Home of the Heart Recipe Blog

Turkey Slices with Quinoa and Zucchini

9/2/2020

During zucchini season, I'm always on the lookout for new ways to fix this prolific vegetable. I found this recipe and modified it to fit what I had on hand. Few people want to spend much time cooking over a hot stove, and this one went together quickly. Try it and you'll agree it's quick and delicious.

Prep time: 30 minutes Cook time: 25 minutes Ready in 55 minutes Servings: 4

Ingredients
1 cup quinoa (I used multi-
colored quinoa)
2 cups chicken broth
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil,
divided
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
1/2 cup onion, chopped
2 skinless, boneless chicken breast
halves cut into strips (I used 1 1/2
pounds sliced cooked turkey and cut it
into strips.)
1 zucchini, diced
4 ounces feta cheese
8 fresh basil leaves
1 tablespoon lime juice

Directions
1. Bring the quinoa and broth to a boil in a saucepan, then reduce the heat to simmer. Cover the pan and simmer for until all of the liquid is absorbed, about 12 minutes. Seat aside when done.
2. Meanwhile, heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a skillet and cook the onion until soft.
3. If using chicken, add it now and cook until it's slightly pink in the middle. Remove onion and chicken and set aside.
4. Add 2 more tablespoons of the olive oil and garlic to the skillet and cook the zucchini until tender.
5. Add the chicken or turkey, the feta, basil leaves, and lime juice. Cook until the mixture is hot, about 10 minutes. 6. Serve over the hot quinoa.

I hope you enjoy this dish. Let me know if you've tried it and how it turned out.
Good cooking to you,

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Glazed Snow Peas

7/14/2020

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'Tis the season for snow peas, and my garden is producing them in abundance. But how to fix them? I ran across this recipe in the Food Network that we love, so I'm sharing it here.

Servings: 4 Preparation time: about 20 minutes

Ingredients
8 oz fresh snow peas
1 bunch chopped scallions
2 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup water
Optional: sesame seeds

Directions
1. Break the stem ends off of the snow peas and pull off the strings. Rinse well.
2. Melt butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
3. Add the snow pea, scallions, and the water.
4. Cover and simmer two minutes.
5. Uncover and boil until the water evaporates, about two more minutes.
6. Season with salt and serve

I hope you enjoy this recipe. Leave a comment here to let me know if you've tried this dish and how it turns out.

Good cooking to you,

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Apple-Grapenut Bread

4/19/2020

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Apple-Grapenut Bread

The hub and I have been hankering for a little treat. We also wanted to reciprocate with a neighbor who left her homemade scones on our front porch this last week. Apple-Grapenut Bread came to mind, although I hadn't made it in a long time. I first made it as as teenager from a recipe on the back of the cereal box, so I guess you could call it a "retro" recipe. Whether you've had it before and want to enjoy the taste memory, or this is your first acquaintance with the bread, I hope you'll enjoy making some for yourself and your family and maybe neighbors too.
For best slicing and mellowing of flavors, store overnight before you want to use it.

Makes one, 8 x 4 x 3 loaf Preparation time: 45 minutes
Baking time: 60-65 minutes

Ingredients
2 cups sifted all-purpose flower
2½ teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
¾ teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon nutmeg
⅛ teaspoon allspice
⅔ cup light brown sugar, packed
½ cup Grapenuts
1 cup peeled, finely chopped tart apple
½ cup chopped nuts
2 eggs, beaten
⅔ cup milk
2 tablespoons molasses

Instructions
Preheat oven to 350
1. Sift together flour, baking powder, salt, and spices into a mixing bowl.
2. Stir in brown sugar, cereal, apples, and nuts.
3. In a second bowl, combine eggs, milk, molasses, and shortening.
4. Add the egg mixture to the flour mixture, and blend just until all flour is dampened.
5. Pour into a well greased 8 x 4 x 3 inch loaf pan. Bake in oven for 60-65 minutes. Stick in a toothpick to test for doneness. If it comes out clean, the bread is done.
6. Cool 10 minutes in pan, then turn out on a cake rack. When the bread is cool, wrap it in waxed paper or aluminum foil to keep.

I hope you enjoy this dish. Let me know if you've tried it and how it turned out. Good cooking to you,

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Pomegranate-Apple Green Salad

1/18/2020

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Pomegranate-Apple Green Salad

This salad was inspired by my Cran-Apple Spinach Salad. These days it seems easier to find pomegranate juice than pure cranberry juice, so I tried the switch, also substituting pumpkin seeds for the more labor intensive Candied Pecans. I think you'll enjoy this version just as much or even more than the original!

Servings: 6 Serving size: 3/4 cup Preparation time: 25 minutes
(begin 3 to 12 hours ahead of serving.)

Ingredients
1/4 cup pomegranate juice
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1-1/2 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar
dash sea salt
4 cups washed and torn greens
2 cups chopped apple
1/2 cup thinly sliced celery
*1/4 cup pomegranate seeds
1/4 cup pumpkin seeds

*Pomegranate seeds may be purchase in a refrigerated cup or extracted from the fruit.

Directions
1. Whisk together the juice, olive oil, vinegar, and sea salt in a small bowl.
2. Place apples a shallow glass dish.
3. Pour juice mixture over apple mixture.
4. Refrigerate, covered at least 3 hours or up to 12 hours. Sir occasionally.
5. When ready to serve, toss greens and celery in a serving bowl.
6. Stir in the apples, pomegranate seeds, and pumpkin seeds.
7. Serve in an attractive serving bowl or individual bowls.

Note: If mixture has been refrigerated several hours, allow to stand at room temperature about 15 minutes for olive oil to liquefy. Stir before using.

I hope you enjoy my recipes. Let me know if you've tried any of them and how they turned out.

Good cooking to you,

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Baked French Toast

12/23/2019

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This baked French toast sprinkled with cinnamon and sugar has a nice combination of a crisp surface with a soft center. Can be served with a variety of toppings. The next time I make this, I'd like to serve it with crushed strawberries and whipped cream.

Serving: 6 Preparation: 30 minutes Baking time: 30 minutes

Ingredients
2 cups eggs
1¼ cups milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
¼ teaspoon salt
6 slices French bread
3 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons sugar mixed with ½ teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup heavy whipping cream

Directions
1. Beat together eggs, milk, vanilla, and salt.
2. Put bread in shallow dish, add egg mixture, and let stand 10 minutes, turning once with spatula.
3. Melt butter in 13 × 9 × 2-inch baking pan in 400° F oven 5 minutes.
4. When the bread has absorbed egg mixture, remove to baking pan, using spatula. Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar and bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes or until well browned and puffy.
5. Serve with toppings.

I hope you enjoy my recipes. Let me know if you've tried any of them and how they turned out.

Good cooking to you.

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Cinnamon Ornaments

12/11/2019

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I make these cinnamon scented ornaments almost every year. They make great gifts to give a little before-Christmas, enhancing the fragrance of the season.
They can be strung together as a garland. If you have many cookie cutters as I do, it's fun to choose a theme. Or use as package gift tags, writing on the person's name with frosting.
Note: These take a while to dry, so plan ahead!

Ingredients
1 cup Cinnamon
1 Tablespoon Cloves, ground
1 Tablespoon Nutmeg
3/4 cup Applesauce canned
2 Tablespoons White glue
1/4 cup Cocoa powder

Directions
1. In medium bowl, combine cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg. Add applesauce and glue, stir to combine.
2. Work mixture with hands for several minutes or until dough is smooth and ingredients are thoroughly mixed.
3. Divide into 4 portions.
4. Sprinkle surface with cocoa powder. Roll each portion to 1/4-inch thickness. Cut dough with "floured" cookie cutters.
5. Use a straw to make a small hole in the top of each ornament.
6. Place cutouts on wire racks and cover with paper towels so that they will dry slowly and not warp. Allow to dry at room temperature for several days.
7. Carefully string on ribbons.

I hope you enjoyed these. Let me know if you've they turned out.

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Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

11/13/2019

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It's harvest time, and in our family, that means we get to enjoy the spaghetti squash from our garden. One of the side benefits is harvesting the seeds, about the same size as pumpkin seeds, for a delicious crunchy treat. In fact, I'm munching on a few as I write this blog. I like to use pumpkin pie spice on these, but you might enjoy experimenting with a number of different spices and even grated Parmesan cheese!

Prep time: 15 minutes Dry time: overnight Cook time: 30 minutes
Eating time: anytime!

Ingredients
3/4 cup raw pumpkin or other large
squash seeds
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
3/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

Instructions
1. Wash pumpkin seeds in a colander to remove the pulp. Spread the seeds out to dry overnight on a kitchen towel, or spread on a cookie sheet and dry in oven on low heat, watching carefully that they don't burn.
2. Once the seeds are dry, preheat oven to 350 degrees.
3. In a small bowl, combine the oil, salt, and spice. Add the seeds and stir.
4. Line a baking sheet with foil, shinny side down, and spread the seeds evenly.
5. Bake the seeds until they are crunchy, stirring half way through, for about 20 to 30 minutes.
6. Cool and enjoy.

I hope you enjoy this dish. Let me know if you've tried it and how it turned out. Good cooking to you,

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Spaghetti Squash with Walnut Alfredo Sauce

11/13/2019

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Spaghetti Squash and Meatballs with Walnut Alfredo Sauce

Sometimes I don't so much as plan dinner as it plans me. I look at what food items I need to use up, and often figure out a way to combine two or three to make the main dish.
That scenario played out last night. Knowing I'm a fan of Aidell's sausage, my dear hubby had brought home a package of their Carmelized Onion Chicken Meatballs. In the meantime, we'd had a couple of small spaghetti squash in the fridge that I wanted to use.
It wasn't a leap to combine the squash and meatballs with a sauce. I wanted to keep the dish healthy, and the sauce I'd used for Walnut Alfredo Sauce seemed appropriate and quick to make. The result? Combined with a green salad on the side, it was a a satisfying and delicious meal. Here's how to put this meal together.

Baked Spaghetti Squash
Prep time: 10 minutes Baking time: 30-40 minutes Post-bake time: 10-12 minutes
A 3 pound spaghetti squash makes about 4 cups cooked squash
Serving size is one cup

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Cut squash in half lengthwise. (I use a cleaver.)
3. Scoop out the seeds and set aside. (Check out this Roasted Pumpkin Seeds recipe)
4. With a fork, poke a few holes in the skin of the squash and place both halves cut side down in large baking pan. Fill bottom of pan with water about an inch high and place in oven.
4. Roast from 30 to 40 minutes. (You may want to test it with a fork, as the squash will be mushy if you roast it too long.)
5. When squash has cooled enough to handle, scrape away the meat from the shell, teasing the strands. Serve with a sauce or mixed with other ingredients.
Note: The squash can also be cooked in the microwave (mostly) following steps 1 to 4. Cook one half at a time. Takes about 15 minutes on high for each half.

Walnut Alfredo Sauce
Prep time: 15 minutes Serving size: 1/4 cup Serves: 6

Ingredients
3/4 cup walnuts
1 garlic clove
1/4 cup fresh basil
1/4 cup oregano
1/3 cup olive oil or walnut oil
2-1/2 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice
3/4 cup almond milk
1/4 teaspoon ground sea salt
pinch of white pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

*May substitute coconut milk, low-fat milk, or soft tofu. (Nutritional information will vary)

Instructions
1. In a blender, add walnuts, oil, garlic, lemon juice, nutmeg, white pepper, basil, oregano, almond milk, and sea salt.
2. Blend until creamy.
3. Heat in microwave to serving temperature

To Serve

1. Cook the meatballs according to package directions.
2. Spoon the squash into a serving bowl or individual pasta bowls. Place hot meatballs on top, and pour over the warm sauce.

I hope you enjoy this dish. Let me know if you've tried it and how it turned out.

Good cooking to you,

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Lemon Shrimp or Scallops

11/8/2019

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I'm all for easy meals, and this is one of them. You can use either shrimp or scallops in this dish. The original recipe called for butter, but I use a bit of chicken broth instead for less calories. Take your pick. Serve on a bed of cooked rice with a green salad on your next laid-back evening.

Servings: 6 Serving size: 1/2 cup Preparation time: 20 minutes

Ingredients
3 oz chicken broth
3 pounds shrimp or scallops
2 medium garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
3 tablespoon cooking sherry
3 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped

Instructions
1. Heat broth to simmering.
2. Add the garlic cloves, shrimp or scallops, and cook about 3 minutes until tender.
3. Add lemon juice, sherry, and parsley and heat through.
Serve on a bed of cooked rice.

I hope you enjoy this dish. Let me know if you've tried it and how it turned out. Good cooking to you,

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Corn Tofu Chowder

1/14/2019

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Corn Tofu Chowder

Do you avoid chowder because it's so full of fat? I've discovered a delicious, healthy alternative to the heavy cream usually used in chowders. The answer is tofu. this chowder is just as delicious and creamy as the traditional kind. See for yourself.

Cutting fresh kernels is not difficult. See directions below. If the optional milk is left out, this can be an all-vegan, lactose-free dish.

Servings: 4 Serving size: 1 cup Preparation time: 20-30 minutes

Ingredients
*1½ cups fresh corn kernels OR
15 ounces canned corn
½ cup diced onion
½ cup diced green or red bell pepper
½ cup diced celery
2 diced garlic cloves
2 tablespoons olive or grapeseed oil
⅔ cup milk or almond "milk"
6-ounce soft tofu
5 tablespoons diced green chilies
½ teaspoon ground sea salt
1 teaspoon ground cumin
*Dash white pepper
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro or chives

Options: Add and sauté diced jicama or potatoes, chopped cooked bacon or scraps of salmon. (If raw, the salmon will cook quickly when heating up the chowder.)

*Notes:
To cut kernels from the cob, cut off tip first. Place stem end on cutting board and run chef's knife or electric knife from top to bottom until only the cob remains. Break up kernels into individual pieces.

White pepper is very strong, so use with care.

Instructions
1. After the onion, green pepper, celery, and garlic are diced, sauté them as well the fresh corn kernels in a deep pan with the oil. (I add the garlic toward the last, since it tends to burn if cooked too long. Do not add the corn if it is canned.) Saute until soft.

2. If using canned corn, drain off the liquid. Add the canned corn to the vegetable mixture after it has been sautéed. Remove about one-third cup of this mixture and set aside.

3. Put the tofu in the bottom of a blender and add the milk, remaining vegetable mixture, chilies, salt, cumin, and pepper. Blend until the chowder is the consistency you like. If too thick, add a little extra milk or water.

4. Pour the chowder mixture and the one-third cup un-blended mixture into the pan for texture. Heat slowly so that the chowder will not burn.

5. Adjust seasonings to your taste.

6. Pour into bowls and top with the diced cilantro, chives, basil, or red bell pepper and serve.

I hope you enjoy this dish. Let me know if you've tried it and how it turned out. Good cooking to you,