protein

Thanks to Wholefoodsmarket.com for this recipe.

Easy Roasted Turkey

Serves 10 to 12

While you can prepare this turkey recipe without the brining step, I highly recommend you give it a try as this process produces wonderfully succulent meat. 

Ingredients

1 (14- to 15- pound) turkey
1/2-1 cup Salt
1 teaspoon dried thyme
2 carrots, roughly chopped
2 stalks celery, roughly chopped
2 yellow onions, roughly chopped
2 cups gluten-free chicken broth
1/2 cup white wine
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter, melted
Pepper to taste

Method

Brine the turkey overnight (at least 12 hours) by submerging it completely in a salt water solution made from a ratio of 1/2 cup salt to one gallon water. (Alternately, you may brine the turkey for 4 hours using a ratio of 1 cup salt to one gallon water). Rinse the turkey well and pat it dry.

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Mix thyme, carrots, celery and onions together in a small bowl. Stuff turkey cavity with the vegetable mixture and scatter any remaining vegetables around the bottom of a roasting pan. Pour broth and wine over vegetables in pan.

Arrange a rack over the vegetables in the pan and arrange the turkey on top of it, breast side down. (You may use either a flat rack or a V-rack). Brush half of the melted butter all over the turkey, then season with pepper. Reserve remaining butter for later use.

Roast turkey for two hours, breast side down, basting once. Remove from oven and turn turkey breast side up, being careful not to pierce the skin. Brush turkey with the remaining butter and season again with pepper.

Return turkey to oven and continue roasting until a thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the thigh reaches 165°F, about 2 hours more.

Set turkey aside to let rest for 30 minutes, then carve and serve, drizzled with the pan drippings.

Balsamic Glazed Carrots

With only 77 calories and 3g fat per 1 cup serving this is a easy, healthy way to add bold flavor to carrots.

Servings: 4
Time: appx. 10 minutes

Ingredients:

3 cups carrots
1 tbs olive oil
1 1/2 tbs balsamic vinegar
1 tbs brown sugar

Directions:


Heat oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Saute carrots until tender about 10 minutes. Stir in balsamic vinegar and brown sugar. Mix to coat and serve.

Garlic Mashed Potatoes

These take a while to make, not quick, but DELICIOUS! It's well worth the wait if you have the spare time. These aren't really healthy either, but you could substitute the 1/2 & 1/2 for skim and add a 1 tbs melted butter/margarine to cut some of the calories/fat.

Ingredients:

1 3/4 lbs Russet potatoes
1 tbs kosher salt
1 cup 1/2 & 1/2
3 cloves garlic crushed
3 oz grated parmesan

Directions:

Peel and dice potatoes, try to make them all the same size. Place in a large sauce pan add salt and cover with water. Bring to a boil over medium to high heat then reduce to medium to maintain a rolling boil. Cook until potatoes fall apart when poked with a fork.

Heat the 1/2 & 1/2 and garlic in a small sauce pan over medium heat until simmering. Remove from heat and set aside.

Drain water from potatoes. Mash with potato masher. Add the garlic cream mixture and parmesan. Stir well. Let stand for 5 minutes to allow the mixture to thicken.

Tortellini with Light Alfredo Sauce

This is a delicious way to lighten up the fat and calories on a rich and hearty meal. 

It should only take about  20 minutes to prepare this 

and in about 5 minutes they'll be licking their plates clean!

Ingredients

1 pkg refrigerated tortellini (whole grain if you can find it)

1 tbs olive oil

4 cloves minced garlic

2 cups skim milk

1 cup chicken broth

3 tbs whole wheat or white flour

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp black pepper

1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

Directions

To cook the pasta, just follow the directions on the package. 

In a a medium saucepan heat oil over medium heat. Add garlic and sauté until golden brown. 

In a small sauce pan stir together milk, chicken broth flour salt and pepper cook over low heat until smooth and thick. Stir into garlic. Continue cooking over medium-low heat stirring frequently until the sauce is thick. Stir in parmesan cheese.

Toss cooked and drained pasta into sauce. Garnish with a little extra cheese and parsley.

I serve this with garlic roasted asparagus.

Garlic Roasted Asparagus

My fiancé LOVES this stuff he would eat just a big plate of this for dinner. Even the kids like it. 

I slightly over cook mine because they like the asparagus crispy, but you should cook to your liking.

Ingredients 

1 or 2 bunches of asparagus
2 tbs olive oil
1 tbs minced garlic
salt and pepper

Directions

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Break tough ends off asparagus spears by bending the bottom of the stalk until it breaks, discard the bottom portion. Place stalks on baking sheet. Drizzle olive oil over stalks. Add garlic and salt and pepper. Toss everything together until stalks are well coated. Spread stalks out in single layer on baking sheet. Roast in oven to desired texture, anywhere from 10-30 minutes.

Easy Roasted Turkey

Today is Sunday, last night my fiancé came home with a frozen turkey. A gift from his company. It takes 3 days to defrost in the refrigerator. Since we are not home Christmas night, he has to work Christmas Eve and I don't have any room in my freezer we will make this in three days. I have only cooked this recipe once and I think it came out good. I will be home on Tuesday and we do not have anywhere to go so timing is perfect. Wednesday night before I go to be I will start the brining that way around 1:30pm I can start cooking the turkey. I will probably whip up some mashed potatoes to go with and crack open a can of cranberry sauce too. It's a good size turkey so I am sure there will be leftovers which is good because we have dance on Thursday and I'll whip up a quick casserole or some sandwiches.

This is the recipe I plan to use:

Easy Roasted Turkey

Serves 10 to 12

While you can prepare this turkey recipe without the brining step, I highly recommend you give it a try as this process produces wonderfully succulent meat. 

Ingredients

1 (14- to 15- pound) turkey 
1/2-1 cup Salt 
1 teaspoon dried thyme 
2 carrots, roughly chopped 
2 stalks celery, roughly chopped 
2 yellow onions, roughly chopped 
2 cups gluten-free chicken broth 
1/2 cup white wine 
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter, melted 
Pepper to taste

Method

Brine the turkey overnight (at least 12 hours) by submerging it completely in a salt water solution made from a ratio of 1/2 cup salt to one gallon water. (Alternately, you may brine the turkey for 4 hours using a ratio of 1 cup salt to one gallon water). Rinse the turkey well and pat it dry. 

Preheat oven to 350°F. 

Mix thyme, carrots, celery and onions together in a small bowl. Stuff turkey cavity with the vegetable mixture and scatter any remaining vegetables around the bottom of a roasting pan. Pour broth and wine over vegetables in pan. 

Arrange a rack over the vegetables in the pan and arrange the turkey on top of it, breast side down. (You may use either a flat rack or a V-rack). Brush half of the melted butter all over the turkey, then season with pepper. Reserve remaining butter for later use. 

Roast turkey for two hours, breast side down, basting once. Remove from oven and turn turkey breast side up, being careful not to pierce the skin. Brush turkey with the remaining butter and season again with pepper. 

Return turkey to oven and continue roasting until a thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the thigh reaches 165°F, about 2 hours more. 

Set turkey aside to let rest for 30 minutes, then carve and serve, drizzled with the pan drippings.

Welcome

Thank you for visiting my site. 

Inspired by a friend momvsfood.blogspot.com,

 I have created this site, featuring quick easy and healthy recipes for busy moms. Unlike my friend who makes and rolls her own dough, cans tomatoes, and enters cooking contests, I simply do not have the time. After football practice, coaching my daughters cheer team, basketball, dance class, baseball, softball, blogging, working, cleaning, laundry, homework, spending time with the family and breathing, then there's dinner. 

Do I grab a box of mac-n-cheese and some hot dogs and call it a day? I could. But I want better for my family, better nutrition and better variety. I have managed to accomplish this feat and would like to share with you not only my recipes but how I managed my time each day to make sure everyone eats better. I welcome your comments and recipe suggestions too. I look forward to cooking with you..

Busy Moms Cook 2

Tara